Author: Elaine Doremus, Forest & Bluff
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With more than a decade of experience helping buyers and sellers through the process, Sondra Douglass approaches her work with a refreshing joie de vivre.
Optimistic. Professional. Patient. These are just a few of the words clients use to describe real estate agent Sondra Douglass. Add to that her in-depth knowledge of all things Lake Forest and Lake Bluff, and the ease with which she juggles the responsibilities as mother of four, and you’ve got a seasoned broker who has found her calling in career and life.
“I love life, and I’m very involved. I think that comes through-in my work,” she says. “I bring energy and optimism from my daily life into real estate.”
When first meeting a new client, Douglass likes to get to know them, set expectations on both ends, and begin to establish the trust she knows is invaluable in any relationship. She arms sellers with essential information to help them make informed decisions about pricing, staging, and marketing a home for sale. That’s one of the reasons Douglass selected @properties as her real estate firm.
“At Properties thinks outside the box,” she says. “There is excellent collaboration between the Chicago city agents all the way up the North Shore. We are continually in communication.”
In addition to a marketing plan for every seller, she sends out post card mailings that pinpoint buyers in different areas that are moving up to the North Shore or down to Chicago. She also advertises using various social media networks to bring attention to her listings. Attracting buyers to Lake Forest and Lake Bluff happens to be where Douglass has found her sweet spot as well as much gratification in her work. She works often with first time homebuyers, relocation clients, renters, and those new to the North Shore.
“I know so much about our schools and the community and what it has to offer—from the schools to the rec department to professional service providers. A 19-year resident of Lake Forest, Douglass is married to husband Billy who grew up here. Her four children have attended school here since day one—her oldest just graduated from Lake Forest High School, where her two middle children attend, and her youngest is at Deerpath Middle School. Whether they have questions about schools, neighborhoods, home maintenance, or even a hair salon, lawyer, or dermatologist, she has an answer.
“The greatest compliment I get is when someone buys a house and then calls me six months later to ask me for a referral,” Douglass says. “Not only have they been a client, but I’ve been a friend to them as well.”
These days, Douglass is very enthusiastic about representing Kelmscott Park, a Focus Development luxury living community at the corner of Laurel and Western avenues that combines the best of Arts & Crafts tradition with a refined, maintenance-free lifestyle—all within walking distance to downtown.
“I feel that this is a great opportunity to work with a very reputable developer with high integrity,” she says. “This injection of new construction in Lake Forest will help invigorate our downtown, and it is a perfect fit for the buyer who wants a modern transitional feel.”
Whether it be buyers new to the area or local residents looking to downsize, upsize, or switch to maintenance-free living, Kelmscott Park will offer a range of new construction options—from luxury condominiumminiums and chic modern rental apartments to nearly 4,000 square-foot single family homes—all with an in-town vibe and access to Market Square and the train station, not to mention approximately five acres of beautifully landscaped green space (50 percent of the total parcel).
“It’s a fun project to be on,” says Douglass. Which brings us back to Douglass’s optimism and zest for life and work. “Every day is different and a challenge and that’s what keeps it fun.”
Sondra Douglass of @properties can be reached at 847-309-9095, or at sondra@atproperties.com.
Read the full article by Elaine Doremus in Forest & Bluff Magazine