The dynamic mother-daughter Realtor team of Tamara O’Connor and Amanda Laughlin has wowed clients across the Fox Valley and Northwest suburbs with impeccable service for more than three decades.
O’Connor, who has 35 years of experience in the industry, works alongside her daughter, who launched Premier Living Properties in St. Charles with her mom in 2004. Together, they are known as relationship Realtors and live up to the Premier tagline: “Luxury is not a price point, it’s a level of service.”
“If you call the office and you’re our client, I guarantee you, Amanda and everyone on our team knows what the client needs and what the next steps are,” O’Connor says. “It’s that personalized touch that we continue to hone every day.”
“What I love about our team is our buyers are never going to miss getting into a property in this fast-moving market because of our schedules,” Laughlin says. “If you have to see a house on a Friday night and we are unavailable, our teammates are getting you in there. We work with our buyers’ busy schedules, and we all cover for each other.”
The team also specializes in development marketing and new construction sales, and it has represented many of the most recent developments in St. Charles and Geneva. Mother and daughter learned the ins and outs of new construction from O’Connor’s husband, Gary, a former home builder and O’Connor’s inspiration for becoming a Realtor.
“We have the tenacity to get into development sites, and we understand the construction process and what buyers today want from new construction,” O’Connor says. “Our in-house marketing department is a big help to our builder clients as well.”
The team’s commitment to excellence has led to a steady ranking among the top three agent teams in Kane County year after year for over a decade.
The team embraces technology and keeps clients abreast of everything they are doing to help them achieve their goals. Clients can log in to the team’s system or view a weekly email report summarizing what’s happening in the marketplace and/or progress made with their listing. From the outcome of talks with other agents about their properties to results of social media campaigns, clients are kept up-to-date every step of the way.
Separate from the team, the brokerage Premier Living Real Estate has 15 independent agents, three admins and two offices, located in Dundee and St. Charles.
Gary O’Connor earned a “2019 Community Development” award from the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce for the gut-rehab of Premier’s headquarters. The 130-year-old Victorian home at 612 W. Main St. in St. Charles is a focal point upon entering the city’s spectacular downtown and clients are welcome to pop in any time for a tour. It is a spectacular renovation while keeping with its historic past.
Chicago Agent: What sets you apart from the competition?
Tamara O’Connor: The strongest skills any Realtor can possess are follow-up, honing negotiation skills, market knowledge and building and maintaining strong relationships with clients and fellow Realtors.
CA: How do you attract agents?
O’Connor: We don’t actively recruit. Agents come to us organically. You have to be consumer-focused. If you’re transaction focused or buying leads to get business, you’re not going to want to work here. We teach agents how to work by referral, to give their clients such a great experience that they become raving fans and refer to them. You have to have the right mindset. One of my favorite clients took years to buy a house. During the process, did they refer others to me? Yes. I work with a lot of people who are at a stage in life where they can live anywhere in the world. They’re not going to buy a house in two weeks. They don’t “have” to move. It could be a long process. You have to be relaxed and able to wait it out while still giving great service along the way and keeping them informed always.
CA: What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned in business?
Laughlin: The real estate industry is constantly evolving, and being able to pivot, innovate and overcome challenges is essential for long-term success. We remain open to change and learning always! We’ve also learned the power of building strong relationships and the impact that genuine care and empathy can have on our clients, our agents and our overall business.
CA: What advice would you give your younger self?
O’Connor: Relax, do your best and trust your gut — if you are kind, customer focused and intentional about achieving great results, you will win, and your clients will win.
Laughlin: Embrace change fearlessly and never stop learning. Every challenge is an opportunity for growth, and every setback is a chance to come back stronger. Trust in your abilities, stay true to your values and never underestimate the importance of building meaningful connections.
CA: How do you give back?
O’Connor: Premier Living Properties has a charity program called We Give Where We Live. Our agents donate a portion of each transaction to local charities with a company match policy that has totaled over $350,000 in the past 20 years.
CA: What else would you like our readers to know about your or your business?
Laughlin: We’re not just in the business of buying and selling homes; we’re in the business of changing lives and making a positive impact on the community we live in. When you work with us, you’re not just a client, you’re part of our family. Your home is your biggest investment — you deserve an experienced, committed, informed and connected Realtor team to help you navigate the best outcome for your family. Mom and I can do that!