Debora McKay moved from a career in hotel management to real estate for two reasons: to better provide for her family and have a flexible schedule that would allow her to raise her two daughters. Twenty-two years later, the business now affords her more quality time with her grandchildren.
McKay, a broker and team leader with @properties, works with buyers and sellers in the Fox Valley area, including St. Charles, Geneva, Batavia, Elburn and Elgin. Specializing in luxury homes, her team’s average sales price of $800,000 is more than double that of most other agents in the area. As a longtime resident of St. Charles, McKay has personal insight into the market that gives her an edge when it comes to selling homes.
McKay is an Accredited Buyers’ Representative and Certified Residential Specialist. To market properties, she sends out direct mail; reaches out to her client and agent team spheres; maintains an active presence on social media; and advertises on the web and in magazines and newspapers.
Her favorite part of the job is the close bond she forms with clients. “The true measure of my success is the relationship and trust I build and maintain with my clients,” she says. “Nurturing these relationships is what allowed my business to flourish.”
As @properties’ No. 1 agent in Kane County for the fifth consecutive year, McKay closed more than $75 million in sales volume last year. Between 2015 and 2016, she sold 10 of the most expensive homes in St. Charles. A recent publication by the Wall Street Journal and REAL Trends recognized McKay as No. 135 in transactions and No. 222 in volume nationwide.
After more than two decades with the same brokerage, McKay moved to @properties this year, a move she characterized as tough but necessary in order to provide the best service to clients. “We consistently go above and beyond for our clients to not only help them through a very stressful event in their lives, but also we strive to get the best investment return for them,” she says. “This includes staging, meeting with service providers and helping with tax assessments.”
