Maggie Regan was a waitress in Williamsburg when the opportunity to dive into the world of real estate was served to her on a plate.
David Walker, one of the founders of the real estate startup Triplemint, was sitting in her section and was looking for some talent to launch the tech-forward brokerage in 2013.
Now a successful agent with Citi Habitats, Regan said she has never second-guessed her decision to forego the career in advertising that she had mapped out for herself before her serendipitous encounter with Walker.
“What attracted me originally was working for a startup,” Regan explained. “I was Triplemintʼs fourth hire and it really seemed cool to be at the ground level with a new company.”
Born in Chicago and raised in Florida, Regan came to New York to study advertising and marketing at NYUʼs Steinhardt School of Culture, Communication and Media Studies.
She went to work for Triplemint the day after she graduated and quickly found her stride developing the role of Client Experience Manager, a position she described as a matchmaker between the potential client and the appropriate agent.
Regan said the tangible energy of being part of a startup considered a disruptor within the residential marketplace later inspired her to join LiquidSpace, an online marketplace and workspace network for renting office space, before moving to Compass — another notable agitator within the apartment sector — where she worked as a broker’s assistant.
As she gained valuable experience, Regan also began to crave the connection that real estate agents and clients share when looking for their next home.
“That was one of the things that really attracted me to get back into residential sales and rentals – being able to help people find homes they’re going to live in every day and not just where they’re going to work,” Regan said.
To pursue the role of a residential sales agent, she left Compass to join Citi Habitats in August 2016. Regan now has more than a year under her belt at Citi Habitats selling and renting homes and said one of the most important aspects of the job is being a part of her clients’ house-hunting process.
“The most enjoyable part for me is finding out why somebody wants to move,” Regan said. “Of course, everybody has different reasons. Sometimes people are getting divorces, sometimes people are having kids, but clients are looking to change their life.”
She believes that what separates her from other agents trying to sell houses is her ability to remain positive and present — something she’s learned through the yoga and meditation she does in her spare time.
“There are 40,000 brokers in this city and for a lot of them, this is a part-time gig, or they don’t take it seriously,” Regan said. “But because of my mindful practices outside of the office, I’m just able to be more present for my co-workers, my clients, and my friends.”
Her helpfulness extends past her immediate circle as she also volunteers her time at the Covenant House by teaching yoga and meditation to homeless teenagers and young adults.
“I wanted to be able to not only help people who can afford to buy homes, but also help people who are not in a position to buy right now,” Regan said.
She also volunteers with Godʼs Love We Deliver, Gay Menʼs Health and is an ambassador for Citi Habitats own Citi Cares program, inspiring her co-workers to get involved in everything from holiday gift drives to helping at soup kitchens..
Her positive life practices have led to strong results professionally, with her first major sale of the winter closing north of $2 million at 184 Kent Avenue in Williamsburg.
And her clients are serving back the positive vibes, dubbing Regan “Your Mindful Realtor” who helped them find their perfect homes.
