Five years ago, Rebecca Murphy was at a New Year’s Day open house, talking with a new acquaintance. In true Baltimore fashion, while chatting, she and her new friend discovered they had more than a few friends in common.
Two weeks later, she and her new friend grabbed breakfast and got on the subject of real estate. At the time, Murphy’s mother’s house was about to go on the market and she elaborated on the neighborhood and the lifestyle if offered. One thing led to another and not long after that breakfast, the new friend was the owner of the house where Murphy grew up.
That interaction sparked something in Murphy. She loved the process of helping connect a new friend with a home and realized that as a third-generation Baltimorean with friends and family all over the city, she had a rich knowledge of – and love for – Baltimore’s many neighborhoods, making residential real estate a natural job choice.
Today, Murphy is an agent in Joan Solomon’s Long & Foster Lake Roland office, selling homes all over the region, but especially in northern Baltimore City and the nearby suburbs.
Prior to working in residential real estate, Murphy spent several decades getting to know people around the city and developing the skills that make her an excellent realtor. She describes herself as a “Jill of all trades.”
“I’ve worked in philanthropy, politics, consulting, with non-profits, worked as a real estate developer – I’ve pretty much done everything but be a lawyer,” she laughs. Most recently, she spent five and a half years working in government, with former Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and with the Department of Recreation and Parks.
Her immersion in the community hasn’t been limited to the workday, either. “I like to be involved,” she says. “Every neighborhood I’ve lived in, I’ve been in the community association, active in my children’s schools and involved in the politics. I believe civic engagement is the way to live.”
Murphy’s love for Baltimore makes it easy to stay involved and engaged. “Baltimore is rich in its diversity of people and very culturally rich. It’s affordable and a wonderful place to raise your family,” she says. “I love that my children go to the same grocery store I went to as a kid. I like the longevity of relationships – like how people are so friendly and go out of their way to look out for each other. I think it’s a really interesting, eclectic city.”
Murphy has spent most of her life living in the northern Baltimore area, but her knowledge of the city expands beyond that bubble. “I have friends all over the city from my civic and political work,” she says. “And from my natural curiosity and development work, I know most of the neighborhoods in the city and the close-in suburbs.”
The flexibility and entrepreneurial energy of residential real estate make it a draw for Murphy; she also loves that it gives her the opportunity to help people with one of the most significant decisions they will ever make: buying a new home.
“Buying a home is one of the most personal things anyone does,” she says. “It’s a big part of family life and personal life.”
Murphy’s knowledge makes it easy for her to help clients find not just a house, but a home and a community, with all the small and large connections that includes.
“I live to connect people to each other – whether that’s with a school, neighborhood, job, with each other, it’s really important to me,” she says. “I like helping people identify the best neighborhood for them and the best home for them in that neighborhood. That’s the thing about this business that most appeals to me.”
She doesn’t stop with the house, either. Thanks to her years of living in Baltimore and her naturally gregarious personality, Murphy has friends everywhere – and she’s happy to connect those she knows with her clients.
“I can not only find you a house, but introduce you to neighbors, tell you which pool to join, help you even find a locksmith,” she says. “The relationships I have in Baltimore give me the opportunity to be a full-service realtor, matching my clients with not just a house, but a home and a community.”
Murphy’s experience with the Baltimore’s residential real estate community started as a young age; her mother, Bettyjean Murphy, was a realtor; one of Murphy’s mentors in the business was once mentored by her mom.
As a result, she’s conscious that there are many realtors in Baltimore, each of whom has something special to offer clients. Murphy sees the business as a place to collaborate, not just compete.
“I want to be successful and am good at what I do, but I will be happiest if lots of people are successful with me,” she says. “I believe that a rising tide lifts all boats.”
Working with colleagues and with clients is a good fit for Murphy’s extroverted personality.
“My mother used to say when I was little that I would literally talk to a rock,” she says, laughing. “I love human interaction – I love people and love my city, so those things together made real estate make sense to me.”
For more information about working with Rebecca Murphy, call 410-377-7720 or visit https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaMurphyRealtor/
