Kay Agney, Owner of Higbie Maxon Agney, Inc. in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, goes by the motto “Matching People and Houses… with Imagination!” Kay most recently attended the 12th Annual Luxury Real Estate Spring Retreat in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and serves on the Luxury Real Estate Board of Regents, which celebrates their 10 year anniversary in 2014. Learn about how she got her start in real estate and what makes her company so successful.
How did you get your start in real estate? Before my life in real estate, I was a piano teacher. When my family and I moved to the Grosse Pointe area north of Detroit, I found that the travel time to the music conservatory where I was teaching was just too much. In 1979, because the beautiful homes and the history of Grosse Pointe situated on the shores of Lake St. Clair between Lake Erie and Lake Huron, fascinated me, I decided to get my real estate license. In all the 30 years since then, I have never regretted it.
What path has your career taken? Early on in my real estate career, I knew that I wanted to work for the company that handled the premier properties in Grosse Pointe, and that company was Higbie Maxon. The founding broker of Higbie Maxon is Hugo Higbie, and he has been my mentor throughout my career. He taught me that building relationships is much more important than selling houses. His real estate career has spanned more than 50 years and he is still considered the mainstay of Grosse Pointe real estate. In 2000, I became a partner and the name was changed to Higbie Maxon Agney, Inc. Five years later, in 2006, I became the sole owner.
Why is your company successful? Our motto is “Matching People and Houses… with Imagination!” Most of our business comes from referrals of satisfied clients. Our sales associates are very committed to providing the kind of service that guarantees successful real estate transactions. As part of our vision, we take pride in providing expert guidance so our clients can satisfy their lifestyle needs. Grosse Pointe is a small community with many high profile people who expect confidentiality in their transactions and we pride ourselves in providing that confidentiality. Our agents are committed to the community, giving their time and talents to many community and charitable organizations. They also have a strong commitment to each other’s’ success. It is not unusual to see a seasoned agent taking time to help a new agent. We provide a company atmosphere that attracts successful, productive and motivated real estate professionals. As an integral part of the Grosse Pointes since 1929, we can truly expand our motto to say “Matching People and Houses with Imagination…for Generations!”
What are your favorite parts of your job? Every morning I feel blessed to wake up doing what I love to do. Each day brings different challenges and it is never boring. Many of my past clients have become dear friends and I am now finding homes for their children. I love finding that perfect home for a client. And I enjoy helping our sales associates become successful, mentoring them as I was mentored.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work? I love spending time with my husband on the golf course or hanging out with our two Labs. We are avid hockey fans (so are the dogs)… go Red Wings! Topping my list are my children and incredible grandchildren. And I enjoy serving on several Boards of volunteer organizations, a favorite of which is the Grosse Pointe Historical Society. I never tire of walking through our beautiful waterfront community and looking at all of the magnificent homes.
For more information about Higbie Maxon Agney, Inc. Realtors please visit LuxuryRealEstate.com or HigbieMaxon.com.