Hey there! I'm Lillian. My top priority as your realtor is to help bring your house dreams to life. I aim to make your experience as stress-free as possible, regardless of your budget or your amount of real estate expertise.
In addition to being a major financial undertaking, buying or selling your home can be an emotional journey. I promise that I will actively listen to you throughout our relationship. I will advocate for you firmly and respectfully to get you to the closing table with everything you need.
Background
Until high school, I lived in Ben Avon and Emsworth, just north of Pittsburgh. As a high schooler, I split my time between a Quaker boarding school on an Ohio farm and weekends with family in Regent Square and the South Side. Before returning to the Steel City in 2012, I spent time in Central Massachusetts, the San Francisco Bay Area, and London. I’ve loved everywhere I’ve lived, but Pittsburgh has my heart!
I became a full-time realtor in 2016 after several years as an urban planning consultant. In that capacity, I worked with a variety of non-profit and government clients to engage the public around large planning projects and long-term community visioning. Before that, I spent much of my time in graduate school conducting interviews and focus groups to understand the individual motivations that shape cities. I've brought my planning skills, experience listening to the concerns of neighbors of all walks of life, connections to a variety of neighborhood organizations, and understanding of municipal systems to my real estate work. Here's a link to LinkedIn if you want to learn a little more about my professional background.
My professional background in urban planning gives me valuable knowledge about Pittsburgh neighborhoods, new development, and how change happens. This helps me find a great match between my clients and their chosen communities.
My Homeownership Journey
In late summer 2013, my first offer on a home had fallen through because of appraisal issues. I’d already given my landlord notice I was moving, and he had a friend moving into my Friendship apartment. Luckily, a new friend I’d met through my plot at a community garden knew of a house next to her that might be coming on the market. By August, I’d bought my first home, a small Victorian rowhouse in Garfield, close to the city neighborhoods I travel through each day.
I loved my little house’s charm and efficiency and I loved my neighbors — I thought I’d stay there forever. By 2019, however, I’d met my husband and adopted two little dogs. We all wanted a big porch and a bigger garden. I fell in love with our current home — an American Foursquare in the Swissvale Slopes — while touring with clients, and we began transforming it into the home of our dreams.
In addition to carefully restoring the century-old homes we’ve lived in, my husband and I have also done total gut renovations of homes that had been abandoned for decades. In 2022, I inherited my dad’s Hulley House in Garfield. We’re currently working to finish the work he started on the home and side-lot orchard.
I know first-hand that being responsible for a home’s condition can sometimes feel intimidating, but my grasp of contemporary and historic construction methods will help us evaluate any home you’ve set their sights on. My construction education started early in life when my dad took me on late-night walks to discover architectural treasures in the South Side's dumpsters (this was the 90's, so the Flats were the hottest new thing). One of my favorite things about touring homes with my clients is learning how homes are put together. I'll gladly talk through any renovation project - large or small - that you have in mind.
Community Involvement
Over the years, I’ve stayed active in my neighborhood by volunteering with community organizations, sharing a garden on my block in Garfield, and attending arts events on Penn Ave. Who knows - Maybe we've already met!
PAST + Present community involvement:
Bloomfield-Garfield Board of Directors
Prototype Pgh Volunteer + Workshop Host
Bunker Projects Founding Board Member
Swissvale Edible Garden Tour Planning Committee + Host