Today we’d like to introduce you to Meighan Carmichael, the founding partner of a new real estate firm here in the triangle.
Hi Meighan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself and letting us know how you got here.
I’m a small business owner and entrepreneur, but my first loves are family and community. My path to real estate was a long and circuitous one; I graduated from college with a degree in early education and a minor in business. After a short stint teaching preschool, I went back to school to pursue a masters degree in accounting, and moved to San Francisco to work in the financial services sector. I had my first child, Toby, when we were in CA, and a year after he was born, we decided to return to NC to be closer to family. After 10 years in the accounting industry, including stints at top public accounting firms, liaison work for the AIPCA and serving as Finance Director for Habitat for Humanity of Orange County, I moved my CPA license to inactive status and pursued more creative work in interior design. Working with clients who were buying houses, planning & building houses, and looking to refresh their homes prior to putting them on the market, I realized that I loved the process of helping clients make a home their own and helping them strategically add value to their property. I also discovered that I enjoy short-term projects with 1-3 month timelines much better than some of the longer 12-18+ month projects designers often work on. The more time I spent with design clients, the more I realized that my favorite aspects of all my prior careers- education, accounting & finance and design- were beneficial components of the services a great real estate agent provides. I moved into real estate 10 years ago; my desire from the outset was to open my own boutique real estate firm in Hillsborough, one that offered local market expertise and stellar service, but I wanted to wait until my youngest child, Lela Jane, was at least 10 before starting my own firm. Lela turned 10 last year, and the rest is history!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The process of carving out a new road is never a smooth one, but its an adventure I enjoy. There have been daily struggles for sure, and our team approaches them as opportunities for learning and growth. I’m incredibly grateful for a supportive husband and family- starting your own thriving real estate practice is a time- and resource-intensive process which often means I am working early mornings, late nights and weekends. Figuring out how to hold space and time for myself and my family while also taking care of clients’ needs has been a challenge, but I’m getting better at it, and I’m getting better at giving myself grace through the process. Having an excellent work team as well is critical for our success. I am so lucky to have an amazing crew who work so well together & share a dedication to excellent service.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Hillsborough Real Estate Group?
We are a boutique real estate firm that provides excellent advisory services with a hyper-local perspective to clients buying and selling real estate in the Western Triangle market, including Hillsborough, Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Durham, Mebane, Graham, Pittsboro & more. We understand the ever-shifting nature of today’s real estate market, we recognize the unique needs of each of our clients, and we provide concierge service with honesty & integrity. Out goal is to help each client achieve their version of “success” with every transaction.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love Hillsborough! We moved here in 2008, and didn’t know much about the town at all. I’d never lived in a small town, and had no idea exactly what it would be like. I feel like I stumbled upon buried treasure. Raising my children in Hillsborough, living here now for almost 17 years, I can officially say that I’m a “small-town girl.” The pace is slower. The neighbors are kind. The community is connected. We can walk everywhere. I love that we still have a small town paper, The News of Orange, that comes out weekly with stories about the high school sports teams and local events. I love that we run into the same people in town, at the same events, year after year, and have had the chance to watch our children grow up together. I love our local creative traditions, like the bi-annual Handmade Parade, the annual Solstice Walk and the Annual Homes for the Holidays Gingerbread event, displayed in local merchant windows each December. I love that the merchants in town know my kids and keep an eye on them when they are walking or biking around town. I do wish I could sometimes go on dates here in town and not run into so many people we know- we have to head to Durham or Chapel Hill if we want a night entirely to ourselves. 🙂
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.hillsboroughregroup.com
- Instagram: @HillsboroughREGroup
