Episode 248: Mother-Daughter Owned Real Estate Brokerage Success Story
In this special Mother’s Day episode of Hustle Humbly, we’re celebrating family, business, and the unique bond between moms and daughters. Meet Lori and Chelsea, the powerhouse duo behind Locality Real Estate, a thriving mother-daughter owned real estate brokerage based in Phoenix, Arizona. With a team of 70 agents and a strong culture of collaboration, they’ve created a brokerage built on shared values, strategic growth, and mutual respect.
Starting the Business: Experience Meets Fresh Perspective
Lori brings more than 25 years of real estate experience, including time as an appraiser, sales agent, and broker. Chelsea, her daughter, entered the real estate world at 21 and has since worked in various roles—operations, title, escrow, and sales. In 2020, they teamed up to launch their own brokerage. Each brought her own strengths: Lori focuses on compliance, education, and operations, while Chelsea handles branding, marketing, and social media. This balance of skills is a key reason their mother-daughter real estate team works so well.
Managing Growth and Division of Roles
Since its founding, Locality Real Estate has grown organically to nearly 70 agents. While they don’t have a hard cap on growth, Lori and Chelsea emphasize quality over quantity. They aim to bring on like-minded professionals who align with their values and work ethic. Their interview process involves meeting each agent personally, often together, to ensure a good cultural fit.
They also know their strengths and boundaries. Lori handles the systems and broker compliance, while Chelsea manages content, communication, and agent cheerleading. Together, they’ve created a supportive, family-like atmosphere at their brokerage.
Balancing Work and Family Life
Running a family-owned real estate brokerage isn’t always easy, but Lori and Chelsea have found a healthy rhythm. They make time for non-work-related activities and even take separate work-from-home days to maintain balance. They also share calendars, email access, and clear communication, which helps keep everything aligned.
They’ve taken vacations together and apart, proving that it’s possible to work closely with family while still having boundaries. Their shared respect for each other’s time and talents is what keeps both their business and relationship strong.
Sharing Real Estate Responsibilities
While they both still work with buyers and sellers, they limit their client load to personal referrals, friends, and family. They often tag team transactions or back each other up, ensuring clients always get the attention they need. Their priority remains supporting their agents and running the brokerage smoothly.
And yes—sometimes their spheres overlap. But rather than competing, they share clients based on timing or relationships, trusting that teamwork always wins.
Staying Ahead of the Market
Lori is deeply involved in the local and national real estate community. She chairs Arizona’s largest MLS and serves on multiple boards, keeping her brokerage informed and ahead of changes. This commitment to ongoing learning and advocacy is what sets Locality apart.
Chelsea uses her marketing background and social media savvy to share updates, celebrate agent wins, and boost the firm’s visibility online. Together, they help agents stay current, confident, and visible in a shifting market.
Culture, Positivity, and Support
At Locality, agents feel seen and supported. Chelsea is known for being a positive force, surprising agents with their favorite drinks at open houses and cheering them on online. They also run in-house challenges, like 30-day social media reels, to help agents build confidence and generate leads.
This encouraging culture results in high agent retention and a strong sense of community. New agents are drawn to Locality for its energy, values, and personal support—not just the tools or technology.
Advice for Other Real Estate Families
For those considering working with family, Lori and Chelsea emphasize the importance of communication, clear boundaries, and mutual respect. Their success as a mother-daughter owned real estate brokerage comes from knowing each other’s strengths, sharing responsibilities, and staying open and honest.
Whether it’s sharing calendars or stepping back when needed, they’ve created a structure that supports both the business and their personal relationship.
Looking Ahead
Despite industry changes, Lori and Chelsea feel confident. Their agents are educated and prepared, and their leadership remains proactive. As they look to the future, their goal remains the same: support their agents, serve their community, and continue building a brokerage that reflects who they are—both as professionals and as a family.
Locality Real Estate is an independent, locally-owned brokerage in Arizona specializing in residential real estate. Brokers and Co-Owners, Laurie Beischel and Chelsea McDonnell, bring over 35+ years of combined experience in the industry to their brokerage, Locality Real Estate.
Leave us a review at RateThisPodcast.com/HustleHumbly
Get your FREE Database Template
Submit your topic ideas and toasts to Hello@HutleHumblyPodcast.com.
—————–
Rate, Review, & Follow on Apple Podcasts
“I love Katy and Alissa and The Hustle Humbly Podcast.” <– If that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing our show! This helps us support more people — just like you — move toward the life and business that they desire. Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.” Then be sure to let us know what you loved most about the episode!
Also, if you haven’t done so already, follow the podcast. We’re adding a bunch of bonus episodes to the feed and, if you’re not following, there’s a good chance you’ll miss out. Follow now!
