It was just a few years ago that Loretta Gray was working as a restaurant manager and master bartender.  In 2015, while recovering from foot surgery, she put her downtime to good use and took Long & Foster’s online pre-licensing real estate course. As fate would have it, the restaurant where she was working, permanently closed at the same time. Gray decided to use some of the customer-centric skills she used every day in the restaurant business to take the plunge into a career in real estate – and has never looked back.   

Gray, who is affiliated with Long & Foster’s Old Town Alexandria office in Alexandria, Virginia, said she took a “go big or go home” attitude that year and continues to use those words for inspiration.  She says her years as a bartender, constantly selling and talking to thousands of people, led her to become a customer-centric guru.  Being passionate about the needs and goals of her clients has paid off: she sold nearly $10 million in real estate in 2019.

Besides having a thriving real estate business, Gray also is a strong proponent of education.  She became certified by the Virginia Real Estate Board to teach the real estate principles course, conducting the classes virtually for 3.5 hours per day. “It’s great fun and an opportunity to review all the rules and terminology while teaching it to people who have an interest,” said Gray.

In addition, Gray works with her office’s managing broker, Forrest Odend’hal, to conduct real estate investing workshops for fellow Long & Foster agents. The workshops provide information on how owning and managing an investment property can be an opportunity for agents to improve their lives and enhance their skills as a real estate professional, adding another dimension to their real estate business. 

A fan of ancient history all her life, Gray has taken advanced classes in Latin and Greek, and she is fluent in both, which is no easy feat.  She adds that her love of ancient history has led to making some good friends in the industry, as well as extraordinary travels abroad to explore historical sites.

Last year, she had some additional downtime, but again used that time wisely. While going through breast cancer treatment, Gray took classes and obtained her Virginia broker’s license to further her real estate education and provide an advantage to her valued clients.

To learn more about Gray, visit her website at longandfoster.com/LorettaGray.

This is the third blog post in our Long & Foster agent profile series. If you’re a Long & Foster Real Estate agent and would like to be considered for a future article, email media@longandfoster.com.