Kate Gray is a partner in Hossack + Gray Real Estate under The Agency banner
VICTORIA – Since the vast majority of home buying decisions are made by women, it only makes sense to have women involved not only in real estate transactions, but also in building and designing homes.
Kate Gray is both, as she is partners with her brother Patrick Hossack in Hossack + Gray Real Estate under the banner of The Agency, and she assists her husband Brett in his company, Gray & Co. Renovations, a general contracting and project management company that offers commercial and residential renovations, along with design work.
“Both of these companies combined have created an amazing creative outlet for me,” Kate states. “I get the opportunity to help Brett with many design issues and varying projects that come up through his company; the greatest part of this is, because we both have so much experience renovating homes, we can help provide that service for my clients.
“I think of it like an HGTV show, but in real life,” she adds. “I help clients find a home in the neighbourhood they want, I learn their style and aesthetic and then help them pick a home that has a great base we can work with.
“Often Brett and I come in and transform it into exactly what they want and you get the keys to your dream home in one smooth transaction. This has been the highlight of my career and the most rewarding aspect for sure.”
Kate is a full-time working mom, juggling daily life with two toddlers, a husband, co-hosting the Realtor Diaries podcast and attempting a social life. She transitioned from commercial real estate to residential 10 years ago and after having her second child, teamed up with her brother to grow the family business.
“I have always been interested in construction and design; Brett and I have renovated homes for years as a way to move up in the market,” she notes. “Our kids see me working hard and I incorporate them as much as I can. The most amazing thing about my career is I would not be where I am today, or as successful as I have been, without surrounding myself with incredible strong women.
“The Agency is so collaborative and many of the women within the company are who have made me stand out in my career. I have female role models and friends that I look up to and they have helped me along the way; it really is true, when women support each other, incredible things happen.”
Kate sees the challenges she has faced as a highlight in her career. “Each sale is different, and you can learn something new from each client, and I love that. I am able to stay true to myself and my values along the way which has set the groundwork for an exciting future,” she states. “I also love the home aspect, and my brand is very much about lifestyle; Victoria has such a unique lifestyle to offer, and I love being able to give people the opportunity to be a part of it.”
Kate believes her layout and design skills gives her an edge in a competitive marketplace.
“You can tell when you go into a renovated home and someone with inexperience has done it,” she says. “There was usually not much thought or originality. . .they’ve probably gone to the building supply store and picked out what is on sale”.
“A builder we have worked with is a great example, he’ll build a house and put a bunch of small bedrooms everywhere as he thinks the more bedrooms, the more value,” she explains. “But sometimes it devalues the property with the layout and small square footage of the rooms. “There’s a way of doing a project on a budget and having a sense of design to give it its own personality, and we offer that at Hossack + Gray.”
