Andrea Leos, Realtor: Finding Balance as a Woman in Business

Having taken off some time to raise her boys, now seven and nine, Keller Williams realtor Andrea Leos chose realty to give her the flexibility she needed to be her own boss while still finding time for her faith, family and personal well-being. – Courtesy photo

By Emily Glory Peters

Arcadia native and Keller Williams realtor Andrea Leos has always worked. From a 13-year career in women’s fashion to freelancing as a licensed stylist for 7 years, she’s kept busy—and then the babies came.

“My boys are seven and nine now—and I spent most of that time at home doing hair part time, focusing on being a mom,” says Leos. “It wasn’t until last year that I decided to reinvent my career.”

Leos’ season out of the full-time work environment had made re-entry a challenge—but for her, sacrificing time for her family, faith, even fitness wasn’t an option. “I wanted to be my own boss,” she explains, “but I knew I would need a flexible, supportive environment to do it.” The answer lay in realty.

As one of Keller Williams Pasadena’s newest additions, Leos joined the team in September 2018 and has been building up her property chops ever since. Though fresh on the scene, she can personally relate to where a lot of her clients are coming from—she and her husband, a mortgage lender, are leasing in hopes of making a home purchase in the near future. Her advice? Patience.

A 20-plus year resident of Arcadia, realtor Andrea Leos partners with Keller Williams to offer properties in the Pasadena area. – Courtesy photo

“We know what it’s like to struggle to find a place as a family; having to move every few years because of property management changes. Discouragement can set in easily,” says Leos. She noticed a similar pattern with a client who after a series of lease disapprovals began to wonder if she’d ever find a place. Yet Leos notes that easing that anxiety is exactly why realtors are so valuable.

“A great realtor has access to multiple listing services, has a sphere of influence we can tap into. We keep searching for you in those moments when you need to take a break and remember why you’re doing this,” says Leos. Ultimately, her client did go on to find the right lease for her—but what if she had encountered a not-so-great realtor?

“A red-flag is an agent who just tells you what you want to hear—like when you want to sell your house at a price point way above what’s typical in the area,” she says. “You might not think it at first, but a realtor who’s willing to have those tough conversations with honesty and respect is really what you want to build trust and find a good fit.”

For Leos, that ethic has been exhibited in her Keller Williams colleagues, whom she credits in part for the training and support she needed to take her entrepreneurial leap. For other working mothers, Leos says, that kind of community is essential.

“Balance was certainly a fear of mine—but I’ve seen I’m not alone. My faith has been where I can turn to give my stress and anxieties; my husband has been communicative and supportive. I have a network of encouraging people in my life,” she says. “As women, especially with roles in a family and in work, we need to know that we don’t have to be perfect. It’s okay to take care of you. That’s what helps me be a healthy and strong mom for my family and others.”

Keller Williams Realty is located at 251 South Lake Avenue, Ste. 150 in Pasadena. For more information on working with Andrea for your next home purchase or sale, contact her at (626) 354-8254 | andrealeosrealtor@gmail.com and follow along on Facebook at Andrea Leos Realtor.

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