Heerey steps into ownership role at Marion brokerage

Lori Heerey, born and raised in Marion County, is the new owner of Heerey Real Estate in Marion, formerly Kannady & Associates Real Estate.

She said she bought the business from Charles Kannady six months ago, but finalized the transaction this month.

?Charles agreed to stay until June 30,? she said, making the transition as smooth as possible.

Prior to purchasing the agency, Heerey worked part-time for Kannady beginning in 1994.

What makes the ownership change even more special to both Kannady and Heerey is the similarities in their career paths.

They both started as teachers and both ended up in real estate and at the same company.

Heerey was one of Kannady?s students when he taught middle school science.

Heerey received a bachelor?s degree in elementary education from Friends University in 1984. From 1984 to 1992, she taught fourth grade in the Maize school district.

In 1992, Heerey and husband Doug decided to move back to Marion to raise their children in a small town. She also chose to be a stay-at-home mom with son Adam, 51?2, and their newborn daughter, Kayley.

Her husband continued working at Standard Register Co., making a daily commute from Marion to Wichita.

For the next 12 years, Heerey said she did some substitute teaching, but otherwise was a homemaker and full-time mom.

That was about to change, though, when Heerey struck up a conversation with Kannady.

?Out of the blue,? she said, ?he asked me if I would be interested in working part-time as a real estate agent.?

With her daughter in middle school and son in high school, Lori agreed to work part-time.

Established more than 30 years ago, Kannady & Associates has been one of the mainstays in the Marion housing market.

For Heerey, the longevity of the business says a lot about the real estate agents and services offered and, she is grateful to Kannady for teaching her.

?I enjoy real estate,? Heerey said. ?I meet a lot of people and I can introduce them to Marion and surrounding areas.?

In fact, she would encourage anyone looking for part-time work to consider a career in real estate. ?It?s a good job as long as you aren?t the bread winner (of the family),? she said.

Heerey is a seller?s agent.

?About 98 percent of real estate agents are seller?s agents,? she said, ?but we help the buyer and seller.?

Although agents do their best to help sellers, Heerey said, they don?t give advice. She said her office can offer a ballpark price to list a house for, help prepare it for market and find a buyer.

She said listening to the home seller is an important part of being a broker/real estate agent.

Heerey said there are times when someone comes in to the office saying they have no idea how to sell their house, but they are wanting to sell it themselves.

In those situations, she said she talks with the homeowner and assists as best she can.

For Heerey, it?s about treating buyers and sellers honestly and looking out for their best interest.

As for changes in the business, Heerey mentioned a new design on the building signage, letterhead and Web site.

?Our son, Adam, is helping with this,? she said.

Heerey also is looking at adding a ?virtual tour? option on her Web site so buyers can browse a home online.

Heerey Real Estate is open from 9 a.m. to noon and 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Heereys? son Adam is 23 and working on his master?s degree in mental health counseling. Daughter Kayley, 18, will be attending Kansas Wesleyan in the fall.

For 17 years, her husband commuted to Wichita until recently purchasing Shelter Insurance, also on Main Street in Marion.

For more information about selling or buying residential, farm, recreation and commercial property, Heerey encourages people to stop by her office at 401 E. Main or call 620-382-3569.

More from Hillsboro Free Press
Meteorologists preparing public for tornadoes
Kansas may have become more famous with the popular ?Wizard of Oz?...
Read More