For Daria Andrews, a real estate broker with @properties in Lake Forest, one of the keys to success is maintaining a sense of humor.

“In real estate, you always think you’ve heard everything but you realize you haven’t,” Andrews says.

Her healthy wit doesn’t diminish the professional approach she brings to her work, especially with the current challenges facing the North Shore market.

“You have to have your property look the best and be priced the best,” she explains.

Andrews grew up on the East Coast and started a career in the financial sector. When she took some time off to have children, she started to wonder if a career in real estate was in her future.

“It was during walks with the kids that I started thinking about if the time was right for me to go into real estate,” she explains. “I asked myself if I could do it.”

Twenty-one years later (the last two years with @properties), Andrews has a thriving career serving clients, mostly in Lake Forest and Lake Bluff.

“I’ve lived and been involved in the community for 30 years,” she says. “I’ve developed relationships with other agents and that can benefit my clients.”

Working in real estate isn’t always a ray of sunshine, but Andrews keeps it real.

“People always think our profession is glamorous, but the truth is it’s very hard work,” Andrews says. “I’ve lived through the ups and downs of the market, and I feel that helps me better serve my clients regardless of the situation.”

Andrews’s tenure in the community and the knowledge that comes with it also instills a sense of confidence from her clients.

“People want to hire someone they know is already invested in the market and in the community,” she says. “You need an agent who can talk about the idiosyncrasies of the market.”

The unparalleled marketing tools offered by @properties are another advantage of working with Andrews and her team.

“At properties is always finding a way for us to provide more value to our clients. They offer us daily benefits,” she says. “Managers give us so much of their time and insight and their training programs change as the markets change. I feel prepared to handle any situation.”

Sometimes the situation calls for Andrews to play the role of therapist as much as agent.

“It’s an emotional time for clients and realtors are right in the thick of it,” she says. “Especially for people who find themselves in the middle of downsizing.”

Despite the current challenges with the market—there are high levels of inventory and not enough buyers—Andrews maintains her faith in the area.

“These are amazing communities, fabulous places to live, and the Lake Bluff and Lake Forest area is one of the most beautiful places around,” she says.

And while she may come across situations in the course of her work as a realtor where all she can do is laugh, her focus never strays from providing the best value to clients. Her mantra, as she says?

“Zeroed in.”

Daria Andrews is a broker with @Properties, 600 N. Western Avenue in Lake Forest, 847-295-0700, dariaandrews.com.