North Potomac Couple Finds Success in County Real Estate Venture

In launching their new brokerage firm, MoCoRealEstate, the real estate team of Jeannette and Bruce Lemieux made the decision to go it alone.... together.

Fifteen years ago, Jeannette Lemieux launched the couple’s real estate career when Bruce’s job at Hughes Network Systems brought them to the area. She managed a real estate office in Harrisburg, PA, and once settled in Darnestown, earned her real estate license and began working from home.

“Real estate is a lot of work,” she said, “and Bruce was always involved and always behind me with marketing and other ideas.” With his IT background, Bruce was a great asset helping her with mailings and marketing to get her new business off the ground.

Jeannette eventually got a brokers license and then, about seven years ago, Bruce left his job to partner with her full time in real estate sales. 

The Lemieuxs worked as a team for a number of years with both Remax and W.C. & A.N. Miller, but wanted to create their own “specialty” brand brokerage, so in March 2012 they opened MoCoRealEstate, which specializes in Montgomery County real estate sales. They are currently renovating office space on Office Park Drive in Gaithersburg to move from a home-based business.

They believe their partnership, years of hard work and their entrepreneurial spirit has prepared them well for taking on the added responsibility of starting their own brokerage.

“There is an extra level of accountability…and a lot of demands on your time,” said Bruce, “…but once you understand that you are dealing with people, and transactions, the market, it can be very complex…It is probably almost impossible for one person to do it all and to do it well.”

Excited about having their own brand, their own signage, and eager to put their Montgomery County real estate expertise to good use, the Lemieux team was not intimidated by the economic downturn of the past several years that has significantly impacted real estate sales.

Jeannette laughed and said that everyone thought we were crazy starting this business at this time.  “It’s been interesting,” added Bruce, “...in North Potomac /Darnestown, we used to sell a lot of our homes, the more expensive homes in the area, and that market has been tough.”

The big change has been that they don’t see the “move up” buyers that they used to see in past years. The ‘move up’ buyer, like a townhome owner, someone with job security who wanted more space or wanted different schools, used to drive the N. Potomac and Darnestown markets, said Bruce, and the buyers are just not there right now.

The Lemieuxs, however, are very optimistic about the future. “Longer term is going to be great, the area is fantastic, with all the work around Shady Grove and with the bio-sciences and other industry coming in,” said Bruce. 

With two teenagers at home, life gets very busy at the Lemieux house. And while they are grateful for the flexibility that having their own business provides, they are quick to make clear that family togetherness takes precedence over working togetherness.  

“We are always sure to schedule family time,’ said Jeannette, “And we have dinner together every night.”  At dinner time, she adds, the television, the X-box, the cell phones are all turned off.