Pauline McNamee

Pauline is a real estate angel sent from above. You’re crazy if you don’t work with her.
We were really difficult clients — but it wasn’t our fault, I swear. My fiancé (Joe) and I were looking to rent a home because divorce fallout meant that we had to wait a few more years before we could qualify for a mortgage.
I called Pauline and explained that we weren’t in a position to buy. I told her that I got it if she didn’t have time to deal with finding rentals because I knew she didn’t stand to make a whole lot of money on them. She said, «Well, that’s not your problem. And that’s not why I do this. Besides, maybe you’ll use me when you’re ready to buy.»
She sent us listings right away — and it was clear that she had looked at them first and wasn’t just dive bombing us with whatever made it through the search engine.
We had a very, very, very narrow area in which to find a house so all the kids would end up in the same schools. There was literally ZERO rental inventory there. Not even bad houses. Not even ugly, small houses. Nothing.
Pauline agreed to make a few calls to find out if any of the homes that were for sale could be rented instead. Since most agents weren’t likely to want to encourage their clients to rent and lose out on the commission, she also suggested we write letters to homeowners directly. (We did. Nada.)
In the meantime, we were frantically searching for houses, losing our minds, and asking for all sorts of last-​minute appointments to try to get into properties before we lost out. Pauline kept her cool, stayed positive, and accommodated us like crazy. Meanwhile I was wracked with guilt knowing that she might never make a commission from us.
And guess what? We ultimately ended up finding a house on Craigslist. It kills me that she didn’t make any money off the deal, because she certainly earned it.
Beyond all my drama, let me also say that Pauline helped my older sister find a house and is currently working with some other family members of mine. We all adore her and trust her implicitly.
Pauline’s passion for her job is obvious. She truly wants people to find a house that they love and that works for them. She told me about one couple that was looking for a long time. They apologized about not making a decision. She told them «That’s OK. This is a big investment. You should make sure you’re getting the right house.»
Joe and I both asked Pauline if it was a pain to have to show houses during the weekend. She answered, «No. I always say that this is not a job. This is a lifestyle.»
People: Call her. You will be very glad you did.