Kaitlyn Pangrazzi

A Business Built on Making Lives Better

By Robbyn Moore

Photos by Jessica Laine Photography

Kaitlyn Pangrazzi’s genuine love for people and for helping others was influenced by her family who strongly believes in finding careers that directly impact people. “My family has always been in the ‘people business,’” she said proudly. For most of Kaitlyn’s life, she watched her mother successfully run a real estate brokerage. Kaitlyn has also witnessed her father and brother Mark thrive in the financial planning and lending business for 20 years. “A career in real estate always seemed intriguing to me,” she recalled. “However, when I graduated from college in 2008, it was at the height of the recession and the housing crisis, and I was hesitant to take the leap into real estate.”

Instead, Kaitlyn moved to Denver and later to Chicago to work a job in account management, supporting the shipping industry. While away, she accrued the skills needed to take on life as a real estate agent and, more importantly, developed a deeper appreciation for life back in her home state. “Leaving was the best thing for me,” Kaitlyn explained. “I realized how much I appreciated and loved Michigan.” So when her brother Cory offered her an opportunity to come home and open a mortgage office with him, she knew it was time to return. “I was ready to be home again. My enthusiasm for Michigan makes selling effortless. I am very much rooted here now.”

After working with her brother for a year, Kaitlyn began to look closer at the idea of becoming a real estate agent when a friend from high school told her about an opportunity at Max Broock, REALTORS® in Birmingham. With careful consideration and with the full support from her family, Kaitlyn decided to take the leap. “It was the best decision I ever made,” she said. “I was part-time for a year and sold six houses in a few months — after 10 months, I transitioned to full-time.”

During her first year full-time, Kaitlyn joined a team at Max Broock and started preparing for another new adventure: motherhood. After the birth of her first son Vincent, Kaitlyn decided to start building her own brand. “I was so busy building, networking and being a new mom, my head was spinning. I always say I gave birth to two babies that year — my brand and my firstborn.”

Shortly after having her son, Kaitlyn decided it was time to add an assistant to her team. “Hiring Alyssa changed my life,” Kaitlyn said. “Having an assistant brought balance into my life and more face-to-face time with clients. She also put all of my crazy ideas into motion.”

Over the last five years, Kaitlyn’s business has continued to grow in volume and in people. “I also have two buyer’s agents — Grace Mulcahy and Amy Presnell. Together, we are all dynamic, resourceful women who are extremely passionate about making the homebuying and selling experience special for our clients.”

In September of 2021, Kaitlyn’s team decided to join @properties Birmingham, where she is currently leading and growing the Make Moves with KP team. Kaitlyn’s career volume is more than $55 million, $24 million of which she achieved in the last 12 months.

According to Kaitlyn, her commitment to community and to networking has played a large part in her success. “I’ve joined quite a few groups throughout the years, and I thoroughly enjoy meeting and connecting with people. I also like fostering connections and opportunities for them in real estate, and, more broadly, in all business settings,” Kaitlyn shared. “I’ve also run a few groups locally, specifically a group called OMNI, which is a networking group for professional women that meets bimonthly.”

Kaitlyn enjoys creating community-based missions and getting others to participate in her efforts. “I like getting others involved in my missions, especially those who want to give back but may not know where to start. The only thing more rewarding than helping others is helping people help others,” she said.

Kaitlyn is actively involved with Humble Design, which is a local nonprofit organization focused on decorating and equipping homes for veterans and families coming out of homelessness. Kaitlyn helped the organization by equipping the homes with “kitchen kits” filled with the necessary tools needed to prepare food and share meals. She referred to the mission as “everything but the kitchen sink.” “It’s all about those little moments in your home with your family, which occurs at the dining table while sharing food. I wanted to help make those moments for those families,” she shared.

When the pandemic began, Kaitlyn founded Fuel Our Frontlines as an initiative to support front-line workers during peak times of COVID-19. “After Michigan was ordered to stay at home, I wanted to create a community to support our local heroes when they needed us the most,” she explained. The mission was able to raise $25,000 locally, which helped to support local businesses. The program distributed 1,500 meals to workers and 3,000 “fuel bags,” which were filled with energy drinks, snacks, lotions, masks and thank-you notes from the community. “We built that community in a day,” Kaitlyn said. “It was a time when we all needed to do something when we felt so helpless. The outreach from my network was so beautiful, and it allowed me to keep busy during our stay-at-home orders, which provided me with so much hope in such uncertain times.”

Kaitlyn plans to incorporate charitable work as part of her brand in real estate. “It’s so wonderful to have a platform to work from, and I hope to formalize it in 2021,” she said.

Outside of real estate, Kaitlyn enjoys spending time with her husband, Mark, and their sons Vincent, 3, and newborn, Matteo. They are currently renovating an old historic Tudor in Sherwood Forest in Detroit. “I truly enjoy creating beautiful spaces within my home that feel like me and my family. To me, home can be your little slice of heaven, and most recently, a shelter from the crazy world. I like to create a space that is fun, unique and makes you happy!”

Kaitlyn dedicates her career to her husband, Mark, and to her mother, Mary O’Neil. “Mark believed in me and supported my crazy real estate schedule that came with it,” Kaitlyn shared. “As a mom, I wouldn’t be able to do it all without him.” Kaitlyn’s mother taught her everything she knows about running an honest business and doing the right thing for others.

Kaitlyn believes there’s not a one-size-fits-all approach to a career in real estate; instead, it’s an industry that can be tailor-made with each individual. “I love how versatile the industry is, and working with other agents and seeing their different styles,” she said. “There is plenty of business out there for everyone, and I embrace forming strong relationships with other agents. In every deal I do, I always learn something new from each agent.”

Kaitlyn refers to herself as a “real” real estate agent. “I am honest, innovative and passionately invested in my people and clients. I truly believe I was made for this gig,” she concluded.

Kaitlyn Pangrazzi - Agent Spotlight