Emily Ford

By Jane K. Asher, Ph.D.

Photos by Jermaine Buie with Perfect Light, LLC

As a fourth-generation real estate agent, Emily Ford has real estate coursing through her veins. Thanks to her mother, Pam Ford Morgan — a longstanding top-producing agent and co-owner of Morgan & Milzow & Ford, REALTORS® — and Emily’s early experience working at Morgan & Milzow & Ford, she realized her passion for homes and for the business at a young age. Emily also realized that it takes a lot more than long-established family ties to generate one’s success in this business. “In real estate, like in life, you get what you give,” she said.

Emily became licensed in 1999, and after receiving her bachelor’s in economics from Kalamazoo College in 2002, she decided that her local knowledge, family’s experience and interpersonal skills best suited her for a full-time career in real estate. “Furthermore, I think real estate is one of the few careers that women can truly excel in in a variety of ways,” she said.

After college, Emily became a project manager and salesperson for a 72-unit new-home development in Clarkston. Then, after two years of sales experience, she decided to make the leap and venture out on her own. Early on in her career, Emily recalls being one of only a few young agents in the industry, especially in North Oakland County, and having to compete for business against far more seasoned agents. “I sold clients on my work ethic, marketing plan and intimate knowledge of all facets of my service area,” she said.

Over time, Emily’s approach served her well and resulted in a thriving business and a fulfilling career serving people and bolstering real estate prices in her community. More so, as a result of her strong work ethic, expansive client base and a multitude of referrals, Emily has a career volume of over $170 million, $27 million of which she generated in 2019.

For the past seven years, Emily has earned the title of “Hour Detroit” Real Estate All-Star, and for the past 16 years, she has consistently been a top producer at her firm Morgan, Milzow & Ford, where she has acted as an associate broker since 2007. Additionally, in 2015, Emily was chosen among over 5,000 members as the single recipient of the North Oakland Board of REALTORS® Distinguished Service Award, and in 2019, Emily was named the Clarkston Community Business Person of the Year. She has been a board member of the Clarkston Area Chamber of Commerce since 2014 and served as its president from 2018 to 2019.

Emily is most passionate about her clients, and as a Clarkston native, she feels fortunate to work in her hometown among so many “clients who have become friends and friends who have become clients.” Emily has two licensed assistants who handle the administrative tasks and ensure transactions run smoothly, but she insists on working as a single agent because it’s fundamental to her personable approach to real estate. “My mantra is to be hands-on with the complicated and emotional parts of the process,” she said. “I often find myself sitting at people’s kitchen tables and discussing one of the most important financing decisions and transactions of their lives, and I want to be that person sitting at the table with my clients and having those potentially life-changing conversations with them.” It’s through these one-on-one encounters that Emily builds long-lasting relationships with her clients, and those relationships are personally gratifying in themselves, as well as a means for generating additional business. “In my opinion, there’s no better compliment than receiving referrals from past clients and from other agents and working with repeat clients,” Emily said.

Top Producer- Emily Ford

Emily attributes her amicability, servant mentality and strong work ethic to her “single biggest influence” in her life: her mother. “My mom has taught me so much about how to be of service to our clients, and, ultimately that’s the number one component that makes for a great real estate agent,” Emily said. She also says that the financial crash of 2008 was monumental in shaping her life and career because she had to adapt to a market where “distressed listings/sales outpaced private sales” and figure out how to thrive in a commission-based industry when homes were selling for cents on the dollar. By perform- ing many broker price options and building relationships with bank asset managers and bankruptcy attorneys, Emily worked extremely hard to bolster and diversify her business, and, as a result of her dexterity, she continued to thrive in the industry.

In her free time, Emily enjoys hanging out with her boyfriend, listening to all kinds of music, attending concerts, dining at new restaurants, sampling wines, exercising, lake living and pad- dleboarding in the summer months — she lives on Parke Lake and owns a rental property on Maceday Lake.

In addition to her service to the Clarkston Area Chamber of Commerce, Emily is an ardent supporter of and donor to various local charities, including Habitat for Humanity, Tree of Dream and SCAMP, Clarkston’s “Special Camp for Special Kids.” In 2015 and 2016, Emily volunteered two of her homes for the SCAMP Home Tour, which was one of the organization’s biggest fundraisers at the time. “This experience was poignant for me because SCAMP is a local cause near and dear to my heart coupled with the fact that real estate is my passion,” Emily said. “Unfortunately, SCAMP is no longer holding the annual home tour fundraiser, but many people loved the event for many years as it gave them a glimpse into homes they may have never been able to tour otherwise.”

Throughout her career, Emily’s greatest takeaway is “there’s no substitute for hard work.” She also encourages up-and-coming agents to find a great mentor who is willing to share their experience and expertise. “There is so much to learn and to know in or- der to be successful in this business, so, in addition to working hard, we must also be learning and adapting to the changes around us, as well as be ethical and professional with all parties in every transaction,” Emily said. “There’s no substitute for integrity in this business…and there’s no career more rewarding and exciting than real estate!”