Gillespie Host Group

Above L to R: Maggie Gillespie-Wright, Claire Gillespie-Waldron, Barry Host

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The Gillespie Host Group is comprised of three lifelong residents of the South Bay: Claire Gillespie-Waldron, Maggie Gillespie-Wright and Barry Host. The group formed nine years ago and works under the umbrella of Vista Sotheby’s International Realty. Marketing director Kelly Host and assistant Anabel Guillermo complete the team.

Sisters Claire and Maggie grew up immersed in the real estate business. Their father, Jack Gillespie, cofounded South Bay Brokers in 1985, and their grandfather, Tom Gillespie, was also a Realtor^®. Claire and Maggie interned and worked for their father at South Bay Brokers, and Barry worked there as a manager. He is their business partner and a close family friend who provided support to the sisters when they lost their father earlier this year. 

We asked Claire and Maggie to tell us more about their team and their family legacy.

What inspired you to pursue a career in real estate? 

Our inspiration came from watching and learning from our grandfather and father. We are lucky to be third-generation Realtors in the community that we grew up in and love so dearly. There was no better way to prepare for a career in real estate than working for one of the very best in the business. We were privileged to know him as our father and also as our boss and mentor. We have him to thank for our success and longevity in this business, and we will continue to honor his legacy.

Have you had mentors who influenced your career? 

Our father was one of the most well-respected and loved real estate brokers in the South Bay. He fostered so many top-producing agents’ careers. He drilled in a strong work ethic that has been our guide and continues to inspire us each day. 

Barry has also been an incredible mentor to both of us. When we first started out, he was always ready to help and gave the best advice. To say we are grateful for him and everything he brings to our team would be an understatement. Barry was the glue that helped keep everything together because he knew that’s what Dad would have wanted.

What does success mean to you?

Success is knowing that we provide our clients with the best service. When we close a transaction and have happy clients, that is success. When we work alongside other agents and navigate a transaction representing our clients to the best of our ability, that is success. Knowing that our clients appreciate us and what we do for them by referring us to their family members, friends, neighbors and business associates, that is the greatest success.

What motivates you to go to work every day? 

We are motivated to go to work each day not only because we love what we do, but also because we feel truly humbled to have clients who put their trust in the Gillespie Host Group. Each day is another opportunity for us to show them just how much we value them and the trust they put in our team. Our families are also a huge motivator. We grew up watching how much Dad worked every day to support our family; now that we both have families of our own, we want to instill that same appreciation and motivation in them. We are also motivated to show up for each other and for our business partner, Barry.

Where do you see your group in the future? 

We want to continue to keep our business top-notch with state-of-the-art service and techniques to help us best serve our clients. The goal is to always put our best foot forward and be the very best version of ourselves. Real estate is constantly changing and evolving, and we will continue to evolve and change with it.

How do you foster a positive work environment? 

Positivity is so important to keep morale high and encourage daily motivation. We enjoy a positive, supportive working environment and embrace the benefits of being a team. We all want the same outcome, and there is no task too large for us to take on—as long as we are all working together. We know each other’s strengths and play to those, so we can showcase the very best of one another. This isn’t your average team; we are family. When you constantly work to lift your teammates up, it can’t help but keep the positivity going! 

What do you love about the South Bay community? 

There are so many things we love, but a few favorites are the Christmas fireworks at the pier, the farmers markets, our American Martyrs Church, the Hometown Fair, the quality schools, and getting to see our children grow up in the same place that we have lived in and loved all our lives. Manhattan Beach always felt like such a small town growing up, and it has maintained that feeling. We feel lucky to share this community with our clients.      The South Bay is home to an incredible real estate community. We are honored to work alongside top-tier agents who make us better and whom we consider to be close friends. We are just getting started and have so much more to give and so much more work to do. We have been incredibly blessed to have parents who showed us how important it is to give back to the community, and we are setting the same example for our children.

Photographed by Lauren Taylor | DRE #01899232, 01474257, 01427294