Michelle McQuillan


A native of Mobile, Michelle McQuillan brings a dynamic background to real estate. After graduating from the University of California at Berkeley, Michelle spent nine years in Asia as a journalist. She wrote for several Japanese and American newspapers, including the Wall Street Journal, Variety, and The International Herald Tribune, before ultimately becoming the Japan Bureau Chief for the San Francisco Chronicle.

After moving to Washington, D.C. with her husband, Mark, to start a family, Michelle soon launched her own high-end children's clothing store, a highly successful venture that she sold in order to relocate to Charleston. Michelle then zealously dove into Charleston real estate, with her energy and professionalism making her a natural for success. In only her second year in the business, she was honored with REALTOR® of Distinction status, placing her among the top 4% of REALTORS® in the Charleston area, and was awarded membership in the East Cooper Top Producers Club. In 2021 and 2022, she was inducted into the Christie’s International Real Estate Masters Circle, affirming her position as a top luxury Realtor.

For the past 17 plus years, Michelle has lived with her husband and two children in the I'On community of Mt. Pleasant and has consistently been a top-selling agent in this award-winning new urbanism community. Since 2006, she has sold more than $254 million in luxury real estate, with some $187 million of that in I’On properties alone. Most recently, Michelle was one of only a select few in the country to earn designation as a Christie’s International Property Specialist, to help expand her reach to clients around the world. She is active in her children’s schools and has been on the boards of several organizations, including most recently as treasurer for the LTP Swim Racing Club.

Michelle’s enthusiasm for meeting the needs of her clients and her tireless effort to negotiate the best deal, even in the most difficult of circumstances, has earned her the respect of clients and friends alike who often recommend her to others.

Testimonials

  • Ms. Michelle exceeded expectations (in fact, the statement doesn’t give her the proper justice she deserves) throughout the process of relocating to Charleston. Unable to physically be in Charleston due to work during the search, I entrusted her to find the home that corresponded with the criteria put forth. She was delegated with many responsibilities and responded admirably to all of them.
    - R.B.

  • Michelle has helped us twice in the last few years- once as a buyers' agent and once as a sellers' agent. In both cases she was impeccable. She is always professional, "in-the-know" and advocating for her client. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for stellar representation in the real estate market.
    - Jane Steigman

  • We had been looking at real estate in Mount Pleasant for a couple of years when we met Michelle at an open house in Ion. We immediately felt comfortable with her friendliness and openness. She very quickly gave us a warm sense of the community and in some way made us feel at home and envision what life could be like in her neighborhood. She stuck with us for a year as we continued to visit and keep track of the local real-estate market. We valued her judgments, but it was only when we decided to move forward with the purchase of our future home which was in bank sale, that we really appreciated her technical skills. This was a complicated transaction and she worked with us and the banks and the seller to finally close the deal. No one wants a complicated purchase or sale, but Michelle delivered for us and we recommend her without a doubt. My wife and I would be happy to offer any additional thoughts to perspective buyers or sellers.
    - Chip & Jane Andrae

  • I have bought and sold six prior homes and Michelle's advice was fantastic not because we ended up with more money than our home was worth, but her recommended list price was perfect and we ended up with a very fair final price to all parties. During our negotiations Michelle made great recommendations and always talked through various options with an open mind which enabled us to work together to resolve several matters with the sellers. Her ability to arrange for certain inspections or repairs were flawless and she kept me informed of all developments almost immediately after they occurred. In other words, Michelle was "fantastic!"
    - Steve

Learn More

What is your favorite part about Charleston?

My favorite part about being in Charleston is how manageable it is. I've had the pleasure of living in such wonderful cities as San Francisco, Tokyo and Washington, D.C. In Charleston, you get the sophistication and architectural beauty of a major city -- even more than most, in fact -- but few of the hassles that come with big urban towns.

Describe a favorite Saturday afternoon in Charleston.

We love starting off a Saturday with a game of family tennis and then going out on our friends' boat to go tubing with the kids. The perfect end to such a day is having drinks on the porch with our friends and then grilling out or doing an oyster roast in the backyard.

If you could live anywhere, or have a second home in Charleston where would it be and why?

If I could have a second home here in Charleston, it would most certainly be on Sullivan's Island or Kiawah Island. I would spend every early morning and early evening enjoying the quiet beauty of those beaches.

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