You can tell when someone takes an interest in you. They care a little more, they drive a little further, and they get it all done.

 

That’s the spirit that compels Svetlana Iredale to take genuine good care of those around her.

 

As a REALTOR® with Compass, Svetlana definitely invests in the individual needs of her clients. 

 

“I love when my clients are so happy in their homes, that I get a call from them and they say ‘Wow, we made a great decision to buy this one.’ Them being happy in their home is what makes it rewarding for me,” Svetlana says. 

 

“Usually my clients are young professionals or young families. I love working with them, guiding them,  and through the process… even becoming friends. I’ve been to more than a few of their baby showers.”

 

Svetlana was born and raised in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. As she grew older, she saw her homeland grow more unstable and the future became unpredictable.

 

“I was there for it all – the war in Bosnia, the embargo starting, and the NATO bombing of Serbia in 1999.  I was studying to become a lawyer at the time,” she remembers. 

 

“After I graduated law school, I planned on going to The Hague to prosecute war criminals.  However, before I could do that, I had to be fluent in English – a language I never studied before.” 

 

That’s when she came across an Au Pair program and connected with a family in Southlake.  She felt comfortable after one phone call, and some laughs, so she up and moved to Texas to start her new adventure.

“I loved their energy, and in a few short months, I was in Southlake and quickly becoming part of their family.  It was totally worth it.  I was forced to learn fast as no one I knew spoke Serbian.  My new family was very supportive, and I was speaking English with their help,” Svetlana remembers. 

 

 

In time, she finished her law degree at SMU where she earned her Master’s degree in International and Comparative Law. It was there that real estate seemed to reach out and find her.

 

“My friend from law school wanted to buy a property, but I didn’t know anything about real estate in the U.S., except my natural inclination about what was important - location.   He bought the property I suggested, and he said, ‘You need to be in real estate,’” she remembers. 

 

“Again, I didn’t understand what that meant, because we don’t have the same Real Estate process in Serbia. At the time, I was getting offers to move back to Serbia and open an International law firm there…but I couldn’t imagine leaving Dallas…so I stayed here, and I love it.” 

 

Svetlana started her journey of earning her Real Estate license. However, the market crash of the 2008  struck hard and delayed her dream.  

 

So, she took another path for a time…running her own styling and personal shopping business until 2015. 

 

While that was fun and successful, she was ready to try real estate again. The fit was perfect.

 

“It was awesome diving in, meeting new people, and figuring out the best property for them,” she says. 

 

“I would go show them homes…mainly the ones that they picked at first, and then I’d show them the homes that I thought were the best fit for them, and 90 percent of the time they picked my homes. I love the happiness you see on their faces when this is the one. There is no bigger satisfaction for me.”

 

Family is at the heart of life for Svetlana. She treasures time with her new husband, Andrew.

 

In her free time, some of her favorite pursuits include interior design, architecture, and travel. She enjoys remodeling, too. Plus, she designed her home, and has an eye for furnishing homes for her clients.

 

She also has a heart for helping. She supports the Children’s Place, an organization that helps children who need a home or women who are escaping abusive relationships and need help getting out.

 

Those who’ve had a chance to work with and get to know Svetlana know they have a true friend who goes the distance with a genuine investment in their dreams.