From busy mom of two and Physical Therapist to Million Dollar Top Producing Realtor Laura Lacoste has built a thriving Real Estate business with a heart to serve her community, “It was this itch I always had,” she remarks of how she switched from her 20-year career to her dream business working with Rain Residential–a stand out boutique real estate firm in Ocean Springs. 

 

Laura had a successful career in physical therapy, however, things changed when the pandemic hit. Like many parents, she was suddenly tasked with homeschooling her kids. She had ordered the home course online with the intention of obtaining her license 2 years prior but as a working mom struggled to find the time to complete it. She saw this time as an opportunity and became a licensed REALTOR® in September of 2020. “I recognized this gift of a small window of opportunity and went for its full throttle,” she says. “And I’ve never looked back.”

 

Building a new career in the area, Laura needed to “rebrand” herself as a REALTOR®. Being that she was in her beloved hometown of Ocean Springs, the shift happened fairly organically.  She became increasingly involved in the community, which led to invitations to serve on the Boards of The Lighthouse Academy for Dyslexia and the Bacot Foundation of South Mississippi resulting in many open doors and amazing opportunities. She laughs how in the beginning she would often accidentally refer to her clients as “patients” out of habit.

 

After working tirelessly, Laura earned the Emerald Level Top Producer Award with nearly $8 million in sales in her first year. She quickly discovered that all these seemingly unrelated qualities she’d possessed worked well in real estate, such as creating spreadsheets, problem solving, a life-long love of numbers, helping others in addition to her competitive nature, which she uses to get the best deals for her sellers, buyers, and investors.  

 

Growing up in a large family, being 1 of 7 children, Laura has always had a mentality to serve. She hadn’t originally believed that real estate qualified as serving, but” the lightbulb” went off when she came to the realization that this industry was indeed an opportunity to serve others.

 

“I really love educating clients about the whole process and showing them what’s possible,” Laura comments on one of the many aspects of this business that she appreciates, referring to a past client that cried on closing day because he had never thought that he could achieve home ownership. 

 

Laura’s commitment to exceptional service and her ability to build lasting relationships with her clients quickly earned her a reputation as a trusted name in the industry. Her clients appreciated her integrity and genuine care for their needs, and her business is only increasing.

 

Currently, Laura has expanded into representing investors in flips, single and multifamily deals. She even has four investment properties under her belt together with her partner and big sister, Amie. 

 

Also venturing into the commercial realm, Laura recently closed a deal on the purchase of a new school building representing The Lighthouse Academy for Dyslexia to whom she then donated her commission. “That school has my heart,” she comments on the specialness of this transaction; her older son flourished through their academic programs, and she remains very active on the board and with legislative efforts to expand services throughout Mississippi noting, “All children have the right to learn to read regardless of their learning style or difficulties.”  

 

Laura is the proud mother of her sons Cannon, 16, and Cole, 13, appreciating their differences and encouraging them to flourish in their own way. Cannon is hilarious, kind-hearted, and athletic. He loves creating short films and playing basketball and football, although his true passion is becoming a professional Racecar Driver. Cole is a scholar at heart, who skipped a grade. Often described as an “old man trapped in a child’s body” and a walking “encyclopedia”, he loves chess, martial arts, studying ways to invest and is always eager to share his ideas on how to tackle the world’s biggest problems.

 

Laura’s father has undeniably influenced and inspired Laura in not only business, but life as well. A well-respected attorney in Ocean Springs, she refers to him as an “incredibly gentle, kind and honest person”, breaking the attorney stereotype. One of her favorite parts about her business is that they frequently work together since his work is often real estate related. “Getting to work with my parents regularly is like icing on the cake for me.  I feel incredibly blessed.”

 

A member of the Yacht Club, Laura enjoys leisure time by being out in the sun and on the water. “I love to be by the pool or on a boat,” she says. “Although my favorite hobby really is just hanging out with my boys, especially when they’re doing something they love.” 

 

Laura's journey from physical therapy to real estate is an inspiring story of determination, resilience, service, and success. Her desire for a new challenge and passion for helping others has evolved into this flourishing business, serving her family, clients, the Lighthouse Academy for Dyslexia, and the rest of her community. 

For questions or comments about this article, contact Laura at (228) 918-2969 or laura@raindev.com