History of McGrew Real Estate

McGrew Real Estate was established in 1951 when Conrad McGrew started McGrew Investment Company at 806 Massachusetts Street in Lawrence, KS. Three agents produced a total of $100,000 in sales that first year.

When Conrad died suddenly in 1953 his wife, Viola McGrew, took over until 1960 when their son John became President and Managing Broker.

In 1965, John entered into a partnership with Bob Billings to develop and market a 400-acre golf course project called Alvamar. Today, Alvamar and its related developments encompass over 3000 acres in West Lawrence.

The company grew steadily and moved to a new location at 900 Indiana in 1967. Six agents did $800,000 in sales that year.

In 1970, the company merged with Lawrence Real Estate and Insurance Company. It was through this merger, that McGrew’s insurance division was born. McGrew Real Estate, Inc. moved their twelve agents into new offices at 901 Kentucky.

The Bicentennial year of 1976 was also an exciting year for the company. Twenty agents produced $10,000,000 in sales. In addition, McGrew Real Estate moved into a new building on, what was the, the most western edge of Lawrence at 1505 Kasold Drive. Ten years later, in 1986, McGrew constructed and moved into one of their current locations at 1501 Kasold Drive. That Thirty-six agents produced $30,000,000 that year.

In 1996, Gary Nuzum became President of McGrew Real Estate and Mike McGrew was named Vice Chairman. The company had grown to 50 agents and $46,000,000 in sales.

That fall, McGrew Real Estate entered into a merger with Coldwell Banker Gill Real Estate. Gill was founded in 1925 and had offices in Lawrence and Eudora. On December 1, 1997 Coldwell Banker McGrew Real Estate was formed.

On July 1, 2007, John McGrew retired from management of the company and was succeeded by his son Mike McGrew as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of McGrew Real Estate.

On December 1st, 2007 McGrew Real Estate merged with Lawrence Realty Associates to become McGrew Real Estate.

In March of 2008, Dennis Snodgrass became the President and Managing Broker of McGrew Real Estate. Gary Nuzum became the Senior Vice President of New Construction and Development and Patrick Flavin became the Vice President of Coaching & Mentoring.

Today, McGrew Real Estate has two offices serving the greater Douglas County area: one in Lawrence and one in Eudora. McGrew Real Estate is now home to nearly 80 agents and support staff.