POULSBO — Selling. It’s in Penny McLaughlin’s blood.

The local real estate broker community knows this all too well and so do her numerous clients.

So, when McLaughlin announced earlier this month that she was selling her interest in RE/Max Unlimited North in Poulsbo, even those who were surprised by the decision weren’t totally caught off guard. Really, what else can be expected of a woman who has not only been the top-producing Realtor in Kitsap County off and on for the past decade but has continually been among the top five in the county for years.

But even though McLaughlin, whose firm was recently named as one of the best in the United States, is selling her interest in the successful venture, her days of selling homes, business and land in the region are far from over.

“I just want to do what I love the most and do the best — list and sell real estate,” McLaughlin explained, noting that she did not love dealing with the administrative work that was created through her position as owner of the local office.

Although she was an administrator for the last three years, McLaughlin said she also stayed true to her career choice of selling real estate.

“I never left,” she remarked. “I just don’t like doing two jobs. I’ve always been a working owner.”

Her decision was made easier when long-time friend and former co-worker Frank Leach stepped up to the plate to become the new owner.

Leach is the owner of RE/Max Platinum Services in Silverdale and has renamed the Poulsbo business on Highway 305 RE/Max Platinum as well.

“Buying Penny’s office seemed like a natural extension for us to be able to provide superior brokerage services to the rest of the community where we do business,” said Leach.

McLaughlin and Leach were both with John L. Scott Real Estate before starting their own offices. Leach, who remained with the firm for many years, most recently managed the Silverdale office prior to buying the RE/Max franchise for Central Kitsap. McLaughlin, on the other hand, had worked in both the Poulsbo and Bainbridge Island John L. Scott offices.

“I love real estate,” she said. “I eat sleep and breathe it. I love listing and selling. What I found I didn’t like, was managing. This gives me the perfect opportunity to do what I do best in the most positive atmosphere imaginable.”

Leach is known in the industry locally for having a positive attitude and the trademark motivational cards he regularly hands outs to people he meets and does business with. He bases his company’s entire customer service philosophy on the book “Raving Fans” and teaches classes on it to other firms, tailoring them to their line of business.

“This was a natural for us,” he remarked. “This is all about growing great professionals and giving them all the opportunity we can to help them further their careers.”

Leach said his Silverdale office is growing in terms of the number of agents, and more have committed to come on board at the first of the year when the commission splits change. He expects the same thing to happen in Poulsbo.

Associate broker Ron Wood, most recently with the Poulsbo John L. Scott office, will manage the Poulsbo RE/Max Platinum office.