Galen McGovern recently joined Residential Properties Ltd. as a broker associate in its Narragansett office. A former wastewater manager in Portsmouth, she is a licensed septic system inspector. She spoke to the Providence Business News about her career.
PBN: How did you decide to switch from the environmental field to real estate?
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MCGOVERN: I think I’ve always been interested in real estate. It may seem like a leap, but way back, my mother was a real estate agent. My father was a lawyer and he was involved in real estate. I think it was just in our household and what people were talking about. It was something I was always interested in.
PBN: You are a licensed septic inspector. Is this something you’ve maintained since you became an agent?
MCGOVERN: You don’t really lose the credential. My last job, I was the wastewater manager in Portsmouth. I started up the whole inspection program there. I had gotten both the conventional and the advanced license as part of that job.
PBN: How does that apply to what you’re now doing?
MCGOVERN: Many of the houses we sell statewide are on a septic system. If something is on a cesspool, it has to be replaced within one year of sale. I can guide people through that with recommendations for installers and engineers. The other scenario is if a house has a septic system, typically as part of a sale you have it inspected. So, I have a lot of background and wisdom on it.
PBN: Does this come up frequently in Rhode Island?
MCGOVERN: It depends on the town. Charlestown, no sewers. Narragansett? A lot of it is sewered. It depends on the town and where you are. In Westerly, if you’re in the downtown, it’s sewered. If you’re outside, it’s not. It depends on the town.
PBN: Are these conversions or upgrades very expensive?
MCGOVERN: Again, it depends. If you’re in the coastal area, it can be quite a bit more money. That could be $30,000 to $40,000. If you’re out of the coastal area, or the coastal zone, you don’t have to put in a high-tech system; it can be quite a bit less. But still, it’s at least $15,000.
Mary MacDonald is a staff writer for the PBN. Contact her at macdonald@pbn.com.
