Sally E. Lapides


A BIG KEY to having success is remaining connected to the community. It has been a mantra for Sally E. Lapides, the CEO and president of Providence-based real estate agency Residential Properties Ltd., throughout her career in building her company up to approximately 200 agents on staff.

To Lapides, being part of the community is more than just selling homes; it’s what you do outside of the office. Lapides has been active on several local boards, including for Roger Williams University, the RISD Museum, Trinity Repertory Company, Providence Country Day School, the Newport International Film Festival, and others.

On the business side, Lapides had to find ways to remain connected to the community even when the COVID-19 pandemic started to tighten its grip in March 2020. While using video tours had been a staple for Residential Properties for about a decade, using drones and video became more of a necessity to show potential clients new homes in the age of the coronavirus, among other adjustments to stay active in buying and selling real estate.

Just before the pandemic, Residential Properties expanded a bit globally. Lapides’ agency created a partnership with Mayfair International Realty, a real estate company in the West End of London. Their arrangement has broadened exposure of Residential listings to European buyers and quickly resulted in several new listings, she said at the time.

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