Chad & Mandy Brown
HomeWaters Real Estate
Chad and Mandy Brown didn't just become Northern Michigan's waterfront real estate experts -- they built the brokerage that defined the category. Since 1999, they've been helping buyers find their place on the lakes, rivers, and woodlands of Northern Michigan. HomeWaters is the result of that passion, grown into one of the most respected independent brokerages in the state.
Meet Chad & Mandy
Two people, two distinct skill sets, one brokerage built around a shared love for Northern Michigan's water and wild places.
Chad grew up spending summers at family cottages across Northern Michigan -- fishing, boating, hunting, exploring. That wasn't a phase; it became a career. He worked as a fly fishing guide on the Au Sable River before getting his real estate license in 1999. He co-founded HomeWaters in 2006 with Mandy, betting on internet-first real estate before most competitors understood why it mattered. Today he leads brokerage operations, agent recruiting, and web strategy -- while still personally handling Au Sable and Manistee River territory.
Mandy earned her real estate license in 2002 and co-founded HomeWaters with Chad in 2006. Her focus is northwest Michigan's waterways -- Grand Traverse Bay, the Antrim County Chain of Lakes, Torch Lake, Traverse City's east side. She manages HR and marketing for the brokerage and is known for being exceptionally organized in a field where that's genuinely rare. She proactively addresses transaction hurdles before they surface. Her clients consistently say the same thing: Mandy made it seamless.
How a Fly Fishing Guide
Built a Real Estate Empire.
Chad Brown's path to real estate didn't start behind a desk. It started on the Au Sable River. He grew up spending summers at family cottages across Northern Michigan and eventually moved north for good when he was recruited to manage The Boathouse Restaurant in Traverse City. The hospitality work taught him how to connect with people from any background -- but 80-hour weeks and missed holidays weren't the life he wanted. So he got engaged to Mandy, quit the restaurant, and followed his real passion: guiding fly fishermen on the Au Sable.
His real estate license came in 1999. By 2004, he and two senior agents had co-founded 45th Parallel Realty in Elk Rapids. Then in 2006-2007 -- the same year Zillow and Trulia launched -- Chad and Mandy made a calculated bet on internet-driven real estate and built HomeWaters from scratch. The bet paid off. HomeWaters became the most-viewed independent brokerage website in Northern Michigan.
Mandy joined the business in 2002 and became a full co-founder when HomeWaters launched. Her territory is the waterways of northwest Michigan -- Grand Traverse Bay, the Antrim County Chain of Lakes, Old Mission Peninsula. She handles HR, marketing, and her own clients with an organizational precision that's genuinely rare in the industry.
Today HomeWaters has 17+ agents covering northern, central, and western Michigan with one exclusive rep per geographic territory. Chad and Mandy still work client-facing alongside running the brokerage. Three daughters, raised on the water and in the woods. This is the life they're selling because it's the life they live.
What HomeWaters Specializes In
The property types that require real local expertise -- not a generalist agent figuring it out as they go.
Lakefront & Lake Access Properties
From Grand Traverse Bay to Torch Lake to Houghton Lake -- lakefront is HomeWaters' bread and butter. They know waterfront footage, riparian rights, setback rules, and market values for Northern Michigan's most sought-after lakes.
Core SpecialtyRiverfront & Trout Stream Properties
Chad guided anglers on the Au Sable before he sold real estate. His riverfront expertise is firsthand. HomeWaters covers the Au Sable, Manistee, Boardman, Platte, Betsie, Pine, and more -- the trout streams that define Northern Michigan.
Chad's TerritoryAntrim County Chain of Lakes
Mandy's personal passion -- Torch Lake, Clam Lake, Elk Lake, the connecting waterways. One of the most spectacular boating destinations in the Midwest. Mandy knows every inch of it.
Mandy's TerritoryRecreational Acreage & Hunting Land
Large wooded parcels, hunting land, and recreational acreage throughout Northern Michigan. HomeWaters understands what buyers looking for privacy and outdoor access actually want -- because that's who they are.
Traverse City & East Side Residential
Mandy also covers Traverse City's east side residential market, Old Mission Peninsula, and East Bay Township. HomeWaters handles full-service real estate, not just recreational.
Statewide Coverage -- One Agent Per Territory
17+ agents, each the exclusive HomeWaters rep for their geographic area. If a buyer's target is outside Chad and Mandy's personal territory, HomeWaters has the right specialist for virtually anywhere in the northern half of Michigan.
The HomeWaters Model:
Why It Works Differently
One Agent Per Territory
HomeWaters doesn't stack agents competing for the same listings. One exclusive rep per geographic area means full investment in the market -- and every buyer lead goes to that specialist, not a lottery.
Most-Viewed Independent Brokerage Site in Northern Michigan
Chad bet on internet-first real estate in 2006 and won. HomeWaters built its digital presence before most competitors understood why it mattered. Sellers get maximum exposure. Buyers find listings others miss.
All-Star Agents Only
Chad personally recruits and vets every HomeWaters agent. Reliable, ethical, personable, hard-working -- those aren't marketing words at HomeWaters, they're the hiring criteria. Every agent is someone Chad stakes his reputation on.
Genuine Passion for the Properties
Chad and Mandy don't sell waterfront real estate because the commissions are good. They sell it because they live on it and grew up on it. That passion comes through in every client interaction.
Mandy's Organizational Edge
Mandy describes herself as inherently highly organized -- and calls it rare among REALTORs. She proactively addresses transaction hurdles before they become problems. On complex waterfront deals, that matters more than buyers realize.
River Expertise Is Literal
Chad guided fly fishermen on the Au Sable before he sold real estate. When he talks about riverfront properties, he's drawing on firsthand knowledge of the water and what living on those rivers actually means.
Property Types Chad & Mandy Work With
HomeWaters handles any real estate need -- their depth is in water and recreational properties across the northern half of Michigan.
Lakefront Properties
All-sports lakes, inland lakes, Great Lakes shoreline throughout Northern Michigan
Riverfront Properties
Au Sable, Manistee, Boardman, Platte, Betsie, Pine, and other Northern Michigan trout streams
Chain of Lakes Properties
Antrim County's connected lake system -- Torch Lake, Elk Lake, Clam Lake
Grand Traverse Bay
East Bay, West Bay, Old Mission Peninsula, and surrounding waterfront communities
Recreational Acreage
Hunting land, wooded parcels, large-lot recreational properties throughout Northern Michigan
Resort & Vacation Properties
Cottage communities, resort properties, and vacation homes in Northern Michigan's prime recreation areas
Traverse City Residential
Mandy's market -- Traverse City east side, Old Mission Peninsula, suburban residential
Vacant Land & Building Sites
Waterfront lots, wooded building sites, and raw land throughout northern and central Michigan
What Sets Chad & Mandy Apart
Chad Guided on the Au Sable
He didn't just sell riverfront properties -- he worked as a fly fishing guide on the Au Sable before getting his real estate license. The river knowledge is real, firsthand, and irreplaceable.
Mandy Catches What Others Miss
Highly organized in a field where that's genuinely rare. Proactive, detail-oriented, methodical -- she's already thought three steps ahead before a complication surfaces.
They Built This Brokerage
Chad and Mandy didn't join a brand -- they built one. HomeWaters is their creation, designed from the ground up around waterfront and recreational property expertise. That ownership mentality shows.
Digital-First Since 2006
HomeWaters launched the same year as Zillow, betting on internet-driven real estate before most agents understood what was coming. Result: the most-viewed independent brokerage site in Northern Michigan.
They Live This Life
Chad and Mandy spend as much time as possible on Grand Traverse Bay and the Antrim County Chain of Lakes. Three daughters raised on the water and in the woods. This isn't a job -- it's the life they're selling.
Statewide Network, Local Depth
17+ agents covering all of northern, central, and western Michigan -- each one the exclusive, best-in-class rep for their territory. Broad coverage without sacrificing local expertise.
Where HomeWaters Works
Chad and Mandy personally cover Traverse City, Grand Traverse Bay, the Antrim County Chain of Lakes, and the Au Sable and Manistee River corridors. HomeWaters agents cover everything else.
Ready to Work with Chad,
Mandy, or HomeWaters?
Reach Chad or Mandy directly -- or connect with Kirby and Angie to get your financing in place before the property search begins.
Need Financing First?
Found a waterfront property through HomeWaters? Get pre-approved with Kirby or Angie before your offer -- it puts you in the strongest possible position.
📞 Call or Text Kirby: 231-709-3136 📞 Call or Text Angie: 616-581-6123 Schedule a Free ConsultationCommon Questions About HomeWaters Real Estate
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← View All K&A Referral PartnersKirby and Angie Mortgage Loan Team | Union Home Mortgage | NMLS #2229229 | Angie Anderson NMLS #1999286 | Kirby Slocum NMLS #680817 | Equal Housing Lender. Partner spotlight pages are informational only. HomeWaters Real Estate and Chad and Mandy Brown are independent of Union Home Mortgage. Referrals do not constitute a guarantee of service quality or transaction outcomes. All mortgage loans subject to credit approval, underwriting, and eligibility requirements. Waterfront property financing is subject to additional eligibility considerations based on property type, location, and loan program.
