Meet Andrea, a local Fairfield mom, wife, and real estate team leader of a modern real estate team, Forte Team at Compass under the broker Compass CT. Andrea has been featured in multiple publications including Connecticut Magazine, At Home, The Wall Street Journal, as well as a Featured Agent in Top Agent Magazine and Top Agents on Social Media by Property Spark! We’ve known Andrea for years (our husbands met at CrossFit Shoreline in Branford) and we love that we both ended up here in Fairfield together. Andrea is an incredible mom, friend, and realtor…as well as an amazing cook! Read more below about Andrea and her team at Compass below!
Where are you originally from and how long have you been in Fairfield?
I am originally from Branford so I’ve been a CT shoreline girl my whole life. After living in NYC for a few years, I moved to Fairfield in 2016 with my then boyfriend, who is now my husband. We loved our first house on Beaumont Street in the center of town!
Tell us about your Family!
I’ve been married for 5 years to my husband Rich Sudock. We have a son, Vince, who is 4 years old and a cat, Leo, who is 8. We recently moved to Greenfield Hill and have enjoyed getting to know our new neighbors. Both of us are Italian and love to entertain family and friends. I come from the typical very large Italian family – gatherings are large and food takes center stage.
One thing people would be surprised to know about you?
I met my husband on a blind date.
One thing you wish someone would have told you about motherhood?
You still get shit on after the diaper stage. (but it’s worth it!)
What’s your favorite thing about raising a family in Fairfield?
Options and availability. After living in Branford (a smaller coastal town) then NYC, I truly love the size of Fairfield and all it offers its residents– from the schools, shops, restaurants, coffee shops, sports/ activity options, beaches (and lakes!), camps, etc. You name it, we probably have it. I was looking to settle down in a location that was a solid in-between of small-town-living and city-living. I grew accustomed to city-life and I liked having options, but I knew I loved the small-town culture of my childhood.
Tell us about your real estate business, Forte Team at Compass, and when and why you got into It?
I’m a local realtor helping clients buy, sell or rent homes in New Haven and Fairfield County. I am the Team Leader of a modern real estate team, Forte Team at Compass under the broker Compass CT.
I joined the real estate industry in January 2015 after a career in hospitality, travel and luxury lifestyle public relations. I always knew I was going to be a realtor. I first started classes for the CT real estate license after receiving my Bachelor’s degree in 2008 or so, but decided I did not want to be tied to this career yet. I then moved to NYC and worked in PR instead. When I was ready, I moved back and got the show on the road so-to-speak! I love homes and designing their interior layout. Early on in my undergrad I wanted to become in architect.
We know that you are with Compass, but tell us about your team:
Forte Team at Compass is a team of three agents including myself with hopefully more joining in the future! We aim to be creative in our marketing approach for both sellers and buyers while delivering a seamless real estate experience. Together we have had a wonderful first year (really only 7 months so far!) working together and I hope our bond carries us through many years to come. We are all Fairfield moms with 5 kids between us all under the age of 5! Currently we have multiple properties on the market including a subdivision, a portfolio of available rental properties and have helped more than 60 clients purchase or sell a home so far in 2022 alone! I’m humbled, proud and I hope the community in Fairfield continues to put their trust in us to help guide them through their real estate needs.
If you weren’t a realtor what would you be doing?
Running a cozy, modern boutique B&B or Inn. And I would do a lot more cooking.
What is your most memorable moment in this industry?
There are so many to be honest! I will not stop working until I achieve my client’s real estate goal, whatever that may be. And when I do, that moment is always memorable for all of us. Something extra rewarding is when I get to literally find my buyer’s house for them whether it is an off-market listing I know of or suggesting we view a property they otherwise would not want to see and have the opportunity to show them how the home can fit their needs or wants and be a fit. I am known to do this.
What advice would you share with a new mom who also has a demanding career?
Just do the best you can and try not to feel guilty. It is tough to juggle it all. I am on the phone a lot, unfortunately. First of all, support is the only way to get by (my husband, family and friends) and solid childcare during the week that I never think twice about is how I survive. My nanny is an extension of our family and truly an angel from heaven. She has to be!
We love supporting local businesses – favorite places in Fairfield to…
Have Dinner with Family: Sinclair
Grab a Drink with Friends: Malibu Taco
Have a Date Night: Brick Walk Tavern (and we love The Cottage and Oko in Westport)
Spend time together as a Family: Sasco Beach
Grab coffee: Shearwater
Pizza: Pepe’s and we miss Brick & Wood