Editor's Note: The photo above is from a ribbon-cutting ceremony held Wednesday for McNeely Realty Group in Bridgeport. The story below is the story that ran last week announcing their opening. Family, friends, and local officials joined them for the event.The cover photo shows Tim and Sarah McNeely, left, at yesterday's event, while their first agent, Elizabeth Koerber, is shown on the right.

 

When the COVID-19 pause hit, Tim and Sarah Cann McNeely found themselves spending more time together than before. With Tim in a work pause and with Sarah working in the real estate business, a discussion came up that eventually led to something new for both.

 

“Sarah was doing great in local real estate and I was hunkered down trying to figure out what to do next,” said Tim. “I’m 52 and just said ‘let’s do this.’ We decided our next step was a family business in the place we love and live.”

 

What to do next is in place as today is the official first day of Bridgeport’s newest business, McNeely Realty Group, Inc. Although they have already had a “soft opening,” Tim said today they make it official.

 

McNeely Realty Group is a full-service business involving residential home sales, Tim said. The business represents both sellers and buyers in the Bridgeport area and beyond.

 

“It’s a hot market right now, and we’re primarily dealing with residential transactions,” said Tim. “We’re also available to help with the buying and selling of land.”

 

Sarah’s entry into the business would seem more of an easy transition. Already established and as a member of the large Cann family, the 1996 Bridgeport High School graduate was entrenched in the real estate market and also had a varied background.

 

She attended West Virginia University earning an undergraduate and graduate degree. In 2007, she obtained a master’s degree in counseling and spent six years in the school system as a counselor. Tim said the education she received in counseling has served her well – and will continue to serve her well – in real estate.

 

For Tim, the path to entering the Bridgeport business world in real estate was a bit different. A native of Logan County, Tim attended WVU as well and played basketball for Coach Gale Catlett while also earning a law degree. That law degree took him to Charleston and eventually into government. Tim worked in the West Virginia Development Office as general counsel and deputy for Gov. Bob Wise.

 

Eventually, he got into the athletic venue as a result. He played a big part in bringing the Pete Dye West Virginia Classic/Nationwide Tour Players’ Cup to Bridgeport. That was followed by working with now Governor Jim Justice in serving as the executive director for the PGA Tour’s The Greenbrier Classic. From there, he served for several years as athletic director at Fairmont State University along with an administrative role at the school as vice president before a break in work action.

 

In between those roles, he met Sarah. He moved around a bit, including previous stops in Bridgeport and Morgantown, while Sarah remained  a lifelong resient.

 

“Ironically, with me being a lawyer and the way the legislation is written for real estate, I was able to study and take the test and here we are,” said Tim, who serves as the company’s broker. “Now, Sarah and I are ready to assist anyone with real estate needs.”

 

The business is located at 101 Steele Street in Bridgeport. You can find them on Facebook by searching for McNeely Realty Group, Inc. and they have a Web site under construction that can be found by clicking HERE. The phone number is 304-848-8000.

 

The two are parents to three children – Gray, Griffin, and Kendall.