Long before Leigh Gilmore became the broker-owner of Gilmore Murphy Realty, she was simply a Roslindale girl who never strayed too far from home. Raised in West Roxbury alongside her sisters, Lauren and Melissa, Leigh grew up with a front-row seat to the real estate business. Her mother was an agent, and from an early age, Leigh found herself tagging along to showings and watching firsthand what it meant to build a business around relationships.

"When we were little, my mom would say, 'Come with me to a showing,'" Leigh recalls. "I just loved it."

Her love for Boston only grew during her years at Boston Latin School. A dedicated cross-country runner, Leigh spent countless hours running six miles a day through neighborhoods all across the city. Long before GPS, she knew Boston by heart.

"I learned Boston by running it," she says. "I would turn corners and just think how beautiful certain streets were." Her love for the city and running grew so that she was able to complete two Boston marathons.

Despite growing up around real estate, Leigh initially pursued a different path. After graduating from Assumption College, she followed her dream of becoming a broadcast journalist and landed a position with ABC6 in Rhode Island. While she enjoyed connecting with people, covering tragedies and difficult stories wasn't what she envisioned.

Looking for something different, Leigh headed West to California to pursue acting. She spent a year and a half in Los Angeles and even joined SAG, but eventually realized home was calling.

"I had $22 in my checking account," she laughs. "I called my dad, and he said, 'Maybe it's time to come home.'"

Coming home changed everything.

After reconnecting with her future husband, Jeffrey Murphy, Leigh returned to Boston and entered real estate alongside her mother. While she had always loved the business, she knew she wanted to continue learning and growing. She later spent time at Engel & Völkers, gaining valuable experience and refining her approach before ultimately deciding she wanted to build something of her own.

Real estate became more than just a career. It became personal.

When her first son, James, was born, Leigh's motivation changed.

"I fell in love with him and thought, I need to work harder," she says. "I wanted to make sure my children would always be taken care of."

Over the next decade, Leigh balanced building a business while raising four boys. There were no maternity leaves or long breaks. It was babies, listing appointments, showings, and sleepless nights, all happening at once.

"This is a hustle," she says. "Nobody stops and says, 'Take your time.' You just keep going."

And she did.

What began as Gilmore Realty evolved into something bigger. After rebranding the company and partnering with her mother, Leigh transformed the business into Gilmore Murphy Realty. Then, in 2023, with four young boys at home and every reason to play it safe, she made another leap and purchased the brokerage's office in West Roxbury.

"It felt right," she says. "It was a risk, but I knew we had to do it."

That leap paid off.

Today, Gilmore Murphy Realty continues to grow, fueled by relationships, referrals, and a culture that values people above all else. Her sister Melissa is part of the business, and the team has become an extension of family. Our team consists of a close-knit group that consists of strong and capable agents, one more like a mentor. While many brokerages focus on size, Leigh focuses on connection.

"I love people," she says simply.

That love drives everything she does.

She's the agent who loses sleep over a listing because she wants the seller to have the retirement they've dreamed about. She's the person who strikes up a conversation with a stranger and somehow knows their life story within minutes. She's the one who believes in showing up, whether it's a local fundraiser, a golf tournament, or a community event.

"We don't just send donations," she says. "We're there. We want to be part of it."

Outside of real estate, Leigh's greatest joy is her family. She and Jeffrey are raising four boys, ages nine, seven, five, and three, and much of life revolves around basketball games, soccer practices, school performances, and soaking up the moments that pass all too quickly.

"I cry at everything they do," she laughs. "I just love watching them grow."

A lifelong athlete herself, Leigh played basketball growing up and now coaches one of her sons' teams. She lights up talking about watching her boys discover their own passions and admits that being a mom is her favorite role of all.

She also feeds her creative side through her work on Wicked Bites on NESN, where she combines her love of food, storytelling, and meeting new people. It's a passion project that allows her to do something completely different while still doing what she loves most: connecting with people.

Looking ahead, Leigh's vision for Gilmore Murphy Realty isn't necessarily about becoming the biggest brokerage in Boston. Instead, she wants to continue building a company rooted in relationships and community. Whether it's sponsoring local events, participating in charity golf tournaments, or simply showing up for the neighborhoods they serve, Leigh believes success comes from being present.

And perhaps that's what best defines Leigh Gilmore.

Not the office she purchased. Not the brokerage she built. Not even the countless transactions she's closed.

But the fact that she's always all in.

For her clients.

For her team.

For her family.

And for the community she has proudly called home her entire life.