Chris McNelis, founder and team lead of McNelis & Associates at BHHS PenFed Realty. With over 30 years in Southern Maryland real estate, Chris brings a lifetime of local roots, historic market expertise, and a personal approach to every home and client she represents.
Chris McNelis was recently featured in an Agent Spotlight in the most recent edition of Luxury Home Magazine, highlighting her enduring impact and dedication to the region. Read her spotlight below or on luxuryhomemagazine.com.
Local Knowledge. Personal Service. Lasting Impact.
A Trusted Leader in Southern Maryland Real Estate
A Custom Approach Grounded in Local History
Growing up in the region has had a big influence on how she approaches every listing. She’ll walk a historic farmhouse and mention what the land used to be used for, or point out why a commercial building still matters to the people who’ve lived there their whole lives. Doesn’t matter if it’s a waterfront estate, a working farm, a starter home, or a storefront, she treats every listing like it has a history worth knowing, because it usually does. That knowledge shapes her strategy too. No two listings get the same playbook; she builds a strategic, tailored approach around the property and builds a narrative that will resonate with the right buyer.
People who’ve worked with her describe two sides, both genuine. One is unhurried: she’ll spend an hour walking a property with you, asking the kind of questions that actually shape a search, long before a single showing happens. The other is exacting once she’s at the negotiation table, protective of her clients’ interests down to the smallest term. This combination keeps clients coming back to her, and referring her to the people they trust most.
Community Investment and Real Estate Mentorship
Outside of transactions, Chris stays involved in the things that keep Southern Maryland from losing what makes it distinct: historical preservation efforts, local cultural organizations, and the economic planning that protects the region’s character over the long term. She brings the same investment to her own team, mentoring the agents who work alongside her well beyond onboarding. The people who’ve worked under her tend to stay, and the ones who’ve moved on still call her for advice.
For Chris, real estate has always been about understanding what someone is truly trying to build, whether that’s a home on the water, a legacy property, or simply the next chapter of their life. Thirty years and thousands of transactions in, she’s spent a lifetime in this region preparing for exactly that conversation.