Michelle Mustin: The Real Deal
Driven by a tireless work ethic and a genuine desire to help others, Michelle Mustin connects with homebuyers and sellers to deliver a rewarding experience that feels deeply personal.
Michelle Mustin traces her love of all things real estate to her childhood. The daughter of George Lower, a founding partner of RLPS Architects in Lancaster, she has vivid memories of reaching up to her father’s drafting table and seeing him use the specialized tools of his trade, wanting to know more about his peculiar brand of magic. Her budding interest quickly flowered.
“I enjoyed studying the different elevations of design, the floor plan, the detailed consideration that went into mapping out lighting and window placement, and the importance of a proper foundation and grading on the site,” she recalls. “I relished the daily events that my father would recount after work at the dinner table. These were stories of the process: construction company bids, contracts to be signed, frequent client meetings, township approvals. Negotiations were always underway.”
Those early experiences sparked Mustin’s desire to pursue a career in an allied field. As a Realtor with COMPASS RE, she takes pride in guiding clients through the intricacies of buying and selling a home. Her market expertise extends to all of the Philadelphia area, though she focuses primarily on serving clients in Montgomery County. A helper and problem solver by nature, she aims to provide the same above-and-beyond service to every client, whether the property they want to buy or sell is a townhome in Center City or a multimillion-dollar estate in Lower Gwynedd Township.
She also strives to understand each client on a deeper level—their goals, their preferences, and the circumstances that brought them into her life, as well as who they are as people. As Karen Cravero, M.D., Ph.D., can attest, connecting with other people is what Mustin enjoys most about the work.
Dr. Cravero and her family faced a time crunch in the summer of 2024. She needed to purchase a new home prior to the start of a new school year for her two sons, Lyndon and Walter. At the recommendation of a fellow dermatology resident at Thomas Jefferson University, Dr. Cravero hired Mustin to take the lead.
“Michelle took me everywhere—Bucks County, Delaware County, Chester County, and all points in between,” Dr. Cravero recalls. “She met with me over multiple weekends, and she’d call me in the middle of the night sometimes because of our time crunch. We found a [2,785-square-foot] house in West Grove that we really love and ended up moving in last August. The whole process took about two weeks, and we couldn’t have done that without Michelle.”
The two have remained in close contact, well more than a year after the transaction.
“She sees you as a human being and takes care of the whole family dynamic,” Dr. Cravero adds. “There was never a time when I felt like we were bothering her. She took extra time to be with us, and because of my hectic schedule, everything had to be after hours. It’s her passion, and she loves helping people. She truly cares.”
Going the Extra Mile
Real estate represents something of a second act for Mustin. After earning her degree from Thomas Jefferson University, where she studied subjects such as anatomy, kinesiology, and physiology, she embarked on a career as an occupational therapist. The work required advocacy and tenacity, and she gained a reputation for “going the extra mile” for her patients.
Real estate represents something of a second act for Mustin. After earning her degree from Thomas Jefferson University, where she studied subjects such as anatomy, kinesiology, and physiology, she embarked on a career as an occupational therapist. The work required advocacy and tenacity, and she gained a reputation for “going the extra mile” for her patients.
Even though she enjoyed the work, she kept hearing the siren song of her true love: real estate.
“I was already in the routine of following economic forecasts and the suburban Philadelphia real estate market on a daily basis,” she recalls. “I knew the local builders and their product. I would read township newsletters for permit approvals to gain insight as to what local construction projects had been approved. Frankly, I was in the habit of working as an agent before I was even licensed.”
In many ways, her OT career gave her the foundation she needed to thrive as a Realtor. It taught her the importance of empathy, and gave her a deep understanding of human behavior and the different stages of human life. Perhaps a buyer needs a bigger home to accommodate a growing family, or a seller has to downsize or simplify after their children have “flown the nest.” She finds joy in helping clients navigate these significant life events, which have the potential to be quite emotional.
“In health care, you fight for what your patients need,” she says. “In real estate, I fight for my clients—their goals, their budgets, and their peace of mind.”
Kiersten Karr and her husband, David, recently hired Mustin to facilitate the sale of their 13,000-square-foot home in Lower Gwynedd. As empty nesters, with all three of their children grown and spread out across the country, the Karrs trusted Mustin to help them take the next step.
“It’s a very special home, and the construction is beautiful,” says Kiersten Karr. “It’s the kind of house you never have to leave because it has everything. That said, we spend the majority of our time [at our home] on Long Island, and we also have a carriage house in Georgia, near Savannah, so we no longer saw the point of keeping the house just to spend three or four months there.”
Beginning in July 2025, Mustin initiated the discussions that ultimately led to an agreement between the parties involved. The transaction, which will be finalized in January, includes a sale price of approximately $3.5 million.
“Michelle is a very good listener and very trustworthy,” Kiersten adds. “It’s always a little stressful when you’re leaving a home, though she made it very easy to move forward.”
Kevin Reddington, senior sales manager and leadership member of COMPASS RE, oversees the COMPASS offices in Ambler, Chestnut Hill, and Doylestown. He has watched Mustin flourish since she joined The Jamie Adler Team at COMPASS RE.
“To me, her greatest strengths are her ambition, her client follow-up, and her knowledge of the market, especially in eastern Montgomery County,” he says. “She’s very polished, has a wonderful personality, and prides herself on being honest and straightforward with clients.
“She’s also unique in terms of her availability,” he continues. “When you hire Michelle, you get Michelle, not someone else. She’s the one who will be there to show your property, sign the contracts, and attend settlement. She has a tremendous runway ahead of her. Her name is becoming synonymous with real estate in her market.”
It seems that Mustin’s intense passion for the work is apparent to anyone who has the chance to meet her and work with her. One might even say it’s in her blood.
“It all started with the education my dad gave me,” she says. “As a result of what I learned then and what I’ve learned since, I know what matters in a home, and I enjoy assessing value. I also like using my creativity to imagine what something could be. Every home is someone’s magical place, and every day I am grateful I get to help other people realize that dream.”
Michelle’s Tips for Buyers and Sellers
Mustin, whose expertise includes a certification in home staging, has some seasoned advice for anyone who may be looking to make a move in the near future.
Mustin, whose expertise includes a certification in home staging, has some seasoned advice for anyone who may be looking to make a move in the near future.
For sellers, she offers the following three tips: “Price the property right; first impressions mean the most, so never underestimate the value of fresh paint, and remove furniture and other items from the corners of the room, as it allows the room to ‘float’ and appear larger; and first offers tend to be your best offers.”
In turn, following are three tips exclusively for buyers: “Remember the truism ‘location, location, location’; ask yourself, ‘Could I sell this home for a good price in a year or two, if needed?’; and consider the orientation of the home in relation to the sun, because natural light is your friend.”
Michelle Mustin
The Jamie Adler Team at COMPASS RE
31 E. Butler Ave.
Ambler, PA 19002
www.compass.com/agents/michelle-mustin
Mobile: (215) 771-3213
Office: (267) 448-3744
The Jamie Adler Team at COMPASS RE
31 E. Butler Ave.
Ambler, PA 19002
www.compass.com/agents/michelle-mustin
Mobile: (215) 771-3213
Office: (267) 448-3744
Photo by Jody Robinson
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life, October 2025.
