Cameron Frey

You spent years as an interior designer, from tile showrooms to senior designer work, before getting licensed. What pulled you toward real estate, and how did that move happen?

The psychology behind how a space can influence the way we feel, function, and live has always really interested me. When I bought my own house in 2020, I loved the process and quickly discovered how much I enjoyed being a homeowner. That’s really when the seed was planted of becoming a Realtor. I was also open to the idea of stepping away from a traditional 9-to-5 and having more flexibility in my workday.

I remember sitting in the Kitchen Conservatory parking lot in Brentwood, waiting for a cooking class, when I decided to go for it and signed up for classes right then and there. And that was that! I got licensed in 2023, and it turns out I love what I do!

What is something from your design career that you still use every day with clients, whether it is seeing a room's potential or helping someone picture the finished space?

I’m always thinking about how a space functions and whether it fits someone’s needs, both now and down the road. I often come back to a few questions with clients: How long do you see yourself living here? Is this a starter home or somewhere you hope to stay long-term? Does it work for your life today, and is it a place you can grow into? This is especially interesting with first-time homebuyers. Sometimes you don’t know what you don’t know, and it can take looking at a few houses to figure out what really matters to you. As we start narrowing down their needs and priorities, the right fit often becomes much clearer.

My design background helps me look beyond aesthetics and focus on the bones of a house: the layout, functionality, and spaces that are harder to change. Paint colors and finishes can always be updated, but it’s important to be realistic about what can be changed, what it will cost, and how a home will work for you in the long run. I also think about resale value and how certain improvements might benefit a homeowner down the road. It’s not just about finding a house you love today, but making thoughtful decisions that will serve you well in the future, too.

Garcia Properties is rooted in South City, where a lot of the homes have real character. What style or era of house makes you light up when you walk in?

I’m a sucker for the older brick homes in St. Louis, especially the bungalows and early-20th-century houses with original details. I love thinking about the history of these homes and all the generations of people who have lived in them. The stained glass, built-in telephone nooks, old mail slots, laundry chutes, beautiful woodwork, and original wood floors make them feel like little time capsules. There’s something special about a house that’s been standing for 100 years and is still going strong. I think that history and character are a big part of what makes St. Louis such a unique place to live.

With your designer's eye, what is one simple thing you tell sellers to do before listing photos that makes a bigger difference than people expect?

Curb appeal and cleaning! Make that front porch feel approachable, cozy, and inviting. People often drive by a house before they ever step inside, so give them something to get excited about. Help them imagine sitting on that porch and picture themselves living there. That’s a big part of the psychology behind selling a home: creating an emotional connection.

A clean, well-maintained home goes a long way, even if it isn’t particularly trendy or design-forward. Buyers are there to see the house itself, and paint colors, decor, and finishes can always be changed. That said, I think it’s okay to let a little personality shine through. If you’ve got funky art or a colorful painted wall, let’s see if we can make it work for us! Personality can make a home memorable, and there’s something refreshing about a house that feels authentic rather than staged to look like every other home on the market. The goal is to keep things edited enough that buyers can appreciate the space without stripping away everything that makes it unique.

When friends visit St. Louis, where do you take them for a great meal or a perfect Saturday afternoon?

Oh, this is tough! St. Louis has such a great food scene, and there’s so much to explore. An ideal Saturday with friends would start with a coffee and a stroll through the Missouri Botanical Garden, followed by a bite to eat and a glass of sangria on the patio at Sasha’s on Shaw. Then heading over to Cherokee Street to explore the vintage shops and bakeries before finishing the evening with a nightcap at Ssippi Wine Bar!