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8.2/ 10
Very good
Recommended without reservation
Richard McDonough is a fourth-generation Stillwater resident who has worked as a real estate broker in the city for roughly three decades and holds dual licensure in Minnesota and Wisconsin. He practices as an associate broker with Lakes Sotheby's International Realty out of its downtown Stillwater office, with current and recent listings concentrated in the historic Main Street corridor. Third-party transaction data (homes.com) shows 84 closed sales over the past five years worth about $41.9 million; that figure, and the 238 sold listings shown on his own brokerage profile, are both well below the '450+ career transactions' cited in his marketing, a gap that is not explained anywhere public.
Pros
- ✓Fourth-generation Stillwater resident with roughly three decades in the local market and dual MN/WI broker licensure, useful for clients comparing properties on both sides of the St. Croix River.
- ✓Verifiable recent production: homes.com transaction records show 84 closed sales over five years worth about $41.9 million, so the practice is demonstrably active rather than dormant.
- ✓Current and recent listings cluster in downtown Stillwater's historic core -- brownstone conversions and a riverview penthouse among them -- indicating real familiarity with the city's premium niche housing stock.
Cons
- ✗His marketing cites '450+ career transactions,' but the sold count on his own Sotheby's profile (238) and the independently tracked five-year figure (84, per homes.com) are both well short of that number, and nothing public reconciles the difference.
- ✗No independently verifiable review count or star rating turned up in this research; a specific '4.9-star Zillow rating' appears only in self-distributed press releases, and he does not appear on the first page of Zillow's own Stillwater agent-review rankings.
- ✗Operates as a solo associate broker rather than with a team, which may matter to sellers who want multiple points of coverage during overlapping showings.
Agent overview
McDonough has worked in Stillwater real estate for about three decades and describes himself as a fourth-generation resident of the city. He holds broker licenses in both Minnesota and Wisconsin, which he uses when clients are weighing properties on either side of the St. Croix River, and he currently practices as an associate broker with Lakes Sotheby's International Realty, working out of the brokerage's office on North Main Street in downtown Stillwater.
Independent transaction data from homes.com shows 84 closed sales over the trailing five years with a combined value near $41.9 million, split roughly three-to-one toward seller-side representation, and a sale-price range from modest lots up to a $2.4 million penthouse. His current listings sit largely within Stillwater's historic Main Street corridor, including a converted brownstone unit and a riverview penthouse, with occasional listings farther into the Twin Cities metro.
Core specialties
Historic Downtown Stillwater
Current and recent listings include brownstone-conversion condos and a riverview penthouse on or near Main Street, reflecting regular work in the city's historic housing stock rather than typical suburban subdivisions.
Cross-River Minnesota/Wisconsin Transactions
Broker licensure in both states supports clients comparing Stillwater against Wisconsin river towns; his sold-property history includes land and home transactions in Prescott, Wisconsin.
Commission & fees
Not publicly posted; commission is negotiated per listing under Lakes Sotheby's International Realty's standard brokerage terms.
Who this agent is for
Downtown Stillwater condo buyers and sellers
Recent and current listings concentrate in the Main Street historic district, a segment with its own pricing quirks (HOA dues, conversion-building rules) that benefit from an agent who already trades in it.
Households moving across the St. Croix River
Dual Minnesota/Wisconsin licensure and a sales history that includes Prescott, Wisconsin, make him a plausible fit for buyers comparing Stillwater against nearby Wisconsin river towns.
Not for
Buyers who want team-based, round-the-clock coverage, or who prioritize a documented public review record over tenure and self-reported credentials.
Verdict
McDonough is a genuinely long-tenured, hyper-local Stillwater broker with real, if independently modest-sized, recent transaction volume, but several of his marketing claims (career transaction count, a specific Zillow star rating) could not be verified and one is directly contradicted by his own brokerage's sold count. He is a reasonable option for downtown Stillwater or cross-river MN/WI business, provided buyers verify the current marketing claims themselves rather than relying on his press materials.
Score: 8.2 / 10 · Very good
Areas served
Common questions about Richard McDonough
How long has Richard McDonough worked in Stillwater real estate?
He is described across his brokerage profile and press materials as a fourth-generation Stillwater resident with roughly three decades (32-34 years, depending on the source) in the business.
Is the '450+ career transactions' figure in his marketing verified?
No independent source confirms it. His own Sotheby's associate page currently lists 238 sold properties, and homes.com's five-year transaction history shows 84 closed sales worth about $41.9 million -- both notably lower than the marketing figure.