Born, raised and still residing in Melrose, Alison Socha has a wealth of knowledge about the entire Greater Boston area. She fights tooth and nail for her clients, and empowers them in their real estate transactions with knowledge and options.

While attending Boston University, Socha became the weekend receptionist for Leading Edge Real Estate. Eventually, she grew the job into a full-time position, in which she worked as an administrator, technology specialist and marketing specialist. “It gave me a real taste of real estate while learning how to best serve customers,” she says. “The phone used to ring a lot back in those days.”

In 2003, a coworker encouraged Socha to earn her real estate license. In the years since, she’s become one of the top-rated agents in Boston, currently as the co-leader of the Linda O’ and Alison Group at Leading Edge.

Socha says systematization is the trick to staying cool under pressure. Her process-driven business model prioritizes a streamlined, stress-free experience for clients, so it’s important to her that she and her team operate like a well-oiled machine. “Having the right systems in place allows me to work, volunteer and play,” she says.

In 2021, Socha was named Realtor of the Year by the Greater Boston Association of Realtors (GBAR). In addition to her leadership position at Leading Edge, she currently serves as the 2023 president for GBAR. She’s also an active member of the Women’s Council of Realtors, the Asian Real Estate Association of America, the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals and the Residential Real Estate Council.

Socha’s philanthropic work includes volunteering with her home parish of St. Vincent de Paul and in support of several other local charities.