Long before he was a top-ranked real estate agent in the Washington metro area, Christopher Itteilag was a Holy Trinity student who listened closely as his mother negotiated real estate deals for Pardoe-Pardoe & Graham while driving him to school.
“My earliest memories of real estate are from when I was around 4 or 5,” Itteilag said. “I would go into the office with my mother and be in the copy room, making photocopies of my hands and face.”
As he advanced from Holy Trinity to Georgetown Prep, Itteilag’s robust real estate education — courtesy of his mother, Nancy — continued alongside his classroom studies. By the time he enrolled at the College of Charleston, he was ready to take the next step: earning his real estate license and joining his mother at Christie’s International Real Estate. Meanwhile, he continued nurturing his diverse academic passions, graduating in 2008 with a degree in geology, Japanese and studio art.
After graduation, Itteilag found himself at a crossroads, having received a variety of job offers, including one from the intelligence community. Still, his heart was set on following in his mother’s footsteps.
He felt confident in his decision. And then the stock market crashed.
In his words: “I remember going to bed that day and thinking, What did I just get myself into? It was a real ‘the sky is falling’-type moment, but I woke up the next day and realized this was an incredible opportunity for me.”
Rather than pivoting, Itteilag doubled down, approaching the challenge head-on, with a renewed sense of clarity and purpose.
“In a difficult climate like that, learning how to still put deals together and help your clients succeed was how I learned the business,” he said.
In 2015, Itteilag received a master’s degree in real estate development from Georgetown University, the alma mater of both his parents. Ever the…