Christine Neal is the Executive Officer of the Home Builders Association (HBA) of Northwest Indiana and a licensed real estate agent in both Indiana and Illinois.
"I grew up in Cedar Lake, surrounded by water, which shaped a lot of my upbringing,” said Neal. “We had a boat and would travel to Florida every year, sparking my love for the Sunshine State. Now, I try to spend as much time there in the winter, enjoying the warmth and escaping the cold."
With a strong background in the real estate industry, Neal is passionate about supporting her community. She advocates for affordable housing and developing innovative solutions for the future of the housing market in Northwest Indiana.
In the past, she held the role of publisher for “Builder Architect” magazine, covering the Chicago Southland and Northwest Indiana regions. Her responsibilities included building connections with builders, staying informed about upcoming projects, and identifying innovative products and services within the industry. She earned recognition as one of the top-performing publishers on a national level.
“I had the opportunity to represent the magazine at the International Builders’ Show around 2008,” Neal said. “With the housing crisis, it was a tough period for everyone in the field, but it was also a time that shaped the industry in many ways."
In 2020, despite the challenges of COVID-19, she decided to obtain her real estate license. During this time, she observed a noticeable decline in activity and engagement within the HBA of Northwest Indiana, which led her to her job as executive director.
“Having always been passionate about the association and its work, I saw an opportunity to make a difference when they began searching for a new executive director,” said Neal. “Although I was successful as a realtor, I felt a strong pull to step in and help, initially in a part-time role. That role quickly grew into a full-time position fueled by my passion for revitalizing the association. Now, I work full-time planning key events like the Home and Remodeling Expo, the Parade of Homes, our gala and awards night, and managing regular meetings."
Neal takes on numerous responsibilities as the executive director, including attending the annual leadership conference in Indianapolis. This event brings together industry leaders to discuss key issues and strategies for advancing home building.
"Every year, we attend the state leadership conference in Indianapolis, where HBA presidents, vice presidents, and board members gather. It’s an opportunity to learn about statewide and nationwide issues affecting the building industry and to gain valuable education on how to better manage and lead our organizations,” Neal said. “I’ll be taking a class during the conference. I looked at the agenda this morning, and one of the sessions I’m considering is on building ownership.”
She partnered with the HBA to host a Parade of Homes, featuring over 20 new builds across Lake and Porter counties over two weekends. The event culminated in an awards gala at Avalon Manor on November 8, which included a silent auction benefiting Habitat for Humanity.
"All the proceeds from the silent auction that night went to Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Indiana,” Neal said. “We were able to raise over $5,000 for their organization, which felt incredible. To clarify, there are multiple Habitat for Humanity branches, but this specifically benefited Habitat for Humanity of Northwest Indiana. It was a proud moment when their executive director, Dawn Michaels, visited our office, and we had the honor of presenting her with the check from the proceeds of our gala in November."
Neal is committed to supporting seniors and their families through life transitions, such as relocating to senior communities or managing inherited estates. For Neal, this work is more than just a career as it is her passion.
“I’m deeply committed to supporting seniors and their families, particularly when it comes to the unique challenges they face when moving — whether it’s relocating to senior communities or managing an inherited estate. It’s not just a job for me; it’s something I truly care about. I guess you could say that being a real estate agent is my second job, though I wouldn’t call it just a hobby,” Neal said.
Her passion lies in developing affordable senior housing, a goal she is dedicated to pursuing in the future to provide accessible housing options for seniors in Northwest Indiana.
"Moving forward, I want to be known as the person who helped make the association great again, and I truly believe I am that person. Beyond that, the legacy I want to leave for the HBA is to continue creating programs that encourage young people to enter the trades, maintain a strong presence to market our members’ services, and advocate for affordable housing in Northwest Indiana,” Neal said.