CR_Autumn2019_Online

CR 

Chicago REALTOR ® 

Magazine 

V o l u m e 2 8 | Autumn 2 0 1 9 

Community Tools & Resources 

to Better Serve Your Clients 

10 Steps to Running Your 

Business Like an MBA 

The Balancing Act: 

Lessons from the Other Side 

The Official Publication of the Chicago Association of REALTORS ®

SPONSORED BY: 

THE 

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Contributions are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes. The Illinois REALTORS ® Political Action Committee (RPAC) collects contributions from members of the National Association of REALTORS ® (NAR) for political activities. A portion 

of each contribution will be used for state political activities; at least 30% will be used for federal campaign purposes. The federal portion will be charged against an individual’s federal contribution limits under 2 USC 441a. Contributions are VOLUNTARY and refusal to 

contribute does not affect membership rights. A member may contribute more or less than the suggested amount. A copy of our report filed with the State Board of Elections is (or will be) available on the Board’s official website www.elections.il.gov or for purchase from the 

State Board of Elections, Springfield, Illinois.

THE 

24. 

The Balancing Act: 

Lessons from the Other Side 

LESSONS FROM THE OTHER SIDE 

Autumn 2019 

ChicagoREALTOR® 

MAGAZINE 

IN EVERY ISSUE 

4 President’s Perspective 

6 From the CEO 

8 Editor’s Picks 

9 Digital Extras 

42 Photo Album 

49 RRES Education Lineup 

50 The Buzz 

42. 

32. 39. 

FEATURES 

10 Community Tools & Resources to Better Serve Your Clients 

14 Recycling Home 

16 10 Steps To Running Your Business Like An MBA: 

Critical Questions and the Math of Making Money 

21 How I Spend My Budget 

24 The Balancing Act: Lessons from the Other Side 

26 YPN Breakfasts: 14 Business Bites to Take Home 

28 Welcome to Pullman 

UPDATES 

20 Government Affairs Update 

32 Bookshelf 

33 Association News 

34 REALTOR ® Day at the Museum 

36 Industry Partners 

38 NAR Legislative Meetings: Why They Matter 

40 Global: Thailand Trade Mission 

www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 3

PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE 

One of my favorite songs from a favorite band of 

mine (that’s not Pearl Jam) is “Once in a Lifetime” 

by The Talking Heads. The first verse ends with a 

powerful question: “You may ask yourself, well, 

how did I get here?” 

When I reflect on that question and my personal journey, I think 

about all the little things that have become big moments in my life. 

The greatest achievements are the results of small beginnings. This 

is discussed in one of my favorite books, The One Thing, by Gary 

Keller. A domino on its own, standing two inches tall and weighing in 

at about the same weight as a box of matches, isn’t much. However, 

the force that domino creates when pushed can knock over one 

that is one and a half times its size. This chain reaction of force can 

compound into knocking over the equivalent of the Eiffel Tower in 

its twenty-third iteration — all from the small beginnings of a twoinch 

domino. 

As I reflect back on this past year as the president of CAR, my 

biggest takeaway has been that we are all that two inch domino. 

The way we treat each other, our clients and our industry will set 

off a chain reaction of force that will compound into something big. 

The power we have is the choice of positivity or negativity; we want 

our energy to compound and ultimately set off a chain reaction. I 

empower all of us to remember this next time we interact with each 

other, whether it’s during negotiations or a showing. We are each 

other’s first domino. 

I’m grateful for the opportunity to have been that first domino as 

the 135 th CAR president, and for all the dominos before me who 

paved the path that led me to this “Once in a Lifetime” opportunity. 

#growththroughgratitude. 

Best, 

TOMMY CHOI 

2018-2019 President 

Chicago Association of REALTORS ® 

4 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine

2020 

CONTINUING 

EDUCATION 

Brokers, if you were licensed prior to February 1, 2018, 

you will need to complete the requirements below by 

April 30, 2020: 

• 12 Hours of CE 

• 4 Hours of Core 

• 8 Hours of Electives 

CLASSROOM WEBINAR SELF-STUDY DOWNLOAD ONLINE 

ChicagoREALTOR.com/BrokerCE 

www.ChicagoREALTOR.com/Foundation 5

FROM THE CEO 

Time management is always an area where I’ve excelled. 

I can time block like no other! I’m a planner, and having 

worked for the Boy Scouts, “Be Prepared” is something 

I take to heart. But at 2:14 PM on June 2, 2017, my life 

changed forever when my husband Brace and I welcomed our son 

Broyce into the world. 

About 12 hours prior, I had emailed in my resume to the recruiter for 

CAR’s CEO position. I felt I had killed it at time management — I was 

responding to a job opportunity while in labor — girl power! But, I had 

a very scary delivery. Broyce had to be resuscitated and went straight 

to the NICU, rather than his impeccably decorated nursery. So, when 

the recruiter called back for a follow-up, I was curled up in a chair in a 

corner of a hospital room alone after a fever spike and possible infection. 

I wasn’t allowed to hold my baby boy, Brace was running between my 

hospital room and Broyce’s, and our families were thousands of miles 

away in Chicago. I had no plan for that experience and working for CAR 

was the furthest thing from my mind, so I didn’t pick up the phone. I sent 

the recruiter an honest email about my situation and offered to keep the 

dialogue open at a later time. Eventually, Broyce fully recovered and got 

to come home, I found my way back to the recruiter, and we continued 

our dialogue about the association. It all worked out! 

As first-time parents, my husband and I get excited for all Broyce’s “first” 

moments and milestones, and we’re infinitely amazed by how much 

he grows every day. We don’t want to miss a single moment. But our 

industry requires long, sometimes unconventional hours, planned and 

unplanned. I’ve had moments where I struggle to find balance in my 

schedule between work and family, wellness and community involvement. I know many of you can relate. 

As your association, we’re here to protect the real estate industry and your careers as practitioners. A large part of that is making 

sure we have time to take care of our communities, our health and, most importantly, our families. To help you as best we can, CAR 

is committed to expanding the resources, events and opportunities that aide your work-life balance. 

This year, we have increased the number of online learning courses, webinars, podcasts and on-demand resources available to 

you. These pause-and-play professional development opportunities allow you greater flexibility on when and where you consume 

information. We’ve also reintroduced our CAR to You program, which allows us to bring services and training right to your office, 

saving you valuable time and resources. 

In August, our family-oriented member outreach and annual business meeting welcomed you and your families to the Museum of 

Science and Industry for a day of education and connection. We were thrilled to meet so many of you and your loved ones, and we 

hope you learned about the many services we offer to help you make a greater impact in our neighborhoods. 

We recently introduced our External Affairs department, focused on bridging any gaps between our business and our communities 

and delivering opportunities for us to give back. We’re building connection in all Chicago’s neighborhoods through events like a Red 

Cross blood drive, Boys & Girls Club Back to School Carnival and the famous Bud Billiken Parade. 

While our business is important and our work is impactful, it can be difficult to feel like we’re giving our all to everything and everyone. 

We can time block and plan all year long, but curveballs will always come our way — by accepting support and taking advantage of 

available resources, we can bounce back. We are all killing it at this thing called life as best we can! I hope you’ll join me in making 

the best use of these opportunities at CAR, so we can spend more time being involved in our communities and building priceless 

memories with our families. It’s worth it! 

6 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine 

MICHELLE MILLS CLEMENT, cae 

Chief Executive Officer 

Chicago Association of REALTORS ®

CAR + CommercialForum 

Rebuild Project 

Make a real difference for the environment and beautify your community! 

Join CAR and CommercialForum for a volunteer day at Rebuilding 

Exchange. Get crafty with hands-on learning sessions from master 

woodworkers on how to recycle and repurpose salvaged scrap metal 

and wood into functional furniture to be donated to charity. You'll have a 

chance to learn a new skill, engage in a sustainable practice and make 

connections – all while saving thousands of pounds of building materials 

from local landfills! 

Rebuilding Exchange 

1740 W. Webster Ave. Chicago, IL 60614 

8:00 AM – 3:30 PM 

SESSION 1: 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM 

SESSION 2: 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM 

RECEPTION: 2:15 PM – 3:30 PM 

Reception to follow at 

DeVour 312 | 1450 W Webster Ave, Chicago, IL 60614 

Tuesday, October 22 

Register at ChicagoREALTOR.com 


EDITOR’S PICKS 

Jessica Kern 

Vice President, Communications 

jkern@chicagorealtor.com 

I love Autumn. Autumn is when I take time to plan and prep, both 

personally and professionally. This is when I set personal and professional 

goals for the upcoming year. I find it easier to manage in September, than 

the traditional January 1/New Year — and as I’m a September baby and 

our fiscal year starts October 1, it all seems to work out! Our team is 

also in planning mode for next year’s plethora of events and editorial 

calendar. I encourage you to get a head start on your goal-setting and 

business planning for the year — this issue is packed with tools to help! 

Check out page 16 for 10 Steps to Running Your Business like an MBA. 

The fabulous Rebecca Thomson gives us some very hands-on tools 

to help set yourself up like the business you are. Use her tips to begin 

analyzing your business and how you spend time, and then implement 

the action tools to measure your success. After you read the article, 

visit us online to download the worksheets she discusses. 

A big focus for me this year (and one that will continue into next) is 

work/life balance. On page 24, Bobbi Howe, a guest speaker from our 

Lessons from Real Estate Masterminds event in May, bravely shares 

her story and the lessons she’s learned about balancing a demanding 

career with her personal life. Read her tips and watch her video online. 

My favorite take-away: when putting together your calendar for the year, 

first fill out your family, friends and vacation time, then your education 

plans, prior to scheduling anything else. I will be using this tip this year! 

Also helpful — some pro tips from our YPN breakfast series on page 

26. From starting with twelve people in the balcony of Artopolis, to 

taking over Manny’s Deli with record numbers (selling out at over 

200!), it’s been fun watching this speaker series, this group and, most 

importantly, these young professionals, grow. 

We want to hear your stories! We know our members do so much 

for this city and our communities, but we want to help spread the 

word. Learn how you can give back to your community on page 10, 

and don’t forget to share your efforts, or your friend’s efforts, with 

us. We’ve created a new portal for you to provide your stories! Visit 

ChicagoREALTOR.com/TellYourStory. 

As always, don’t hesitate to reach put with any questions or comments 

— we’d love to hear from you. 



CR Magazine 

2018-2019 BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

PRESIDENT 

Tommy Choi 

PRESIDENT-ELECT 

Maurice L. Hampton 

TREASURER 

Nykea Pippion McGriff 

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT 

Rebecca Thomson 

DIRECTORS 

Stephanie Brimo 

Antje Gehrken 

Heather Gustafson 

Julie Harron 

Drussy Hernandez 

Nick Libert 

Dave Naso 

Andy Shiparski 

Vicky Silvano 

Gail Spreen 

Dan Stratis 

Erika Villegas 

Marty Walsh 

Sarah Ware 

Tracey Williams 

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 

Michelle Mills Clement, cae 

The Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine is published 

quarterly by the Chicago Association of REALTORS ® 

for its members. Advertising is purchased and 

does not necessarily represent the position of the 

Chicago Association of REALTORS ® . 

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 

Michelle Mills Clement, cae 

michelle@chicagorealtor.com 

EDITOR 

Jessica Kern 

jkern@chicagorealtor.com 

MANAGING EDITOR 

Maria Dickman 

mdickman@chicagorealtor.com 

ART DIRECTOR 

Jim August 

jaugust@chicagorealtor.com 

For advertising information please contact 

Mary Beth Durkin 

at (312) 214-5530 or ads@chicagorealtor.com 

C.A.R. LOCATIONS 

CAR Central: 430 N. Michigan Ave., Ste. 800 

Chicago, IL 60611 

Ph: (312) 803-4900 

Fax: (312) 803-4905 

CAR West Towns: 6017 W. 26 th Street 

Cicero, IL 60804 

Ph: (312) 803-4900 

www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 

NOTICE TO MEMBERS 

Under long established policy of this Association, the Illinois REALTORS ® 

and the National Association of REALTORS ® : 

1. The broker’s compensation for services rendered in respect 

to any listing is solely a matter of negotiation between the broker 

and his or her client, and is not fixed, controlled, recommended or 

maintained by any persons not party to the listing agreement. 

2. The compensation paid by the listing broker to a cooperating 

broker in respect to any listing is established by the listing broker and 

is not fixed, controlled, recommended or maintained by any persons 

other than the listing broker. 

Videos 

Videos 

What’s Online @ 

Photo 

Videos 

• Check out Bobbi Howe’s work-life balance presentation: 

15 Lessons Galleries from the Other Side, from our May Member Outreach. 

• Learn why your peers got involved in real estate and how they 

show leadership in our communities. 

• Visit our Learning Library to learn on the go. 

• Download a sample transaction entry sheet, an annual 

transaction analysis template and a weekly schedule, so you 

can run your business like an MBA. 

• Browse for a new business read from our bookshelf. 

• Listen Resources 

Photo the YPN Breakfasts Galleries on our podcast. 

• Get connected organizations, resources and tools to help 

you better 

Photo 

engage 

Galleries 

with your neighborhoods. 

• Register Resources 

for fall classes and beat the CE crowds! 

• Mark your calendars and register for upcoming events. 

• Global Real Estate Council’s Trade Mission to Thailand 

• CAR Foundation 5K 

• YPN Summer Mixer 

• 112 th Annual CAR Golf Classic 

• REALTOR ® Day at the Museum 

• Bud Billiken Parade 

• Social media content, curated and ready for you! 

Digital Resources 

Extras 

Resources 

Resources 

Links 

ChicagoREALTOR.com 

Galleries 

Photo Videos 

Resources 

Links 

Galleries 

Videos 

Look for the icon throughout the magazine for 

content with digital bonuses! 

Photo 

Galleries 

Videos 

Videos 

Photo 

Galleries 

Resources 

Videos 

Resources 

Videos 

Links Photo Galleries 

Links 

Photo Galleries 

Links 

Links 

Resources 

Links 

Links 


COMMUNITY 

TOOLS & 

RESOURCES 

TO BETTER 

SERVE YOUR 

CLIENTS 

As REALTORS ® , we’re uniquely positioned 

to make an outsized impact in our 

communities. Strong neighborhoods 

benefit us all — getting involved is selfinterest. 

It means less crime and violence, 

more job opportunities, higher credit 

scores and increased ownership rates. It 

also puts you face-to-face with people 

who could turn into future clients. 

We’ve put together this guide to help 

you know where you can get started 

identifying key stakeholders and programs 

to help strengthen communities and 

benefit your clients. 

BE ACTIVE IN 

YOUR CHAMBER 

OF COMMERCE 

Chambers of commerce promote and 

protect the interests of the business 

community in your area. They have a 

strong neighborhood network and help 

to coordinate efforts with the local 

aldermen, the City and other community 

and civic partners. 

Chambers of commerce are an important 

place to start, as they support the 

economic vitality of your neighborhood. 

Their activities could include anything from 

advocating for uniform awnings on a new 

commercial strip to establishing a farmer’s 

market, lobbying for better servicing 

from Streets & Sanitation and assisting 

community businesses with grants and 

award entries. The leaders of your local 

chamber will know important contacts in 

the press as well as the politicians working 

to serve your neighborhood. 

In Chicago, we have both a city-wide 

Chamber of Commerce, in addition to local 

ones in many of the 77 neighborhoods. 

You can find a full list on the City 

of Chicago website. Can’t find your 

community on the list? You can start one! 

ChicagoREALTOR.com has resources to 

help you get started. 

Your local chamber of commerce can help 

you with: 

• Attaining neighborhood and local 

business information 

• Starting a new business 

• Troubleshooting City-related issues 

for small businesses 

• Connecting businesses to financial 

resources 


• Providing opportunities for business- 

to-business networking 

• Assisting with employment and 

workforce development 

• Helping market to consumers 

(your neighbors!) 

• Connecting your business to the 

local community 

Gail Spreen, Jameson Sotheby’s 

International Realty, has been involved 

with the Streeterville Chamber of Commerce 

for over 20 years. “Supporting the Chamber 

is important to my business as it shows that 

I am an invested, interested and key player 

in the Streeterville neighborhood,” she said. 

“Ensuring that the business community 

survives, supports each other and creates 

opportunities for the neighborhood 

helps keep the area thriving and growing. 

REALTORS ® should be very involved in 

their Chambers as they are a resource 

for business and for creating economic 

development in the neighborhood.” 

Getting involved could mean anything 

from serving on a committee, helping put 

together newsletters, volunteering to staff 

an event or helping develop programming 

like a movie night, street festival or concert. 

Chambers also sometimes ask members 

to help throw educational workshops 

(property tax assessments, for example) or 

survey local businesses to get performance 

metrics and identify what resources are 

needed in the communities. Your local 

chamber will have a contact for you to 

reach out to and get started! 

SUPPORT COMMUNITY 

DEVELOPMENT 

CORPORATIONS (CDC) 

Chambers of commerce aren’t the only 

tools used to improve and maintain the 

vitality of our neighborhoods. Community 

Development Corporations (CDCs) are 

common in challenged neighborhoods, 

where the focus is on economic development. 

They are equipped to tackle issues 

like affordable housing development, 

job training, education and other social 

programs — all of which help to make 

strong communities. Most CDCs are funded 

through private donors and government 

grants and their board includes community 

residents, while chambers mostly cater 

to local business owners who may or may 

not live in the area. 

Zeke Morris, EMA Realty & Management, 

is involved with a local CDC, the Greater 

Chatham Initiative. “As a REALTOR ® , I want 

the community to know that not only 

am I committed to listening to concerns 

and goals, but I want to be a part of the 

solution,” he said. “We are interdependent 

upon each other and being present goes a 

long way to build trust. As the community 

goes, so goes my business. I am thankful 

for the Greater Chatham Initiative, because 

it fosters vision and collectively works 

toward the goal of a vibrant community.” 

Volunteering for a local CDC could include 

anything from serving on their board to 

helping implement programming and 

identify partners for key initiatives, including 

community and housing development, 

preservation, education and safety efforts. 

Tony Hardy, Marcus & Millichap, also works 

with the Greater Chatham Initiative. “The 

work we do there makes a direct impact 

in the Chatham Community,” Hardy said. 

“The real time boots-on-the-ground flow 

of information from the team at GCI helps 

me keep real estate investors in position to 

make the most informed decisions.” 

A few prominent CDCs in Chicago include: 

• Greater Southwest Community 

Development Corp 

• Bickerdike Redevelopment Corp 

• Greater Auburn Gresham 

Development Corp 

• Lawndale Christian Development 

Corp 

• The Resurrection Project 

• St. Edmund’s Redevelopment 

Corporation 

• CNI – Chicago Neighborhood 

Initiatives 

LEARN ABOUT THE 

COOK COUNTY LAND 

BANK’S PROGRAMS 

The Cook County Land Bank plays a 

transformative role in building strong 

communities. It was formed in 2013 to 

address the large inventory of vacant 

residential, industrial and commercial 

property in Cook County. The Land Bank 

acquires, holds and transfers interest in 

real property throughout Cook County 

to promote redevelopment and reuse of 

vacant, abandoned, foreclosed or taxdelinquent 

properties. It also supports 

targeted efforts to stabilize neighborhoods 

and stimulate residential, commercial and 

industrial development. It functions as a 

unit of Cook County government, funded 

primarily with grants, contributions and 

revenues from transactions. CCLBA is the 

largest land bank by geography in the 

country and is governed by a Board of 

Directors, including Chicago REALTOR ® 

Sarah Ware, Ware Realty Group. 

“If you’re doing business in Cook County, the 

Cook County Lank Bank is another form of 

inventory for your clients that you need to 

know about,” she said. 

Two of their programs offer ways you 

can make a difference in transforming 

neighborhoods in need of investment. 

HOMEBUYER DIRECT PROGRAM 

The Land Bank’s Homebuyer Direct 

Program helps break down homeownership 

barriers by empowering prospective 

homeowners who may be interested in 

directly purchasing, rehabbing and living in 

the home to purchase property at belowmarket 

prices. This is a good opportunity 

for your clients to engage in the purchase 

and rehab of a home to build equity, while 

also finishing a home to their tastes! The 

Land Bank also has a number of lending 

partners that specialize in purchase/rehab 

loans such as the 203K product. A list 

of all their partners participating in their 

Homebuyer Direct Program can be found on 

their website. 

TAX CERTIFICATE PROGRAM 

Putting vacant and abandoned properties 

back into use is a critical part of the Land 

Continued on page 12 


11

Continued from page 11 

Bank’s work. To revitalize and reboot 

distressed neighborhoods, they make 

available properties that have been tax 

delinquent for some time. Often, these 

parcels are abandoned, creating blight 

and dragging down the livelihood of their 

communities and potential to prosper, 

and the back taxes and fines exceed 

the value of the property itself, making 

redevelopment virtually impossible. 

The Land Bank’s tax certificate program 

extinguishes the outstanding tax amounts 

so those who have a plan for putting 

the property back into productive use 

have a clear path to do so. The Land 

Bank looks to partner with communitybased 

developers, local not-for-profits, 

block clubs, community organizations, 

homeowners, faith-based organizations and 

others to revitalize and reboot distressed 

neighborhoods, reduce unnecessary 

vacancies and fill unique community 

needs, like community gardens, play lots, 

basketball courts and open spaces. 

You can fill out an application to become 

a prospective property owner through 

the Lank Bank via their website. The Lank 

Bank is also accepting applications from 

individuals and organizations who are 

interested in donating and conveying 

property. They also occasionally post 

RFPs on their site for developers, broker 

services and more. Keep an eye out for 

ways you can be of assistance to this 

critical community program. 

UNDERSTAND THE 

PROPERTY TAX 

APPEALS PROCESS 

Understanding the property tax appeals 

process to help your clients avoid overpaying 

is a key skill for any REALTOR ® . Properties 

in Cook County are reassessed every three 

years, and property taxes are based on these 

assessments. Once assessment notices are 

mailed, by township, a property owner has 

30 days to file an appeal. If unsuccessful at 

the Assessor’s office, owners can appeal 

once more to the Board of Review, which 

follows another schedule. 

Be sure you’re notifying your clients when 

their township opens for appeal! And, be sure 

you’re educating them on the importance of 

appealing their assessment. This will help 

keep their property tax burden in check. 

FIND A PROPERTY’S PIN 

Every property in Chicago is assigned a 

Property Index Number (PIN). This numerical 

code is the legal description of a piece of 

land as defined for the purposes of real 

estate taxation and points to its location on 

county tax maps. 

The best place to find a PIN is a deed or tax 

bill. You can also look up a property’s PIN via 

the Cook County Assessor’s website if you 

have the property address. 

FIND TRAFFIC COUNTS 

When you’re looking to bring investment 

and new business to your community, one 

HOW TO READ A PIN 

AA-SS-BBB-PPP-UUUU 

AA: AREA number (sequential township) 

SS: SUBAREA number (section) 

BBB: BLOCK number 

PPP: PARCEL number 

UUUU: UNIT number for condominiums and leaseholds (zeros in this portion 

of the PIN indicate non-condo and non-leasehold PINs) 

STEP 1: Use the two-digit area number to identify your township on the 

Cook County map. 

STEP 2: Find your two-digit section number in the township. 

STEP 3: Look within the subsection and use the three-digit block number 

to find your block. 

STEP 4: In your block, find your three-digit parcel number. 

• If the property is a condo or leasehold, the next four-digit number will 

ID the specific unit. 

• If this section contains zeros, the property is not a condo or leasehold.

of the questions you should be able to 

answer is the average daily traffic count 

(ADT). This is like a census count of vehicles 

on any given city street. These counts 

provide a close approximation to the actual 

number of vehicles passing through a 

given location on an average weekday. You 

can find a map with ADTs for the City of 

Chicago through the Chicago Department 

of Transportation. This data is updated 

approximately every 10 years. 

SMALL WAYS TO MAKE 

A DIFFERENCE 

If you’re looking for small ways to make a 

community-wide impact, check out these 

two programs: 

RAIN BARREL PROGRAMS 

If you or your clients are looking for greenfriendly 

ways to make a small impact, look 

into the Metropolitan Water Reclamation 

District of Chicago’s rain barrel program. 

Rain barrels capture rainwater from roofs 

and save it for when you may need it. They 

can be used for many things: washing 

your car, watering your lawn and cleaning. 

Because rain water is naturally free of 

chlorine, lime and calcium, many gardeners 

swear it’s better for their plants. Plus, keeping 

water out of the sewer system helps to 

prevent sewer overflows and flooding. 

The rain barrels are made of 50-75% 

recycled content and include leaf and 

mosquito filter screens, a spigot, overflow 

adaptor and overflow hose. All Cook County 

residents can purchase a rain barrel for 

$ 

45.78 (including tax), with free delivery to 

your property and detailed instructions to 

connect your barrel to your downspout 

and/or link it to a second barrel. 

COMMUNITY GARDENS 

Community gardens have the potential 

to beautify vacant lots, augment local 

food supplies and enhance the urban 

environment. They increase the availability 

of fresh, healthy produce in neighborhoods, 

in addition to providing space for recreation 

and socializing for citizens. Some gardens 

partner with local businesses to provide 

food and educational opportunities. They 

are a convenient and fun way to create 

volunteer and leadership opportunities, 

and they help to encourage neighbor-toneighbor 

discourse. Plus, communal gardens 

enliven neighborhoods by improving 

neighbor health and increasing the value of 

surrounding properties. 

As a REALTOR ® , you have a unique 

advantage. Every community has a variety 

of public spaces, mostly recognized as 

parks, streets and plazas. But, public spaces 

such as alleys, neglected courtyards, 

stairways and land awaiting redevelopment 

could be the city’s most underutilized and 

potentially valuable assets. Improving 

deteriorated or underutilized spaces will 

increase their usage and usefulness — 

which in turn, can strengthen and enrich 

a community. You can help by identifying 

spaces and their potential for the benefit 

of entire communities. 

Start by identifying empty lots or sites 

ripe for development. Neighborhoods 

that have experienced blight or are in 

the midst of food deserts are excellent 

examples of how a community garden 

can transform a community. Blighted lots, 

cleaned up and given the structure of a 

community garden, can lead to rejuvenation 

of the neighborhood, as well as increased 

development interest and property values. 

Neglected or vacant spaces in your 

community have the potential to be 

transformed — permanently or even 

temporarily — into a community garden, 

which is a benefit to your clients and your 

community. The Chicago Park District has 

a wealth of resources available, including 

guidelines, petitions, applications and 

liability waivers. A few years ago, we 

partnered with the Peterson Garden Project 

on the Chicago Association of REALTORS ® 

Community Garden — founder LaManda 

Joy wrote the book, Start a Community Food 

Garden: The Essential Handbook, which can 

also help you get started. 

USE THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE 

There are a variety of resources available to you as a benefit of your REALTOR ® 

membership! 

• REALTORS ® Property Resource (RPR) Data – RPR offers comprehensive data and 

powerful analytics for REALTORS ® . RPR covers every segment of the real estate 

industry, including commercial and appraisals. In addition to housing stats, RPR 

provides economic stats, like median income and unemployment rates, in addition 

to U.S. Census data and quality of life statistics, like annual snow and rainfall, travel 

time to work, water quality and walkability. On the commercial platform, there are 

three breakdowns: 

o Where are the right people for a business? 

o What’s the best location for a business? 

o What’s the best business for a location? 

The demographic and spending data is extremely comprehensive and provides 

critical insights for neighborhood activity. These are also great reports to share 

with your elected officials and chambers of commerce when you look at what 

business needs still need fulfilled and other urban planning projects. 

• FastStats – These enhanced statistical reports are designed to help illustrate what’s 

happening in the Chicago residential market. You can find weekly and monthly 

snapshots for the whole city, in addition to neighborhood snapshots designed to 

showcase the real estate trends for your area. The PDFs are downloadable and ready 

to print, e-mail and post. 

• InfoSparks – This real-time data pulls directly from the MLS and puts you in control. 

Fully customizable, you can go general or very granular with this data. Select an area 

and variables, choose a metric, filter results and share! It’s even possible to define 

custom geographies. All print/export/email options are here, including live, static and 

embeddable charts and images, as well as raw data tables. Shared items will include 

your contact information, which is automatically generated from the information 

stored in your profile. If you have a specific area and type of property you focus on, 

create a chart and embed it in your website and it will update with live statistics! 

• Accessibility Scores – How easy is it to access your neighborhood on foot? By 

transit? By bike? These are all questions you should know the answer to, and luckily, 

it’s easy (and free) to find out via WalkScore. WalkScore will break down the area’s 

transportation options and help identify needs. 


RECYCLING 

HOME 

By Karla Mina, Compass Real Estate 

I’m that girl who collects vinyl records, old books with gold trim 

and vintage cameras. In times when a cell phone can play music, 

snap a picture and have a book read to you through Amazon’s 

Audible book club, I still prefer the more nostalgic path. There’s 

magic about the smell of an old book with pages so old and 

delicate that any quick ‘flip’ could destroy it. Music on vinyl feeds 

my imagination, letting it wander with every high-quality note. 

And those old, heavy cameras with the huge flash lights not only 

hold so much history, 

but they make the best 

decorations! 

So, what does this have 

to do with recycling 

homes? There’s a 

huge sense of pride 

in refurbishing an old 

property with charm and historical value. The captivation is in 

entering an old property and envisioning its modern-day, best use. 

But where do you start? Just like anything in real estate, it’s 

important to know your budget and timeline. Refurbishing a home 

can be costly and time-consuming, if you’re not careful. You 


shouldn’t just purchase an old home because it’s inexpensive. Get 

a full picture of the updates that need to be made. 

It’s helpful to assemble a team of experts who can help you make 

the necessary assessments as to the health of the house and 

property before you make an offer. Build a network of contractors 

who can help you get quotes as to repairs that may be necessary. 

This network should include general contractors, electricians, 

If your flip is a multi-unit property, 

don’t despair: rent it out, procure a 

high cap rate and relax — this is a 

coveted, income-producing asset that 

tends to sells quickly and profitably. 

This team can help you decide: 

• What needs to be replaced? 

roofers, plumbers, 

painters and HVAC 

experts. You’ll also want 

an outstanding home 

inspector on your team, 

to help suss out the state 

of the home as is and 

identify the absolutely 

mandatory repairs. 

• What types of permits will you need to do the repairs? 

• How will these repairs impact your bottom line?

You want to do just as much research, if not more, on a home that 

you’ll refurbish as you would on a home that’s listed as turn-key, 

because every penny spent matters when it comes time to sell 

the home. 

Make sure you check out applicable tax and zoning laws, as well as 

the financial status of the property. You can look up a property’s PIN 

through the Cook County Tax Portal (cookcountypropertyinfo.com) to 

assess its value history, tax history and any delinquencies. 

Remember, your final sales price should fall around the market 

value for comparable homes, and it should make up for the money 

you spent on the home, including all 

the work and permits you needed to 

complete the rehab and your time. 

Every moment you’re working on 

the refurb, you’re taking away time 

from transacting. As with any real 

estate deal, time is of the essence! It’s 

important you recoup money for the 

time you invested while keeping the 

price reasonable for potential buyers. 

The difference between the acquisition 

cost and after repair value is the rehab cost. 

REALTORS ® understand the analytics behind the lowest sale in 

the area and the highest potential value in a premium market. In 

a market where values may “correct” themselves and property 

taxes increase, there are only a few places where you can manage 

affordability. Managing the price, rehab costs and getting the 

product back on the market is where most investors fail. 

the kitchen and baths, as they are often the climax to every home 

selling story. 

While it can be tempting to go with either inexpensive or lavish 

finishes, try to aim for something that’s in between. Home 

improvement shows have buyers most interested in shiny new 

countertops and top-of-the-line appliances, so it’s important to 

purchase products that will catch their eye, but you also don’t want 

to soak up your budget on these items. They could drive the price 

up too high or risk investing too much in products the buyer plans 

to change anyway. 

Know the market. When 

shopping for a home to 

recycle, take a look at 

the market data for the 

neighborhood it’s in to 

help you gauge how much 

you can reasonably make 

from the investment. 

Also, don’t forget about curb appeal. 

While you don’t have to completely 

splurge on landscaping, porch 

furnishings and flowers, the outside 

of the property should be presentable. 

Clean up and remove any remnants 

from the repair, power wash the 

exterior and make sure the lawn is 

raked and mowed. 

Does it sound like a lot of work? It is. 

However, it’s worthwhile, particularly 

in today’s market. Buyers are looking for homes that don’t require 

anything except them unpacking their boxes. This is largely due to 

historically low interest rates that allow them to leverage the bank’s 

money to acquire an asset that is 100 percent up and running. They 

don’t have time, or the desire, to oversee each phase of their rehab 

process, so they rely on you. More and more, buyers are realizing 

that real estate is an appreciating asset. Like any commodity, the 

value can be volatile, but, over time, it should appreciate. 

For beginners or those looking for a potentially quicker payout, 

I recommend purchasing a refurbished home that only needs 

cosmetic changes. The initial cost savings may not be as high as 

you hoped, but the cost of refurbishing it will be significantly lower. 

Not to mention, it typically takes a lot less time and effort. 

If your flip is a multi-unit property, don’t despair: rent it out, procure 

a high cap rate and relax — this is a coveted, income-producing 

asset that tends to sells quickly and profitably. For a novice 

investor, buying a multi-unit rental building means optimizing 

rental yield and fewer property management service calls. 

Aligning yourself with a reliable contractor is key. If you chose to 

go with a house that needs structural, electrical or other significant 

repairs, you’ll want to work with your contractor to learn the level 

of importance for each project and begin tackling those right away 

after you close. If the property has good bones and a strong roof, 

your next step is looking at the layout. A lot of older homes have 

walls, closet spaces, kitchens and bathrooms that don’t fit the 

needs and wants of today’s buyers. Knocking these walls down to 

create larger, more open spaces is often the first step. 

Once that’s done, it’s time to make the buyer see the potential you 

saw when you purchased the home. As a buyer’s agent, we know 

what design trends our clients prefer, down to what wall colors will 

sell a house in the shortest amount of time. Pay special attention to 

Before you begin your first rehab, here are some of my tips: 

• Know the market. When shopping for a home to recycle, 

take a look at the market data for the neighborhood it’s in to 

help you gauge how much you can reasonably make from 

the investment. 

• Be patient. Just like any real estate transaction, delays can 

happen at any point in the transaction. Don’t cut any corners 

to get the job done quicker; you want to make sure it’s done 

correctly. Hire the best contractors and get the right permits. 

This ensures a better sale and boosts your reputation as 

a rehabber. 

• Love it. I mentioned before my love for vintage items and 

what they represent in today’s world. Recycling homes are 

a lot of work. There are a lot of moving parts and a lot to 

keep track of. If you don’t love it, it can be difficult to get 

through the work. Get to know the history of the home. Look 

for ways to update it while maintaining the historic charm. 

Take lots of photos throughout the process and tell the home’s 

story to your potential buyers. 

There’s nothing like a new home — but there’s also nothing like an 

old home made new. 

For more real estate investing tips, listen to 

Karla on WGN Radio’s “Market Overdrive” 


COACHING CORNER 

10 STEPS 

To Running Your 

Business Like An MBA 

Critical Questions and the Math of Making Money 

REBECCA THOMSON, THOMSON REAL ESTATE 

Are you missing opportunities right in front of 

you? Are you focusing on the wrong things? 

What if you could make more money just by 

asking better questions? 

It’s easy to get caught up in the hectic day-to-day of 

our business, and we often aren’t leveraging the data we 

have readily available to better position ourselves 

for success. 

I’m here to help you take a quantitative approach to your 

business, so you can maximize your time and make more 

money. This step by step guide gives you a foundation for 

thinking more strategically about how you operate. 

ANALYZING YOUR BUSINESS 

To truly understand your business, just look to the past. 

• What have you excelled at? 

• Where are your best sources of business? 

• Where is there room for growth? 

Sample Transaction Entry 

STEP 1: Source of Business, Spend 

and Income by Transaction 

This step will help you get a quantitative perspective on how much 

business you did last year and whether or not you are on track this 

year, in addition to quantifying where and who your business is 

coming from and helping you gauge exactly how much you earn 

and how much you are giving up in negotiations. 

Property Address Client Name Client Type Source/Referred by Sale Price Commission % Gross Commission 

Buyer, seller, renter % - Fee Sale Price x MLS Co-Op - Fee 


ACTION: Pull your full transaction history for both this year 

and the last. You can pull MRED transactions by date. If you had 

any off-market deals (including rentals and outbound referrals), 

your company tracks those internally, so a simple request can 

often get you all the information you need. 

Compile data on whether you represented the buyer or seller, the 

source of the lead, your commission, your split, what you spent or 

gave up and ultimately, your net income. 

Excel is a fantastic and easy 

tool for organizing data. If 

you need to brush up on Excel, 

there are tutorials on Lynda. 

com and, of course, YouTube. 

Here are the questions we need to answer: 

• How much business do you actually do? 

• Where does your business come from? 

• Who is your biggest referral source? 

• What are you actually earning? 

• What are you giving away? 

See Sample Transaction Entry below and download it on 

ChicagoREALTOR.com. 

Step 2: Annual Analysis 

The goal for this step is to assess a few things: 

• Whether you are balanced, listing-heavy or buyer-focused. 

You can take it a step further and look at your average 

commission for both buy and sell sides. Are you happy with 

that number? 

ACTION: Let’s compile the data to get a full picture. You can 

do it by completing the table below. 

• In how many transactions did you represent the buyer? 

• In how many transactions did you represent the seller? 

• What is your total sales volume? 

• What is your average sales price? 

• How have rentals and outgoing referrals impacted 

your income? 

Annual Transaction Analysis 

# Buy Side # 

# Sell Side # 

Total # of Transaction Sides # 

Total Sales Volume $ 

Total Sales Income $ 

Average Sales Price 

(Total Sides / Total Volume) $ 

# Rentals # 

Total Rental Income 

#Outbound Referrals 

Total Referral Income $ 

TIP: If you want more listings, consider contacting 

cancelled and expired listings or prospecting with FSBOs. 

Want more buyers? Host and sit open houses! 

• Your average sale price and volume. You can increase 

your income by charging a higher commission, participating 

in more transactions or raising your average price point. 

Use this data for goal setting for next year! 

• The impact outbound referrals and rental 

deals are having on your bottom line 

TIP: No referral income? You are missing out! Whether 

referring deals to other agents in nearby markets or 

helping clients find the best REALTOR ® out of state, position 

yourself as the source for all things real estate. Build your 

network by attending local, state, & national events. 

TOTAL Income $ 

Step 3: Tracking Progress 

By compiling all this data, we are able to not only look at last year’s 

numbers, but also how on- or off-track you are this year. 

ACTION: Put the annual analysis side by side. 

• How do your year-to-date sales compare to last year’s? 

• How have the number of deals changed? 

• Has your buyer/seller mix changed? 

• Are there any other trends you note? 

If there is a variance, drill down to see what has changed. Whether 

you are working with fewer clients, have seen a spike in your 

average price point, or are charging a different commission, the 

Concessions Company Split Marketing Costs Net for Transaction Add to CRM Request Tutorial 

Gross - Split - Additional Costs 


numbers will shed light on the root of the change. If you keep 

tracking this data, you can start to see shifts year over year. 

With fluctuations in the market, expansion of your network and 

increases in your marketing budget, you will be able to plan ahead, 

and pivot as needed. 

MAKING MONEY: MEASURING 

YOUR SUCCESS 

Step 4: What You Earn 

Throwing in 500 dollars to get the deal done adds up quickly 

– especially if your split is calculated off gross commission. 

Additionally, covering a few hundred dollars in company fees that 

was your client’s responsibility to pay or accepting a negotiated 

down commission makes a big difference when you add it up at 

the end of the year. 

ACTION: Do the math and ask yourself whether you are 

giving too much away for the great work you do. 

• How much are you leaving on the table? 

• What are you going to change to put and keep more 

money in your pocket? 

Commission discussions are always a challenge. Some companies 

have policies on minimum commissions, whether they be 

percentages or flat rates, and you want to abide by your company’s 

policy. Some brokers choose to discount because they are chasing 

higher volume while others charge more because they justify it 

with the services they offer and the success they bring. When you 

calculate your stats, you will have more fodder for articulating why 

you are worth what you charge. 

Step 5: What You Spend and Where 

Spending money is not always a bad thing, if it is strategic. 

Unfortunately, many of us fall prey to SOS — shiny object 

syndrome — and signup for software, lead generators and 

fancy CRMs that we aren’t using. Look back to your sources of 

transaction and see if you are getting the return on investment 

(ROI) to justify the expense. If not, decide whether you can 

commit to more time to make it worthwhile, or whether it’s time 

to eliminate the expense or reduce the cost by switching plans 

or providers. 

ACTION: Think about what you spend on your clients 

between gifts, livery service, photography, signs, brochures, etc. 

If you don’t know off-hand, start making a list of all the expenses 

you typically incur for a client. Do the same for your sphere of 

influence (SOI): past clients, friends and top referrers who you 

take for coffee, bring to a baseball game, invite to a wine tasting, 

etc. This is money well spent, and if you aren’t budgeting for your 

SOI, put one together and develop a plan to reach out to these 

people more frequently! 

• What services do you offer your clients? 

• How much do you spend on an average listing? 

• How much do you spend on a buyer client? 

• What are you paying for that you aren’t using? 

• What is the ROI for your paid leads? 

Step 6: Setting Your Goals 

It is never too late to define your goals and create a business plan. 

Some people are driven by income alone, and others by what 

the additional money allows them to do, whether this is traveling, 

supporting a family or relieving financial pressure. In order to set 

goals, use the data you have to create a plan that will work! 

ACTION: The first step to reaching your goals is to write 

them down. 

• How much do you want to earn this year? 

TIP: If your average price is X, then you need to sell 

Y homes. 

• Based on your current buyer/seller mix, average price point 

and average commission, how many sold listings will you 

need to reach your goal? How many buy-side deals? 

• What percentage of your listings sell? 

• What percentage of your buyer clients purchase? 

• How many listings will you need to take to reach your goal? 

How many per month? 

• How many buyer clients do you need to work with? How 

many per month? 

MANAGING YOUR TIME 

Step 7: Where You Spend Your Time 

Most of us don’t fully realize how we spend our time. 

ACTION: Record and track three of your days — everything 

from emails and showings, to binge-watching TV and playing 

Candy Crush, to crushing it at the gym. 

• How many hours a week do you work on average? 

• How many weeks do you take off (vacation, holidays, etc.)? 

• What is your income per hour?

TIP: Divide your net income by the # of weeks you work 

and then by the # of hours per week ex. ( $ 100,000/50 

weeks)/40 hours per week = $ 50/hour 

• What are you going to change to increase your income 

per hour? 

• Based on your journaling, what’s one thing you want to 

stop doing? 

• What activities do you do to generate business? 

• How much time do you spend each week on lead 

generation? 

Step 8: Implementing Systems & 

Time-blocking 

It is always better to work smarter than harder. Your time is 

valuable! From using a CRM to tracking your expenses, you can 

implement systems to make your life easier and help save you 

time. A tried and true tactic for staying on-track involves timeblocking. 

Often, we get caught up emailing, putting out fires 

and doing administrative tasks. You can earn more money by 

dedicating more time to prospecting, but this will only work if you 

set aside time to work on your business. Incorporate activities 

like lunch meetings, calling your SOI quarterly and hosting client 

appreciation events to maximize your weeks. Your transaction 

log also asks if you’ve added someone to your CRM – a helpful 

reminder to add past clients! 

ACTION: Examine at your MLS data for the following: 

• What is your average # of listing days on market (DOM)? 

What is your average list to sale percentage? ex. listed at 

300k, sells for 270k = 90% list to sale 

• How many price changes do you average? 

• On the buy side, what is the average percentage you 

negotiate off list price? 

• What is the average days on market and percent of sale 

to list price in the market? 

TIP: Calculate this by MLS area, buildings, price point, etc. 

• What is your market-share (as an individual, team or 

company)? 

Step 10: Finding and Leveraging 

Opportunity through Digital Marketing 

Your digital presence is top priority as it is how most consumers 

will first get to know you. 

ACTION: Buff up your marketing plan and dedicate weekly 

time in your schedule to tackle it. Build a testimonial request 

into your process after each closing. To build a base, reach out to 

your past clients about submitting a testimonial on just one site (I 

recommend Zillow or realtor.com ® ). Let them know how much you 

appreciate them taking a few moments to write one. 

ACTION: Evaluate the processes and systems you have 

in place. 

• Do you have a CRM and how frequently do you want to 

update it? 

• What systems do you use to track your expenses? 

TIP: You can get a discount on Quickbooks via NAR’s 

Member Benefits. 

• What activities will help you generate more business? 

• How much time each week do you want to set aside for 

growing your business? 

MATH FOR MARKETING 

Step 9: Knowing Your Stats 

To justify what you charge and convince clients to work with 

you, stats always help. Look back at your MLS data to calculate 

key stats. You can dice and slice it several different ways to 

demonstrate your expertise at a price point, within a building or 

subdivision, or your negotiating prowess. Hone in on what makes 

you the strongest. If you are newer to the business or had a rough 

go, ask your company about their stats. 

• When is the last time you updated your online profiles? 

n realtor.com ® - Start here to get a FREE profile! 

n Zillow 

n LinkedIn 

n Facebook 

n Instagram 

n Your company website 

n Google 

• How many testimonials do you currently have on Zillow, 

realtor.com ® and LinkedIn? 

• How many testimonials do you want to have by the end 

of the year? 

• What areas of your profile can be enhanced? 

• What digital marketing elements do you want to incorporate 

into your business (ex. video, Adwerx, etc.)? 

Now you have the right questions to ask and the tools you need to 

leverage data to help you grow your business in the 

weeks and months to come. 

Rebecca Thomson 

Thomson Real Estate Group 

Download a sample transaction entry sheet, an annual 

transaction analysis template and a weekly schedule. 


19

GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS 

Government Affairs Update 

Welcome to our new Government Affairs Directors! 

Kris joined us in November of last year to 

launch the new External Affairs department, 

and previously served as a Government 

Affairs Director for Illinois REALTORS ® working 

with us in Chicago. We are excited that he 

will bring this experience to his new role 

and will continue to build upon his existing 

relationships with the new city administration. 

Kristopher Anderson We look forward to working with him to expand 

and elevate CAR’s advocacy footprint! 

Interested in meeting Kris and Adriann and learning 

more about our ongoing advocacy initiatives? Coffee 

with the GADs the first Tuesday of each month provides 

updates in real time. Register at ChicagoREALTOR.com. 

Adriann joined CAR in July as our new local 

government affairs director, with primary 

responsibility for Cook County, Cook County 

municipalities outside of the city of Chicago, 

commercial issues and some shared City 

Council responsibilities. She previously 

served as a local and state government affairs 

representative at the National Association 

Adriann Murawski of REALTORS ® and is an expert in state and 

local real estate policies relating to land-use 

and landlord tenant relations. She is well versed in rent control 

policies and has a proven history advocating and interpreting 

policies related to private property rights. Prior to NAR, Adriann 

served as the Senior Manager of Government Affairs for CCIM 

and has previous campaign experience in Illinois and Iowa. 

Join us for... 

First Tuesday 

of the Month 

® 

REALTOR Building 

430 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 800 | 9 A.M. to 11 A.M. 

Thank you 

Brian Bernardoni! 

Brian Bernardoni 

Our longtime Senior Director 

of Government Affairs, Brian 

Bernardoni, will depart September 

30, 2019, to pursue opportunities 

outside the REALTOR ® organization. 

We’re so thankful for all his 

incredible work on our behalf over 

the last 17 years. Thanks to Brian’s 

advocacy work, we achieved 

an exemption from the “Cloud Tax” on REALTOR ® 

and MRED data and defeated several transfer tax 

proposals. Brian worked with housing advocates for the 

preservation of homes through the Cook County Land 

Bank and the Neighborhood Stabilization Program and 

helped over 30,000 homeowners with his work to open 

the Cook County Board of Review books to allow for 

appeals using MRED data. We wish him all the best in 

his future endeavors! 


HOW I SPEND MY 

Money, money, money — it’s a personal topic, 

but an important one. We chatted with a few Top Producers about how 

they invest their hard-earned dollars, in both business and life. 

AMANDA McMILLAN 

@properties 

What’s the most effective way you spend 

money to build your business? 

The best way to generate more business is 

to constantly work on becoming better at 

what we do. Investing in yourself through 

education — seminars, webinars, books and 

coaching — is one of the more profitable ways to spend your money. 

What’s the most effective way you spend money to grow your leads? 

My success in this business has been based on a well-oiled 

referral business model. Therefore, lead generation is most 

effective through keeping our clients engaged, educated and 

aware of our continued successes in the industry. We do this with 

an in-depth Client Appreciation Program. One of the highlights 

of this programs are several client appreciation parties. They are 

great events that typically have super engagement and result in an 

outgrowth of leads. 

What’s your favorite splurge, outside of the real estate industry? 

Personal time can be hard to come by, between a busy work 

schedule and active family. I have remained dedicated to my guilty 

pleasure of owning and competing show horses at the national 

level. While it is a pricey industry to partake in, I remain committed 

to it and know that the horses help me to continue striving for the 

best version of myself in business and, more importantly, in life. 

What’s something you’re planning on directing more dollars to, 

in order to grow your business in 2020? 

There are always lots of “shiny” new things to invest in. I try to make 

very calculated and sensible decisions. In 2020, our primary goal 

is the redesign of our website, ChicagoHomePartner.com. Despite 

winning website of the year by Chicago Agent a few years ago, we 

must stay up on the trends to keep with this fast-paced industry! 



MARIO DILORENZO 

Keller Williams Chicago – O’Hare 



Without a doubt, it’s on education and 

training. Today, more than ever, it’s so 

important to be learning-based in your 

business. Each year, I attend two out-of-state 

conferences, an annual business boot camp and numerous training 

opportunities inside and outside my company. I also invest in a 

business coach, who offers lots of tips and pointers and helps add 

accountability and awareness to my business. 


Since about 85 percent of my business in 2018 came from my 

database, I spend most of my money on just that. I already have an 

amazing CRM through my company, so most dollars go towards my 

36 Touch Plan, which is a system strategically designed to touch 

everyone in your database 36 times a year. These touches include 

anything from a video email to a client appreciation event. 


I love splurging on my wife and kids. We like to travel. We have a trip 

to Disney World planned this fall. I love taking golf trips and going 

to Chicago Bears games. This year, we’re going to away games in 

Philadelphia and Denver. 



I’m planning on growing my team from three to five, so that’s 

what I would like to direct more dollars towards. This will become 

additional leverage so I can continue to provide an exceptional 

client experience and still grow my business. 

GRACE GORO KAAGE 

@properties 



I work primarily by referral, so I like to spend 

money giving back to my clients. I host 

five client events each year, ranging from 

a rooftop cocktail party to a Cubs outing, 

Pilates classes and more. I love sending little gifts to show my 

clients I’m thinking about them, and I value their support. Word 

of mouth has been more effective for me than any billboard or 

bus bench, so I work very hard to show my clients how much I 

appreciate them! 


I use Adwerx digital ad campaigns to advertise directly to my 

database. That’s been super effective. I then direct clicks on those 

ads to my website where I have an IDX platform set up to capture 

those leads. I’ve also found farming in my neighborhood to be a 

great lead gen source for me. I use traditional postcards sent via 

snail mail for that! 


I love to splurge on hosting parties or barbecues for my friends. 

I actually don’t really like to shop, so I tend to splurge more on dining, 

hosting parties and traveling with my husband — the fun stuff! 



Growth! I’ll be looking to fill an administrative role on my team to 

help me stay ahead. I know my strengths and weaknesses, and as I 

continue to grow, I need a quarterback to help me stay organized! 

BRITTANY BUSSELL 

and ANNIE BAUER 

@properties 



Anything related to spending time with our 

clients and our annual client event. Unique 

and individualized client closing gifts. Taking 

the time for personal development to continue to learn and be a 

source of knowledge for our clients. But mostly, using automated 

marketing options such as Adwerx to be certain we are staying in 

front of our clients consistently, with very little maintenance or effort. 


Marketing. We differentiate by creating collateral that may help 

sell a property, but also creates exposure for our brand. We use 

our listings as content to showcase how we create exposure 

and success for our clients. We also have a unique social media 

presence and billboard marketing. 


Travel and shopping. A friend who understands the industry once 

told us, “Rather than rewarding yourself after a closing, reward 

yourself when a deal falls apart.” 

What’s something you’re planning on directing more dollars to, in 

order to grow your business in 2020? 

Hiring someone to manage our social media account as well as a 

transaction manager in order to scale our business and focus on 

income-producing activities. We want to focus solely on our clients 

and referral sources, building those relationships and continuing to 

grow our business. 

money to grow your leads? 

SANINA ELLISON 

Chicago Homes Realty Group 



I spend on administrative help, marketing 

and tools to increase efficiency. 


One of the most effective ways I increase our leads is by sponsoring 

events hosted by small businesses. 


Food, shopping and travel. I love to travel. I plan to travel to at least 

one or two new countries a year. I work between vacations - four 

breaks a year is a must.



I plan to direct more dollars and effort towards professional video. 

Video is great way to market your brand and personality to attract 

like-minded individuals. 

MARTY WALSH and HEIDI ZIOMEK 

Dream Town Realty 



Digging deeper into our sphere of 

influence and past clients. We like to 

reward the people and relationships that 

grow our business. We have found that 

blanket farming, print media and online lead generation don’t 

provide anywhere near the ROI that fostering stronger and more 

meaningful relationships with our sphere does. 


Video and creating community-relevant content for social media. 

We run highly targeted social media campaigns. Also, anything that 

builds a relationship: coffee, lunch, a pop-by. 


Neither of us really splurge but we both like to travel. We spend 

so much time taking care of others, we tend to forget we need to 

take care of ourselves. Getting out of town and having a chance 

to completely disconnect (no emails, no calls) really gives us the 

opportunity to recharge and be more engaged in our business 

when we return. If you’re in town, you rarely completely disconnect. 

Therefore, we try to get away. Focusing on a little “me time” is a 

healthy thing to do. 



Client engagement events. We are planning a couple of new events 

we hope will bring people together and remind them we care about 

them and our relationship over the long haul, and that we continue 

to provide service long after the transaction. We hope this will 

translate into more goodwill and referrals 

What’s your favorite splurge, personally/outside of the 

real estate industry? 

Traveling is always my favorite way to splurge. 



We’re going to continue putting money toward market awareness 

for the brand. 

DEVONTAE BROOKS 

Guaranteed Rate 



I find it’s most effective to spend money 

on fun activities or events my partners 

and clients will enjoy. Life is all about 

new experiences — learn to say yes and 

countless doors of opportunity will open up. We have an important 

role in our clients’ lives, and we need to make sure we take time to 

smile and enjoy all the city has to offer. 


Investing money into things I’m passionate about has been the 

most successful for me. I receive at least ten calls a week from 

companies trying to sell me leads. I don’t believe in paying for 

leads because the conversion is so low; it’s more effective to build 

real relationships with people and the leads will follow. 


I enjoy traveling and new experiences. 



I plan on directing more money toward self-development in 

2020. It’s important to invest in yourself and continually develop 

transferrable skills. Albert Einstein said it best, “Life is like riding a 

bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” 

JIM PSYHOGIOS 

Baird & Warner 



As a managing broker, the most important 

part of my job is recruiting talented brokers. 

While it requires a lot of time, it doesn’t 

require the biggest budget, but it’s definitely 

the most important part of building the office. 


The brokers in the office do a really great job on social media. They 

publish a lot of original content, but they also spend money on paid, 

targeted ads on different social media channels. 


THE 

LESSONS FROM THE OTHER SIDE 

Real estate can chew you up and spit you out, if you let it — it’s a 

cutthroat business. 

Bobbi Howe, Keller Williams Kansas City North, knows this all too 

well. A second-generation REALTOR ® , she learned the business 

by watching her top-producing REALTOR ® mother excel in their 

community. Then, she got the call that changed the trajectory of 

her career - her mother had taken her life. 

We must know how to deal with the stress that comes from being 

in this industry. At our Lessons from Real Estate Masterminds 

event in May, Bobbi bravely shared her story, and the lessons 

she’s learned about balancing your demanding career with your 

personal life. 

LESSON 1: WORK-LIFE BALANCE 

IS A MISNOMER. 

Let’s just lay it out there: there are very few times in your life that 

you actually have work-life balance. “There are going to be times 

when your life will be extremely work heavy — and it’s going to 

suck,” Bobbi said. But you still have to take time for the other side 

of your life.” 

LESSON 2: YOU TEACH OTHERS 

HOW TO TREAT YOU. 

The day of her mother’s funeral, Bobbi had a client who wanted 

to see a house immediately. Bobbi communicated why she was 

unavailable and found a colleague who could accompany the client. 

“But Bobbi, you’re not going to be at the funeral all day.” In that 

moment, Bobbi realized that if she bent to their will, she would be at 

their beck and call forever. So, she taught them how to treat her — 

and they chose not to have a relationship at all. 

Set those expectations and then reinforce those boundaries. This is 

important — it gives you the space you need to have a life outside 

of real estate and permission to work with people who respect you. 

LESSON 3: YOUR PERCEPTION 

CREATES YOUR REALITY. 

Think about what the words you say mean. “I am” statements create 

your reality and your destiny. Whatever you choose to state — I’m 

fine, I’m tired, I’m sad, I’m happy — that’s the energy you are putting 

out into the world. Your brain is a powerful organ, and it can do 

amazing things. Let your mindset work for you. 

Bobbi calls this the red time out button. Most people will respect 

and understand when you need to press pause — and those who 

don’t, don’t deserve to be in your life. This is important, because 

the purpose of business is to fund a perfect life. Bobbi’s perfect life 

is creating incredible life experiences with her six-year-old and her 

husband. Knowing that fuels her work, but it also gives her space 

to hit the pause button. 

This also applies to your business — do you have an abundance 

mentality, or a scarcity mentality? If you have a bad client, don’t 

stick with them just because you want their referrals after the 

transaction, or you feel like you are owed something from all 

the stress they’ve put you through. Everyone is the sum of the 

five people closest to them — do you really want referrals from 

someone who is terrible to you? Cut them loose, which will free you 

up to find people who actually want to buy and sell houses. 


LESSON 4: YOU ARE A BUSINESS 

OWNER. ACT LIKE ONE. 

Are you a lead generator — and if not, how do you stay in business? 

The number of leads you are generating is directly proportional to 

whether your business is growing, steady or dying. Bobbi loves the 

book Cash Flow Quadrant: Rich Dad’s Guide to Financial Freedom, 

by Robert Kiyosaki. She encourages you to stop looking at yourself 

as a self-employed REALTOR ® and start considering yourself a 

business. If you want to build true wealth, it’s worth a read and will 

help get you started. 

LESSON 5: FACE YOUR FEARS. 

“Fear can stand for one of two things: Forget Everything And Run, 

or Face Everything And Ride,” Bobbi said. What do you choose 

to do when fear comes at you? Bobbi reminds herself that worry 

is interest paid on a debt that may never become due. We are all 

guilty of stressing ourselves out over things that never come to 

bear. When we run into ceilings and life gets hard, we need to push 

through the pain and discover the greatness on the other side. 

LESSON 6: DON’T JUDGE YOUR 

INSIDES BY OTHER PEOPLE’S OUTSIDES. 

People on Facebook have one of two lives: everything is perfect, or 

everything is drama. The iceberg illusion is real: too often, we forget 

all the failure, sacrifice, disappointment, good habits and hard work 

that leads to success. Don’t be fooled… 

LESSON 7: THE STRUGGLE IS REAL. 

It’s not just a hashtag! When Bobbi’s mother died, her husband of 

several years didn’t even know she was on depression medication. 

Some of her friends called the FBI accusing him of murder, because 

they didn’t know the struggles she was having. Her mother never 

showed vulnerability and loved to pretend everything was perfect. 

“The sooner we accept that every single one of us has some 

struggle and the sooner we become transparent and vulnerable, 

the easier it is for all of us to heal each other,” Bobbi said. 

LESSON 8: IT TAKES A VILLAGE. 

It takes a village to raise a human being. We all need to know that 

people have our backs. But it’s hard to remember that — so don’t 

be afraid to ask for support if you need it. Similarly, let the people 

in your life know you support them, too — “because, dammit, we all 

need a village, whether we want to admit it or not.” 

BOBBI’S 12 STEPS 

TO SELF CARE 

1. If it feels wrong, don’t do it. 

2. Say exactly what you mean. 

3. Don’t be a people pleaser. 

4. Trust your instincts. 

5. Never speak bad about 

yourself. 

6. Never give up on your 

dreams. 

7. Don’t be afraid to say no. 

8. Don’t be afraid to say yes. 

9. Be kind to yourself. 

10. Let go of what you can’t 

control. 

11. Stay away from drama 

and negativity. 

12. Love. 

LESSON 9: TAKE TIME FOR THOSE 

WHO MATTER MOST. 

Bobbi is a self-admitted nerd. One of her favorite things to do is 

organize her paper calendar before the start of a new year. The very 

first things that go in there are her family vacations and one-onone 

time with her son. Next, she inputs her trips with her friends — 

because moms need a break, too. Third, she inputs her education and 

schedules out her classes. The rest fills in from there, but she doesn’t 

let anything get in the way of those three things that matter most to her. 

LESSON 10: IF YOU CAN FIX A 

PROBLEM WITH MONEY, IT’S NOT 

REALLY A PROBLEM. 

This is key. Some of the greatest stressors in our lives revolve 

around money — we have to change our mindset about it. There 

are a lot of problems that can’t be fixed with money, but those that 

can are only temporary issues. You can always go make more — 

especially in real estate! 

LESSON 11: TRAVEL EXPANDS YOU. 

Bobbi says the greatest times of your life will come when you put 

yourself outside your comfort zone. Her mother never took trips 

— she just worked, and she missed out on a lot. Travel can forever 

change you — let it. 

LESSON 12: YOUR HEALTH IS YOUR 

MOST VALUABLE ASSET. 

If you don’t have your health, none of the rest matters! It’s not only 

about the body — you also have to take care of your brain. Start by 

finding a mechanism to overcome the negative thoughts that you 

have about yourself. 

LESSON 13: NEVER STOP GROWING. 

When a plant stops growing, it starts dying. It’s the same with 

people. Bobbi puts together a growth plan, and every month she 

lists three things she wants to accomplish. Usually, she runs a race 

and tries to read a book. Then she fills in something else — learn 

to knit, take a class or anything else that pushes her to continue 

growing. Put together your list, and see what you can accomplish. 

LESSON 14: IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT YOU. 

Do you come from a place of cooperation or competition? Bobbi’s 

mom always approached from a place of competition. Bobbi could 

have put a million dollars under contract, and her mom would 

respond with, “Well, I put 1.5 million under.” One upping each 

other doesn’t help anyone. Come from a place of cooperation 

and giving back to one another. 

LESSON 15: NEVER TAKE ANYONE 

OR ANYTHING FOR GRANTED. 

You never know what the last moment with someone will be. 

You never know the last words you’ll say to someone, or your last 

interaction. Make sure it’s a positive one. 

Watch Bobbi’s presentation from our spring Member Outreach and purchase 

her recommended book: Cash Flow Quadrant by Robert Kiyosaki. 


Your Clients 

Time and time again, these experts 

reiterate the importance of establishing and 

maintaining trusted relationships with their 

clients. They dedicate time to keeping in 

touch with their network via phone, email 

and text. These super stars ensure clients 

know and feel like they’re a priority. 

“Anytime we meet with someone, we 

say, ‘This is how the search process 

works.’ We’ll do our first meeting, 

we’ll get a feel for what they’re 

looking for, and then the first action 

step after that is a tour day. A tour 

day is where we set up back-to-back 

their top five favorite properties. Then 

after that day, it’s one-off showings. 

As soon as we started explaining it 

to people that way, it made 

people get organized.” 

BREAKFASTS: 

14 BUSINESS 

BITES 

TO TAKE HOME 

MELANIE EVERETT 

Melanie Everett & 

Company 

On the last Wednesday of each month, we gather in the 

bright, homey confines of Manny’s Deli. Seated among the 

aromas of pastrami and bagels, we enjoy a fresh breakfast 

buffet and listen to successful Chicago REALTORS ® ’ industry 

tips, tricks and tactics which have stood the test of time. 

Here’s what we’ve learned so far this year. 

“When sharing your listing research, 

it’s important to show and tell a 

story. Describe how the property has 

changed, talk through how you see 

its story changing for the future. Talk 

possibilities and use facts and 

figures to support them.” 

KEVIN VAN ECK 

@properties 

“I’m a giving person, so I tell my team 

to make our seller feel like they’re 

our only client. We want to know 

more about their listing than they do, 

so they trust our expertise. Even if we 

haven’t signed any contracts, I walk 

through their rooms, comparing paint 

swatches. I show them how 

much I care.” 

JENNIFER AMES 

Engel & Völkers Chicago 

“I use the MLS, and I communicate to 

my buyers that I’m going to set them 

up with what I call the Holy Grail so, 

they have access to the most updated, 

accurate, real-time information 

available to them. I tell them if they 

feel the need to go rogue and 

searching on other websites, whatever 

they find, send me exactly what 

they’re interested in seeing. Then, I can 

research it on their behalf, and it’s a 

good way to stay in communication 

with my buyers. I welcome that as a 

way to know what they’re 

interested in.” 

SAM SHAFFER 

Chicago Properties Firm 


“We’re in an “Amazon” age where 

people expect things immediately, so 

I try to answer my emails or phone 

pretty quickly. Even if it’s just to get a 

meeting on the books, I set up a call 

or a face-to-face before I vet them or 

do any research. People like that. And 

whether it’s during that initial contact 

or in the first meeting, I try to find their 

true motivations for buying or selling 

their home. This helps with managing 

expectations and finding 

solutions down the road.” 

Your Team 

BRAD LIPPITZ 

Compass Real Estate 

When your workload begins to exceed 

your own capacity, it may be time to build 

your team. These team-building super 

stars shared differing stories of growth 

and expansion, but their priorities are 

similar: they believe in consistent systems 

of accountability, talent retention and a 

shared, positive team culture. 

“We do different contests. It’s not like 

‘who has the most sales’ because 

that’s not everyone’s gig. Instead, we’ll 

do ‘who can secure the most coffee 

meetings or phone calls.’ For example, 

my team member Brian won recently, 

and I took him out for lunch. So, I’m 

setting up and following 

through with rewards.” 

JILL SILVERSTEIN 

Compass Real Estate 

“Before you start a team, be on a 

team. Find someone at your brokerage 

who you look up to— someone whose 

business you want to emulate— and 

ask if you can be on their team. There’s 

no question I could not have run a team 

had I not been on one in the first place. 

I saw how the team structure worked, I 

saw the type of questions they 

were asking the team leader, 

and so on.” 

DANNY LEWIS 

Dream Town Realty 

“People always say, ‘Oh, if I could just 

hire me again.’ That could not be more 

false. At the end of the day, you’ve got 

to hire someone who’s not you, who is 

going to do the things you’re not good 

at and you’re not going to do. Typically, 

we’re entrepreneurs, we’re people 

persons, etc., so you need to find a 

comprehensive person who is going to 

do the paperwork and the behind-thescenes 

things so you can be 

face-to-face with people.” 

JOE ZIMMERMAN 

Keller Williams Chicago — 

Lincoln Park 

“The whole point of a team is to help 

each other out. We hold team 

meetings; everybody is involved and 

knows what’s going on with each other’s 

deals. We cover open houses and do 

whatever we can to make sure we see 

the whole process through. 

That helps our culture and 

creates continuity.” 

NICK NASTOS 

Fulton Grace Realty 

Your Business & You 

We live in a world of options — which isn’t 

always a good thing. How can you and 

your business stand out? How can you be 

more than just another email, just another 

needless phone call, just another face 

talking about inventory or just another 

broker who can “get you top dollar?” The 

answer is more personal than you realize: 

it’s you. Get in touch with your story, own 

your value proposition and communicate 

what makes working with you worth it. 

“To speak about authenticity, I believe 

in reaching out to people about what’s 

relevant to my relationship with them. 

It could be a past sale or a resource that 

I know they need versus telling them 

about daylight savings time. It also means 

you’re setting your priorities; there’s only 

so much we can do in a day. Develop 

good habits. I try— emphasis on 

try— to reach out to one or 

two people per day.” 

KAREN BIAZAR 

North Clybourn Group, Inc. 

“You’re always going to get a question 

every day you’re out in the field. The 

question is: how’s the market? Part of 

your daily homework is to 

leave your house and have 

a very compelling answer.” 

RICK SOBIN 

@properties 

“You have to find what makes you 

irreplaceable. Every one of us has a 

talent that makes us irreplaceable. You 

have to find how that goes with real 

estate. Mine is math and construction. 

When I speak to a client, that’s my 

angle. My partner is an interior designer, 

that’s her angle. Find out what your 

added value is to this industry and to 

your clients, and really hammer that in. 

That’s how you’re going to 

get referrals!” 

JASON STRATTON 

Berkshire Hathaway 

HomeServices KoenigRubloff 

“I think you need to be honest about the 

market. You’re out there seeing what’s 

happening, so yes, you can look at all 

the stats, but when it comes down to it, 

your market is unique. You have the 

expertise. You just have to approach it in 

a very honest way, give your feedback, 

and make your clients feel 

comfortable. Be transparent 

and help them make the 

right decision.” 

BARI LEVINE 

@properties 

“Look within and ask yourself, ‘What 

skill do I not have?’ I looked at myself 

at the end of 2008, and I realized I 

really sucked at pricing. I realized 

I was wrong about price all the 

time. That’s when I developed this 

reputation among colleagues as 

being Mr. Market Guy, because I got 

really real about what the market 

does and how it works and 

how I watch it.” 

PHIL BYERS 

Keller Williams Chicago — 

Lincoln Park 


WELCOME TO 

PULLMAN 

Pullman is the only one of Chicago’s 77 

neighborhoods to have city, state and 

national landmark status. Located on the 

south side, right in between 103 rd Street and 

115 th Street, Pullman is filled with residents 

who take pride in the neighborhood’s rich 

history and incredible architecture — and 

on the first Sunday of every month between 

May and October, visitors flock to the 

Pullman walking tour to get an up-close 

look at the historic district themselves. 

A CASE STUDY 

FOR URBAN 

DEVELOPMENT 

In 2015, President Barack Obama named 

Pullman a National Monument. You don’t 

have to spend long in the neighborhood 

to understand why. In addition to the 

magnificent architecture, the neighborhood 

is a case study for innovation and urban 

development. Murals, museums and 

longtime residents are quick to tell the 

story of how it came to be. 

George Pullman, an engineer, came to 

Chicago in the 1880s to help raise the city’s 

buildings to improve its sanitation, although 

he became famous for his Pullman Palace 

Car Company, a line of exquisite train cars 

designed to make long distance travel 

more comfortable. Pullman was able to 

get his train cars on tracks throughout the 

country, bringing luxury to the railroads. 

Pullman took his business a step further by 

building a community for his employees. 

Just like he elevated the train cars, he 

wanted to elevate the types of towns 

laborers typically lived in. He envisioned a 

well-structured town that was stylish, safe 

and known for the excellence of its people 

and infrastructure. Pullman worked with 

architect Solon Spencer Beman to design 


approximately 900 attractive row homes 

with modern amenities and created strict 

rules and guidelines for residents. Like a 

true businessman, however, none of this 

was for free. Pullman charged high rents, 

built a church from which his company 

accepted six percent of the profits, built 

shopping centers with moderate to 

high prices and opened a hotel, which 

included the only bar in town. Pullman’s 

development became the first successful 

planned industrial town in the country. 

However, things took a turn after the 

Panic of 1893, when railroads across the 

nation began to fail – they were overbuilt, 

the companies missed many of their 

exorbitant bank payments and drought 

struck, causing farmers to reduce their 

need for railroads. Pullman cars were no 

longer in demand, and naturally, jobs were 

lost. Pullman drastically decreased the 

pay of the workers who remained, but to 

keep his business afloat, he elected to 

keep rent prices as they were. As a result, 

a strike ensued, and people around the 

country boycotted the Pullman Company 

altogether. The strike became so intense, 

the U.S. military got involved to maintain 

order. Much of Pullman’s legacy as an 

innovator and businessman was tarnished 

by the time he passed away in 1897. 

Despite the Pullman Strike, residents took 

great pride in their neighborhood. When 

the railroad industry declined in the 1960s, 

for instance, and a planned industrial park 

was set to replace the historic homes of 

Pullman, residents fought back. Because 

of its residents, Pullman has been named 

a city, state and national landmark to help 

keep its history alive, architecture intact 

and homes in place for the diverse laborers, 

artisans and businessmen and women who 

proudly live there today. 

Historic Preservation 

If you happen to be in town in mid-October, 

in addition to a walking tour, you can 

check out the annual Historic Pullman 

House Tour, held by the Pullman Civic 

Organization and the Historic Pullman 

Foundation. Each year, residents open their 

doors and allow the neighborhood’s visitors 

to get an inside look at the historic homes. 

The proceeds from the tour go towards the 

preservation of the community. 

Many visitors flock to view the 

neighborhood’s row homes, which 

hold much of their old charm. However, 

throughout Pullman, you can find a few 

large apartment buildings, some two-tosix 

flat buildings and many single-family 

homes. The Beman Committee of the 

Pullman Civic Organization, which releases 

guidelines to homeowners to help maintain 

the integrity of homes, says the homes 

are mostly made of brick and clay from 


nearby Lake Calumet. Mansard roofs 

are another characteristic of homes in 

the neighborhood as well as decorative 

wooden and limestone elements. 

In Historic Pullman, drastic cosmetic 

changes to homes are discouraged, if not 

outright prohibited. Windows, porches and 

staircases, for example, are to be repaired 

and maintained instead of replaced. 

In fact, permits are required for most 

construction in the neighborhood. While 

the rules may seem rigid, they help keep 

the sense of pride and integrity for which 

the neighborhood and its residents have 

become well-known. 

Development 

While Pullman is historic, it’s not stuck in 

time. As much as the neighborhood works 

to preserve its history, it also welcomes 

development — after all, it was founded 

because of business and innovation. 

The Pullman Artspace Lofts are Pullman’s 

first large residential development in the 

last fifty years. The affordable units are 

designed with artists and their families in 

mind. The development, which began in 

late summer of 2018, will include about 

forty units and lots of exhibition space. 

While residents are happy the project will 

bring new jobs to the neighborhood, they 

are also hoping it doesn’t distract from 

Pullman’s historic appeal. 

In recent years, the neighborhood 

has welcomed Whole Foods and the 

Method soap company. The Method 

building brought a wind turbine and solar 

tracking trees to its facilities. Its rooftop 

houses Gotham Greens, which provides 

Pullman and the larger Chicago area with 

chemical-free produce. 

Living Here 

Pullman is quieter than many Chicago 

neighborhoods. It’s not filled with a lot 

of trendy new restaurants or bars. Most 

residents get around by car, train or bus 

via the Pullman Metra on 111 th and Cottage 

Grove. Still, there are a few classic, 

must-visit places as well as some very 

interesting things to do, see and get 

involved with. 

Learn 

The Pullman National Monument, or 

Pullman District, is where you can see 

how Pullman came to be. Administration 

buildings, Hotel Florence and the Clock 


Tower, each built in the late 1800s, are just 

some of the highlights of the historic site. 

To learn more about how Pullman 

went from an idea to the first planned 

urban community of its kind, visitors are 

encouraged to visit the Historic Pullman 

Foundation to watch videos and get 

tours of the town. The National A. Philip 

Randolph Pullman Porter Museum offers a 

closer look at the Brotherhood of Sleeping 

Car Porters (BSCP). BSCP was comprised 

of black Pullman porters, some who were 

formerly enslaved, and it became the first 

African American labor union. BSCP went 

on to play a significant role in the national 

labor and civil rights movements. 

See 

To give a full picture of the neighborhood, 

the Historic Pullman Foundation offers a 

walking tour on the first Sunday of every 

month from May through October. This 

tour gives visitors of a glimpse of how 

Pullman used to be, how it is today and 

what it will become after all the planned 

restorations are complete. 

While Pullman was once a dry community, 

it’s now well-known for Argus Brewery, 

built in 2009. The brewery gets rave 

reviews for its selection and tours, and 

it takes great pride in doing it all on the 

south side of Chicago. 

Do 

Pullman residents keep busy through 

numerous community groups. Outside 

of the Garden Club and Pullman Civic 

Organization’s Beman Committee, there’s 

also the following: The Cooperation 

Operation, which is fighting for food justice, 

PullmanArts, which helps bolster Pullman’s 

historic and contemporary reputation as 

an arts hub, the Pullman Beekeepers, who 

oversee several local colonies, and the Gay 

and Lesbian Association Pullman, which 

holds social gatherings all year long. Each 

group works diligently to protect, preserve 

and promote Pullman. 

In Pullman, many residents are families 

who have been there for generations, 

but it has also become an attractive 

neighborhood for those impressed by 

its history, small town-feel and newer 

developments. Pullman isn’t flashy. It isn’t 

loud. It doesn’t tout itself on glamour. 

Instead, it’s historic. It’s close-knit. It’s 

proud. And if any of that sounds appealing 

to you — it’s home. 

One thing to take notice of during 

the walking tour is the green space. 

George Pullman insisted on there being 

green space throughout his industrial 

community — and green space remains 

an important piece of Pullman today. 

While flower beds are plentiful, the 

Historic Pullman Garden Club, made up of 

dozens of local volunteers, oversees four 

gardens throughout the neighborhood. 

Countless visitors go to the beautifully 

maintained Arcade Park, Gateway Garden, 

Rose Garden and Allée Papillon sites 

each year. The gardens are so impressive 

that Pullman residents and people from 

all over attend the Annual Garden Walk, 

which the Garden Club has hosted for the 

past twenty-five years. 

Eat and Drink 

Although it only opened in 2015, the 

Pullman Café has become a staple in the 

neighborhood. The café is appreciated for 

more than just its convenience. The owner 

was intentional about making it blend in 

with the historical vibe that Pullman is 

known for. Just as importantly, its menu is 

simple yet delicious. Plus, the vegetables 

and herbs come from Pullman’s own 

Gotham Gardens. 


Bookshelf 

Well Read 

The business and leadership books we just 

can’t seem to put down (or stop quoting!) 

What Customers Crave: 

How to Create Relevant and 

Memorable Experiences at 

Every Touchpoint 

by Nicholas J. Webb 

Leaders Eat Last: Why 

Some Teams Pull Together 

and Others Don’t 

by Simon Sinek 

The Hard Things About 

Hard Things: Building a 

Business When There Are 

No Easy Answers 

by Terri Morrison & Wayne A. Conaway 

Essentialism: The Disciplined 

Pursuit of Less 

by Greg McKeown 

Who Thought This Was a Good 

Idea? And Other Questions You 

Should Have Answers to When 

You Work in the White House 

by Alyssa Mastromonaco 

Becoming a Real Estate Agent 

by Tom Chiarella 

Featuring Chicago’s very own 

{ Antje Gehrken of A.R.E. Partners! } 


Getting in front of legislators and standing up for the real estate 

industry is in the fabric of our Association. We’re so proud of the 

REALTORS ® who have answered the call so far. 

Association News 

#ThatsWhoWeR: 

Chicago REALTORS ® Show Their Advocacy 

This past May, the Chicago Association of REALTORS ® board 

attended the 2019 Mayoral Inauguration to welcome Chicago’s new 

leadership and show our commitment to working with them to 

protect private property rights. 

“Being in the room during such an historic event was inspiring,” 

Nykea Pippion McGriff, Dream Town Realty broker and Chicago 

Association of REALTORS ® treasurer, said. “The energy and 

conversations were filled with a sense of hope for a better future 

for the city of Chicago.” 

CAR President-elect Maurice Hampton, Centered | RCG, Rebecca Thomson, Thomson Real Estate 

Group, Megan Oswald, Real Living City Residential, Nykea Pippion McGriff, Dream Town Realty, and 

Tracey Williams, TEAM Real Estate Services. 

REALTORS ® Giving Back 

In June, the Chicago Association of REALTORS ® Foundation 

hosted a Blood Drive at the CAR Central and West Towns offices, 

in support of the American Red Cross. Thank you to those who 

donated blood — your gift truly saves lives! 


Gains CIPS Designation 

in Thailand 

Christopher Edwards, Redfin, achieved his Certified International 

Property Specialist designation in Thailand in July. The class overlapped 

with our recent trade mission, further enhancing his educational 

experience! Congratulations Christopher! 

Top left: Anthony Nowak, Century 21 Affiliated; Right: Drussy Hernandez, Fulton Grace Realty; 

Bottom left: Bob Eby, Century 21 Affiliated. 

CAR’s Trade Mission delegates congratulate Christopher Edwards on his CIPS designation. 


REALTOR ® Day 

AT T HE 

Museum 

We were thrilled to welcome so many of you and your families 

to our special member outreach and annual business meeting: 

REALTOR ® Day at the Museum of Science and Industry! 

YOU TOLD YOUR 

REALTOR ® STORY 

Thank you to everyone who 

stopped by our “That’s Who We R” 

booth and told your unique story. 

We also enjoyed learning what 

your kids think you do all day! Our 

interactive photo booth gave you 

the chance to be on the cover of 

CR Magazine. Photos and videos 

from the event are now available 

at ChicagoREALTOR.com. Enjoy 

being inspired by your peers! 

YOU SHARED YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD 

AND GOT YOUR STATS 

Thank you for sharing where you live and work on our 

neighborhoods map! We enjoyed shining a spotlight on our easy 

to use statistical tools, like FastStats’ Neighborhood Reports. 

We hope you will share these with your clients! Explore all 

the technology and tools we have available for you to learn 

more about your community and stay up to date on all 77 of 

Chicago’s neighborhoods, at ChicagoREALTOR.com/Statistics. 


YOU KICKED BACK IN 

OUR LISTENING LOUNGE 

We asked you to sit back, relax and learn! Our Listening Lounge 

highlighted just a few of the podcasts, videos and digital tools 

we have for learning-on-the-go, perfect for your busy lives. 

Best of all, these are tools that are available to you 24/7 — with 

more being added in the year to come! You’re invited to check 

out clips from the Chicago REALTORS ® podcast series and watch 

videos from our Learning Library on ChicagoREALTOR.com — and 

coming soon to Alexa! 

YOU CREATED YOUR VISION BOARD 

IN THE RRES LEARNING LAB 

We love to help you with your goals for the year — but 

first you have to have a plan. Our interactive REALTORS ® 

Real Estate School booth invited you to create your 

vision board for the year to come, with information 

about how we can help with your education goals. 

We’re here to help you succeed with whatever your 

business and education goals are — from investing and 

negotiation, to staging, marketing and more! 

POWER UP YOUR ADVOCACY 

& COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT 

YOU FLEXED YOUR 

LEADERSHIP SKILLS + 

LEARNED HOW WE CAN 

HELP YOU GROW 

Thank you for sharing how you 

demonstrate leadership in our 

communities! We loved hearing how 

you get involved. We also shared ways 

you can get involved at CAR, whether 

by volunteering in our community, 

serving on a committee, signing 

up for microvolunteering 

opportunities or taking advantage 

of our scholarships to further 

your education. We love talking 

about all the resources we have 

to help you develop and flex your 

leadership muscle. 

We also shared how RPAC and our Government Affairs team empowers you to 

do business better. Our efforts, and your RPAC investments, help to safeguard 

our industry and your clients. 

We were also thrilled to introduce 

you to our new placemaking 

initiatives! We’re helping beautify 

and activate three different areas 

of our city, which will benefit the 

surrounding areas in a positive way. 

Learn more about all the tools and services 

available to you at ChicagoREALTOR.com. 


Special Advertising Section 

INDUSTRY PARTNERS 

GREATER 

Asian Real Estate Association of America (AREAA) - Greater Chicago 

areaa.org/greaterchicago/ @AREAAchicago @areaagreaterchicago 

As part of its Sip, Shmooze, and Study series, AREAA Greater Chicago held several events, including a new 

construction event at the Superior House sales center in June, a commercial event in August and a Women in 

Leadership event in September. These events are content-driven and provide a great opportunity for networking 

and best practice exchanges. We were also proud to have hosted a night at the White Sox this summer! 


FIABCI-Midwest, the International Real Estate Federation 

fiabciusamember.com 

@FIABCIMidwest 

FIABCI is your ticket to the international real estate marketplace! Join us from December 4-7, as FIABCI 

Belgium hosts the Global Business Summit in Ghent, Belgium. Not a member yet? There is still time to take 

advantage of 2019 special pricing. For more info, please contact President Dee Dee Blizard at 

info@globalrealestateconsulting.com 

National Association of Gay and Lesbian Real Estate Professionals (NAGLREP) – Chicago 

facebook.com/groups/NAGLREPChicagoChapter/ 

NAGLREP Chicago is proud to announce its new Chapter President, Curtis Hunt. Curtis is a broker with Coldwell 

Banker Residential. We are very excited to have him lead our chapter and take NAGLREP Chicago to new heights! 

National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP) – Chicago Chapter 

www.nahrepchicago.org/ 

@nahrepchicago 

To continue spreading the message of the Hispanic Wealth Project, we’re proud to partner with L’ATTITUDE 

at the 2019 NAHREP National Convention in San Diego, from September 26-29. L’ATTITUDE is an event that 

highlights Latino buying power, political capitals and technological innovations propelling the American 

economy forward. 

NAREB Chicago Chapter / Dearborn REALTIST ® Board (DRB) 

https://chicagorealtist.com/ 

@chicagorealtist 

A Receiver is someone a judge appoints to oversee a property when the owner fails to do so. This June, the 

Dearborn REALTIST ® Board hosted our third Receivership Training and Designation Class in conjunction with the 

City of Chicago. The six-day course, held at East West University, was free to students. This year, 104 graduates 

were presented with the Receivership Institute Specialist (RIS) Designation. 

Real Estate to the Rescue (RTTR) 

https://realestatetotherescue.com/ @RealEstatetotheRescueChicago @realestatetotherescue 

Thanks to ticket sales, sponsorship, raffles and auction items, RttR raised nearly $ 25,000 at our largest 

fundraising event of the year. This will help save thousands of Chicagoland’s homeless animals from euthanasia! 

We’re working on serval other initiatives to serve the Chicagoland real estate community and its pets. Visit our 

website or social media pages for updates, and look out for our Merchandise Mart event this October. 

Women’s Council of REALTORS ® (WCR) – Chicago 

www.wcr.org/network-sites/illinois/chicago/ @WCRChicago @WCR_Chicago 

Why join the Women’s Council of REALTORS ® - Chicago? We’re recognized as the voice for women in real 

estate, and the premier source for the development of leaders in the industry and beyond. 70 percent of 

members say they’ve become a stronger leader and developed advanced leadership skills for their business, 

community and personal life, as a result of their involvement. Join today at wcr.org! 

Veterans Association of Real Estate Professionals (VAREP) – Chicago Chapter 

https://varep.net/ 

@VAREPChicago 

For the third year in a row, your Chicago VAREP Board attended our National Policy Conference in Washington, D.C.! 

Each year, we bring the most pertinent policy issues before our Illinois Congressional Representatives and 

Senators. At this year’s conference, we met with twelve representatives to discuss all four of our key policy issues. 

For more information on how to get involved, please reach out to our president, Rachel Scheid, 312-758-4923.

Special Advertising Section 

VAREP - Chicago Chapter 

Real Estate to the Rescue 

AREAA Greater Chicago 

Real Estate to the Rescue 

NAHREP Chicago Chapter 

Dearborn REALTIST ® Board 

VAREP - Chicago Chapter 


NAR Legislative Meetings: 

Why They Matter 

In May, over 70 Chicago REALTORS ® traveled to Washington, D.C. 

to attend the National Association of REALTORS ® 2019 Legislative 

Meetings to represent our interests and those of your clients. We 

spent time with our Chicago and Illinois legislators, educating them 

on what matters most to our industry and the well-being of private 

property rights. 

Our REALTOR ® Federal Political Coordinators and their teams met 

with our legislators and advocated for the following: 

• FLOOD INSURANCE — Reauthorizing and reforming the 

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to strengthen the 

program’s solvency. 

• QUALIFIED OPPORTUNITY ZONES (QOZS) — Ensuring the 

success of QOZs, which encourages development and job 

creation in economically distressed communities through 

tax incentives for investment in these areas. Learn more about 

Chicago’s QOZs in the Summer 2019 issue of CR Magazine, 

now online at ChicagoREALTOR.com. 

• INFRASTRUCTURE — Enhancing property values by creating 

livable communities and business districts through 

infrastructure improvement policy that reflects a broad 

community vision and a level playing field for both highway 

and public transit funding. 

• TECHNOLOGY, DATA PRIVACY & SECURITY — Passing 

effective data privacy legislation that not only establishes 

uniform standards for businesses, but also equal protection 

for consumers, while focusing on transparency and consumer 

choice. 

and rates across the country. Read NAR’s Vision for Housing 

Finance Reform at ChicagoREALTOR.com. 

• TAXATION — Extending expired Mortgage Debt Cancellation 

Tax Relief, fixing the marriage penalty on the state and local 

tax (SALT) deduction cap, and indexing to inflation the 

$ 

750,000 cap on mortgage interest deduction and the capital 

gains exclusion on the sale of a principal residence 

• FAIR HOUSING — Supporting H.R. 5, the Equality Act, which 

adds fair housing protections based on sexual orientation and 

gender identity. 

MEET YOUR FEDERAL POLITICAL 

COORDINATORS (FPCS) 

U.S. SENATE: 

Senator Dick Durbin 

Senator Tammy Duckworth 

U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: 

Rep. Bobby Rush 

Rep. Robin Kelly 

Rep. Dan Lipinski 

Learn about each 

of these issues 

Matt Farrell 

Nancy Suvarnamani 

Nykea Pippion McGriff 

Tonya Corder 

John C. Kmiecik 

CAR FPCS 

CAR FPCS 

• HEALTH INSURANCE + ASSOCIATION HEALTH PLANS — 

Expanding access to Association Health Plans to provide high 

quality, lower cost coverage alternatives to many REALTORS ® 

and their families. 

• FANNIE & FREDDIE REFORM — Reforming our housing 

finance system to ensure equal access to mortgage products 

Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia 

Rep. Mike Quigley 

Rep. Danny Davis 

Rep. Brad Schneider 

Sonia Anaya 

Tommy Choi 

Tracey Williams 

Matt Silver 

Real estate accounts 

for 

1/5 

the GDP. 


84 % 

of non-home 

owners want 

to own one inthe future. 

Commercial 

real estate 

supported 

8.3 million 

American jobs 

in 2018.

Matt Silver, Urban Real Estate, Zeke Morris, EMA Realty and Management, Dont’a Taylor, 

A.R.E. Partners, Carole Kaptur, National Association of REALTORS ® , Michael Gobber, 

Century 21 Affiliated, Carrie Little, CarMarc Realty Group, LLC, Michael Williamson, 

SperryCGA-Ellermann Brokerage, Michelle Mills Clement, Chicago Association of 

REALTORS ® , Sarah Ware, Ware Realty Group, Nykea Pippion McGriff, Dream Town Realty, 

Tommy Choi, Keller Williams Chicago – Lincoln Park, Naja Morris, @properties, Jacob Knabb, 

Chicago Association of REALTORS ® , Jana Herdova, Regency REALTORS ® , Brian Bernardoni, 

Chicago Association of REALTORS ® , and Maurice Hampton, Centered | RCG 

Representative Jesús G. “Chuy” García, IL- 4 th District 

Zeke Morris, EMA Realty and Management, and 

Sonia Anaya, America Real Estate 

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS ® 

2019 LEGISLATIVE MEETINGS 

Matt Farrell, Urban Real Estate 

U.S. Senator Dick Durbin, Illinois, and 

Illinois REALTORS ® President-elect Ed Neaves 

Sarah Ware, Ware Realty Group 

Illinois REALTORS ® President-elect Ed Neaves, 

U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, Illinois, and 

Nancy Suvarnamani, Century 21, S.G.R., Inc. 

Thank you 

to the CAR members who made the 

trip to Washington D.C. to advocate for 

our industry! 

Matt Difanis, RE/MAX Realty Associates, Zeke Morris, EMA Realty and Management, Jana Herdova, Regency REALTORS ® , Sarah Ware, Ware Realty Group, 

Carole Kaptur, National Association of REALTORS ® , Michael Williamson, SperryCGA-Ellermann Brokerage, Michelle Mills Clement, 

Chicago Association of REALTORS ® , Representative Bobby Rush, IL - 1 st District, Nykea Pippion McGriff, Dream Town Realty, Kristopher Anderson, 

Chicago Association of REALTORS ® , Naja Morris, @properties, Jacob Knabb, Chicago Association of REALTORS ® , and Maurice Hampton, Centered | RCG 


Global Real Estate Council 

Chicago REALTORS ® 

in Thailand 

Chicago is a global city. Our residents represent countries from 

around the world and foreign investors continue to invest in our 

real estate market. Therefore, it’s beneficial for us to build strong 

relationships overseas. 

with trusted investors and real estate practitioners. This opens 

up new business opportunities and helps us better serve clients 

who are either from southeast Asia or looking to do business in 

the region. 

For the past four years, CAR has served as the NAR Ambassador 

Association to Thailand, meaning we work with Thailand’s real 

estate associations (Thailand Real Estate Broker Association, 

Real Estate Information Center and Real Estate Sales & Marketing 

Association) to share best practices, ideas and solutions and 

develop strong partnerships 

with association leadership, 

members, government officials 

and real estate practitioners. 

In July, just shy of thirty 

Chicago REALTORS ® flew with 

us to Bangkok. We visited the 

Government Housing Bank and 

met with its chairman, toured 

one of the country’s largest 

and newest enclosed malls 

and spoke with representatives 

of Bangkok, Malaysia, 

Singapore and Cambodia, who gave our REALTORS ® an inside look 

at the commercial and residential markets in those countries. 

Here’s what we took away from the trip: 

NEW RESOURCES 

Since the trip, the CAR Global Real Estate Council has been 

working on developing a comprehensive “how-to” guide, which 

will help Chicago REALTORS ® interested in conducting business 

in Thailand and the surrounding region. The guide will outline the 

“Traveling abroad helps 

us better understand the 

differences and similarities 

in cultures, which helps 

us be of better service to 

our clients.” 

— MAURICE HAMPTON 

region’s real estate market 

and shine a light on cultural 

nuances, customs and 

business etiquette. 

THE IMPORTANCE OF 

SELLING CHICAGO 

While we know why Chicago 

is a wonderful place to call 

home and build a business, 

we want to make sure we’re 

telling the world our story. 

The trade mission gave us an 

opportunity to see how other 

countries view Chicago and where there may be hesitancy in doing 

business in our city, and we’re working to develop resources to 

better help foreign investors and practitioners navigate our local 

real estate market. 

EDUCATION 

In Thailand, we learned that production and tourism make Thailand 

a great place to invest. We also learned about the wide range of 

income diversity in the luxury home segment, and that office space 

is trading at comparable rates to Chicago. You now have almost 

30 colleagues who can teach you about Thai real estate and the 

opportunities available to you and your clients. 

CAR looks forward to nurturing our relationship with Thailand to 

bring more business to our city, as well as help more Chicago 

REALTORS ® open the doors to their global business opportunities. 

We look forward to future trade missions and always encourage 

you to explore the world — real estate is everywhere! 

Additionally, NAR was hosting a Certified International Property 

Specialist (CIPS) certification while we were in Thailand, which gave 

REALTORS ® like Christopher Edwards, Redfin, the opportunity to 

gain his certification and expand his knowledge further.. “I couldn’t 

think of a better time to just go for it,” he said. “You get a better 

understanding of what it means to have the CIPS designation 

when you’re actually in a different country, experiencing a different 

culture and real estate market.” 

AN EXPANDED NETWORK 

It’s just as important to network with foreign colleagues as it is with 

our peers right here in Chicago. In Thailand, we built relationships 

Special thanks to NAR Ambassador to Thailand, Malaysia and 

Singapore Paul Xumsai, Century 21 S.G.R., Inc., and NAR Regional 

Coordinator Nancy Suvarnamani, Century 21 S.G.R., Inc., who served 

as experts throughout our trade mission. 


Wat Phra Si Sanphet Temple on the site of 

the old Royal Palace in Ayutthaya, Thailand. 

Trade mission delegates bussing to 

their first day of meetings. 

Meeting with representatives from the 

Government Housing Bank. 

THAILAND 2019 

Attending a luncheon hosted by the Ayutthaya City Park Mall developer with 

representatives from Thailand’s Real Estate Sales and Marketing Association (RESAM). 

CAR’s delegates included Paul Xumsai, Century 21 S.G.R., Inc., Mabél Guzmén, @properties, 

Michelle Mills Clement, Chicago Association of REALTORS ® , Nancy Suvarnamani, 

Century 21 S.G.R., Inc., Tommy Choi, Keller Williams Chicago – Lincoln Park, 

Maurice Hampton, Centered | RCG, and Nykea Pippion McGriff, Dream Town Realty 

Michelle Mills Clement, Chicago 

Association of REALTORS ® , Tommy Choi, 

Keller Williams Chicago – Lincoln Park, 

and Supap Jitta, National Association of 

REALTORS ® , meeting with representatives 

from the Government Housing Bank. 

Celebrating the end of a successful trade mission! 

Paul Xumsai, Century 21 S.G.R., Inc., Michelle Mills 

Clement, Chicago Association of REALTORS ® , 

Nancy Suvarnamani, Century 21 S.G.R., Inc., 

Mabél Guzmán, @properties, and Tommy Choi, 

Keller Williams Chicago – Lincoln Park. 

Delegates visiting King Vajiralongkorn’s 

residence at the Grand Palace. 

Tommy Choi, Keller Williams 

Chicago – Lincoln Park, presents Narin 

Kanlayanamit, Government Housing 

Bank, with a Chicago Cubs hat. 

CAR’s trade mission delegates visiting the ruins of the Historic City 

of Ayutthaya, a UNESCO World Heritage site. 


Hipolito Garcia, Caliber Home Loans, and 

Siomara Barbosa, The Federal Savings Bank 

Marylin Cortes, Carmen Chucrala, 

and Janet Gonzalez, Habloft 

Cree Hampton, Kyi Hampton, 

Brande Hampton, and 

Maurice Hampton, Centered | RCG 

CAR FOUNDATION 5K 

Chicago REALTORS ® meet with Representative 

Bobby Rush led by FPC Nykea Pippion-McGriff. 

Julie Harron, Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty, 

Marion Valle, Valle Realty, Coby Hakalir, US Bank Home Mortgage, 

and Margie Smigel, the Margie Smigel Group LLC 

Matt Farrell, Urban Real Estate, 

with his son James 

Shari Smith, Illinois Real Estate Partners, and 

Heliodoro Mayorga, Century 21 Affiliated 

Chicago REALTORS ® meet with Representative 

Brad Schneider led by FPC Matt Silver. 

Mike Rasmussen, @properties 

Cheyenne Paul, The Federal Savings Bank, and 

Alice Weinert, Joe Wright Real Estate 

Chicago REALTORS ® kids participate in the children’s race. 

SPONSORED BY: 


Alyssa Cooper, Nathan Cooper, Kevin Cooper, d’aprile properties, 

Rita Mischka, Coldwell Banker Residential, Lindsay Miller, Nick Paxson, 

Myra Nimchaiyong, Keri Meacham, Michele Pellegrino, d’aprile properties 

Kenneth Atkins, Realty Plus, Elijah Richardson, 

and Tyrone Green, RE/MAX Next 

Bernie Miller, Tammy Hajjar Miller, and 

Cheyenne Paul, The Federal Savings Bank 

Rita Mischka, Coldwell Banker Residential, Myra Nimchaiyong, Keri Meacham, 

Lindsay Miller, d’aprile properties, and Antje Gehrken, A.R.E. PARTNERS 

Bobbi Howe, Keller Williams Kansas City North, 

and Heather Ozur, Kelller Williams Realty 

Chicago REALTORS ® kids get ready 

for the children’s race. 

Alyssa Cooper, Kevin Cooper, 

d’aprile properties, and Nathan Cooper 

Photos by Maria Dickman 

Chicago REALTORS ® and their families set off from the start line. 


Brian Malmquist, Ryan Templeton, Kevin Hinton, and 

Prashanth Pathy, Keller Williams Chicago – Lincoln Park 

Steve Blackwell, Homes for Heroes, Nate Ryle, Dream Town Realty, 

Joffre Colbert, @properties, Drew O’Callaghan, Mutual of Omaha Mortgage, 

Luke Bakalar, @properties, and Seth Jeska, Homes for Heroes 

Raymond Melencio, Tommy Choi, Keller Williams Chicago – 

Lincoln Park, and Michael Vargo, Sprout Mortgage 

Hillary Mangiaforte and Kathy Kerpan, 

Chicago Agent Magazine 

Dearborn REALTIST ® Board’s foursome: 

Ron Branch, RLB Realty Group, Inc., 

Courtney Jones, Chicago Homes Realty Group, 

Sidney Martin, CENTURY 21 SGR, Inc. 

and Kyle Garner, Da Capo, Inc. 

112 TH ANNUAL CAR GOLF CLASSIC 

John Cashner, and Sara Rainwater, CitiBank 

Patrick Shino, Scott Tran, Adam Ballog, 

and Kyle Aldrich, Fulton Grace Realty 

Andrea Mohr and Alexis Albertson, @properties 

Justin Lauer and Brad Borsos, 

Marketplace Homes 

SPONSORED BY: 


Photos by CAR Staff 

Mario DiLorenzo, Keller Williams Chicago – O’Hare, 

Todd Merritt, Summit Funding, Bucky Cross, Baird 

& Warner, and Adam Kriticos, Summit Funding 

Michael Emery, Urban Real Estate 

Michael Chamberlain, Inland Home 

Mortgage, Kris Briggs, Attorney, 

James Melucci, The Kraft Heinz Company, 

and Justin Oliver, Urban Real Estate 

Rick Templeton, Wedbush Securities, 

Jerry Jackson, Darryl Armstrong, H&R Block, 

and Allan Armstrong, Ideal Electrical Supply 

Hilary O’Connor, Cory Brown, and 

Clair O’Connor, Dream Town Realty 

Brian Tierney, Tierney Legal, LLC, 

and Mike Martin, Dunn, Martin, 

Miller & Heathcock, Ltd. 

Frank Montro, Keller Williams Preferred Realty, Brian Lewen, 

Constellation Brands, Ryan Gardner, Lavelle Law, Ltd., and 

Josh Weinberg, Keller Williams Chicago – Lincoln Park 

Bobby Findlay, Findlay Real Estate Group, and 

Mike Murphy, Chicago Title Insurance Company 

Mark Donahgue and Brandon James, 

Fidelity National Title 

Brian Levitas, Connor Dragel. TJ Rubin, and 

Boris Lehtman, Fulton Grace Realty 

Dan Gjeldum 

dan@rate.com 

Robert M. Archibald, Agent 

(630) 501-1670 

www.robertarchibald.com 


Angela Ginex, Greater Illinois Title Company, 

Tony Paolella, Haus Mortgage, Jertheus Butts,Pearson 

Realty Group, and Arlene Pryce, Great Mortgage 

Janet Villegas, guest, and 

Ari Weil, Peak Realty Chicago 

Michael Bencks, Neighborhood Loans, and 

Mo Dadkhah, Main Street Real Estate Group 

2019 YPN SUMMER MIXER 

Joe Castillo, RE/MAX Mi Casa, Rosana Pannarale, and 

Johnny Noriega, Neighborhood Loans 

Judy Gibbons, Jameson Sotheby’s 

International Realty, Sam Powell, 

Dream Town Realty, and Sara O’Connor, 

Greater Illinois Title Company 

Bill Markoutsas, Attorneys’ Title Guaranty Fund, Inc., 

Danny Lewis, Dream Town Realty, and Sandesh 

Bilgi, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate 

Ayoub Rabah, Lisa Megquier, Dione Balingit, Jennifer Hosey, 

Gary Richter, Claudia Gonzalez, and Doug Fox, Coldwell Banker 

Myra Nimchaiyong, d’aprile properties, Andy Ogorzaly, 

EXIT Strategy Realty, Rachel Scheid, Baird & Warner, and 

Mo Dadkhah, Main Street Real Estate Group 

SPONSORED BY: 


Nataliya Govdyak, Keller Williams 

Chicago - O’Hare, Neda Mitrovic, and 

Sia Darmos, Coldwell Banker 

Tommy Choi, Keller Williams Chicago – Lincoln Park 

Dan Wagner, The Inland Real Estate Group of 

Companies, Inc., Sarah Ware, Ware Realty Group, and 

Nykea Pippion McGriff, Dream Town Realty 

Soraya Rendon, Ruth Medina, and 

Fernando Rizzo, Neighborhood Loans 

Ronay Betouni, Castle Law 

and Amal Khalil, @properties 

Vernita Smith, Keller Williams Preferred 

Realty, Frank Williams, F.J. Williams 

Realty, Inc. and Michelle Mills Clement, 

Chicago Association of REALTORS ® 

Sean Lee, Coldwell Banker 

Hetal Patel, Ruby Park, Main Street Real Estate Group, 

and Ian Schlueter, Chicago Title 

Phil Ciccarelli, Sheri Ciccarelli, 

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, and, 

and Elise Jordan, NRL Mortgage 

Erika Villegas, RE/MAX Mi Casa and 

Bob Eby, Century 21 Affiliated 

Kevin Rocio, @properties Commercial, 

Haley Levine, and Tony Mattar, HomeCo Chicago 

Coral Chrisitan, Chicago Title, 

and Jordan Pyle, Keller Williams 

Chicago – Lincoln Park 

Collin Wasiak, Compass, Matt Piegza, Catherine Holbrook, 

and John Paul Comes, Americorp 

Lucas Augustyn, Shiella Cruz, and Ryan Gallen, 

Pearson Realty Group 

Alice Weinert, and Katie Shanahan, 

Joe Wright Real Estate 

Photos by Jack Lane, LANE Media & Productions 

Julia Brenner Lindquist, and 

Grace Goro Kaage, @properties 


APPLY FOR SCHOLARSHIPS 

Chicago Association of REALTORS ® Foundation was founded to help assist students in funding 

their educational needs. 

• Brande Hampton Emerging Champion 

Scholarship 

• Designation Scholarships 

• REALTORS ® Real Estate School Scholarships 

• Young Professionals Network Scholarships 

• The Xavier O. Joy Scholarship 

“ 

Applications are accepted and awarded 

on an ongoing basis throughout the year. 

MAKE YOUR 

CAREER DREAMS 

COME TRUE. 

• Chris Pezza Property Management 

Scholarship 

• Higher Education Scholarships 

• Veterans Real Estate Scholarships 

• Zeke Morris Scholarships 

• Matt Silver Advocacy Endeavor 

Scholarship 

I just want to express how grateful I am that I was selected for the 

post-license scholarship. The scholarship has allowed me to continue 

my education in real estate by renewing my broker's license and 

continue to grow my business. I am very excited at the doors that 

have been opened for me on this entrepreneurial path in real estate. 

” 

— DANIEL STEWART, Kale Realty 

www.ChicagoREALTOR.com/Foundation

AUTUMN LINEUP 

SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER OCTOBER 

Understanding Global 

Real Estate Markets 

1:00 PM - 4:00 PM 

Members: $40 

OCTOBER OCTOBER OCTOBER 

Accredited Staging 

Professional Designation 

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM 

Members: $295 

17 17 3-4 

8-9 21 21 

OCTOBER NOVEMBER NOVEMBER 

Pricing Strategy Advisor 

(PSA) Certification 

9:00 AM - 4:30 PM 

Members: $130 

The Roadmap 

of a Transaction 

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM 

Members: $40 

Fall in LOVE with our classes. 

Find your niche with a specialty class. 

www.ChicagoREALTOR.com/Education 

A Guide to Assisting 

Real Estate Professionals 

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM 

Members: $40 

25 7 8 

Developing Powerful 

Curriculum 

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM 

Members: $250 

Accredited Buyer's 

Representative (ABR ® ) 

Designation 

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM 

Members: $280 

Expanding Your Team: 

A Guide to Managing 

Personal Assistants 

1:00 PM - 4:00 PM 

Members: $40 

Military Relocation 

Professional (MRP) 

Certification 

8:30 AM - 5:00 PM 

Members: $145 

NOVEMBER DECEMBER DECEMBER 

Seller Representative 

Specialist (SRS) 

Designation 

9:00 PM - 5:00 PM 

Members: $299 

DECEMBER 

18-19 5-6 10 

16-17 

Real Estate Digital 

Marketing Certification 

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM 

Members: $297 

Real Estate Negotiation 

Expert (RENE) Certification 

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM 

Members: $275 

The Roadmap 

of a Transaction 

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM 

Members: $40 

Broker Continuing Education 

Deadline: April 30, 2020 

If you were licensed prior to February 1, 2018 you will need to complete the requirements: 

• 6 Hours Core 

• 6 Hours Elective 

If you were originally licensed between February 1, 2018 and January 31, 2020 you need to 

complete the 30-Hour Post Licensing Package. 

ChicagoREALTOR.com/BrokerCE 


Your source for learning on-the-go, 

including tips from Top Producers 

featured at our YPN Breakfasts! 

LISTEN ON

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2643 N HERMITAGE PH1 

$2,995,000 

COLIN HEBSON | 773.255.3927 

1900 S PRAIRIE 

$2,695,000 

HADLEY RUE | 773.852.4478 

269 VINE, LAKE FOREST 

$2,995,000 

DANNY LEWIS | 773.988.9092 

1115 VOLTZ, NORTHBROOK 

$2,699,000 

COLIN HEBSON | 773.255.3927 

1000 W MONROE 702 

$2,596,480 

MIKE BATTISTA | 312.399.3412 

1330 W NEWPORT 

$2,350,000 

BARBARA O’CONNOR | 773.491.5631 

For a private showing, 

call 312.242.1000 

dreamtown.com/luxury 

1017 W WASHINGTON 

$2,250,000 

VINCE ANZALONE | 312.933.9447 

1217 W MELROSE 

$2,195,000 

HEATHER HILLEBRAND | 773.758.7509 

Lincoln Park: 1950 N Sedgwick 

Lincoln Square: 4553 N Lincoln 

West Loop: 849 W Monroe 

Northwest Side: 7280 W Devon 

North Shore: 1567 Maple

CR_Autumn2019_Online

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