CR_Summer2020_Online

CR 

Chicago REALTOR ® 

Magazine 

V o l u m e 2 9 | Summer 2 0 20 

How to Weave Your Professional 

Passion Into Your Life 

Simple Tips to Get Started 

with Sustainability 

Welcome to Lincoln Square 

www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 3

BROKERS, 

DON’T WAIT ANY LONGER: 

COMPLETE YOUR CE 

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

complete the requirements below by September 30, 2020 **[Extended 

from April 30, 2020] 

• 12 Hours of CE 

• 4 Hours of Core 

• 8 Hours of Electives 

• 1 Hour must fulfill the new Sexual Harassment 

Prevention Training requirement! 

CLASSROOM* WEBINAR SELF-STUDY DOWNLOAD ONLINE 

LICENSE LAW CHANGES 

If you were originally licensed between February 1, 2018 and August 8, 2019, you need to complete the 30-Hour Post 

Licensing Package AND 1 Hour of Sexual Harassment Prevention Training by by September 30, 2020 *[Extended from 

April 30, 2020]. 

If you were licensed between August 9, 2019 and November 1, 2019, you need to complete the 45-Hour Post Licensing 

Package by September 30, 2020 **[Extended from April 30, 2020]. 

*As allowed by state guidelines. 

ChicagoREALTOR.com/BrokerCE

Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine — Volume 29, Summer 2020 

Contents 

FEATURES 

5 Fair Housing Resource 

8 Every Person Counts: The Importance of the 2020 Census 

10 That’s Who We “R”: New Ad Campaign Underscores the 

Value of a REALTOR ® 

15 3 Steps to Secure Your Financial Future 

18 Work Smarter: What You Need to Know About Remine Pro’s 

Powerful Data Tools 

20 Going Green: Simple Tips to Get Started with Sustainability 

24 Let’s Get Ethical: Do’s and Don’ts of Advertising 

26 Work-Life Integration: How to Weave Your Professional 


29 Cannabis and Real Estate 

30 Member Benefit: Forewarn – A New Safety Tool for You 

32 Tips for Every Step of Your Career: 

Advice from Chicago REALTORS ® 

34 Welcome to Lincoln Square 

PAGE 

26 

IN EVERY ISSUE 

4 President’s Perspective 

6 From the CEO 

9 What's Online 

46 Photo Album 

49 RRES Goal Tracker 

50 The Buzz 

51 RRES Goal Tracker 

UPDATES 

7 Community Meals Fund Update 

38 REALTOR ® Advocacy Update 

40 Industry Partners Update: Annual Report 

42 Introducing The 77, and our Diversity Committee! 

44 YPN: One-on-One with Chicago’s 30 Under 30 Honorees 

48 Association News: CAR Wins ASAE Gold Circle Award, 

Extended CE Deadline, NAHREP Chicago Wins Chapter 

of the Year 

49 On-Demand Video Library 

Page 24 

DO’S AND DON’TS 

OF ADVERTISING 

PAGE 

46 

Clean Up 

PHOTO S 


PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE 

Every April, we commemorate Fair Housing 

Month to reaffirm our commitment to fair and 

equal treatment for everyone. As important as it 

is to take the time to look at our actions towards 

those around us, this is something that should be front of mind when 

transacting real estate to ensure we are treating everyone with the 

respect they deserve. 

The Fair Housing Act, passed in 1968, denies discrimination nationally in 

housing based on race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, or 

national origin, and it is embedded into NAR’s Code of Ethics. In Chicago 

and Cook County, this list is expanded to also include ancestry, parental 

status, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, military status, 

source of income and housing status. 

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law in 1990 

and helped to expand the prohibitions created in the Fair Housing 

Act to include discrimination against disabled individuals. This act 

ensures those with disabilities are provided with equal access and 

accommodations, including those to perform the function of their jobs, 

and also provides public accommodations for disabled individuals. 

I am the product of housing discrimination. My grandparents were 

explicitly told where they could live in this city. We have come a long way since they had to experience this and since we passed the 

laws above, but there are still many strides that need to be made. Things like steering and even our phrasing regarding neighborhoods, 

schools and crime are discriminatory acts that we are still seeing to this day. 

Although we have been diligent about ensuring the Fair Housing Act is an integral commitment to our careers, it is just as important 

to ensure that all Chicagoans, especially those that have mental or physical disabilities, are also afforded access to housing. Whether 

this means ensuring physical or technological access to view homes, these are just a few things that should be kept in mind when 

considering fair treatment to all clients. 

CAR provides many resources to keep fair and equal housing top of mind, with classes such as Code of Ethics Requirements, Fair 

Housing, Reasonable Accommodations Under the Fair Housing Act and At Home with Diversity, to name a few. Or, you can view our 

Fair Housing in 2020 webinar from April in the Video Resource Library to see how far we’ve come, as well as the steps that still need 

to be made to ensure we uphold our commitments. 

Together as REALTORS ® , with the help of CAR and other industry associations, we must hold each other accountable for our actions 

and uphold the rights of everyone, everywhere. 

MAURICE HAMPTON 

2020 President 

Chicago Association of REALTORS ® 

4 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine

Fair Housing Resource Hub 

Access all of our fair housing resources in one location at www.chicagorealtor.com/fair-housing. 

Check back as we will continue to add resources to this page. We are committed to 

working together to create communities where everyone can live, work and play equally. 

HISTORY OF 

FAIR HOUSING 

IN CHICAGO 

Watch this 20-minute 

video for a history of 

fair housing in Chicago 

and the long lasting 

implications of housing 

policy that makes 

Chicago the 2nd most 

segregated city in the 

country. The video 

tells the impact of 

lending, redlining and 

restrictive covenants 

on Chicago. 

ADDITIONAL 

VIEWING 

Watch playback 

videos from previous 

fair housing events, 

which include firsthand 

experiences. 

https://chicagorealtor.com/fair-housing/ 

FILE A 

COMPLAINT 

If you believe you or 

your client has been 

a victim of a Fair 

Housing violation – 

here are resources 

to file a complaint. 

REALTOR ® 

TRAINING 

Access fair housing 

training for you or 

your office. Resources 

include free videos, 

Bias Override: 

Overcoming Barriers 

to Fair Housing along 

with more in-depth 

designations and 

continuing education 

classes. 

ADDITIONAL 

READING 

Find additional 

articles and books 

on the topics of fair 

housing, housing 

inequality and 

unconscious bias, 

along with more indepth 

designations 

and continuing 

education classes. 


FROM THE CEO 

The real estate industry has very real, real-time issues 

with race. On the consumer side, we see it in continued 

fair housing violations. I’ve been a victim — me, the 

CEO of the Chicago Association of REALTORS ® — as 

recently as when I took this job. Talking about and addressing racial bias 

is critical — not just for consumers, but for our industry, as well. CAR is 

an association leader. I am an association leader. And I can say this — 

microaggressions happen, and they happen regularly. 

As an organization with a history steeped in racism and exclusion, it’s critical 

that we talk about race openly. It’s also critical that we talk about our course 

correction. We’ve done a lot of really hard work over the years — work that 

many organizations are just starting. Just look at our board and staff, which 

we’ve ensured reflects the diversity of our members and communities. 

We recently brought back our Diversity Committee, which launched 

our newest body, The 77, with a designated representative from every 

single one of Chicago’s neighborhoods, allowing us to really tap into 

community needs and respond accordingly. In the wake of looting 

and devastation, the day after the damage, our members were on the 

ground and responding. Thank you to so many of you who stepped up 

by donating to The 77’s Clean Up & Recovery Fund (made possible by 

the CAR Foundation) to help businesses clean up and recover. 

At the beginning of June, ignited by the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, we brought association staff together to reflect and 

to share experiences. These events are traumatic and difficult to bear, especially for the Black community, and we wanted to ensure 

our staff had our support. We did a similar exercise for our board. 

We also brought the CAR community together for a summit on Race in the REALTOR ® Association. Thank you to our leadership team 

for sharing your experiences so openly. 

CAR is engaged in the work. We have an advantage. But we’re not perfect. The work is far from over. Progress can always be made. 

While we continue to offer fair housing training, we are improving the programs significantly. 

The National Association of REALTORS ® also offers free unconscious bias training — a great opportunity for you. Use the resources. 

Our industry and our communities will be better for it. 

As REALTORS ® , we are critical in the fulfillment of the dream so many have of homeownership. But that dream cannot be fulfilled 

when people do not feel safe in their communities. CAR’s mission is not only to help you be successful in your business, but to also 

help drive the economic development of Chicagoland communities. We have an opportunity now to assist our communities as we 

rebuild and reconnect as humans. We will rise above this moment by working together. And we will be part of the dialogue helping 

our communities heal. I look forward to doing the work together. 

6 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine 

MICHELLE MILLS CLEMENT, cae 

Chief Executive Officer 

Chicago Association of REALTORS ®

CR 


Magazine 

CAR FOUNDATION 

Thank You to our Community 

Meals Fund Donors! 

V o l u m e 2 9 | Summer 2 0 20 

Many Chicago REALTORS ® asked how we could help frontline 

workers — and the CAR Foundation took action! Since May, 

the Community Meals Fund, powered by your donations, has 

helped deliver meals to COVID-19 frontline workers. Every $ 10 

donated provided one meal (catered by our friends at Manny’s 

Deli) to a hospital worker or first responder. Thank you to 

those who have donated! 

1 

2 

PRSRT STD 

U.S. Postage 

PAID 

Permit No. 8 

Chicago REALTOR 

The Official Publication of the Chicago Association of REALTORS ® 

3 

4 

1. Jesse Brown VA Medical Center; 

How to Weave Your Professional 

2. University of Chicago's COVID-19 

Unit and ER; 

3. After School Matters; 


4. Stroger Cook County Hospital; 

5. Lurie Children's Hospital - NICU 

Simple Tips to Get Started 

with Sustainability 

Welcome to Lincoln Square 

5 


EVERY PERSON COUNTS: 

The Importance of the 2020 Census 

WHY THE CENSUS MATTERS 

As REALTORS ® , you are an expert on your 

community and a protector of its wellbeing, 

which is why it is so important to ensure 

your clients and community are filling out 

their 2020 Census forms. The Census is 

one way to guarantee your community 

and business are set up for success for the 

next 10 years, as the 

results will determine 

a multitude of 

resources and 

outcomes. 

Redistricting 

The results of the 

Census are used to 

adjust and redraw 

electoral districts 

based on increases 

or decreases in 

population. The 

Census Bureau provides states with 

population data for legislatures and 

bipartisan commissions to redraw 

congressional districts. 

Federal Fund Allocation 

The allocation of $ 1.5 trillion in federal 

funding is determined by the Census. 

This impacts: 

• Your morning commute, as this 

money may go towards highway 

and road planning, as well as public 

transportation. 

• Your local schools, as money may be 

provided to specific school programs 

such as Head Start or school lunches, 

and for the support of teachers and 

special education programs. 

• Your emergency responders, including 

monetary support for fire stations. 

• Your public works, such as water and 

waste systems. 

• Your hospitals and their operations. 

Business Insights 

Business, such as restaurants, factories 

and, yes, associations like the Chicago 

Association of REALTORS ® and the 

National Association of REALTORS ® , 

use these results to make decisions or 

provide accurate data to our clients or 

members. Specifically, our association 

FOR EVERY PERSON THAT IS 

NOT COUNTED, YOUR COMMUNITY 

WILL LOSE AN AVERAGE OF $ 1,400 

PER YEAR, WHICH IS MONEY THAT 

COULD BE USED TO HELP CREATE A 

STRONGER COMMUNITY. 

and other real estate associations will be 

able to compare 

our data against 

Census information 

to determine 

its accuracy, 

forecast and make 

projections for the 

future, and evaluate 

trends in housing 

demands, migration 

and household 

formation, amongst 

many other things. 

Government Representation 

The Census helps to determine how 

many seats are given to each state in the 

House of Representatives, which impacts 

elections, lawmaking and more. 

It is also important to keep in mind the 

financial impact that not completing the 

Census has on your community. For every 

person that is not counted, your community 

will lose an average of $ 1,400 per year, 

which is money that could be used to help 

create a stronger community. 

Extended Timeline to Complete 

the Census 

The US Census Bureau will begin following 

up with those that haven't completed the 

survey on April 11, and all submissions are 

due on October 31. This has been extended 

because of the COVID-19 outbreak. By 

December of this year, the results will be 

counted and provided to our government. 

By March 31, 20201, redistricting counts will 

be sent to every state to redraw legislative 

districts. 

Make sure to encourage your friends, 

families and clients to make their 

communities and businesses stronger 

by completing the 2020 Census. It’s all 

about fair representation! 

HOW TO RESPOND 

For the first time this year, there are 

three different ways to fill out the Census, 

making it easier than ever to complete 

your form anytime, anywhere. 

Mail 

In mid-March, the US Census Bureau 

sent out invitations in the mail to respond 

to the Census. You not only received a 

physical form of the questionnaire, but 

you also received an ID to use if you are 

interested in filling the form out online. 

Online 

Responding to the Census online is easy! 

Visit my2020census.gov to complete 

the form. 

Phone 

To begin the Census questionnaire over 

the phone, call 844-330-2020 or visit 

2020census.gov to find the number 

associated with your preferred language. 

Phone lines are open every day from 

7:00 AM to 2:00 AM Eastern Time. 

You may receive a call from the Census 

Bureau to confirm the numbers you 

provided in the form to ensure no one in 

your household is left out. 



CR Magazine 

What's online at 

ChicagoREALTOR.com 

2019-2020 BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

PRESIDENT 

Maurice L. Hampton 

PRESIDENT-ELECT 

Nykea Pippion McGriff 

TREASURER 

Antje Gehrken 

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT 

Tommy Choi 

DIRECTORS 

Stephanie Brimo 

Bob Eby 

Hipolito Garcia 

Moses Hall 

Anthony Hardy 

Julie Harron 

Drussy Hernandez 

Nick Libert 

Dave Naso 

Tracey Royal 

Andy Shiparski 

Vicky Silvano 

Rebecca Thomson 

Erika Villegas 

Marty Walsh 

Sarah Ware 

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 

Michelle Mills Clement, cae 

DOWNLOAD THE 

PHOTOFY APP 

FOR CUSTOMIZABLE 

ADVERTISING GRAPHICS 

“THAT’S WHO WE R” TOOLS 

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 ® . 

DOWNLOAD OUR NEW REALTOR ® 

SAFETY MEMBER PERK 

FOREWARN APP 

EVENT VIDEOS & CONTENT 

DESIGNED TO HELP YOU SUCCEED 

ON-DEMAND VIDEO LIBRARY 

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 

Michelle Mills Clement, cae 

michelle@chicagorealtor.com 

EDITOR 

Jessica Kern 

jkern@chicagorealtor.com 

MANAGING EDITOR 

Maria Dickman 

mdickman@chicagorealtor.com 

MEET OUR DIVERSIT Y 

COMMITTEE “THE 77” 

C A R B L O G 

FAIR HOUSING RESOURCES, 

TRAINING & VIDEOS 

CAR WEBSITE 

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: 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 Association 

of 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. 

COVID-19 RESOURCES, FAQS, 

& TOOLS TO HELP YOU 

Find us on… 

Chicago Association 

of REALTORS ® 

Chicago Assn of REALTORS 

www. 

TOOLS & RESOURCES 

BLOGS 

Weekly radio PSAs to share with your clients 

Bi-monthly Sustainability topics 

AUDIOCASTS 

Government Affairs audio update 

ChicagoREALTOR.com 

9

THAT’S WHO 

WE “R” 

Campaign Assets 

You Can Use 

SHAREABLE CONTENT 

YOU CAN USE 

o Infographics 

o Social Media Graphics 

o Print Ads 

o Banner Ads 

o Posters 

o Videos 

o Zoom Backgrounds 

The National Association of REALTORS ® national 

advertising campaign ensures the REALTOR ® brand 

stays front and center in the mind of homebuyers and 

sellers as the experts in their field. For REALTORS ® , 

“That’s Who We R” instills pride in the profession 

and acknowledges those of you who go above and 

beyond to improve the lives of your clients and 

communities. For your clients and consumers, the 

campaign showcases what sets REALTORS ® apart 

from regular real estate brokers and encourages 

potential clients to work with a REALTOR ® . There are 

many assets from the campaign that you can use. 


SHAREABLE CONTENT YOU CAN USE 

CUSTOMIZE & SHARE FROM YOUR PHONE OR TABLET 

The customizable social media assets are available to you to share on your channels, and are expanded frequently. 

You can visit https://www.nar.realtor/thats-who-we-r on your desktop computer to download and customize 

graphics, or you can edit and post on the go from the easy-to-use Photofy app. 

To get started, visit www.photofy.com/nar to register and then download the Photofy app on your mobile device. 

Once you’ve done this, open the app and get started! 

1. 

Select templates. 

2. 

Choose 

which 

channel you 

want to publish 

to (Facebook, 

Instagram, etc.). 

Then, select 

a template 

you would like 

to use. 

3. 

Choose a 

Style. 

Then select the 

checkmark to 

move forward 

to customize. 

4. 

Select these 

areas to 

customize the 

text and add 

your logo. 

5. 

Upload your 

logo and 

select. 

Then select 

the checkmark 

to move forward 

to post. 

6. 

Choose your 

account to 

post to 

your social 

accounts. 


INFOGRAPHICS 

These consumer-ready infographics are great to share with your clients 

to showcase the essential duties of REALTORS ® , the microeconomics of 

buying a home and ways to maximize the value of your real estate agent. 

MICROECONOMICS 

OF BUYING A HOME 

REAL ESTATE BROKER COMMISSION 

STRUCTURE BENEFITS BUYERS, 

SELLERS ALIKE 

Seller brokers entering into 

cooperative commission 

agreements with buyer brokers 

prevents a greater cost burden 

that would be especially 

devastating for first-time and 

low-income home buyers. 

WAYS TO USE: 

Share on your Social Media 

Post to Your Website 

Include in e-newsletters 

Include in your buyer and listing packets 

VIDEOS 

PRO-HOMEOWNERSHIP VIDEOS 

Share on your 

Social Media 

Post to Your 

Website 

IF BUYERS HAD TO PAY REAL ESTATE BROKER COMMISSIONS 

DIRECTLY, IT WOULD ADD THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO AN 

ALREADY COSTLY TRANSACTION 

The typical American household has an average of $8,863 

in the bank*. 

That’s barely more than 50% of the median down payment on a starter 

home, which is $15,169 or 7% for first-time homebuyers**. 

Since most lenders don’t allow real estate broker commissions to be 

financed, every 1% of broker commissions that first-time buyers pay 

out of pocket would put their home $2,167 further out of reach. 

*Bankrate inflation-adjusted data from the Federal Reserve 2016 Survey of Consumer Finances 

** In 2018, the median downpayment was 13 percent for all buyers, seven percent for first-time buyers, 

according to National Association of REALTORS® 2018 Profile Home Buyers and Sellers report. Actual 

dollar amounts are based on national median starter home price in first quarter of 2019 according to 

National Association of REALTORS® Q1 First-Time Homebuyer Affordability Index 

REALTORS® are members of the National Association of REALTORS® 

There's No Place Like a Home You Own 

THE ESSENTIAL REAL ESTATE AGENT 

WHY REAL ESTATE AGENTS ARE CRITICAL TO THE HOME BUYING PROCESS 

Buying a home is the single largest and most complex transaction most people will make in their lifetime, with 

volumes of property, neighborhood, transaction, legal and regulatory details to navigate. Having an expert, local 

professional to manage the process is more important than ever before. 

NAVIGATING THE BUYING PROCESS 

Real estate agents wear many hats.... 

Know local, county and state property taxes 

Decipher public property information 

Community Advise on price trends, schools 

and neighborhoods 

Coordinate with lenders 

Research mortgage rates and terms 

AN EXPERT RESOURCE 

97% 

of home buyers consider their 

real estate agent to be a useful 

source of information*. 

82% 

their real estate agent helped 

them understand the home 

buying process. 

See If Owning Could Be Right for You 

Financial 

Schedule appraisals and inspections 

Manage attorney reviews 

REAL ESTATE AGENT TO-DO LIST 

1. 

USE THEIR EXPERT 

KNOWLEDGE ON THE 

HOME BUYING PROCESS 

3 WAYS TO MAXIMIZE THE VALUE 

OF YOUR REAL ESTATE AGENT 

CHOOSE THE SERVICE, 

COMMISSION MODEL AND 

REAL ESTATE AGENT THAT 

BEST FIT YOUR NEEDS 

2. 3. 

LET THEM DO ALL THE 

HARD WORK AND TAKE 

THE STRESS OUT OF YOUR 

HOME SEARCH 

Legal 

Navigate all required state and federal forms 

Handle closing documents 

HOME BUYERS’ SATISFACTION WITH REAL 

ESTATE AGENT’S SKILLS AND QUALITIES** 

98% 

98% 

97% 

95% 

Educate clients about the 

transaction process 

Search the broadest 

database of available homes 

Research information 

about properties 

Arrange tours of homes 

Navigate home inspections 

Negotiate best possible price 

Real estate agents have access to the largest 

database of available homes in the U.S. via the 

multiple listing service, which supports sites like 

Realtor.com, Zillow and Trulia. 

98% 

with their agent’s knowledge 

of the real estate market.* 

Full-Service Model 

Commission is negotiable 

Flat Fee Model 

Negotiate a set price per service 

Reduced Service/ 

Discounted Fee Models 

Flexible offerings and pricing 

88% of Americans who 

search online for a property use a 

real estate agent. 

real estate agents are there to show and research 

Knowledge Knowledge Honesty and 

of real estate of purchase integrity 

market process 

*Including both “very useful” and “somewhat useful” 

Negotiation 

skills 

YOUR ADVOCATE 

Working with a trusted and knowledgeable 

real estate agent not only saves home buyers 

time, but also helps take stress out of the 

process for them. In fact, 90% of home 

buyers say they would use their real estate 

agent again or recommend them to others. 

82% 

their real estate agent helped 

them understand the home 

buying process. 

Don’t forget to make sure your buyer 

representation agreement includes how your 

real estate agent will be compensated. 

DID YOU KNOW? 

90% 

of homebuyers would recommend 

their agent, but if you’re part of the 

remaining 10%, there are more 

than 1.4 million REALTORS® 

in the U.S. to choose from. 

Real estate agents also navigate: 

Community knowledge such as local 

property taxes and advising on schools 

and neighborhoods. 

Financial aspects like coordinating with 

lenders and researching mortgage rates. 

Legal matters like helping buyers 

manage required state and federal forms 

and closing documents. 

Buyers and Sellers report 

Include in 

e-newsletters 

Include in 

your buyer 

and listing 

packets 




"That’s Who We R," NAR’s national advertising campaign, helps 

consumers understand that REALTORS ® are real estate experts in 

their local communities, who abide by NAR's Code of Ethics and 

fight for real estate dreams and property rights. 

Over the past two years, the “That’s Who We R” campaign has 

already made a big splash. As of March 31, 2020, the campaign 

has generated 835.9 million impressions. The majority of these 

impressions, almost half, came from TV, and 80 million coming from 

social media posts from REALTORS ® like you! 

Coming up, you may notice this campaign features some popular 

names. Listen for the ad spots during the “Stuff You Should Know” 

podcast or featured as a sponsor during Hulu’s new original series 

Normal People. 

The campaign’s brand-new video series encourages consumers 

to “Look for the R” in every facet of the homebuying and selling 

process, to expand REALTOR ® name recognition and help 

consumers relate the experiences in the videos to their own life. 

These videos focus on topics like REALTORS ® being a trusted 

resource, the first-time homebuying experience and REALTORS’ ® as 

business partners that can help a client’s company raise the bar. 

COMING SOON: 

The Chicago Association 

of REALTORS ® will have 

their own Photofy channel, 

so that you can access 

Chicago-specific 

graphics along with 

the NAR campaign! 

CAMPAIGN STATS: 

Total Impressions: 

835.9 million 

Digital Video 

Impressions: 

41 million 

Radio Impressions: 

277.2 million 

TV Impressions: 

418.1 million 

Search Impressions: 

2.3 million 

Digital Audio Impressions: 

15.0 million 

Social Media Impressions: 

80.0 million 

www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 

13

Visit ChicagoREALTOR.com 

to downloiad, customize and 

share with your clients. 

is still essential. 

The buying and selling process may have changed, 

but a REALTOR ® ’S expertise hasn’t. 

BEST PRACTICES 

The Chicago Association of REALTORS ® has issued these best practices for Chicago REALTORS ® for everyone’s well-being: 

• REALTORS ® should work with clients to reduce face to face interaction, which may mean providing virtual tours, 

interactive links, virtual floorplans and photos, to review while video conferencing. 

• REALTORS ® should practice social distancing — and they should ask clients to do the same! 

• Clients should wear a mask when social distancing isn’t possible and indoors. That may include while working together! 

• REALTORS ® should have a discussion about having strangers in the home, ways to help mitigate possible risks and the 

best course of action for selling and marketing a home. 

OPEN HOUSES 

• REALTORS ® should consider incorporating the use of technologies (like virtual open houses) to reduce physical presence 

for the early stages of marketing properties. 

• REALTORS ® should exercise extreme caution around hosting open houses and operate accordingly, including limiting 

people at the property at a time and frequent cleaning. 

• REALTORS ® should incorporate a non-discriminatory appointment policy into open house day procedures to cut back on 

the number of attendees appearing at the same time. 

• REALTORS ® should restrict access after each showing to allow time for disinfecting areas of the home previous 

attendees viewed. 

• REALTORS ® should consider providing gloves and booties to all attendees of an open house and requiring face masks for 

all persons inside the home, even if social distance is maintained. 

• REALTORS ® should consider having the owner or listing broker open doors including closets and cabinets, turning on 

lights and opening window coverings to reduce the need to touch surfaces. 

SHOWINGS 

• REALTORS ® may ask clients to meet them at a property, rather than driving together. 

• REALTORS ® may ask the seller to prepare a home for a showing by cleaning and disinfecting frequently-touched 

surfaces, like doorknobs, cabinets and railings. 

• Clients may also be asked to wear gloves and/or booties if visiting a homes in person. 

• Clients may be asked to use hand sanitizer and thoroughly wash their hands before and after entering any homes 

or buildings. 

• Clients are encouraged to practice safe social distancing while touring the home. 

• REALTORS ® should ask that clients avoid touching items in the home while taking a tour. 

• REALTORS ® should reconvene with clients via video conference after the showing concludes, rather than discussing 

at the property or in person. 

The transaction may be different than in the past — but REALTORS ® are still closing deals and getting the job done! We look 

forward to working with you! 

Add 

your 

photo 

YOUR NAME HERE 

Title 

Company Name 

phone number; email 

your website 

Customizeable

A simple Google search of 

“retirement statistics” can 

provide some daunting 

numbers. The information is 

vast, wide ranging and can vary 

from publication to publication. 

Different experts will give 

different statistics for pensions, 

401(k)’s, savings, financial goals 

and retirement goals — and 

even the definition of an expert 

varies. It’s difficult to make 

sense of this vast information, 

and it can be harder still to make 

sense of it when you’re working 

in a niche field like real estate. 

STEPS 

to Secure Your 

FINANCIAL 

FUTURE 


We’ve been gathering experts of our own — people 

who have worked in real estate for years and have 

found success saving for the future in an industry 

constantly trying to keep up with the present. And make 

no mistake, while retirement may seem like a long way 

off, planning for retirement starts in the present. 

Yes, retirement may be the last thing on your mind 

when there’s so much uncertainty in the market, but 

that doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t be part of your life 

right now. According to a report published by CNBC 

in March 2018, on average, Americans between the 

ages of 55 and 64 have saved only 12 percent of the 

recommended amount needed for retirement. 

However, there are simple things you can do to get 

yourself on the right path to a secure retirement. 

Our experts recommend three things you can do 

today that will set you up for success in the future: 

build your reserves, organize your money and 

acquire investments. 

BUILD YOUR RESERVES 

Most financial advisors will tell you that you need 

emergency reserves that can last you six months. 

So, if your monthly expenses are $ 2,000 per month, 

you should have $ 12,000 in savings. If you spend an 

average of $ 5,000 per month, you should have 

$ 

30,000 in reserves. If you don’t have any savings 

built up, these numbers can be daunting, to say the 

least, so where can you start? 

Kasey Stewart is the director of member development 

for the National Association of REALTORS ® . For her, 

the answer is in starting small. “If you save $ 11 a day, 

after 90 days you’ll have saved $ 1,000, and that’s a 

good start.” 

Stewart points out, though, that even diligent 

savings can disappear without a system of 

organization. Start by separating your 

business expenses from your 

personal 

expenses, 

which is one 

thing when your 

expenses and income are 

predictable. REALTORS ® , however, 

work predominantly off commission, 

which can fluctuate widely and is 

dependent on the time of year, the 

economy and the market. 

GET ORGANIZED 

As a Wealth Management Advisor with First 

Midwest Financial Services, Benjamin Wozniak 

learned early on that organization is key. “What I set 

up is what I call a waterfall, a stair step approach,” 

he said. Rather than approaching savings with a 

fixed number like $ 11 per day, Wozniak devotes a 

percentage of his income to savings, which he then 

breaks down even further. 

“All the money I get flows into a business 

checking account,” he said. “Then, I take a 

percent out and deposit it into a separate 

account for taxes, and I take a percent out 

and deposit that into a separate account 

for savings.” 

Wozniak pointed out that sometimes 

we end up using a great deal of 

structure to afford and allocate 

money to our hobbies, where our 


usiness structure gets neglected. “I got successful 

and got into the restaurant business,” he said. “I noticed 

immediately that I was running my hobby like a 

business, and my business like a hobby.” 

Wozniak then decided he needed to restructure his 

business, and that’s where his waterfall approach 

came into play. It’s worked for him, and now his hobby 

has become an investment that continues to pay him 

dividends. And he’s not the only one with this kind 

of approach. 

“Every REALTOR ® can establish themselves as an 

LLC,” Koki Adasi, a REALTOR ® in Washington, 

D.C. who serves as a senior vice president 

at Compass, said. After several years as a 

REALTOR ® , Adasi decided to restructure his 

business to secure financial longevity. “I established 

my business as an LLC and I actually pay myself as an 

employee of my own company.” 

BUILD INVESTMENTS 

Adasi’s method for securing financial stability is 

to invest in properties that can bring in a steady 

flow of money, rather than rely solely on sales 

and commissions. “My investments have revolved 

around buying and rehabbing properties, and buying 

properties for long term investments and rentals 

I’ve held onto for years,” he said. 

Adasi started by rehabbing properties and turning 

them around to make a profit. Along the way, however, 

he found that managing his properties was an easy 

way to keep money coming in on a regular basis. 

“My first purchase was $ 126,000 … we bought the house 

with tenants already in it. They were there for several 

years, and they paid late every month, but they paid 

their rent every single month,” he said. “The mortgage 

payment was $ 752, including taxes and insurance, and 

the rent was $ 1,400.” 

BRING IT ALL TOGETHER 

“Everyone needs a financial plan,” Dory A. Rodriguez, 

wealth advisor with HighPoint Planning Partners, 

said. “Investing, in my mind, is a piece of that financial 

plan.” As a wealth advisor, Rodriguez helps her clients 

plan for the long term, and helps them bring these 

three elements together to make one cohesive 

picture: reserves, financial structure and investments. 

For her, financial planning is about making sure all 

your investments and sources of income are working 

towards the same goals. 

“If you have a 401(k), a Roth IRA, a rollover IRA, 

maybe a joint account with a spouse, and if you look 

at all of those things together holistically, how are 

you allocated?” she said. “I find oftentimes people 

have various investment plans and there’s a different 

role for each of those investments, so maybe it’s time 

to take a look at those and make sure they all have 

the same directive.” 

No matter where you are in your retirement savings, 

REALTORS ® have the responsibility and the burden 

to plan for their retirement themselves. The days of 

working at the same company your whole career 

and living off the pension they provide you are over. 

Our experts agree: building your reserves, creating 

structure and organization for your finances, and 

acquiring long-term investments are fundamental 

in securing financial stability. 

Watch a Financial Planning webinar 

& access financial planning resources. 

Adasi ended up selling that property for a profit and 

used that profit to invest in other properties. But he 

learned that buying, rehabbing and selling properties 

isn’t the only way he could use investments to work for 

him. Adasi’s investments now involve both rehabbing 

properties and managing properties to diversify his 

cash flow. Having his money work for him and toward 

his goals is part of Adasi’s financial plan. 

“I think REALTORS ® should invest more in real estate,” 

Adasi said. “I think real estate investments can be part 

of your retirement income.” 


WORK SMARTER 

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT 

REMINE PRO’S POWERFUL DATA TOOLS 

For nearly a year, subscribers to MRED have had access to Remine Pro, one of the most powerful 

real estate information platforms on the market. 

The addition of Remine Pro to MRED’s lineup of services gives subscribers a progressive platform 

which provides public record information real estate practitioners need, while also delivering predictive 

analytics to help with building and growing prospective clients for brokers. 

Remine Pro’s app makes it easy to look up public record information and is integrated with connectMLS 

with a single sign-on to provide tax data for listings. Remine Pro can generate mailing labels and all 

information can be shared in a customized report. 

“We know our customers want to easily access the data involved in a property transaction,” MRED CEO 

Rebecca Jensen said. “Remine Pro can save time for brokers by bringing together many streams of data 

in an easy-to-use format. Remine also provides unique features to track prospects, keeping brokers 

thoroughly informed of important updates.” 

JON BROADBOOKS 

Chief Communications Officer, MRED 


RELIABLE SYSTEM PROVIDES 

THE PROPERTY TAX INFORMATION 

BROKERS NEED 

Finding up-to-date tax record information can 

involve multiple phone calls or searches. 

Remine Pro cuts out much of the back-andforth 

work to compile data on assessments, 

tax amounts owed and ownership and sales 

histories. 

The program can even provide and net equity 

assessments and mortgage information. 

Much of the information can be used to autopopulate 

the listing input, which eliminates 

time-consuming retyping of information. 

MACHINE LEARNING 

GIVES INFORMATION TO 

BUILD YOUR BUSINESS 

Remine Pro has an algorithm which allows 

brokers to see how likely someone is to sell 

a property, and then lets the broker track 

that property if there are any changes which 

indicate an owner might be ready to sell. 

This “Sell Score” rates properties based on 

high, medium or low likelihood to sell. It 

complements a “Buy Score” which is attached 

to individuals and rates them according to 

the likelihood they may be interested in 

buying property. 

The program’s Market Pulse feature is located 

on the service’s dashboard and allows you 

to deliver customized real-time updates on 

MLS changes for individual properties, or 

properties which are in defined ZIP codes. 

WORKING TOGETHER IN 

REMINE PRO 

One of the tools in Remine Pro, called Remine 

Docs, has been built to allow multiple parties 

to a transaction to work together. Forms can 

be uploaded and customized. PDFs can be 

uploaded, marked up and shared in the system 

and e-signature integration is included. 

The platform is fully optimized for mobile use, 

making it possible to handle elements of a 

transaction without even leaving the driveway 

of a listing. 

STREAMING FUNCTIONALITY 

PLANNED FOR VIRTUAL 

OPEN HOUSES 

Remine Pro is debuting a new service which 

will allow brokers to more easily stream open 

houses from their mobile device. 

The service will allow the virtual content 

to feed out through social media platforms 

including Facebook and TikTok. 

The new feature will be available through 

the Remine app, and users can easily 

schedule the virtual presentations and share 

the information with others who also use 

the Remine app. 

EVOLUTION PART OF THE 

ADVANTAGE SERVICE BRINGS 

MRED has always been a technology leader. 

Adding Remine Pro is part of an ongoing 

commitment to serve its subscribers with 

the best technology available. 

“The fact that it is built by real estate brokers 

gives Remine an insight into how fast the 

business moves, which drives the company 

to quickly adapt to market specifics providing 

features that professionals need for their 

businesses,” MRED Chief Technology Officer 

Chris Haran said. “Their speed, collaboration 

and insight for the industry makes Remine 

a fantastic partner for MRED and its 

subscribers.” 

MRED has more than 45,000 customers and 

offers Remine Pro with more than 20 other 

products and services. 

“Business models are constantly evolving and 

we want to support that market transition,” 

Jensen said. “Remine’s technology is 

innovative and progressive and aligns with 

MRED’s core values.” 

MRED is offering several online 

classes for more information on how 

to utilize Remine. Check out their 

online training courses on the website 

for information on when these classes 

will be taking place. 

Remine Advanced 

ONLINE 

Remine Advanced will go into great 

detail on search, carts and alerts. You 

will also touch base on Daily, Engage 

and Chats, then end with the latest 

enhancements and features that have 

been added in the previous two weeks. 

Remine Prospecting 

ONLINE ONLY 

We have split up the two-hour 

hands-on Remine class into two, 

one-hour online classes. In Remine 

Prospecting, you’ll learn how to use 

the data provided by Remine to better 

target your marketing efforts to more 

motivated consumers, as well as how to 

search and add properties to your cart 

to track them or create mailing labels. 

Remine Tax Records 

ONLINE ONLY 

In this course, attendees will learn how 

to use the data provided by Remine 

to better target your marketing efforts 

to more motivated consumers. Learn 

how to search and add properties to 

your cart to track them or create 

mailing labels. 

Access Remine Pro through ConnectMLS 

& register for training classes. 

TO ACCESS REMINE THROUGH MRED: 

1. Login to connectMLS through MRED with your username 

and password. 

2. Scroll down to the “Tools, Resources, & Links” menu on the 

right-hand side. 

3. Select “Remine (Public Records and Prospecting)” to access 

Remine. 


Going 

Green: 

Simple Tips to Get 

Started with Sustainability 

FEATURING 

GEORGE 

TULLY 

Sustainability 

Work Group Chair 

@properties 

MELISSA 

GOVEDARICA 

Sergio & Banks 

Real Estate 

SHAY 

HATA 

Berkshire Hathaway 

HomeServices 


Sustainability is an increasingly hot topic in the real estate 

industry, gaining more interest and popularity with each passing 

year. According to the 2018 National Association of REALTORS ® 

(NAR) Sustainability Resource Guide, 61% of members said their 

clients are expressing interest in sustainability and want these 

features included in their homes 

What does that mean for you as a REALTOR ® and your business? 

“Real estate brokers should be the ones educating homeowners 

on sustainability,” George Tully, our Sustainability Work Group 

Chair and broker at @properties said. With the help of members 

of our Sustainability Work Group, we have compiled some 

easy tips to help you and your clients get started on a greener 

lifestyle. 

Start Small 

Where should you begin? Melissa Govedarica, Sergio & Banks 

Real Estate, shared some personal insight. “People in general 

want to be green, but a lot of people won’t pay for it,” she said. 

But if implementing sustainability into the home seems like a 

daunting task, it’s easy to start small! 

These are all small tasks that can be incorporated to save you 

and your clients money in the long run. 

Sustainability can also be looked at in terms of the size of a 

home. Smaller homes, in general, will use less electricity and 

water than bigger homes and will also take less energy to 

cool or heat. For your clients, this plays into their true needs 

and comfort when deciding on the size of a new home or even 

adding an addition to a home. 

Critique Your 

Materials 

It’s important to look at the materials that are already in a home 

or that a client may be looking to add to their home as a way to 

incorporate sustainable, healthy materials. 

“Quartz and porcelain tiles are considered sustainable materials, 

are in fashion and used readily now,” Govedarica said. These 

are great alternatives to materials like marble, which is a nonrenewable 

resource and is energy-intensive to create. 

“Sustainability can still be done 

by implementing small things like 

installing central vacuum systems 

and sustainable materials like quartz 

countertops,” she said. “You can 

also start composting and using 

formaldehyde free products, which 

can all be done for a smaller fee,” 

she said. 

Tully echoed this sentiment. 

“Thermostats and smart home 

monitoring will all pay for themselves 

in the long run with a savings in 

utilities.” And, make sure to keep your 

eyes out! In the Chicago area, ComEd and other companies will 

often offer rebates for the purchase of smart thermostats and 

other energy saving tools. But it’s also important to remember 

that not all changes will result in immediate cost savings for your 

clients. The savings could take a while to see, but they will start 

paying off slowly and in time. 

It’s also important to remember that old adages about 

sustainability still remain true: 

• Ensure you are using energy-efficient bulbs. 

• Turn off lights when you leave a room. 

• Don’t let your water run. 

• Unplug appliances when they’re not in use. 

• Turn off TVs when you’re not actively watching them. 

IN THE NEXT FIVE TO 

TEN YEARS, REALTORS ® 

WILL NEED TO BE ABLE 

TO TALK ABOUT 

SUSTAINABILITY IN THE 

SAME WAY WE ARE 

NOW TALKING ABOUT 

LEAD-BASED PAINT 

AND RADON. 

Shay Hata, a broker with Berkshire 

Hathaway HomeServices who serves 

on the Sustainability Work Group, 

said it’s important to take a good 

look at the flooring in a home. “For 

flooring, clients shouldn’t get carpet 

because of dust mites and mold,” 

she said. “Wool is a better option if 

you want it. Hardwood floors are the 

healthiest to get. Vinyl and other 

synthetic floorings will release offgases 

for a period of time.” 

Hata’s advice for clients when 

looking at materials for their home 

is simple: “Research every product you’re putting in your home 

because many emit gases over time.” 

If your clients are purchasing a new construction home and are 

concerned about the materials that were used, Hata shared 

her tips for ensuring the home is ready. Before moving into 

the home, if you can smell paint or flooring, this means they 

are still releasing chemicals into the home. “I recommend new 

construction clients to hotbox the house,” she said. Turn up 

the heat and close all the windows. This will help speed up the 

release of chemicals and kill off germs in the home. “Then, open 

the windows to release the germs and speed up the off-gas 

process,” she said. If you don’t want to hotbox the house, an air 

purifier will also do the trick. 


Smart Landscaping 

When it comes to the outside of a home, curb appeal is 

important, but homeowners don’t want to continuously be 

making changes to their landscape. Sustainable landscaping 

options will last longer, need less water and require less 

maintenance in the long run. Take into consideration plants that 

are native to the climate, irrigation systems and more. 

Govedarica worked with new construction developments in 

the First Ward in the early 2000s, and they were conservative 

by saving water runoff that could be sourced and used in 

different ways in the construction process. This idea can easily 

be translated into a home. Sanitary sewage water can be used 

for irrigation. 

Being smart about the placement of plants in a yard can also 

have long-term, positive effects on a home’s energy savings. Take, 

for instance, a large tree. If placed in the correct spot outside of 

the home, specifically the west side, the shade from the tree can 

significantly reduce the sunlight in the home and, thus, there will 

be less heat, which will help keep your house cooler. 

Look Outside 

the Home 

While sustainability in housing is becoming increasingly 

important, so is, of course, environmental conscientiousness. 

When it comes to homebuying and even renting, properties that 

stand out are ones that consider the local environment. Many 

homebuyers find walkability, access to areas such as parks and 

community gardens, proximity to public transportation and 

recycling options to be more appealing. 

Getting Comfortable 

“In the next five to ten years, REALTORS ® will need to be able 

to talk about sustainability in the same way we are now talking 

about lead-based paint and radon,” Tully said. 

As REALTORS ® , you are counted on to be an asset to 

homebuyers in their process of buying a home. Being a 

sustainability resource will help you to best assist clients and 

direct them to available programs, tools, products and insight. 

What We’re Doing 

If you’re looking for ways to be more knowledgeable and to help 

your clients, we are here to help. Our sustainability initiative 

provides resources to create sustainable buildings and lifestyles, 

with the ultimate goal of positively impacting property values 

and the environment. If you are looking for blogs to gain new 

knowledge, handouts that can be provided to clients looking for 

more information, sustainability education options and more, our 

sustainability hub at ChicagoREALTOR.com/Sustainability. 

As we want to be a go-to source for you, we also want to make 

sure you are a go-to source for your clients for best sustainability 

practices and trends! 

Download handouts to brand for your clients & register 

for upcoming sustainability events and education. 

The desirability of neighborhoods where these options are 

readily available continues to grow. A study by NAR confirmed 

the relationship between real estate values and distance from 

public transportation. These neighborhoods tend to have a two 

to four percent higher median sales price of their homes. They 

save $ 2,500 to $ 4,400 in transportation per home, and commercial 

value price per square feet saw a five to 42 percent increase. 


TAKE THE PLEDGE – 

BECOME A SUSTAINABILITY 

AMBASSADOR 

CAR’s Sustainability Work Group is looking for sustainability ambassadors 

throughout Chicago! Take the pledge and work with us towards a greener future. 

1. Email clients and friends to get their ComEd Energy Assessment 

(comes with free stuff!) 

2. Attend a CAR Sustainability training session to learn about a new topic. 

3. Give a sustainable closing gift, like a smart thermostat, subscription to a 

composting service, or MightNest, a green home product subscription. 

4. Post about sustainability best practices on social media. You can find content 

at ChicagoREALTOR.com/Sustainability. 

5. Help your office shrink its footprint by improving recycling or switching to 

re-usable supplies. 

6. Go through your past transactions and identify which of your clients may be 

a good fit for solar. Email them information on credits and incentives. 

7. Read up on the city, state and federal laws shaping sustainability. Better yet: 

ask your elected officials to prioritize sustainable legislation. 

8. Ask your managing broker to set up a sustainability training session. We have 

great presenters ready to share! 

9. Brainstorm your ideas! How else can REALTORS ® contribute to sustainability? 

Share with us! 

10. Recruit your peers to join this important cause! Together, we can make an 

impact. Take the pledge and become a Sustainability Ambassador today! 

Together, we can make an impact. Take the pledge and become a Sustainability 

Ambassador today! 


Let’s Get Ethical: 

Do’s and Don’ts 

of Advertising 

With the new license law update comes changes not only to your 

CE requirements, but also advertising ones. 

As REALTORS ® , we have an awesome job — we get to help guide 

people everyday through what is often the biggest financial 

investment of their lives. As a result, we have a duty to the public 

to represent ourselves and our industry truthfully — this is our 

promise of professionalism. 

Advertising and social media are powerful tools in your toolbox 

— but advertising violations are one of the most common 

complaints we get from REALTORS ® and the public. It’s your duty 

to ensure you’re in compliance with the Code of Ethics as well as 

Illinois license law. 

Here are a few do's and don’ts relating to advertising and social 

media to keep in mind so that you don’t find yourself on the end 

of an ethics complaint. 

DO: IDENTIFY YOURSELF 

CORRECTLY. 

We see quite a few violations of this nature, and 

it’s a simple thing to forget. But, you must always follow license 

law and identify yourself properly. 

One of the biggest changes as it relates to advertising in the 

updated license law is that your name and your team name 

cannot be any bigger than your brokerage company’s name in an 

advertisement. This is meant to underscore that the public should 

know when and if they are dealing with a license real estate 

brokerage company, as well as that a team is a group that works 

within the sponsoring brokerage company, rather than being their 

own separate company. 

Don’t forget: if you are claiming that you have a certification or 

designation, please make sure these are up to date — you must 

pay the fees and renew them annually to avoid penalties. 

24 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine 

Another thing to keep in mind: if you market properties on your 

personal page, then you must follow advertising guidelines 

there, too! 

DON’T: FORGET THAT LICENSE 

LAW & THE CODE OF ETHICS 

STILL APPLY ONLINE. 

The online world is not separate from the real 

world — and everything you post online creates a record, so even 

if you post something and delete it later, there is no guarantee 

that it truly “goes away.” Because of this, be extra cautious and 

conscientious of your online activity. 

Your business pages on social media should follow standard 

advertising guidelines. Steer clear of anticompetitive discussions 

or innuendo regarding pricing or collusion among competitors to 

boycott. Ensure you are complying with all fair housing rules and 

regulations. 

And keep in mind: it doesn’t matter if you have 10 followers or 

10,000 — your personal page is still a reflection of who you are 

as a business person. Please take care to not defame, disparage, 

bully or harass other brokers or offices on your personal page — 

someone will see it, and report it. If you have disagreements, our 

dispute resolution process is here for you! And no one has ever 

come out looking rosy after a comment war. Trust us. If you post 

business information on your personal page, then your personal 

page needs to be in compliance with standard advertising 

guidelines, as well. 

Outside of license law and the Code of Ethics, check your 

brokerage’s social media policy. If they don’t have one — we 

highly suggest they create one. Illinois REALTORS ® has an 

example policy to get you started. If you follow applicable laws, 

regulations, office policies and common courtesy, the likelihood 

of having an ethics complaint due to your online activity is slim. 

Use an advertising checklist to ensure you’re 

in compliance with license law changes.

CHANGES TO TEAMS 

The new license law now defines “team” as any two or more licensees who work 

together to provide real estate brokerage services, represent themselves to the 

public as being part of a team or group, are identified by a team name that is different 

than their sponsoring broker’s and sponsored by the same sponsoring broker. 

Team does not mean a separately organized, incorporated or legal entity, per 

license law. 

A team operates within a sponsoring company, so any advertising from a team 

should not appear that the team is the sponsoring company. This change 

was made because it was increasingly difficult to find company information, 

particularly on team advertisements. 

The new license law clarifies and prohibits terms that are inherently misleading 

because they imply a team is a sponsoring brokerage. Terms now prohibited in 

team names are: 

• Company 

• Realty 

• Real estate 

• Agency 

• Associates 

• Brokers 

• Properties 

• Property 

Keep in mind: the license law act prohibits any advertising that is false, 

deceptive or misleading in any way. As a result, if your team name includes any 

of the above terms, you are in violation of the law and need to change your 

team name to ensure compliance. 

DO: FOLLOW THE ONE CLICK 

RULE 

The license law is now more aligned with the Code 

of Ethics in the “one click” rule! What does that mean? A real estate 

licensee or brokerage can create a link — and so long as all the 

required information is contained in the content that populates on 

the device being used as a result of that “click,” the content will be 

compliant with license law. 

DON’T: MISREPRESENT OR 

EXAGGERATE 

Keep all information that you post about yourself, 

your business and your properties up-to-date, truthful and as 

complete as possible. 

A common complaint we receive is that a REALTOR ® is 

misrepresenting or exaggerating property features. This is 

in violation of the act’s mandate that advertising not be false, 

deceptive or misleading in any way! Ensure your listings are 

an accurate reflection of reality — and avoid the temptation to 

make something sound fancier than it is. For example, not all 

carpet is custom carpet! And, square footage should be an actual 

representation of the square footage, not just a guesstimate. 

This is all part of our promise of professionalism. 

On occasion, we also see individuals advertising that they are the 

#1 REALTOR ® in Chicago! — Please don’t do this. You cannot make 

misleading statements to consumers. It is a violation of license 

law as well as the Code of Ethics. 

Be truthful. Only state what you can back up with facts. And, 

ensure you have contact information readily available so that you 

may be notified of inaccurate or inappropriate content that might 

be added to your site. 

DO: RESPECT COPYRIGHT 

LAWS. 

If you didn’t take the photo yourself, you need 

written permission to use it. Even if you’re posting on social media, 

you need to credit creators — copyright laws always apply! Don’t 

steal images from independent contractors, social media feeds 

you follow or Google — check your agreements before you omit 

credit. Don’t repost images of a dream bathroom without crediting 

the source — better yet, ask permission to share! 

DON’T: MANIPULATE LOGOS 

OR TRADEMARKS. 

This ties into the “ask permission” and “respect 

copyrights” — be sure you are allowed to use trademarks or logos 

BEFORE you go through the design process. Most businesses will 

have trademark and usage guidelines (the National Association of 

REALTORS ® does!) — follow them! They are there for a reason. Just 

as you would like your logo respected, please respect others’. 

DO: TAKE TIME TO EXAMINE 

YOUR MARKETING MATERIALS 

With these new changes to the license law, take 

the time to audit your advertising materials. Make sure you are 

representing yourself well and that your ads are accurate, fair and 

in compliance with both license law and the Code of Ethics. Our 

industry will be better for it! 

HEY MANAGING BROKERS 

• If you are a designated managing broker, you must 

still identify yourself where your name is used in ads. 

• If you are not a designated managing broker but hold 

a managing broker license, you may now use the 

term “managing broker” on your advertising materials, 

since this reflects a level of education and licensing 

that you’ve attained. www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 35

WORK- 

LIFE 

INTE- 

GRA- 

TION: 

HOW TO 

WEAVE YOUR 

PROFESSIONAL 

PASSION 

INTO YOUR LIFE 


Thirteen years ago, we started Luxury Living Chicago Realty, a 

boutique brokerage in downtown Chicago. Ten years ago, we 

started a family. Growing a company and raising a family have 

been the most rewarding and challenging experiences of our 

lives. Both are always evolving. Our company now has a team of 

nearly 60 people, and our daughters are ten and eight years old. 

In between all the work and child-rearing, we have to find time 

for ourselves and each other as a married couple. 

We are frequently asked how we “do it all.” Simply put, it takes 

hard work, being intentional with your time and having a real 

passion for what you do professionally. 

We do not subscribe to the idea of work-life balance. Balance 

indicates an even distribution. Anyone who has tried to manage 

their personal and professional lives knows nothing is ever equal, 

especially for those of us in the real estate industry. 

Instead, we suggest practicing work-life integration. According 

to UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business, work-life integration 

is "an approach that creates more synergies between all areas 

that define 'life': work, home/family, community, personal 

well-being, and health." This approach emphasizes weaving 

together the different areas of life rather than drawing firm 

boundaries between them. 

Here are a few things we have implemented to help us better 

achieve work-life integration. 

SELF-CARE 

For us, self-care is taking time away from both work and family 

duties to do something for ourselves as individuals. 

We make time for regular exercise and massage therapy. Amy 

gets her nails done once a week. Aaron has a daily meditation 

practice and commitment to reading books on thought leadership 

outside the real estate industry to gain a greater perspective. 

SHARING THE HOUSEHOLD 

& CHILD DUTIES 

Women often are the default managers of household work and 

childcare. When you have two working parents, it’s unfair for one 

parent to bear the majority of these duties. 

Recognizing that an imbalance existed within our own dynamic, 

a few years ago we began operating our household like our 

company. This does not mean we treat our children like 

employees. It means everyone has accountabilities. We made 

a list of the household tasks or invisible work in our home. Then, 

we assigned an owner to those tasks. If someone is not able to 

personally complete a task or finds it’s not the highest and best 

use of their time, they can outsource or delegate, but they must 

manage the process and make sure it gets done. 

We recommend leaning on friends and family, and when 

possible, hiring paid help. It truly takes a village to manage a 

family’s logistics. 

MANAGING YOUR SCHEDULE 

Since there are only 24-hours in a day, you need to use them wisely. 

Getting a good night’s sleep should absolutely be part of your 

schedule. Sleep is important because it enables your body to rest 

and repair. You should strive for at least eight hours every night. 

This leaves 16 more hours in your day. 

How can you be as productive as possible? It starts with being 

intentional with your schedule. Be protective of your time by 

limiting the number of meetings you have scheduled each day. 

Also, find your “on” time. If you are more energized in the morning, 

block that time for getting your deep work done. If you’re a late 

afternoon kind of person, schedule your calls and meetings in the 

earlier part of the day and save your projects for later. 

It may sound or seem selfish but taking time for yourself is one of 

the best things you can do to boost your productivity. It’s easier 

said than done. If you are having a hard time stepping away, we 

recommend scheduling it on your calendar. If it’s on your calendar, 

you’ll be more likely to commit. 

Being more intentional with your time leads to better quality work 

than trying to do it all and checking boxes. 

Continued on page 28 

BY AMY GALVIN & 

AARON GALVIN, 

LUXURY LIVING 

CHICAGO REALTY 


Continued from page 27 

PREDICTIVE TIME OFF 

We believe in taking predictive time off. This means scheduled 

vacation time where we are completely logged-off and not 

“checking in” on work. If you are dabbling, then you’re not really 

getting a break. For each day we are fully disconnected, not 

making decisions and focused on ourselves, there is a one-week 

residual effect. We find taking shorter vacations, often four to 

five days, allows us to recharge for about a month at our highest 

productivity. If you commit to disconnecting, you will feel it even 

more once you are home. 

SETTING CLIENT BOUNDARIES 

Since real estate can be a 24/7 business, it is crucial you set 

boundaries with your clients early in the relationship. If you don’t 

respect your time, they won’t either. 

back to them first thing the next day, we guarantee they will be 

understanding. If they aren’t, they’re probably not going to be a 

great client. 

LOVE WHAT YOU DO 

We mentioned at the beginning that you need to be passionate 

about your profession. 

If your job feels like a drag, evaluate why. Are you tired? Do you 

need some time off? Are you not seeing success? Find a manager, 

mentor or business coach to help you determine what is causing 

you to feel this way. 

It’s okay to be in love with your career. You spend the majority 

of your time working, so you better enjoy it. It’s awesome to be 

inspired by work, but just make sure you’re not a workaholic. 

Leave room in your life for other experiences. 

Many real estate professionals fear if they aren’t at their clients’ 

beck and call, they will lose them, but that’s not true. What it 

comes down to is setting expectations and communicating them. 

If you focus on integration versus balance and implement some 

of the tips we mentioned above, you’ll find more time to do it 

all, too. 

If you tell clients you don’t answer emails and texts after 7:00 PM 

because you are spending time with your family and you will get 

RESOURCES FOR YOUR 

WORK/LIFE BALANCE 

AND WELLNESS 

At CAR, we have many tools and 

resources that can help you create a 

better work/life balance and practice 

better wellness. Here are some tools 

to read, watch or listen that you can 

incorporate into your daily life. 

The Balancing Act: Lessons 

From the Other Side 

Finding time for yourself professionally 

and personally is a hard but necessary 

lesson to learn in life. Bobbi Howe 

shared with us her 15 steps to better 

balancing life in what can sometimes 

be a cutthroat industry. 

Good Morning! Successful 

Brokers Share Their Morning 

Routines 

A morning routine may be a small part 

of your day, but it’s important to get in 

the right mindset. Learn four brokers’ 

successful morning routines. 

Lifestyle and Wellness YPN 

Breakfast Podcast 

All previous YPN breakfast 

presentations are available to listen to 

in podcast form by searching Chicago 

REALTORS ® . The lifestyle and wellness 

breakfast explored how REALTORS ® 

can maintain healthy lifestyles in a 

hectic industry. 

Stress Management & Mental 

Wellness Webinar 

Our video resource library contains a 

variety of virtual events, including our 

recent Stress Management & Mental 

Wellness webinar, which highlights the 

importance of tuning into our mental 

well-being and tips for how to manage 

stress and anxiety. 

Use These Apps For Wellness 

Wellness apps can help you destress 

quickly, wherever you are. Discover 

the apps that can help you get better 

sleep, exercise and relax on the go! 

https://chicagorealtor.com/mental-wellness-resources-for-mental-health-awareness-month/ 


Cannabis 

and Real Estate 

Since being legalized at the beginning of this year, the marijuana 

industry has seen a gigantic boom in the city of Chicago, 

surrounding areas and the state of Illinois. Michael Malcolm, 

broker at @properties and owner of weedtravelfood.com, and 

Holly DuPart, broker and owner at RealtySmarts! Investment 

Services LLC and founder of the Common Sense Cannabis 

Foundation and Spark Clubs, shared insights on what to know 

about marijuana legalization now and for the future. 

Understand the Legalese 

Both DuPart and Malcolm stressed the importance of clients, 

REALTORS ® , tenants and landlords knowing their rights when 

it comes to marijuana growing and use. 

“Recreational is different from decriminalization,” DuPart said. 

Marijuana is legalized, meaning it can be used for recreational 

purposes, but that doesn’t mean it’s decriminalized, as there are 

still laws about how much a person can have in their possession, 

where consumption can take place, restrictions on age of use, 

and more. 

the building. Plus, according to the NAR study, 75% of residential 

property values and 67% of commercial property values near 

dispensaries were not impacted by the business’ opening 

or operations. 

Look to the Future 

Be prepared for industry growth in the future. “The industry is 

estimated to be between $ 2 billion to $ 4 billion annually once 

it matures,” Malcolm said. “There are tons of opportunities. Just 

like real estate, there are tons of ways to make money in [the 

marijuana] industry. I see a boom coming for REALTORS ® — we 

should be excited.” 

Check out the NAR Marijuana 

& Real Estate Report. 

Anticipate Any Questions or Concerns 

DuPart made it clear that it’s more important than ever to 

understand a clients' desires, especially when it comes to 

marijuana use. If you walk down the hallway of a building and 

smell marijuana being used nearby, it could positively or 

negatively impact the showing and sale, depending 

on your clients’ perspective. 

A National Association of REALTORS ® study 

from earlier this year showed that only about 29% 

of REALTORS ® in the U.S. have experienced issues 

with selling a grow house — and those concerns 

were highest in areas where solely prescription 

marijuana was legal. “Many people who grow in 

their homes are now making investments to do so, 

including tents that eliminate any issues with lingering 

smells or other long-lasting issues,” Malcolm said. 

What if a dispensary opens on your block? Reassure 

your clients' fears. “It’s not an issue about consuming on 

the property,” Malcolm said. “It’s more an issue of lines.” 

Legally, any product sold within a dispensary may not be 

consumed on the property — and in Illinois, may not be 

consumed on public property. The main issue for those in 

proximity to dispensaries is the potential for long lines outside of 

MICHAEL 

MALCOLM 

@properties 

HOLLY 

DUPART 

RealtySmarts! 

Investment 

Services LLC 


MEMBER BENEFITS 

New Safety Tool for You 

Newest Member Perk designed to help 

you operate more safely and securely 

When it comes to safety, there’s no such thing as too safe. Your 

safety is our priority. As REALTORS ® , you face safety risks every 

day: meeting new clients, touring vacant properties and hosting 

open houses and showings. 

With the ability to easily search and locate properties online, you’re 

being contacted by more unknown buyers now, than ever. With 

your safety in mind, we’re thrilled to introduce our newest member 

benefit, FOREWARN, designed to help you operate more safely 

and securely. 

FOREWARN is a proactive safety and intelligence app that can 

provide you instant knowledge about a prospective client before you 

ever meet face-to-face. The app, complimentary to our primary and 

secondary members, gives you important information, including: 

• Identity verification 

• Criminal record check 

• Bankruptcy, lien and judgement histories 

• Address history 

• Property records 

Best of all, this wealth of information is in one place — the 

FOREWARN app. FOREWARN works to take away some of the 

unknown, providing important information about your clients 

identities and empowering you to run more due diligence, so you 

can safely plan for your business with confidence. 

Through the FOREWARN app, you can get instant mobile identity 

verification and search public records for over 98% of the adult 

population in the U.S. Most people can be searched and verified 

from their phone number alone. 

A FEW KEY TIPS: 

• Keep in mind: if you are unable to find someone in the app 

through their phone number, this doesn’t necessarily mean 

they are trying to defraud you. You can gather further details 

and use the additional search functionality (such as the 

“Search by name” menu) to verify your prospect. 

• When searching by name, if there are more than 100 results for 

your query, FOREWARN will display “Too many records found” 

and prompt you to re-run your search using additional criteria. 

• If you search missed calls from telemarketing companies, you 

will get the result “Record not found” because that phone 

number has never been owned by, or associated with, a person. 

• Please note that you must limit your FOREWARN searches 

to professional uses only.* FOREWARN activity is actively 

monitored (search terms and volume) to ensure proper use 

by our Subscribers as outlined in the Subscriber Agreement 

and the FOREWARN Terms and Conditions. FOREWARN 

is a powerful tool intended only for the increased safety 

and efficiency of your business. Proper use of the service by 

real estate professionals ensures that we can continue to 

provide this valuable tool to the industry. 

GETTING STARTED 

Setting up your complimentary FOREWARN account is quick 

and easy! 

1. Visit ChicagoREALTOR.com/Forewarn and click on the link to 

sign up. Enter your email address when prompted to do so. 

Please be sure to use an active email address, as this will 

serve as your FOREWARN ‘Username.’" 

2. Once you enter your email and your membership is verified, 

you will receive an activation email from FOREWARN. Open it 

and click the link as instructed. If you do not see the email, 

please check your junk/spam folder. 

3. You’ll be directed to a page where you will enter the last 4 

digits of your cell phone number. 

a. If the first 6 digits of the number displayed are not 

related to your cell phone number, please contact 

FOREWARN Support at 561.757.4551 to update them 

with your correct cell phone number. 

4. You will be prompted to enter the confirmation code texted 

to that phone number. Upon confirmation, you will be 

prompted to create an account password. 

5. Now you are ready to download the FOREWARN app from 

the app store. 

6. After activating your account, you can also log into your 

FOREWARN account from any web browser via the 

FOREWARN.com homepage (click ‘Sign In’ at top-right) or 

https://app.forewarn.com/. 

If you experience any difficulty setting up your pa–ssword or logging into FOREWARN, 

please reach out to FOREWARN support at 561.757.4551 or support@forewarn.com 

(Monday – Friday; 8AM-4PM CST). 

*You understand that the Services contain sensitive information governed by certain local, state, and federal laws, including the 

Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) and The Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (DPPA) and the Cook County Human Rights Ordinance, as 

amended by the Just Housing Amendment, all of which You certify to comply. You certify that YOU will request, access, and use 

the Services solely for the specific uses listed below and pursuant to all applicable laws, including the aforementioned laws. 

Access FOREWARN and other 

REALTOR ® Safety Tools. 


REALTOR ® SPOTLIGHT 

Tips for Every Step 

of Your Career: 

Advice from Chicago REALTORS ® 

We reached out to Chicago REALTORS ® , all at 

different points in their career, to share the one piece 

of advice they have for others in the industry. Here’s 

what they had to say. 

What is the most 

important lesson 

you learned in your 

career? 

MALAYNA JOHNSON 

COLDWELL BANKER REALTY 

1 Year in the Industry 

“Organize, organize, organize. I have 

a list of questions to ask for a listing 

appointment to make sure I’m super 

prepared and don’t need to call back in the 

future. Same thing for buyers.” 

AMY WU 

KELLER WILLIAMS SUCCESS REALTY 

1 Year in the Industry 

“I would say the most important lesson 

I’ve learned thus far is to never give up and 

be consistent. Real estate is competitive, 

and it can be discouraging when you’re not 

producing, but you don’t eat the fruit the day you 

plant the seed.” 

TRISCHA WILLIAMS 

VESTA PREFERRED REALTY 

3 Years in the Industry 

“No one is more invested in your career 

and your production than you. It's very 

important to know that every choice, every 

move you make, should consciously be one 

that moves you toward the direction of your goals 

and ultimate objective.” 

JILL SILVERSTEIN 

COMPASS 


“You should expand before you’re ready. 

Understanding where you’re going and 

how to expand to get there is the best way 

to be proactive. Whatever your goal is, it’s 

important to expand to have the right players 

in place.” 

NIKO VOUTSINAS 

REDFIN 


“I think a lot of people network blindly 

without a focus. You have to learn what 

is productive networking. It’s important to 

understand, ‘What are the connections I need 

to have?’ and, ‘What will be best for my clients?’” 


MARION VALLE 

VALLE REALTY 

30+ Years in the Industry 

“Success in the real estate profession is 

not how hard you work at your profession 

but how well you work – the word ‘well’ 

being defined as how professionally you 

conducted your actions, your complete knowledge 

of the tools of the trade, your knowledge of 

the product you are selling or leasing, your 

understanding of the customs and practices of 

the real estate business, and your knowledge of 

the real estate laws. All of this and your ability to 

communicate to your clients will determine how 

successful you will be in the real estate business.” 

What do you wish you 

knew at the beginning 

of your career that 

you know now? 

AUSTIN PEARSON 

PEARSON REALTY GROUP 


“I wish I knew where to find new business. 

A majority of a broker's day-to-day isn't 

always showing and selling real estate; 

it's also prospecting and marketing. Knowing 

where to find and grow new business opportunities 

is crucial for any new broker to learn at the start of 

their career.” 

SONIA ANAYA 

AMERICA REAL ESTATE 

30+ Years in the Industry 

“I think, as REALTORS ® , we start our 

careers with this mentality that we are in 

competition with other fellow REALTORS ® . 

While our job does entail working on branding 

ourselves and continuously looking for more 

business, we have to remember that there is enough 

business to go around. REALTORS ® are coworkers 

and we must learn to work together.” 

RASHEED SHOFIDIYA 

KALE REALTY 


“I wish that I would’ve learned earlier 

the importance of following up! It’s one 

thing to meet someone, and it’s another to 

connect with them and build a long-standing 

relationship. People do business with people and 

brands that they know, like and trust, and without 

following up, it’s difficult to genuinely build an 

cultivate relationships.” 

ALEX WOLKING 

KELLER WILLIAMS CHICAGO – 

LINCOLN PARK 


“Know what you know and know what you 

don’t know. When you know who you are, 

you can carve out a niche for yourself to focus 

on what you’re good at.” 

RYAN GABLE 

STARTING POINT REALTY 


“I wish I knew the importance of the 

REALTOR ® community. Just recently, I’ve 

become more involved in my association. 

Volunteering and being a part of boards and 

committees has had a huge impact on me. Being 

a cheerleader and advocate has made this job so 

much more fun and enjoyable.” 


WELCOME TO 

LINCOLN 

SQUARE 

A small town feel within the big city — 

that’s how many people would refer to 

the Lincoln Square community. Located 

about 10 miles north of downtown 

Chicago, Lincoln Square is made up of the 

smaller neighborhoods of Ravenswood 

Gardens, Bowmanville, Budlong Woods 

and Rosehill Cemetery. 

THE HISTORY 

Founded in the 1840s, German 

immigrants were drawn to the prairie 

and farmland that existed there. Other 

farmers, including seasonal Polish 

and Eastern European workers, were 

drawn there due to the production of 

flowers, pickles and celery, which led to 

distribution of celery crops. Seeing an 

opportunity, the Budlong brothers also 

opened a pickle factory and greenhouse, 

which all came together as a perfect 

storm that drew many people to the area. 

Then, in the early 1900s, came the 

creation of taverns, hotels and electric

street cars. The rest, as they say, was 

history, as neighborhood growth boomed, 

to the point where it was annexed in the 

city of Chicago in the 1920s. Farmland 

turned to bungalows, two-flats, apartments 

and more of what you see in the 

neighborhood today. 

WHAT TO EXPECT 

This inviting neighborhood walks the 

line between being a metropolitan area 

and a cozy, tight-knit community with 

green-lined streets tucked behind the 

busy crossroads. The neighborhood 

centers around the actual Lincoln 

Square, the middle of town where the 

pedestrian-friendly Lincoln Avenue is 

lined with restaurants, stores and a statue 

of Abraham Lincoln himself. You will 

also find other town squares and parks 

throughout the neighborhood, including 

River Park, Winnemac Park and Welles 

Park, to name just a few. 

“I think it’s got the village-effect 

atmosphere with the commercial 

shopping district, nice restaurants, mom 

and pop stores, train station, parks and 

amenities for everybody,” Brian Connolly, 

@properties, said. 

The crossroads of Lawrence and Western 

Avenues, plus the Brown Line stop only a 

few blocks away, are a reminder that this 

quiet neighborhood is still part of the big, 

bustling city just a few miles away. 

Stephanie Cutter of Coldwell Banker 

Realty said this is one of the features that 

continues to draw people to the area. “It’s 

on the Brown Line, so it’s not a surprise 

that neighborhoods along those lines 

grow and remain desirable.” 

ON-THE-RISE 

FOODIE 

DESTINATION 

You don’t need a passport to get tastes 

from around the globe; all you need to 

do is walk through the Lincoln Square 

archway. Cuisines from Argentina, Greece, 

Mexico, Thailand and Germany, to name 

a few, can be found within a short walk of 

the neighborhood center. 

Gene’s Sausage Shop and Delicatessen 

and Pannenkoeken Cafe are a throwback 

Continued on page 36 


Continued from page 35 

to the immigrants who first established 

the land. Gene’s Sausage Shop is 

a gourmet European market and 

delicatessen. The downstairs sells over 

40 types of sausages in the market, 

and the upstairs is an airy rooftop beer 

and wine garden with a menu featuring 

food from the downstairs market. 

Pannenhoeken Cafe is a go-to spot for 

breakfast featuring traditional Dutch 

sweet and savory pancakes. 

Classic American spots like Café Selmarie 

and Gather are the go-to places for 

family-style dinners and wine. Café 

Selmarie is an establishment of the 

neighborhood and a hot spot for not only 

celebrations, but also an approachable 

spot to stop in for lunch. Gather is a local 

haven with a warm atmosphere where 

half the dining room is held for walk-in 

gatherings. 

Just down the street, you will also find 

places like Artango Bar & Steakhouse, 

Jimmy’s Pizza Cafe, The Sixth and Baker 

Miller for food and drinks. You will 

even find Michelin star restaurants like 

Goosefoot and Elizabeth Restaurant. If 

variety is the spice you’re looking for in 

life, you won’t have to look any farther 

than Lincoln Square. 

SHOP TILL 

YOU DROP 

The mix of old and new may be most 

visible in the neighborhood’s shopping 

options. Timeless Toys on Lincoln Avenue 

has been standing tall for more than two 

decades. Selling unique toys that can’t 

be found in big box stores, this store is a 

child’s haven. 

Merz Apothecary has been a landmark 

since 1875. Carrying natural health 

products, this location was established 

by a Peter Merz, a Swiss immigrant who 

wanted to serve his fellow Europeans in 

the area. Walking into this store, you still 

get the old world feel that the apothecary 

has held on to since its opening. 

ARTS & CULTURE 

Landmarks of Lincoln Square also 

include multiple arts-focused 

establishments. Music classes are held 

at the Old Town School of Folk Music. 

Musicians of all ages, skillsets and 

instruments can take a class, schedule 

repairs for their equipment and shop 

for all their music needs. The Davis 

Theater, formally the Pershing Theater, 

was founded in 1918 and currently plays 

movies. It is also the longest operating 

theater in the city of Chicago. 

The German heritage of this neighborhood 

is also celebrated in parades, 

festivals and the DANK Haus German 

American cultural center, a singlegallery 

museum used for events. The 

annual Von Steuben German Day 

Parade goes through the neighborhood 

every September to celebrate the 

accomplishments of Baron Friedrich 

von Steuben. 


HOUSING 

SNAPSHOT 

Lincoln Squares’ diversity doesn’t stop 

when looking at the homes in the area. 

Two and three-flat buildings dominate a 

majority of the area, but if you’re looking for 

something a little different, you will still be 

able to find it here. Victorian era and prairie 

style homes can be found within the treelined 

streets of the neighborhood along the 

north branch of the Chicago River. 

New construction has also been popping 

up as of recently, including single-family 

homes, townhouses and condominiums. 

“Lincoln Square feels like it has more 

elbow room than other neighborhoods 

in the area,” Cutter said. 

Not only are the houses diverse, so are 

the people that live there. “We get empty 

nesters who want to stay in the city, young 

couples starting families, just a lot of 

variety,” Connolly said. 

Come to Lincoln Square to get the best of 

both worlds: the old and new, the city but 

also the small town feel and so much more. 


Government Affairs Update 

How We're Advocating For You 

Under normal circumstances, our focus here would capture our 

advocacy efforts during the Illinois REALTORS ® Capitol Conference 

and National Association of REALTORS ® Midyear Legislative Meetings 

— but this year is different. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Chicago 

REALTORS ® were not able to visit Springfield and Washington, D.C. 

to discuss pressing real estate related matters in Chicago. Throughout 

these past few months, despite evolving restrictions and social 

distancing mandates, your Government Affairs team has worked with 

lawmakers across the board to ensure your voice was heard. Here’s 

a little of what we’ve been up to: 

REAL ESTATE DEEMED ESSENTIAL 

IN ILLINOIS 

Thanks to REALTOR ® advocacy, real estate was deemed an essential 

service throughout the duration of Governor Pritzker’s “shelter in 

place” executive order. This allowed you to continue providing 

necessary service to consumers, although not exactly business as 

usual. With your safety in mind, REALTOR ® advocacy was crucial in 

the temporary authorization of Remote Online Notary services, to 

reduce face-to-face contact during a transaction and help protect 

our industry and our clients. 

ADVOCACY CRITICAL TO ECONOMIC 

AID & UNEMPLOYMENT 

Efforts to minimize governmental hurdles could do nothing to prevent 

the severe economic blows that reverberated week after week, with 

record-breaking unemployment claims. Job losses and reduced 

income hit individuals and families hard. One of the most asked 

questions by REALTORS ® was about unemployment benefits. Under 

the $ 2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security (CARES) 

Act, independent contractors and the self-employed were eligible to 

receive unemployment benefits. 

This unprecedented move was a major victory for REALTOR ® 

advocacy, although many states — including Illinois — were 

unprepared to include the additional groups for benefits. Illinois 

Department of Employment Security (IDES) was eventually able 

to process requests; however, this is an example of governmental 

agencies needing to act quickly during a crisis (something they 

are not known for, typically). In response, CAR contracted with 

an unemployment specialist to guide REALTORS ® through the 

unemployment benefit application process via the Unemployment 

Application Guidance Hotline. 

Another bureaucratic hurdle was presented at the Cook County 

Recorder of Deeds office. Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, employees 

of the Recorder’s office were not issued laptops to work remotely. 

When County buildings closed, several of these agencies had to 

respond by renegotiating with unions and programing computers 

for staff to work from home. There were some minor hiccups but 

all in all, the Recorder’s Office responded to industry needs. We 

maintained regular communication with the Recorder’s office, the 

Treasurer, Assessor and County Board Commissioners, as well as the 

City Department of Finance to ensure full payment certificates and 

transfer stamps were processed; these regular contacts and others 

ensured you were able to continue transacting business. 

We want to give a special acknowledgement to County Commissioner 

Bridget Gainer, Chair of the Business and Economic Development 

Committee, who was quick to prepare businesses for the funds made 

available through the Small Business Administration (SBA). Her office 

joined our April Coffee with your GADs, and CAR in turn was able to 

co-host a Town Hall to prepare real estate organizations for the influx 

of available funding (which went quickly to assist small businesses 

across the country). 

RENT CONTROL, RENT STRIKES 

& PROPERTY TAX BURDENS 

The landlord-tenant dynamic came under attack once more during 

the pandemic. We continue to closely monitor and actively engage in 

discussions on housing and rental assistance. 

During the crisis, rent strikes were called for by various groups. 

These voices were used to highlight the preemption of rent control 

in Illinois. Even in crisis mode, there is a misconception of landlords 

and the usage of rental dollars, which go towards maintaining 

properties, paying off debt service agreements, property taxes, 

staff, etc. The real estate industry suffered a great blow in the 

pandemic; calling on rent strike measures only goes to show the 

disconnect between pro-rent control groups and the realities of 

owning and maintaining a property. 

Keep in mind: mortgage forbearance is not forgiveness by any stretch 

of the imagination, but rather allows a property owner to delay 

payments until a future date. Property taxes are a whole other story. 

Property taxes help to ensure cities function and operate. We’re firm in 

this: any rental assistance must consider both ends of the spectrum, 

both renter and landlord. Furthermore, property taxes continue to 

crush property owners across Cook County and the state. These two 

issues (rent control and property taxes) will haunt the industry but rest 

assured, your Government Affairs team will not back down. 

LOOK OUT FOR THE FAIR TAX 

BALLOT INITIATIVE 

In addition to our pandemic work, don’t forget about the Governor’s 

Fair Tax Ballot initiative — a graduated income tax, with a higher rate 

for those making in excess of $ 250,000. In the November general 

election, voters will decide this issue, and 60% of voters must vote 

in favor of the measure for it to become law. 

UPDATE ON THE ADU ORDINANCE 

Giving credit where credit is due, the City Council is advancing an 

Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Ordinance. Accessory Dwelling 

Units is a catch-all phrase for areas in a residential neighborhood not 


normally zoned for housing — for example, 

some basements and attics qualify, as 

do coach houses. One prominent and 

recognizable example of an ADU? In the TV 

show “Happy Days,” the Fonz lived above 

the Cunningham’s garage. The City is taking 

pragmatic steps to reverse decades of 

regulation which forbade ADUs. The matter 

will be debated in City Council and while 

the final outcome may be less desirable 

than some would hope for, any legislation 

that incentivizes the construction of more 

housing units is a win for affordable housing 

and a win for the REALTORS ® ! 

WHAT’S NEXT FOR REAL 

ESTATE & ADVOCACY 

As we prepare for the post-COVID-19 world 

and return to normalcy, it also means a 

return to an environment in which private 

property rights are under attack, attempts 

to add bureaucracy will delay transactions 

and most importantly, we will all be asked 

to dig deeper in our pockets to fund the 

City of Chicago, the County of Cook and 

the State of Illinois. 

Prior to the COVID-19 crisis, a multitude of 

bad policy ideas were under discussion. 

Now, some of those ideas are in hyperdrive 

and knee-jerk responses from elected 

officials are abundant. To name a few: 

• Rent holidays/ rent abatement 

• Relocation fees for tenants (Fair 

Notice Ordinance) 

• Giving those with lapsed leases more 

time to move out (90 days notice in the 

Fair Notice Ordinance) 

• Just cause evictions, which strip the 

landlord from choosing new tenants 

unless the tenant fails to pay rent or 

engages in criminal activity 

• Tenants having right of first refusal for 

the sale of large buildings (Woodlawn 

Housing Preservation Ordinance) 

• Introduction of a City version of the 

Just Housing Ordinance 

• A Bill of Rights specific to Senior 

Citizen Housing 

REALTORS ® need to be aware of the 

challenges forthcoming. You have a 

dedicated Government Affairs team who 

attends hearings and council meetings 

and meets with senior staff of on your 

behalf. But as always, you can help us, 

help you! Respond to any Call for Action 

sent to you — and encourage your peers 

to respond as well. Elected officials must 

hear from you to know and understand 

“The Power of R!” 

Soon, October and November will be here 

— and the changing of seasons brings 

about municipal budget proposals. At that 

time, both the Mayor and the Cook County 

Board President will present budgets. 

Both units of government have obligations 

to fund pensions and, as with most other 

big cities, both units of government saw a 

significant decrease in the collection of tax 

revenue. As of early this summer the city 

projected a deficit in excess of $ 700 million. 

Undoubtedly, tax and fee increases will be 

part of each proposal. 

After the Great Recession of 2008, we 

persevered; post-COVID-19, we will also 

persevere. 

BREAKING DOWN 

$1 DOLLAR OF RENT 

There exists a misconception that rental housing owners enjoy large margins 

and can continue operating in the absence of rent payments. 

Only 9 cents of every $1 are 

returned to owners, including the 

many apartment owners who are 

themselves small businesses and rely 

on this revenue to make ends meet, 

and investors, which include public 

pensions and 401ks, on which many 

Americans rely—whether or not they 

reside in rental housing. 

Approximately 39 cents of every $1 

pays for the mortgage on the property. 

Roughly two-thirds of the apartment industry 

has private lenders and are ineligible for 

federal mortgage forbearance via the 

CARES Act. This is a critical expense, as 

mortgage foreclosures put all residents 

at risk of losing their housing. 

With so much discussion around rent payments during COVID-19, 

the rental housing industry would like to explain 

the breakdown of $1 dollar of rent. 

10 cents of every $1 is spent 

on capital expenditures, including 

roof and HVAC replacement and 

other important repairs that help 

ensure quality housing for America’s 

40 million rental housing residents. 

27 cents of every $1 covers payroll expenses, including 

paying employees who operate and maintain the property, 

ongoing maintenance, utilities, insurance and the like. 

14 cents of every $1 goes to property taxes, which in turn supports the community through financing for schools, 

teachers, emergency services and other important local needs. 

Between mortgage payments and investor returns, which help support many Americans’ retirement plans, and dollars put back into the 

apartment community to ensure quality living for residents, a rent payment is much more important than one might otherwise realize. 

Source: National Apartment Association 2019 Survey of Operating Income & Expenses in Rental Apartment Communities; U.S. Census Bureau 

2015 Rental Housing Finance Survey; Real Capital Analytics; Redstone Residential 

Note: Figures based on averages and approximations; because apartment community spends vary based on size and location, among other factors, one cent remains that can fall into any of the listed categories. 

WE WANT TO HEAR 

FROM YOU 

Keep in mind: your Government Affairs staff 

is here for you. Our monthly Coffee with the 

GADs meetings are excellent venues for you 

to share your concerns. 

As needs and hot topics arise, please call or 

email us to request issue specific webinars 

or programming you desire. This brings 

more value to you as a member and makes 

sure our staff is meeting your needs. 

Sign up to receive REALTOR ® Party Mobile 

Alerts: text REALTOR to 30644. 

Contact your GADs Kristopher J. Anderson, 

Director of Government & External Affairs and 

Adriann Murawski, Director of Government 

Affairs. 

Reprinted with permission of the National Apartment Association. 


Special Advertising Section 

INDUSTRY PARTNERS 

Annual Report 

Each year, several of our Industry Partners produce annual reports to provide updates on various demographics 

within the housing market. Here are some of the interesting and noteworthy statistics from our Industry Partners. 

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

areaa.org/greaterchicago/ @AREAAchicago @areaagreaterchicago 

AREAA recently released the 2019 State of Asia America Report. In 2019, AAPI homeownership rate was at 57%. Other 

noteworthy statistics from the report include: 

• AAPI loans are more likely to have three or more borrowers compared to non-Hispanic whites due to 

multigenerational households. 

• AAPI tend to be younger and have higher credit scores and higher income than overall population. 

• AAPI individuals total of 6.9% of the population in the Chicago area. 

• In the Chicago area, there are 158,460 mortgage-ready individuals. 

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

facebook.com/groups/NAGLREPChicagoChapter/ 

NAGLREP recently released the 2020-2021 LGBT Real Estate Report. Interesting and noteworthy statistics from the 

report include: 

• The top four reasons LGBT renters are becoming homeowners are: to stop paying rent to someone else, the 

freedom to decorate their own space, making a financial investment for the future and family stability. 

• The LGBT homeownership rate was 49%, which is much less than the national average of 65%. 

• 94% of the LGBT community greatly values safety and a welcoming community when choosing a neighborhood; 

however, 46% fear discrimination in their future homebuying process. 

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

www.nahrepchicago.org/ 

@nahrepchicago 

NAHREP recently released its 2019 State of Hispanic Homeownership Report, which states: 

• The Hispanic homeownership rate was 47.5%. 

• From 2009 to 2019 Hispanics accounted for 40.4% of the overall growth in household formations. 

• Between 2000-2018, Hispanics more than tripled their contribution to the housing share of the GDP. 

NAGLREP Chicago 

NAHREP Chicago Chapter 

AREAA Greater Chicago 


Special Advertising Section 

WCR Chicago 


VAREP 


FIABCI - Midwest 

Real Estate to the Rescue 

FIABCI - Midwest 

NAHREP Chicago Chapter 

Dearborn REALTIST ® Board 




INTRODUCING 

THE 77 AND OUR 

DIVERSITY 

COMMITTEE! 

The 77 General Body is a representation of Chicago as a whole. 

Diversity is defined by a range of human differences, including 

but not limited to: race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual 

orientation, age, social class, physical ability or attributes, 

religious or ethical values system, skills & specialties, national 

origin and political beliefs. 

The 77, named after Chicago’s 77 unique neighborhoods, will: 

• Tackle topics like fair housing and economic development 

• Engage with local chambers of commerce and quasigovernmental 

bodies (i.e. TIF Boards) 

• Seek placemaking grant opportunities 

• Serve (via a designated representative) each community 

and provide local REALTORS ® with answers to frequently 

asked questions, advice and association information. 

Q&A WITH DIVERSITY 

COMMITTEE CHAIR 

ALEXANDER CHAPARRO 

Q: How do you see The 77? 

Alex Chaparro: I see The 77 as the evolution of 

what it means to have a formalized diversity 

committee. I want to make sure The 77 features 

every voice of diversity in the city of Chicago 

and surrounding areas. 

Q: What are your goals for the committee presently and 

in the future? 

AC: As of right now, The 77 has been working virtually, but 

the excitement for the future is still strong. We are discussing 

activities that we can do in different communities once the stay 

at home order has been lifted. 

For the industry as a whole, I want to ensure this provides a 

platform for people to talk about challenges and opportunities 

in communities, to protect private property rights and so 

much more. 

I think The 77 will provide the opportunity for individuals to 

learn and grow from one another, to be able to serve the city of 

Chicago as one and to bring true inclusion to CAR’s membership. 

I think CAR is leading in being proactive and creative, and we 

need to have a voice where we work and live. 

Personally, I believe this is the evolution of formal committees 

for diversity. This is a phenomenal opportunity for people to 

engage with CAR who would not normally. I want to make sure 

I am laying a foundation for this to last for many years to come. 


MEET THE 77 COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES 

Note: There will be two community representatives for the Near Southside, Chatham, Edgewater, Englewood and Ashburn 

neighborhoods. This is due to the high level of and/or lack thereof economic development and community activities in the area. 

10 of the Community Representatives will represent their region on the Diversity Committee. 

Albany Park 

LAUREN 

BERGIEL 

Archer 

Heights 

ARACELY 

MEDRANO 

Armour 

Square 

MINA 

TSE 

Ashburn 

JESSE 

COLEMAN 

Auburn 

Gresham 

& Beverly 

LUTALO 

McGEE 

Austin Avalon Park 

ALLISON SHEREE 

McGOWAN SANDERSON 

Avondale 

JUAN 

ELIAS 

Belmont 

Cragin 

DAVID 

HERNANDEZ 

Berwyn 

LUIS 

ORTIZ 

Bridgeport 

C.K. 

COLE 

Brighton Park 

LUIS 

TREJO 

MARTINEZ 

Burnside 

CRYSTAL 

BLANTON 

Calumet 

Heights 

MICHELLE 

FLAGG 

Chatham 

KIMBERLY 

OFFORD 

ROGERS 

PARK 

Chatham Chicago Lawn 

LASHANDRIA & Ashburn 

SANDERSON SHAUN 

PINKSTON 

Douglas 

TERRY 

PERDUE 

Dunning 

ALEX 

CHAPARRO 

CHAIR 

Edison Park 

DYMPNA 

FAY-HART 

Edgewater 

KEITH 

GOAD 

Edgewater 

ANDRE 

PELOQUIN 

Englewood 

FRANCINE 

POOLE 

Englewood 

BRANDON 

HAMPTON 

Forest Glen 

ROBERT 

PADRON 

Garfield 

Ridge 

ERIKA 

VILLEGAS 

Grand 

Boulevard 

SHEILA 

DANTZLER 

Greater 

Grand 

Crossing 

CASSANDRA 

SNEED 

Hermosa 

MEGAN 

OSWALD 

BERWYN 

Hyde Park 

ERIKA 

FINLEY 

Jefferson 

Park 

EMILIA 

CRESPO 

Kenwood 

MEKIA 

HEARN 

Lake View 

MATT 

SILVER 

Lincoln Park 

DEB 

GOLDBERG 

Lincoln Square 

ANASTASIO 

FOURKAS 

Logan 

Square 

MIKUS 

KINS 

Loop 

LYNN 

BRAHIN 

McKinley 

Park 

CHRIS 

PEZZA 

Montclare 

MEL 

ALVIZURES 

Morgan Park 

DONA 

CRANE 

Mount 

Greenwood 

PHILLIP 

PIPPION 

Near North 

Side 

MARLA 

FORBES 

Near South 

Side 

JT 

BYRNE 

Near West 

Side 

SHARON 

AGUILERA 

MOUNT 

GREEN- 

WOOD 

New City 

ROBERTO 

ALMAZAN 

North Center 

LINDA 

HATTAR 

North 

Lawndale 

WILONDA 

CANNON 

Norwood Park 

ROSEMARY 

DE CID 

Oakland 

TIFFANY 

TAYLOR 

Portage Park 

RUTH 

WASKIUKIEWICZ 

Pullman 

SANDRA 

PATTERSON 

Rogers Park 

MARC 

DUMAS 

Roseland & 

Riverdale 

MICHAEL 

LAFARGUE 

South 

Deering 

SHARON 

AVERHART 

South Shore 

SARAH 

WARE 

Uptown 

ANTONIA 

MILLS 

Washington 

Heights 

LUCRETIA 

MARTIN 

Washington 

Park 

TANIUS 

STAMPER 

West Elsdon 

GASPAR 

FLORES 

West 

Englewood 

SHERYL 

CARTER 

West Garfield 

Park 

TRACEY 

ROYAL 

West Lawn 

MIGUEL 

SANCHEZ 

West Ridge 

LORENZO 

SANCHEZ 

West Town 

JOSEPH 

BETANCOURT 

Woodlawn 

PHILLIP 

DIXON 

OPEN 

North Park 

O'Hare 

Irving Park 

Humboldt Park 

East Garfield Park 

South Lawndale 

Fuller Park 

Clearing 

South Chicago 

West Pullman 

Riverdale 

Hegewisch 

Gage Park 

Lower West Side 

East Side 

Visit ChicagoREALTOR.com/The77 to meet the 

representatives and stay up to date on their work. 


ONE-ON-ONE 

WITH 

CHICAGO’S 

30 UNDER 30 

HONOREES 

At the end of March, the National Association of REALTORS ® 

announced their final 30 Under 30 list of honorees, featuring three 

Chicago REALTORS ® ! Emily Ackerman of Compass, Jordan Pyle 

of Keller Williams Chicago – Lincoln Park and Rachel Scheid of 

Coldwell Banker Realty were honored among the best and brightest 

young REALTORS ® in the country. We had the opportunity to catch 

up with these three after their wins to discuss how they’ve made it 

to this point in their careers, what being honored means to them, 

their plans for the future and more! 

Show Up, Be Present, & Find a Mentor 

When it comes to applying for the 30 Under 30 list, Pyle knows a 

bit about it. He’s applied for the honor twice, so he shared some 

of his wisdom for those looking to apply in the future. He said it’s 

important to apply early in your career, even if you don’t feel you’re 

able to compete for a spot. He believes that applying early helps 

you aim higher and gain more potential. He also highly suggests 

getting as immersed and involved in the industry as possible to 

set yourself up as a leader. 

He emphasizes the importance of showing up and being present 

every day. “If you look at things day to day, it may seem like nothing 

changes, but looking out over 5 years, so much has changed,” 

he said. 

Scheid encourages others to get involved at the state and local 

level before applying for 30 Under 30, as part of gaining a spot on 

the list is demonstrating you’re a well-rounded REALTOR ® . She also 

emphasizes the importance of focusing on growing your business 

as well as your relationships with other REALTORS ® in the industry. 


As for Ackerman, she thinks that being a 

strong professional and gaining a merit 

like this go hand-in-hand. She encourages 

others to find a mentor, someone who you 

trust and is authentic that also believes 

in you and your potential, as the only way 

to grow professionally is through gaining 

exposure to as many peers as possible. 

Ackerman also says that it’s important 

to realize you’re not better than any task. 

“They are all building blocks to the broker 

you will be,” she said. 

Pyle and Scheid both highlight the 

importance of finding a mentor when 

getting started in a real estate career. 

“You’re the average of the five professionals 

you surround yourself with,” Pyle said. 

Scheid says that being involved with CAR 

helped her gain knowledge from mentors. 

“Taking advantage of local and statewide 

look to the next step in his career. He 

views the honor as a platform to have an 

even louder and more trusted voice within 

the Chicago real estate industry. Also, he 

hopes this honor will give him opportunity 

to connect with other innovators in the 

industry to continue to grow. 

For Scheid, a vocal industry advocate and 

a managing broker with a long history 

of volunteering with CAR and the Illinois 

REALTORS ® , it was never her intention 

to apply for the list, until she found 

out about this year’s theme: advocacy. 

Because of that alone, she thought she 

had a good chance of being considered, 

and she was right. 

As real estate is an industry that 

oftentimes bases success on annual 

production, Scheid loves that this award 

is based more on REALTORS ® ’ all-around 

hard work as a professional, rather than 

A Culture of Involvement 

& Improvement 

It’s clear this group has lofty goals for 

themselves and their businesses moving 

forward. For Scheid, her focus was on 

one person. “I want to be the Beyoncé of 

real estate!” she said. She aims to build 

a culture of empowerment for those in 

her sphere and her community. “We can 

create safe, fun and exciting communities, 

and I want to be a part of that.” 

Ackerman’s goals were along similar lines. 

She wants to be able to help as many 

people as possible by not only being an 

educator to others, but also an advisor, 

advocate and protector for younger 

professionals. She is currently looking at 

ways to take her business to the next level 

for her current and past clients. 

Pyle wants to see his company running 

by itself without him in the next few years. 

EMILY ACKERMAN 

COMPASS 

JORDAN PYLE 

KELLER WILLIAMS CHICAGO - 

LINCOLN PARK 

RACHEL SCHEID 

COLDWELL BANKER REALTY 

free or affordable events connected me 

with seasoned REALTORS ® who were 

more than willing to give me insight and 

continuously check in on my progress.” 

Set & Achieve Your Goals 

Hard work pays off. These three know 

that, especially Pyle. He came into this 

industry as a city outsider who faced an 

uphill battle to learn about the city and 

the industry as a whole to get to where he 

is now. 

Pyle always aimed to make the 30 Under 

30 list, and this merit will now help him 

popularity and numbers. She also believes 

the number of CAR members honored this 

year (the most ever), speaks volumes for 

CAR as an association and the work we 

do to cultivate the next group of young 

professionals. 

As for Ackerman, she echoes Scheid’s 

excitement to be honored on a less 

production-focused list. As she said, the 

real estate industry can be quick to reduce 

your work down to the work you’ve done 

and the energy you put in. This honor, she 

believes, is confirmation that she is on the 

right trajectory in her career. 

He also wants to build multiple streams of 

business under his real estate umbrella, 

including something health and fitnessrelated, 

and act as a coach for others in 

the industry. 

With the successes these three have had 

so far, it’s only a matter of time before we 

see these goals become reality. 


COMMUNITY 

CLEAN-UP 

DAYS WITH 

THE 77 

On Saturday, June 13, CAR 

members joined The 77 and 

members of the Chicago 

community on the South and 

West Sides for a clean up day 

to show support and help with 

recovery efforts. Thank you to 

Lutalo McGee, Wilonda Cannon, 

Chicago City Treasurer Melissa 

Conyears-Ervin and everyone 

who helped organize these 

opportunities. 


Golfers doing what they do. 

Photos courtesy Wilonda Cannon, Ani Real Estate, 

and Jessica Kern and Regan Traphagen of the 

Chicago Association of REALTORS ® 


Association News 

IDFPR Extends Broker Renewal 

Deadline to September 30, 2020 

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation 

(IDFPR) has extended renewal dates and continuing education (CE) 

deadlines until September 30, 2020. If you hold a broker license, 

you are now required to complete CE prior to the extended renewal 

date to successfully renew your license. In addition, any pre- or 

post-license or CE course that was required to be provided in a live 

classroom setting is now allowed to be provided by technological 

or on-line methods. The live requirement has been waived through 

July 31, 2020. 

NAHREP Chicago 

Honored as 2019 NAHREP 

Chapter of the Year 

The National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals 

(NAHREP) has honored the Chicago chapter as the 2019 Chapter 

of the Year. The chapter was involved in developing the National 

Advocacy Committee last 

year and was dedicated 

to sharing NAHREP’s 

mission of increasing 

sustainable Hispanic 

homeownership. 

Additionally, IDFPR warns of possible delays in renewing your license 

due to many other industries with the same renewal deadline. 

Consider completing your CE and renewing your license as soon as 

possible to avoid delays. Our virtual classes will help you knock out 

your CE credits during any downtime you may have right now. Visit 

ChicagoREALTOR.com/BrokerCE to find our offerings. 

CAR Wins First-Ever 

ASAE Gold Circle Award 

The American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) honored 

us recently with our first-ever Gold Circle Award in the category of 

New Product/Service Launch for our January 2019 YPN Real Estate 

Boot Camp. 

The inaugural Boot Camp helped attendees build an in-depth 

business plan and effective budget for business and retirement 

with the help of industry Top Producers and subject-matter experts. 

The Boot Camp also answered questions about tax deductions and 

business structures. At the end of the day, attendees walked away 

with a detailed vision for their brands and actionable tools to build 

their network and connect with mentors. 

“It fills my heart with 

joy, not because of the 

award, but because it’s 

evident that we continue 

to move our mission 

forward in increasing 

sustainable Hispanic homeownership,” Hipolito Garcia, NAHREP 

Chicago’s 2019 president, said. “The hard work, dedication and 

passion of the Board of Directors, Members, Committee members, 

Partners and Volunteers did not go unnoticed.” 

Congratulations, NAHREP Chicago! 

The event was so successful it was adopted as a REALTORS ® Real 

Estate School class. This past January, YPN also hosted a special 

Real Estate Investing Boot 

Camp in conjunction with 

CommercialForum. 

The Gold Circle Award 

denotes excellence, 

innovation and achievement 

in association or nonprofit 

marketing, membership and 

communications programs. 

Thank you ASAE for this 

honor! 


On-Demand 

Video Library 

ChicagoREALTOR.com/video-resources 

We've hosted over 40 events since March to help you succeed! 

Visit our Video Resources Library to watch playback of any content you missed! 

ChicagoREALTOR.com/video-resources 


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