CR Magazine – Winter 2019

CR 

Chicago REALTOR ® 

Magazine 

2020 

VISION 

WHAT’S AHEAD FOR 

CHICAGO REAL ESTATE 

V o l u m e 29 | Winter 2 0 1 9 

Meet 

2019-2020 PRESIDENT 

MAURICE 

HAMPTON 

AND THE NEW BOARD 

OF DIRECTORS 

MAKING 

HOUSING DATA 

APPROACHABLE 

The Official Publication of the Chicago Association of REALTORS ® 

www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 3

TAO CHICAGO | 

632 Dearborn St., Chicago 

| 

JANUARY 29 th 

6:30 PM – 9:00 PM 

ChicagoREALTOR.com 

Register by Tuesday, January 28 

YPN is kicking off 2020 in a major way! Join us as we begin a new and exhilarating year of business with networking, music and 

Pan-Asian infused hors d’oeuvres and cocktails on Wednesday, January 29 th at TAO Chicago. Housed in one of Chicago’s most iconic 

landmarks, TAO Chicago is bringing to life the city’s Romanesque Revival style architecture, with its enchanting and dynamic 

multi-level restaurant and nightclub. The largest YPN event of the year, the 2020 Kick-Off is one you don’t want to miss! 

Light appetizers and a cash bar will be available during the event. Two drink tickets are included with your registration. 

| Early bird pricing (ends Jan. 15 at midnight): CAR members $45, Non-members $65 | 

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Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine — Volume 29, Winter 2019 

PAGE 

1O 

Contents 

FEATURES 

7 REALTOR ® Spotlight: The Superhero Collective Unites to 

Give the Gift of Homeownership 

10 Maurice Hampton: Uncovering and Unleashing 

Our Leadership Potential 

14 Get to Know Your 2020 Board of Directors 

16 Hall of Fame: John Rutledge: Master Hotel Developer – 

Renaissance Man 

18 Building Stronger Communities Through Placemaking 

22 2020 Vision: A Look at What's Ahead for the Chicagoland’s 

Real Estate Market 

26 Welcome to Chatham 

30 Screen Time Champs: REALTOR ® Recommended Apps 

32 Business Tools: Mentors vs. Sponsors Made Simple 

34 Tech Tools: Making Housing Data Approachable 

IN EVERY ISSUE 

4 President’s Perspective 

6 From the CEO 

8 Editor’s Note 

9 Digital Extras 

40 Photo Album 

48 Events Calendar 

49 RRES Education 

Lineup 

50 The Buzz 

UPDATES 

5 Your Connection to State & National 

36 Industry Partners 

38 Association News 

39 Government Affairs Update 

40 2019 Inaugural Gala 

44 YPN Kickball Tournament 

46 2019 Casino Royale 

Page 18 

PLACEMAKING 

PAGE 

46 

Casino Royal 

PHOTOS 


PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE 

When I first met Zeke Morris, he reminded me 

of the adage, “Be the change you wish to 

see in the world.” While I heard it said before, 

it meant something special coming from a 

fellow REALTOR ® , and to this day, those words come to mind frequently 

as I carry out my REALTOR ® duties. 

As REALTORS ® , we are serving as community and civic leaders. 

If thinking of yourself as a civic leader left you feeling scared or 

questioning what you signed up for, I’m challenging you to keep an 

open mind this year and take ownership of the transformative work you 

perform each and every day. 

When we show up to work, we’re helping someone else get a step closer 

to their dreams. The expertise we provide them throughout each step of 

the buying or selling process helps them accomplish a goal. Whether 

they’re downsizing after children have moved away, or searching for a 

new home after relocating for a job, our clients lean on us during the 

biggest transactions of their lives. While this is an amazing feat, it’s not 

the only way we lead. 

Watch Maurice's 

Inaugural speech. 

We lead by upholding the NAR Code of Ethics. Following those principles 

ensures we’re setting a standard in the communities we serve — creating 

a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, transparency and good character. 

We lead through volunteerism. The numerous micro and macro volunteer 

opportunities at CAR allow us to lend our expertise in unique ways to 

impact all levels of our industry. We lead through our advocacy efforts. 

When we engage with our Government Affairs Directors and REALTORS ® 

Political Action Committee, we’re helping to protect private property 

rights for decades to come. 

I hail from a lineage of community leaders, and one of the greatest things 

I learned from them is that leadership and community involvement 

comes in many forms. This year, I’m encouraging you to grasp hold of 

the leadership opportunities that are made available to you — and own 

them! There’s something magical that occurs when you walk proudly in 

who you are and what you contribute to the world. 

I’m so proud to be a Chicago REALTOR ® , and I’m excited to enter into this 

new decade with you. I can’t wait to see how you lead. 

MAURICE HAMPTON 

2020 President 

Chicago Association of REALTORS ® 

4 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine

Your Connection to State + National 

Your fellow Chicago REALTORS ® ensure our voice is well represented at the state and national level. 

Thank you to our 2020 leadership! 

NATIONAL LEADERSHIP 

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF 

REALTORS ® DIRECTORS 

TOMMY 

CHOI 

NYKEA 

PIPPION 

McGRIFF 

NAR CHAIRS/VICE CHAIRS 

MATT 

FARRELL 

Chair, Real 

Property 

Operations 

Committee 

MOSES 

HALL 

Vice Chair, 

Commercial 

Economic Issues 

& Trends Forum 

MABÉL GUZMÁN 

VICE PRESIDENT 

ASSOCIATION AFFAIRS 

MATT 

FARRELL 

VICKY 

SILVANO 

MAURICE 

HAMPTON 

Vice Chair, 

CIPS Advisory 

Board 

MOSES 

HALL 

MATT 

SILVER 

MICHELLE 

MILLS 

CLEMENT 

Vice Chair, 

Global Business 

Councils Forum 

MAURICE 

HAMPTON 

REBECCA 

THOMSON 

NYKEA 

PIPPION 

McGRIFF 

Chair, REALTOR ® 

Party Member 

Involvement 

Committee 

ZEKE 

MORRIS 

SARAH 

WARE 

MATT 

SILVER 

Vice Chair, 

Federal Legislative 

& Political Forum 

NAR COMMITTEE MEMBER APPOINTMENTS 

Broker Engagement Council 

JOE CASTILLO 

Business Issues Policy Committee 

JOHN C. KMIECIK 

CIPS Advisory Board 

DELMY ECONOMOS-GRANADOS 


Commercial Committee 

MOSES HALL 

Commercial Economic Issues 

and Trends Forum 

MOSES HALL 

Commercial Federal Policy 

Committee 

BOB FLOSS 

Commitment to Excellence 

Committee 

MARKI LEMONS RYHAL 

Consumer Advocacy Outreach 

Advisory Board 

JESSICA KERN 

Diversity Committee 

JAKEEVA LEE 

ZEKE MORRIS 

Executive Committee 


ZEKE MORRIS 

REBECCA THOMSON 

Federal Financing & Housing Policy 

Committee 

JOE CASTILLO 

BRETT DECKER 

Federal Legislative and 

Political Forum 

MATT SILVER 

Federal Taxation Committee 

ADRIANN MURAWSKI 

Federal Technology Policy 

Committee 

DEBORAH PRODEHL 

Finance Committee 

MATT FARRELL 

Global Alliances Advisory Board 

JIM KINNEY 

VICKY SILVANO 

NANCY SUVARNAMANI 

PAUL XUMSAI 

Global Business and 

Alliances Committee 


JIM KINNEY 

MICHELLE MILLS CLEMENT 


Global Business Councils Forum 


Housing Opportunity Committee 

SARAH WARE 

ZEKE MORRIS 

Multicultural Real Estate 

Leadership Advisory Group 

ZEKE MORRIS 

Professional Development 

Committee 

BOB EBY 

MARKI LEMONS RYHAL 

Professional Standards Committee 

PATRICK LYNCH 

JAMES VOTANEK 

PS Interpretations and 

Procedures Advisory Board 

PATRICK LYNCH 

Public Policy Coordinating 

Committee 

MATT SILVER 


Real Property Operations 

Committee 

MATT FARRELL 

CHRIS PEZZA 

HUGH RIDER 

REALTOR ® Party Member 

Involvement Committee 

NYKEA PIPPION McGRIFF 

TONYA CORDER 

Research Committee 

MOSES HALL 

OLIVER STONE 

Resort and Second Home 

Real Estate Committee 

KRISTOPHER J. ANDERSON 

RPAC Major Investor Council 

CARRIE LITTLE 

RPAC Participation Council 

KAREN ROBERTSON 

Smart Growth Advisory Board 

ZEKE MORRIS 

State and Local Issues 

Policy Committee 

ZEKE MORRIS 

Sustainability Advisory Group 

JUDY GIBBONS 

Young Professionals Network 

Advisory Board 

TOMMY CHOI 

ILLINOIS REALTORS ® DIRECTORS 

NIKO 

APOSTAL 

TOMMY 

CHOI 

GASPAR 

FLORES, JR. 

IR CHAIRS/VICE CHAIRS 

MAURICE 

HAMPTON 

ZEKE 

MORRIS 

CHRIS 

PEZZA 

NYKEA 

PIPPION 

McGRIFF 

MATT 

SILVER 

REBECCA 

THOMSON 

SARAH 

WARE 

Affordable Housing and 

Community Involvement 

Committee 

TRACEY ROYAL 

MEGAN OSWALD 

ANTONIA MILLS 

ROBERT PADRON 

RACHEL SCHEID 

Association Executives 

Committee 


Audit Committee 

ZEKE MORRIS 

HUGH RIDER 

Business Issues and 

License Law Forum 

SARAH WARE 

Commercial and Property 

Management Committee 

ANTJE GEHRKEN 

ALESSANDRA HALLIBURTON 

CHRIS PEZZA 

HUGH RIDER 

Ethics Citation Panel 

MARIO DILORENZO 

MATT SILVER 

Executive Committee 

ZEKE MORRIS 

Finance Committee 



ZEKE MORRIS 

Global Business Council 

MOSES HALL 

NIKO APOSTAL 


JIM KINNEY 

Illinois General Assembly 

and Statewide IE Committee 

ZEKE MORRIS 

Illinois Local Government 

IE Committee 

HUGH RIDER 

DONT’A TAYLOR 

Illinois REALTORS ® Plaza 

Committee 

ZEKE MORRIS 

Illinois REALTORS ® Public 

Policy & Programs Group 

CARMEN CHUCRALA 

BRETT DECKER 

MELDINA DERVISEVIC 

DELMY ECONOMOS-GRANADOS 

EVELYN FRED 

KIRSTEN GETTINGS 

DAVE HANNA 

SVETLANA KUSHNAREVA 


ALICE WEINERT 

Leadership Development 

Working Group 


Local Government Affairs 

Committee 

CAMILO R. ESCALANTE 

Nominating Committee 


GASPAR FLORES, JR. 

SARAH WARE 

Performance/Compensation 

Review Committee 

JIM KINNEY 

ZEKE MORRIS 

Professional Standards 

Committee 

MATT SILVER 




BARBARA NOVAK 

SAM POWELL 

HUGO RODRIGUEZ 

LASHANDRIA SANDERSON 

JOAN SANDRIK 

RACHEL SCHEID 

REALTOR ® of the Year 

Working Group 

JOHN C. KMIECIK 

REALTORS ® Political 

Involvement Working Group 

MATT SILVER 

BRETT DECKER 


ANTONIA MILLS 

NAJA MORRIS 

MEGAN OSWALD 



RPAC Trustees 

NIKO APOSTAL 

NYKEA PIPPION MCGRIFF 

Strategic Planning 

Committee 

TOMMY CHOI 



ZEKE MORRIS 

NAJA MORRIS 

MEGAN OSWALD 

SARAH WARE 

YPN Advisory Group 

NAJA MORRIS 

RACHEL SCHEID 


FROM THE CEO 

When I was fresh out of college, I was pushed 

into leadership — literally. I was serving 

on the National Social Action Commission 

for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. At our 

national convention, the commission chair asked me and another recent 

graduate to give our report — with just 15 minutes notice. We hesitantly 

approached the mic, froze, then stumbled over our words. Eventually, 

I stopped talking and just stared at the audience, holding back tears. 

The chair stood up and took the mic. She gave us encouragement from 

the podium, asked the audience for positive reinforcement, and asked 

us once again to deliver the report. We delivered the report with a few 

stumbled words and certainly many missed points! While this was an 

embarrassing and uncomfortable moment, it was also one of the best 

things that has ever happened to me. I learned to always be prepared 

and ready to be put on the spot without notice! I wouldn’t be where I 

am today without people like that commission chair, Congresswoman 

Marcia L. Fudge of Ohio, who has so graciously mentored me, and those 

who have given me the opportunity to mentor them. 

There are two types of mentorships: formal and organic. I currently 

receive formal mentorship from Andrea Zopp, president and CEO of 

World Business Chicago, through Chicago Urban League’s IMPACT 

Leadership Development Program. Over the years, I’ve also organically developed relationships with leaders who now serve as my 

mentors. I have become a mentor to many others the same way. 

No matter what position you hold, there’s always the chance to learn and bring somebody along with you. We each have the 

responsibility of being intentional about seeking mentorship. Not only that, we need to be ready to accept criticism and show our 

commitment to receiving mentorship. 

I’m so proud of CAR and our focus on encouraging and providing mentorship opportunities. We recognize the need for more women 

in leadership positions, and we wanted to help current and budding leaders find the support they need to be successful. We recently 

presented a powerful women’s conference, Titans of Industry: Women Leading the Charge, in conjunction with the Women’s Council 

of REALTORS ® . These conversations gave our members opportunities to learn from and connect with women in power, and it’s our 

hope that many mentorships will be born out of those introductions. 

Our revamped pre-licensing scholarship program through the Chicago Association of REALTORS ® Foundation now includes a critical 

mentorship component. This helps ensure our recipients are not just receiving financial support, but the professional guidance they 

need to thrive in the real estate industry. 

Throughout the year, CAR will share different opportunities to get involved. When these opportunities arise, I encourage you to respond. 

Through these involvements, you can sharpen your skills as a leader, learn the fine art of giving and receiving feedback and find new 

ways to help those around you advance and reach their career goals. 

When it comes to mentorship and leadership, it’s never too early or late in your career to get started. We each can benefit from asking 

for help and helping someone else along the way. 

6 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine 

MICHELLE MILLS CLEMENT, cae 

Chief Executive Officer 

Chicago Association of REALTORS ®

The Superhero Collective 

Unites to Give the Gift 

of Homeownership 

“There’s no feeling quite like it — to see the 

faces of patients and their families when 

Superheroes enter the room — even though 

the kids are the real heroes,” Josh Lipton, 

Compass, said. Josh gets to relive that 

experience time and time again 

as a director of the Superhero 

Collective, a non-profit founded by 

his friend Tim Brigham, Wintrust 

Mortgage. 

Two of the best things about 

the real estate industry are 

the professional connections 

you build with people from all 

backgrounds and the number 

of opportunities to give back and make an 

impact. “Our industry is competitive, but 

the best work happens when we leverage 

our relationships to help our clients and our 

community,” Josh said. That’s why he got 

involved with the Superhero Collective, 

whose latest mission is providing a home 

for a deserving Chicago family. 

“The Collective is just that — a collective 

of people within the real estate industry 

who work together to give back,” Tim said. 

He was inspired to begin the charity after 

his son was brought to the emergency 

room; he would end up spending three 

days in the hospital to receive treatments 

before returning home. While Tim was in 

the hospital with his son, he witnessed the 

IT’S A BIRD. 

IT’S A PLANE. 

IT’S REALTORS ® 

GIVING BACK. 

amazing work of the medical staff, who not 

only treated children but also kept families 

happy and comfortable during these 

stressful times. Tim felt a calling to give 

back to patients and assist the staff — and 

so, the collective was born. 

The Superhero Collective is as 

cool as it sounds. Throughout the 

year, Tim dresses up as Batman 

and pays a visit to children’s 

hospitals to bring a smile to 

patients’ faces and help take their 

mind off the medical concerns 

that they so bravely battle every 

day. Their costumes aren’t like 

those you’d find at a costume store; they’re 

a little closer to something you’d see in the 

movies. “I treat this experience no differently 

than I treat meeting with clients,” Tim said. 

“Do it right, or don’t do it at all.” 

Josh, who had worked with Tim 

professionally, admits that he was unsure 

of the idea initially, but his mind changed 

once he saw the impact the Superhero 

Collective was having on children and 

their families. He got involved, joined 

the Board of Directors and became 

Tim’s sidekick on hospital visits. 

As support for the collective grew, Tim, 

Josh and the team began to see greater 

opportunities to give back. Looking at 

their connections and resources, they 

came up with an idea: they would purchase 

a home, renovate it and give it away to a 

deserving family. 

Josh put in a call to his friends at the Cook 

County Land Bank; shortly after, the Land 

Bank announced it would provide the 

collective with a home in Evergreen Park. 

Tim went on Facebook to share the news, 

and the support came rolling in. Friends, 

family, contractors, lenders — everyone 

wanted to know how they could be part 

of the project. 

“The house needed a little bit of work, 

but on demo day, we were overwhelmed 

by the support,” Tim said. “48 people 

showed up to help.” As a result, they 

were able to quickly take care of a lot of 

cosmetic changes, including installing new 

cabinets and carpeting. The organization 

hopes to finish the renovations and select 

a deserving family soon. 

“I know giving away the home is going 

to mean so much to everyone who 

helped out,” Josh said. “In the real estate 

community, we can accomplish so much 

just by picking up the phone and asking 

each other to lend a hand.” 


EDITOR’S PICKS 

JESSICA KERN 

Vice President, Communications 

jkern@chicagorealtor.com 

Our leadership issue is one of my favorite issues of the year. It's always 

rewarding to shine a light on our many members who are giving their 

valuable time and effort to better our association and communities. 

REALTORS ® fulfill many leadership roles — on boards, in politics and 

community leadership, as managers and CEOs, down to the important 

role of leading consumers through the biggest financial investment 

they will likely make. 

Last summer at our Visionaries luncheon with Modern Luxury 

magazine, I was touched to hear Josh Lipton’s story highlighting his 

leadership in the Superhero Collective. It is an inspiring example of 

how REALTORS ® can leverage their resources and relationships to give 

back to clients and communities. As someone who has an abundance 

of personal experience with children’s hospitals, this story really 

touched me. Learn more about this super organization on page 7. 

I hope you’ll spend some time getting to know your 2019-2020 Board 

of Directors on pg. 14 and read more about 2020 president Maurice 

Hampton starting on pg. 10. Maurice’s leadership has been evident 

from the first moment I worked with him, years ago on our YPN board. 

I invite you to also watch his Inaugural speech to hear his thoughts for 

our future and learn his story, including what wasn’t “setting him on fire,” 

which put him on the path to real estate. 

As you get to know our leadership and examine your own leadership 

roles, know that we are here with resources to help you continue to 

excel. Ready to take your leadership to the next level? Read Chelsea 

Hayes’ article (pg. 32) to find a mentor or sponsor. 

I urge you to dive into our online resources for videos and audio clips — 

we have so many incredible insights, tools and stories available to you. 

Our recent Titans of Industry conference brought together 17 industry 

experts with a focus on leadership — and it’s all recorded for you to 

view online. If you are like me and always trying to figure out how to 

fit in more meaningful work in what seems like less time, I suggest Jill 

Frank’s presentation, "How to Produce Like a Pro." I first saw Jill speak at 

a digital conference last summer and took four pages of notes. My first 

step in 2020 will be to implement her “blue sky Wednesdays.” 

Lastly, I hope you’ll attend at least one of our events in 2020. They 

are great places to learn and connect with other leaders around you, 

and the best part: many of our events are complimentary. You’ll find 

an event calendar for the first part of the year on page 48, and more 

events added weekly online at ChicagoREALTOR.com. We have over 

90 events slated for 2020, so there's something for everyone! 

As always, don’t hesitate to reach out with questions or comments— 

we’d love to hear from you! 


Chicago REALTOR ® 

CR Magazine 

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 

The Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine is published 

quarterly by the Chicago Association of REALTORS ® 

for its members. Advertising is purchased and 

does not necessarily represent the position of the 

Chicago Association of REALTORS ® . 

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 

Michelle Mills Clement, cae 

michelle@chicagorealtor.com 

EDITOR 

Jessica Kern 

jkern@chicagorealtor.com 

MANAGING EDITOR 

Maria Dickman 

mdickman@chicagorealtor.com 

ART DIRECTOR 

Jim August 

jaugust@chicagorealtor.com 

For advertising information please contact 

Mary Beth Durkin 

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

MAURICE HAMPTON'S 

PRESIDENT'S SPEECH 

2019 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE 

JOHN RUTLEDGE'S SPEECH 

WATCH QUICK TIPS FROM OUR 

SPEAKERS & LISTEN TO THE 

YPN BREAKFASTS ON THE GO 

COMING SOON TO ALEXA! 

What's online at 

ChicagoREALTOR.com 

136 TH ANNUAL INAUGURAL GALA 

YPN AUGUST BREAKFAST 


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Chicago, IL 60611 

Ph: (312) 803-4900 

Fax: (312) 803-4905 

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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. 

A DAY FULL OF KEYNOTES 

AND PANELS 

Find us on… 

Chicago Association 

of REALTORS ® 

Chicago Assn of REALTORS 

TITANS OF INDUSTRY 

BLOGS 

Your Guide to the License Law Re-Write 

Just Housing Amendment To Go Into Effect 

Dec 31, 2019 - What You Need to Know 

AUDIOCASTS 

Government Affairs audio update 


MAURICE HAMPTON: 

Uncovering 

& Unleashing 

Our Leadership Potential 

“Full circle!” That’s how Maurice Hampton 

describes what it’s like to become the 

president of the Chicago Association of 

REALTORS ® and see himself on the cover 

of our magazine. 

We caught up with Maurice to learn 

about his journey to becoming our 

136 th president, his vision for the year 

ahead and his hopes for each one of our 

Chicago REALTORS ® . Delving deeper, we 

learned homeownership and leadership 

were always part of Maurice’s life plans, 

but he didn’t know he’d find success at 

the intersection of the two. Now that he’s 

arrived, however, his plans are clear and 

a few themes are evident: collaboration, 

diversity, development and, perhaps 

most importantly, community, will all 

fuel CAR’s 2020 initiatives. 

WHAT DOES IT MEAN 

TO YOU TO BECOME 

PRESIDENT OF CAR? 

When I was 25 years old, I had just 

started in real estate and opened my own 

brokerage. After a long day, I came home 

and checked the mail. Inside was the new 

issue of Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine. On 

the cover was Zeke Morris, who had just 

become president. In that moment, I saw 

someone who looked like me leading and 

succeeding in this competitive industry, 

and it inspired me. I always knew I wanted 

to be a leader, but that was confirmation I 

was on the right path and that I, too, could 

really make a change in real estate. 

Fast forward to 2019 and seeing myself 

on the cover, it makes me proud. It lets 

me know that much like Zeke, I created 

relationships, helped clients, participated 

in advocacy initiatives and championed 

REALTOR ® education to earn my seat 

at this table. I’m excited to have this 

opportunity to continue working with the 

best and brightest our industry has to 

offer to have a positive impact on our city 

and our industry. 

WHAT DOES THE YEAR 

AHEAD LOOK LIKE TO YOU? 

It’s an exciting time for CAR. I come from 

a long line of leaders. I was raised on the 

belief that everyone has a responsibility 

to be civically engaged, give back to 

their communities and advocate for those 

in need. 

Last year, CAR reaffirmed its commitment 

to Fair Housing by issuing a public 

apology for the role REALTORS ® have 

historically played in creating inequitable 

p h o t o s b y KIRSTEN MICCOLI PHOTOGRAPHY & MARCELLO RODARTE PHOTOGRAPHY 



neighborhoods. Since, we’ve held 

numerous seminars and classes that 

emphasize the importance of diversity, 

and we recently launched “The 77,” our 

diversity committee, which will ensure 

each of our 77 neighborhoods are heard 

and represented as we move forward. In 

2018, we also installed our first Korean- 

American president and welcomed our 

youngest and first African-American 

woman CEO. 

In the year ahead, members can expect 

for us to be even louder and bolder in our 

diversity messaging and initiatives. We 

recognize that REALTORS ® are an integral 

part of the vibrancy and health of our 

communities, so everything we do in the 

next year will underscore the importance 

of this role. 

We also have a growing External and 

Governmental Affairs team as well as a 

new Commercial Services department. 

These additions will give REALTORS ® 

a greater presence in the communities 

they serve, beyond buying and selling 

property. The CAR staff will lead 

strategic placemaking projects, deepen 

relationships with our elected officials and 

fund charitable organizations that provide 

housing opportunities for the most 

vulnerable Chicagoans. 

It’s going to be an exciting year doubling 

down on a lot of the projects we have 

in place and beginning new ones as 

we assess community needs. This 

creates a cycle of giving: we help our 

neighborhoods become healthy, healthy 

neighborhoods support our careers, and 

the cycle continues. 

WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT 

CHICAGO’S REAL ESTATE 

MARKET? WHAT ARE SOME 

OF THE CHALLENGES? 

What’s exciting about Chicago’s real 

estate market is that we’re Chicago! As 

evidenced by the number of Fortune 500 

companies that call Chicago home, this is 

such a great city to be in. The real estate 

market fluctuates, and that’s natural — but 

people still want to be here. I’m excited 

by the opportunities that exist to buy, sell, 

build, work and play in every single one 

of our communities. There’s something 

for everyone. 

What concerns me most are any policies 

that take advantage of property owners. 

This includes proposals of increased 

transfer taxes and property taxes to fill 

gaps in the city’s budget. While Chicago 

is the greatest city in the world to live in, 

we certainly don’t want more policies that 

will disincentivize homeownership and 

commercial growth. When prospective 

buyers and sellers look at our city, they 

want to have reassurance that they’re not 

investing in an area that’ll be unaffordable 

in years to come. 

With that said, however, there’s great 

opportunity for Chicago REALTORS ® and 

our association to be at the forefront of 

public policy that opposes these threats 

and proposes sustainable solutions. Our 

clients should know we’re fighting for 

their private property rights, every step 

of the way. 

WHEN DID YOU FIRST 

REALIZE YOU WANTED 

TO BE A REALTOR ® ? 

I can’t say I just landed here, but it 

certainly wasn’t part of the original plan. 

I’m a south side Chicago native, born 

in Michael Reese Hospital. My late 

grandfather on my dad’s side and my 

great grandmother on my mom’s side 

were among the first in my family 

to be homeowners. My mother also 

dreamed and achieved the goal of being 

a homeowner. In all of their homes, I 

learned what it meant to work hard, to 

sacrifice, to laugh, to cry, to stand up 

straight, to respect others and to be 

myself. “Home” was a special word and 

place in my family, and so from a very 

early age, I had homeownership as part 

of my life plan. 

However, working in real estate still wasn’t 

part of the plan. I knew I wanted to help 

people, effect change and be successful, 

and I thought I’d achieve all that in the 

world of healthcare. I earned a degree in 

healthcare management and thought I’d 

go to med school. 

After working in the field, I realized that 

I was really only there for one reason — to 

meet Brande, my wife and now business 

partner. Professionally, however, I was 

bored. I knew it wasn’t something I wanted 

to do long-term. 

Around that time, I achieved my goal of 

buying a home. I then bought my first 

investment property. That’s when the 


lightbulb went off. The love and 

appreciation I had for homeownership 

as a child carried into adulthood and I 

wanted to help other families find that 

special place to learn, love and laugh, 

just as I had. The deeper I got into real 

estate, the more I realized my calling 

was in this field. 

When I see a family receive the keys to 

their new home, I get the same feeling 

today that I did back then — there’s 

nothing in the world like it. 

WHAT’S YOUR HOPE FOR 

EACH CHICAGO REALTOR ® ? 

In the year ahead and beyond, I’m hoping 

each Chicago REALTOR ® will tap into 

his or her own leadership skills. We all 

come from different neighborhoods, 

have different areas of expertise and 

different parts of the real estate industry 

that drive us to do what we do every day. 

In order to succeed as a city, we need 

everyone’s involvement. Whether it’s 

taking or teaching a course, volunteering, 

attending a networking event, writing 

for Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine or 

traveling to the capitol to say no to rent 

control, there are so many ways to stand 

up and protect this industry and help 

our communities thrive. This year, I’ll do 

whatever I can to help each REALTOR ® 

realize their ability to leave a lasting mark 

on Chicago and inspire the next cohort of 

REALTORS ® to do the same. 

One of my favorite quotes by the late 

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. says, “If you can’t 

fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If 

you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever 

you do, you have to keep moving forward.” 

Moving forward doesn’t always require 

doing the biggest or most courageous 

thing; it just means doing something. 

We’re a family of 16,500 and if we each 

do something, it’ll create a ripple effect 

that will be felt in our city for decades 

to come. 

Watch Maurice’s 

installation speech. 

www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 

13

IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT 

TREASURER 

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 

PRESIDENT-ELECT 


Stephanie Brimo 

REDFIN CORPORATION 

What's one thing you wish you knew 

when you started in this industry? 

Real estate is really about hard work, day 

in and day out. The most successful people 

put everything they have into it. It's more 

than a full-time job. 

What excites you most about CAR in 

the year ahead? 

CAR’s leadership is dynamic and embraces 

a growth mindset. I'm confident we will 

continue to be leaders among associations 

for the innovative work we do. 

Tommy Choi 

KELLER WILLIAMS CHICAGO – 

LINCOLN PARK 



Be intentional and purposeful in who you 

surround yourself with. If those people are 

not raising the bar on your standards, you 

need to find new people! 

Give your best advice in three words. 

Embrace your failures. 

Bob Eby 

CENTURY 21 AFFILIATED 


Be open minded. 

Who is your role model, and why? 

Warren Buffet. I’m inspired by his vision and 

adaptability to changing business models. 

Hipolito Garcia 

CALIBER HOME LOANS 


Care about people! 

What excites you most about CAR 

in the year ahead? 

The in-depth focus we have on many 

communities around Chicago. 

Antje Gehrken 

A.R.E. PARTNERS INC. 


Recently, I was greatly inspired by tennis 

player Tara Moore, who was losing big time: 

6-0, 5-0 and facing a match point. She not 

only recovered to win the game, but fought 

back to win the set AND the match! It just 

goes to show that it ain't over 'til it's over. 



This year, I was installed as treasurer of 

the association. I’m excited to work for our 

members in this new leadership capacity, 

to learn from those who came before me 

and to help us grow to reach even more 

members. 

Moses Hall 

MOHALL COMMERCIAL & URBAN 

DEVELOPMENT, LLC 



How important it is to be involved in your 

local and state associations. I did not realize 

how much my association offers in terms of 

education, advocacy and tools to help grow 

my business. 

What is one thing you'd like to see CAR 

accomplish this year? 

2019-2020 Chicago Association of REALT ORS® 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

As a commercial practitioner, I look forward 

to CAR adding tools and resources to grow 

the commercial real estate community for 

its members. 

Anthony Hardy 

MARCUS & MILLICHAP 



Build relationships with key people and 

you’ll thrive in any cycle. 


Chase big listings. 

Julie Harron 

JAMESON SOTHEBY'S 

INTERNATIONAL REALTY 



Working together to provide more 

support to the underserved areas of our 

community. Getting involved with fighting 

Chicago's gun violence problem is a key 

focus for me. We’re continuing to innovate 

and serve our members. 



With all our outreach, I'd like to continue to 

expand our footprint to underserved areas 

of the city. Let's be the voice for real estate 

in all 77 neighborhoods of Chicago. 

Drussy Hernandez 

FULTON GRACE REALTY 


My mom — a strong woman with great 

convictions and a very kind heart. She 

taught me to be determined and self-reliant. 



Address affordable housing and work on a 

sensible proposal that will be beneficial to 

all parties. 

Nick Libert 

EXIT STRATEGY REALTY 


Time block daily! 



The stability of the stellar CAR staff, 

the energy and diversity of the Board of 

Directors, and the hands-on style of 

Michelle Mills Clement as CEO are combining 

to create a perfect storm of enthusiasm for 

new projects and even more educational 

opportunities. 

Michelle Mills Clement 

CHICAGO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS ® 


Michelle Obama. She's a southside Chicago 

girl, has incredible fashion sense and killer 

arms...like me! But in all seriousness, I love 

her grace, class and professionalism. She's a 

wife and mother and has a major career of 

her own. I see myself in her and have 

literally walked the same streets as she 

did growing up, which makes her seem 

so attainable. I strive to be an ounce of 

who she is. 



A successful relaunch of our westside 

satellite office. There's so much 

opportunity for us there, and taking the 

time, investing and adding in the passion 

for our membership in that part of town 

is an amazing opportunity for CAR to 

be present in a physical way beyond 

downtown Chicago. 

Dave Naso 

KELLER WILLIAMS CHICAGO – 

LINCOLN PARK 



I wish I knew about all the publicly 

accessible data! When I teach now, my 

brokers are amazed by how much detail 

you can find about a property (or person!) 

by just a few clicks on the Recorder and 

Assessor websites. 



Build a deeper relationship with City Hall. 

There are a lot of new players at the table 

— let's be one of them! 

Nykea Pippion McGriff 

DREAM TOWN REALTY 


My son Xavier Joy is one of my role 

models. He lived his life unapologetically, 

served our community and set the example 

for me as to why I should give back. He 

loved without abandon and was fiercely 

loyal to his family and friends. Even though 

he is no longer with me, I try to emulate his 

joy every day. 



I would like to see CAR create more classes 

geared towards our members’ business 

development. 

Tracey Royal 

TEAM REAL ESTATE SERVICES INC. 



The diversity of the CAR board and the 

new diversity committee The 77. 



Embrace the needs of underserved 

communities, advocate for improvements, 

create awareness and set at least 

one goal that encompasses one or more 

underserved communities and see it 

to fruition. 

Andy Shiparski 

COMPASS 


My father taught me what a hard day’s 

work is worth and that your name and 

reputation are critical pillars to success in 

any aspect of your life. 



The full effect of our new leadership 

now that it has been in place for a year. 

New visions and missions create new 

opportunities for growth as an association. 

Vicky Silvano 

BAIRD AND WARNER 


Be intentional and purposeful. 



I want to see more members involved 

and engaged with the association. 

Rebecca Thomson 

THOMSON REAL ESTATE GROUP 


Reputation is everything. 



The great energy of this leadership team 

and the increasing commitment to serving 

our members in every neighborhood and 

supporting all communities. 

Erika Villegas 

RE/MAX IN THE VILLAGE 



Put processes in place and work on a CRM 

from day one! 


Always work smart. 

Marty Walsh 

DREAM TOWN REALTY 



How much more rooted in the community 

it would make me. 



The opportunity to be a part of the coming 

change in the city. 

Sarah Ware 

WARE REALTY GROUP LLC 



Volunteering will take you and your 

business to levels you can't imagine. 



Having a road show with Coffee with your 

GADs similar to our CEO’s Listening Tour. 

I think it will bring out the needs of all the 

neighborhoods and we would see change 

from different parts of the city. 


HALL OF FAME 

“MASTER HOTEL DEVELOPER – RENAISSANCE MAN” 

JOHN RUTLEDGE 

FOUNDER, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF OXFORD CAPITAL GROUP, LLC 

A Chicago native, former Boy Scout, multi-sport athlete, voracious 

reader, devoted family man, decathlete in life and master real 

estate investor, developer and civic leader, John W. Rutledge is the 

Founder, President and CEO of Oxford Capital Group, LLC, which 

specializes in large-scale, lifestyle hospitality-oriented real estate, 

with over $ 3 billion of transactions including 13,000 hotel rooms, 

3,000 senior housing units and 1,000 residential units. We were 

proud to induct him into our Hall of Fame in late September. 

He co-founded Oxford Realty Corporation at age 24. As the real 

estate markets softened in the early ’90s, he and a colleague 

merged Oxford Realty into a large national company. Following 

a trip around the world, he enrolled in business school, where in 

his second year he co-founded Oxford Capital Partners to take 

advantage of a compelling opportunity resulting from the overbuilt 

lodging sector of the property market. He founded his third and 

fourth successor companies, Oxford Capital Group, LLC, and 

Oxford Hotels & Resorts, LLC during the mid-2000s. 

“John will have a lasting impact on Chicago’s real estate industry, 

because he’s really influenced it with the way he’s preserved some 

of Chicago’s past and looked forward to our future,” Lynn Osmond, 

president and CEO of the Chicago Architecture Center, said. 

His projects are some of the most recognizable redevelopments 

in Chicago: Essex on the Park Luxury Apartments and Hotel Essex, 

Hotel Julian, LondonHouse Chicago, Godfrey Chicago, Langham 

Chicago, Hotel Felix, Hotel Cass, Hotel Versey, Claridge House, 

Hyatt Magnificent Mile, Renaissance North Shore, Doubletree 

North Shore, Hyatt House Northwest, 10 South LaSalle, One North 

Franklin and Harpo Studios. 

2019 Hall of Fame inductee John Rutledge, Oxford Capital Group, LLC and Oxford Hotels & Resorts. 

Redevelopment of the Year. Oxford has also received Historic 

Preservation awards from Chicago and Boston. 

Highly active in Chicago’s philanthropic and business communities, 

John has been honored with numerous awards, including Crain’s 

Chicago Business’ “40 under 40” and “Who’s Who,” The Anti- 

Defamation League’s Arthur Rubloff Humanitarian Award, Ernst 

and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist, Young Presidents’ 

Organization’s (YPO) Stuart Cornew Leadership Award and 

Urban Land Institute’s Vision Award. His projects have been 

awarded Development of the Year, Redevelopment of the Year, 

National Hotel Development of the Year, Top City Hotel in the 

Continental U.S., National Hotel Transaction of the Year and Historic 

The Hall of Fame was created in 1986 to honor 

professionals who leave a positive and profound 

influence on the younger generations in real estate 

and who helped to shape Chicago’s skyline. 

Watch John’s Hall of Fame induction 

speech and check out his video. 


PATHWAY TO THE HALL OF FAME 

JOHN RUTLEDGE 

The 2019 inductee to the Hall of 

Fame, John Rutledge, has crafted 

a successful career out of taking 

on complicated projects with 

architectural integrity. 

John’s entrepreneurial 

spirit was evident early 

on — and supercharged 

by his many interests: 

reading, traveling and 

adventure, design and 

history. He’s founded 

numerous companies, 

all while indulging in his 

passions. 

He’s known for his attention to detail — fueled by his interest 

in architecture and design. He’s bookended the Millennium 

Mile, with LondonHouse to the north and Hotel Essex and 

Essex on the Park to the south — both complicated, historic 

renovations with an element of new development. 

He’s a dedicated family man, having met his wife 

Amanda in college. They have two sons, Pierce and 

Preston. When John’s not dreaming up new projects, 

they’re usually off on a family adventure — barefoot 

waterskiing, heliskiing, sailing or playing tennis. 

Thank you, John, for your contributions to 

our industry! 


Building Stronger Communities 

Through Placemaking 

JACOB KNABB, Chicago Association of REALTORS ® Director of Commercial Services 

Commercial and residential real estate is critical to the fabric 

of vibrant communities, but it takes more than just a home or a 

storefront to bring a community together. 

Placemaking is a vehicle through which key stakeholders, 

residents, businesses and others can work together to make their 

community a better place to live, work and play. Placemaking 

initiatives can be straightforward, like working with an artist and 

building owner to install a mural reflecting the community’s 

personality or transforming an empty lot into a community garden, 

or more involved, like funding a transit study or transforming 

multiple blocks of alleyways into an accessible park. 

not just building builders; we’re building places and we’re adding 

to the culture and vibrancy of a place that contains the buildings,” 

Coes said. 

HOW WE GOT INVOLVED 

The National Association of REALTORS ® is a Platinum Partner of 

SGA’s National Complete Streets Coalition. As a non-partisan, notfor-profit 

501(C)(3) organization dedicated to “improving lives by 

improving communities,” SGA provides technical assistance, thought 

leadership, and advocacy support to empower communities and aid 

them in developing walkable communities with thriving business 

corridors and multiple transportation options. 

Concepts like placemaking can sound overly technical or frivolous 

to those first encountering them. But conversations can begin with 

a simple question: what do you like most about where you live? 

“People often talk about things like trees overhanging a roadway 

creating shade or loving a park where they BBQed with their kids, 

or a festival where they have local cheeses or breads made in the 

community,” Christopher Coes, Smart Growth America (SGA)’s 

Vice President of the LOCUS Development Group, said. “People 

often identify things that are created by ‘placemaking’ as the parts 

of their neighborhoods they love most — the places where they 

can go on a date, the places they can sit down on a park bench to 

people watch or gather together at a festival.” 

Placemaking is a key part of “smart growth” — the idea that 

entertainment, shopping, housing and jobs/livelihood are closer 

together, enabling people to get from home to work to amenities 

without a car. It’s a very simple notion that we have a comprehensive 

way to build our communities in a healthier and economically 

vibrant way, and we achieve that equilibrium one domino at a time 

through a series of placemaking activities and strategic investments. 

The strongest argument for smart growth initiatives is an economic 

one. For developers and REALTORS ® alike, metrics like “walk 

scores” which track proximity of housing to local businesses, 

schools and transit, have become clear indicators of real estate 

value and desirability. And when the community takes an active 

role in guiding development, the best outcomes are often realized. 

“Working together, we can give developers the notion that we’re 

SGA defines smart growth as “an approach to development that 

encourages a mix of building types and uses, diverse housing and 

transportation options, development within existing neighborhoods, 

and community engagement.” Holly Moskerintz, NAR’s Community 

Programs Outreach Manager, uses these principles to guide her 

daily interactions with association staff and membership. 

“If you’re selling a home, would you rather it be across the street 

from a vacant lot with activity you may not like, or a community 

garden?” she said. “When you think of it this way, it’s easy to see 

why we do need to work to transform underutilized public spaces 

into destinations.” 

NAR’s community outreach programs are designed to activate 

those underutilized spaces, making neighborhoods better places 

to live and creating a desire for people to buy homes and invest in 

commercial real estate. Moskerintz views placemaking as grabbing 

the low-hanging fruit. 

“These don’t have to be big, multi-million-dollar projects that take 

forever,” she said. “They could be as simple as transforming a field 

of weeds into a pocket park.” 

Coes agrees. “Oftentimes placemaking can’t happen at the city 

level because elected leaders can get distracted by citywide 

issues,” he said. “It happens at the neighborhood level with 

community groups and REALTORS ® who recognize the chief 

outcome is to enhance housing stock, maximize business retention, 

and support economic growth.” 


And who knows what a neighborhood needs better than REALTORS ® ? 

When we adopted our new mission to unite all facets of the 

industry as a leading advocate for real estate, driving REALTOR ® 

business success and economic development of our communities, 

we identified placemaking as an innovative opportunity for us to 

better engage, develop strategic partnerships and help activate 

meaningful community investment and change in the North, 

West and South Side communities our members call home. We 

applied for and were awarded a two-year NAR “Mega-Board Grant,” 

which will provide CAR with $ 150,000 total dollars to spend on 

smart growth, diversity and placemaking initiatives and 

relationships with elected officials. 

We intend to — and are already — leveraging these Mega-Board 

Grant funds towards several projects, with more to come. 

CURRENT PLACEMAKING 

ACTIVITIES IN OUR COMMUNITIES 

1. COMPLETED: Partnered with DePaul University’s Chaddick 

Institute for Metropolitan Development on a transit study 

of the bus terminal located at the intersection of Austin 

and Division in the Austin neighborhood, with the goal of 

working with community partners in 2020 to make 

upgrades to the station. 

2. COMPLETED: Partnered with Greater Chatham Initiative 

(GCI) and members of the South Side Community Investors 

Association to highlight an up-and-coming retail corridor 

with a mural of longtime Chatham resident Gwendolyn 

Brooks, located on the 300 block of East 75 th Street. 

3. ONGOING: Contributing to Phase Two of the Lakeview 

Low-Line project in support of the West Lakeview 

Chamber of Commerce’s efforts to create an ‘art walk’ 

in the space beneath the Brown Line tracks connecting 

the Southport and Paulina stations. 

THE AUSTIN TERMINAL STUDY 

In collaboration with DePaul’s Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan 

Development (DCIMD), CAR used “Mega-Board Grant” funds to 

sponsor a study designed to determine usage, engagement and 

accessibility for the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) bus terminal 

at the intersection of Austin and Division in the Austin community. 

The goal of this study was to establish recommendations for 

improvements to the Division Street bus line terminal using a 

blend of rider volume data from the CTA going back to 1995, 

community demographics and the existing blend of residential 

and commercial real estate flanking the bus terminal. CAR plans 

to use these recommendations to design a suggested plan for 

capital improvements to the terminal, as well as enhancements 

to walkability and access in the area abutting the station. These 

recommendations can be enacted in years two and three of a 

plan funded by future NAR grants and invested members of 

the Austin community. 

Maurice Hampton, 2020 president of the Chicago Association of 

REALTORS ® , believes placemaking efforts focused on transforming 

a rundown station into a point of community pride could pave the 

way for it to become a true amenity to adjacent homeowners as 

well as office and retail tenants. 

“Some of our communities like Austin have very strong transit 

lines but don’t currently reflect the same housing prices as other 

communities with the same kinds of transit and infrastructure,” he 

said. “I believe REALTORS ® can have an active role in bridging this 

gap. REALTORS ® see and understand what happens in communities 

every day and many work with clients who depend on transit 

oriented development to raise property values where they may 

have been decimated by the downturn and subsequent loss of jobs.” 

For Hampton, this is an effort worth making, and one he is eager to 

see through to the finish. “Placemaking improves communities and 

communities impact homes,” he said. “We want to help in whatever 

way we can to spark growth and strengthen neighborhood 

attributes so Chicagoans can feel pride in their communities 

because they see the best of themselves reflected back.” 

The Lakeview Low-Line Project 

3410 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL 60657 

C. Scott Smith of DePaul’s Chaddick Institute sees a similar return 

on investment resulting from this placemaking venture. 

“A combination of upgrades may be a great way to activate the 

surrounding neighborhoods,” he said. “The terminal appears to see 

a fair amount of activity as is.” 

The Austin Bus Terminal Project 

Intersection of Austin Blvd. & Division St., Chicago, IL 60651 

The Chatham Mural Project 

East-facing exterior wall of France’s Lounge, 

307 East 75 th St., Chicago, IL 60619 

Smith and a team of graduate student researchers identified 

vocational characteristics, political geography, including city ward, 

state legislative and community area boundaries, and other key 

assets — like an inventory of community groups, while drawing 

from local, regional and federal data sources to characterize the 

area’s population, housing composition and trends, and other 

key aspects of concern, including crime and safety. The goal of 


this deep dive into the community was to highlight the changing 

character of urban transportation in the area over time, emphasizing 

key trends in mobility over the past decade that should be 

considered in any local public transportation investment. 

“We hope our research can provide a starting point towards 

effective and equitable community-based change within the 

community surrounding the Austin Terminal by providing informed 

and strategic placemaking processes that will help broaden the 

horizons of opportunities and support collective learning and 

knowledge-sharing, more broadly,” he said. “Further, through 

creative and transformative placemaking processes, the Austin 

& Division bus terminal has the potential to provide a roadmap for 

other communities as they reimagine their own bus turnarounds 

and terminals, of which there are more than 100 throughout the city.” 

LAKEVIEW LOW-LINE PROJECT 

Another placemaking activity we are currently involved in is 

our investment in Phase Two of the Lakeview Low-Line Project, 

spearheaded by the West Lakeview Chamber of Commerce 

(WLCC) and the Friends of Lakeview (FoL). 

The Low-Line project was first introduced in the 2011 Lakeview Area 

Master Plan as a means of connecting the neighborhood’s unique 

sub-districts by re-envisioning the half-mile space beneath the CTA 

‘L’ tracks between Southport and Lincoln avenues as an exciting 

Chicago art destination and a fun and dynamic path connecting the 

greater neighborhood. As a unique attraction, the Lakeview Low- 

Line not only beautifies and greens the neighborhood, but also 

strives to become a landmark attraction, encouraging both visitors 

and residents to explore Lakeview’s business districts. 

an idea of connecting people and places by revitalizing a part of 

our neighborhood that was overlooked and underutilized,” Goodson 

said. “As a result, it’s bigger than a single community and represents 

the best of the more forward-thinking ideas that can result from 

placemaking.” 

Chris Irwin, Senior VP of Retail Sales & Leasing at Colliers 

International, already sees the benefit of programs like the 

Lakeview Low-Line and its ability to enhance property values by 

connecting walkable commercial corridors. 

“From my standpoint as a retail specialist, I love the notion of 

engaging in a space below the ‘L’ tracks,” he said. “This area below 

the Brown Line wasn’t being developed to its highest and best use. 

If you go walk the Low-Line and explore those streets, you see 

how they really are the place to be for retailers.” 

Ultimately, the Low-Line can increase foot traffic and neighborhood 

engagement. It’s a prime example of smart growth as a 

forward-thinking strategy. 

“We’re really going back to the way things were pre-car and being 

forward-thinking on this issue,” he said. “You look at a sixteen yearold 

today vs a sixteen year-old 40 years ago, you’re seeing far less 

car ownership and licensing. CAR’s decision to get involved and 

bring knowledge, guidance, and potentially financial investment 

brings good benefits for REALTORS ® in the eyes of a community 

and for elected officials.” 

CAR’s investment will fund a small art wall along the walkway, 

which will ultimately play host to rotating art exhibits, creating a 

larger-than-life outdoor gallery. An interactive light installation 

along the length of the path will playfully celebrate the ‘L’ structure, 

creating a quintessentially Chicago experience. 

“The Low-Line Project was conceived from the notion of creating a 

public space out of an area that was underutilized,” Dillon Goodson, 

executive director of the West Lakeview Chamber of Commerce, 

said. “The Low-Line activates a half mile portion of Lakeview, 

making it smaller than “rails-to-trails” projects like the 606. It is 

designed to connect two high-performing retail sectors and will 

help all portions of Lakeview benefit from the same kind of vitality 

we see around Wrigley Field or along the Southport Corridor.” 

The Low-Line’s goal of connecting park space with commercial 

real estate spaces makes it a unique initiative. Once Phase Three is 

complete, it will provide ample benefit for commercial spaces and 

create good outcomes for commercial real estate professionals 

working with retail and office clients. 

“Even though it resides in Lakeview, we feel it will draw engagement 

from all over the city because it is a project conceived out of 

GWENDOLYN BROOKS MURAL 

The final project we’ll highlight here is our collaboration with 

Greater Chatham Initiative (GCI) and the South Side Community 

Investors Association (SSCIA). We leveraged Mega-Board Grant 

money to fund a mural of noted Chicago poet and Chatham native 

Gwendolyn Brooks. The mural, completed in November, is painted 

on the eastern exterior wall of a mixed-use multi-family/retail 

property located on the 300 th block of East 75 th Street. The mural 

will serve as a legacy item in Chatham and a physical pledge of 

CAR’s support of our vibrant south side communities. 


The goal of this placemaking venture is to support GCI’s emphasis 

on fostering community improvements designed to spur real 

estate investment while avoiding displacement. The mural is one 

in a series of enhancements to Chatham’s existing commercial real 

estate assets, including a dozen restaurants, an annual food festival 

responsible for increased retail activity and the hanging of new 

banners on streetlights designating the Chatham Community. 

The bright, eye-catching mural was painted by Statik, a muralist 

with projects spread all over Chicago’s South Side, and is designed 

to inspire onlookers by providing visual evidence of a poet from the 

Chatham community who changed the world with her words. 

“A few years ago, we held a community charette and asked what 

type of art residents wanted to see,” Nedra Sims Fears, executive 

director at the Greater Chatham Initiative, said. “Our community 

stakeholders enthusiastically responded that they want to see 

large-scale murals that were bright and colorful and added 

verve and vibe to the area. CAR’s funding of this mural signals the 

continued investment in the corridor in terms of both new and 

improved restaurants and other retail establishments, as well as 

creative placemaking.” 

Fears is grateful to CAR and CommercialForum for investing in her 

community and hopes for continues partnership in the years to come. 

“It is always wonderful when a partner not only 'gets' the vision for 

the neighborhood, but is willing to collectively work together with 

the community to make it happen,” she said. “The creation of the 

Gwendolyn Brooks mural reinforces that this community has always 

been home to creatives—literary, musical and visual artists. Being 

able to honor one of our own who lived around the corner from the 

mural reinforces that there are great people among us—both past, 

present, and future.” 

The project was kickstarted by Tony Hardy, senior broker at Marcus 

and Millichap and CommercialForum’s 2020 Chair, who felt it was 

important to do more than broker commercial real estate deals 

involving multifamily properties in his communities. 

ballot initiatives, Adriann Murawski, director of government affairs, 

and Kristopher J. Anderson, director of external and government 

affairs, are advocating for REALTORS ® at the city and county levels. 

Placemaking affords us the opportunity to be seen as an ally with 

elected officials in the Chicagoland region. 

“Placemaking gives us a chance to tell a different story of 

community engagement,” Murawski said. “We are not on the 

defense when we are turning a vacant space into a productive use. 

We aren’t pushing back against a piece of legislation, but rather 

demonstrating leadership at a very granular level.” 

“Goodwill is a currency you can never have too much of as a 

lobbyist,” Anderson said. “CAR’s placemaking activities allow us 

to be at the forefront of investments in communities starved for 

economic development and create the goodwill needed to better 

our relationship with their elected officials.” 

Our renewed engagement in community building gives us a foot in 

the door with lawmakers by serving up a political win in front of the 

people they value most: their constituents. 

“The end goal of all of this is to position REALTORS ® as community 

building collaborators, reinforcing the need for REALTORS ® to 

have a seat at the table when decisions are made that will impact 

commercial or residential real estate,” Murawski said. 

“REALTORS ® aren’t just selling homes; we are building communities, 

beautifying brown fields, and transforming urban areas that are 

underutilized and quite frankly dangerous,” Anderson added. 

At the end of the day, placemaking is an excellent way to show 

local elected officials that REALTORS ® really do care. 

WHAT’S NEXT 

Given the successful launch of these concerted placemaking 

efforts in 2019, CAR will continue working hand-in-hand with 

community groups, elected officials, developers and REALTORS ® 

to implement further smart growth strategies in 2020. 

“I’m very proud of the mural project and bringing it to the South 

Side,” he said. “This project is one small way to shine a spotlight on 

a retail corridor by beautifying a building adjacent to a vacant lot 

and transforming it into a point of community pride. And…hopefully 

[it will] inspire people living there today to change the world around 

them with their creativity and passion.” 

PLACEMAKING’S POLITICAL 

IMPACTS 

Our placemaking activities are expected to also positively 

impact our reputation and perception with elected officials in 

our communities. 

As lobbyists engaging with a wide spectrum of elected officials 

and tasked with assessing an assortment of policy proposals and 

Our hope is that our placemaking activities will help to break down 

divisions between Chicago’s 77 different communities and connect 

neighbors to one another. But, continued success begins and ends 

with members like you. 

Do you see an opportunity to turn a vacant lot into a farmer’s 

market? Is there an over-emphasis on cars over foot traffic in your 

community? Would you like to see public art or an extensive cleanup 

and restoration of a gathering space in your ward? Let us know! 

Reach out to us with your ideas for placemaking activities — we’re 

eager to lean on your knowledge and expertise to spearhead 

change in our communities. 


2020 

VISION 

A look at WHAT’S AHEAD 

for the CHICAGOLAND 

REAL ESTATE MARKET 

MICHAEL 

GOLDEN 

Co-Founder 

@properties 

DANIELLE 

DUROCHER 

Team Leader/CEO 

Keller Williams 

Chicago - Lincoln 

Park 

DARLENE 

LITTLE 

Vice President & 

Managing Broker 

Berkshire 

Hathaway 

HomeServices 

Chicago 

GREG 

PEKARSKY 


& Co-Owner 

Vesta Preferred 

Realty 


New year, new decade — the combination has our goal 

setting on overdrive. Technology continues to evolve, 

as does our roles as real estate practitioners. Plus, it’s a 

highly anticipated presidential election year, which will 

impact real estate trends throughout the late summer 

and autumn. 

In 2019, our market began to stabilize. We expect that 

to continue — but a stable market doesn’t necessarily 

mean a boring one. We chatted with a few real estate 

experts about what we can expect — where to direct our 

time and attention, where to invest our dollars and what 

to look out for. 

PLAN AHEAD 

Hopefully you have your 2020 business plan locked down 

and ready to roll. Take into consideration your marketing 

and content plan, too — how do you plan on executing, 

when time is at a premium? 

Danielle Durocher, team leader and CEO at Keller 

Williams Chicago – Lincoln Park, notes that they’ve been 

working with their brokers on their plans since October. 

“We know whatever [REALTORS ® ] do today will produce 

in 90 days.” And despite a potentially slower market over 

the winter months, “this isn’t the time to slow down. This 

time sets the foundation for the rest of the year.” 

Darlene Little, vice president and managing broker at 

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago, agrees. 

“Focus on lead measures that fill 2020 pipelines,” she 

said. “Make sure you use automated drip programs and 

have a plan for personal connections.” 

If you haven’t been working on your plan since October, 

that’s ok! Start by taking some time to go over your 

budgets and P&L statements. Identify where you’re at and 

where you can build — for example, if there are any new 

marketing tools you want to incorporate or ineffective 

spending you can redirect. Rebecca Thomson, regional 

vice president at Coldwell Banker Residential, wrote 

an article in the last issue that takes you step by step 

through this process. Access it at ChicagoREALTOR.com. 

Regardless, keep in mind this 90-day timeline. Create 

long-term and short-term goals and identify the 

milestones you need to hit along the way. Really take 

advantage of laying strong foundations in January and 

February — this will pay off just when the spring market 

kicks into high gear. 

Greg Pekarsky, managing broker at Vesta Preferred 

Realty, is focusing on what works for him and his team 

in the big picture. “We’re making sure our follow-up 

plans are clear, and the pathway to staying top of mind 

with clients as a company is as aggressive as ever.” 

And in terms of direct goals, “video is a big focus for 

us, as is growing our spheres of influence by hosting 

homebuying seminars throughout the city.” 

Make sure you have processes in place — after all, it’s 

better to work smarter, not harder! Why invent the wheel 

every time if you don’t have to? 

And as with any good plan, leave room for you! TJ Rubin, 

president and founder of Fulton Grace Realty, said that 

education is a big focus for his team in 2020. “We’re 

developing an educational platform for both new and 

experienced brokers. It’ll be a comprehensive approach 

to group and individual training.” 

Consumers are inundated with information about the real 

estate process. Education is a great way you can stand 

out. Ensure you schedule time for your professional 

development and keep that commitment to yourself — 

it’ll pay off in the end. 

AYOUB 

RABAH 

President 

Coldwell Banker 

Residential 

T.J. 

RUBIN 

President & 

Founder 

Fulton Grace 

Realty 

THAD 

WONG 

Co-Founder 

@properties 


PREP YOUR TOOLKIT 

Once you’ve run the numbers on your 2019 business and 

started planning for 2020, keep your ROI in mind — and 

identify tools that can help amplify that. 

“We invest heavily in online lead generation, but we make 

sure it’s the right channels that give us a minimum of 

three to one return on our money,” Pekarsky said. “A huge 

opportunity driver for us is our rental database. Unique 

marketing to convert them into homebuyers has proven 

to be a great way for us to spend money.” 

“Put this on a bumper sticker: ‘Top brokers can hit home 

runs in 2020 no matter the pitch thrown to them with the 

right technology,’" Durocher said. “There are a handful 

of talented brokers who believe if they do more of the 

same activities — write more note cards, make more 

phone calls, do more pop-bys — their clients won't leave 

them for brokers who have fully embraced technology 

and are using it to be an even better expert in the real 

estate industry.” 

Little summed it up nicely: “Creating real relationships in a 

tech-enabled world is the goal.” 

But also, make time for you. You can have all the tools 

and platforms in the world, but if you’re burnt out, it 

doesn’t matter! We live in a 24/7 Amazon world. Leverage 

the resources available to extend your reach — but not 

necessarily overextend yourself. “Being mobile and 

global has translated into being always-on,” Little said. 

“Many brokers are finding that a team structure helps 

them extend their reach, while others use automation 

and technology to provide information access to clients. 

Proactively addressing the needs of clients in their 

preferred communication style is the gold standard for 

work-life balance in our business.” 

ANTICIPATE DISRUPTION 

“Disruption and change are a constant part of our world 

now,” Michael Golden, co-founder of @properties, said. 

However, there are ways you can anticipate and build a 

disruption-proof business. 

One good resource to add to your toolkit: us, the Chicago 

Association of REALTORS ® ! Whether you’re looking to 

network, grow your leadership skills or better leverage 

the wealth of data available, we can help. With over 

75 events, opportunities to get involved or volunteer, 

statistical charts, talking points, and more, we love to help 

you achieve your professional goals — it makes us, and 

the industry at-large, stronger. 

Another great resource when planning is your brokerage. 

Make sure you’re using the tools available to help 

you build your business. A great example: “We’re 

focusing on new signage to add to the market and 

adding a consumer-facing portion to our pl@tform, 

our proprietary suite of technology and marketing 

applications,” Thad Wong, co-founder and co-CEO 

of @properties, said. 

Ayoub Rabah, president of Coldwell Banker Residential, 

listed a wealth of tools their brokers have at their 

fingertips, including a Listing Concierge and Design 

Concierge platform and the consumer-facing RealVitalize 

home improvement program. “Brokers have a wealth 

of options at their fingertips, all within our new DESK 

Platform,” he said. 

While disruption may be omnipresent, our experts agreed 

there are many ways REALTORS ® can reaffirm their value 

proposition for the consumer 

Consumers are looking for trusted experts to guide them 

through the homebuying and selling process. Since they 

have access to more information than ever before, ensure 

your expertise is on a higher level. “More consultingbased 

advice, such as construction details and growth 

metrics, is what buyers want, rather than someone to 

open doors and drive them around in a nice car,” Pekarsky 

said. “The more value we can add to the experience, the 

more buyers will value us.” 

“I feel like now, more than ever, sellers are aware of what 

they are receiving and how their home is being presented 

to the marketplace,” Wong said. “Leading the way in every 

aspect in which a property is presented is what we are 

focusing on for 2020.” 

It’s not as simple as adding a client to a drip campaign 

or MLS alert and leaving them be — personal interaction 

and tailored expertise is critical. “Plan for disruption by 

maintaining ‘belly-to-belly’ relationships with clients,” 

Durocher said. “Brokers with the greatest gain in the year 


ahead will be those who focus on the absorption and 

adoption of technology that will enhance their clients’ 

experience in the real estate market, as well make 

brokers hyper-local.” 

Rabah is also laser-focused on the customer. “It’s 

important to not only roll out products that help our 

brokers be more productive, but help our customers, as 

well,” he said. “This is why we are rolling out RealSure, 

which is designed to solve the two most common 

questions consumers have when selling their home: 

‘what price can I achieve in the market,’ and ‘can I make 

an offer on a new home while my current home is on the 

market?’” Coldwell Banker is also partnering with TurnKey, 

a homebuying program with Amazon that lessens the 

stress of moving by offsetting some of those costs. 

“Focus on being aware of what others are offering to 

consumers and [make] sure you have a better value 

proposition,” Golden said. After all, “If you’re not changing 

and evolving in this business, you’re dying.” 

KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE 

Our market is changing — and quickly. We’re not seeing 

the crazy bidding wars or price growth that we saw in 

2016, 2017 and 2018. Local taxes, employment and even 

the stock market are on everyone’s minds. There’s been 

lots of chatter about whether a recession is imminent 

— but according to a recent NAR economic release, 

there’s no cause for concern in the year to come. 

“Many remember the impact of the last recession on 

real estate, and it’s our job to educate buyers and 

sellers why 2020 isn't the same,” Little said. “We are 

expecting a flat market, and even if things slow down, 

we don't have the sort of unstable housing finance 

situation that surrounded the last crash. Housing is far 

more stable.” 

A stabilized market like we expect in 2020 can be a 

great opportunity to really focus on your foundations 

and your value-add. Keeping in touch with clients is 

critical — be that reliable source of information while 

understanding their personal dreams, goals and needs. 

This is an excellent chance to educate sellers about 

what's happening in their neighborhood and how it 

impacts their home. 

“Opportunities are opening up,” Pekarsky said. “We 

operate across all price points, so we are uniquely 

ready to move with a changing market. I know buyers 

have money and they want to spend it, but they also 

want to know what they’re buying and be confident 

in their purchase. Low interest rates and a market full 

of buyers with money mixes together for a potential 

windfall for the right players next year.” 

The takeaway: make your plan, get your tools together 

and stay focused. “While we believe 2020 is going to 

be a challenging year, there will also be tremendous 

opportunities that we’re preparing to take advantage 

of,” Golden said. “Change always brings opportunities.” 

A great example of this? “Our pricing will continue to 

stabilize after the Trump Tax laws, which limit State 

and Local Tax deductions to $ 10,000,” Wong said. “Our 

pricing has declined because of this law and we are 

now beginning to see stabilization as our sellers and 

buyers adjust to the increased cost of home ownership. 

Once we have a baseline for our new pricing, we will 

begin to climb.” 

As you can see from these predictions, 2020 is shaping 

up to be quite the year. Get your plan in place, and 

don’t forget to enjoy the ride! 

Another factor that will surely play a role: “We are 

looking forward to closely observing the fluctuations 

in the real estate market during this exciting election 

year,” Rubin said. Yes, politics impacts our reality. We 

may see a slight slowdown in the market leading to the 

November presidential election, pending consumer 

sentiment. 

Access tools & resources to help with 

your business planning and goals. 


WELCOME TO 

CHATHAM 

Emmy Award-winning director Lena 

Waithe hails from 79 th Street. In an 

interview with Chicago Magazine, she 

called her neighborhood “very familial,” 

a community where “our next-door 

neighbor would come over all the time 

to watch TV with my grandmother.” 

Hip-hop artist Chance the Rapper 

is also from the area — and it’s not 

uncommon to see his face in mural 

projects throughout the neighborhood. 

Reporter and author Natalie Y. Moore 

and television host W. Kamau Bell are 

proud to call this same community their 

hometown. 

Welcome to Chatham, a neighborhood 

located on the south side, 10 miles 

from downtown Chicago. For decades, 

it has maintained its reputation for 

being close-knit and self-sustaining. 

It’s a neighborhood where residents 

take pride in their local businesses, 

civic engagement, homeownership 

and property maintenance. 

“There’s a great single-family feel,” Nedra 

Sims Fears, executive director of the 

Greater Chatham Initiative, said. “It’s very 

walkable, there’s good transportation, 

and we have a very active block club. 

People are friendly and communal — we 

look out for each other. There’s a good 

sense of community.” 

THE HISTORY 

In the 1860s, Chatham was known as Hogs 

Swamp or Mud Lake to the farmers and

hunters who made the area their home. 

As those former names suggest, Chatham 

wasn’t necessarily a place many were 

rushing to call home, and it took nearly 

twenty years before businesses and 

homes were developed. 

The area began to grow following the 

opening of the Cornell Watch Factory, 

just north of present-day Chatham. This 

was followed by the development of 

steel mills. More jobs coming to the 

area meant more homes, and Chatham 

grew to become home to working-class 

Italian, Irish and Hungarian families, who 

were attracted to the neighborhood 

by opportunity and new communities. 

By 1889, Mud Lake/Hogs Swamp 

officially became Chicago’s Chatham 

neighborhood. 

The early and mid-1900s brought 

significant changes to Chatham. The 

neighborhood, characterized by its 

enforced property standards, saw a 

population boom in the 1920s. According 

to Encyclopedia.com, the population 

went from 9,774 in 1920 to 36,288 in 1929, 

and the community shifted from working 

class to middle class. Chatham kept up 

with its housing demand, and this fed 

its local economy. 

Around that time, throughout Chicago, 

there was a push for commercial 

development that complimented 

the existing streetcar lines. These 

developments did wonders for Chatham. 

First, in addition to beautifully maintained 

residences, the commercial buildings 

were wonderfully constructed. Secondly, 

these buildings and added conveniences 

boosted property values. The styles of the 

buildings ranged, from gothic to Spanish 

and Renaissance to Sullivanesque and 

prairie. The most notable were perhaps 

the developments at 79 th Street and 

Cottage Grove in Chatham, sporting 

distinctive terra cotta and ornament 

designs, which helped Cottage Grove 

become a hub for shopping. 

While racial tensions were evident across 

the nation in the 1950s and 1960s, middle 

class African American families began to 

move into Chatham. Over the next several 

decades, Chatham became the home of 

many local black-owned businesses. 

Continued on page 28 


Continued from page 27 

NEIGHBORHOOD 

HOT SPOTS 

Chatham has a long history of supporting 

locally-owned businesses, and many 

businesses go back generations. Back 

in the ’60s, Seaway National Bank was 

founded to finance entrepreneurs who 

had trouble getting access to credit from 

traditional banks. Sims Fears noted they 

were a backbone of the community and 

helped create the rich entrepreneurial 

legacy Chatham is known for today. 

Chatham is home to the first black-owned 

medical building and quite a few small 

boutiques. Most notably, Chatham also 

boasts its own Restaurant Row, on 75 th 

Street between Indiana and Vernon. 

A Chatham mainstay, Lem’s B-B-Q, is 

legendary. “I go there on Sundays, and 

there’s always someone from out of 

town doing a Lem’s run before they get 

on a plane, carrying home a bottle of 

sauce,” Sims Fears said. “It’s a regional 

destination.” 

Lem’s is just down the street from one 

of the oldest vegetarian restaurants in 

Chicago, Original Soul Vegetarian. When 

you go, get what’s been described as 

“to die for:” vegan mac and cheese, split 

pea soup, sweet potato fries and the 

Garvey burger. 

And don’t forget to check out the James 

Beard-nominated Brown Sugar Bakery, 

famous for mouthwatering caramel 

cake and cupcakes — you can expect 

lines around the block at the holidays — 

and Five Loaves, voted one of the best 

breakfast places in Chicago. 

“There is a nice mix of mom and pop 

shops and large national brands,” Tony 

Hardy, senior associate at Marcus 

& Millichap and 2019 chair of CAR’s 

CommercialForum, said. “They really 

play off of each other really well.” 

A brand-new gallery and design center 

recently opened in the area, Griffin 

Gallery and Interiors, joining many big 

box home improvement stores like Home 

Depot, Studio 41 and Lowe’s. Griffin 

Gallery and Interiors is run by a husband 

and wife team who converted an old 

factory to a beautiful art gallery and 

interiors showroom. “If you’re looking for 

something unique with an upscale feel, 

this will give you a real sense of what 

high end interiors look like with a real 

discerning eye and point of view,” Sims 

Fears said. “We’re proud to add Griffin to 

our mix of home improvement amenities 

in a way that’s unique and reflective of 

our African American heritage.” 

Chatham is also home to one of CAR’s 

placemaking initiatives: a mural of noted 

poet Gwendolyn Brooks, located on the 

300 block of East 75 th Street. Learn more 

about our placemaking initiatives on 

page 18. 

HOUSING 

SNAPSHOT 

Chatham has come a long way from the 

corn crib and small frame houses that were 

common in the area before it became part 

of the City of Chicago. 


Today, “you can find a beautiful home for a 

bargain,” Hardy said. Housing stock ranges 

in style. 

“We have every permutation of bungalow 

ever made,” Sims Fears said. Cape Cod, 

Georgian, split-level and raised ranches 

are also common in the neighborhood. 

There are several historic districts, 

including one with a focus on bungalows 

and another on midcentury homes. 

“The homes are beautiful and designed 

by noteworthy midcentury Chicago 

architects,” Sims Fears said. “You feel like 

you’re in California when you walk down 

the street there.” 

The Greater Chatham Initiative — led 

by Sims Fears — hosts a trolley tour to 

introduce people to the neighborhood 

and the housing stock available. “Probably 

35 percent of our housing stock is twoto-four-unit 

buildings, which people want 

because they want the extra income,” 

Sims Fears said. Their trolley tours feature 

these kinds of buildings, as well as the 

work being undertaken by flippers for 

those interested in HGTV-worthy homes. 

What is quite noteworthy — many 

buildings and businesses have been 

in families for generations. This helps 

add to the rich community pride 

Chatham residents feel towards their 

neighborhood. 

“We were all raised with a good sense 

of who we were and what we could do 

— a good sense of empowerment,” Sims 

Fears said. “This helps shape the ethos of 

the Chatham state of mind.” 

Photos by Regan Traphagen, 

Chicago Assocation of REALTORS ® 


The perfect app for… 

STAYING ORGANIZED 

Sam Powell, Dream Town Realty, 

calls Todoist her “brain!” 

As you’re running from 

appointment to appointment, 

Todoist is here to help keep 

you organized. This is the app where all your daily 

tasks, new ideas and ever-changing priorities can 

harmonize. 

It works like this: no matter where you are, open up 

the Todoist app and add in your newest task. Then, set 

a reminder or deadline, add it to an existing project if 

necessary and indicate the task’s priority level. 

Here’s where it gets cool: Todoist allows you to 

assign tasks to someone else if necessary. Plus, 

it integrates with other apps and systems that 

you’re probably already using, like Dropbox, Alexa 

and Slack. You can even use its productivity charts 

to help you analyze your time management skills 

and make adjustments to ensure you’re meeting 

your goals. 

“When I get an email with a task that I need to 

take a lead on, I'll add it to my Todoist,” Sam said. 

“I use it with my team and personal assistant to 

keep track of what each of us is doing as it relates 

to our client files.” 


MAKING YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS MORE COMPELLING 

Over is Julia Lindquist’s, @properties, go-to. 

It can help you take your graphic design to the next level. The easy-to-use 

app has ready-made and customizable templates to make your posts more 

interesting. You can use different fonts, stock photography and cool graphics to 

enhance posts about your next open house, give updates about your brokerage 

or share info about a property your team just closed. 

The basic version of the Over app is free to use, but if you’re looking for 

an enhanced experience or access to additional features, you can buy a 

subscription. Over Pro provides additional fonts and photos to help keep 

your posts fresh, and Over Teams allows multiple people in your office 

to collaborate on designs. 

As Julia points out, in our fast-paced digital age, it’s imperative your 

social posts are visually appealing and quickly capture your potential 

clients’ eyes. 

“Visuals are extremely crucial in real estate – your listing photos are the 

first showings,” Julia said. “[Over] gives my posts an editorial feel, as 

if I'm seeing the photos in a home magazine or a Pottery 

Barn catalog.” 

Download Over at www.madewithover.com. 

Ready to get those tasks in order? 

Go to Todoist.com to learn more and 


CONNECTING WITH YOUR CLIENTS 

For Jordan Pyle, Keller Williams Chicago – Lincoln Park, it doesn’t get much better than 

BombBomb. 

We can’t deny the power of video. Next to meeting face-to-face, a short video is 

arguably the best way to keep your clients engaged. BombBomb helps makes it easy. 

Designed with real estate practitioners in mind, BombBomb allows you to record videos 

and send them directly to your clients via text or email. The best part: there are no links to click and no files to 

download. Once your client opens the message, they can watch your personalized video right in their inbox. 

Some other features include the ability to schedule when your videos are sent, see who opens and watches, save 

videos to answer FAQs and send reminders to those who haven’t watched yet. 

If increased replies, referrals and lead generation are some of your goals, consider using the BombBomb app to add 

a personal touch to your client communications. 

Head to bombbomb.com to download the app. If you’re new to the instant video game, read their 

Bombcast blog to learn from the experts. 


SCREEN TIME 

CHAMPS 

REALTOR ® Recommended Apps 

We get by with a little help from our REALTOR ® friends. With so 

many mobile apps out there (and so little time to test them all), it’s 

always nice to get trustworthy recommendations. We chatted with 

some REALTORS ® to learn more about the apps they’re using to make 

their lives easier and their businesses stronger. Here’s the download: 


MAKING PARKING EASIER 

Collin Wasiak, Compass, 

says the ParkChicago app, 

a collaboration between the 

City of Chicago and Chicago 

Parking Meters (CPM), is his 

cheat code. 

Imagine this: You’re inside a listing appointment 

that’s running longer than expected, while your 

car is parked at one of CPM’s 36,000 metered 

parking spots around the city. Knowing your client 

needs your undivided attention, would you rather 

run out to add time to your meter or tap a button 

on your phone to extend it? We’re sure you’d chose 

the latter, and the ParkChicago app helps you out 

in that regard. Additionally, the ParkChicagoMap 

feature allows you to see which parking spots are 

available, as well as check their rates, parking 

hours and additional details. 

“In a world where time is money, this app 

charges a nominal fee in exchange for the 

security of your car and, above all else, 

convenience,” Collin said. 

As an added bonus, did you know CPM 

has its own philanthropy? CPM Community 

Partner gives to local family and youth 

organizations. Now that’s parking with 

a purpose! 

Make your life easier and download 

the app at ParkChicago.com. 


FREE STOCK PHOTOS AND VIDEO 

Marki Lemons Ryhal, EXIT Strategy Realty, recommends Pexels, which gives you access to lots of 

free images to use in your next marketing campaign. Once you select your favorite photo, you can 

save and edit it as needed, or you can upload it directly to your social media accounts. 

What makes Pexels unique is that it also offers stock videos for you to grab and use! 

If you get inspired and want to start taking your own photos and videos, you can upload them to the 

app for others to use. 

“I’m always thinking about content and marketing, as I want to differentiate myself from my fellow REALTORS ® in my 

marketplace,” Marki said. “I use royalty-free photos and videos from Pexels.com, then remove the background on 

Remove.bg and upload it to Canva to do the final design.” 

Remove.bg allows users to keep their favorite parts of their photos and flawlessly edit out the rest. Canva touts itself on 

making graphic design simple. The app gives users a large selection of templates, frames, shapes, sizes, colors and filters 

that can be used to make social media posts, flyers, posters and more! 

Using a combination of apps to create content that attracts and resonates with her audience is one of her 

secrets to success. 

To get Marki’s content trifecta, head to these websites: pexels.com, Remove.bg and Canva.com. 


MENTORS VS. SPONSORS 

MADE SIMPLE 

Chelsea C. Hayes, SPHR | The Coaching Factory 

Think about the best thing that has ever happened to you in your 

career. Chances are, whatever you just thought of wouldn’t have 

happened if it weren’t for another human. Someone intervened. 

Someone suggested, shared, agreed, approved, approached, 

collaborated, introduced or fought for you. 

Humans need help. We were put on this Earth to lift, support, 

guide, train, inspire and encourage one another. In the 

workplace, this magic is most commonly described using 

two words: mentoring and sponsoring. These words are not 

interchangeable and cause unique outcomes. Let’s take a look at 

the difference between mentors vs. sponsors. 

• A mentor is someone who provides sound advice. 

• A sponsor is a proven leader who is deeply invested in 

your advancement and voluntarily introduces you & 

your work product to influential leaders. 

• If you’re curious, a coach is a leader who is 

extraordinarily knowledgeable in a specific area and 

provides practical steps to lead you towards your goals. 

Strong coaching relationships are individual and 

nuanced, so today, we’ll focus on mentors vs. sponsors. 

ORDER OF OPERATIONS 

Speaking up for yourself and being thoughtful about who you’d 

like to learn from is important. You may want to ask yourself: 

• Do they do business with integrity in a way that is 

honorable and inspiring? 

• How does this person lead under great stress or pressure? 

• How do I feel around this leader? How does this leader 

make others feel? 

• What do I believe this person can teach me that no one 

else can? 

MENTORS 

Have mentees. 

Provide advice. 

Listen. 

Share ideas. 

Ask how the event went. 

Advise you based on where you are now. 

Ideate about fruitful possibilities. 

May be plentiful. 

Some level of trust required. 

Only technically need to understand one 

dimension of your world. 

May exist throughout an organization. 

Say “here’s what you can do.” 

SPONSORS 

Make protégés. 

Provide courageous counsel, experience and real time solutions. 

Strategize. 

Challenge mediocrity. 

Take you with them to the event. 

See beyond where you are today to activate all that you can be 

in the future. 

Personally take your name into rooms you do not yet occupy with 

the purpose of accelerating your career. 

Are special. The most successful people have

While the answers to these questions are key, in our 

experience at The Coaching Factory, the most fruitful mentor/ 

mentee & sponsor/protégé relationships are ones where the 

mentor & sponsor take an organic interest in the career of 

the mentee & protégé. Programs and engineered outings are 

beneficial, but none are more exemplary than relationships 

that bloom organically. 

Mentorship is helpful, but sponsorship is what is necessary to 

achieve the type of success we read about. For women and 

people of color especially, sponsorship is wildly important 

and should be something you’re focused on from the very 

beginning of your career. According to the 2018 “Women in 

the Workplace” study by McKinsey & Company, 27 percent of 

men say they never have a substantive interaction with a senior 

leader about their work, while 41 percent of black women say 

the same. Sponsorship requires interaction and this doesn’t 

happen by chance, so keep sponsorship top of mind. 

Let’s think of it like going grocery shopping. If you go to the 

store without a list, it may take a long time to find something 

to make for dinner. You may wander aimlessly until you 

reluctantly, finally decide on something that will just make 

the hunger subside. On the flip side, if you go to the store 

with a list of five ingredients you need to buy, you’ll be home 

quickly, with a balanced, thoughtful meal. You won’t have 

wandered — you’ll have conquered. 

Our careers work the same way. Sponsorship (the healthy 

meal) exists, and you have to know what attracts sponsors 

early (the ingredients) so you can receive the opportunities 

your incredible work warrants. 

HOW TO GET A SPONSOR 

Perform. 

Numbers don’t lie. Meet and surpass your goals, and, most 

importantly, people still need to like you once your goals have 

been exceeded! Andy Shiparski, Managing Broker at Compass, 

asks powerful questions: “Are you truly creating a unique 

experience? Are you doing everything for your clients that you 

would do for yourself if you were selling your own home?” 

Do More Than What’s Required. 

You’d be surprised how many people don’t do the simple 

things correctly. Be early, show up polished every time and do 

what you can to make life easier for all your teammates. This 

may mean showing a home for a fellow REALTOR ® when their 

schedule unexpectedly changes. 

Remember: Nice Words = Mentors, 

Unusual Actions = Sponsors. 

Volunteer to do the right thing (even when it’s the hard thing), 

do something that isn’t technically your responsibility for 

the betterment of the team, and joyfully stay late to ensure 

a problem is fixed — these are all unusual actions and will 

be noticed. 

Listen More Than You Speak. 

No one likes a know-it-all. If you talk non-stop, you’ll be 

pegged as un-coachable. Even if you’re effective, people 

will steer clear of you. I’ve seen capable talent work ten 

years without sponsorship, simply because they unknowingly 

irritate their colleagues. We all must practice listening. 

If you’ve done all the above and you still don’t have a sponsor, 

your company may lack the pool of leaders to sponsor you or 

there may be something someone isn’t telling you. The first 

option we can’t control, but the second one is in our control. 

There may be a piece of feedback you aren’t getting or 

aren’t responding to. Be gentle with yourself and remember 

that feedback reigns supreme. He or she who gets the most 

feedback wins. Start by asking your closest colleagues, and 

even those who aren’t in your inner circle, where they believe 

you excel and how you can grow. 

If you’ve gotten this far, I know your growth is important to you 

and I also know you truly can have anything you want. The tricky 

thing about life is, we don’t get what we want alone! Perform 

well, keep people first and be kind. The truth is, we all need 

each other. Congratulations on all that you’ve accomplished — 

there are no limits to where we’ll go together. 

How to be the 

Best Mentee/Protégé 

Support what’s important to them. 

F Offer to check in attendees at their function, 

help with their upcoming event, etc. No job 

should be too big or too small. Your job is to 

find the place you exist in their world that 

requires the least amount of effort from them. 

Always be early. 

F This communicates that you take their time 

very seriously and you’re ready for the next 

big thing. 

Be succinct. 

F The best mentors and sponsors do not have 

a lot of time. There are many people 

depending on them and their brain. If you 

have an ask, be very clear about what you 

need, when you need it and why. 


Making Housing Data 

Approachable 

MICHAEL LANE | PRESIDENT, SHOWINGTIME 

Housing data can be 

intimidating for even the most 

seasoned real estate professional 

— so, it should come as no surprise when a 

client expresses some trepidation when the 

conversation turns to market stats. Working 

with any client, there comes a time where 

the use of current market data to guide the 

conversation is all but mandatory. What’s a 

REALTOR ® to do? 

Visit ChicagoREALTOR.com to 

dive into our statistical tools. 

Making data easily digestible and relatable 

for clients is a challenge every successful 

REALTOR ® will have to overcome at some point. There are tools that 

help make it easy for you — and they’re included in your Chicago 

Association of REALTORS ® membership. ShowingTime’s MarketStats 

solutions like FastStats and InfoSparks are essential tools that offer 

access to the latest relevant market statistics, enhanced with powerful 

visualization features to help paint a vivid picture of the market. 

Here are some common ways you can leverage these tools to help 

traverse the complex world of market statistics and make data 

palatable for your clients. 

That’s why a good REALTOR ® is, in many 

respects, an interpreter, translating the 

peaks and valleys of the market into 

guidance that your clients depend on. 

MAKE DATA MARKETABLE 

In today’s tech-driven world, ample data is readily available. With a quick 

click or scroll, anyone can uncover a wealth of seemingly authoritative 

statistics on almost anything in a matter of minutes. For a prospective 

client, access to this wealth of data can be a double-edged sword. Not 

only is data often difficult to interpret, inaccurate data is ubiquitous, 

leading to a situation where many don’t know what to believe. 

That’s where you come in. Your prospective clients are looking for someone 

who can navigate the veritable jungle of clickbait headlines and bold 

predictions about the next new trends in the market and come away with 

accurate, actionable analysis. The REALTOR ® who can share this data 

in an eye-catching way will have seized on an excellent marketing tool 

— and a way to strengthen their brand not only as an authority on the 

market, but also as someone who provides a personal touch. 

solutions are more than mere data aggregators — they allow you to 

combine multiple variables to create visually appealing and easy-todigest 

reports to share with potential clients. 

Social media, for example, provides the optimal medium for data 

sharing. With the average American spending more than two hours 

a day socializing online, there are few better avenues to increase 

brand awareness and position yourself as a thought leader among 

competitors. 

You can use the data you glean from InfoSparks 

and FastStats to create vibrant, eminently shareable 

infographics. Start by picking two or three data sets 

in one area, then use those reports to make one 

infographic highlighting that city, neighborhood, etc. 

There are many free tools available to help you make 

your own infographic easily. Piktochart is a great 

example of a free, easy-to-use site for beginners who 

are interested in designing appealing infographics; simply choose 

from one of the site’s many pre-built templates and insert the charts 

and graphs that you pull from InfoSparks or FastStats. 

USE DATA TO HAVE 

TOUGH CONVERSATIONS 

A house that won’t sell is undoubtedly one of the most stressful, 

all-too-common issues a REALTOR ® faces. We hear all the time 

that having “the talk” with clients can make for a roadblock in what 

otherwise would be a smooth transaction. Given the investments a 

seller may have put into a house, both emotional and financial, it’s easy 

to see why a client may be resistant to changing their asking price or 

against making necessary changes to make a house more appealing 

to prospective buyers, even in the face of a lengthy time on the market. 

InfoSparks and FastStats make data truly marketable, helping you 

gather relevant, in-demand real estate data in one place. But these 

Data can become a powerful ally when you’re faced with difficult 

conversations. 


InfoSparks is updated with the MRED market data nightly, so your 

insights are backed by accurate, up-to-date information. You could, 

for example, pull a neighborhood’s median or average days on market 

data, strong evidence to support a compelling argument for making 

some changes to a listing. Because the data is current and accurate, 

clients can be sure that they are meaningful and unbiased. 

STEP BY STEP 

Looking for market info? Look no further. Here are step by 

step directions to get you to all the data. 

1. Log into ConnectMLS via MRED. 

Of course, data alone doesn’t tell the story. That’s why InfoSparks gives 

you access to an extensive array of charts and graphs to convey the 

data visually, helping clients see what’s going on in 

their neighborhood’s housing market. Once you’ve 

managed to remove the usual suspects about why 

a house may not be selling as quickly as a seller 

may like, you can turn to InfoSparks to assess an 

area’s comparable listings, exporting relevant data 

into visually appealing, branded charts that you 

then can share with sellers via printed materials or 

electronic communications. 

2. Under the "Tools, Resources & Links" menu, 

click on InfoSparks. 

For example, you can begin a tough conversation 

by pulling a report on the average length of time 

a house is on the market in the neighborhood 

where your client lives. Maybe your client 

has priced their home too high. Find out by running a report on 

comparable homes in their area and show the average sale price. 

There are hundreds of data variables available to customize, create, 

export and share with clients. 

PROVIDE CONTEXT TO THE NUMBERS 

If you took a foreign language course at some point but never 

continued learning the language, you know that while you may be 

able to recognize some words and phrases years later, you lack the 

deeper understanding needed to converse with a native speaker. 

Interpreting housing data is like that. While your clients may very 

well have an understanding of the basic principles regarding market 

statistics, the complexity of the market requires a professional to make 

sense of them. Numbers may not lie, but they can mislead. 

3. Once on the main InfoSparks dashboard, you 

can customize the current data you want to pull 

and download either the raw data or charts. 

4. You can also visit the "Reports" tab for 

information packaged neatly for your use. 

That’s why a good REALTOR ® is, in many respects, an interpreter, 

translating the peaks and valleys of the market into guidance that your 

clients depend on. For example, your clients may be hearing a lot of talk 

in the news about a particular housing trend which could be accurate, 

but which also needs the proper context to be correctly interpreted. 

This again provides an opportunity for you to leverage your access to 

accurate data, which can be used to contextualize a key housing indicator. 

The thorough, 13-page Monthly Indicators report covers each aspect of 

the market and paints a bigger picture about current trends. You can use 

the report to analyze key metrics like new listings, median sales price 

and average list price and display them longitudinally. In this way, you 

can highlight seasonal trends or point out an aberration in the market by 

looking at how a similar listing has fared in months and years past. 

5. Under the “My Areas” tab, you can custom define 

neighborhoods or areas of the city to search for data 

according to your unique parameters. 

The subject of housing statistics is often intimidating for clients to 

understand and for REALTORS ® to explain, but it doesn’t have to be. 

ShowingTime’s MarketStats solutions, included with your Chicago 

Association of REALTORS ® membership, are designed to remove the 

guesswork about interpreting and sharing market data, giving you a 

powerful tool to attract new clients and engage existing ones alike. 

6. All InfoSparks data is available for you to 

download, customize and share! 



Special Advertising Section 

Real Estate to the Rescue 

Real Estate to the Rescue 

NAGLREP Chicago 

NAGLREP Chicago 

WCR Chicago 

FIABCI - Midwest 

WCR Chicago 

FIABCI - Midwest 

Dearborn REALTIST ® Board 

Dearborn REALTIST ® Board 

AREAA Greater Chicago 

NAHREP Chicago Chapter 

AREAA Greater Chicago 


Association News 

Past President Zeke Morris Sworn in 

as 2020 Treasurer of Illinois REALTORS ® 

CAR past president Ezekiel “Zeke” Morris, EMA Realty and 

Management, has been named as the 2020 Treasurer of Illinois 

REALTORS ® . This positions Zeke to become the first African 

American president in Illinois REALTORS ® history. 

Zeke was the recipient of our 2013 REALTOR ® of the Year award. He 

founded the CAR Foundation’s Zeke Morris Scholarship to support 

the education efforts of those who have shown commitment to the 

stabilization and economic development of Chicago’s southside 

communities. 

Zeke has a long list of involvement at the local, state and national 

levels, serving numerous committees, including the Illinois 

REALTORS ® Housing Opportunity Working Group, the Bylaws 

Committee, the Public Policy and Government Affairs Member 

Involvement Group and the State Legislative Contacts Working 

Group, and the National Association of REALTORS ® Board of 

Directors Federal Housing Policy, Multicultural Real Estate Leadership 

Advisory Group, Fair Housing Act Anniversary Working Group and the 

Fair Housing Act Anniversary Implementation Group, among others. 

YPN Volunteers at 

Ronald McDonald House 

Our Young Professionals Network committee kicked off their year 

by volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House at Lurie Hospital. 

Together, we made a dinner of grilled cheese, pork meatballs, 

balsamic chicken, veggies, fruit and snickerdoodle cupcakes for 

the Ronald McDonald House families. Look for more volunteering 

opportunities in the year to come! 

Zeke Morris, EMA Realty and Management, Sue Miller, Coldwell Banker The Real Estate Group, 

and Gary Clayton, Illinois REALTORS ® , at the Illinois REALTORS ® Installation Gala in September. 

We’re so proud of you, Zeke — thank you for your continued 

commitment to our industry! 

1 

2 

3 

1. BACK: Quentin Green, Downtown Realty Company, 

Sarah Langum, Compass Real Estate, Julia Lindquist, 

@properties, DeVon Chandler, Compass Real Estate, 

Michael Bencks, Neighborhood Loans, Jordan Pyle, 

Keller Williams Chicago - Lincoln Park, Devontae Brooks, 

Guaranteed Rate, and Trischa Williams, Vesta Preferred 

Realty LLC. FRONT: Amy Wu, Keller Williams Success 

Realty, Cory Hall, Chicago Association of REALTORS ® , 

Collin Wasiak, Compass Real Estate, Maria Dickman, 

Chicago Association of REALTORS ® , and Kasey Taylor, 

@properties. 2. DeVon Chandler, Compass Real Estate, 

Amy Wu, Keller Williams Success Realty, Julia Lindquist, 

@properties. 3. Julia Lindquist, @properties, Michael 

Bencks, Neighborhood Loans, and Kasey Taylor, 

@properties. 


Government Affairs Update 

What you need to know about 

the Just Housing Amendment 

In April 2019, the Cook County Commissioners approved a Just 

Housing Amendment (JHA). The intent of the ordinance is very 

clear: prevent housing discrimination among persons with a criminal 

background. JHA was immediately added to the Human Rights 

section of Cook County’s municipal law, effective December 31, 2019. 

What does this mean for the 

real estate industry? 

Any landlord or property management company in Cook County 

that conducts tenant screening will need to incorporate the new 

JHA procedure. There is a two-step tenant screening process that 

must be followed: 

1. Pre-qualification (ability to pay, references, etc.) 

2. Criminal background check 

If a person has a criminal history, housing providers must conduct 

an Individualized Assessment. The Assessment can take several 

factors into account, such as the nature and severity of the criminal 

offense and how recently it occurred, number of applicant’s criminal 

convictions, length of time the criminal offense occurred, evidence 

of rehabilitation, etc. 

To deny housing, a landlord will have to give the applicant an 

opportunity to dispute a denial by providing evidence to counter 

any criminal history discovered in the criminal background check. 

Housing providers must be aware of the time period allowed to 

dispute the denial. If the applicant disputes the denial, materials 

must be provided to the landlord within a specific amount of time. 

Our Stance 

CAR strongly opposes discrimination in housing based on race, 

color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, sexual orientation, 

gender identify and national origin. This policy is embodied in the 

National Association of REALTORS ® (NAR) Code of Ethics. 

While the JHA intent is understood, the complexity of tenant 

screening already exists. Landlords must follow local, state and 

federal rules and regulations. The JHA is adding layers to the 

regulations already in place. 

CAR had an advocacy win when we were able to get rid of the 

holding period of a rental unit if an applicant was denied housing, 

which placed additional risks on the housing provider. 

Legislative Outlook 

Any landlord or housing provider in Cook County will have to 

follow the JHA rules effective December 31, 2019. It is critically 

important that rules are understood and followed to reduce risk 

of any penalties. Keep a look out — we’ll be providing you with 

the updates you need to navigate the new requirements on 

ChicagoREALTOR.com. 

Join us for... 

First Tuesday 

of the Month 

® 

REALTOR Building 

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

Coffee with Your GADs 

It goes without saying: there are a lot of updates that impact your 

business. Be sure to come to Coffee with the GADs, usually the first 

Tuesday of the month, to get the latest updates on what will affect 

you and your clients, and what CAR is doing to protect your private 

property rights! 

Be sure to register on ChicagoREALTOR.com. 

Capitol Conference 

It’s never too early to plan to be part of the solution. The Illinois 

REALTORS ® Capitol Conference, also known as Lobby Day, is 

Tuesday, April 21, 2020. We invite you to join your fellow Chicago 

REALTORS ® storming the capitol to meet with legislators and let 

them know where we stand on the public policy issues that impact 

our business and our clients. To make it easy on you, CAR provides 

transportation to Springfield. Please plan to be there and be on the 

lookout for updates on ChicagoREALTOR.com. 

Schedule a Visit from Your GADs 

If you can’t make it to a Coffee with Your GADs meeting, want more 

info on RPAC or think your fellow brokers will benefit from hearing 

about CAR’s current public policy initiatives, feel free to request a 

visit from one of our GADs. Please visit ChicagoREALTOR.com/GAD 

to complete a GAD visit request form or email us at 

KAnderson@chicagorealtor.com or AMurawski@chicagorealtor.com 

to schedule a time to visit your office, get to know your brokers and 

fill you in on the issues we’re fighting for every day! 


1 

2 

136 TH INAUGURAL GALA 

3 

4 5 

6 

1. Bob Eby, Century 21 Affiliated and Karla Mina, Compass; 

2. Crystal Chaudhry, Zach Kogut, Keah Gonzalez, Krista Harkin, 

Tommy Choi, Stephanie Westergaard, Sydney Warner, Enida 

Krdzalic, Josh Weinberg, and Paul Smith, Keller Williams Chicago 

– Lincoln Park; 3. Molly Phelan, Siegel Jennings and Rebecca 

Thomson, Coldwell Banker Residential; 4. Sarah Ware, Ware 

Realty Group and Erika Villegas, RE/MAX in the Village; 5. Aracely 

Palomino, The Federal Savings Bank, Michelle Kubala, Jameson 

Sotheby’s International Realty, Maribel Guzman, Tammy Hajjar 

Miller, Bernie Miller, Cecelia Marlow, Cheyenne Paul, Paul Ludwig, 

and Scott Madgett, The Federal Savings Bank; 6. Danny Lewis, 

Dream Town Realty, Akos Straub, Berkshire Hathaway 

HomeServices Chicago, and Justin Kling, Jameson Sotheby’s 

International Realty; 7. Adam Wesselink, Blue Cross Blue Shield 

and Antonia L. Mills, Attorney. 

7 

SPONSORED BY: 


Photos by Marcello Rodarte, Fine Art Photography 

1 

2 

3 

4 5 

6 

7 

8 9 

1. Kyi Hampton, Maurice Hampton, Centered International 

Realty, and Cree Hampton; 2. Tori Gwin, and Lauren Mitrick 

Wood, Compass; 3. Alan Castro, Ed Zamora, and Matt Lee, 

Caliber Home Loans; 4. Lilly Patterson, Maurice Hampton’s 

Great-Grandmother; 5. Reno Manuele, Mayra Rubio, and 

Tony Ameti, Neighborhood Loans; 6. Vicky Silvano, Baird & 

Warner, Ann Trandai, Trandai Realty, John Manglardi, Cross 

Country Mortgage, Elizabeth Goodchild, Berkshire Hathaway 

HomeServices Starck Real Estate, Maurel Samonte, eXp 

Realty, Scott Weer, Weer & Woellert Insurance Agency, and 

Stephany Oliveros, Compass; 7. Eli Hall, Henrietta Long-Hall, 

and Moses Hall, MoHall Commercial & Urban Development; 

8. Fernando Rizzo, Neighborhood Loans, John Floros, Fulton 

Grace Realty, and Coral Christian, Chicago Title; 9. Emma 

Butler, and Amber McLain, Neighborhood Loans. 


1 2 3 4 

5 6 

2019 REALTOR ® AWARDS 

At the 136 th Annual Inaugural Gala, the real estate 

community gathered to honor exceptional members 

of our Chicago REALTOR ® family. Congratulations to 

the recipients of the 2019 REALTOR ® Awards and the 

2019 President’s Awards! 

REALTOR ® OF THE YEAR: 

REBECCA THOMSON, Coldwell Banker Residential 

REALTOR ® ACHIEVEMENT: 

CHRIS PEZZA, Miller Chicago Real Estate 

REALTOR ® ACHIEVEMENT: 

TRACEY ROYAL, TEAM Real Estate Services, Inc. 

REALTOR ® ACHIEVEMENT - COMMERCIAL 

KEVIN ROCIO, @properties Commercial 

REALTOR ® COMMUNITY SERVICE: 

CANDICE PAYNE, 5 th Group Realty & Management 

AFFILIATE OF THE YEAR: 

RENO MANUELE, Neighborhood Loans 

1. Matt Silver, Urban Real Estate and Chair 

of the REALTOR ® Awards Work Group, 

and Kevin Rocio, @properties Commercial; 

2. Matt Silver, Tracey Royal, TEAM Real 

Estate Services, Inc. and Michelle Mills 

Clement, Chicago Association of REALTORS ® ; 

3. Hugh Rider, Realty & Mortgage Co. and 

Michelle Mills Clement; 4. Matt Silver and 

Chris Pezza, Miller Chicago Real Estate; 

5. Rebecca Thomson, Coldwell Banker 

Residential; 6. Matt Silver, Reno Manuele, 

Neighborhood Loans, and Michelle Mills 

Clement; 7. Lutalo McGee, Ani Real Estate, 

and Michelle Mills Clement; 8. Matt Silver, 

Rick Sobin, @properties, and Michelle Mills 

Clement; 9. Matt Silver, Candice Payne, 

5 th Group Realty & Management, and 

Michelle Mills Clement. 

8 

7 

9 

Photos by Marcello Rodarte 

MANAGING BROKER OF THE YEAR 

(1-50 licensees): 

LUTALO McGEE, Ani Real Estate 

MANAGING BROKER OF THE YEAR 

(51+ licensees): 

RICK SOBIN, @properties 

2019 BRIAN A. BERNARDONI 

POLITICAL ADVOCACY AWARD: 

HUGH RIDER, Realty & Mortgage Co. 

2019 CAR HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE: 

JOHN RUTLEDGE, Oxford Capital Group, LLC 

2019 PRESIDENT’S AWARD RECIPIENTS: 

TESHA CHOI 

GRACE KAAGE 

JESSICA KERN 


ZEKE MORRIS 

JOSH WEINBERG 


1 

2 

1. Sarah Ware, Ware Realty Group, Nykea Pippion McGriff, 

Dream Town Realty, and Tracey Royal, TEAM Real Estate 

Services; 2. Marcos Mendez, Alfredo Barragan, Sonia Anaya, 

and Eddy Salinas, America Real Estate; 3. Al Canaveral and 

Edgar Guerrero, Century 21 Affiliated; 4. Phillip Pippion, 

Lutalo McGee, Ani Real Estate, Maurice Hampton, Centered 

International Realty, and Chris Pezza, Miller Chicago Real Estate; 

5. Amanda Rodriguez, Alex Wolking, Olivia Hayes, Madilyn 

Garcia, Keller Williams Chicago - Lincoln Park, Matt Engle, 

Fulton Grace Realty, Danielle Durocher, and Kevin Hinton, 

Keller Williams Chicago - Lincoln Park; 6. Kara Boeldt, Dave 

Naso, Keller Williams Chicago - Lincoln Park, Ryan Stevens, 

guest, Jackie Delva, and Ashley Carter, Keller Williams Chicago 

- Lincoln Park; 7. Cecelia Marlow, The Federal Savings Bank, 

Fosta Smith, EXIT Strategy Realty, Shannon Welch, Keller 

Williams Elite, and Sanina Jones, Chicago Homes Realty Group; 

8. Hugh Rider, Realty & Mortgage Co. and Jim Kinney, Baird & 

Warner; 9. Courtney Jones and Sanina Ellison Jones, Chicago 

Homes Realty Group. 

3 

5 

4 

6 

7 

8 9 

Golfers doing what they do. 

Photos by Jack Lane, LANE Media & Productions 


Photos by Cory Hall & Jessica Kern, Chicago Association of REALTORS ® 

1 

YPN KICKBALL 

TOURNAMENT 

YPN got together on September 

12 th at Oz Park to raise money for 

Chicago House and My Block, My 

Hood, My City. Ten teams put their 

best foot forward in the kickball 

tournament of the summer! I Heart 

Bad Pitches of Main Street Real 

Estate Group was crowned the 

victor, but all of YPN won by raising 

$ 

5,932 through the YPN Fund, made 

possible by the Chicago Association 

of REALTORS ® Foundation. 

2 3 

4 

1. Participants in the 2019 YPN Kickball tournament; 

2. Wilson Rivera, Vesta Preferred, and Niral Patel, 

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago; 3. Grace 

Kaage, @properties; 4. Baller Trophy; 5. Dustin Schaff, 

Fairway Independent Mortgage, Tim McLoughlin, 

Grace Kaage, Joe Hosch, and Julia Lindquist, @properties, 

Kevin Boggs, Goosehead Insurance, Chloe Reynolds, 

Pat Hechinger, and Sarah Maxwell, @properties, 

Roger Grabowski, Goosehead Insurance, Brittany 

Middlebrooks, @properties, Kyle Gillespie, Guaranteed 

Rate, and Steve Davis, @properties; 6. Brian Iversen, 

Laura Di Andrea-Iversen & Associates, Bill Iversen, 

Attorney, Colin Wasiak, Compass, Yassin Taib, 

Neighborhood Loans, Liz Sunderhaus, Compass, Amber 

McLain, Jonathan Roby, and Emma Butler, Neighborhood 

Loans, Samuel Ciochon, and Nathan Wilks, Compass, 

Michael Bencks, Neighborhood Loans, Tim Knipper, 

Compass, LaQuan Henley, HomeSmart, Lauren Herskovic, 

Compass, Michael Scaccia, Robert Ramirez, and 

Dwight Marroquin, Neighborhood Loans. 

5 

6 


1 2 

3 

4 5 

6 

7 

1. Jahmal Cole, My Block, My Hood, My City; 

2. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago team 

— Ted Kuhlmann, Mariah Dell, Michelle Schroeder, 

Maurel Samonte, Janice Wong, Tanya Nichols, 

Sammy Mangen, Katy Sullivan, David Zwarqoz, 

Jamie Book, Ayushi Kukreja, Patrick Shipp, 

Jim Streff, Niral Patel, Christine Egley-Rashkow, 

Rebecca Conant, Chad Chodonorek, Darlene Little, 

Michael Giganti, and Julie Sachs Capps; 3. Angelica 

Marneris, Main Street Real Estate; 4. Delaney 

Briggs, Americorp, Ltd., David Yanez, Alegre Home 

Loans, Jon Mossenberger, Tenant Base, Jamie Price, 

Americorp, Ltd., Cynthia Zenko, Zenko Law, PC, 

Gio Valdez, Alegre Home Loans, Nicke Lippe, and 

Don Sulaski, eClick Lending, Catherine Holbrook, 

Americorp, Ltd., Joe Myers, and Jimmy White, eClick 

Lending; 5. Tournament champions Main Street 

Real Estate Group team — Johnny Rodogiannia, 

Angelica Marneris, Paula Calzolari, Jeff Bushaw, 

Mo Dadkhah, David Lotan, Michael Barajas, Hetal 

Patel, Tim Asimos, Andrew Scheibe, Laura Martucci, 

and Aali Fidai; 6. Tournament champions Main 

Street Real Estate Group team; 7. Second place “The 

Kale Kickers” Kale Realty Team — Ubair Siddiqui, 

Thinh Bui, Andy Ong, and Matt Quinn, United 

Home Loans, Tim Littleton, Rasheed Shofidiya, 

Laura Badertscher, and Chance Badertscher, Kale 

Realty, Mustafa Salahuddin, Stewart Title Company, 

DeVontae Brooks, Guaranteed Rate and Tim 

Harstead, Kale Realty. 

SPONSORED BY: 


1 

4 

2 3 

2019 CASINO ROYALE 

5 

6 

7 

8 

1. Casino Royale co-chair Scott Newman, Vesta Preferred 

LLC; 2. Michael Emery, Urban Real Estate and Amanda 

Emery; 3. Fernando Rizzo, Emma Butler, and Tony Ameti, 

Neighborhood Loans; 4. The wheel of sweets; 5. Myra 

Nimchaiyong, Compass, and Wendy Kazlusky, d'aprile 

properties; 6. Kevin Peterson, Attorneys' Title Guaranty 

Fund, Inc., Monique Washington, Coldwell Banker and 

Bill Markoutas, Attorneys' Title Guaranty Fund, Inc.; 

7. VIP Cabana; 8. Kinga Korpacz, Exit Realty Redefined, 

Megan Oswald, Fulton Grace Realty, Nykea Pippion 

McGriff, Dream Town Realty, Maurice Hampton, Centered 

International Realty, Patricia Jamrozowicz, A.R.E. Partners, 

and Tracey Royal, TEAM Real Estate Services, Inc. 

SPONSORED BY: 


Photos by Marcello Rodarte 

1 

2 

3 

1. Nick Libert and Cassandra Sneed, EXIT Strategy Realty; 

2. Coral Christian and Alison Strogsdill, Chicago Title; 

3. Mike Nielsen, Guaranteed Rate, and Joanne Balbarin, 

@properties; 4. Emma Butler, Florinda Sanchez, Celeste 

Pannarale, and Dwight Marroquin, Neighborhood Loans; 

5. Carrie Georgitsis, and Stephanie Brimo, Redfin, Drussy 

Hernandez, Fulton Grace Realty and Hipolito Garcia, Caliber 

Home Loans; 6. Matt Laricy, Catherine Holbrook, Jamie Price, 

and Jonathan Rivera, Americorp, Ltd.; 7. Casino Royale co-chair 

Greg Pekarsky, Vesta Preferred, LLC and Maria Pekarsky; 

8. Slot Machine Models Amy Lusk and Madison Freeland; 

9. Guests having fun playing craps. 

4 

5 

6 

7 8 9 


CHICAGO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS ® PRESENTS 

RECOGNIZING EXCELLENCE, 

CHICAGO STYLE 

Celebrate your achievements from 2019 at our annual 

Sales Awards event on April 22 nd . Join us for an on-stage 

recognition of your peers during our theater-style program, 

and then toast to your success and mix and mingle at 

our after party, held at the Field Museum. 

2020 EVENTS 

JANUARY 

07 Coffee with Your GADs 

09 2020 Market Outlook 

27 Sustainability Launch Party 

28 Listening Tour – South 

29 YPN Kick-Off Mixer 

FEBRUARY 


04 Coffee with Your GADs – South 

05 YPN Investing Boot Camp 

11 Listening Tour – North 

12 CommercialForum + CCIM 

Roundtables 

19 Global Development Tour 

20 Black History Month Reception 

26 YPN Breakfast 

27 CAR West Economic Outlook 

MARCH 


19 Women’s Month Reception 

24 Listening Tour - West 


APRIL 


21 Capitol Conference 

24 Sales Awards 


30 The 20/20 Chicago Global Real 

Estate Conference & Expo 

MAY 


21 Asian Heritage Reception 


28 CommercialForum Economic 

Outlook 

www.ChicagoREALTOR.com/Events 


WINTER LINEUP 

14-15 31 6-7 

JANUARY JANUARY FEBRUARY 

Essentials of Property 

Management 

9:00 AM - 4:00 PM 

Members: $119 

CAR Central | 6 Hours Elective CE 

12 2-3 17-18 

FEBRUARY MARCH MARCH 

Real Estate Investing 

9:00 AM - 5:30 PM 

Members: $130 

CAR Central 

14-15 16 17 

APRIL APRIL APRIL 

Income Property 

Analysis 

8:30 AM - 5:00 PM 

Members: $175 


Pricing Strategy 

Advisor Certification 

9:00 AM - 4:30 PM 

Members: $130 


Real Estate Negotiation 

Expert Certification 

9:00 AM - 4:30 PM 

Members: $275 


Advanced Income 

Property Analysis 

8:30 AM - 6:30 PM 

Members: $125 

CAR Central 

Accredited Buyer's 

Representative Designation 

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM 

Members: $280 


Seller Representative 

Specialist Designation 

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM 

Members: $299 


Sales Skills Workshop 

8:30 AM - 4:30 PM 

Members: $99 

CAR Central 

Treat Yourself This CE Season 

BROKER CE DEADLINE: APRIL 30, 2020 

Brokers, if you were licensed prior to February 1, 2018, you will need to complete the requirements below by 

Broker Continuing Education 

Deadline: April 30, 2020 

April 30, 2020: 

12 HOURS OF CE 

• 4 Hours of Core 

• 8 Hours of Electives If you were licensed prior to February 1, 2018 you will need to complete the requirements: 

m 1 Hour must • fulfill 6 Hours the Core Sexual Harassment Prevention Training requirement 

• 6 Hours Elective 

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

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

1 Hour of approved Sexual Harassment complete Prevention the 30-Hour Training Post Licensing by April 30, Package. 2020. 

ChicagoREALTOR.com/BrokerCE 

ChicagoREALTOR.com/BrokerCE 

We Have A Schedule To Fit Your Schedule 

WEBINAR SELF-STUDY DOWNLOAD ONLINE CLASSROOM 

Your new years resolution... 

Find your niche with a specialty class. 

www.ChicagoREALTOR.com/Education 


2020 

CONTINUING 

EDUCATION 

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

need to complete the requirements below by April 30, 2020: 

• 12 Hours of CE 

• 4 Hours of Core 

• 8 Hours of Electives 

• 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 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 April 30, 2020 (with a potential extension to November 1, 2020). 

ChicagoREALTOR.com/BrokerCE

Dream Town North Shore welcomes 

Hilary 

O Connor 

` 

as the new 

Designated 


Hilary brings a passion for the 

industry and desire to support 

Dream Town’s tight-knit, 

collaborative community 

of brokers. 

Find out what makes us different: 

} dreamtown.com/careers 

Lincoln Park: 1950 N Sedgwick | Lincoln Square: 4553 N Lincoln | West Loop: 849 W Monroe | Edison Park: 7280 W Devon | Evanston: 1567 Maple

CR Magazine – Winter 2019

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