CR Magazine – Winter 2019
The official publication of the Chicago Association of REALTORS®.
The official publication of the Chicago Association of REALTORS®.
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
<strong>CR</strong><br />
Chicago REALTOR ®<br />
<strong>Magazine</strong><br />
2020<br />
VISION<br />
WHAT’S AHEAD FOR<br />
CHICAGO REAL ESTATE<br />
V o l u m e 29 | <strong>Winter</strong> 2 0 1 9<br />
Meet<br />
<strong>2019</strong>-2020 PRESIDENT<br />
MAURICE<br />
HAMPTON<br />
AND THE NEW BOARD<br />
OF DIRECTORS<br />
MAKING<br />
HOUSING DATA<br />
APPROACHABLE<br />
The Official Publication of the Chicago Association of REALTORS ®<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 3
TAO CHICAGO |<br />
632 Dearborn St., Chicago<br />
|<br />
JANUARY 29 th<br />
6:30 PM <strong>–</strong> 9:00 PM<br />
ChicagoREALTOR.com<br />
Register by Tuesday, January 28<br />
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<br />
Pan-Asian infused hors d’oeuvres and cocktails on Wednesday, January 29 th at TAO Chicago. Housed in one of Chicago’s most iconic<br />
landmarks, TAO Chicago is bringing to life the city’s Romanesque Revival style architecture, with its enchanting and dynamic<br />
multi-level restaurant and nightclub. The largest YPN event of the year, the 2020 Kick-Off is one you don’t want to miss!<br />
Light appetizers and a cash bar will be available during the event. Two drink tickets are included with your registration.<br />
| Early bird pricing (ends Jan. 15 at midnight): CAR members $45, Non-members $65 |<br />
| Regular pricing (Jan. 15 - Jan. 28 at 5PM): CAR members $55, Non-members $75 |<br />
| On-site pricing: CAR members $65, Non-members $85 |
Chicago REALTOR ® <strong>Magazine</strong> — Volume 29, <strong>Winter</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />
PAGE<br />
1O<br />
Contents<br />
FEATURES<br />
7 REALTOR ® Spotlight: The Superhero Collective Unites to<br />
Give the Gift of Homeownership<br />
10 Maurice Hampton: Uncovering and Unleashing<br />
Our Leadership Potential<br />
14 Get to Know Your 2020 Board of Directors<br />
16 Hall of Fame: John Rutledge: Master Hotel Developer <strong>–</strong><br />
Renaissance Man<br />
18 Building Stronger Communities Through Placemaking<br />
22 2020 Vision: A Look at What's Ahead for the Chicagoland’s<br />
Real Estate Market<br />
26 Welcome to Chatham<br />
30 Screen Time Champs: REALTOR ® Recommended Apps<br />
32 Business Tools: Mentors vs. Sponsors Made Simple<br />
34 Tech Tools: Making Housing Data Approachable<br />
IN EVERY ISSUE<br />
4 President’s Perspective<br />
6 From the CEO<br />
8 Editor’s Note<br />
9 Digital Extras<br />
40 Photo Album<br />
48 Events Calendar<br />
49 RRES Education<br />
Lineup<br />
50 The Buzz<br />
UPDATES<br />
5 Your Connection to State & National<br />
36 Industry Partners<br />
38 Association News<br />
39 Government Affairs Update<br />
40 <strong>2019</strong> Inaugural Gala<br />
44 YPN Kickball Tournament<br />
46 <strong>2019</strong> Casino Royale<br />
Page 18<br />
PLACEMAKING<br />
PAGE<br />
46<br />
Casino Royal<br />
PHOTOS<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 3
PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE<br />
When I first met Zeke Morris, he reminded me<br />
of the adage, “Be the change you wish to<br />
see in the world.” While I heard it said before,<br />
it meant something special coming from a<br />
fellow REALTOR ® , and to this day, those words come to mind frequently<br />
as I carry out my REALTOR ® duties.<br />
As REALTORS ® , we are serving as community and civic leaders.<br />
If thinking of yourself as a civic leader left you feeling scared or<br />
questioning what you signed up for, I’m challenging you to keep an<br />
open mind this year and take ownership of the transformative work you<br />
perform each and every day.<br />
When we show up to work, we’re helping someone else get a step closer<br />
to their dreams. The expertise we provide them throughout each step of<br />
the buying or selling process helps them accomplish a goal. Whether<br />
they’re downsizing after children have moved away, or searching for a<br />
new home after relocating for a job, our clients lean on us during the<br />
biggest transactions of their lives. While this is an amazing feat, it’s not<br />
the only way we lead.<br />
Watch Maurice's<br />
Inaugural speech.<br />
We lead by upholding the NAR Code of Ethics. Following those principles<br />
ensures we’re setting a standard in the communities we serve — creating<br />
a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, transparency and good character.<br />
We lead through volunteerism. The numerous micro and macro volunteer<br />
opportunities at CAR allow us to lend our expertise in unique ways to<br />
impact all levels of our industry. We lead through our advocacy efforts.<br />
When we engage with our Government Affairs Directors and REALTORS ®<br />
Political Action Committee, we’re helping to protect private property<br />
rights for decades to come.<br />
I hail from a lineage of community leaders, and one of the greatest things<br />
I learned from them is that leadership and community involvement<br />
comes in many forms. This year, I’m encouraging you to grasp hold of<br />
the leadership opportunities that are made available to you — and own<br />
them! There’s something magical that occurs when you walk proudly in<br />
who you are and what you contribute to the world.<br />
I’m so proud to be a Chicago REALTOR ® , and I’m excited to enter into this<br />
new decade with you. I can’t wait to see how you lead.<br />
MAURICE HAMPTON<br />
2020 President<br />
Chicago Association of REALTORS ®<br />
4 Chicago REALTOR ® <strong>Magazine</strong>
Your Connection to State + National<br />
Your fellow Chicago REALTORS ® ensure our voice is well represented at the state and national level.<br />
Thank you to our 2020 leadership!<br />
NATIONAL LEADERSHIP<br />
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF<br />
REALTORS ® DIRECTORS<br />
TOMMY<br />
CHOI<br />
NYKEA<br />
PIPPION<br />
McGRIFF<br />
NAR CHAIRS/VICE CHAIRS<br />
MATT<br />
FARRELL<br />
Chair, Real<br />
Property<br />
Operations<br />
Committee<br />
MOSES<br />
HALL<br />
Vice Chair,<br />
Commercial<br />
Economic Issues<br />
& Trends Forum<br />
MABÉL GUZMÁN<br />
VICE PRESIDENT<br />
ASSOCIATION AFFAIRS<br />
MATT<br />
FARRELL<br />
VICKY<br />
SILVANO<br />
MAURICE<br />
HAMPTON<br />
Vice Chair,<br />
CIPS Advisory<br />
Board<br />
MOSES<br />
HALL<br />
MATT<br />
SILVER<br />
MICHELLE<br />
MILLS<br />
CLEMENT<br />
Vice Chair,<br />
Global Business<br />
Councils Forum<br />
MAURICE<br />
HAMPTON<br />
REBECCA<br />
THOMSON<br />
NYKEA<br />
PIPPION<br />
McGRIFF<br />
Chair, REALTOR ®<br />
Party Member<br />
Involvement<br />
Committee<br />
ZEKE<br />
MORRIS<br />
SARAH<br />
WARE<br />
MATT<br />
SILVER<br />
Vice Chair,<br />
Federal Legislative<br />
& Political Forum<br />
NAR COMMITTEE MEMBER APPOINTMENTS<br />
Broker Engagement Council<br />
JOE CASTILLO<br />
Business Issues Policy Committee<br />
JOHN C. KMIECIK<br />
CIPS Advisory Board<br />
DELMY ECONOMOS-GRANADOS<br />
MAURICE HAMPTON<br />
Commercial Committee<br />
MOSES HALL<br />
Commercial Economic Issues<br />
and Trends Forum<br />
MOSES HALL<br />
Commercial Federal Policy<br />
Committee<br />
BOB FLOSS<br />
Commitment to Excellence<br />
Committee<br />
MARKI LEMONS RYHAL<br />
Consumer Advocacy Outreach<br />
Advisory Board<br />
JESSICA KERN<br />
Diversity Committee<br />
JAKEEVA LEE<br />
ZEKE MORRIS<br />
Executive Committee<br />
MABÉL GUZMÁN<br />
ZEKE MORRIS<br />
REBECCA THOMSON<br />
Federal Financing & Housing Policy<br />
Committee<br />
JOE CASTILLO<br />
BRETT DECKER<br />
Federal Legislative and<br />
Political Forum<br />
MATT SILVER<br />
Federal Taxation Committee<br />
ADRIANN MURAWSKI<br />
Federal Technology Policy<br />
Committee<br />
DEBORAH PRODEHL<br />
Finance Committee<br />
MATT FARRELL<br />
Global Alliances Advisory Board<br />
JIM KINNEY<br />
VICKY SILVANO<br />
NANCY SUVARNAMANI<br />
PAUL XUMSAI<br />
Global Business and<br />
Alliances Committee<br />
MAURICE HAMPTON<br />
JIM KINNEY<br />
MICHELLE MILLS CLEMENT<br />
NANCY SUVARNAMANI<br />
Global Business Councils Forum<br />
MICHELLE MILLS CLEMENT<br />
Housing Opportunity Committee<br />
SARAH WARE<br />
ZEKE MORRIS<br />
Multicultural Real Estate<br />
Leadership Advisory Group<br />
ZEKE MORRIS<br />
Professional Development<br />
Committee<br />
BOB EBY<br />
MARKI LEMONS RYHAL<br />
Professional Standards Committee<br />
PATRICK LYNCH<br />
JAMES VOTANEK<br />
PS Interpretations and<br />
Procedures Advisory Board<br />
PATRICK LYNCH<br />
Public Policy Coordinating<br />
Committee<br />
MATT SILVER<br />
NANCY SUVARNAMANI<br />
Real Property Operations<br />
Committee<br />
MATT FARRELL<br />
CHRIS PEZZA<br />
HUGH RIDER<br />
REALTOR ® Party Member<br />
Involvement Committee<br />
NYKEA PIPPION McGRIFF<br />
TONYA CORDER<br />
Research Committee<br />
MOSES HALL<br />
OLIVER STONE<br />
Resort and Second Home<br />
Real Estate Committee<br />
KRISTOPHER J. ANDERSON<br />
RPAC Major Investor Council<br />
CARRIE LITTLE<br />
RPAC Participation Council<br />
KAREN ROBERTSON<br />
Smart Growth Advisory Board<br />
ZEKE MORRIS<br />
State and Local Issues<br />
Policy Committee<br />
ZEKE MORRIS<br />
Sustainability Advisory Group<br />
JUDY GIBBONS<br />
Young Professionals Network<br />
Advisory Board<br />
TOMMY CHOI<br />
ILLINOIS REALTORS ® DIRECTORS<br />
NIKO<br />
APOSTAL<br />
TOMMY<br />
CHOI<br />
GASPAR<br />
FLORES, JR.<br />
IR CHAIRS/VICE CHAIRS<br />
MAURICE<br />
HAMPTON<br />
ZEKE<br />
MORRIS<br />
CHRIS<br />
PEZZA<br />
NYKEA<br />
PIPPION<br />
McGRIFF<br />
MATT<br />
SILVER<br />
REBECCA<br />
THOMSON<br />
SARAH<br />
WARE<br />
Affordable Housing and<br />
Community Involvement<br />
Committee<br />
TRACEY ROYAL<br />
MEGAN OSWALD<br />
ANTONIA MILLS<br />
ROBERT PADRON<br />
RACHEL SCHEID<br />
Association Executives<br />
Committee<br />
MICHELLE MILLS CLEMENT<br />
Audit Committee<br />
ZEKE MORRIS<br />
HUGH RIDER<br />
Business Issues and<br />
License Law Forum<br />
SARAH WARE<br />
Commercial and Property<br />
Management Committee<br />
ANTJE GEHRKEN<br />
ALESSANDRA HALLIBURTON<br />
CHRIS PEZZA<br />
HUGH RIDER<br />
Ethics Citation Panel<br />
MARIO DILORENZO<br />
MATT SILVER<br />
Executive Committee<br />
ZEKE MORRIS<br />
Finance Committee<br />
REBECCA THOMSON<br />
MICHELLE MILLS CLEMENT<br />
ZEKE MORRIS<br />
Global Business Council<br />
MOSES HALL<br />
NIKO APOSTAL<br />
MAURICE HAMPTON<br />
JIM KINNEY<br />
Illinois General Assembly<br />
and Statewide IE Committee<br />
ZEKE MORRIS<br />
Illinois Local Government<br />
IE Committee<br />
HUGH RIDER<br />
DONT’A TAYLOR<br />
Illinois REALTORS ® Plaza<br />
Committee<br />
ZEKE MORRIS<br />
Illinois REALTORS ® Public<br />
Policy & Programs Group<br />
CARMEN CHU<strong>CR</strong>ALA<br />
BRETT DECKER<br />
MELDINA DERVISEVIC<br />
DELMY ECONOMOS-GRANADOS<br />
EVELYN FRED<br />
KIRSTEN GETTINGS<br />
DAVE HANNA<br />
SVETLANA KUSHNAREVA<br />
DONT’A TAYLOR<br />
ALICE WEINERT<br />
Leadership Development<br />
Working Group<br />
MICHELLE MILLS CLEMENT<br />
Local Government Affairs<br />
Committee<br />
CAMILO R. ESCALANTE<br />
Nominating Committee<br />
MARIO DILORENZO<br />
GASPAR FLORES, JR.<br />
SARAH WARE<br />
Performance/Compensation<br />
Review Committee<br />
JIM KINNEY<br />
ZEKE MORRIS<br />
Professional Standards<br />
Committee<br />
MATT SILVER<br />
MARIO DILORENZO<br />
GASPAR FLORES, JR.<br />
MABÉL GUZMÁN<br />
BARBARA NOVAK<br />
SAM POWELL<br />
HUGO RODRIGUEZ<br />
LASHANDRIA SANDERSON<br />
JOAN SANDRIK<br />
RACHEL SCHEID<br />
REALTOR ® of the Year<br />
Working Group<br />
JOHN C. KMIECIK<br />
REALTORS ® Political<br />
Involvement Working Group<br />
MATT SILVER<br />
BRETT DECKER<br />
MAURICE HAMPTON<br />
ANTONIA MILLS<br />
NAJA MORRIS<br />
MEGAN OSWALD<br />
DONT’A TAYLOR<br />
REBECCA THOMSON<br />
RPAC Trustees<br />
NIKO APOSTAL<br />
NYKEA PIPPION MCGRIFF<br />
Strategic Planning<br />
Committee<br />
TOMMY CHOI<br />
GASPAR FLORES, JR.<br />
MICHELLE MILLS CLEMENT<br />
ZEKE MORRIS<br />
NAJA MORRIS<br />
MEGAN OSWALD<br />
SARAH WARE<br />
YPN Advisory Group<br />
NAJA MORRIS<br />
RACHEL SCHEID<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 5
FROM THE CEO<br />
When I was fresh out of college, I was pushed<br />
into leadership — literally. I was serving<br />
on the National Social Action Commission<br />
for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. At our<br />
national convention, the commission chair asked me and another recent<br />
graduate to give our report — with just 15 minutes notice. We hesitantly<br />
approached the mic, froze, then stumbled over our words. Eventually,<br />
I stopped talking and just stared at the audience, holding back tears.<br />
The chair stood up and took the mic. She gave us encouragement from<br />
the podium, asked the audience for positive reinforcement, and asked<br />
us once again to deliver the report. We delivered the report with a few<br />
stumbled words and certainly many missed points! While this was an<br />
embarrassing and uncomfortable moment, it was also one of the best<br />
things that has ever happened to me. I learned to always be prepared<br />
and ready to be put on the spot without notice! I wouldn’t be where I<br />
am today without people like that commission chair, Congresswoman<br />
Marcia L. Fudge of Ohio, who has so graciously mentored me, and those<br />
who have given me the opportunity to mentor them.<br />
There are two types of mentorships: formal and organic. I currently<br />
receive formal mentorship from Andrea Zopp, president and CEO of<br />
World Business Chicago, through Chicago Urban League’s IMPACT<br />
Leadership Development Program. Over the years, I’ve also organically developed relationships with leaders who now serve as my<br />
mentors. I have become a mentor to many others the same way.<br />
No matter what position you hold, there’s always the chance to learn and bring somebody along with you. We each have the<br />
responsibility of being intentional about seeking mentorship. Not only that, we need to be ready to accept criticism and show our<br />
commitment to receiving mentorship.<br />
I’m so proud of CAR and our focus on encouraging and providing mentorship opportunities. We recognize the need for more women<br />
in leadership positions, and we wanted to help current and budding leaders find the support they need to be successful. We recently<br />
presented a powerful women’s conference, Titans of Industry: Women Leading the Charge, in conjunction with the Women’s Council<br />
of REALTORS ® . These conversations gave our members opportunities to learn from and connect with women in power, and it’s our<br />
hope that many mentorships will be born out of those introductions.<br />
Our revamped pre-licensing scholarship program through the Chicago Association of REALTORS ® Foundation now includes a critical<br />
mentorship component. This helps ensure our recipients are not just receiving financial support, but the professional guidance they<br />
need to thrive in the real estate industry.<br />
Throughout the year, CAR will share different opportunities to get involved. When these opportunities arise, I encourage you to respond.<br />
Through these involvements, you can sharpen your skills as a leader, learn the fine art of giving and receiving feedback and find new<br />
ways to help those around you advance and reach their career goals.<br />
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<br />
for help and helping someone else along the way.<br />
6 Chicago REALTOR ® <strong>Magazine</strong><br />
MICHELLE MILLS CLEMENT, cae<br />
Chief Executive Officer<br />
Chicago Association of REALTORS ®
The Superhero Collective<br />
Unites to Give the Gift<br />
of Homeownership<br />
“There’s no feeling quite like it — to see the<br />
faces of patients and their families when<br />
Superheroes enter the room — even though<br />
the kids are the real heroes,” Josh Lipton,<br />
Compass, said. Josh gets to relive that<br />
experience time and time again<br />
as a director of the Superhero<br />
Collective, a non-profit founded by<br />
his friend Tim Brigham, Wintrust<br />
Mortgage.<br />
Two of the best things about<br />
the real estate industry are<br />
the professional connections<br />
you build with people from all<br />
backgrounds and the number<br />
of opportunities to give back and make an<br />
impact. “Our industry is competitive, but<br />
the best work happens when we leverage<br />
our relationships to help our clients and our<br />
community,” Josh said. That’s why he got<br />
involved with the Superhero Collective,<br />
whose latest mission is providing a home<br />
for a deserving Chicago family.<br />
“The Collective is just that — a collective<br />
of people within the real estate industry<br />
who work together to give back,” Tim said.<br />
He was inspired to begin the charity after<br />
his son was brought to the emergency<br />
room; he would end up spending three<br />
days in the hospital to receive treatments<br />
before returning home. While Tim was in<br />
the hospital with his son, he witnessed the<br />
IT’S A BIRD.<br />
IT’S A PLANE.<br />
IT’S REALTORS ®<br />
GIVING BACK.<br />
amazing work of the medical staff, who not<br />
only treated children but also kept families<br />
happy and comfortable during these<br />
stressful times. Tim felt a calling to give<br />
back to patients and assist the staff — and<br />
so, the collective was born.<br />
The Superhero Collective is as<br />
cool as it sounds. Throughout the<br />
year, Tim dresses up as Batman<br />
and pays a visit to children’s<br />
hospitals to bring a smile to<br />
patients’ faces and help take their<br />
mind off the medical concerns<br />
that they so bravely battle every<br />
day. Their costumes aren’t like<br />
those you’d find at a costume store; they’re<br />
a little closer to something you’d see in the<br />
movies. “I treat this experience no differently<br />
than I treat meeting with clients,” Tim said.<br />
“Do it right, or don’t do it at all.”<br />
Josh, who had worked with Tim<br />
professionally, admits that he was unsure<br />
of the idea initially, but his mind changed<br />
once he saw the impact the Superhero<br />
Collective was having on children and<br />
their families. He got involved, joined<br />
the Board of Directors and became<br />
Tim’s sidekick on hospital visits.<br />
As support for the collective grew, Tim,<br />
Josh and the team began to see greater<br />
opportunities to give back. Looking at<br />
their connections and resources, they<br />
came up with an idea: they would purchase<br />
a home, renovate it and give it away to a<br />
deserving family.<br />
Josh put in a call to his friends at the Cook<br />
County Land Bank; shortly after, the Land<br />
Bank announced it would provide the<br />
collective with a home in Evergreen Park.<br />
Tim went on Facebook to share the news,<br />
and the support came rolling in. Friends,<br />
family, contractors, lenders — everyone<br />
wanted to know how they could be part<br />
of the project.<br />
“The house needed a little bit of work,<br />
but on demo day, we were overwhelmed<br />
by the support,” Tim said. “48 people<br />
showed up to help.” As a result, they<br />
were able to quickly take care of a lot of<br />
cosmetic changes, including installing new<br />
cabinets and carpeting. The organization<br />
hopes to finish the renovations and select<br />
a deserving family soon.<br />
“I know giving away the home is going<br />
to mean so much to everyone who<br />
helped out,” Josh said. “In the real estate<br />
community, we can accomplish so much<br />
just by picking up the phone and asking<br />
each other to lend a hand.”<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 7
EDITOR’S PICKS<br />
JESSICA KERN<br />
Vice President, Communications<br />
jkern@chicagorealtor.com<br />
Our leadership issue is one of my favorite issues of the year. It's always<br />
rewarding to shine a light on our many members who are giving their<br />
valuable time and effort to better our association and communities.<br />
REALTORS ® fulfill many leadership roles — on boards, in politics and<br />
community leadership, as managers and CEOs, down to the important<br />
role of leading consumers through the biggest financial investment<br />
they will likely make.<br />
Last summer at our Visionaries luncheon with Modern Luxury<br />
magazine, I was touched to hear Josh Lipton’s story highlighting his<br />
leadership in the Superhero Collective. It is an inspiring example of<br />
how REALTORS ® can leverage their resources and relationships to give<br />
back to clients and communities. As someone who has an abundance<br />
of personal experience with children’s hospitals, this story really<br />
touched me. Learn more about this super organization on page 7.<br />
I hope you’ll spend some time getting to know your <strong>2019</strong>-2020 Board<br />
of Directors on pg. 14 and read more about 2020 president Maurice<br />
Hampton starting on pg. 10. Maurice’s leadership has been evident<br />
from the first moment I worked with him, years ago on our YPN board.<br />
I invite you to also watch his Inaugural speech to hear his thoughts for<br />
our future and learn his story, including what wasn’t “setting him on fire,”<br />
which put him on the path to real estate.<br />
As you get to know our leadership and examine your own leadership<br />
roles, know that we are here with resources to help you continue to<br />
excel. Ready to take your leadership to the next level? Read Chelsea<br />
Hayes’ article (pg. 32) to find a mentor or sponsor.<br />
I urge you to dive into our online resources for videos and audio clips —<br />
we have so many incredible insights, tools and stories available to you.<br />
Our recent Titans of Industry conference brought together 17 industry<br />
experts with a focus on leadership — and it’s all recorded for you to<br />
view online. If you are like me and always trying to figure out how to<br />
fit in more meaningful work in what seems like less time, I suggest Jill<br />
Frank’s presentation, "How to Produce Like a Pro." I first saw Jill speak at<br />
a digital conference last summer and took four pages of notes. My first<br />
step in 2020 will be to implement her “blue sky Wednesdays.”<br />
Lastly, I hope you’ll attend at least one of our events in 2020. They<br />
are great places to learn and connect with other leaders around you,<br />
and the best part: many of our events are complimentary. You’ll find<br />
an event calendar for the first part of the year on page 48, and more<br />
events added weekly online at ChicagoREALTOR.com. We have over<br />
90 events slated for 2020, so there's something for everyone!<br />
As always, don’t hesitate to reach out with questions or comments—<br />
we’d love to hear from you!<br />
8 Chicago REALTOR ® <strong>Magazine</strong>
Chicago REALTOR ®<br />
<strong>CR</strong> <strong>Magazine</strong><br />
<strong>2019</strong>-2020 BOARD OF DIRECTORS<br />
PRESIDENT<br />
Maurice L. Hampton<br />
PRESIDENT-ELECT<br />
Nykea Pippion McGriff<br />
TREASURER<br />
Antje Gehrken<br />
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT<br />
Tommy Choi<br />
DIRECTORS<br />
Stephanie Brimo<br />
Bob Eby<br />
Hipolito Garcia<br />
Moses Hall<br />
Anthony Hardy<br />
Julie Harron<br />
Drussy Hernandez<br />
Nick Libert<br />
Dave Naso<br />
Tracey Royal<br />
Andy Shiparski<br />
Vicky Silvano<br />
Rebecca Thomson<br />
Erika Villegas<br />
Marty Walsh<br />
Sarah Ware<br />
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER<br />
Michelle Mills Clement, cae<br />
The Chicago REALTOR ® <strong>Magazine</strong> is published<br />
quarterly by the Chicago Association of REALTORS ®<br />
for its members. Advertising is purchased and<br />
does not necessarily represent the position of the<br />
Chicago Association of REALTORS ® .<br />
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF<br />
Michelle Mills Clement, cae<br />
michelle@chicagorealtor.com<br />
EDITOR<br />
Jessica Kern<br />
jkern@chicagorealtor.com<br />
MANAGING EDITOR<br />
Maria Dickman<br />
mdickman@chicagorealtor.com<br />
ART DIRECTOR<br />
Jim August<br />
jaugust@chicagorealtor.com<br />
For advertising information please contact<br />
Mary Beth Durkin<br />
at (312) 214-5530 or ads@chicagorealtor.com<br />
MAURICE HAMPTON'S<br />
PRESIDENT'S SPEECH<br />
<strong>2019</strong> HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE<br />
JOHN RUTLEDGE'S SPEECH<br />
WATCH QUICK TIPS FROM OUR<br />
SPEAKERS & LISTEN TO THE<br />
YPN BREAKFASTS ON THE GO<br />
COMING SOON TO ALEXA!<br />
What's online at<br />
ChicagoREALTOR.com<br />
136 TH ANNUAL INAUGURAL GALA<br />
YPN AUGUST BREAKFAST<br />
136 TH ANNUAL INAUGURAL GALA<br />
RELIVE THE FUN FROM THE<br />
136 TH ANNUAL INAUGURAL GALA<br />
MARIJUANA RESOURCES<br />
136 TH ANNUAL INAUGURAL GALA<br />
CAR BLOG<br />
C.A.R. LOCATIONS<br />
CAR Central: 430 N. Michigan Ave., Ste. 800<br />
Chicago, IL 60611<br />
Ph: (312) 803-4900<br />
Fax: (312) 803-4905<br />
CAR West: 6017 W. 26 th Street<br />
Cicero, IL 60804<br />
Ph: (312) 803-4900<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com<br />
NOTICE TO MEMBERS<br />
Under long established policy of this Association, the Illinois Association<br />
of REALTORS ® and the National Association of REALTORS ® :<br />
1. The broker’s compensation for services rendered in respect to any<br />
listing is solely a matter of negotiation between the broker and his or<br />
her client, and is not fixed, controlled, recommended or maintained<br />
by any persons not party to the listing agreement.<br />
2. The compensation paid by the listing broker to a cooperating<br />
broker in respect to any listing is established by the listing broker and<br />
is not fixed, controlled, recommended or maintained by any persons<br />
other than the listing broker.<br />
A DAY FULL OF KEYNOTES<br />
AND PANELS<br />
Find us on…<br />
Chicago Association<br />
of REALTORS ®<br />
Chicago Assn of REALTORS<br />
TITANS OF INDUSTRY<br />
BLOGS<br />
Your Guide to the License Law Re-Write<br />
Just Housing Amendment To Go Into Effect<br />
Dec 31, <strong>2019</strong> - What You Need to Know<br />
AUDIOCASTS<br />
Government Affairs audio update<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 9
MAURICE HAMPTON:<br />
Uncovering<br />
& Unleashing<br />
Our Leadership Potential<br />
“Full circle!” That’s how Maurice Hampton<br />
describes what it’s like to become the<br />
president of the Chicago Association of<br />
REALTORS ® and see himself on the cover<br />
of our magazine.<br />
We caught up with Maurice to learn<br />
about his journey to becoming our<br />
136 th president, his vision for the year<br />
ahead and his hopes for each one of our<br />
Chicago REALTORS ® . Delving deeper, we<br />
learned homeownership and leadership<br />
were always part of Maurice’s life plans,<br />
but he didn’t know he’d find success at<br />
the intersection of the two. Now that he’s<br />
arrived, however, his plans are clear and<br />
a few themes are evident: collaboration,<br />
diversity, development and, perhaps<br />
most importantly, community, will all<br />
fuel CAR’s 2020 initiatives.<br />
WHAT DOES IT MEAN<br />
TO YOU TO BECOME<br />
PRESIDENT OF CAR?<br />
When I was 25 years old, I had just<br />
started in real estate and opened my own<br />
brokerage. After a long day, I came home<br />
and checked the mail. Inside was the new<br />
issue of Chicago REALTOR ® <strong>Magazine</strong>. On<br />
the cover was Zeke Morris, who had just<br />
become president. In that moment, I saw<br />
someone who looked like me leading and<br />
succeeding in this competitive industry,<br />
and it inspired me. I always knew I wanted<br />
to be a leader, but that was confirmation I<br />
was on the right path and that I, too, could<br />
really make a change in real estate.<br />
Fast forward to <strong>2019</strong> and seeing myself<br />
on the cover, it makes me proud. It lets<br />
me know that much like Zeke, I created<br />
relationships, helped clients, participated<br />
in advocacy initiatives and championed<br />
REALTOR ® education to earn my seat<br />
at this table. I’m excited to have this<br />
opportunity to continue working with the<br />
best and brightest our industry has to<br />
offer to have a positive impact on our city<br />
and our industry.<br />
WHAT DOES THE YEAR<br />
AHEAD LOOK LIKE TO YOU?<br />
It’s an exciting time for CAR. I come from<br />
a long line of leaders. I was raised on the<br />
belief that everyone has a responsibility<br />
to be civically engaged, give back to<br />
their communities and advocate for those<br />
in need.<br />
Last year, CAR reaffirmed its commitment<br />
to Fair Housing by issuing a public<br />
apology for the role REALTORS ® have<br />
historically played in creating inequitable<br />
p h o t o s b y KIRSTEN MICCOLI PHOTOGRAPHY & MARCELLO RODARTE PHOTOGRAPHY<br />
10 Chicago REALTOR ® <strong>Magazine</strong>
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 11
neighborhoods. Since, we’ve held<br />
numerous seminars and classes that<br />
emphasize the importance of diversity,<br />
and we recently launched “The 77,” our<br />
diversity committee, which will ensure<br />
each of our 77 neighborhoods are heard<br />
and represented as we move forward. In<br />
2018, we also installed our first Korean-<br />
American president and welcomed our<br />
youngest and first African-American<br />
woman CEO.<br />
In the year ahead, members can expect<br />
for us to be even louder and bolder in our<br />
diversity messaging and initiatives. We<br />
recognize that REALTORS ® are an integral<br />
part of the vibrancy and health of our<br />
communities, so everything we do in the<br />
next year will underscore the importance<br />
of this role.<br />
We also have a growing External and<br />
Governmental Affairs team as well as a<br />
new Commercial Services department.<br />
These additions will give REALTORS ®<br />
a greater presence in the communities<br />
they serve, beyond buying and selling<br />
property. The CAR staff will lead<br />
strategic placemaking projects, deepen<br />
relationships with our elected officials and<br />
fund charitable organizations that provide<br />
housing opportunities for the most<br />
vulnerable Chicagoans.<br />
It’s going to be an exciting year doubling<br />
down on a lot of the projects we have<br />
in place and beginning new ones as<br />
we assess community needs. This<br />
creates a cycle of giving: we help our<br />
neighborhoods become healthy, healthy<br />
neighborhoods support our careers, and<br />
the cycle continues.<br />
WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT<br />
CHICAGO’S REAL ESTATE<br />
MARKET? WHAT ARE SOME<br />
OF THE CHALLENGES?<br />
What’s exciting about Chicago’s real<br />
estate market is that we’re Chicago! As<br />
evidenced by the number of Fortune 500<br />
companies that call Chicago home, this is<br />
such a great city to be in. The real estate<br />
market fluctuates, and that’s natural — but<br />
people still want to be here. I’m excited<br />
by the opportunities that exist to buy, sell,<br />
build, work and play in every single one<br />
of our communities. There’s something<br />
for everyone.<br />
What concerns me most are any policies<br />
that take advantage of property owners.<br />
This includes proposals of increased<br />
transfer taxes and property taxes to fill<br />
gaps in the city’s budget. While Chicago<br />
is the greatest city in the world to live in,<br />
we certainly don’t want more policies that<br />
will disincentivize homeownership and<br />
commercial growth. When prospective<br />
buyers and sellers look at our city, they<br />
want to have reassurance that they’re not<br />
investing in an area that’ll be unaffordable<br />
in years to come.<br />
With that said, however, there’s great<br />
opportunity for Chicago REALTORS ® and<br />
our association to be at the forefront of<br />
public policy that opposes these threats<br />
and proposes sustainable solutions. Our<br />
clients should know we’re fighting for<br />
their private property rights, every step<br />
of the way.<br />
WHEN DID YOU FIRST<br />
REALIZE YOU WANTED<br />
TO BE A REALTOR ® ?<br />
I can’t say I just landed here, but it<br />
certainly wasn’t part of the original plan.<br />
I’m a south side Chicago native, born<br />
in Michael Reese Hospital. My late<br />
grandfather on my dad’s side and my<br />
great grandmother on my mom’s side<br />
were among the first in my family<br />
to be homeowners. My mother also<br />
dreamed and achieved the goal of being<br />
a homeowner. In all of their homes, I<br />
learned what it meant to work hard, to<br />
sacrifice, to laugh, to cry, to stand up<br />
straight, to respect others and to be<br />
myself. “Home” was a special word and<br />
place in my family, and so from a very<br />
early age, I had homeownership as part<br />
of my life plan.<br />
However, working in real estate still wasn’t<br />
part of the plan. I knew I wanted to help<br />
people, effect change and be successful,<br />
and I thought I’d achieve all that in the<br />
world of healthcare. I earned a degree in<br />
healthcare management and thought I’d<br />
go to med school.<br />
After working in the field, I realized that<br />
I was really only there for one reason — to<br />
meet Brande, my wife and now business<br />
partner. Professionally, however, I was<br />
bored. I knew it wasn’t something I wanted<br />
to do long-term.<br />
Around that time, I achieved my goal of<br />
buying a home. I then bought my first<br />
investment property. That’s when the<br />
12 Chicago REALTOR ® <strong>Magazine</strong>
lightbulb went off. The love and<br />
appreciation I had for homeownership<br />
as a child carried into adulthood and I<br />
wanted to help other families find that<br />
special place to learn, love and laugh,<br />
just as I had. The deeper I got into real<br />
estate, the more I realized my calling<br />
was in this field.<br />
When I see a family receive the keys to<br />
their new home, I get the same feeling<br />
today that I did back then — there’s<br />
nothing in the world like it.<br />
WHAT’S YOUR HOPE FOR<br />
EACH CHICAGO REALTOR ® ?<br />
In the year ahead and beyond, I’m hoping<br />
each Chicago REALTOR ® will tap into<br />
his or her own leadership skills. We all<br />
come from different neighborhoods,<br />
have different areas of expertise and<br />
different parts of the real estate industry<br />
that drive us to do what we do every day.<br />
In order to succeed as a city, we need<br />
everyone’s involvement. Whether it’s<br />
taking or teaching a course, volunteering,<br />
attending a networking event, writing<br />
for Chicago REALTOR ® <strong>Magazine</strong> or<br />
traveling to the capitol to say no to rent<br />
control, there are so many ways to stand<br />
up and protect this industry and help<br />
our communities thrive. This year, I’ll do<br />
whatever I can to help each REALTOR ®<br />
realize their ability to leave a lasting mark<br />
on Chicago and inspire the next cohort of<br />
REALTORS ® to do the same.<br />
One of my favorite quotes by the late<br />
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. says, “If you can’t<br />
fly, then run. If you can’t run, then walk. If<br />
you can’t walk, then crawl, but whatever<br />
you do, you have to keep moving forward.”<br />
Moving forward doesn’t always require<br />
doing the biggest or most courageous<br />
thing; it just means doing something.<br />
We’re a family of 16,500 and if we each<br />
do something, it’ll create a ripple effect<br />
that will be felt in our city for decades<br />
to come.<br />
Watch Maurice’s<br />
installation speech.<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com<br />
13
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT<br />
TREASURER<br />
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER<br />
PRESIDENT-ELECT<br />
14 Chicago REALTOR ® <strong>Magazine</strong>
Stephanie Brimo<br />
REDFIN CORPORATION<br />
What's one thing you wish you knew<br />
when you started in this industry?<br />
Real estate is really about hard work, day<br />
in and day out. The most successful people<br />
put everything they have into it. It's more<br />
than a full-time job.<br />
What excites you most about CAR in<br />
the year ahead?<br />
CAR’s leadership is dynamic and embraces<br />
a growth mindset. I'm confident we will<br />
continue to be leaders among associations<br />
for the innovative work we do.<br />
Tommy Choi<br />
KELLER WILLIAMS CHICAGO <strong>–</strong><br />
LINCOLN PARK<br />
What's one thing you wish you knew<br />
when you started in this industry?<br />
Be intentional and purposeful in who you<br />
surround yourself with. If those people are<br />
not raising the bar on your standards, you<br />
need to find new people!<br />
Give your best advice in three words.<br />
Embrace your failures.<br />
Bob Eby<br />
CENTURY 21 AFFILIATED<br />
Give your best advice in three words.<br />
Be open minded.<br />
Who is your role model, and why?<br />
Warren Buffet. I’m inspired by his vision and<br />
adaptability to changing business models.<br />
Hipolito Garcia<br />
CALIBER HOME LOANS<br />
Give your best advice in three words.<br />
Care about people!<br />
What excites you most about CAR<br />
in the year ahead?<br />
The in-depth focus we have on many<br />
communities around Chicago.<br />
Antje Gehrken<br />
A.R.E. PARTNERS INC.<br />
Who is your role model, and why?<br />
Recently, I was greatly inspired by tennis<br />
player Tara Moore, who was losing big time:<br />
6-0, 5-0 and facing a match point. She not<br />
only recovered to win the game, but fought<br />
back to win the set AND the match! It just<br />
goes to show that it ain't over 'til it's over.<br />
What excites you most about CAR in<br />
the year ahead?<br />
This year, I was installed as treasurer of<br />
the association. I’m excited to work for our<br />
members in this new leadership capacity,<br />
to learn from those who came before me<br />
and to help us grow to reach even more<br />
members.<br />
Moses Hall<br />
MOHALL COMMERCIAL & URBAN<br />
DEVELOPMENT, LLC<br />
What's one thing you wish you knew<br />
when you started in this industry?<br />
How important it is to be involved in your<br />
local and state associations. I did not realize<br />
how much my association offers in terms of<br />
education, advocacy and tools to help grow<br />
my business.<br />
What is one thing you'd like to see CAR<br />
accomplish this year?<br />
<strong>2019</strong>-2020 Chicago Association of REALT ORS®<br />
BOARD OF DIRECTORS<br />
As a commercial practitioner, I look forward<br />
to CAR adding tools and resources to grow<br />
the commercial real estate community for<br />
its members.<br />
Anthony Hardy<br />
MARCUS & MILLICHAP<br />
What's one thing you wish you knew<br />
when you started in this industry?<br />
Build relationships with key people and<br />
you’ll thrive in any cycle.<br />
Give your best advice in three words.<br />
Chase big listings.<br />
Julie Harron<br />
JAMESON SOTHEBY'S<br />
INTERNATIONAL REALTY<br />
What excites you most about CAR in<br />
the year ahead?<br />
Working together to provide more<br />
support to the underserved areas of our<br />
community. Getting involved with fighting<br />
Chicago's gun violence problem is a key<br />
focus for me. We’re continuing to innovate<br />
and serve our members.<br />
What is one thing you'd like to see CAR<br />
accomplish this year?<br />
With all our outreach, I'd like to continue to<br />
expand our footprint to underserved areas<br />
of the city. Let's be the voice for real estate<br />
in all 77 neighborhoods of Chicago.<br />
Drussy Hernandez<br />
FULTON GRACE REALTY<br />
Who is your role model, and why?<br />
My mom — a strong woman with great<br />
convictions and a very kind heart. She<br />
taught me to be determined and self-reliant.<br />
What is one thing you'd like to see CAR<br />
accomplish this year?<br />
Address affordable housing and work on a<br />
sensible proposal that will be beneficial to<br />
all parties.<br />
Nick Libert<br />
EXIT STRATEGY REALTY<br />
Give your best advice in three words.<br />
Time block daily!<br />
What excites you most about CAR in<br />
the year ahead?<br />
The stability of the stellar CAR staff,<br />
the energy and diversity of the Board of<br />
Directors, and the hands-on style of<br />
Michelle Mills Clement as CEO are combining<br />
to create a perfect storm of enthusiasm for<br />
new projects and even more educational<br />
opportunities.<br />
Michelle Mills Clement<br />
CHICAGO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS ®<br />
Who is your role model, and why?<br />
Michelle Obama. She's a southside Chicago<br />
girl, has incredible fashion sense and killer<br />
arms...like me! But in all seriousness, I love<br />
her grace, class and professionalism. She's a<br />
wife and mother and has a major career of<br />
her own. I see myself in her and have<br />
literally walked the same streets as she<br />
did growing up, which makes her seem<br />
so attainable. I strive to be an ounce of<br />
who she is.<br />
What is one thing you'd like to see CAR<br />
accomplish this year?<br />
A successful relaunch of our westside<br />
satellite office. There's so much<br />
opportunity for us there, and taking the<br />
time, investing and adding in the passion<br />
for our membership in that part of town<br />
is an amazing opportunity for CAR to<br />
be present in a physical way beyond<br />
downtown Chicago.<br />
Dave Naso<br />
KELLER WILLIAMS CHICAGO <strong>–</strong><br />
LINCOLN PARK<br />
What's one thing you wish you knew<br />
when you started in this industry?<br />
I wish I knew about all the publicly<br />
accessible data! When I teach now, my<br />
brokers are amazed by how much detail<br />
you can find about a property (or person!)<br />
by just a few clicks on the Recorder and<br />
Assessor websites.<br />
What is one thing you'd like to see CAR<br />
accomplish this year?<br />
Build a deeper relationship with City Hall.<br />
There are a lot of new players at the table<br />
— let's be one of them!<br />
Nykea Pippion McGriff<br />
DREAM TOWN REALTY<br />
Who is your role model, and why?<br />
My son Xavier Joy is one of my role<br />
models. He lived his life unapologetically,<br />
served our community and set the example<br />
for me as to why I should give back. He<br />
loved without abandon and was fiercely<br />
loyal to his family and friends. Even though<br />
he is no longer with me, I try to emulate his<br />
joy every day.<br />
What is one thing you'd like to see CAR<br />
accomplish this year?<br />
I would like to see CAR create more classes<br />
geared towards our members’ business<br />
development.<br />
Tracey Royal<br />
TEAM REAL ESTATE SERVICES INC.<br />
What excites you most about CAR in<br />
the year ahead?<br />
The diversity of the CAR board and the<br />
new diversity committee The 77.<br />
What is one thing you'd like to see CAR<br />
accomplish this year?<br />
Embrace the needs of underserved<br />
communities, advocate for improvements,<br />
create awareness and set at least<br />
one goal that encompasses one or more<br />
underserved communities and see it<br />
to fruition.<br />
Andy Shiparski<br />
COMPASS<br />
Who is your role model, and why?<br />
My father taught me what a hard day’s<br />
work is worth and that your name and<br />
reputation are critical pillars to success in<br />
any aspect of your life.<br />
What excites you most about CAR in<br />
the year ahead?<br />
The full effect of our new leadership<br />
now that it has been in place for a year.<br />
New visions and missions create new<br />
opportunities for growth as an association.<br />
Vicky Silvano<br />
BAIRD AND WARNER<br />
Give your best advice in three words.<br />
Be intentional and purposeful.<br />
What is one thing you'd like to see CAR<br />
accomplish this year?<br />
I want to see more members involved<br />
and engaged with the association.<br />
Rebecca Thomson<br />
THOMSON REAL ESTATE GROUP<br />
Give your best advice in three words.<br />
Reputation is everything.<br />
What excites you most about CAR in<br />
the year ahead?<br />
The great energy of this leadership team<br />
and the increasing commitment to serving<br />
our members in every neighborhood and<br />
supporting all communities.<br />
Erika Villegas<br />
RE/MAX IN THE VILLAGE<br />
What's one thing you wish you knew<br />
when you started in this industry?<br />
Put processes in place and work on a <strong>CR</strong>M<br />
from day one!<br />
Give your best advice in three words.<br />
Always work smart.<br />
Marty Walsh<br />
DREAM TOWN REALTY<br />
What's one thing you wish you knew<br />
when you started in this industry?<br />
How much more rooted in the community<br />
it would make me.<br />
What excites you most about CAR in<br />
the year ahead?<br />
The opportunity to be a part of the coming<br />
change in the city.<br />
Sarah Ware<br />
WARE REALTY GROUP LLC<br />
What's one thing you wish you knew<br />
when you started in this industry?<br />
Volunteering will take you and your<br />
business to levels you can't imagine.<br />
What is one thing you'd like to see CAR<br />
accomplish this year?<br />
Having a road show with Coffee with your<br />
GADs similar to our CEO’s Listening Tour.<br />
I think it will bring out the needs of all the<br />
neighborhoods and we would see change<br />
from different parts of the city.<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 15
HALL OF FAME<br />
“MASTER HOTEL DEVELOPER <strong>–</strong> RENAISSANCE MAN”<br />
JOHN RUTLEDGE<br />
FOUNDER, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF OXFORD CAPITAL GROUP, LLC<br />
A Chicago native, former Boy Scout, multi-sport athlete, voracious<br />
reader, devoted family man, decathlete in life and master real<br />
estate investor, developer and civic leader, John W. Rutledge is the<br />
Founder, President and CEO of Oxford Capital Group, LLC, which<br />
specializes in large-scale, lifestyle hospitality-oriented real estate,<br />
with over $ 3 billion of transactions including 13,000 hotel rooms,<br />
3,000 senior housing units and 1,000 residential units. We were<br />
proud to induct him into our Hall of Fame in late September.<br />
He co-founded Oxford Realty Corporation at age 24. As the real<br />
estate markets softened in the early ’90s, he and a colleague<br />
merged Oxford Realty into a large national company. Following<br />
a trip around the world, he enrolled in business school, where in<br />
his second year he co-founded Oxford Capital Partners to take<br />
advantage of a compelling opportunity resulting from the overbuilt<br />
lodging sector of the property market. He founded his third and<br />
fourth successor companies, Oxford Capital Group, LLC, and<br />
Oxford Hotels & Resorts, LLC during the mid-2000s.<br />
“John will have a lasting impact on Chicago’s real estate industry,<br />
because he’s really influenced it with the way he’s preserved some<br />
of Chicago’s past and looked forward to our future,” Lynn Osmond,<br />
president and CEO of the Chicago Architecture Center, said.<br />
His projects are some of the most recognizable redevelopments<br />
in Chicago: Essex on the Park Luxury Apartments and Hotel Essex,<br />
Hotel Julian, LondonHouse Chicago, Godfrey Chicago, Langham<br />
Chicago, Hotel Felix, Hotel Cass, Hotel Versey, Claridge House,<br />
Hyatt Magnificent Mile, Renaissance North Shore, Doubletree<br />
North Shore, Hyatt House Northwest, 10 South LaSalle, One North<br />
Franklin and Harpo Studios.<br />
<strong>2019</strong> Hall of Fame inductee John Rutledge, Oxford Capital Group, LLC and Oxford Hotels & Resorts.<br />
Redevelopment of the Year. Oxford has also received Historic<br />
Preservation awards from Chicago and Boston.<br />
Highly active in Chicago’s philanthropic and business communities,<br />
John has been honored with numerous awards, including Crain’s<br />
Chicago Business’ “40 under 40” and “Who’s Who,” The Anti-<br />
Defamation League’s Arthur Rubloff Humanitarian Award, Ernst<br />
and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Finalist, Young Presidents’<br />
Organization’s (YPO) Stuart Cornew Leadership Award and<br />
Urban Land Institute’s Vision Award. His projects have been<br />
awarded Development of the Year, Redevelopment of the Year,<br />
National Hotel Development of the Year, Top City Hotel in the<br />
Continental U.S., National Hotel Transaction of the Year and Historic<br />
The Hall of Fame was created in 1986 to honor<br />
professionals who leave a positive and profound<br />
influence on the younger generations in real estate<br />
and who helped to shape Chicago’s skyline.<br />
Watch John’s Hall of Fame induction<br />
speech and check out his video.<br />
16 Chicago REALTOR ® <strong>Magazine</strong>
PATHWAY TO THE HALL OF FAME<br />
JOHN RUTLEDGE<br />
The <strong>2019</strong> inductee to the Hall of<br />
Fame, John Rutledge, has crafted<br />
a successful career out of taking<br />
on complicated projects with<br />
architectural integrity.<br />
John’s entrepreneurial<br />
spirit was evident early<br />
on — and supercharged<br />
by his many interests:<br />
reading, traveling and<br />
adventure, design and<br />
history. He’s founded<br />
numerous companies,<br />
all while indulging in his<br />
passions.<br />
He’s known for his attention to detail — fueled by his interest<br />
in architecture and design. He’s bookended the Millennium<br />
Mile, with LondonHouse to the north and Hotel Essex and<br />
Essex on the Park to the south — both complicated, historic<br />
renovations with an element of new development.<br />
He’s a dedicated family man, having met his wife<br />
Amanda in college. They have two sons, Pierce and<br />
Preston. When John’s not dreaming up new projects,<br />
they’re usually off on a family adventure — barefoot<br />
waterskiing, heliskiing, sailing or playing tennis.<br />
Thank you, John, for your contributions to<br />
our industry!<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 17
Building Stronger Communities<br />
Through Placemaking<br />
JACOB KNABB, Chicago Association of REALTORS ® Director of Commercial Services<br />
Commercial and residential real estate is critical to the fabric<br />
of vibrant communities, but it takes more than just a home or a<br />
storefront to bring a community together.<br />
Placemaking is a vehicle through which key stakeholders,<br />
residents, businesses and others can work together to make their<br />
community a better place to live, work and play. Placemaking<br />
initiatives can be straightforward, like working with an artist and<br />
building owner to install a mural reflecting the community’s<br />
personality or transforming an empty lot into a community garden,<br />
or more involved, like funding a transit study or transforming<br />
multiple blocks of alleyways into an accessible park.<br />
not just building builders; we’re building places and we’re adding<br />
to the culture and vibrancy of a place that contains the buildings,”<br />
Coes said.<br />
HOW WE GOT INVOLVED<br />
The National Association of REALTORS ® is a Platinum Partner of<br />
SGA’s National Complete Streets Coalition. As a non-partisan, notfor-profit<br />
501(C)(3) organization dedicated to “improving lives by<br />
improving communities,” SGA provides technical assistance, thought<br />
leadership, and advocacy support to empower communities and aid<br />
them in developing walkable communities with thriving business<br />
corridors and multiple transportation options.<br />
Concepts like placemaking can sound overly technical or frivolous<br />
to those first encountering them. But conversations can begin with<br />
a simple question: what do you like most about where you live?<br />
“People often talk about things like trees overhanging a roadway<br />
creating shade or loving a park where they BBQed with their kids,<br />
or a festival where they have local cheeses or breads made in the<br />
community,” Christopher Coes, Smart Growth America (SGA)’s<br />
Vice President of the LOCUS Development Group, said. “People<br />
often identify things that are created by ‘placemaking’ as the parts<br />
of their neighborhoods they love most — the places where they<br />
can go on a date, the places they can sit down on a park bench to<br />
people watch or gather together at a festival.”<br />
Placemaking is a key part of “smart growth” — the idea that<br />
entertainment, shopping, housing and jobs/livelihood are closer<br />
together, enabling people to get from home to work to amenities<br />
without a car. It’s a very simple notion that we have a comprehensive<br />
way to build our communities in a healthier and economically<br />
vibrant way, and we achieve that equilibrium one domino at a time<br />
through a series of placemaking activities and strategic investments.<br />
The strongest argument for smart growth initiatives is an economic<br />
one. For developers and REALTORS ® alike, metrics like “walk<br />
scores” which track proximity of housing to local businesses,<br />
schools and transit, have become clear indicators of real estate<br />
value and desirability. And when the community takes an active<br />
role in guiding development, the best outcomes are often realized.<br />
“Working together, we can give developers the notion that we’re<br />
SGA defines smart growth as “an approach to development that<br />
encourages a mix of building types and uses, diverse housing and<br />
transportation options, development within existing neighborhoods,<br />
and community engagement.” Holly Moskerintz, NAR’s Community<br />
Programs Outreach Manager, uses these principles to guide her<br />
daily interactions with association staff and membership.<br />
“If you’re selling a home, would you rather it be across the street<br />
from a vacant lot with activity you may not like, or a community<br />
garden?” she said. “When you think of it this way, it’s easy to see<br />
why we do need to work to transform underutilized public spaces<br />
into destinations.”<br />
NAR’s community outreach programs are designed to activate<br />
those underutilized spaces, making neighborhoods better places<br />
to live and creating a desire for people to buy homes and invest in<br />
commercial real estate. Moskerintz views placemaking as grabbing<br />
the low-hanging fruit.<br />
“These don’t have to be big, multi-million-dollar projects that take<br />
forever,” she said. “They could be as simple as transforming a field<br />
of weeds into a pocket park.”<br />
Coes agrees. “Oftentimes placemaking can’t happen at the city<br />
level because elected leaders can get distracted by citywide<br />
issues,” he said. “It happens at the neighborhood level with<br />
community groups and REALTORS ® who recognize the chief<br />
outcome is to enhance housing stock, maximize business retention,<br />
and support economic growth.”<br />
18 Chicago REALTOR ® <strong>Magazine</strong>
And who knows what a neighborhood needs better than REALTORS ® ?<br />
When we adopted our new mission to unite all facets of the<br />
industry as a leading advocate for real estate, driving REALTOR ®<br />
business success and economic development of our communities,<br />
we identified placemaking as an innovative opportunity for us to<br />
better engage, develop strategic partnerships and help activate<br />
meaningful community investment and change in the North,<br />
West and South Side communities our members call home. We<br />
applied for and were awarded a two-year NAR “Mega-Board Grant,”<br />
which will provide CAR with $ 150,000 total dollars to spend on<br />
smart growth, diversity and placemaking initiatives and<br />
relationships with elected officials.<br />
We intend to — and are already — leveraging these Mega-Board<br />
Grant funds towards several projects, with more to come.<br />
CURRENT PLACEMAKING<br />
ACTIVITIES IN OUR COMMUNITIES<br />
1. COMPLETED: Partnered with DePaul University’s Chaddick<br />
Institute for Metropolitan Development on a transit study<br />
of the bus terminal located at the intersection of Austin<br />
and Division in the Austin neighborhood, with the goal of<br />
working with community partners in 2020 to make<br />
upgrades to the station.<br />
2. COMPLETED: Partnered with Greater Chatham Initiative<br />
(GCI) and members of the South Side Community Investors<br />
Association to highlight an up-and-coming retail corridor<br />
with a mural of longtime Chatham resident Gwendolyn<br />
Brooks, located on the 300 block of East 75 th Street.<br />
3. ONGOING: Contributing to Phase Two of the Lakeview<br />
Low-Line project in support of the West Lakeview<br />
Chamber of Commerce’s efforts to create an ‘art walk’<br />
in the space beneath the Brown Line tracks connecting<br />
the Southport and Paulina stations.<br />
THE AUSTIN TERMINAL STUDY<br />
In collaboration with DePaul’s Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan<br />
Development (DCIMD), CAR used “Mega-Board Grant” funds to<br />
sponsor a study designed to determine usage, engagement and<br />
accessibility for the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) bus terminal<br />
at the intersection of Austin and Division in the Austin community.<br />
The goal of this study was to establish recommendations for<br />
improvements to the Division Street bus line terminal using a<br />
blend of rider volume data from the CTA going back to 1995,<br />
community demographics and the existing blend of residential<br />
and commercial real estate flanking the bus terminal. CAR plans<br />
to use these recommendations to design a suggested plan for<br />
capital improvements to the terminal, as well as enhancements<br />
to walkability and access in the area abutting the station. These<br />
recommendations can be enacted in years two and three of a<br />
plan funded by future NAR grants and invested members of<br />
the Austin community.<br />
Maurice Hampton, 2020 president of the Chicago Association of<br />
REALTORS ® , believes placemaking efforts focused on transforming<br />
a rundown station into a point of community pride could pave the<br />
way for it to become a true amenity to adjacent homeowners as<br />
well as office and retail tenants.<br />
“Some of our communities like Austin have very strong transit<br />
lines but don’t currently reflect the same housing prices as other<br />
communities with the same kinds of transit and infrastructure,” he<br />
said. “I believe REALTORS ® can have an active role in bridging this<br />
gap. REALTORS ® see and understand what happens in communities<br />
every day and many work with clients who depend on transit<br />
oriented development to raise property values where they may<br />
have been decimated by the downturn and subsequent loss of jobs.”<br />
For Hampton, this is an effort worth making, and one he is eager to<br />
see through to the finish. “Placemaking improves communities and<br />
communities impact homes,” he said. “We want to help in whatever<br />
way we can to spark growth and strengthen neighborhood<br />
attributes so Chicagoans can feel pride in their communities<br />
because they see the best of themselves reflected back.”<br />
The Lakeview Low-Line Project<br />
3410 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL 60657<br />
C. Scott Smith of DePaul’s Chaddick Institute sees a similar return<br />
on investment resulting from this placemaking venture.<br />
“A combination of upgrades may be a great way to activate the<br />
surrounding neighborhoods,” he said. “The terminal appears to see<br />
a fair amount of activity as is.”<br />
The Austin Bus Terminal Project<br />
Intersection of Austin Blvd. & Division St., Chicago, IL 60651<br />
The Chatham Mural Project<br />
East-facing exterior wall of France’s Lounge,<br />
307 East 75 th St., Chicago, IL 60619<br />
Smith and a team of graduate student researchers identified<br />
vocational characteristics, political geography, including city ward,<br />
state legislative and community area boundaries, and other key<br />
assets — like an inventory of community groups, while drawing<br />
from local, regional and federal data sources to characterize the<br />
area’s population, housing composition and trends, and other<br />
key aspects of concern, including crime and safety. The goal of<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 19
this deep dive into the community was to highlight the changing<br />
character of urban transportation in the area over time, emphasizing<br />
key trends in mobility over the past decade that should be<br />
considered in any local public transportation investment.<br />
“We hope our research can provide a starting point towards<br />
effective and equitable community-based change within the<br />
community surrounding the Austin Terminal by providing informed<br />
and strategic placemaking processes that will help broaden the<br />
horizons of opportunities and support collective learning and<br />
knowledge-sharing, more broadly,” he said. “Further, through<br />
creative and transformative placemaking processes, the Austin<br />
& Division bus terminal has the potential to provide a roadmap for<br />
other communities as they reimagine their own bus turnarounds<br />
and terminals, of which there are more than 100 throughout the city.”<br />
LAKEVIEW LOW-LINE PROJECT<br />
Another placemaking activity we are currently involved in is<br />
our investment in Phase Two of the Lakeview Low-Line Project,<br />
spearheaded by the West Lakeview Chamber of Commerce<br />
(WLCC) and the Friends of Lakeview (FoL).<br />
The Low-Line project was first introduced in the 2011 Lakeview Area<br />
Master Plan as a means of connecting the neighborhood’s unique<br />
sub-districts by re-envisioning the half-mile space beneath the CTA<br />
‘L’ tracks between Southport and Lincoln avenues as an exciting<br />
Chicago art destination and a fun and dynamic path connecting the<br />
greater neighborhood. As a unique attraction, the Lakeview Low-<br />
Line not only beautifies and greens the neighborhood, but also<br />
strives to become a landmark attraction, encouraging both visitors<br />
and residents to explore Lakeview’s business districts.<br />
an idea of connecting people and places by revitalizing a part of<br />
our neighborhood that was overlooked and underutilized,” Goodson<br />
said. “As a result, it’s bigger than a single community and represents<br />
the best of the more forward-thinking ideas that can result from<br />
placemaking.”<br />
Chris Irwin, Senior VP of Retail Sales & Leasing at Colliers<br />
International, already sees the benefit of programs like the<br />
Lakeview Low-Line and its ability to enhance property values by<br />
connecting walkable commercial corridors.<br />
“From my standpoint as a retail specialist, I love the notion of<br />
engaging in a space below the ‘L’ tracks,” he said. “This area below<br />
the Brown Line wasn’t being developed to its highest and best use.<br />
If you go walk the Low-Line and explore those streets, you see<br />
how they really are the place to be for retailers.”<br />
Ultimately, the Low-Line can increase foot traffic and neighborhood<br />
engagement. It’s a prime example of smart growth as a<br />
forward-thinking strategy.<br />
“We’re really going back to the way things were pre-car and being<br />
forward-thinking on this issue,” he said. “You look at a sixteen yearold<br />
today vs a sixteen year-old 40 years ago, you’re seeing far less<br />
car ownership and licensing. CAR’s decision to get involved and<br />
bring knowledge, guidance, and potentially financial investment<br />
brings good benefits for REALTORS ® in the eyes of a community<br />
and for elected officials.”<br />
CAR’s investment will fund a small art wall along the walkway,<br />
which will ultimately play host to rotating art exhibits, creating a<br />
larger-than-life outdoor gallery. An interactive light installation<br />
along the length of the path will playfully celebrate the ‘L’ structure,<br />
creating a quintessentially Chicago experience.<br />
“The Low-Line Project was conceived from the notion of creating a<br />
public space out of an area that was underutilized,” Dillon Goodson,<br />
executive director of the West Lakeview Chamber of Commerce,<br />
said. “The Low-Line activates a half mile portion of Lakeview,<br />
making it smaller than “rails-to-trails” projects like the 606. It is<br />
designed to connect two high-performing retail sectors and will<br />
help all portions of Lakeview benefit from the same kind of vitality<br />
we see around Wrigley Field or along the Southport Corridor.”<br />
The Low-Line’s goal of connecting park space with commercial<br />
real estate spaces makes it a unique initiative. Once Phase Three is<br />
complete, it will provide ample benefit for commercial spaces and<br />
create good outcomes for commercial real estate professionals<br />
working with retail and office clients.<br />
“Even though it resides in Lakeview, we feel it will draw engagement<br />
from all over the city because it is a project conceived out of<br />
GWENDOLYN BROOKS MURAL<br />
The final project we’ll highlight here is our collaboration with<br />
Greater Chatham Initiative (GCI) and the South Side Community<br />
Investors Association (SSCIA). We leveraged Mega-Board Grant<br />
money to fund a mural of noted Chicago poet and Chatham native<br />
Gwendolyn Brooks. The mural, completed in November, is painted<br />
on the eastern exterior wall of a mixed-use multi-family/retail<br />
property located on the 300 th block of East 75 th Street. The mural<br />
will serve as a legacy item in Chatham and a physical pledge of<br />
CAR’s support of our vibrant south side communities.<br />
20 Chicago REALTOR ® <strong>Magazine</strong>
The goal of this placemaking venture is to support GCI’s emphasis<br />
on fostering community improvements designed to spur real<br />
estate investment while avoiding displacement. The mural is one<br />
in a series of enhancements to Chatham’s existing commercial real<br />
estate assets, including a dozen restaurants, an annual food festival<br />
responsible for increased retail activity and the hanging of new<br />
banners on streetlights designating the Chatham Community.<br />
The bright, eye-catching mural was painted by Statik, a muralist<br />
with projects spread all over Chicago’s South Side, and is designed<br />
to inspire onlookers by providing visual evidence of a poet from the<br />
Chatham community who changed the world with her words.<br />
“A few years ago, we held a community charette and asked what<br />
type of art residents wanted to see,” Nedra Sims Fears, executive<br />
director at the Greater Chatham Initiative, said. “Our community<br />
stakeholders enthusiastically responded that they want to see<br />
large-scale murals that were bright and colorful and added<br />
verve and vibe to the area. CAR’s funding of this mural signals the<br />
continued investment in the corridor in terms of both new and<br />
improved restaurants and other retail establishments, as well as<br />
creative placemaking.”<br />
Fears is grateful to CAR and CommercialForum for investing in her<br />
community and hopes for continues partnership in the years to come.<br />
“It is always wonderful when a partner not only 'gets' the vision for<br />
the neighborhood, but is willing to collectively work together with<br />
the community to make it happen,” she said. “The creation of the<br />
Gwendolyn Brooks mural reinforces that this community has always<br />
been home to creatives—literary, musical and visual artists. Being<br />
able to honor one of our own who lived around the corner from the<br />
mural reinforces that there are great people among us—both past,<br />
present, and future.”<br />
The project was kickstarted by Tony Hardy, senior broker at Marcus<br />
and Millichap and CommercialForum’s 2020 Chair, who felt it was<br />
important to do more than broker commercial real estate deals<br />
involving multifamily properties in his communities.<br />
ballot initiatives, Adriann Murawski, director of government affairs,<br />
and Kristopher J. Anderson, director of external and government<br />
affairs, are advocating for REALTORS ® at the city and county levels.<br />
Placemaking affords us the opportunity to be seen as an ally with<br />
elected officials in the Chicagoland region.<br />
“Placemaking gives us a chance to tell a different story of<br />
community engagement,” Murawski said. “We are not on the<br />
defense when we are turning a vacant space into a productive use.<br />
We aren’t pushing back against a piece of legislation, but rather<br />
demonstrating leadership at a very granular level.”<br />
“Goodwill is a currency you can never have too much of as a<br />
lobbyist,” Anderson said. “CAR’s placemaking activities allow us<br />
to be at the forefront of investments in communities starved for<br />
economic development and create the goodwill needed to better<br />
our relationship with their elected officials.”<br />
Our renewed engagement in community building gives us a foot in<br />
the door with lawmakers by serving up a political win in front of the<br />
people they value most: their constituents.<br />
“The end goal of all of this is to position REALTORS ® as community<br />
building collaborators, reinforcing the need for REALTORS ® to<br />
have a seat at the table when decisions are made that will impact<br />
commercial or residential real estate,” Murawski said.<br />
“REALTORS ® aren’t just selling homes; we are building communities,<br />
beautifying brown fields, and transforming urban areas that are<br />
underutilized and quite frankly dangerous,” Anderson added.<br />
At the end of the day, placemaking is an excellent way to show<br />
local elected officials that REALTORS ® really do care.<br />
WHAT’S NEXT<br />
Given the successful launch of these concerted placemaking<br />
efforts in <strong>2019</strong>, CAR will continue working hand-in-hand with<br />
community groups, elected officials, developers and REALTORS ®<br />
to implement further smart growth strategies in 2020.<br />
“I’m very proud of the mural project and bringing it to the South<br />
Side,” he said. “This project is one small way to shine a spotlight on<br />
a retail corridor by beautifying a building adjacent to a vacant lot<br />
and transforming it into a point of community pride. And…hopefully<br />
[it will] inspire people living there today to change the world around<br />
them with their creativity and passion.”<br />
PLACEMAKING’S POLITICAL<br />
IMPACTS<br />
Our placemaking activities are expected to also positively<br />
impact our reputation and perception with elected officials in<br />
our communities.<br />
As lobbyists engaging with a wide spectrum of elected officials<br />
and tasked with assessing an assortment of policy proposals and<br />
Our hope is that our placemaking activities will help to break down<br />
divisions between Chicago’s 77 different communities and connect<br />
neighbors to one another. But, continued success begins and ends<br />
with members like you.<br />
Do you see an opportunity to turn a vacant lot into a farmer’s<br />
market? Is there an over-emphasis on cars over foot traffic in your<br />
community? Would you like to see public art or an extensive cleanup<br />
and restoration of a gathering space in your ward? Let us know!<br />
Reach out to us with your ideas for placemaking activities — we’re<br />
eager to lean on your knowledge and expertise to spearhead<br />
change in our communities.<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 21
2020<br />
VISION<br />
A look at WHAT’S AHEAD<br />
for the CHICAGOLAND<br />
REAL ESTATE MARKET<br />
MICHAEL<br />
GOLDEN<br />
Co-Founder<br />
@properties<br />
DANIELLE<br />
DUROCHER<br />
Team Leader/CEO<br />
Keller Williams<br />
Chicago - Lincoln<br />
Park<br />
DARLENE<br />
LITTLE<br />
Vice President &<br />
Managing Broker<br />
Berkshire<br />
Hathaway<br />
HomeServices<br />
Chicago<br />
GREG<br />
PEKARSKY<br />
Managing Broker<br />
& Co-Owner<br />
Vesta Preferred<br />
Realty<br />
22 Chicago REALTOR ® <strong>Magazine</strong>
New year, new decade — the combination has our goal<br />
setting on overdrive. Technology continues to evolve,<br />
as does our roles as real estate practitioners. Plus, it’s a<br />
highly anticipated presidential election year, which will<br />
impact real estate trends throughout the late summer<br />
and autumn.<br />
In <strong>2019</strong>, our market began to stabilize. We expect that<br />
to continue — but a stable market doesn’t necessarily<br />
mean a boring one. We chatted with a few real estate<br />
experts about what we can expect — where to direct our<br />
time and attention, where to invest our dollars and what<br />
to look out for.<br />
PLAN AHEAD<br />
Hopefully you have your 2020 business plan locked down<br />
and ready to roll. Take into consideration your marketing<br />
and content plan, too — how do you plan on executing,<br />
when time is at a premium?<br />
Danielle Durocher, team leader and CEO at Keller<br />
Williams Chicago <strong>–</strong> Lincoln Park, notes that they’ve been<br />
working with their brokers on their plans since October.<br />
“We know whatever [REALTORS ® ] do today will produce<br />
in 90 days.” And despite a potentially slower market over<br />
the winter months, “this isn’t the time to slow down. This<br />
time sets the foundation for the rest of the year.”<br />
Darlene Little, vice president and managing broker at<br />
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago, agrees.<br />
“Focus on lead measures that fill 2020 pipelines,” she<br />
said. “Make sure you use automated drip programs and<br />
have a plan for personal connections.”<br />
If you haven’t been working on your plan since October,<br />
that’s ok! Start by taking some time to go over your<br />
budgets and P&L statements. Identify where you’re at and<br />
where you can build — for example, if there are any new<br />
marketing tools you want to incorporate or ineffective<br />
spending you can redirect. Rebecca Thomson, regional<br />
vice president at Coldwell Banker Residential, wrote<br />
an article in the last issue that takes you step by step<br />
through this process. Access it at ChicagoREALTOR.com.<br />
Regardless, keep in mind this 90-day timeline. Create<br />
long-term and short-term goals and identify the<br />
milestones you need to hit along the way. Really take<br />
advantage of laying strong foundations in January and<br />
February — this will pay off just when the spring market<br />
kicks into high gear.<br />
Greg Pekarsky, managing broker at Vesta Preferred<br />
Realty, is focusing on what works for him and his team<br />
in the big picture. “We’re making sure our follow-up<br />
plans are clear, and the pathway to staying top of mind<br />
with clients as a company is as aggressive as ever.”<br />
And in terms of direct goals, “video is a big focus for<br />
us, as is growing our spheres of influence by hosting<br />
homebuying seminars throughout the city.”<br />
Make sure you have processes in place — after all, it’s<br />
better to work smarter, not harder! Why invent the wheel<br />
every time if you don’t have to?<br />
And as with any good plan, leave room for you! TJ Rubin,<br />
president and founder of Fulton Grace Realty, said that<br />
education is a big focus for his team in 2020. “We’re<br />
developing an educational platform for both new and<br />
experienced brokers. It’ll be a comprehensive approach<br />
to group and individual training.”<br />
Consumers are inundated with information about the real<br />
estate process. Education is a great way you can stand<br />
out. Ensure you schedule time for your professional<br />
development and keep that commitment to yourself —<br />
it’ll pay off in the end.<br />
AYOUB<br />
RABAH<br />
President<br />
Coldwell Banker<br />
Residential<br />
T.J.<br />
RUBIN<br />
President &<br />
Founder<br />
Fulton Grace<br />
Realty<br />
THAD<br />
WONG<br />
Co-Founder<br />
@properties<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 23
PREP YOUR TOOLKIT<br />
Once you’ve run the numbers on your <strong>2019</strong> business and<br />
started planning for 2020, keep your ROI in mind — and<br />
identify tools that can help amplify that.<br />
“We invest heavily in online lead generation, but we make<br />
sure it’s the right channels that give us a minimum of<br />
three to one return on our money,” Pekarsky said. “A huge<br />
opportunity driver for us is our rental database. Unique<br />
marketing to convert them into homebuyers has proven<br />
to be a great way for us to spend money.”<br />
“Put this on a bumper sticker: ‘Top brokers can hit home<br />
runs in 2020 no matter the pitch thrown to them with the<br />
right technology,’" Durocher said. “There are a handful<br />
of talented brokers who believe if they do more of the<br />
same activities — write more note cards, make more<br />
phone calls, do more pop-bys — their clients won't leave<br />
them for brokers who have fully embraced technology<br />
and are using it to be an even better expert in the real<br />
estate industry.”<br />
Little summed it up nicely: “Creating real relationships in a<br />
tech-enabled world is the goal.”<br />
But also, make time for you. You can have all the tools<br />
and platforms in the world, but if you’re burnt out, it<br />
doesn’t matter! We live in a 24/7 Amazon world. Leverage<br />
the resources available to extend your reach — but not<br />
necessarily overextend yourself. “Being mobile and<br />
global has translated into being always-on,” Little said.<br />
“Many brokers are finding that a team structure helps<br />
them extend their reach, while others use automation<br />
and technology to provide information access to clients.<br />
Proactively addressing the needs of clients in their<br />
preferred communication style is the gold standard for<br />
work-life balance in our business.”<br />
ANTICIPATE DISRUPTION<br />
“Disruption and change are a constant part of our world<br />
now,” Michael Golden, co-founder of @properties, said.<br />
However, there are ways you can anticipate and build a<br />
disruption-proof business.<br />
One good resource to add to your toolkit: us, the Chicago<br />
Association of REALTORS ® ! Whether you’re looking to<br />
network, grow your leadership skills or better leverage<br />
the wealth of data available, we can help. With over<br />
75 events, opportunities to get involved or volunteer,<br />
statistical charts, talking points, and more, we love to help<br />
you achieve your professional goals — it makes us, and<br />
the industry at-large, stronger.<br />
Another great resource when planning is your brokerage.<br />
Make sure you’re using the tools available to help<br />
you build your business. A great example: “We’re<br />
focusing on new signage to add to the market and<br />
adding a consumer-facing portion to our pl@tform,<br />
our proprietary suite of technology and marketing<br />
applications,” Thad Wong, co-founder and co-CEO<br />
of @properties, said.<br />
Ayoub Rabah, president of Coldwell Banker Residential,<br />
listed a wealth of tools their brokers have at their<br />
fingertips, including a Listing Concierge and Design<br />
Concierge platform and the consumer-facing RealVitalize<br />
home improvement program. “Brokers have a wealth<br />
of options at their fingertips, all within our new DESK<br />
Platform,” he said.<br />
While disruption may be omnipresent, our experts agreed<br />
there are many ways REALTORS ® can reaffirm their value<br />
proposition for the consumer<br />
Consumers are looking for trusted experts to guide them<br />
through the homebuying and selling process. Since they<br />
have access to more information than ever before, ensure<br />
your expertise is on a higher level. “More consultingbased<br />
advice, such as construction details and growth<br />
metrics, is what buyers want, rather than someone to<br />
open doors and drive them around in a nice car,” Pekarsky<br />
said. “The more value we can add to the experience, the<br />
more buyers will value us.”<br />
“I feel like now, more than ever, sellers are aware of what<br />
they are receiving and how their home is being presented<br />
to the marketplace,” Wong said. “Leading the way in every<br />
aspect in which a property is presented is what we are<br />
focusing on for 2020.”<br />
It’s not as simple as adding a client to a drip campaign<br />
or MLS alert and leaving them be — personal interaction<br />
and tailored expertise is critical. “Plan for disruption by<br />
maintaining ‘belly-to-belly’ relationships with clients,”<br />
Durocher said. “Brokers with the greatest gain in the year<br />
24 Chicago REALTOR ® <strong>Magazine</strong>
ahead will be those who focus on the absorption and<br />
adoption of technology that will enhance their clients’<br />
experience in the real estate market, as well make<br />
brokers hyper-local.”<br />
Rabah is also laser-focused on the customer. “It’s<br />
important to not only roll out products that help our<br />
brokers be more productive, but help our customers, as<br />
well,” he said. “This is why we are rolling out RealSure,<br />
which is designed to solve the two most common<br />
questions consumers have when selling their home:<br />
‘what price can I achieve in the market,’ and ‘can I make<br />
an offer on a new home while my current home is on the<br />
market?’” Coldwell Banker is also partnering with TurnKey,<br />
a homebuying program with Amazon that lessens the<br />
stress of moving by offsetting some of those costs.<br />
“Focus on being aware of what others are offering to<br />
consumers and [make] sure you have a better value<br />
proposition,” Golden said. After all, “If you’re not changing<br />
and evolving in this business, you’re dying.”<br />
KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE PRIZE<br />
Our market is changing — and quickly. We’re not seeing<br />
the crazy bidding wars or price growth that we saw in<br />
2016, 2017 and 2018. Local taxes, employment and even<br />
the stock market are on everyone’s minds. There’s been<br />
lots of chatter about whether a recession is imminent<br />
— but according to a recent NAR economic release,<br />
there’s no cause for concern in the year to come.<br />
“Many remember the impact of the last recession on<br />
real estate, and it’s our job to educate buyers and<br />
sellers why 2020 isn't the same,” Little said. “We are<br />
expecting a flat market, and even if things slow down,<br />
we don't have the sort of unstable housing finance<br />
situation that surrounded the last crash. Housing is far<br />
more stable.”<br />
A stabilized market like we expect in 2020 can be a<br />
great opportunity to really focus on your foundations<br />
and your value-add. Keeping in touch with clients is<br />
critical — be that reliable source of information while<br />
understanding their personal dreams, goals and needs.<br />
This is an excellent chance to educate sellers about<br />
what's happening in their neighborhood and how it<br />
impacts their home.<br />
“Opportunities are opening up,” Pekarsky said. “We<br />
operate across all price points, so we are uniquely<br />
ready to move with a changing market. I know buyers<br />
have money and they want to spend it, but they also<br />
want to know what they’re buying and be confident<br />
in their purchase. Low interest rates and a market full<br />
of buyers with money mixes together for a potential<br />
windfall for the right players next year.”<br />
The takeaway: make your plan, get your tools together<br />
and stay focused. “While we believe 2020 is going to<br />
be a challenging year, there will also be tremendous<br />
opportunities that we’re preparing to take advantage<br />
of,” Golden said. “Change always brings opportunities.”<br />
A great example of this? “Our pricing will continue to<br />
stabilize after the Trump Tax laws, which limit State<br />
and Local Tax deductions to $ 10,000,” Wong said. “Our<br />
pricing has declined because of this law and we are<br />
now beginning to see stabilization as our sellers and<br />
buyers adjust to the increased cost of home ownership.<br />
Once we have a baseline for our new pricing, we will<br />
begin to climb.”<br />
As you can see from these predictions, 2020 is shaping<br />
up to be quite the year. Get your plan in place, and<br />
don’t forget to enjoy the ride!<br />
Another factor that will surely play a role: “We are<br />
looking forward to closely observing the fluctuations<br />
in the real estate market during this exciting election<br />
year,” Rubin said. Yes, politics impacts our reality. We<br />
may see a slight slowdown in the market leading to the<br />
November presidential election, pending consumer<br />
sentiment.<br />
Access tools & resources to help with<br />
your business planning and goals.<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 25
WELCOME TO<br />
CHATHAM<br />
Emmy Award-winning director Lena<br />
Waithe hails from 79 th Street. In an<br />
interview with Chicago <strong>Magazine</strong>, she<br />
called her neighborhood “very familial,”<br />
a community where “our next-door<br />
neighbor would come over all the time<br />
to watch TV with my grandmother.”<br />
Hip-hop artist Chance the Rapper<br />
is also from the area — and it’s not<br />
uncommon to see his face in mural<br />
projects throughout the neighborhood.<br />
Reporter and author Natalie Y. Moore<br />
and television host W. Kamau Bell are<br />
proud to call this same community their<br />
hometown.<br />
Welcome to Chatham, a neighborhood<br />
located on the south side, 10 miles<br />
from downtown Chicago. For decades,<br />
it has maintained its reputation for<br />
being close-knit and self-sustaining.<br />
It’s a neighborhood where residents<br />
take pride in their local businesses,<br />
civic engagement, homeownership<br />
and property maintenance.<br />
“There’s a great single-family feel,” Nedra<br />
Sims Fears, executive director of the<br />
Greater Chatham Initiative, said. “It’s very<br />
walkable, there’s good transportation,<br />
and we have a very active block club.<br />
People are friendly and communal — we<br />
look out for each other. There’s a good<br />
sense of community.”<br />
THE HISTORY<br />
In the 1860s, Chatham was known as Hogs<br />
Swamp or Mud Lake to the farmers and
hunters who made the area their home.<br />
As those former names suggest, Chatham<br />
wasn’t necessarily a place many were<br />
rushing to call home, and it took nearly<br />
twenty years before businesses and<br />
homes were developed.<br />
The area began to grow following the<br />
opening of the Cornell Watch Factory,<br />
just north of present-day Chatham. This<br />
was followed by the development of<br />
steel mills. More jobs coming to the<br />
area meant more homes, and Chatham<br />
grew to become home to working-class<br />
Italian, Irish and Hungarian families, who<br />
were attracted to the neighborhood<br />
by opportunity and new communities.<br />
By 1889, Mud Lake/Hogs Swamp<br />
officially became Chicago’s Chatham<br />
neighborhood.<br />
The early and mid-1900s brought<br />
significant changes to Chatham. The<br />
neighborhood, characterized by its<br />
enforced property standards, saw a<br />
population boom in the 1920s. According<br />
to Encyclopedia.com, the population<br />
went from 9,774 in 1920 to 36,288 in 1929,<br />
and the community shifted from working<br />
class to middle class. Chatham kept up<br />
with its housing demand, and this fed<br />
its local economy.<br />
Around that time, throughout Chicago,<br />
there was a push for commercial<br />
development that complimented<br />
the existing streetcar lines. These<br />
developments did wonders for Chatham.<br />
First, in addition to beautifully maintained<br />
residences, the commercial buildings<br />
were wonderfully constructed. Secondly,<br />
these buildings and added conveniences<br />
boosted property values. The styles of the<br />
buildings ranged, from gothic to Spanish<br />
and Renaissance to Sullivanesque and<br />
prairie. The most notable were perhaps<br />
the developments at 79 th Street and<br />
Cottage Grove in Chatham, sporting<br />
distinctive terra cotta and ornament<br />
designs, which helped Cottage Grove<br />
become a hub for shopping.<br />
While racial tensions were evident across<br />
the nation in the 1950s and 1960s, middle<br />
class African American families began to<br />
move into Chatham. Over the next several<br />
decades, Chatham became the home of<br />
many local black-owned businesses.<br />
Continued on page 28<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 27
Continued from page 27<br />
NEIGHBORHOOD<br />
HOT SPOTS<br />
Chatham has a long history of supporting<br />
locally-owned businesses, and many<br />
businesses go back generations. Back<br />
in the ’60s, Seaway National Bank was<br />
founded to finance entrepreneurs who<br />
had trouble getting access to credit from<br />
traditional banks. Sims Fears noted they<br />
were a backbone of the community and<br />
helped create the rich entrepreneurial<br />
legacy Chatham is known for today.<br />
Chatham is home to the first black-owned<br />
medical building and quite a few small<br />
boutiques. Most notably, Chatham also<br />
boasts its own Restaurant Row, on 75 th<br />
Street between Indiana and Vernon.<br />
A Chatham mainstay, Lem’s B-B-Q, is<br />
legendary. “I go there on Sundays, and<br />
there’s always someone from out of<br />
town doing a Lem’s run before they get<br />
on a plane, carrying home a bottle of<br />
sauce,” Sims Fears said. “It’s a regional<br />
destination.”<br />
Lem’s is just down the street from one<br />
of the oldest vegetarian restaurants in<br />
Chicago, Original Soul Vegetarian. When<br />
you go, get what’s been described as<br />
“to die for:” vegan mac and cheese, split<br />
pea soup, sweet potato fries and the<br />
Garvey burger.<br />
And don’t forget to check out the James<br />
Beard-nominated Brown Sugar Bakery,<br />
famous for mouthwatering caramel<br />
cake and cupcakes — you can expect<br />
lines around the block at the holidays —<br />
and Five Loaves, voted one of the best<br />
breakfast places in Chicago.<br />
“There is a nice mix of mom and pop<br />
shops and large national brands,” Tony<br />
Hardy, senior associate at Marcus<br />
& Millichap and <strong>2019</strong> chair of CAR’s<br />
CommercialForum, said. “They really<br />
play off of each other really well.”<br />
A brand-new gallery and design center<br />
recently opened in the area, Griffin<br />
Gallery and Interiors, joining many big<br />
box home improvement stores like Home<br />
Depot, Studio 41 and Lowe’s. Griffin<br />
Gallery and Interiors is run by a husband<br />
and wife team who converted an old<br />
factory to a beautiful art gallery and<br />
interiors showroom. “If you’re looking for<br />
something unique with an upscale feel,<br />
this will give you a real sense of what<br />
high end interiors look like with a real<br />
discerning eye and point of view,” Sims<br />
Fears said. “We’re proud to add Griffin to<br />
our mix of home improvement amenities<br />
in a way that’s unique and reflective of<br />
our African American heritage.”<br />
Chatham is also home to one of CAR’s<br />
placemaking initiatives: a mural of noted<br />
poet Gwendolyn Brooks, located on the<br />
300 block of East 75 th Street. Learn more<br />
about our placemaking initiatives on<br />
page 18.<br />
HOUSING<br />
SNAPSHOT<br />
Chatham has come a long way from the<br />
corn crib and small frame houses that were<br />
common in the area before it became part<br />
of the City of Chicago.<br />
30 Chicago REALTOR ® <strong>Magazine</strong>
Today, “you can find a beautiful home for a<br />
bargain,” Hardy said. Housing stock ranges<br />
in style.<br />
“We have every permutation of bungalow<br />
ever made,” Sims Fears said. Cape Cod,<br />
Georgian, split-level and raised ranches<br />
are also common in the neighborhood.<br />
There are several historic districts,<br />
including one with a focus on bungalows<br />
and another on midcentury homes.<br />
“The homes are beautiful and designed<br />
by noteworthy midcentury Chicago<br />
architects,” Sims Fears said. “You feel like<br />
you’re in California when you walk down<br />
the street there.”<br />
The Greater Chatham Initiative — led<br />
by Sims Fears — hosts a trolley tour to<br />
introduce people to the neighborhood<br />
and the housing stock available. “Probably<br />
35 percent of our housing stock is twoto-four-unit<br />
buildings, which people want<br />
because they want the extra income,”<br />
Sims Fears said. Their trolley tours feature<br />
these kinds of buildings, as well as the<br />
work being undertaken by flippers for<br />
those interested in HGTV-worthy homes.<br />
What is quite noteworthy — many<br />
buildings and businesses have been<br />
in families for generations. This helps<br />
add to the rich community pride<br />
Chatham residents feel towards their<br />
neighborhood.<br />
“We were all raised with a good sense<br />
of who we were and what we could do<br />
— a good sense of empowerment,” Sims<br />
Fears said. “This helps shape the ethos of<br />
the Chatham state of mind.”<br />
Photos by Regan Traphagen,<br />
Chicago Assocation of REALTORS ®<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 29
The perfect app for…<br />
STAYING ORGANIZED<br />
Sam Powell, Dream Town Realty,<br />
calls Todoist her “brain!”<br />
As you’re running from<br />
appointment to appointment,<br />
Todoist is here to help keep<br />
you organized. This is the app where all your daily<br />
tasks, new ideas and ever-changing priorities can<br />
harmonize.<br />
It works like this: no matter where you are, open up<br />
the Todoist app and add in your newest task. Then, set<br />
a reminder or deadline, add it to an existing project if<br />
necessary and indicate the task’s priority level.<br />
Here’s where it gets cool: Todoist allows you to<br />
assign tasks to someone else if necessary. Plus,<br />
it integrates with other apps and systems that<br />
you’re probably already using, like Dropbox, Alexa<br />
and Slack. You can even use its productivity charts<br />
to help you analyze your time management skills<br />
and make adjustments to ensure you’re meeting<br />
your goals.<br />
“When I get an email with a task that I need to<br />
take a lead on, I'll add it to my Todoist,” Sam said.<br />
“I use it with my team and personal assistant to<br />
keep track of what each of us is doing as it relates<br />
to our client files.”<br />
The perfect app for…<br />
MAKING YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS MORE COMPELLING<br />
Over is Julia Lindquist’s, @properties, go-to.<br />
It can help you take your graphic design to the next level. The easy-to-use<br />
app has ready-made and customizable templates to make your posts more<br />
interesting. You can use different fonts, stock photography and cool graphics to<br />
enhance posts about your next open house, give updates about your brokerage<br />
or share info about a property your team just closed.<br />
The basic version of the Over app is free to use, but if you’re looking for<br />
an enhanced experience or access to additional features, you can buy a<br />
subscription. Over Pro provides additional fonts and photos to help keep<br />
your posts fresh, and Over Teams allows multiple people in your office<br />
to collaborate on designs.<br />
As Julia points out, in our fast-paced digital age, it’s imperative your<br />
social posts are visually appealing and quickly capture your potential<br />
clients’ eyes.<br />
“Visuals are extremely crucial in real estate <strong>–</strong> your listing photos are the<br />
first showings,” Julia said. “[Over] gives my posts an editorial feel, as<br />
if I'm seeing the photos in a home magazine or a Pottery<br />
Barn catalog.”<br />
Download Over at www.madewithover.com.<br />
Ready to get those tasks in order?<br />
Go to Todoist.com to learn more and<br />
The perfect app for…<br />
CONNECTING WITH YOUR CLIENTS<br />
For Jordan Pyle, Keller Williams Chicago <strong>–</strong> Lincoln Park, it doesn’t get much better than<br />
BombBomb.<br />
We can’t deny the power of video. Next to meeting face-to-face, a short video is<br />
arguably the best way to keep your clients engaged. BombBomb helps makes it easy.<br />
Designed with real estate practitioners in mind, BombBomb allows you to record videos<br />
and send them directly to your clients via text or email. The best part: there are no links to click and no files to<br />
download. Once your client opens the message, they can watch your personalized video right in their inbox.<br />
Some other features include the ability to schedule when your videos are sent, see who opens and watches, save<br />
videos to answer FAQs and send reminders to those who haven’t watched yet.<br />
If increased replies, referrals and lead generation are some of your goals, consider using the BombBomb app to add<br />
a personal touch to your client communications.<br />
Head to bombbomb.com to download the app. If you’re new to the instant video game, read their<br />
Bombcast blog to learn from the experts.<br />
30 Chicago REALTOR ® <strong>Magazine</strong>
S<strong>CR</strong>EEN TIME<br />
CHAMPS<br />
REALTOR ® Recommended Apps<br />
We get by with a little help from our REALTOR ® friends. With so<br />
many mobile apps out there (and so little time to test them all), it’s<br />
always nice to get trustworthy recommendations. We chatted with<br />
some REALTORS ® to learn more about the apps they’re using to make<br />
their lives easier and their businesses stronger. Here’s the download:<br />
The perfect app for…<br />
MAKING PARKING EASIER<br />
Collin Wasiak, Compass,<br />
says the ParkChicago app,<br />
a collaboration between the<br />
City of Chicago and Chicago<br />
Parking Meters (CPM), is his<br />
cheat code.<br />
Imagine this: You’re inside a listing appointment<br />
that’s running longer than expected, while your<br />
car is parked at one of CPM’s 36,000 metered<br />
parking spots around the city. Knowing your client<br />
needs your undivided attention, would you rather<br />
run out to add time to your meter or tap a button<br />
on your phone to extend it? We’re sure you’d chose<br />
the latter, and the ParkChicago app helps you out<br />
in that regard. Additionally, the ParkChicagoMap<br />
feature allows you to see which parking spots are<br />
available, as well as check their rates, parking<br />
hours and additional details.<br />
“In a world where time is money, this app<br />
charges a nominal fee in exchange for the<br />
security of your car and, above all else,<br />
convenience,” Collin said.<br />
As an added bonus, did you know CPM<br />
has its own philanthropy? CPM Community<br />
Partner gives to local family and youth<br />
organizations. Now that’s parking with<br />
a purpose!<br />
Make your life easier and download<br />
the app at ParkChicago.com.<br />
The perfect app for…<br />
FREE STOCK PHOTOS AND VIDEO<br />
Marki Lemons Ryhal, EXIT Strategy Realty, recommends Pexels, which gives you access to lots of<br />
free images to use in your next marketing campaign. Once you select your favorite photo, you can<br />
save and edit it as needed, or you can upload it directly to your social media accounts.<br />
What makes Pexels unique is that it also offers stock videos for you to grab and use!<br />
If you get inspired and want to start taking your own photos and videos, you can upload them to the<br />
app for others to use.<br />
“I’m always thinking about content and marketing, as I want to differentiate myself from my fellow REALTORS ® in my<br />
marketplace,” Marki said. “I use royalty-free photos and videos from Pexels.com, then remove the background on<br />
Remove.bg and upload it to Canva to do the final design.”<br />
Remove.bg allows users to keep their favorite parts of their photos and flawlessly edit out the rest. Canva touts itself on<br />
making graphic design simple. The app gives users a large selection of templates, frames, shapes, sizes, colors and filters<br />
that can be used to make social media posts, flyers, posters and more!<br />
Using a combination of apps to create content that attracts and resonates with her audience is one of her<br />
secrets to success.<br />
To get Marki’s content trifecta, head to these websites: pexels.com, Remove.bg and Canva.com.<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 31
MENTORS VS. SPONSORS<br />
MADE SIMPLE<br />
Chelsea C. Hayes, SPHR | The Coaching Factory<br />
Think about the best thing that has ever happened to you in your<br />
career. Chances are, whatever you just thought of wouldn’t have<br />
happened if it weren’t for another human. Someone intervened.<br />
Someone suggested, shared, agreed, approved, approached,<br />
collaborated, introduced or fought for you.<br />
Humans need help. We were put on this Earth to lift, support,<br />
guide, train, inspire and encourage one another. In the<br />
workplace, this magic is most commonly described using<br />
two words: mentoring and sponsoring. These words are not<br />
interchangeable and cause unique outcomes. Let’s take a look at<br />
the difference between mentors vs. sponsors.<br />
• A mentor is someone who provides sound advice.<br />
• A sponsor is a proven leader who is deeply invested in<br />
your advancement and voluntarily introduces you &<br />
your work product to influential leaders.<br />
• If you’re curious, a coach is a leader who is<br />
extraordinarily knowledgeable in a specific area and<br />
provides practical steps to lead you towards your goals.<br />
Strong coaching relationships are individual and<br />
nuanced, so today, we’ll focus on mentors vs. sponsors.<br />
ORDER OF OPERATIONS<br />
Speaking up for yourself and being thoughtful about who you’d<br />
like to learn from is important. You may want to ask yourself:<br />
• Do they do business with integrity in a way that is<br />
honorable and inspiring?<br />
• How does this person lead under great stress or pressure?<br />
• How do I feel around this leader? How does this leader<br />
make others feel?<br />
• What do I believe this person can teach me that no one<br />
else can?<br />
MENTORS<br />
Have mentees.<br />
Provide advice.<br />
Listen.<br />
Share ideas.<br />
Ask how the event went.<br />
Advise you based on where you are now.<br />
Ideate about fruitful possibilities.<br />
May be plentiful.<br />
Some level of trust required.<br />
Only technically need to understand one<br />
dimension of your world.<br />
May exist throughout an organization.<br />
Say “here’s what you can do.”<br />
SPONSORS<br />
Make protégés.<br />
Provide courageous counsel, experience and real time solutions.<br />
Strategize.<br />
Challenge mediocrity.<br />
Take you with them to the event.<br />
See beyond where you are today to activate all that you can be<br />
in the future.<br />
Personally take your name into rooms you do not yet occupy with<br />
the purpose of accelerating your career.<br />
Are special. The most successful people have
While the answers to these questions are key, in our<br />
experience at The Coaching Factory, the most fruitful mentor/<br />
mentee & sponsor/protégé relationships are ones where the<br />
mentor & sponsor take an organic interest in the career of<br />
the mentee & protégé. Programs and engineered outings are<br />
beneficial, but none are more exemplary than relationships<br />
that bloom organically.<br />
Mentorship is helpful, but sponsorship is what is necessary to<br />
achieve the type of success we read about. For women and<br />
people of color especially, sponsorship is wildly important<br />
and should be something you’re focused on from the very<br />
beginning of your career. According to the 2018 “Women in<br />
the Workplace” study by McKinsey & Company, 27 percent of<br />
men say they never have a substantive interaction with a senior<br />
leader about their work, while 41 percent of black women say<br />
the same. Sponsorship requires interaction and this doesn’t<br />
happen by chance, so keep sponsorship top of mind.<br />
Let’s think of it like going grocery shopping. If you go to the<br />
store without a list, it may take a long time to find something<br />
to make for dinner. You may wander aimlessly until you<br />
reluctantly, finally decide on something that will just make<br />
the hunger subside. On the flip side, if you go to the store<br />
with a list of five ingredients you need to buy, you’ll be home<br />
quickly, with a balanced, thoughtful meal. You won’t have<br />
wandered — you’ll have conquered.<br />
Our careers work the same way. Sponsorship (the healthy<br />
meal) exists, and you have to know what attracts sponsors<br />
early (the ingredients) so you can receive the opportunities<br />
your incredible work warrants.<br />
HOW TO GET A SPONSOR<br />
Perform.<br />
Numbers don’t lie. Meet and surpass your goals, and, most<br />
importantly, people still need to like you once your goals have<br />
been exceeded! Andy Shiparski, Managing Broker at Compass,<br />
asks powerful questions: “Are you truly creating a unique<br />
experience? Are you doing everything for your clients that you<br />
would do for yourself if you were selling your own home?”<br />
Do More Than What’s Required.<br />
You’d be surprised how many people don’t do the simple<br />
things correctly. Be early, show up polished every time and do<br />
what you can to make life easier for all your teammates. This<br />
may mean showing a home for a fellow REALTOR ® when their<br />
schedule unexpectedly changes.<br />
Remember: Nice Words = Mentors,<br />
Unusual Actions = Sponsors.<br />
Volunteer to do the right thing (even when it’s the hard thing),<br />
do something that isn’t technically your responsibility for<br />
the betterment of the team, and joyfully stay late to ensure<br />
a problem is fixed — these are all unusual actions and will<br />
be noticed.<br />
Listen More Than You Speak.<br />
No one likes a know-it-all. If you talk non-stop, you’ll be<br />
pegged as un-coachable. Even if you’re effective, people<br />
will steer clear of you. I’ve seen capable talent work ten<br />
years without sponsorship, simply because they unknowingly<br />
irritate their colleagues. We all must practice listening.<br />
If you’ve done all the above and you still don’t have a sponsor,<br />
your company may lack the pool of leaders to sponsor you or<br />
there may be something someone isn’t telling you. The first<br />
option we can’t control, but the second one is in our control.<br />
There may be a piece of feedback you aren’t getting or<br />
aren’t responding to. Be gentle with yourself and remember<br />
that feedback reigns supreme. He or she who gets the most<br />
feedback wins. Start by asking your closest colleagues, and<br />
even those who aren’t in your inner circle, where they believe<br />
you excel and how you can grow.<br />
If you’ve gotten this far, I know your growth is important to you<br />
and I also know you truly can have anything you want. The tricky<br />
thing about life is, we don’t get what we want alone! Perform<br />
well, keep people first and be kind. The truth is, we all need<br />
each other. Congratulations on all that you’ve accomplished —<br />
there are no limits to where we’ll go together.<br />
How to be the<br />
Best Mentee/Protégé<br />
Support what’s important to them.<br />
F Offer to check in attendees at their function,<br />
help with their upcoming event, etc. No job<br />
should be too big or too small. Your job is to<br />
find the place you exist in their world that<br />
requires the least amount of effort from them.<br />
Always be early.<br />
F This communicates that you take their time<br />
very seriously and you’re ready for the next<br />
big thing.<br />
Be succinct.<br />
F The best mentors and sponsors do not have<br />
a lot of time. There are many people<br />
depending on them and their brain. If you<br />
have an ask, be very clear about what you<br />
need, when you need it and why.<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 33
Making Housing Data<br />
Approachable<br />
MICHAEL LANE | PRESIDENT, SHOWINGTIME<br />
Housing data can be<br />
intimidating for even the most<br />
seasoned real estate professional<br />
— so, it should come as no surprise when a<br />
client expresses some trepidation when the<br />
conversation turns to market stats. Working<br />
with any client, there comes a time where<br />
the use of current market data to guide the<br />
conversation is all but mandatory. What’s a<br />
REALTOR ® to do?<br />
Visit ChicagoREALTOR.com to<br />
dive into our statistical tools.<br />
Making data easily digestible and relatable<br />
for clients is a challenge every successful<br />
REALTOR ® will have to overcome at some point. There are tools that<br />
help make it easy for you — and they’re included in your Chicago<br />
Association of REALTORS ® membership. ShowingTime’s MarketStats<br />
solutions like FastStats and InfoSparks are essential tools that offer<br />
access to the latest relevant market statistics, enhanced with powerful<br />
visualization features to help paint a vivid picture of the market.<br />
Here are some common ways you can leverage these tools to help<br />
traverse the complex world of market statistics and make data<br />
palatable for your clients.<br />
That’s why a good REALTOR ® is, in many<br />
respects, an interpreter, translating the<br />
peaks and valleys of the market into<br />
guidance that your clients depend on.<br />
MAKE DATA MARKETABLE<br />
In today’s tech-driven world, ample data is readily available. With a quick<br />
click or scroll, anyone can uncover a wealth of seemingly authoritative<br />
statistics on almost anything in a matter of minutes. For a prospective<br />
client, access to this wealth of data can be a double-edged sword. Not<br />
only is data often difficult to interpret, inaccurate data is ubiquitous,<br />
leading to a situation where many don’t know what to believe.<br />
That’s where you come in. Your prospective clients are looking for someone<br />
who can navigate the veritable jungle of clickbait headlines and bold<br />
predictions about the next new trends in the market and come away with<br />
accurate, actionable analysis. The REALTOR ® who can share this data<br />
in an eye-catching way will have seized on an excellent marketing tool<br />
— and a way to strengthen their brand not only as an authority on the<br />
market, but also as someone who provides a personal touch.<br />
solutions are more than mere data aggregators — they allow you to<br />
combine multiple variables to create visually appealing and easy-todigest<br />
reports to share with potential clients.<br />
Social media, for example, provides the optimal medium for data<br />
sharing. With the average American spending more than two hours<br />
a day socializing online, there are few better avenues to increase<br />
brand awareness and position yourself as a thought leader among<br />
competitors.<br />
You can use the data you glean from InfoSparks<br />
and FastStats to create vibrant, eminently shareable<br />
infographics. Start by picking two or three data sets<br />
in one area, then use those reports to make one<br />
infographic highlighting that city, neighborhood, etc.<br />
There are many free tools available to help you make<br />
your own infographic easily. Piktochart is a great<br />
example of a free, easy-to-use site for beginners who<br />
are interested in designing appealing infographics; simply choose<br />
from one of the site’s many pre-built templates and insert the charts<br />
and graphs that you pull from InfoSparks or FastStats.<br />
USE DATA TO HAVE<br />
TOUGH CONVERSATIONS<br />
A house that won’t sell is undoubtedly one of the most stressful,<br />
all-too-common issues a REALTOR ® faces. We hear all the time<br />
that having “the talk” with clients can make for a roadblock in what<br />
otherwise would be a smooth transaction. Given the investments a<br />
seller may have put into a house, both emotional and financial, it’s easy<br />
to see why a client may be resistant to changing their asking price or<br />
against making necessary changes to make a house more appealing<br />
to prospective buyers, even in the face of a lengthy time on the market.<br />
InfoSparks and FastStats make data truly marketable, helping you<br />
gather relevant, in-demand real estate data in one place. But these<br />
Data can become a powerful ally when you’re faced with difficult<br />
conversations.<br />
34 Chicago REALTOR ® <strong>Magazine</strong>
InfoSparks is updated with the MRED market data nightly, so your<br />
insights are backed by accurate, up-to-date information. You could,<br />
for example, pull a neighborhood’s median or average days on market<br />
data, strong evidence to support a compelling argument for making<br />
some changes to a listing. Because the data is current and accurate,<br />
clients can be sure that they are meaningful and unbiased.<br />
STEP BY STEP<br />
Looking for market info? Look no further. Here are step by<br />
step directions to get you to all the data.<br />
1. Log into ConnectMLS via MRED.<br />
Of course, data alone doesn’t tell the story. That’s why InfoSparks gives<br />
you access to an extensive array of charts and graphs to convey the<br />
data visually, helping clients see what’s going on in<br />
their neighborhood’s housing market. Once you’ve<br />
managed to remove the usual suspects about why<br />
a house may not be selling as quickly as a seller<br />
may like, you can turn to InfoSparks to assess an<br />
area’s comparable listings, exporting relevant data<br />
into visually appealing, branded charts that you<br />
then can share with sellers via printed materials or<br />
electronic communications.<br />
2. Under the "Tools, Resources & Links" menu,<br />
click on InfoSparks.<br />
For example, you can begin a tough conversation<br />
by pulling a report on the average length of time<br />
a house is on the market in the neighborhood<br />
where your client lives. Maybe your client<br />
has priced their home too high. Find out by running a report on<br />
comparable homes in their area and show the average sale price.<br />
There are hundreds of data variables available to customize, create,<br />
export and share with clients.<br />
PROVIDE CONTEXT TO THE NUMBERS<br />
If you took a foreign language course at some point but never<br />
continued learning the language, you know that while you may be<br />
able to recognize some words and phrases years later, you lack the<br />
deeper understanding needed to converse with a native speaker.<br />
Interpreting housing data is like that. While your clients may very<br />
well have an understanding of the basic principles regarding market<br />
statistics, the complexity of the market requires a professional to make<br />
sense of them. Numbers may not lie, but they can mislead.<br />
3. Once on the main InfoSparks dashboard, you<br />
can customize the current data you want to pull<br />
and download either the raw data or charts.<br />
4. You can also visit the "Reports" tab for<br />
information packaged neatly for your use.<br />
That’s why a good REALTOR ® is, in many respects, an interpreter,<br />
translating the peaks and valleys of the market into guidance that your<br />
clients depend on. For example, your clients may be hearing a lot of talk<br />
in the news about a particular housing trend which could be accurate,<br />
but which also needs the proper context to be correctly interpreted.<br />
This again provides an opportunity for you to leverage your access to<br />
accurate data, which can be used to contextualize a key housing indicator.<br />
The thorough, 13-page Monthly Indicators report covers each aspect of<br />
the market and paints a bigger picture about current trends. You can use<br />
the report to analyze key metrics like new listings, median sales price<br />
and average list price and display them longitudinally. In this way, you<br />
can highlight seasonal trends or point out an aberration in the market by<br />
looking at how a similar listing has fared in months and years past.<br />
5. Under the “My Areas” tab, you can custom define<br />
neighborhoods or areas of the city to search for data<br />
according to your unique parameters.<br />
The subject of housing statistics is often intimidating for clients to<br />
understand and for REALTORS ® to explain, but it doesn’t have to be.<br />
ShowingTime’s MarketStats solutions, included with your Chicago<br />
Association of REALTORS ® membership, are designed to remove the<br />
guesswork about interpreting and sharing market data, giving you a<br />
powerful tool to attract new clients and engage existing ones alike.<br />
6. All InfoSparks data is available for you to<br />
download, customize and share!<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 35
36 Chicago REALTOR ® <strong>Magazine</strong>
Special Advertising Section<br />
Real Estate to the Rescue<br />
Real Estate to the Rescue<br />
NAGLREP Chicago<br />
NAGLREP Chicago<br />
W<strong>CR</strong> Chicago<br />
FIABCI - Midwest<br />
W<strong>CR</strong> Chicago<br />
FIABCI - Midwest<br />
Dearborn REALTIST ® Board<br />
Dearborn REALTIST ® Board<br />
AREAA Greater Chicago<br />
NAHREP Chicago Chapter<br />
AREAA Greater Chicago<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 37
Association News<br />
Past President Zeke Morris Sworn in<br />
as 2020 Treasurer of Illinois REALTORS ®<br />
CAR past president Ezekiel “Zeke” Morris, EMA Realty and<br />
Management, has been named as the 2020 Treasurer of Illinois<br />
REALTORS ® . This positions Zeke to become the first African<br />
American president in Illinois REALTORS ® history.<br />
Zeke was the recipient of our 2013 REALTOR ® of the Year award. He<br />
founded the CAR Foundation’s Zeke Morris Scholarship to support<br />
the education efforts of those who have shown commitment to the<br />
stabilization and economic development of Chicago’s southside<br />
communities.<br />
Zeke has a long list of involvement at the local, state and national<br />
levels, serving numerous committees, including the Illinois<br />
REALTORS ® Housing Opportunity Working Group, the Bylaws<br />
Committee, the Public Policy and Government Affairs Member<br />
Involvement Group and the State Legislative Contacts Working<br />
Group, and the National Association of REALTORS ® Board of<br />
Directors Federal Housing Policy, Multicultural Real Estate Leadership<br />
Advisory Group, Fair Housing Act Anniversary Working Group and the<br />
Fair Housing Act Anniversary Implementation Group, among others.<br />
YPN Volunteers at<br />
Ronald McDonald House<br />
Our Young Professionals Network committee kicked off their year<br />
by volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House at Lurie Hospital.<br />
Together, we made a dinner of grilled cheese, pork meatballs,<br />
balsamic chicken, veggies, fruit and snickerdoodle cupcakes for<br />
the Ronald McDonald House families. Look for more volunteering<br />
opportunities in the year to come!<br />
Zeke Morris, EMA Realty and Management, Sue Miller, Coldwell Banker The Real Estate Group,<br />
and Gary Clayton, Illinois REALTORS ® , at the Illinois REALTORS ® Installation Gala in September.<br />
We’re so proud of you, Zeke — thank you for your continued<br />
commitment to our industry!<br />
1<br />
2<br />
3<br />
1. BACK: Quentin Green, Downtown Realty Company,<br />
Sarah Langum, Compass Real Estate, Julia Lindquist,<br />
@properties, DeVon Chandler, Compass Real Estate,<br />
Michael Bencks, Neighborhood Loans, Jordan Pyle,<br />
Keller Williams Chicago - Lincoln Park, Devontae Brooks,<br />
Guaranteed Rate, and Trischa Williams, Vesta Preferred<br />
Realty LLC. FRONT: Amy Wu, Keller Williams Success<br />
Realty, Cory Hall, Chicago Association of REALTORS ® ,<br />
Collin Wasiak, Compass Real Estate, Maria Dickman,<br />
Chicago Association of REALTORS ® , and Kasey Taylor,<br />
@properties. 2. DeVon Chandler, Compass Real Estate,<br />
Amy Wu, Keller Williams Success Realty, Julia Lindquist,<br />
@properties. 3. Julia Lindquist, @properties, Michael<br />
Bencks, Neighborhood Loans, and Kasey Taylor,<br />
@properties.<br />
38 Chicago REALTOR ® <strong>Magazine</strong>
Government Affairs Update<br />
What you need to know about<br />
the Just Housing Amendment<br />
In April <strong>2019</strong>, the Cook County Commissioners approved a Just<br />
Housing Amendment (JHA). The intent of the ordinance is very<br />
clear: prevent housing discrimination among persons with a criminal<br />
background. JHA was immediately added to the Human Rights<br />
section of Cook County’s municipal law, effective December 31, <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
What does this mean for the<br />
real estate industry?<br />
Any landlord or property management company in Cook County<br />
that conducts tenant screening will need to incorporate the new<br />
JHA procedure. There is a two-step tenant screening process that<br />
must be followed:<br />
1. Pre-qualification (ability to pay, references, etc.)<br />
2. Criminal background check<br />
If a person has a criminal history, housing providers must conduct<br />
an Individualized Assessment. The Assessment can take several<br />
factors into account, such as the nature and severity of the criminal<br />
offense and how recently it occurred, number of applicant’s criminal<br />
convictions, length of time the criminal offense occurred, evidence<br />
of rehabilitation, etc.<br />
To deny housing, a landlord will have to give the applicant an<br />
opportunity to dispute a denial by providing evidence to counter<br />
any criminal history discovered in the criminal background check.<br />
Housing providers must be aware of the time period allowed to<br />
dispute the denial. If the applicant disputes the denial, materials<br />
must be provided to the landlord within a specific amount of time.<br />
Our Stance<br />
CAR strongly opposes discrimination in housing based on race,<br />
color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, sexual orientation,<br />
gender identify and national origin. This policy is embodied in the<br />
National Association of REALTORS ® (NAR) Code of Ethics.<br />
While the JHA intent is understood, the complexity of tenant<br />
screening already exists. Landlords must follow local, state and<br />
federal rules and regulations. The JHA is adding layers to the<br />
regulations already in place.<br />
CAR had an advocacy win when we were able to get rid of the<br />
holding period of a rental unit if an applicant was denied housing,<br />
which placed additional risks on the housing provider.<br />
Legislative Outlook<br />
Any landlord or housing provider in Cook County will have to<br />
follow the JHA rules effective December 31, <strong>2019</strong>. It is critically<br />
important that rules are understood and followed to reduce risk<br />
of any penalties. Keep a look out — we’ll be providing you with<br />
the updates you need to navigate the new requirements on<br />
ChicagoREALTOR.com.<br />
Join us for...<br />
First Tuesday<br />
of the Month<br />
®<br />
REALTOR Building<br />
430 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 800 | 9 A.M. to 11 A.M.<br />
Coffee with Your GADs<br />
It goes without saying: there are a lot of updates that impact your<br />
business. Be sure to come to Coffee with the GADs, usually the first<br />
Tuesday of the month, to get the latest updates on what will affect<br />
you and your clients, and what CAR is doing to protect your private<br />
property rights!<br />
Be sure to register on ChicagoREALTOR.com.<br />
Capitol Conference<br />
It’s never too early to plan to be part of the solution. The Illinois<br />
REALTORS ® Capitol Conference, also known as Lobby Day, is<br />
Tuesday, April 21, 2020. We invite you to join your fellow Chicago<br />
REALTORS ® storming the capitol to meet with legislators and let<br />
them know where we stand on the public policy issues that impact<br />
our business and our clients. To make it easy on you, CAR provides<br />
transportation to Springfield. Please plan to be there and be on the<br />
lookout for updates on ChicagoREALTOR.com.<br />
Schedule a Visit from Your GADs<br />
If you can’t make it to a Coffee with Your GADs meeting, want more<br />
info on RPAC or think your fellow brokers will benefit from hearing<br />
about CAR’s current public policy initiatives, feel free to request a<br />
visit from one of our GADs. Please visit ChicagoREALTOR.com/GAD<br />
to complete a GAD visit request form or email us at<br />
KAnderson@chicagorealtor.com or AMurawski@chicagorealtor.com<br />
to schedule a time to visit your office, get to know your brokers and<br />
fill you in on the issues we’re fighting for every day!<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 39
1<br />
2<br />
136 TH INAUGURAL GALA<br />
3<br />
4 5<br />
6<br />
1. Bob Eby, Century 21 Affiliated and Karla Mina, Compass;<br />
2. Crystal Chaudhry, Zach Kogut, Keah Gonzalez, Krista Harkin,<br />
Tommy Choi, Stephanie Westergaard, Sydney Warner, Enida<br />
Krdzalic, Josh Weinberg, and Paul Smith, Keller Williams Chicago<br />
<strong>–</strong> Lincoln Park; 3. Molly Phelan, Siegel Jennings and Rebecca<br />
Thomson, Coldwell Banker Residential; 4. Sarah Ware, Ware<br />
Realty Group and Erika Villegas, RE/MAX in the Village; 5. Aracely<br />
Palomino, The Federal Savings Bank, Michelle Kubala, Jameson<br />
Sotheby’s International Realty, Maribel Guzman, Tammy Hajjar<br />
Miller, Bernie Miller, Cecelia Marlow, Cheyenne Paul, Paul Ludwig,<br />
and Scott Madgett, The Federal Savings Bank; 6. Danny Lewis,<br />
Dream Town Realty, Akos Straub, Berkshire Hathaway<br />
HomeServices Chicago, and Justin Kling, Jameson Sotheby’s<br />
International Realty; 7. Adam Wesselink, Blue Cross Blue Shield<br />
and Antonia L. Mills, Attorney.<br />
7<br />
SPONSORED BY:<br />
40 Chicago REALTOR ® <strong>Magazine</strong>
Photos by Marcello Rodarte, Fine Art Photography<br />
1<br />
2<br />
3<br />
4 5<br />
6<br />
7<br />
8 9<br />
1. Kyi Hampton, Maurice Hampton, Centered International<br />
Realty, and Cree Hampton; 2. Tori Gwin, and Lauren Mitrick<br />
Wood, Compass; 3. Alan Castro, Ed Zamora, and Matt Lee,<br />
Caliber Home Loans; 4. Lilly Patterson, Maurice Hampton’s<br />
Great-Grandmother; 5. Reno Manuele, Mayra Rubio, and<br />
Tony Ameti, Neighborhood Loans; 6. Vicky Silvano, Baird &<br />
Warner, Ann Trandai, Trandai Realty, John Manglardi, Cross<br />
Country Mortgage, Elizabeth Goodchild, Berkshire Hathaway<br />
HomeServices Starck Real Estate, Maurel Samonte, eXp<br />
Realty, Scott Weer, Weer & Woellert Insurance Agency, and<br />
Stephany Oliveros, Compass; 7. Eli Hall, Henrietta Long-Hall,<br />
and Moses Hall, MoHall Commercial & Urban Development;<br />
8. Fernando Rizzo, Neighborhood Loans, John Floros, Fulton<br />
Grace Realty, and Coral Christian, Chicago Title; 9. Emma<br />
Butler, and Amber McLain, Neighborhood Loans.<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 41
1 2 3 4<br />
5 6<br />
<strong>2019</strong> REALTOR ® AWARDS<br />
At the 136 th Annual Inaugural Gala, the real estate<br />
community gathered to honor exceptional members<br />
of our Chicago REALTOR ® family. Congratulations to<br />
the recipients of the <strong>2019</strong> REALTOR ® Awards and the<br />
<strong>2019</strong> President’s Awards!<br />
REALTOR ® OF THE YEAR:<br />
REBECCA THOMSON, Coldwell Banker Residential<br />
REALTOR ® ACHIEVEMENT:<br />
CHRIS PEZZA, Miller Chicago Real Estate<br />
REALTOR ® ACHIEVEMENT:<br />
TRACEY ROYAL, TEAM Real Estate Services, Inc.<br />
REALTOR ® ACHIEVEMENT - COMMERCIAL<br />
KEVIN ROCIO, @properties Commercial<br />
REALTOR ® COMMUNITY SERVICE:<br />
CANDICE PAYNE, 5 th Group Realty & Management<br />
AFFILIATE OF THE YEAR:<br />
RENO MANUELE, Neighborhood Loans<br />
1. Matt Silver, Urban Real Estate and Chair<br />
of the REALTOR ® Awards Work Group,<br />
and Kevin Rocio, @properties Commercial;<br />
2. Matt Silver, Tracey Royal, TEAM Real<br />
Estate Services, Inc. and Michelle Mills<br />
Clement, Chicago Association of REALTORS ® ;<br />
3. Hugh Rider, Realty & Mortgage Co. and<br />
Michelle Mills Clement; 4. Matt Silver and<br />
Chris Pezza, Miller Chicago Real Estate;<br />
5. Rebecca Thomson, Coldwell Banker<br />
Residential; 6. Matt Silver, Reno Manuele,<br />
Neighborhood Loans, and Michelle Mills<br />
Clement; 7. Lutalo McGee, Ani Real Estate,<br />
and Michelle Mills Clement; 8. Matt Silver,<br />
Rick Sobin, @properties, and Michelle Mills<br />
Clement; 9. Matt Silver, Candice Payne,<br />
5 th Group Realty & Management, and<br />
Michelle Mills Clement.<br />
8<br />
7<br />
9<br />
Photos by Marcello Rodarte<br />
MANAGING BROKER OF THE YEAR<br />
(1-50 licensees):<br />
LUTALO McGEE, Ani Real Estate<br />
MANAGING BROKER OF THE YEAR<br />
(51+ licensees):<br />
RICK SOBIN, @properties<br />
<strong>2019</strong> BRIAN A. BERNARDONI<br />
POLITICAL ADVOCACY AWARD:<br />
HUGH RIDER, Realty & Mortgage Co.<br />
<strong>2019</strong> CAR HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE:<br />
JOHN RUTLEDGE, Oxford Capital Group, LLC<br />
<strong>2019</strong> PRESIDENT’S AWARD RECIPIENTS:<br />
TESHA CHOI<br />
GRACE KAAGE<br />
JESSICA KERN<br />
MICHELLE MILLS CLEMENT<br />
ZEKE MORRIS<br />
JOSH WEINBERG<br />
42 Chicago REALTOR ® <strong>Magazine</strong>
1<br />
2<br />
1. Sarah Ware, Ware Realty Group, Nykea Pippion McGriff,<br />
Dream Town Realty, and Tracey Royal, TEAM Real Estate<br />
Services; 2. Marcos Mendez, Alfredo Barragan, Sonia Anaya,<br />
and Eddy Salinas, America Real Estate; 3. Al Canaveral and<br />
Edgar Guerrero, Century 21 Affiliated; 4. Phillip Pippion,<br />
Lutalo McGee, Ani Real Estate, Maurice Hampton, Centered<br />
International Realty, and Chris Pezza, Miller Chicago Real Estate;<br />
5. Amanda Rodriguez, Alex Wolking, Olivia Hayes, Madilyn<br />
Garcia, Keller Williams Chicago - Lincoln Park, Matt Engle,<br />
Fulton Grace Realty, Danielle Durocher, and Kevin Hinton,<br />
Keller Williams Chicago - Lincoln Park; 6. Kara Boeldt, Dave<br />
Naso, Keller Williams Chicago - Lincoln Park, Ryan Stevens,<br />
guest, Jackie Delva, and Ashley Carter, Keller Williams Chicago<br />
- Lincoln Park; 7. Cecelia Marlow, The Federal Savings Bank,<br />
Fosta Smith, EXIT Strategy Realty, Shannon Welch, Keller<br />
Williams Elite, and Sanina Jones, Chicago Homes Realty Group;<br />
8. Hugh Rider, Realty & Mortgage Co. and Jim Kinney, Baird &<br />
Warner; 9. Courtney Jones and Sanina Ellison Jones, Chicago<br />
Homes Realty Group.<br />
3<br />
5<br />
4<br />
6<br />
7<br />
8 9<br />
Golfers doing what they do.<br />
Photos by Jack Lane, LANE Media & Productions<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 43
Photos by Cory Hall & Jessica Kern, Chicago Association of REALTORS ®<br />
1<br />
YPN KICKBALL<br />
TOURNAMENT<br />
YPN got together on September<br />
12 th at Oz Park to raise money for<br />
Chicago House and My Block, My<br />
Hood, My City. Ten teams put their<br />
best foot forward in the kickball<br />
tournament of the summer! I Heart<br />
Bad Pitches of Main Street Real<br />
Estate Group was crowned the<br />
victor, but all of YPN won by raising<br />
$<br />
5,932 through the YPN Fund, made<br />
possible by the Chicago Association<br />
of REALTORS ® Foundation.<br />
2 3<br />
4<br />
1. Participants in the <strong>2019</strong> YPN Kickball tournament;<br />
2. Wilson Rivera, Vesta Preferred, and Niral Patel,<br />
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago; 3. Grace<br />
Kaage, @properties; 4. Baller Trophy; 5. Dustin Schaff,<br />
Fairway Independent Mortgage, Tim McLoughlin,<br />
Grace Kaage, Joe Hosch, and Julia Lindquist, @properties,<br />
Kevin Boggs, Goosehead Insurance, Chloe Reynolds,<br />
Pat Hechinger, and Sarah Maxwell, @properties,<br />
Roger Grabowski, Goosehead Insurance, Brittany<br />
Middlebrooks, @properties, Kyle Gillespie, Guaranteed<br />
Rate, and Steve Davis, @properties; 6. Brian Iversen,<br />
Laura Di Andrea-Iversen & Associates, Bill Iversen,<br />
Attorney, Colin Wasiak, Compass, Yassin Taib,<br />
Neighborhood Loans, Liz Sunderhaus, Compass, Amber<br />
McLain, Jonathan Roby, and Emma Butler, Neighborhood<br />
Loans, Samuel Ciochon, and Nathan Wilks, Compass,<br />
Michael Bencks, Neighborhood Loans, Tim Knipper,<br />
Compass, LaQuan Henley, HomeSmart, Lauren Herskovic,<br />
Compass, Michael Scaccia, Robert Ramirez, and<br />
Dwight Marroquin, Neighborhood Loans.<br />
5<br />
6<br />
44 Chicago REALTOR ® <strong>Magazine</strong>
1 2<br />
3<br />
4 5<br />
6<br />
7<br />
1. Jahmal Cole, My Block, My Hood, My City;<br />
2. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago team<br />
— Ted Kuhlmann, Mariah Dell, Michelle Schroeder,<br />
Maurel Samonte, Janice Wong, Tanya Nichols,<br />
Sammy Mangen, Katy Sullivan, David Zwarqoz,<br />
Jamie Book, Ayushi Kukreja, Patrick Shipp,<br />
Jim Streff, Niral Patel, Christine Egley-Rashkow,<br />
Rebecca Conant, Chad Chodonorek, Darlene Little,<br />
Michael Giganti, and Julie Sachs Capps; 3. Angelica<br />
Marneris, Main Street Real Estate; 4. Delaney<br />
Briggs, Americorp, Ltd., David Yanez, Alegre Home<br />
Loans, Jon Mossenberger, Tenant Base, Jamie Price,<br />
Americorp, Ltd., Cynthia Zenko, Zenko Law, PC,<br />
Gio Valdez, Alegre Home Loans, Nicke Lippe, and<br />
Don Sulaski, eClick Lending, Catherine Holbrook,<br />
Americorp, Ltd., Joe Myers, and Jimmy White, eClick<br />
Lending; 5. Tournament champions Main Street<br />
Real Estate Group team — Johnny Rodogiannia,<br />
Angelica Marneris, Paula Calzolari, Jeff Bushaw,<br />
Mo Dadkhah, David Lotan, Michael Barajas, Hetal<br />
Patel, Tim Asimos, Andrew Scheibe, Laura Martucci,<br />
and Aali Fidai; 6. Tournament champions Main<br />
Street Real Estate Group team; 7. Second place “The<br />
Kale Kickers” Kale Realty Team — Ubair Siddiqui,<br />
Thinh Bui, Andy Ong, and Matt Quinn, United<br />
Home Loans, Tim Littleton, Rasheed Shofidiya,<br />
Laura Badertscher, and Chance Badertscher, Kale<br />
Realty, Mustafa Salahuddin, Stewart Title Company,<br />
DeVontae Brooks, Guaranteed Rate and Tim<br />
Harstead, Kale Realty.<br />
SPONSORED BY:<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 45
1<br />
4<br />
2 3<br />
<strong>2019</strong> CASINO ROYALE<br />
5<br />
6<br />
7<br />
8<br />
1. Casino Royale co-chair Scott Newman, Vesta Preferred<br />
LLC; 2. Michael Emery, Urban Real Estate and Amanda<br />
Emery; 3. Fernando Rizzo, Emma Butler, and Tony Ameti,<br />
Neighborhood Loans; 4. The wheel of sweets; 5. Myra<br />
Nimchaiyong, Compass, and Wendy Kazlusky, d'aprile<br />
properties; 6. Kevin Peterson, Attorneys' Title Guaranty<br />
Fund, Inc., Monique Washington, Coldwell Banker and<br />
Bill Markoutas, Attorneys' Title Guaranty Fund, Inc.;<br />
7. VIP Cabana; 8. Kinga Korpacz, Exit Realty Redefined,<br />
Megan Oswald, Fulton Grace Realty, Nykea Pippion<br />
McGriff, Dream Town Realty, Maurice Hampton, Centered<br />
International Realty, Patricia Jamrozowicz, A.R.E. Partners,<br />
and Tracey Royal, TEAM Real Estate Services, Inc.<br />
SPONSORED BY:<br />
46 Chicago REALTOR ® <strong>Magazine</strong>
Photos by Marcello Rodarte<br />
1<br />
2<br />
3<br />
1. Nick Libert and Cassandra Sneed, EXIT Strategy Realty;<br />
2. Coral Christian and Alison Strogsdill, Chicago Title;<br />
3. Mike Nielsen, Guaranteed Rate, and Joanne Balbarin,<br />
@properties; 4. Emma Butler, Florinda Sanchez, Celeste<br />
Pannarale, and Dwight Marroquin, Neighborhood Loans;<br />
5. Carrie Georgitsis, and Stephanie Brimo, Redfin, Drussy<br />
Hernandez, Fulton Grace Realty and Hipolito Garcia, Caliber<br />
Home Loans; 6. Matt Laricy, Catherine Holbrook, Jamie Price,<br />
and Jonathan Rivera, Americorp, Ltd.; 7. Casino Royale co-chair<br />
Greg Pekarsky, Vesta Preferred, LLC and Maria Pekarsky;<br />
8. Slot Machine Models Amy Lusk and Madison Freeland;<br />
9. Guests having fun playing craps.<br />
4<br />
5<br />
6<br />
7 8 9<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 47
CHICAGO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS ® PRESENTS<br />
RECOGNIZING EXCELLENCE,<br />
CHICAGO STYLE<br />
Celebrate your achievements from <strong>2019</strong> at our annual<br />
Sales Awards event on April 22 nd . Join us for an on-stage<br />
recognition of your peers during our theater-style program,<br />
and then toast to your success and mix and mingle at<br />
our after party, held at the Field Museum.<br />
2020 EVENTS<br />
JANUARY<br />
07 Coffee with Your GADs<br />
09 2020 Market Outlook<br />
27 Sustainability Launch Party<br />
28 Listening Tour <strong>–</strong> South<br />
29 YPN Kick-Off Mixer<br />
FEBRUARY<br />
04 Coffee with Your GADs<br />
04 Coffee with Your GADs <strong>–</strong> South<br />
05 YPN Investing Boot Camp<br />
11 Listening Tour <strong>–</strong> North<br />
12 CommercialForum + CCIM<br />
Roundtables<br />
19 Global Development Tour<br />
20 Black History Month Reception<br />
26 YPN Breakfast<br />
27 CAR West Economic Outlook<br />
MARCH<br />
03 Coffee with Your GADs<br />
19 Women’s Month Reception<br />
24 Listening Tour - West<br />
25 YPN Breakfast<br />
APRIL<br />
07 Coffee with Your GADs<br />
21 Capitol Conference<br />
24 Sales Awards<br />
29 YPN Breakfast<br />
30 The 20/20 Chicago Global Real<br />
Estate Conference & Expo<br />
MAY<br />
05 Coffee with Your GADs<br />
21 Asian Heritage Reception<br />
27 YPN Breakfast<br />
28 CommercialForum Economic<br />
Outlook<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com/Events<br />
48 Chicago REALTOR ® <strong>Magazine</strong>
WINTER LINEUP<br />
14-15 31 6-7<br />
JANUARY JANUARY FEBRUARY<br />
Essentials of Property<br />
Management<br />
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM<br />
Members: $119<br />
CAR Central | 6 Hours Elective CE<br />
12 2-3 17-18<br />
FEBRUARY MARCH MARCH<br />
Real Estate Investing<br />
9:00 AM - 5:30 PM<br />
Members: $130<br />
CAR Central<br />
14-15 16 17<br />
APRIL APRIL APRIL<br />
Income Property<br />
Analysis<br />
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM<br />
Members: $175<br />
CAR Central | 6 Hours Elective CE<br />
Pricing Strategy<br />
Advisor Certification<br />
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM<br />
Members: $130<br />
CAR Central | 6 Hours Elective CE<br />
Real Estate Negotiation<br />
Expert Certification<br />
9:00 AM - 4:30 PM<br />
Members: $275<br />
CAR Central | 6 Hours Elective CE<br />
Advanced Income<br />
Property Analysis<br />
8:30 AM - 6:30 PM<br />
Members: $125<br />
CAR Central<br />
Accredited Buyer's<br />
Representative Designation<br />
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM<br />
Members: $280<br />
CAR Central | 12 Hours Elective CE<br />
Seller Representative<br />
Specialist Designation<br />
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM<br />
Members: $299<br />
CAR Central | 12 Hours Elective CE<br />
Sales Skills Workshop<br />
8:30 AM - 4:30 PM<br />
Members: $99<br />
CAR Central<br />
Treat Yourself This CE Season<br />
BROKER CE DEADLINE: APRIL 30, 2020<br />
Brokers, if you were licensed prior to February 1, 2018, you will need to complete the requirements below by<br />
Broker Continuing Education<br />
Deadline: April 30, 2020<br />
April 30, 2020:<br />
12 HOURS OF CE<br />
• 4 Hours of Core<br />
• 8 Hours of Electives If you were licensed prior to February 1, 2018 you will need to complete the requirements:<br />
m 1 Hour must • fulfill 6 Hours the Core Sexual Harassment Prevention Training requirement<br />
• 6 Hours Elective<br />
If you were originally licensed between February 1, 2018 and August 8, <strong>2019</strong>, you need to complete the 30-Hour Post Licensing Package AND<br />
If you were originally licensed between February 1, 2018 and January 31, 2020 you need to<br />
1 Hour of approved Sexual Harassment complete Prevention the 30-Hour Training Post Licensing by April 30, Package. 2020.<br />
ChicagoREALTOR.com/BrokerCE<br />
ChicagoREALTOR.com/BrokerCE<br />
We Have A Schedule To Fit Your Schedule<br />
WEBINAR SELF-STUDY DOWNLOAD ONLINE CLASSROOM<br />
Your new years resolution...<br />
Find your niche with a specialty class.<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com/Education<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 49
2020<br />
CONTINUING<br />
EDUCATION<br />
Brokers, if you were licensed prior to February 1, 2018, you will<br />
need to complete the requirements below by April 30, 2020:<br />
• 12 Hours of CE<br />
• 4 Hours of Core<br />
• 8 Hours of Electives<br />
• 1 Hour must fulfill the new Sexual Harassment<br />
Prevention Training requirement!<br />
CLASSROOM WEBINAR SELF-STUDY DOWNLOAD ONLINE<br />
LICENSE LAW CHANGES<br />
If you were originally licensed between February 1, 2018 and August 8, <strong>2019</strong>, you need to complete the 30-Hour Post<br />
Licensing Package AND 1 Hour of Sexual Harassment Prevention Training by April 30, 2020.<br />
If you were licensed between August 9, <strong>2019</strong> and November 1, <strong>2019</strong>, you need to complete the 45-Hour Post Licensing<br />
Package by April 30, 2020 (with a potential extension to November 1, 2020).<br />
ChicagoREALTOR.com/BrokerCE
Dream Town North Shore welcomes<br />
Hilary<br />
O Connor<br />
`<br />
as the new<br />
Designated<br />
Managing Broker<br />
Hilary brings a passion for the<br />
industry and desire to support<br />
Dream Town’s tight-knit,<br />
collaborative community<br />
of brokers.<br />
Find out what makes us different:<br />
} dreamtown.com/careers<br />
Lincoln Park: 1950 N Sedgwick | Lincoln Square: 4553 N Lincoln | West Loop: 849 W Monroe | Edison Park: 7280 W Devon | Evanston: 1567 Maple<br />
4 Chicago REALTOR ® <strong>Magazine</strong>