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The official publication of the Chicago Association of REALTORS®.
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<strong>CR</strong><br />
Chicago REALTOR ®<br />
Magazine<br />
V o l u m e 3 2 | Winter 2 0 2 3<br />
BUILDING<br />
TRUST<br />
WITH CLIENTS<br />
USING<br />
MARKET<br />
DATA<br />
Meet<br />
2023 PRESIDENT<br />
SARAH<br />
WARE<br />
& THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS<br />
Where Comfort<br />
Meets Style:<br />
Upcoming<br />
Kitchen Trends<br />
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Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine — Volume 32, Winter 2023<br />
PAGE<br />
20<br />
Contents<br />
FEATURES<br />
9 5 Best Practices When Showing Units in Managed Buildings<br />
10 Introducing 2023 President Sarah Ware<br />
14 Meet the 2023 Board of Directors<br />
18 Chicago REALTORS ® Leading the Way<br />
20 Where Comfort Meets Style: Upcoming Kitchen Trends<br />
24 Make Social Media Marketing Work For You<br />
26 Welcome to Auburn Gresham<br />
30 Building Trust With Clients Using Market Data<br />
33 2023 Chicago REALTORS ® Affiliate Directory<br />
37 Back to Basics: 8 Actionable Business Tips<br />
Where Comfort Meets Style:<br />
Upcoming<br />
Kitchen Trends<br />
UPDATES<br />
38 Association News<br />
40 Government Affairs Update<br />
IN EVERY ISSUE<br />
4 President’s Perspective<br />
6 From the CEO<br />
8 Editor’s Note<br />
42 Photo Albums<br />
50 The Buzz<br />
51 Education Calendar<br />
PAGE<br />
42<br />
139 th<br />
th<br />
Inaugural<br />
Gala<br />
PHOTOS<br />
Page 10<br />
2023 PRESIDENT<br />
SARAH WARE<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 3
PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE<br />
Y<br />
ears ago, I attended my first Inaugural Gala, and had<br />
my first exposure to this association, thanks to my<br />
friend, and past president, Zeke Morris. That event<br />
was the jumping off point for me, and I’ve been<br />
involved with the association ever since.<br />
At the time, I knew very little about the association or what it did for our<br />
members, our industry and our community. Even though I didn’t fully<br />
understand the scope of the association’s impact, it didn’t stop me from<br />
showing up, just as I was. And this year, I want all of you to join me, just as<br />
you are, to get involved with our association.<br />
Utilize our member perks to strengthen yourself as a professional. Through<br />
REALTORS ® Real Estate School, we have a variety of courses to help you start<br />
the year off strong, like the Short-Sales & Foreclosure Resource Certification,<br />
Pricing Strategy Advisor Certification or Essentials of Property Management.<br />
Throughout the year, we also host close to 100 events, both virtual and in<br />
person, where you can network with your fellow Chicago REALTORS ® and<br />
learn something new. From virtual events to breakfasts to awards shows, there<br />
is something for everyone– many of which are free for members to attend.<br />
Check out our Foundation scholarship and deadlines,<br />
as well as our upcoming Coffee with Your GADs events.<br />
Take a look at all the ways you can get involved throughout the year.<br />
Keep up with our special interest groups by signing up for a newsletter<br />
or checking out their resources. If you’re interested and find a niche, we<br />
open applications for our committees in the spring, so you can join and help<br />
direct the future of our association.<br />
And not only do you get the resources from our association, but you can also<br />
take advantage of what Illinois REALTORS ® and the National Association of<br />
REALTORS ® have to offer, too.<br />
All of these benefits will help you to become a stronger professional and be<br />
the best resource possible for your clients.<br />
I hope all of you choose to join us this year. I will meet you where you are,<br />
just as I am, and we will all work together to make a stronger industry for<br />
ourselves, our city and everyone in Chicago. Come as you R.<br />
SARAH WARE<br />
2022-2023 President<br />
Chicago Association of REALTORS ®<br />
4 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine
event<br />
We're excited to bring you 80+ events<br />
this year. Here are a few highlights.<br />
Visit our website for a full list.<br />
HIGHLIGHTS<br />
register today<br />
19<br />
YPN 2023 Kick-Off Mixer<br />
January<br />
We’re celebrating starting a new year of<br />
business success with networking, music<br />
and cocktails.<br />
2<br />
February<br />
Black History Month<br />
Celebration<br />
Join us as we celebrate and commemorate<br />
Black History Month! We will honor and<br />
highlight our Black leaders throughout the<br />
real estate industry.<br />
9<br />
Green Luxury Summit:<br />
February<br />
Selling Sustainable<br />
Splendor<br />
A panel of experts will break down the<br />
in-demand, high-end home features that<br />
make a property quieter, "smarter" and more<br />
efficient to heat and cool.<br />
22 February YPN Breakfast<br />
Join us for the first breakfast of 2023 at<br />
Manny’s Deli for business advice, compelling<br />
discussions and networking!<br />
ChicagoREALTOR.com/Events<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 5
FROM THE CEO<br />
Just like many of you, we’re focusing on business<br />
planning for both the year ahead and the years<br />
to come. This year, we’re proud to unveil our new<br />
strategic plan for 2023 to 2025.<br />
This strategic plan, developed by volunteer leaders and staff and approved<br />
by our Board of Directors, will be our roadmap for the coming years as<br />
we continue to provide value to you and, ultimately, help enhance your<br />
businesses. It will also allow us to keep focused on our association’s goals.<br />
On the following page, you can find the updated strategic plan as a whole, but<br />
there are a few things I would like to highlight. Along with having an objective<br />
focused on diversity, equity and inclusion, each strategic objective includes a<br />
DEI-focused component. This was done intentionally to ensure we are moving<br />
forward with DEI in mind in every aspect of our association.<br />
We are also excited to put our focus on areas we think are important to<br />
help you thrive, like positioning REALTORS ® as trusted advisors, proactively<br />
advocating for important issues and implementing a comprehensive data<br />
strategy to make us a more data-driven culture.<br />
During this process, we’ve also revised our mission and vision statements:<br />
• Mission Statement: The Chicago REALTORS ® unites all facets of the<br />
industry as a leading advocate for real estate, drives REALTOR ®<br />
business success and supports the economic development of our<br />
diverse communities.<br />
• Vision: All REALTORS ® and their communities across Chicagoland<br />
are vibrant and thriving.<br />
Our Foundation, the philanthropic arm of our association, also updated its<br />
statements. Now, the association and the Foundation share a vision statement,<br />
so we can ensure we are both moving towards a unified goal.<br />
I’d like to thank our volunteer leaders, whose input and insights helped us<br />
determine the direction of our association and form this strategic plan. We<br />
look forward to engaging with all of you to ensure REALTORS ® and our<br />
communities across Chicagoland are vibrant and thriving.<br />
MICHELLE MILLS CLEMENT, fasae, cae, rce<br />
Chief Executive Officer<br />
Chicago Association of REALTORS ®<br />
6 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine
Chicago REALTOR ®<br />
<strong>CR</strong> Magazine<br />
2022-2023 BOARD OF DIRECTORS<br />
PRESIDENT<br />
Sarah Ware<br />
PRESIDENT-ELECT<br />
Drussy Hernandez<br />
TREASURER<br />
Erika Villegas<br />
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT<br />
Antje Gehrken<br />
DIRECTORS<br />
Rafael Alvarado<br />
Sonia Anaya<br />
Gaspar Flores Jr.<br />
Amy Hall<br />
Anthony Hardy<br />
Lyle Harlow<br />
Kim Kerbis<br />
John C. Kmiecik<br />
Marki Lemons Ryhal<br />
Nick Libert<br />
Dwight Marroquin<br />
Lutalo McGee<br />
Ayoub Rabah<br />
Tracey Royal<br />
Erik Schwab<br />
Vicky Silvano<br />
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER<br />
Michelle Mills Clement, fasae, cae, rce<br />
The Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine is published by the<br />
Chicago Association of REALTORS ® for its members.<br />
Advertising is purchased and does not necessarily<br />
represent the position of the Chicago Association of<br />
REALTORS ® .<br />
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF<br />
Michelle Mills Clement, fasae, cae, rce<br />
michelle@chicagorealtor.com<br />
EDITOR<br />
Jessica Kern, rce<br />
jkern@chicagorealtor.com<br />
MANAGING EDITOR<br />
Cory Hall<br />
chall@chicagorealtor.com<br />
ART DIRECTOR<br />
Jim August<br />
jaugust@chicagorealtor.com<br />
For advertising information please contact<br />
Mary Beth Durkin<br />
(312) 214-5530 or mdurkin@chicagorealtor.com<br />
CAR CENTRAL<br />
430 N. Michigan Avenue<br />
Suite 800<br />
Chicago, IL 60611<br />
Ph: (312) 803-4900<br />
Fax: (312) 803-4905<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com<br />
NOTICE TO MEMBERS<br />
Under long established policy of this Association, the Illinois REALTORS ®<br />
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 her<br />
client, and is not fixed, controlled, recommended or maintained by any<br />
persons not party to the listing agreement.<br />
2. The compensation paid by the listing broker to a cooperating broker<br />
in respect to any listing is established by the listing broker and is not<br />
fixed, controlled, recommended or maintained by any persons other<br />
than the listing broker.<br />
1<br />
2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
5<br />
2023–25<br />
Strategic<br />
Roadmap<br />
Five Strategic Objectives<br />
Approved by the Board of Directors, the Chicago REALTORS ® will spend the<br />
next three years focusing on impacting change in five strategic areas to drive<br />
towards our vision of the future:<br />
Increase consumer understanding about the role and value of the<br />
REALTOR ® as a trusted advisor in any real estate transaction and<br />
enable REALTORS ® to deliver on this promise.<br />
• Define role and competencies as “trusted advisor”.<br />
• Provide member training on roles and competencies.<br />
• Enhance public trust in REALTORS ® .<br />
• Develop members’ business acumen.<br />
• Improve REALTOR ® -to-REALTOR ® cooperation.<br />
Strengthen Chicago REALTORS ® ’ position as the leading voice for<br />
real estate in Chicago by increasing engagement with the public and<br />
proactively advocating to address inequity and other issues that impact<br />
our members’ business and the real estate industry.<br />
• Educate, engage and communicate with the public.<br />
• Enhance collaboration with Illinois REALTORS ® & NAR on local issues.<br />
• Proactively develop positions and initiate new legislation and policy.<br />
• Influence elected officials and advocacy groups.<br />
Broaden real estate practitioners’ understanding of Chicago<br />
REALTORS ® ’ value proposition and increase use of the Chicago<br />
REALTORS ® ’ offerings most relevant for enhancing their business success.<br />
• Create tailored value propositions for each segment of our membership.<br />
• Customize the member experience to add flexibility.<br />
• Help members understand and maximize the value of their membership.<br />
• Create capacity for new programs and services.<br />
Grow Chicago REALTORS ® ’ influence as a leading voice in real estate<br />
on diversity, equity and inclusion, and foster a sense of belonging for<br />
all members.<br />
• Expand diverse representation in leadership roles.<br />
• Ensure equitable access to the path to leadership.<br />
• Integrate inclusive and equitable practices, policies and processes<br />
across the organization.<br />
Develop and implement a comprehensive data strategy to collect and<br />
use more robust data to power decision-making for the benefit of the<br />
association, our members and the communities we serve.<br />
• Create mechanisms to better understand our audiences.<br />
• Shift culture to utilize data-driven decision-making.<br />
• Support DEI and enhance Foundation community efforts.<br />
• Become the leading source of marketplace data.<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 7
EDITOR’S PICKS<br />
Hello, 2023!<br />
I always find the new year exciting – it’s a time to set new goals, explore<br />
new opportunities and position ourselves to have a successful year.<br />
JESSICA KERN<br />
Chief Communications Officer<br />
jkern@chicagorealtor.com<br />
In this issue, we’re sharing tips on showing units in managed buildings,<br />
looking at your social media strategy and more. We hope these tools will<br />
help set you up for success in 2023. We have also planned 85+ events for<br />
you in 2023 – visit our website for a full list, we hope to see you at one!<br />
Market Data & Building Trust with Your Clients<br />
As trusted advisors for your clients, staying up to date on market data and<br />
trends is a must. Your Chicago Association of REALTORS ® membership<br />
provides you with a myriad of resources to do just that. Our FastStats<br />
PDFs make it easy to share city and neighborhood stats quickly.<br />
Historical spreadsheets, dating back 20+ years, provide data for use in<br />
your marketing materials. InfoSparks through MRED is an amazing tool to<br />
really dive into stats in any way you may need. On page 30, Koi Tasaniyom<br />
and Lisa Blume share how they use these resources to build trust with<br />
their clients.<br />
If you missed our 2023 Market Outlook on January 11, I encourage you to<br />
visit our video library to watch or listen for more insights on the Chicago<br />
real estate market.<br />
Check Out the Fun from Casino Royale<br />
Thank you to everyone who attended the 2022 Casino Royale event<br />
in December.<br />
We launched this RPAC fundraiser 10 years ago and are thrilled to<br />
announce that in 2022 we raised our largest amount yet – nearly $ 110,000.<br />
Check out all the photos from this black-tie event on page 48.<br />
As always, don’t hesitate to reach out – I'd love to hear from you.<br />
8 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine
5 BEST<br />
When Showing Units<br />
in Managed Buildings<br />
PRACTICES<br />
BY DAVE NASO, Vice President, Membership & Professional Standards,<br />
Chicago Association of REALTORS ® www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 9<br />
Showing a property in a managed building, such<br />
as a condominium, apartment or co-op, can<br />
present unique situations that often don’t exist<br />
when showing single-family homes. These situations require different<br />
protocols to be followed by both the listing REALTOR ® and cooperating<br />
REALTOR ® . Review these five best practices to ensure you’re set up for<br />
success for your next listing or showing in a managed building.<br />
1<br />
Introduce Yourself to Management<br />
and Door Staff<br />
Make a point to introduce yourself to the key staff in the building. This<br />
might include a property manager or door staff. These individuals hold<br />
the keys to the information you need – sometimes, they literally hold<br />
the keys! – and will be an asset in ensuring a successful sale.<br />
Property managers can often answer common questions about the<br />
building, where door staff can share access and showing protocol. Not all<br />
buildings operate the same. The key is to listen to the building staff and<br />
understand their policies and procedures. When introducing yourself,<br />
consider saying something such as, “My goal is to become familiar with<br />
your building’s rules and regulations, as well as sale/lease procedures so<br />
that I can be sure to follow your rules and get you everything that you<br />
need when the time comes. I want to make this as easy as possible for<br />
you.” This general practice of professionalism can help you win them over<br />
and gain a partner in the building to assist with your sale or lease.<br />
2<br />
Review and Follow Building Rules<br />
& Regulations<br />
Speaking of those policies and procedures, you’ll want to ask for a<br />
written copy of the building’s rules and regulations. Read sections that<br />
would apply to your services such as pet restrictions, move-in or out<br />
procedures, moving fees, open house restrictions, rules on signage<br />
and how to request documents, to name just a few. Knowing all of this<br />
information up front will ensure there are no surprises and that you are<br />
ready for each inquiry and showing. And while your seller or landlord<br />
should know this information already, it’s best to share your findings<br />
with them so that they can also plan ahead.<br />
3<br />
Familiarize Yourself with the<br />
Location of Building Amenities<br />
Make note of the location of any and all of the building’s amenities. Your<br />
seller or landlord may share this, or you may need to speak directly to<br />
the building staff for this information. Consider doing a dry run before<br />
your first appointment so that you can confidently execute a showing.<br />
If you will be providing access directly to cooperating REALTORS ® to<br />
show their prospective buyers or tenants the property, provide the<br />
location of these amenities in your showing instructions so that they<br />
can have a successful showing as well.<br />
4<br />
Always Accompany Prospective<br />
Purchasers or Renters<br />
Go back to those rules and regulations or the door staff to understand<br />
any security protocol for the building. Some might require an ID for<br />
entry, while others might require at least two agents for an open house.<br />
Whatever the policy, be sure to follow it and be consistent. Meet the<br />
prospective buyer or renter outside or in the lobby and stay with them<br />
until you have concluded your showing back outside or in the lobby.<br />
Whether you are the listing REALTOR ® or the cooperating REALTOR ® ,<br />
you should never let prospective buyers/renters wander the building<br />
unaccompanied.<br />
5<br />
Only Access Units You are<br />
Authorized to Show<br />
This can be tempting. You’re already at the building, and you learn there’s<br />
another unit for sale or rent. The door staff provided you keys for your<br />
confirmed showing, so you ask them for keys to this additional unit, so<br />
you don’t have to come back. This would be a violation of the Code of<br />
Ethics if the seller or listing agent has not authorized a showing. Doublecheck<br />
the unit number(s) of any approved appointment before asking for<br />
keys or entering units, and only access units you are authorized to access<br />
by the seller or listing agent.<br />
Have a listing in a managed building, or do you anticipate one coming<br />
up? Do you frequently show properties in managed buildings? Take<br />
this opportunity to audit how you list or show in managed buildings.<br />
Introduce yourself to key building staff, familiarize yourself with<br />
building rules and regulations, update showing instructions in<br />
ShowingTime with the location of all building amenities, follow security<br />
protocol, always accompany prospective buyers or renters and double<br />
check those unit numbers so you don’t accidentally show the wrong<br />
unit. With these tips, you’ll stand out as a professional and your clients<br />
will thank you for your care and expertise!
Come As<br />
You R<br />
10 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine
Sarah<br />
Introducing 2023 President<br />
WARE<br />
WARE REALTY GROUP<br />
Growing up, 2023 Chicago Association of REALTORS ® president<br />
Sarah Ware and her family would gather on Sunday mornings to read<br />
the Chicago Tribune. She was always drawn to and intrigued by the<br />
real estate section. Her family celebrated owning real estate, and she<br />
wanted to understand it better.<br />
Many years later, she can point to that ritual as where the seeds for her career began.<br />
While the path hasn’t always been easy, it has been made more clear by a single fact: Sarah never sits<br />
around waiting for anything; she just dives in and gets started.<br />
She forwent a college degree and jumped into the real estate market as a landlord, buying multifamily<br />
and single-family properties across the city. As an investor and a landlord, she learned a valuable<br />
lesson: buy a property because you like it, in case you end up living in it, which is something she found<br />
out through experience. She obtained her real estate license in order to represent herself and her<br />
properties. And from there, Ware continued to grow. She learned how to start a brokerage, launched<br />
a business, learned about partnerships and then launched her own brokerage, Ware Realty Group.<br />
The brokerage now works on both the residential and commercial side, partially due to its certification<br />
as a minority and women-owned business by the city of Chicago, which provides it with exclusive<br />
commercial projects throughout the city.<br />
p h o t o s b y KIRSTEN MICCOLI PHOTOGRAPHY<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 11
Her journey into REALTOR ® leadership is a familiar one: past<br />
president Zeke Morris invited her to an Inaugural Gala. “I did not<br />
quite know what was going on. I even remember asking him, ‘What<br />
are all you guys doing here?’ I got there, looked around and thought,<br />
‘What are all these people doing here in tuxes and gowns, and<br />
how did I not know about this?’ That made me realize I needed to<br />
understand why I didn’t know about this, since, in my head, I’m a<br />
person who’s in the know,” she said during her induction speech at<br />
our 139 th Annual Inaugural Gala.<br />
After that, Ware started showing up at other events. Eventually, she<br />
began to volunteer on committees, like our Professional Standards,<br />
Finance and Public Policy Committees, and put her name in the hat<br />
for the board of directors. “I wanted to get into leadership because<br />
if there aren’t people who look like you, you might not understand<br />
all the benefits for you and your career,” she said. “I wanted to be a<br />
bridge for that, for those REALTORS ® who looked like me.”<br />
Many years of board service later, Ware was preparing for the<br />
next chapter in her career. “I had no interest in leading the Chicago<br />
Association of REALTORS ® . I was ready for someone else to take my<br />
place,” she said. “I was done. And then George Floyd happened.”<br />
She saw what REALTORS ® across the country were posting on<br />
social media — some good, yes, but many others who were<br />
negative and racist — and her fire rekindled. “I realized then that<br />
it was important for people to see me run, as a Black woman,” she<br />
said. “I wanted to be the one in the room leading, and I hope that<br />
by me being here, I can inspire at least one other person to step up<br />
and get involved.”<br />
Getting involved is a big passion for her. Her entryway to<br />
involvement came through advocacy and lobbying. Advocacy is also<br />
her avenue to tackling an issue close to her heart: homeownership<br />
and the wealth gap. “We have to understand that laws will be made<br />
with or without us,” she said. “It’s part of our business – we have<br />
a duty to our clients, past, present and future, to step up and take<br />
an active role in the legislation that directly<br />
impacts their investment.”<br />
Last spring, she was inducted into the<br />
REALTORS ® Political Action Committee<br />
(RPAC) Hall of Fame. It’s another way she is<br />
leading the way and setting an example for<br />
those who follow.<br />
“You cannot be what you cannot see,” she<br />
said. “Sometimes, we get a little comfortable<br />
here in Chicago, because we’re diverse,<br />
because we have leaders who represent<br />
every neighborhood in our city and from all<br />
kinds of backgrounds. But that is not the<br />
norm throughout our country. We need<br />
more leaders who look like me, and who look<br />
like you, to step up and get more involved<br />
and represent at a high level.”<br />
And it’s not just leadership — mentorship<br />
ranks highly as well. “To be a leader, you<br />
12 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine
also need to be a mentor,” she said. It’s a calling that’s close to her<br />
heart; so close, in fact, that she also runs a consulting business,<br />
called Ware Consulting, where she provides education, coaching,<br />
mentorship and workshops. Her mentees benefit from much of the<br />
same advice doled out here; show up, dive in, work hard, be visible<br />
and resolve to figure it out.<br />
“Come as you are,” she said. “Just because you don’t know<br />
something, doesn’t mean you don’t show up. If it’s something that<br />
interests you, get your toes wet. I’ll meet you where you are, and<br />
we’ll figure it out together.” That’s her challenge to all Chicago<br />
REALTORS ® this year, and her rallying call: Come As You R.<br />
“Bring your stories and experiences, open doors for one another<br />
and ensure we continue to strengthen our industry and this<br />
association. It takes all of us, working towards this unified goal, to<br />
find success and I know we can get there,” she added.<br />
Her other goals for the year derive from that. Dive in and use the<br />
resources you’re already paying for as a member. These benefits are<br />
a great place to get started, whether it’s education through RRES,<br />
networking at an event or taking advantage of any of our member<br />
perks for discounted prices on tools that can help your business.<br />
And, if you don’t understand a benefit, just ask! There’s always<br />
someone who would be willing to walk you through them.<br />
Also, she stresses the importance of respect for our industry and<br />
for our peers. “Our industry has a huge role to play, so it’s important<br />
that we do what we can to keep the integrity and professionalism of<br />
our industry,” she said.<br />
And most importantly, answer the call to show up. “If we all commit<br />
to showing up, just as we are, we can work together towards a<br />
stronger industry for ourselves, our city and everyone within it,”<br />
she said. “I didn’t get here by accident — I’ve had help and support<br />
along the way. And I’m offering the same support to you today.”<br />
Oh — and about that college degree. She’ll be<br />
graduating from Governors State University<br />
with a bachelor's degree in spring 2023. Just<br />
another way she continues to raise the bar<br />
and prove what’s possible.<br />
Watch Sarah’s presidential speech<br />
from the 139 th Inaugural Gala.<br />
Left: Inaugural photo by Marcello Rodarte, Marcello Rodarte<br />
Photography<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 13
Meet the 2023<br />
BOARD OF<br />
DIRECTORS<br />
14 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine
RAFAEL<br />
ALVARADO<br />
SHIELD REAL ESTATE<br />
What is your favorite CAR member<br />
perk or benefit, and why?<br />
Safety has always been a big concern<br />
for me. FOREWARN is one of my<br />
favorite membership perks. This app<br />
has helped me identify and verify<br />
callers to better prepare myself and<br />
reduce personal risks.<br />
What is your favorite phone app,<br />
either personally or professionally?<br />
The most used app on my phone is<br />
Google Maps. It helps me navigate<br />
areas I am not familiar with and, most<br />
importantly, it helps measure time. I<br />
can better prepare myself from the<br />
very beginning, minimize my stress<br />
and enjoy the ride.<br />
GASPAR<br />
FLORES, JR.<br />
SU FAMILIA REAL ESTATE, INC.<br />
If you could only share one piece<br />
of advice with a fellow REALTOR ® ,<br />
what would it be?<br />
Treat everyone and everything you<br />
work with like it's the only thing you<br />
are working on.<br />
What is your favorite Chicago<br />
attraction?<br />
Our lake. The south ledge of<br />
Montrose Beach has some of the<br />
best views.<br />
AMY<br />
HALL<br />
CATON COMMERCIAL<br />
REAL ESTATE GROUP<br />
If you could only share one piece<br />
of advice with a fellow REALTOR ® ,<br />
what would it be?<br />
Embrace focus and discipline as<br />
the foundational backbone of your<br />
business. Yes, being a real estate<br />
professional allows for a certain<br />
amount of flexibility, but if you don't<br />
treat it like a business, you will not<br />
reap the benefits of being a business<br />
owner.<br />
What is your favorite Chicago<br />
attraction?<br />
My long-standing, favorite attraction<br />
in Chicago is the Art Institute, though<br />
it is now tied with the immersive art<br />
experiences offered by Lighthouse<br />
ArtSpace Chicago.<br />
LYLE<br />
HARLOW<br />
KALE REALTY<br />
If you could only share one piece<br />
of advice with a fellow REALTOR ® ,<br />
what would it be?<br />
Never stop learning!<br />
What is your favorite phone app,<br />
either personally or professionally?<br />
OneNote.<br />
DRUSSY<br />
HERNANDEZ<br />
COLDWELL BANKER REALTY<br />
SONIA<br />
ANAYA<br />
AMERICA REAL ESTATE INC.<br />
What are you most excited to work<br />
on with CAR in the year ahead?<br />
Sharing the importance of investing<br />
in our industry and staying on top of<br />
everything related to our industry.<br />
What is your favorite phone app,<br />
either personally or professionally?<br />
Homesnap.<br />
Inaugural photo by Marcello Rodarte,<br />
Marcello Rodarte Photography<br />
ANTJE<br />
GEHRKEN<br />
A.R.E. PARTNERS<br />
If you could only share one piece<br />
of advice with a fellow REALTOR ® ,<br />
what would it be?<br />
Make your bed. Don't ask why, just<br />
do it.<br />
What is your favorite Chicago<br />
attraction?<br />
Is a restaurant an attraction?<br />
Because, if so, the food scene is the<br />
most compelling, after the lakefront.<br />
TONY<br />
HARDY<br />
KELLER WILLIAMS ONECHICAGO<br />
What is your favorite phone app,<br />
either personally or professionally?<br />
Real Property Resource Commercial.<br />
The access to information at our<br />
fingertips is phenomenal. It’s a great<br />
resource.<br />
What are you most excited to work<br />
on with CAR in the year ahead<br />
The new strategic plan. Guiding our<br />
members through the challenges and<br />
opportunities at this time is exciting.<br />
What is your favorite CAR member<br />
perk or benefit, and why?<br />
Advocacy. We need to be heard by<br />
the policymakers who make decisions<br />
that impact our business every day.<br />
Their action can have a direct effect<br />
on how our buyers and sellers can<br />
make transactions happen.<br />
What is your favorite Chicago<br />
attraction?<br />
There is nothing like the Chicago<br />
skyline. The view as you drive north<br />
on the Dan Ryan is breathtaking. I also<br />
love the Bean.<br />
continued on page 16<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 15
continued from page 15<br />
KIM<br />
KERBIS<br />
@PROPERTIES | CHRISTIE’S<br />
INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE<br />
If you could only share one piece<br />
of advice with a fellow REALTOR ® ,<br />
what would it be?<br />
Play the long game: Chicago is a<br />
small town, and your reputation is<br />
everything.<br />
What is your favorite phone app,<br />
either personally or professionally?<br />
Well, favorite is a stretch, but I do<br />
rely on Park Chicago all the time!<br />
MARKI<br />
LEMONS<br />
RYHAL<br />
EXIT STRATEGY REALTY<br />
What are you most excited to work<br />
on with CAR in the year ahead?<br />
I am most excited to chair The 77,<br />
our Diversity Committee. The 77 will<br />
allow me to learn more about our<br />
members and the 77 communities<br />
that make up our wonderful city.<br />
What is your favorite phone app,<br />
either personally or professionally?<br />
My current favorite is Canva. Canva<br />
can be used for lead generation<br />
because you can create lead magnets,<br />
websites and update videos & photos<br />
while on the go or sitting at your desk.<br />
DWIGHT<br />
MARROQUIN<br />
NEIGHBORHOOD LOANS<br />
If you could only share one piece<br />
of advice with a REALTOR ® , what<br />
would it be?<br />
Build a trusted team and surround<br />
yourself with experts, members and<br />
the 77 communities that make up our<br />
wonderful city.<br />
What is your favorite Chicago<br />
attraction?<br />
Wrigley Field.<br />
MICHELLE<br />
MILLS<br />
CLEMENT<br />
CHICAGO ASSOCIATION<br />
OF REALTORS ®<br />
What is your favorite CAR member<br />
perk or benefit, and why?<br />
Our events! We have an amazing<br />
in-house events team that executes<br />
every event at a level like no other.<br />
I love the opportunity to mix and<br />
mingle with members during our<br />
events and programs. There's<br />
something available for everyone,<br />
and these events are curated with<br />
you in mind. Join us!<br />
What is your favorite phone app,<br />
either personally or professionally?<br />
Audible. I'm not a big reader, but I<br />
love to listen when I’m on the go,<br />
gardening or doing chores around<br />
the house. It's a special<br />
treat when the author<br />
reads their book!<br />
JOHN C.<br />
KMIECIK<br />
CENTURY 21 AFFILIATED<br />
What are you most excited to work<br />
on with CAR in the year ahead?<br />
Having served in various REALTOR ®<br />
leadership positions previously,<br />
I'm honored and excited to be<br />
working with various generations of<br />
REALTOR ® volunteers who offer a<br />
remarkably astute and progressive<br />
view of our industry.<br />
What is your favorite Chicago<br />
attraction?<br />
My favorite Chicago "attraction"<br />
is the variety of great restaurants<br />
throughout the city and suburbs. I<br />
love a good and simple meal at a local<br />
neighborhood restaurant, with<br />
staff members who truly<br />
appreciate our patronage.<br />
NICK<br />
LIBERT<br />
EXIT STRATEGY REALTY<br />
What is your favorite CAR member<br />
perk or benefit, and why?<br />
The free education provided through<br />
CAR is stellar, as well as the ongoing<br />
opportunity to earn industry<br />
designations and expand your<br />
knowledge base in order to provide<br />
more value to your clients.<br />
What is your favorite Chicago<br />
attraction?<br />
I use the Chicago lakefront path<br />
regularly to jog, bike, walk and<br />
meditate as well as reconnect. It<br />
replenishes the soul!<br />
LUTALO<br />
McGEE<br />
ANI REAL ESTATE<br />
What is your favorite CAR member<br />
perk or benefit, and why?<br />
My favorite benefit has quickly<br />
become our Legal Library. For us<br />
practitioners that hail from small<br />
or mid-size firms, this resource was<br />
timely and needed.<br />
What is your favorite phone app,<br />
either personally or professionally?<br />
Google Calendar. I would forget to<br />
breathe if it wasn't scheduled.<br />
AYOUB<br />
RABAH<br />
COLDWELL BANKER REALTY<br />
If you could only share one piece<br />
of advice with a fellow REALTOR ® ,<br />
what would it be?<br />
Embrace the Code of Ethics without<br />
compromise.<br />
What is your favorite phone app,<br />
either personally or professionally?<br />
MileIQ.<br />
16 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine
TRACEY<br />
ROYAL<br />
COLDWELL BANKER REALTY<br />
What is your favorite phone app,<br />
either personally or professionally?<br />
Evernote is my favorite phone app<br />
both personally and professionally.<br />
Evernote allows me to make notes<br />
of things and recall information<br />
quickly no matter where I am or<br />
what I'm doing.<br />
What are you most excited to work<br />
on with CAR in the year ahead?<br />
In the year ahead, I am excited<br />
to help build upon our current<br />
president's mission to encourage<br />
more participation and<br />
involvement of the membership<br />
and to demonstrate that Chicago<br />
REALTORS ® provides so much value.<br />
VICKY<br />
SILVANO<br />
COMPASS<br />
What is your favorite CAR member<br />
perk or benefit, and why?<br />
The educational and networking<br />
events! It encompasses all different<br />
subject matters and includes all<br />
communities across our industry.<br />
What is your favorite Chicago<br />
attraction?<br />
I love Museum Park!<br />
ERIKA<br />
VILLEGAS<br />
RE/MAX IN THE VILLAGE<br />
What are you most excited to work<br />
on with CAR in the year ahead?<br />
I am excited to work closely with<br />
such a diverse group of professionals<br />
and the all-women executive team!<br />
What is your favorite Chicago<br />
attraction?<br />
Museum of Science and Industry.<br />
SARAH<br />
WARE<br />
WARE REALTY GROUP<br />
What is your favorite CAR member<br />
perk or benefit, and why?<br />
Office Depot member discount. I still<br />
have a lot of printing sometimes. The<br />
discounts on copies are crazy, and it<br />
saves me ink.<br />
What is your favorite Chicago<br />
attraction?<br />
The Lakefront Trail – on the<br />
south side.<br />
Meet the 2023<br />
BOARD OF<br />
ERIK<br />
SCHWAB<br />
CORCORAN URBAN<br />
REAL ESTATE<br />
What are you most excited to work<br />
on with CAR in the year ahead?<br />
To continue the great work CAR<br />
does to advocate and support our<br />
members, especially in member<br />
education.<br />
What is your favorite phone app,<br />
either personally or professionally?<br />
It would have to be the MLB app to<br />
help me keep track of the Cubs!<br />
DIRECTORS<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 17
CHICAGO REALTORS ®<br />
LEADING THE WAY<br />
Thank You To Those Serving In Local, State & National Leadership Positions.<br />
We Are Well-Represented!<br />
NATIONAL LEADERSHIP<br />
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS ® DIRECTORS<br />
FREDERICK<br />
CARMEAN<br />
TOMMY<br />
CHOI<br />
ANTJE<br />
GEHRKEN<br />
GEOFFREY<br />
KASSELMAN<br />
MARKI<br />
LEMONS<br />
RYHAL<br />
MICHELLE<br />
MILLS<br />
CLEMENT<br />
ZEKE<br />
MORRIS<br />
NYKEA<br />
PIPPION<br />
McGRIFF<br />
AYOUB<br />
RABAH<br />
TRACEY<br />
ROYAL<br />
MATT<br />
SILVER<br />
REBECCA<br />
THOMSON<br />
SARAH<br />
WARE<br />
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS ® CHAIRS & VICE CHAIRS<br />
TOMMY<br />
CHOI<br />
VICE CHAIR<br />
RPAC<br />
Participation<br />
Council<br />
NYKEA<br />
PIPPION<br />
McGRIFF<br />
VICE CHAIR<br />
Business Issues<br />
Policy<br />
Committee<br />
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS ® COMMITTEE MEMBER APPOINTMENTS<br />
AEC Recommendations and Recognition<br />
Advisory Board<br />
MICHELLE MILLS CLEMENT<br />
Association Executives Committee & Forum<br />
MICHELLE MILLS CLEMENT<br />
Broker Engagement Committee<br />
ANTJE GEHRKEN<br />
DRUSSY HERNANDEZ<br />
SAM POWELL<br />
Commercial Committee<br />
MOSES HALL<br />
Consumer Advocacy Outreach Advisory Board<br />
ANTONIA MILLS WESSELINK<br />
ZEKE MORRIS<br />
Consumer Communications Committee<br />
MABÉL GUZMÁN<br />
ZEKE MORRIS<br />
Conventional Financing & Policy Committee<br />
FREDERICK CARMEAN<br />
Credentials and Campaign Rules Committee<br />
TOMMY CHOI<br />
Diversity Committee<br />
MEGAN OSWALD<br />
Federal Financing & Housing Policy<br />
Committee<br />
TRACEY ROYAL<br />
FPC Advisory Committee<br />
ERIKA VILLEGAS<br />
Global Alliances Advisory Board<br />
JIM KINNEY<br />
VICKY SILVANO<br />
Global Business and Alliances Committee<br />
NANCY SUVARNAMANI<br />
Housing Opportunities Committee<br />
GASPAR FLORES, JR.<br />
Insurance Committee<br />
NYKEA PIPPION McGRIFF<br />
Leading Edge Advisory Board<br />
AYOUB RABAH<br />
REBECCA THOMSON<br />
Membership Policy and Board Jurisdiction<br />
Committee<br />
ZACK WAHLQUIST<br />
MLS Technology and Emerging Issues<br />
Advisory Board<br />
LYLE HARLOW<br />
Multiple Listing Issues & Policies Committee<br />
LYLE HARLOW<br />
Professional Development Committee<br />
MARKI LEMONS RYHAL<br />
Professional Standards Committee<br />
LASHANDRIA SANDERSON<br />
Public Policy Coordinating Committee<br />
ANTONIA MILLS WESSELINK<br />
NYKEA PIPPION McGRIFF<br />
NANCY SUVARNAMANI<br />
DAN WAGNER<br />
Real Property Valuation Committee<br />
MOSES HALL<br />
REALTOR ® Party Member Involvement<br />
Committee<br />
ERIKA VILLEGAS<br />
Research Committee<br />
OLIVER STONE<br />
RPAC Trustees Fundraising Committee<br />
MATT SILVER<br />
Smart Growth Advisory Board<br />
SARAH WARE<br />
State and Local Issues Mobilization Support<br />
Committee<br />
ZEKE MORRIS<br />
Strategic Planning Committee<br />
REBECCA THOMSON<br />
Sustainability Advisory Group<br />
MABÉL GUZMÁN<br />
*NAR and Illinois REALTORS ® involvement is only reflective of primary members. CAR involvement reflects both secondary and primary members.<br />
18 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine
ILLINOIS REALTORS ® LEADERSHIP<br />
ILLINOIS REALTORS ® OFFICERS<br />
MATT SILVER<br />
PRESIDENT-ELECT<br />
TOMMY CHOI<br />
TREASURER<br />
ZEKE MORRIS<br />
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT<br />
ILLINOIS REALTORS ® DIRECTORS<br />
NYKEA<br />
PIPPION<br />
McGRIFF<br />
TRACEY<br />
ROYAL<br />
NANCY<br />
SUVARNAMANI<br />
REBECCA<br />
THOMSON<br />
ILLINOIS REALTORS ® CHAIRS & VICE CHAIRS<br />
TOMMY<br />
CHOI<br />
CHAIR, Finance<br />
Committee,<br />
& VICE CHAIR,<br />
Illinois REALTORS ®<br />
Plaza Committee<br />
GASPAR<br />
FLORES, JR.<br />
CHAIR, Illinois<br />
Local Government<br />
IE Committee<br />
ANTJE<br />
GEHRKEN<br />
CHAIR, Commercial &<br />
Property Management<br />
Committee &<br />
VICE CHAIR<br />
RPAC Fundraising<br />
Work Group<br />
MICHELLE<br />
MILLS<br />
CLEMENT<br />
VICE CHAIR,<br />
Association Executives<br />
Committee<br />
CHRIS<br />
PEZZA<br />
VICE CHAIR,<br />
Commercial &<br />
Property Management<br />
Committee<br />
TRACEY<br />
ROYAL<br />
CHAIR<br />
Public Policy<br />
Forum<br />
MATT<br />
SILVER<br />
CHAIR<br />
Illinois REALTORS ®<br />
Plaza Committee<br />
ILLINOIS REALTORS ® COMMITTEE MEMBER APPOINTMENTS<br />
Advisory Council<br />
JIM KINNEY<br />
JOHN C. KMIECIK<br />
ZEKE MORRIS<br />
GERALD PERLOW<br />
ROBERT ZORETICH<br />
Affordable Housing and<br />
Community Involvement<br />
Committee<br />
MATTHEW LITZENBERGER<br />
ALICE WEINERT<br />
Association Executives<br />
Committee<br />
NIKIA FITCH<br />
JESSICA KERN<br />
JAKEEVA LEE<br />
MICHELLE MILLS CLEMENT<br />
JAY TURNER<br />
ZACK WAHLQUIST<br />
Audit Committee<br />
TOMMY CHOI<br />
Commercial and Property<br />
Management Committee<br />
ANTJE GEHRKEN<br />
LINDA HATTAR<br />
SHAUN PINKSTON<br />
Ethics Citation Panel<br />
MARIO DILORENZO<br />
SAM POWELL<br />
Executive Committee<br />
TOMMY CHOI<br />
MATT SILVER<br />
Finance Committee<br />
GASPAR FLORES, JR.<br />
TRACEY ROYAL<br />
SARAH WARE<br />
Global Forum<br />
JAKEEVA LEE<br />
Grievance Committee<br />
SHAUN PINKSTON<br />
Illinois General Assembly and<br />
Statewide IE Committee<br />
TOMMY CHOI<br />
ZEKE MORRIS<br />
HUGH RIDER<br />
MATT SILVER<br />
Illinois Local Government IE<br />
Committee<br />
LUTALO McGEE<br />
VICKY SILVANO<br />
Local Government Affairs<br />
Committee<br />
LUTALO McGEE<br />
ANTONIA MILLS<br />
WESSELINK<br />
Nominating Committee<br />
MEGAN OSWALD<br />
NYKEA PIPPION McGRIFF<br />
Ombudsman Committee<br />
MABÉL GUZMÁN<br />
SAM POWELL<br />
TRACEY ROYAL<br />
JOAN SANDRIK<br />
Performance/Compensation<br />
Review Committee<br />
TOMMY CHOI<br />
ZEKE MORRIS<br />
MATT SILVER<br />
Policy and Programs Group<br />
DION BRANCH<br />
TOMMY COWANS<br />
LINDA HATTAR<br />
JOHN C. KMIECIK<br />
MATTHEW LITZENBERGER<br />
ANTONIA MILLS WESSELINK<br />
AYANNA SAVAGE<br />
MATOYA TOLLIVER-BROWN<br />
ZACK WAHLQUIST<br />
ALICE WEINERT<br />
RISA WEISS<br />
Professionals Standards<br />
Committee<br />
MARIO DILORENZO<br />
MABÉL GUZMÁN<br />
LYLE HARLOW<br />
DRUSSY HERNANDEZ<br />
KIM KERBIS<br />
BARBARA NOVAK<br />
WILFREDO NUNEZ<br />
HUGO RODRIGUEZ<br />
TRACEY ROYAL<br />
JOAN SANDRIK<br />
MARGIE SMIGEL<br />
SARAH WARE<br />
Real Property Alliance Board<br />
NAJA MORRIS<br />
TRACEY ROYAL<br />
REALTOR ® of the Year<br />
Working Group<br />
JOHN C. KMIECIK<br />
REBECCA THOMSON<br />
REALTORS ® Political<br />
Involvement Working Group<br />
VICKY SILVANO<br />
NANCY SUVARNAMANI<br />
ZACK WAHLQUIST<br />
RPAC Trustees<br />
TRACEY ROYAL<br />
SARAH WARE<br />
Strategic Planning Committee<br />
TOMMY CHOI<br />
GASPAR FLORES, JR.<br />
MICHELLE MILLS CLEMENT<br />
NAJA MORRIS<br />
ZEKE MORRIS<br />
MEGAN OSWALD<br />
MATT SILVER<br />
SARAH WARE<br />
YPN Advisory Group<br />
JESSE COLEMAN<br />
CHRIS PEZZA<br />
ALICE WEINERT<br />
*NAR and Illinois REALTORS ® involvement is only reflective of primary members. CAR involvement reflects both secondary and primary members.<br />
CHICAGO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS ® LEADERSHIP<br />
CHAIRS AND VICE CHAIRS<br />
ALONZO<br />
ABRON JR.<br />
VICE CHAIR<br />
Global<br />
Real Estate<br />
Council<br />
SONIA<br />
ANAYA<br />
CHAIR<br />
Public Policy<br />
Coordinating<br />
Committee<br />
WAYNE<br />
BEALS<br />
VICE CHAIR<br />
Sustainability<br />
Work Group<br />
LÁSHAUN<br />
BROWN-<br />
GLENN<br />
CHAIR<br />
Professional<br />
Development<br />
Committee<br />
JILL<br />
DANIELS<br />
CO-CHAIR<br />
Sales Awards<br />
Advisory Group<br />
SHIELA<br />
DANTZLER<br />
CHAIR<br />
Professional<br />
Standards<br />
Committee<br />
TYLER<br />
GREGORY<br />
VICE CHAIR<br />
YPN Advisory<br />
Board<br />
AMY<br />
HALL<br />
CHAIR<br />
CommercialForum<br />
Committee<br />
MOSES<br />
HALL<br />
VICE CHAIR<br />
CommercialForum<br />
Committee<br />
LINDA<br />
HATTAR<br />
CHAIR<br />
Global<br />
Real Estate<br />
Council<br />
DRUSSY<br />
HERNANDEZ<br />
CHAIR<br />
CARPAC<br />
KIM<br />
KERBIS<br />
CHAIR<br />
Forms & Contracts<br />
Committee<br />
MARKI<br />
LEMONS<br />
RYHAL<br />
CHAIR<br />
The 77<br />
LUTALO<br />
McGEE<br />
CO-CHAIR<br />
Sales Awards<br />
Advisory Group<br />
LONZETTA<br />
McKENNIE<br />
VICE CHAIR<br />
Professional<br />
Development<br />
Committee<br />
CHRISTINA<br />
McNAMEE<br />
VICE CHAIR<br />
Grievance<br />
Committee<br />
NONYE<br />
ONONOGBU<br />
VICE CHAIR<br />
Member Care<br />
Task Force<br />
MEGAN<br />
OSWALD<br />
VICE CHAIR,<br />
RPAC Fundraising<br />
Work Group, &<br />
VICE CHAIR, CAR<br />
Foundation<br />
TERRY<br />
PERDUE<br />
VICE CHAIR<br />
The 77<br />
CARLAS<br />
PRINCE<br />
GILBERT<br />
CHAIR<br />
Grievance<br />
Committee<br />
SAM<br />
POWELL<br />
CHAIR<br />
CAR Foundation<br />
JIM<br />
ROTH<br />
VICE CHAIR<br />
Professional<br />
Standards<br />
Committee<br />
TRACEY<br />
ROYAL<br />
CHAIR<br />
RPAC Fundraising<br />
Work Group<br />
LINDA<br />
SANCHEZ<br />
CHAIR<br />
Sustainability<br />
Work Group<br />
JOHN<br />
SCARPA<br />
VICE CHAIR<br />
Forms & Contracts<br />
Committee<br />
RACHEL<br />
SCHEID<br />
CO-CHAIR<br />
Inaugural Gala<br />
Advisory Group<br />
LINDA<br />
SCOTT<br />
CO-CHAIR<br />
Inaugural Gala<br />
Advisory Group<br />
MATT<br />
SILVER<br />
CHAIR<br />
Audit<br />
Committee<br />
STACI<br />
SLATTERY<br />
VICE CHAIR<br />
Public Policy<br />
Coordinating<br />
Committee<br />
ERIKA<br />
VILLEGAS<br />
CHAIR<br />
Finance<br />
Committee<br />
SARAH<br />
WARE<br />
CHAIR<br />
Executive<br />
Committee<br />
KEISHA<br />
WILLIAMS<br />
CHAIR<br />
Member Care<br />
Task Force<br />
AMY<br />
WU<br />
CHAIR<br />
YPN Advisory<br />
Board<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 19
Interior design by Claire Staszak/Centered by Design, photo by Dustin Forest<br />
Where Comfort Meets Style:<br />
Upcoming<br />
Kitchen Trends<br />
If home is where the heart is, the kitchen may be the<br />
life blood of a house. It’s a place to congregate, cook<br />
and converse. According to the Houzz 2022 Kitchen<br />
Trends Study, many homeowners who are renovating<br />
their kitchens are utilizing the space for more than<br />
just cooking: they’re also using it as a work from home<br />
space. The desire to make the kitchen into a more<br />
homey space is greater than ever, and we’re seeing<br />
that play out in the trends that are leading kitchen<br />
interior design.<br />
Kitchens continue to be one of the most popular areas<br />
of a home, but gone are the days of all white, beige or<br />
grays. We spoke with Chicago area interior designers to<br />
get their insights on the popular trends in kitchen design,<br />
so you can know what your buyers are looking for.<br />
20 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine
ERGONOMICS<br />
Interior design by Claire Staszak/Centered by Design,<br />
photo by Aimèe Mazzenga Photography<br />
Kitchens used to be all about functionality. Claire<br />
Staszak, Centered By Design, shared that, previously,<br />
kitchen designs were very utilitarian, and used solely for<br />
cooking. Now, the kitchen is being treated as more of<br />
a congregating space, with comfort at the forefront of<br />
people’s minds.<br />
“We really design a kitchen that’s part of the home,<br />
not its own entity,” Lauren Svenstrup, Studio Sven, also<br />
said of what she designs for her clients. As most homes<br />
these days have open floor plans, “It’s really important<br />
that the aesthetic of the kitchen flows with the rest of<br />
the home,” she added.<br />
Eat-in kitchens are becoming even more popular, with<br />
banquette seating and breakfast tables becoming a<br />
commonplace in many kitchens. Svenstrup echoed<br />
that banquettes are trendy, especially in kitchens with<br />
limited space. She loves designing fully upholstered<br />
ones, instead of the ones that have drawers or cabinets<br />
on the bottom. Now, you might also find comfortable<br />
lounge areas to create a more lived-in space.<br />
COLOR<br />
White, gray and beige used to be all the rage for kitchens,<br />
but currently, we’re seeing homeowners branch out into a<br />
new territory: color. “Clients are definitely more open to<br />
color,” Staszak said.<br />
There are a variety of ways color can be incorporated<br />
into a kitchen; it could be through accent colors in tiles,<br />
window treatments or rugs. Other homeowners may<br />
choose to paint a full kitchen, with blues and greens<br />
being the go-to color schemes for Chicago homeowners,<br />
according to Staszak.<br />
She did add that she’s experienced certain clients who<br />
are willing to try something different, but they likely<br />
won’t do it in open spaces. Instead, they choose a bold<br />
wallpaper or color for more secluded areas of the kitchen,<br />
like a butler’s pantry.<br />
Svenstrup said one of the places she’s seeing people<br />
play with color most is on the island, where people are<br />
choosing to paint it so the piece stands out rather than<br />
matches the wall paint.<br />
Interior design by Claire Staszak/Centered by Design,<br />
photo by Aimèe Mazzenga Photography<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 21
Interior design by Claire Staszak/Centered by Design,<br />
photo by Aimèe Mazzenga Photography<br />
Interior design by Claire Staszak/Centered<br />
by Design, photo by Heather Talbert<br />
Photography<br />
Interior design by Claire Staszak/Centered<br />
by Design, photo by Heather Talbert<br />
Photography<br />
MATERIALS<br />
Materials that add texture to the space are now gaining steam. “People are<br />
a lot more open to natural woods,” Staszak said. Wood is being used in more<br />
creative ways, such as making islands look like a furniture piece, accenting the<br />
space or creating a kitchen entirely out of the material.<br />
Wood grain also continues to be popular among those completing a home<br />
renovation, with one in five choosing a wood tone for their cabinets, according<br />
to Houzz’s 2022 Kitchen Trends Study.<br />
When it comes to the countertop, Svenstrup is seeing her clients venturing back<br />
into natural stones for countertops, like marble. While natural stones will show<br />
wear and tear, like scratches and stains, she finds that clients like the lived-in feel<br />
that it brings to the kitchen.<br />
As a continuation of the countertops, Svenstrup says her clients are loving slab<br />
splashes. For slab splashes, they use the same stone as the countertops to create<br />
a backsplash with one large piece of same material. Svenstrup sees this as a<br />
statement piece for the kitchen.<br />
Interior design by Claire Staszak/Centered by Design,<br />
photo by Aimèe Mazzenga Photography<br />
When it comes to metals, mixing finishes between plumbing hardware, lighting<br />
and appliances is gaining steam, Staszak said. Now, you might see stainless steel<br />
appliances, polished nickel plumbing and brass lighting and hardware all in the<br />
same kitchen. However, as a rule of thumb, Staszak suggests only mixing up to<br />
three finishes – any more than that can be seen as too busy.<br />
22 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine
Svenstrup is seeing this trend with a variety of other<br />
materials. For instance, they might design a walnut island<br />
for a client but use black for the trim or reed panels<br />
as accent materials. But, when it comes to metals on<br />
cabinets, she prefers the less-is-more approach, choosing<br />
materials that are simple and blend in with the cabinets to<br />
highlight the cabinet's beauty.<br />
LIGHTING<br />
Statement lighting continues to be a big trend. However,<br />
where we’re used to seeing two or three pendants<br />
in a kitchen, we’re now seeing sconces becoming<br />
more popular. According to Staszak, even lighting you<br />
traditionally find in other rooms of the home – like lamps –<br />
are making their way into kitchens.<br />
When big islands are being used in a kitchen, Svenstrup<br />
loves to set them off with large chandeliers, similar to<br />
ornate ones you would typically see in dining rooms.<br />
CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ARTICLE<br />
CLAIRE<br />
STASZAK<br />
Centered By Design<br />
LAUREN<br />
SVENSTRUP<br />
Studio Sven<br />
Interior design by Claire Staszak/Centered by Design,<br />
photo by Aimèe Mazzenga Photography<br />
Interior design by Claire Staszak/Centered by Design,<br />
photo by Aimèe Mazzenga Photography<br />
APPLIANCES<br />
According to Staszak, there are two camps of people<br />
when it comes to kitchen appliances: keeping them<br />
hidden or working them into a cohesive design.<br />
Svenstrup finds hidden appliances to be more<br />
desirable. She uses panels to keep ovens, refrigerators<br />
and dishwashers hidden in plain sight. She utilizes<br />
retractable doors for smaller countertop appliances<br />
and will hide microwaves in cabinets.<br />
And, while highly decorative range hoods over ovens<br />
used to be all the rage, we’re moving towards hood<br />
inserts, or even placing them in cabinets or walls.<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 23
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Work For You<br />
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By KATIE CALLAWAY, Marketing Manager, Back At You<br />
If the last few years<br />
have taught us<br />
anything, it’s that digital marketing<br />
is imperative for success. In a world<br />
where the majority of people are<br />
spending time in front of their digital<br />
screens, social media marketing ranks<br />
as one of the most effective methods<br />
for growing audience engagement,<br />
developing a strong brand Monday, voice January and 9<br />
ultimately, generating new business.<br />
Here at Back At You, we have a lot of<br />
insight about social media marketing<br />
for real estate professionals, so we put<br />
together Monday, January a few 9 tips on how your online<br />
1:26<br />
presence can help you achieve your<br />
2023 goals!<br />
1:26<br />
For the majority of home buyers,<br />
starting their search on the internet is<br />
simply a part of the purchase process.<br />
It’s no secret that posting on social<br />
media can help combat the age-old<br />
expression “out of sight, out of mind”,<br />
and it can be a powerful tool for real<br />
estate professionals to leverage. In<br />
fact, a recent National Association of<br />
REALTORS ® Technology Survey says<br />
that social media was the highestrated<br />
technology tool that provided<br />
REALTORS ® with the most qualified<br />
1:26<br />
Monday, January 9<br />
1:26<br />
leads. But we don’t need shiny data<br />
to convince you of the importance of<br />
a strong social presence; you already<br />
know it matters. After analyzing<br />
your current social media situation,<br />
choosing the best platforms for you<br />
and curating high-level content that<br />
performs well, you’ll be set up for<br />
success to attract those quality leads.<br />
However, getting those leads isn’t<br />
as simple as posting your listings on<br />
the internet and expecting people to<br />
magically start contacting you. First,<br />
take inventory of your current social<br />
media situation. If you have business<br />
accounts Monday, January — and 9 if you don't, you<br />
1:26<br />
should! — you’ll have access to some<br />
handy data when it comes to your<br />
audience. Ask yourself: Monday, Am I reaching<br />
January 9<br />
1:26<br />
the right people, in the right age range,<br />
who are in the right location to use my<br />
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24 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine<br />
Monday, January 9<br />
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9<br />
9<br />
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services? Social media platforms like<br />
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Monday, January 9<br />
Facebook, YouTube, etc. all offer highlevel<br />
analytics that not only offer you<br />
the data above, but also insights about<br />
which content your audience responds<br />
to best, and what time you should be<br />
posting it.<br />
After looking at your analytics, you<br />
may notice that your social media<br />
strategy needs adjusting. One major<br />
issue that could be affecting your<br />
success is where you’re posting your<br />
content. Demographic data is key to<br />
understanding which social media<br />
networks deserve<br />
Monday,<br />
your<br />
January<br />
attention<br />
9<br />
1:26<br />
and marketing dollars. Pew Research<br />
tells us that Snapchat, TikTok and<br />
Reddit tend to lean toward a younger<br />
audience, while Facebook, YouTube<br />
and Instagram are more common<br />
in generations where people may<br />
already be homeowners or move-up<br />
buyers. While it’s true that Gen Z will<br />
eventually be home buyers and sellers,<br />
it is much more lucrative to invest the<br />
majority of your time on platforms<br />
like Facebook, YouTube and Instagram<br />
where home buyers and sellers spend<br />
1:26<br />
Monday, January 9<br />
their time. Whether you want to target<br />
those selling luxury or vacation homes,<br />
couples with families or those looking<br />
for the perfect upgrade from their<br />
starter home, it’s likely you will find<br />
your audience on these platforms.<br />
Now that you know where to post,<br />
let’s chat about what to post - the<br />
content that works. When it comes<br />
to social media, the only constant is<br />
change. Just when you think or feel<br />
like you’ve found your niche with<br />
Facebook or Instagram, there’s a<br />
new trend of flashy content coming<br />
around the bend. Since it’s impossible<br />
to predict the next big social media<br />
trend, the best strategy is to post a<br />
variety of different content and see<br />
what resonates best with your target<br />
audience. With that said, there are two<br />
tips that seem to remain evergreen<br />
when it comes to social media: video<br />
and local content.<br />
Let’s talk about videos. On social<br />
media, we’re looking for ways to easily<br />
and efficiently consume information.<br />
That’s where video marketing comes<br />
into play. From long, cinematic listing<br />
tours to those vertical, catchy, shortform<br />
videos that have taken the<br />
social media world by storm over the<br />
last several years, video marketing<br />
remains king. Let’s take Instagram<br />
Reels as an example. Instagram’s<br />
algorithm notoriously favors new and<br />
shiny features on the Explore page.<br />
In fact, if you’ve scrolled through the<br />
platform recently, it’s likely that you’re<br />
seeing Reels more and more often<br />
from brands and content creators that<br />
pique your interest. Even Instagram<br />
admitted that adding Reels into<br />
your content mix is a great way to<br />
be discovered by people who don’t<br />
follow you, meaning the key to getting<br />
visibility and growth to your Instagram<br />
account is by posting video content,<br />
specifically Reels.<br />
The content you share serves as an<br />
example of your expertise, so it’s<br />
important to consistently share your<br />
unique knowledge with potential<br />
clients in the form of blogs, market<br />
data updates, listing videos or other<br />
content types to establish yourself as<br />
an authority in the real estate space.<br />
If you’re stuck on what content to<br />
post that week, focus on ways you can<br />
showcase yourself as a professional<br />
and expert about your community.<br />
Whether you’re posting a video<br />
or a long-form blog, one other tip<br />
has proven the test of time when it<br />
comes to success for REALTORS ®<br />
online: put the “social” back in “social<br />
media.” Because in real estate, it’s not<br />
just about the beautiful homes, but<br />
rather about the people that occupy<br />
them! Homebuyers want to know<br />
what it’s really like to live in your<br />
area, and sellers want to work with<br />
professionals who are experienced and<br />
knowledgeable about a neighborhood.<br />
Do you go to a specific coffee shop<br />
before listing presentations? Or do<br />
you utilize a certain bakery’s goodies<br />
for your open houses? Maybe a local<br />
car wash helped get your car polished<br />
and ready for a day of showings? Film<br />
a video showcasing your favorite local<br />
hot spots and tag them when you post!<br />
More likely than not, they’ll love your<br />
shoutout and repost your content.<br />
Start<br />
Sharing!<br />
Social media is the best place<br />
to find new leads, maintain<br />
relationships and expand brand<br />
awareness, but doing it well<br />
and staying up-to-date on best<br />
practices can be time-consuming.<br />
The Back At You Platform was<br />
designed to help REALTORS ® stay<br />
a step ahead of the competition<br />
by canvassing your market<br />
with automation and the latest<br />
marketing strategies. Through the<br />
Chicago Association of REALTORS ®<br />
member perks program, you can<br />
get started with a discounted<br />
subscription to the automated<br />
social media platform and save up<br />
to $50 on your subscription. From<br />
branded blogs and local market<br />
data to educational videos and<br />
buyer or seller guides, this platform<br />
can provide you with everything<br />
you need to create content and<br />
generate leads.<br />
Chicago Association of REALTORS ®<br />
also has other free, social media<br />
content creation tools for you to<br />
utilize. The Photofy app allows<br />
you to customize and share social<br />
media graphics that emphasize your<br />
expertise straight to your social<br />
media channels.<br />
Check out the Back At You discounted<br />
subscription through our member perks<br />
program and get started with our Photofy app.<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 25
WELCOME TO<br />
AUBURN<br />
GRESHAM<br />
Close your eyes and think about a<br />
neighborhood on the south side of Chicago.<br />
The first places that come to mind might be<br />
Beverly, Douglas or South Shore. But there<br />
is a neighborhood where residents are<br />
passionate about their community and<br />
where investments are creating exciting<br />
opportunities. Welcome to Auburn<br />
Gresham.<br />
THE HISTORY<br />
According to the Encyclopedia of<br />
Chicago, Auburn Gresham, like so many<br />
neighborhoods in the south side, became<br />
well known and prosperous during<br />
the World’s Columbian Exposition in<br />
1893. During the World’s Fair, public<br />
transportation from downtown to the south<br />
side was created. This drew people from<br />
the crowded downtown neighborhoods to<br />
Auburn Gresham. During this time, city,<br />
stockyard and construction workers made<br />
the neighborhood home, and the population<br />
tripled by 1930.<br />
By the 1950s, Black residents of Chicago<br />
made their way into Auburn Gresham as<br />
26 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine
the Black Belt became overcrowded,<br />
racial tensions grew and disinvestment<br />
followed. Currently, the neighborhood is<br />
about 96% Black, according to the Chicago<br />
Historical Society.<br />
THE ATTRACTIONS<br />
“Auburn Gresham is very unique with its<br />
residents, its parks, its schools and its<br />
churches,” the neighborhood’s 77<br />
representative, Cherron Phillips of The<br />
Real Estate Company, said.<br />
Churches are a cornerstone of the Auburn<br />
Gresham community, with many options<br />
for residents who are looking to attend<br />
services. One of the most recognizable is<br />
St. Sabina, a catholic church on 78 th Place.<br />
Not only does the church provide mass and<br />
services for the congregation, but it also<br />
established the ARK of St. Sabina, a nonprofit<br />
that enhances the lives, talents and<br />
spirits of Auburn Gresham and Englewood<br />
youths through education, mentoring and<br />
linkages to resources.<br />
The neighborhood is also park dense, with<br />
places like Auburn Park, a 5-acre oasis in<br />
the middle of the neighborhood, complete<br />
with a lagoon, waterfall, benches and a<br />
pond for fishing. King Park, named after<br />
Martin Luther King Jr., not only offers<br />
outdoor recreational areas but also includes<br />
an indoor roller rink and bowling alley in its<br />
Family Entertainment Center.<br />
Despite years of disinvestment due to<br />
city initiatives, Auburn Gresham is finally<br />
seeing a variety of new businesses and<br />
opportunities for residents. The brand-new<br />
Healthy Lifestyle Hub on 79 th Street was<br />
awarded a grant from the city’s INVEST<br />
South/West program. The building is<br />
home to health and wellness services,<br />
restaurants, banks and a Boys and Girls<br />
Club center, along with a roof terrace for<br />
urban agriculture and renewable energy<br />
opportunities.<br />
Auburn Gresham residents can easily get<br />
downtown via the bus and the red line,<br />
and I-94 is a short drive east to get you<br />
downtown in less than 30 minutes. A Metra<br />
station is also being developed, with plans<br />
to be open in 2024.<br />
THE RESIDENTS<br />
Residents of Auburn Gresham are nothing<br />
if not passionate about their neighborhood.<br />
They frequently use their voices to provide<br />
Continued on page 28<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 27
Continued from page 27<br />
insights on initiatives and projects that are<br />
forthcoming in the community and help to<br />
drive investments to the neighborhood.<br />
Not only are they passionate about the<br />
neighborhood itself, but they’re also<br />
supportive of one another. Phillips, who<br />
grew up in Auburn Gresham, recalled there<br />
being a lot of trust in the community, and<br />
said everyone knows their neighbors –<br />
even those from a few blocks away. The<br />
neighborhood, she said, helps to create<br />
a sense of community with a variety<br />
of festivals, block parties and other<br />
community events.<br />
Many of these initiatives are mobilized by<br />
the Greater Auburn Gresham Development<br />
Corporation, which seeks to help improve<br />
and enhance the delivery of community<br />
and economic development. This initiative<br />
keeps residents informed on projects in<br />
their neighborhood, makes them aware of<br />
how they can use their voices on important<br />
community matters, and, of course, lets<br />
them know about fun get-togethers and<br />
ways they can give back.<br />
THE HOMES<br />
When walking down the residential, treelined<br />
streets in Auburn Gresham, you’ll find<br />
two main styles of homes: bungalows and<br />
two (or three) flats.<br />
Both styles of homes are popular for<br />
distinct reasons, according to the 2021<br />
Auburn Gresham top producer Frank Montro,<br />
Keller Williams Preferred. Bungalows allow<br />
for the opportunity to be expanded, as the<br />
style easily provides the chance to add extra<br />
floors on top. Two flats, on the other hand,<br />
can be used as a way for a homeowner to<br />
build equity by renting out the second unit<br />
in the building. In some circumstances,<br />
Montro said, it’s possible that the rent<br />
collected from a tenant could cover the<br />
amount of the mortgage on the home.<br />
Also, for home buyers who are willing to<br />
take on a challenge, Auburn Gresham is the<br />
ideal location for home renovations, Montro<br />
said. For instance, he’s witnessed many<br />
homebuyers utilize loans and grants, like<br />
the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban<br />
Development’s 203(k) Rehab Mortgage<br />
Insurance program or the city of Chicago’s<br />
Tax Increment Financing (TIF) program to<br />
help finance renovations, so homebuyers<br />
can purchase a home and make it the home<br />
of their dreams.<br />
And more investment is coming into the<br />
neighborhood through residential developments.<br />
In August, work began on a 58-unit<br />
apartment complex on 79 th Street, which<br />
was also funded by INVEST South/West.<br />
If you’re looking for a neighborhood with<br />
lots of pride and opportunity, look no<br />
further than Auburn Gresham. “If you<br />
want to move somewhere that has a lot of<br />
activity and community, it’s a great place,”<br />
Montro added.<br />
28 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine
At A Glance<br />
77 REPRESENTATIVE:<br />
Cherron Phillips<br />
The Real Estate Company<br />
ALDERMAN:<br />
David Moore<br />
HOUSING STATS (OCTOBER 2022)<br />
Median Sales Price of Detached Home<br />
Year Over Year:<br />
$<br />
200,500<br />
Median Sales Price of Attached Home<br />
Year Over Year:<br />
$<br />
87,000<br />
YOY Change in New Listings of<br />
All Properties:<br />
26.9%<br />
YOY Change in Closed Sales<br />
of All Properties:<br />
-29.6%<br />
YOY Change in Inventory of Homes<br />
for All Properties:<br />
24.5%<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 29
Building Trust<br />
WITH CLIENTS USING<br />
Market Data<br />
FEATURED<br />
CONTRIBUTORS<br />
KOI<br />
TASANIYOM<br />
CENTURY 21<br />
S.G.R.<br />
LISA<br />
BLUME<br />
Keller Williams<br />
ONEChicago<br />
The real estate market is constantly<br />
changing, especially over the last<br />
few years. As REALTORS ® , you’re<br />
the trusted advisors for your homebuyers<br />
and sellers, so it’s vital that you’re armed<br />
with the knowledge you need to earn your<br />
client’s trust and to help them make informed<br />
decisions during the transaction. One of the<br />
best ways to do this is to keep up with the<br />
market through trends and data.<br />
We spoke with two Chicago REALTORS ® to<br />
find out how they use market data to inform<br />
their strategies with their clients for buying<br />
and selling homes.<br />
CONTEXTUALIZING<br />
DATA<br />
Media will never paint a full market picture.<br />
News articles and social media posts can<br />
exaggerate headlines about the housing<br />
market. Koi Tasaniyom, CENTURY 21 S.G.R.,<br />
aims to cut through the noise and provide<br />
straight-forward, localized information his<br />
clients need to know.<br />
else that might be of note. His strategy helps<br />
him anticipate questions that may come up<br />
from his clients.<br />
Then, he looks at InfoSparks and FastStats<br />
– both member perks you can access for<br />
free with your Chicago Association of<br />
REALTORS ® membership – to get a more<br />
local, granular look at the market. Through<br />
these tools, he is able to get data as specific<br />
as he wants, down to the neighborhood,<br />
and choose the data points to share with<br />
clients, from market price to market time and<br />
anything in between.<br />
USING THE DATA<br />
DURING THE<br />
TRANSACTION<br />
With each of his sellers, Tasaniyom creates a<br />
uniquely tailored listing presentation, which<br />
features a breakdown of InfoSparks data<br />
for their neighborhood. This acts as the first<br />
piece of data that he uses to discuss the state<br />
of the market and what to expect during the<br />
selling process.<br />
30 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine<br />
Tasaniyom starts his days by keeping an eye<br />
on the headlines, particularly on topics such<br />
as interest rates, political news and anything<br />
Lisa Blume, Keller Williams ONEChicago,<br />
echoes the same sentiment, saying that she<br />
shares neighborhood-specific data with both
her buyers and sellers to inform them of<br />
what’s happening in the market. “We really<br />
look at data when we set our price,” she said.<br />
As his client’s trusted advisor, Tasaniyom<br />
uses the neighborhood’s median sales<br />
price, market time and months’ supply<br />
of inventory as important markers when<br />
pricing a home. Once his clients get farther<br />
in the transaction, the data acts as support<br />
for his suggestions for a listing strategy, so<br />
his clients can make an informed decision<br />
on a price.<br />
As the market has recently begun to<br />
stabilize since the COVID-19 pandemic,<br />
Tasaniyom will typically look back at three<br />
years of data trends to best advise his<br />
clients, since the years during the pandemic<br />
may not be the best indicators of what his<br />
clients can expect from the market right<br />
now. He also makes sure to gather comps,<br />
and the median sales prices for those<br />
properties, from the last six months.<br />
Here are the top five data points Blume and<br />
Tasaniyom believe are the most important<br />
and impactful when talking to his clients:<br />
1. Median Sales Price: It’s important<br />
to gather both the median for the<br />
neighborhood as a whole, as well as<br />
the median for comps to get a good<br />
idea of how to price a property.<br />
2. Market Time: This is a good indicator<br />
so clients can anticipate when their<br />
property will go under contract.<br />
3. Months’ Supply of Inventory:<br />
Looking at inventory, combined with<br />
closed sales, will show what demand<br />
looks like in the market.<br />
4. Closed Sales: This indicator helps<br />
to show demand and, when looked<br />
at by neighborhood, can help to build<br />
confidence in the market for the area.<br />
5. Showings: According to Blume, if we<br />
see showings go up, we will likely also<br />
see time on the market increase.<br />
Letting her clients know about the<br />
showing statistics allows her to set<br />
and manage her sellers’ expectations<br />
before they list a property.<br />
Since these data points aren’t readily<br />
available to the public, Tasaniyom believes<br />
sharing his knowledge with clients proves<br />
his professionalism and expertise.<br />
He hopes that all this information will help<br />
his clients make the best decisions on selling<br />
their home because, “At the end of the day,<br />
it’s not the decision of us to make, but the<br />
decision of the client,” he says.<br />
When it comes to buyers, Blume shares<br />
median sales price, days on the market,<br />
absorption rate, showings and inventory<br />
with her clients. This information helps her<br />
and her clients inform their buying strategy.<br />
STAYING TOP OF MIND<br />
Tasaniyom doesn’t just share this data with<br />
his current clients, he also makes sure to stay<br />
top of mind with his sphere of influence by<br />
sharing the data on social media. But, with<br />
the fast-paced way the market is shifting<br />
and changing, he chooses to share data and<br />
housing news on his Instagram and Facebook<br />
stories, as opposed to posting it on the grid.<br />
“The data today may not be relevant to the<br />
data tomorrow,” he said.<br />
Blume and her team, on the other hand,<br />
have standardized the way they share data<br />
through social media to consistently provide<br />
information for her current and potential<br />
clients. Blume, and each REALTOR ® on her<br />
team, has picked five neighborhoods in<br />
Chicago that they each share data on every<br />
month. They decide which neighborhood to<br />
highlight based on the areas they specialize<br />
in. Then, they post-market data graphics on<br />
their social media platforms each month,<br />
right when the new data is released.<br />
Every month, Blume and her team also<br />
create and send an e-newsletter to their<br />
sphere. In that newsletter, they attach<br />
a Google Doc that includes data on 15<br />
Chicago neighborhoods, so the information<br />
is also accessible right in their inboxes.<br />
Ready to get started?<br />
Here are the data tools<br />
you can access for FREE!<br />
Through your Chicago Association of REALTORS ® membership, you have access<br />
to a variety of data at your fingertips for free! Check out what’s available to you<br />
below and start utilizing them today at ChicagoREALTOR.com/statistics.<br />
FastStats<br />
FastStats allows you to see the big picture with monthly overviews of the<br />
Chicago market, look local by viewing neighborhood-specific data and even<br />
check out the weekly citywide data trends.<br />
InfoSparks<br />
InfoSparks, which is available through ShowingTime, gives you the opportunity<br />
to analyze data by county, city, postal code, neighborhood or other<br />
geographical ways. You can compare different geographical areas on a variety<br />
of metrics. You can also customize and share these charts with your name,<br />
information and headshot when you share them with your clients!<br />
Statistical Spreadsheets<br />
These are a great resource for housing market trends in Chicago’s 77<br />
neighborhoods and 293 suburbs since 1995. Statistics consist of average sales<br />
price, median sales price, market time, units sold and percent changes for<br />
Chicago and the suburbs.<br />
Market Snapshot<br />
Each month, we post a blog on ChicagoREALTOR.com that breaks down the<br />
statistics and includes talking points so you can speak confidently about the<br />
Chicago real estate market. This blog also includes an infographic to easily<br />
review the data you need to know.<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 31
The Social Media Content<br />
App Chicago REALTORS ®<br />
Love: Photofy<br />
Have you checked out Photofy yet? This platform allows you to demonstrate what you bring to the real estate transaction and<br />
beyond — in our Chicago neighborhoods and in understanding the local real estate market. This free member benefit allows you<br />
to customize and share professional graphics that underscore your value, straight to your social media channels.<br />
Why do your peers love this member benefit?<br />
“I absolutely love how I can leverage<br />
Photofy on all social media platforms<br />
to show our communities that we, as<br />
REALTORS ® , are experts in our<br />
market. The content offered is<br />
consistent, cohesive and an excellent<br />
tool to build your brand. It is marketing<br />
power at your fingertips and a vital<br />
tool to show your value to clients.”<br />
CHRISTOPHER ROBLES<br />
Fulton Grace Realty<br />
“The final product is always a<br />
professional marketing piece<br />
that I’m very proud to display.<br />
Photofy is another real estate<br />
tool that allows me to make<br />
clear and precise content with<br />
just a click of a button.”<br />
RODESSA JOINER<br />
Realty Services Consortium<br />
Check out our Fair Housing and Sustainability assets!<br />
Showcase your commitment to Fair Housing and Sustainability. These graphics demonstrate your commitment to your clients’<br />
well-being through equal opportunities and health through sustainable lifestyles. Happy sharing!<br />
Get started for free today at ChicagoREALTOR.com/photofy.<br />
32 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine<br />
Scan with your smartphone camera!
2023<br />
Chicago REALTORS ®<br />
AFFILIATE<br />
DIRECTORY<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com/affiliates<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 33
2023<br />
AFFILIATE MEMBERS<br />
ATTORNEYS<br />
MICHAEL J. ANSELMO<br />
Codilis & Associates, P.C.<br />
630-546-2508<br />
Michael.Anselmo@il.cslegal.com<br />
www.codilis.com<br />
KAYLI ARELLANO<br />
Chicagoland Property Law<br />
773-775-7805<br />
kayli@chicagolandpropertylaw.com<br />
CAMBI CANN<br />
Law Offices of Cambi L. Cann P.C.<br />
312-450-2007<br />
ccann@cannlaw.net<br />
<strong>CR</strong>AIG M. CAPILLA<br />
Franklin, Greenswag, Channon<br />
& Capilla, LLC<br />
847-716-2380<br />
ccapilla@fgcclaw.com<br />
www.fgcclaw.com<br />
MARC ANTHONY CERVANTES<br />
Cervantes, Chatt, & Prince PC<br />
312-606-9529<br />
mcervantes@ccpchicago.com<br />
ccpchicago.com<br />
JILL DANIELS<br />
Jill Daniels LLC<br />
630-270-3393<br />
jill@jilldanielslaw.com<br />
jilldanielslaw.com<br />
CASEY HORNSBY<br />
Chicagoland Property Law<br />
773-775-7805<br />
casey.hornsby@yahoo.com<br />
chicagolandpropertylaw.com<br />
THEMIS KATRIS<br />
The Katris Law Group<br />
708-351-1199<br />
tk@katrislaw.com<br />
katrislaw.com<br />
EBONY LUCAS<br />
The Closing Firm, LLC<br />
312-672-2299<br />
elucas@theclosingfirmllc.com<br />
plgesq.com<br />
GARY MAGES<br />
Mages & Price, LLC Attorneys at Law<br />
847-405-7600<br />
gmages@magesandprice.com<br />
www.magesandprice.com<br />
34 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine<br />
RICHARD A. MAGNONE<br />
Reda | Ciprian | Magnone, LLC<br />
773-399-1122<br />
rmagnone@rcmlaw.com<br />
www.illinois-attorney.com<br />
NIKO MARNERIS<br />
Marneris Law<br />
312-243-6700<br />
ngm@marnerislaw.com<br />
YONDI MORRIS-ANDREWS<br />
Knight, Morris & Reddick Law<br />
312-574-0181<br />
ymorris@kmrlawgroup.com<br />
kmrlawgroup.com<br />
JUSTIN C. STRANE<br />
Shapiro Strane, LLC<br />
312-391-7788<br />
Justin@shapirostrane.com<br />
shapirostrane.com<br />
SARAH SUTTON<br />
Sutton Law LLC<br />
773-340-2678<br />
sarah@suttonlegalgroup.com<br />
www.suttonlegalgroup.com<br />
KASHYAP V. TRIVEDI<br />
Trivedi & Khan, P.C.<br />
224-353-6346<br />
kashyap@trivedikhan.com<br />
trivedikhan.com<br />
JONATHAN WEIS<br />
Levin Ginsburg – Attorneys at Law<br />
312-368-0100<br />
jweis@lgattorneys.com<br />
www.lgattorneys.com<br />
BUSINESS<br />
SERVICES<br />
JEFF IGEL<br />
OnTrack Credit Path<br />
630-745-0216<br />
jeff@ontrackcreditpath.com<br />
www.ontrackcreditpath.com<br />
LYNN LEEGARD<br />
Trust Funds LLC<br />
800-249-1616<br />
lynn@trustfunds.us.com<br />
trustfunds.us.com<br />
Affiliate<br />
2023Business<br />
Services Directory<br />
DOUG MANDEVILLE<br />
Commission Express<br />
847-448-0237<br />
chicommissionadvance@gmail.com<br />
www.commissionexpress.com/<br />
platinum<br />
2023<br />
LIAM SUNDLING<br />
G2 Consulting Group<br />
847-353-8740<br />
lsundling@g2consultinggroup.com<br />
g2consultinggroup.com<br />
ADAM WESSELINK<br />
AIRE Sync, Inc<br />
847-361-0079<br />
adam@airesync.com<br />
www.airesync.com<br />
CONSULTANTS<br />
BERNARD RABINOWITZ<br />
Rabinowitz Associates<br />
312-925-1394<br />
brabinowitz@gmail.com<br />
JARED ROGERS<br />
Wilson Rogers & Co., Inc.<br />
773-239-8850<br />
jrrogers@wilsonrogers.net<br />
www.wilsonrogers.net<br />
HOME<br />
SERVICES<br />
RICHARD CAMACHO<br />
Prestige Real Estate Images Inc.<br />
773-540-9556<br />
prestigelistings2@gmail.com<br />
prestigelistingphotos.com<br />
LARA DAILEY<br />
AirBNB<br />
708-968-1486<br />
lara.dailey@airbnb.com<br />
airbnb.com<br />
ANANIAS GRANGER JR.<br />
A&D Property Services, Inc.<br />
773-933-7840<br />
president@adpropertyservices.com<br />
adpropertyservices.com<br />
MADELYN ISAACSON<br />
Valenti Builders<br />
224-223-5595<br />
Madelyn.Isaacson@Valentibuilders.com<br />
valentibuilders.com<br />
SAMEER KELKAR<br />
Piston Home Automation<br />
331-238-0279<br />
sameer@pistonhome.com<br />
pistonhome.com<br />
GRANT ROWLEY<br />
1-800-GOT-JUNK?<br />
815-469-5581 2023<br />
grant.rowley@1800gotjunk.com<br />
LIAM SUNDLING<br />
G2 Consulting Group<br />
847-353-8740<br />
lsundling@g2consultinggroup.com<br />
g2consultinggroup.com<br />
JOE WEIDMAN<br />
Junk Relief<br />
800-586-5735<br />
joe@junkrelief.com<br />
www.junkrelief.com<br />
HOME<br />
WARRANTY<br />
JULIE O’BRIEN<br />
Cinch Home Warranty<br />
773-383-3338<br />
jobrien@cinchhs.com<br />
cinchrealestate.com<br />
INSPECTORS/<br />
ENVIRONMENTAL<br />
KATHRYN EGGERS<br />
Midwest Energy Efficiency<br />
312-374-0922<br />
keggers@mwalliance.org<br />
mwalliance.org<br />
CARY JOZEFIAK<br />
HomeTeam of Lincoln Park<br />
262-909-1206<br />
cjozefiak@hometeam.com<br />
www.hometeam.com/lincolnpark-chicago/<br />
DEVIN RENBERG<br />
Moldman USA<br />
312-878-6444<br />
devinrenberg@moldmanusa.com<br />
www.moldmanusa.com
RAYMOND SAHM<br />
Sahm Home Services<br />
317-946-9040<br />
ray@sahmhomeservices.com<br />
www.sahmhomeservices.com<br />
INSURANCE<br />
JOSE R. GOMEZ<br />
Allstate, Gomez Insurance Agency<br />
773-777-7520<br />
jrgomez@allstate.com<br />
www.gomezinsuranceagency.com<br />
ALEXANDRA HOWE<br />
Goosehead Insurance<br />
312-764-5673<br />
alexandra.howe@goosehead.com<br />
MICHAEL PLAGEMAN<br />
Plageman Agency Inc – American<br />
Family Insurance<br />
847-823-0200<br />
mplagema@amfam.com<br />
plagemanagency.com<br />
MORTGAGE<br />
SERVICES<br />
<strong>CR</strong>AIG ACHTZEHN<br />
Draper & Kramer Mortgage Corp.<br />
312-961-7763<br />
craig@dkmortgage.com<br />
dkmortgage.com/craig<br />
DAVINA ARCENEAUX<br />
Motto Mortgage Home Services<br />
844-466-8864<br />
davina.arceneaux@mottomortgage.com<br />
www.mottomortgagehomeservices.com<br />
MICHAEL BENCKS<br />
Neighborhood Loans<br />
773-960-2278<br />
michael@neighborhoodloans.com<br />
mortgagebencks.com<br />
MICHELLE BOBART<br />
Guaranteed Rate<br />
312-379-3516<br />
michelle@rate.com<br />
rate.com/michellebobart<br />
DEVONTAE BROOKS<br />
Guaranteed Rate<br />
847-232-2713<br />
dbrooks@rate.com<br />
rate.com/devontaebrooks<br />
JASON BRYANT<br />
Guaranteed Rate Affinity<br />
773-406-3795<br />
jason.bryant@grarate.com<br />
KATELYN CAMPBELL<br />
Draper & Kramer Mortgage Corp.<br />
630-268-5536<br />
katie.campbell@dkmortgage.com<br />
PETER DE JONG<br />
Guaranteed Rate<br />
847-233-1180<br />
peter.dejong@rate.com<br />
guaranteedrate.com/peterdejong<br />
JOSEPH DIBLASE<br />
Scott Credit Union<br />
312-415-8783<br />
joe@diblase.com<br />
www.scu.org<br />
ELISE ELIZALDE<br />
Guaranteed Rate Affinity<br />
312-252-2406<br />
elise.elizalde@grarate.com<br />
grarate.com/eliseelizalde<br />
FELTON REED ELLINGTON<br />
JP Morgan Chase Bank<br />
248-943-5510<br />
felton.ellington@chase.com<br />
CALEB FATH<br />
CrossCountry Mortgage<br />
312-379-8708<br />
caleb.fath@myccmortgage.com<br />
crosscountrymortgage.com/<br />
The-Manglardi-Group<br />
ALEX FILIN<br />
Guaranteed Rate<br />
773-897-3896<br />
afilin@rate.com<br />
rate.com/afilin<br />
CHRIS A. FRIIS, SR.<br />
First Secure Bank and Trust<br />
708-430-5000 (Main)<br />
708-237-3146 (Direct)<br />
Cfriis@firstsecurebank.com<br />
www.firstsecurebank.com<br />
HIPOLITO GARCIA<br />
Caliber Home Loans<br />
773-575-7200<br />
hip@caliberhomeloans.com<br />
caliberhomeloans.com<br />
JOHN GRAZIANI<br />
Regions Mortgage<br />
773-573-9515<br />
john.graziani@regions.com<br />
www.regions.com<br />
TAMMY HAJJAR MILLER<br />
The Federal Savings Bank<br />
773-726-4374<br />
tammy@thefederalsavingsbank.com<br />
www.tammyhajjar.com<br />
TIM ISAI<br />
iLoan<br />
773-977-7000<br />
tim@lionrate.com<br />
timisai.floify.com<br />
DAVID KASPRISIN<br />
Wintrust Mortgage<br />
312-208-4648<br />
dkasprisin@wintrustmortgage.com<br />
www.wintrustmortgage.com<br />
TK KHWAJA<br />
Paramount Bank<br />
847-800-5699<br />
tk@paramountbank.com<br />
ParamountBank.com/TK<br />
CHRISTOPHER KNAPP<br />
Draper & Kramer Mortgage Corp.<br />
312-757-1801<br />
knapp@dkmortgage.com<br />
dkmortgage.com/knapp<br />
GREGORY KOHLHAGEN<br />
Guaranteed Rate<br />
773-398-3518<br />
greg.kohlhagen@rate.com<br />
people.rate.com/gregkohlhagen-2100313<br />
MARC KRAMER<br />
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage<br />
312-320-8400<br />
marc.kramer@wellsfargo.com<br />
homeloans.wellsfargo.com/<br />
mortgage/il/chicago/Marc-Kramer<br />
BRIAN KURTZ<br />
Wells Fargo Private Mortgage<br />
312-630-2274<br />
brian.j.kurtz@wellsfargo.com<br />
www.wfhm.com/brian-kurtz<br />
RENO MANUELE<br />
Neighborhood Loans<br />
630-688-6659<br />
reno@neighborhoodloans.com<br />
www.neighborhoodloans.com<br />
JAMES McCONNELL<br />
Draper & Kramer Mortgage Corp.<br />
847-720-7714<br />
jim.mcconnell@dkmortgage.com<br />
dkmortgage.com/mcconnell<br />
BERNIE MILLER<br />
The Federal Savings Bank<br />
312-738-6262<br />
bernie@thefederalsavingsbank.com<br />
www.thefederalsavingsbank.com/<br />
About/People/Bernie-Miller<br />
NMLS # 210808. The Federal Savings Bank is an<br />
Equal Housing Opportunity Lender. Member FDIC<br />
DON PRELL<br />
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage<br />
312-592-8049<br />
don.prell@wellsfargo.com<br />
KELLY PRICE<br />
Wintrust Mortgage<br />
773-501-6653<br />
kprice@wintrustmortgage.com<br />
www.wintrustmortgage.com<br />
TODD PROBASCO<br />
Lakeside Bank<br />
708-205-2983<br />
t.probasco@lakesidebank.com<br />
lakesidebank.com<br />
MEAGAN QUINN<br />
Wintrust Mortgage<br />
312-462-7714<br />
meaganqnn@gmail.com<br />
www.wintrustmortgage.com<br />
NICK SAFIS<br />
Huntington National Bank<br />
312-888-6359<br />
nick.safis@huntington.com<br />
LINDA SCOTT<br />
Wintrust Mortgage<br />
773-883-4157<br />
lascott@wintrustmortgage.com<br />
www.lindascottmortgagescoop.com<br />
MATT S<strong>CR</strong>IBNER<br />
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage<br />
312-592-5626<br />
matt.scribner@wellsfargo.com<br />
homeloans.wellsfargo.com<br />
ANDREW J. SURMA<br />
Wells Fargo Private Mortgage<br />
Banking<br />
312-952-8872<br />
andrew.j.surma@wellsfargo.com<br />
andrewjsurma.com<br />
AMIR SYED<br />
Guaranteed Rate<br />
312-620-4663<br />
amir@rate.com<br />
www.rate.com/amir<br />
CHRISTIN TAYLOR<br />
CrossCountry Mortgage<br />
312-771-6969<br />
lucky@myccmortgage.com<br />
luckytaylorloans.com<br />
ROY TAYLOR<br />
Draper & Kramer Mortgage Corp.<br />
630-376-0454<br />
roy.taylor@dkmortgage.com<br />
dkmortgage.com<br />
TITLE<br />
COMPANIES<br />
DARREN BENNEFIELD<br />
Carrington Title Partners LLC<br />
630-317-0049<br />
dbennefield@carringtontitle.com<br />
carringtontitle.com<br />
EDWARD GAL<br />
@Home Title Services<br />
312-500-4663<br />
e.gal@athometitleservices.com<br />
athometitleservices.com<br />
PATRICK HEALY<br />
Citywide Title Corp.<br />
312-492-8934<br />
phealy@citywidetitle.com<br />
LISA MISTRATA<br />
Chicago Title Insurance<br />
773-372-5798<br />
lisa.mistrata@ctt.com<br />
cmetro.ctic.com<br />
SARA O’CONNOR<br />
Greater Illinois Title Company<br />
708-424-8600<br />
sara.oconnor@gitc.com<br />
www.gitc.com<br />
CHRIS OSWALD<br />
Greater Illinois Title Company<br />
312-236-7300<br />
chris.oswald@gitc.com<br />
www.gitc.com<br />
ALISON STOGSDILL<br />
Chicago Title<br />
630-297-2502<br />
alison.stogsdill@ctt.com<br />
MIKE WOOD<br />
ATA National Title Group<br />
312-546-1330<br />
mwood@atatitle.com<br />
www.atatitle.com<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 35
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BREAKFAST<br />
TAKEAWAYS<br />
Good Business<br />
Habits Stem From A<br />
Strong <strong>CR</strong>M System<br />
• Create a database as soon as<br />
possible, and track everything:<br />
birthdays, anniversaries, lease<br />
renewal dates, text message<br />
conversations, follow-up dates<br />
and more. Who goes into your<br />
database? Everyone you know.<br />
• <strong>CR</strong>Ms do not have to be<br />
complicated. Pick something<br />
that works for you! Google<br />
Spreadsheets work for some<br />
people as much as formal<br />
software does for others.<br />
Treat Follow-Ups<br />
As Relationship<br />
Building<br />
• Forming and maintaining<br />
business relationships is<br />
about the long game. Stay<br />
top-of-mind with respectful,<br />
personalized follow-ups! Use<br />
your <strong>CR</strong>M to send move-in<br />
anniversary emails or birthday<br />
notes.<br />
• Create follow-up systems you<br />
can sustain. Between emails,<br />
text messages, phone calls,<br />
letters, postcards and more,<br />
customize your process to<br />
something authentic to you.<br />
FROM: “How You Can Niche Your Way<br />
to Six Figures”<br />
• Work smarter, not harder! Set<br />
templatized email responses<br />
for the questions you get the<br />
most. Format an official<br />
checklist or timeline document<br />
for the start of every new<br />
client relationship.<br />
By niching down, you're not turning away business. You're heightening it.<br />
Networking already exists in your friends and family and their friends and<br />
family. Start small or start off in areas like<br />
leasing, then when people are ready, and<br />
you’re advertising your expertise, they’ll reach<br />
out to you.<br />
GUEST: MELANIE MILLER, Coldwell Banker Realty<br />
HOST: EUNIQUE GILL, Coldwell Banker Realty<br />
FROM: “Challenging Hustle Culture”<br />
A respectful thing to do if you’re sending something over the weekend or<br />
getting caught up on a Saturday night is to say, "Hey, look, no need to<br />
respond to this right away. Just wanted to get this in motion. Let me know<br />
sometime tomorrow when you have a chance." Give them permission to<br />
not respond right away. There's a lot of subtle<br />
things we can be doing as agents to help<br />
support each other and to create some space<br />
between when we're working and we're not.<br />
GUEST: KELLY PARKER, COMPASS<br />
HOST: DEVON CHANDLER, Dream Town Realty<br />
BACK TO BASICS:<br />
8 Actionable<br />
Business Tips<br />
Your Ultimate Goal<br />
Is To Create A<br />
Positive Experience<br />
• You are an educator! Listen to<br />
people’s goals and motivations,<br />
supply information with<br />
intention and communicate<br />
often. By leading with<br />
knowledge first, you’re creating<br />
a great transaction experience.<br />
• Establish a timeline from the<br />
start. It should include when<br />
specific things will happen and<br />
who makes what decisions and<br />
when. This timeline will help<br />
prevent miscommunication.<br />
You Are Not Alone:<br />
Lean On Support<br />
Systems<br />
• The association has networking<br />
groups and communities with<br />
other REALTORS ® going<br />
through similar situations to<br />
you! Connect with YPN, Global<br />
Real Estate Council,<br />
CommercialForum and more.<br />
• Be intentional about the events<br />
and classes you choose to<br />
attend. Pick topics that interest<br />
you or market areas you want<br />
to work in. You will meet<br />
like-minded people.<br />
PODCAST TAKEAWAYS<br />
FROM: “Breaking Down Basics:<br />
Converting Renters to Buyers”<br />
A <strong>CR</strong>M is the most valuable thing you can<br />
have. The more you can grow your breadth<br />
of clients and people that know you, the more<br />
you will get back.<br />
GUEST: GRIGORY PEKARSKY, Vesta Preferred Realty<br />
HOST: QUENTIN GREEN, Downtown Realty Company<br />
FROM: “Why You Should Add Luxury Rentals<br />
To Your Business”<br />
It’s very important to know the inventory like the back of your hand. In the<br />
first three months, make an excel sheet of buildings and neighborhoods,<br />
and go tour the buildings to get to know the<br />
inventory. Try to tour about three to eight<br />
a day.<br />
GUEST: JODI DUAN, Americorp Ltd.<br />
HOST: DJ PARIS, Kale Realty<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 37
Association News<br />
Local Plant Shop & Retail Store Receive<br />
Hispanic Small Business Grants<br />
While many small businesses were affected by the COVID-19 outbreak,<br />
the five business sectors most affected by COVID-19 generate almost<br />
50% of the revenues of all Hispanic and Latino-owned businesses and<br />
individuals are 65% of Hispanics and Latinos work in these sectors,<br />
according to McKinsey. Many of these businesses and individuals are<br />
still trying to get back to their pre-pandemic normal.<br />
Wall of Good Boys. The store also donated a Monstera plant and gift<br />
card to One Tail At A Time’s Houndstooth Ball, a dog-friendly gala<br />
which supports its no-kill rescues initiatives.<br />
According to Cotto, the grant will go towards business operations that<br />
will help the young business keep their doors open.<br />
The Chicago Association of REALTORS ® Foundation and The 77<br />
Diversity Committee continue to help local small business owners<br />
affected by the pandemic through small business grants. During<br />
Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place from September 15 to<br />
October 15 every year, we awarded two grants to Hispanic, locally<br />
owned businesses: a plant shop and retail store.<br />
The Made Shop<br />
4440 N. Milwaukee Ave.<br />
The Made Shop is a local retail store<br />
that sells handmade items from<br />
entrepreneurs, artists and other creatives from across Chicago.<br />
Make sure to stop by and support their establishments.<br />
Terracotto Plants<br />
3056 W. Diversey Ave.<br />
Fernando Cotto is passionate about plants.<br />
He worked at a greenhouse for many years but<br />
was unhappy with the shifts in the company<br />
when the COVID-19 pandemic began. So, he took matters into his<br />
own hands. Cotto left his job in 2020 to open his own retail nursery,<br />
Terracotto Plants, in Logan Square.<br />
Terracotto Plants is a<br />
neighborhood plant<br />
store that prides<br />
itself on having a<br />
knowledgeable staff<br />
and everything a<br />
plant parent could<br />
need to ensure their<br />
customers’ new<br />
plants feel at home.<br />
Beyond plants and<br />
pots, the store also<br />
offers plant repotting<br />
services, in-home<br />
Sarah Ware, Ware Realty Group, Fernando Cotto,<br />
Terracotto Plants, Marki Lemons Ryhal, EXIT Strategy<br />
Realty, & Michelle Mills Clement, Chicago Association<br />
of REALTORS ® .<br />
consultations, classes and events like yoga and plant exchanges. And,<br />
for free, the store offers a community cutting wall, where people can<br />
come in and take, or leave, cuttings whenever they would like.<br />
Terracotto Plants plays an integral role in the community, specifically<br />
when it comes to residents’ furry friends. It honors their customer’s<br />
dogs, who are welcome at the store, by showcasing them on the<br />
Owner Christina Parker based the store around the idea of pop-up<br />
shops. She was also inspired by her desire to sell her own work, which<br />
was a journey plagued with many barriers. She knew she wasn’t alone in<br />
this struggle, so she opened a place where others could sell their goods.<br />
At The Made Store,<br />
you can find earrings,<br />
clothes, home goods,<br />
candles and much<br />
more. Every three<br />
months, Parker<br />
rotates products to<br />
give as many artists<br />
as possible the<br />
opportunity to sell<br />
their products.<br />
Over the last year,<br />
the store has given<br />
back to those in need. When Ukraine was attacked, Parker made shirts<br />
in-house and donated the proceeds to the children of Ukraine who<br />
were affected by the tragedy.<br />
This grant will help with business operations, as the store has been<br />
forced to close its doors over the last few years periodically due to<br />
COVID-19 and COVID-19 exposure.<br />
Sarah Ware, Ware Realty Group, Christina Parker,<br />
The Made Shop, Marki Lemons Ryhal, EXIT Strategy<br />
Realty, & Michelle Mills Clement, Chicago Association<br />
of REALTORS ® .<br />
We will continue to support other Chicago-based, minority-owned small<br />
businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic throughout the year.<br />
Keep an eye out for our small business grant application announcements<br />
and share them with those who qualify. Together, we will continue to<br />
uplift our communities and those who keep them thriving.<br />
38 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine
Association News<br />
Global Real Estate Council<br />
Receives NAR’s Platinum<br />
Global Achievement Program<br />
Award for Fifth Year in a Row<br />
The Global Real Estate Council has<br />
received the NAR 2022 Platinum Global<br />
Achievement Program Award for<br />
the fifth year in a row! The award is<br />
designed to recognize and reward<br />
the council with the most active<br />
associations in global business.<br />
Our Global Real Estate Council<br />
continuously works to find innovative ways<br />
to connect and grow our council. By supporting members in their<br />
business with global markets (inbound and outbound transactions<br />
and/or consultancy) through marketing and communications, events<br />
and education, and personal outreach, our council continues to grow<br />
as a global community. Thank you to NAR’s Global Achievement<br />
Program for this recognition.<br />
CEO Michelle Mills<br />
Clement Honored<br />
on Crain’s Notable<br />
Black Leaders &<br />
Executives List<br />
Mills Clement<br />
CEO Michelle Mills Clement was honored<br />
on Crain’s 2022 Notable Black Leaders &<br />
Executives list.<br />
“Mills Clement also guided the launch of the<br />
association’s new diversity incubator, the<br />
Leadership Accelerator. Under her direction,<br />
CAR issued an apology for past actions<br />
promoting segregation in Chicago, and she<br />
wrote a Tribune op-ed seeking equity for Black<br />
REALTORS ® and equal treatment for minority property owners,” her<br />
profile states. Congratulations on this honor, Michelle!<br />
Griffin’s Auto Care<br />
Awarded Our Community<br />
Champion Award<br />
Griffin’s Auto Care<br />
was awarded with the<br />
Foundation Community<br />
Champion Award and<br />
received a $ 3,500 grant to<br />
use towards the business’s<br />
charitable outreach efforts.<br />
Griffin’s Auto Care, owned<br />
by Mark Griffin and located<br />
at 9506 S. Indiana Ave., is<br />
known in its community for<br />
educating and employing<br />
Foundation Immediate Past Chair Rachel Scheid,<br />
@properties | Christie’s International Real Estate,<br />
Mark Griffin, Griffin’s Auto Care, Foundation Chair<br />
Sam Powell, Dream Town Realty, & Immediate<br />
Past President Antje Gehrken, A.R.E. Partners.<br />
individuals with diverse backgrounds, as well as giving a helping hand<br />
when someone doesn’t have the finances to afford a repair.<br />
The Community Champion Award, which was launched this year,<br />
was created to honor a local, non-charitable, small business that is<br />
enhancing the vibrancy of our city through its charitable outreach.<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 39
Government Affairs Update<br />
The Government Affairs<br />
Updates You Need to Know<br />
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE<br />
2023 BUDGETS<br />
The city of Chicago reviewed a $16.4 billion budget. The budget did not<br />
include a property tax increase, although it was considered. Overall,<br />
there will be a property tax levy of $7.13 billion. Mayor Lightfoot<br />
dropped the 2.5% increase on property taxes following pushback from<br />
alderman and groups like the REALTORS ® .<br />
THE SEARCH FOR LONG-TERM,<br />
SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS FOR<br />
HOMELESSNESS CONTINUES<br />
Bring Chicago Home is an active campaign focused on increasing<br />
the transfer tax to help fund homeless support programs in Chicago.<br />
Advocates of Bring Chicago Home are asking for a 1.9% increase in<br />
the real estate transfer tax on transactions over $1 million.<br />
While a property tax increase was not included in the budget, the<br />
possibility of an automatic property tax increase still exists in Chicago’s<br />
municipal code. This past July, a group of aldermen introduced an<br />
ordinance (O22–2498) that would repeal an automatic ability for this<br />
mayor and future mayors to include a Consumer Price Index (CPI) or 5%<br />
increase, whichever is less. For example, in 2022,<br />
CPI was over 8%. As of today, without this ordinance, a mayor<br />
can increase property taxes by 5%. If inflation levels continue to<br />
hover around 7 or 8% over the next year, there could be additional<br />
increases. This law is very problematic when considering the possible<br />
compounding of property tax increases over time. It is unfair to<br />
property taxpayers when they do not have a direct vote on the matter.<br />
Going into 2023, $200 million of the city’s budget will be devoted<br />
specifically to homelessness and affordable housing initiatives. Since<br />
the city did not spend at least $98 million of the approved funding in<br />
2022, we must first review current policies and programs to identify<br />
what’s working and what is not.<br />
Not only do tax increases take equity from families and future<br />
generations trying to build wealth, but our underserved neighborhoods<br />
also already suffer from disinvestment and commercial vacancies. It<br />
is important to note that over 32,000 properties would be impacted,<br />
including small residential buildings with ground-level retail, grocers,<br />
healthcare facilities and small businesses in our neighborhoods.<br />
REALTORS ® strongly support repealing a mayor’s ability to<br />
automatically increase property taxes. In fact, according to the Institute<br />
of Housing Studies at DePaul University, 30.7% of owner-occupied<br />
households are cost burdened; and almost 50% of renter-occupied<br />
households are cost burdened. The automatic increase in property<br />
taxes would also result in an automatic increase in rent.<br />
We are working to provide alternatives to alderpersons for a long-term<br />
funding mechanism to help house the homeless. Increasing transfer<br />
taxes is not the solution.<br />
Furthermore, businesses must choose between rising prices or shutting<br />
their doors, which contributes to the already persistent problem of<br />
vacant storefronts, retail and food deserts. This past year, we’ve seen<br />
a new record high of office vacancies, with some reaching over twenty<br />
20%. Tax increases hurt all neighborhoods.<br />
The county’s budget is $8.75 billion, which does not include a property<br />
tax increase. The total amount of revenue collected from property taxes<br />
is $807 million county-wide, or 9.2% of total revenues. The other area of<br />
the budget impacting real estate is the transfer tax. The transfer tax for<br />
2023 is projected at $56 million total, a reduction from 2022. Increased<br />
interest rates and low home inventory are the expected reasons for the<br />
decrease year over year. Keep in mind that there are separate transfer<br />
taxes collected for Chicago, Cook County and the state.<br />
40 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine
IMPACT OF LATE PROPERTY TAX BILLS<br />
ON PROPERTY OWNERS<br />
Property tax bills were delayed in the fall; the mailing of the second<br />
installment bill was at least four months late. The second installment is<br />
important for Chicago property owners as the 2021 reassessment will<br />
be reflected on this bill, determining if a property owner’s payment will<br />
increase or decrease. This means, in early 2023, property owners will<br />
receive back-to-back bills. Owners that escrow will likely receive a letter<br />
detailing how their payments will change. Further, the delay in 2022 will<br />
most likely create delays in 2023 and, possibly, 2024. It is assumed that<br />
some of the due dates for property tax payments will also be delayed.<br />
INCENTIVE TAX OPTIONS FOR<br />
FOOD DESERTS<br />
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has identified 807 low<br />
income and low access census tracts in Illinois where urban residents<br />
must travel more than half a mile and rural residents travel more than<br />
10 miles to the nearest supermarket. Cook County has the greatest<br />
amount of food deserts — 302 out of the 807 tracts across the state.<br />
Considering these numbers, Cook County would like to increase<br />
access to healthy food, reduce obesity and improve health outcomes<br />
by offering a new property tax incentive program for grocery stores to<br />
open (22-5345). Class 7D will reduce the property tax assessment of<br />
a grocery store located in a food desert (defined by USDA) for a store<br />
that either expands or renovates, and provides fresh produce, bakery<br />
items, meat/deli department and more. At least 55% of employees<br />
must be employed on a full-time basis to receive the reduced<br />
assessment, which mid-level grocery stores do.<br />
REALTORS ® were supportive of the new property tax incentive class.<br />
Although REALTORS ® were supportive, public comments provided by<br />
staff expressed the need to review the entire property tax incentive<br />
program. Staff acknowledged how property taxes can easily become<br />
burdensome, pointing to numbers released in October by the Cook<br />
County Treasurer’s office regarding over 55,000 properties with<br />
delinquent property tax payments and an indication of possible future<br />
vacancies. Obviously, future economic conditions cannot be predicted,<br />
but the concern over property taxes continues to be a burdensome<br />
aspect for families, individuals and businesses. The incentive might be<br />
helpful, but the county needs a plan to prevent vacancies.<br />
SIGN UP TO RECEIVE REALTOR ®<br />
PARTY MOBILE ALERTS:<br />
TEXT REALTOR TO 30644.<br />
Contact your GAD Adriann Murawski, Director of Government<br />
Affairs, amurawski@chicagorealtor.com. For updates on all issue<br />
briefs, go to ChicagoREALTOR.com/Advocacy.<br />
Join us on the...<br />
FIRST<br />
TUESDAY<br />
OF THE MONTH<br />
Scan with your<br />
smart phone<br />
ChicagoREALTOR.com/events<br />
9 AM to 10:30 AM | Virtual Event<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 41
1 2<br />
139 TH INAUGURAL GALA<br />
3<br />
1. Molly Boyd & David Bracy, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago, & Yolanda Jeffries, Coldwell<br />
Banker Realty; 2. 2022-2023 Board of Directors Vicky Silvano, COMPASS, Kim Kerbis, @properties |<br />
Christie’s International Real Estate, Amy Hall, Caton Commercial Real Estate Group, Gaspar Flores Jr.,<br />
Su Familia Real Estate Inc., Rafael Alvarado, Shield Real Estate, John C. Kmiecik, CENTURY 21 Affiliated,<br />
Marki Lemons Ryhal, EXIT Strategy Realty, Lutalo McGee, Ani Real Estate, Antje Gehrken, A.R.E.<br />
Partners, Drussy Hernandez, Coldwell Banker Realty, Sonia Anaya, America Real Estate, Inc., Sarah<br />
Ware, Ware Realty Group, Lyle Harlow, Kale Realty, Erika Villegas, RE/MAX in the Village, Erik Schwab,<br />
Corcoran Urban Real Estate, Dwight Marroquin, Neighborhood Loans, Ayoub Rabah, Coldwell Banker<br />
Realty, Amir Syed, Guaranteed Rate, & Michelle Mills Clement, Chicago Association of REALTORS ® ;<br />
3. Caitlyn Culbertson, Ben Schuster & Kelley Gandurski, Elrod Friedman; 4. Kyle Naylor & Joan LoCascio,<br />
Fulton Grace Realty; 5. Meagan Guinn, Wintrust Mortgage, Katrina Barry, Guaranteed Rate, & Lisa Evans,<br />
COMPASS; 6. Myra Nimchaiyong, COMPASS, & Drussy Hernandez, Coldwell Banker Realty.<br />
4<br />
5 6<br />
SPONSORED BY:<br />
42 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine
2<br />
4<br />
3<br />
5<br />
1<br />
6<br />
7<br />
8 9<br />
1. Marquis Tolbert, Jean Pierre Realty International, & Nina Hollins,<br />
Owners’ Real Estate Services; 2. Antje Gehrken, A.R.E. Partners,<br />
Frank Williams, F.J. Williams Realty, & Gaspar Flores Jr., Su Familia<br />
Real Estate Inc.; 3. Nykea Pippion McGriff, Coldwell Banker Realty,<br />
& Sarah Ware, Ware Realty Group; 4. Marc Little & Carrie Little,<br />
CarMarc Realty; 5. Tracy Ammons, Lutalo McGee & Michelle<br />
Fields, Ani Real Estate; 6. Kelly Price, Wintrust Mortgage, Deena<br />
Zimmerman, SVN Commercial Real Estate, Matt Farrell, Corcoran<br />
Urban Real Estate, Sam Powell, Dream Town Realty, and Rebecca<br />
Thomson & Nykea Pippion McGriff, Coldwell Banker Realty; 7. Julia<br />
Chiquito, Caliber Home Loans, Monica Pineda, Associated Bank,<br />
& Patty Garza Prince, CIBC Bank; 8. Zeke Morris, EXIT Strategy<br />
Realty/EMA Realty & Management, & Michael Gobber, CENTURY<br />
21 Affiliated; 9. Danny Lewis, Dream Town Realty, & Olivia Larson,<br />
Fulton Grace Realty.<br />
Photos by Marcello Rodarte, Marcello Rodarte Photography<br />
and Francis Son, Francis Son Photography<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 43
1. Inaugural hosts Amir Syed, Guaranteed Rate,<br />
& Marki Lemons Ryhal, EXIT Strategy Realty;<br />
2. 2022 Hall of Fame Inductee Leon Walker,<br />
DL3 Realty Advisors, with the DL3 Realty<br />
Advisors team; 3. Sarah Ware, Ware Realty<br />
Group, & Antje Gehrken, A.R.E. Partners;<br />
4. Miguel Sanchez, Ruiz Realty Inc., & guest<br />
Lorena Sanchez; 5. Guests John Villegas &<br />
Edgar Cruz, and Lety Cruz & Erika Villegas,<br />
RE/MAX in the Village; 6. Sheldon Good,<br />
Good Realty Group LLC, Leon Walker, DL3<br />
Realty Advisors, & Rachel Scheid, @properties |<br />
Christie’s International Real Estate; 7. Michelle<br />
Mills Clement, Chicago Association of<br />
REALTORS ® , Nykea Pippion McGriff, Coldwell<br />
Banker Realty, & Antje Gehrken, A.R.E. Partners;<br />
8. Antje Gehrken, A.R.E. Partners, & Rebecca<br />
Thomson, Coldwell Banker Realty; 9. Antje<br />
Gehrken, A.R.E. Partners, & Amy Wu, Keller<br />
Williams Success Realty.<br />
1 2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
Photos by Marcello Rodarte,<br />
Marcello Rodarte Photography and<br />
Francis Son, Francis Son Photography<br />
5 6<br />
7<br />
8 9<br />
Golfers doing what they do.<br />
44 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine
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2022 REALTOR ® AWARDS<br />
At the 139 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 2022 REALTOR ® Awards and the<br />
2022 President’s Awards.<br />
2022 AFFILIATE OF THE YEAR<br />
AMIR SYED, Guaranteed Rate<br />
2022 REALTOR ® ACHIEVEMENT<br />
MATT DIFANIS, RE/MAX Realty Associates<br />
2022 COMMERCIAL ACHIEVEMENT<br />
MOSES HALL, MoHall Commercial and Urban Development<br />
2022 REALTOR ® COMMUNITY SERVICE<br />
LINDSAY GUHL, @properties | Christie’s International<br />
Real Estate<br />
VICKY SILVANO, COMPASS<br />
2022 MANAGING BROKER OF THE YEAR<br />
(1-50 licensees):<br />
PERDURE CARTER, Dream Spots Leasing Inc.<br />
7 8<br />
1. Michelle Mills Clement, Chicago Association of<br />
REALTORS ® , Matt Difanis, RE/MAX Realty Associates, &<br />
Antje Gehrken, A.R.E. Partners; 2. Michelle Mills Clement,<br />
Chicago Association of REALTORS ® , Vicky Silvano, COMPASS,<br />
& Antje Gehrken, A.R.E. Partners; 3. Michelle Mills Clement,<br />
Chicago Association of REALTORS ® , Lyle Harlow, Kale Reaty,<br />
& Antje Gehrken, A.R.E. Partners; 4. Michelle Mills Clement,<br />
Chicago Association of REALTORS ® , Matt Silver, Corcoran<br />
Urban Real Estate, & Antje Gehrken, A.R.E. Partners;<br />
5. Michelle Mills Clement, Chicago Association of<br />
REALTORS ® , Amir Syed, Guaranteed Rate, & Antje Gehrken,<br />
A.R.E. Partners; 6. Michelle Mills Clement, Chicago Association<br />
of REALTORS ® , Tracey Royal, Coldwell Banker Realty, &<br />
Antje Gehrken, A.R.E. Partners; 7. Michelle Mills Clement,<br />
Chicago Association of REALTORS ® , Lindsay Guhl,<br />
@properties | Christie’s International Real Estate, & Antje<br />
Gehrken, A.R.E. Partners; 8. Michelle Mills Clement, Chicago<br />
Association of REALTORS ® , Moses Hall, MoHall Commercial<br />
and Urban Development, & Antje Gehrken, A.R.E. Partners;<br />
9. Sarah Ware, Ware Realty Group, Perdure Carter, Dream<br />
Spots Leasing Inc., & Michelle Mills Clement, Chicago<br />
Association of REALTORS ® .<br />
9<br />
See all the videos, photos & speeches<br />
from the 139 th Inaugural Gala.<br />
2022 MANAGING BROKER OF THE YEAR<br />
(51+ licensees):<br />
LYLE HARLOW, Kale Realty<br />
2022 INDUSTRY PARTNER MEMBER AWARD<br />
TRACEY ROYAL, Coldwell Banker Realty<br />
2022 BRIAN A. BERNARDONI<br />
POLITICAL ADVOCACY AWARD<br />
MATT SILVER, Corcoran Urban Real Estate<br />
2022 BRIAN A. BERNARDONI<br />
PUBLIC OFFICIAL OF THE YEAR<br />
BRIDGET GAINER, Cook County Commissioner, 10 th District<br />
2022 REALTOR ® OF THE YEAR<br />
NYKEA PIPPION McGRIFF, Coldwell Banker Realty<br />
2022 PRESIDENT’S AWARDS RECIPIENTS:<br />
AMY WU, Keller Williams Success Realty<br />
CHICAGO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS ® STAFF<br />
2022 XAVIER O. JOY PRESIDENTIAL<br />
INSPIRATION AWARD<br />
REBECCA THOMSON, Coldwell Banker Realty<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 45
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2022 YPN<br />
KICKBALL<br />
TOURNAMENT<br />
5<br />
On September 8, the Young Professionals<br />
Network hosted their Kickball Tournament<br />
where real estate professionals gathered<br />
at UIC’s Roosevelt Field to compete in the<br />
ultimate kickball showdown. Thank you to<br />
our sponsors and all who joined us.<br />
Congratulations to our 2022 champions,<br />
A and N Mortgage!<br />
GRAND SLAM SPONSOR<br />
6<br />
7<br />
BOTTLED WATER SPONSOR<br />
8<br />
46 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine
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11<br />
12 13<br />
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16<br />
1. Front Row: Lovell Houston Jr., Marco Rodriguez<br />
& Augusto Noreno, Kale Realty. Middle Row:<br />
Meagan Quinn, Wintrust Mortgage, & Michelle<br />
Whitmore, Kale Realty. Back Row: Patrick Loftus,<br />
Loftus Law, and Alex Margulis & D.J. Paris, Kale<br />
Realty, Emma Day, Wintrust Mortgage, & Michelle<br />
Young, Kale Realty; 2. Jessica Henry, Draper &<br />
Kramer; 3. Sandra Davila, Draper & Kramer;<br />
4. Eli Kruse, Neighborhood Loans, Kevin Boggs,<br />
Goosehead Insurance, Dave Campione, Andrey<br />
Rikels & Joe O’Callaghan, Neighborhood Loans,<br />
guest Kylin Turnbull, Michael Bencks, Emma<br />
Butler, Amber McClain, Rick Mauro, Marco Marin,<br />
Dwight Marroquin, Justin Rodriguez & Isabella<br />
Rico, Neighborhood Loans; 5. Front Row: Lauren<br />
Herskovic & Billy Cooper, COMPASS. Back Row:<br />
Patrick Dodd, Lance Kirshner, Lindsay Stout,<br />
Greg Vinn, Sohe Reyes, Claudia Carlucci, Omar<br />
Gonzalez, Jake Sanford & Billy Fisher, COMPASS;<br />
6. Keisha Williams, Fulton Grace Realty; 7. Aaron<br />
Palacios, Roy Taylor, Jessica Henry, Bob Carr,<br />
Katie Campbell, Craig Achtzehn, Sandra Davila,<br />
Rich Williams, Drew Derrieux, Ryan Gates & John<br />
Tupas, Draper & Kramer; 8. Front Row: Megan Ross,<br />
Allie Tassi & Raymond Melencio, Keller Williams<br />
ONEChicago, & Jennifer Bender, Guaranteed<br />
Rate. Back Row: Andy Hasdal, guest Tyler Smith,<br />
LaQuan Henley, HomeSmart Connect, Brian Moon<br />
& Tommy Choi, Keller Williams ONEChicago, Zach<br />
Kogut, COMPASS, & Willem Nong-Lambert,<br />
Keller Williams ONEChicago; 9. Michael Bencks,<br />
Neighborhood Loans; 10. Teams watch a game;<br />
11. Hernan Campuzano, A and N Mortgage, Jesus<br />
Garcia, Coldwell Banker Realty, Landon Hoon<br />
& Mason Schroder, A and N Mortgage, Henry<br />
Zehnal, COMPASS, Josh Dotson, Brian Ashe &<br />
Taylor Adams, A and N Mortgage, Taylor Nirchi,<br />
Dream Town Realty, and Savannah Remkus & Scott<br />
Marchall, A and N Mortgage; 12. Nick Velicka,<br />
Americorp, Ltd, Ryan Musgjerd, Guaranteed Rate,<br />
Joe Hosch, @properties | Christie’s International<br />
Real Estate, JC Fleming, Americorp, Ltd, Rob<br />
Yoshimura, COMPASS, Joe Novak & Jaime<br />
Luevano, Americorp, Ltd, Niko Marneris &<br />
Cynthia Marneris, Marneris Law, P.C., & Catherine<br />
Holbrook, Americorp, Ltd; 13. Front Row: Jared<br />
Houghton, Alondra Guevara, Kyle Naylor & Yaxeni<br />
Sanchez Camilo. Middle Row: Keisha Williams,<br />
Leticia Andrade, Jorge Anaya & Cecilia Castellanos,<br />
Fulton Grace Realty. Back Row: David Davis, Joshua<br />
Irizarry, Alex Petrich & Tim Sacks, Fulton Grace<br />
Realty, & Elise Elizalde, Guaranteed Rate Affinity;<br />
14. Front Row: Dennis Ansong, Ansong Law, LLC,<br />
Lindsay Wallace, Keller Williams ONEChicago, Kim<br />
Kelly, COMPASS, & Freddie Crenshaw, State Farm<br />
Insurance. Back Row: Brandon Banks, Coldwell<br />
Banker Realty, Alex Filin, Guaranteed Rate, Jordan<br />
Fuller & Christian Bernhagen, COMPASS, DeVon<br />
Chandler, Dream Town Realty, Kyle Capone, Baird<br />
& Warner, & Julian Negron, Dream Town Realty;<br />
15. Ryan Dates & Drew Derrieux, Draper & Kramer;<br />
16. Front Row: Leo Jimenez, Maggie Welsh, Andrew<br />
Perez, Alexis Gonzalez, Robbine Kim, Chase Moore<br />
& Daniel Chookaszian, Chase. Back Row: Nathaniel<br />
Lyon, David Hermiz, Andy Tisler & Ricardo Lopez,<br />
Chase; 17. DeVon Chandler, Dream Town Realty.<br />
Photos by Chicago Association of REALTORS ® staff.<br />
Photos by Cory Hall, Katie Howell and Jessica Kern,<br />
Chicago Association of REALTORS ® . www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 47
1<br />
2<br />
2022<br />
CASINO ROYALE<br />
On December 1, we hosted our black-tie<br />
RPAC fundraiser, Casino Royale. This event<br />
was co-hosted by the Young Professionals<br />
Network and the Women’s Council of<br />
REALTORS ® Chicago at The Drake Hotel.<br />
Thank you to our sponsors and everyone<br />
who attended!<br />
1. Keisha Williams, Fulton Grace Realty, & LáShaun<br />
Brown-Glenn, EXIT Strategy Realty; 2. Amy Wu,<br />
Keller Williams Success Realty, Chris Pezza, The<br />
Apartment Source, Moses Hall, MoHall Commercial<br />
& Urban Development, Skyler Lemons, EXIT Strategy<br />
Realty/EMA Management, Alexandre Stoykov,<br />
COMPASS, Michael Bencks, Guaranteed Rate,<br />
Rachel Scheid, @properties | Christie’s International<br />
Real Estate, LaQuan Henley, HomeSmart Connect<br />
LLC, Tyrone Green, RE/MAX NEXT, Cory Hall, Chicago<br />
Association of REALTORS ® , Tommy Choi, Keller<br />
Williams ONEChicago, & Jordan Pyle, COMPASS;<br />
3. Jason Heming & Jennifer Ames, Engle & Völkers,<br />
& Michael Plageman, American Family Insurance;<br />
4. Jai Outland, Eric Cathey, Benita Cathey, & Margie<br />
Smigel, The Margie Smigel Group, LLC; 5. Rebecca<br />
Thomson, Coldwell Banker Realty, & Hipolito Garcia,<br />
Caliber Home Loans; 6. Guest Jacob Hattar & Linda<br />
Hattar, ACO Commercial.<br />
3<br />
4<br />
5 6<br />
SPONSORED BY:<br />
48 Chicago REALTOR ® Magazine
1 2<br />
1. Fernando Rocha Jr., RE/MAX Loyalty, Justin Rodriguez<br />
& Willy Wu, Neighborhood Loans, & Oscar Toledo, RE/MAX<br />
Loyalty; 2. Brittany Bussell, @properties | Christie’s International<br />
Real Estate; 3. Dwight Marroquin, Neighborhood Loans, &<br />
DeVontae Brooks, Guaranteed Rate; 4. Sarah Ware, Ware<br />
Realty Group, & Antje Gehrken, A.R.E. Partners; 5. Hipolito<br />
Garcia, Caliber Home Loans, Michelle Mills Clement, Chicago<br />
Association of REALTORS ® & Megan Oswald, Coldwell<br />
Banker Realty; 6. Moses Hall, MoHall Commercial & Urban<br />
Development, Myra Nimchaiyong, COMPASS, Niko Apostal,<br />
Keller Williams ONEChicago, & Grace Kaage, COMPASS;<br />
7. Ernesto Camacho & Lucy Camacho, Baird & Warner;<br />
8. Evelyn Fred, Baird & Warner, Sarah O’Connor, Greater Illinois<br />
Title Company, & Linda Scott, Wintrust Mortgage; 9. Attendees<br />
play a table game.<br />
3<br />
4<br />
5<br />
6<br />
7 8<br />
9<br />
Photos by Marcello Rodarte, Marcello Rodarte Photography.<br />
www.ChicagoREALTOR.com 49
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