Crain's Chicago Business

CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS • APRIL 4, 2022 25

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE BROKERS NOTABLE REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS continue to reap the benefits of pandemic-spurred innovations. In this group of Notables, many brokers, both individuals and teams, sold the highest-priced home of their careers or broke their own sales-volume records in 2021. More than a handful took over listings that had languished on the market for months, worked their marketing magic, relisted the properties and found buyers within days.

Advertising with QR codes and on social media, including TikTok, continued to pay off for brokers, as did digital stagings and using Zoom to show properties to out-of-town buyers.

As they doubled or tripled business and sold unique properties (one of seven homes located on Lake Shore Drive and the Walgreen estate in Lake Forest, just to name two), brokers didn’t forget the communities they serve. The brokers honored here serve on arts nonprofit boards, raise money for scholarships, support children’s charities, donate to food pantries and otherwise chip in to make the Chicago area stronger.

By Lisa Bertagnoli, Kate Rockwood and Jennifer Thomas METHODOLOGY: The individuals featured did not pay to be included.

Their profiles were drawn from the nomination materials submitted.

This list is not comprehensive. It includes only individuals for whom nominations were submitted and accepted after a review by editors.

To qualify for the list, nominees must have met certain sales criteria, have at least 10 years of experience (individuals and team leads), demonstrate an innovative approach to marketing homes, and have a leadership presence in the sector and the community.

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JENNIFER AMES

TRACY ANDERSON

CEO and private-office advisor | Engel & Völkers Chicago

Founding broker and luxury specialist | Compass

The pandemic didn’t stop Jennifer Ames from opening two new Engel & Völkers offices, one in 2020 and one in 2021. She also continued to sell at a high level in 2021, including a $6 million Highland Park lakefront home, the highest price tag in the suburb in six years. Ames, past president of the auxiliary board of the Art Institute of Chicago, uses diverse marketing channels such as Engel & Völkers’ GG Magazine and Shop TV to promote her listings.

Tracy Anderson reached her highest number of closed and pending sales in her career in 2021. She also expanded her team by adding a licensed assistant and an additional agent. One of her favorite transactions was helping a couple find “the one” after submitting 11 other offers. Anderson is active in the Hinsdale community and served on the Hinsdale Historical Society board of directors and women’s board, the Wellness House’s board of directors and was president of the Hinsdale Junior Woman’s Club.

SHEENA BAKER

RICK BELLAIRS

Principal broker | Compass

Broker | Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Starck Real Estate

Last year, Sheena Baker sold six newconstruction homes with the same floor plan for a builder with no model home.

Once the first property was sold, she had the home staged and professionally photographed and then set up an indoor drone tour. Next, she hosted an open house before the buyer’s closing to promote the remaining five homes. Baker also created a new team and added three new team members in 2021.

Rick Bellairs sold an 11.5-acre estate in Woodstock for the second time in 2021 (the first sale was in 2013) for just under $1 million. The original home was built in 1845 and remains part of the grand, and much expanded, residence. Bellairs is a familiar face in Woodstock as chairman of the Woodstock Groundhog Days Committee since 2017 and a member of the Woodstock Plan Commission. As an extra service for his clients, he also helps prepare property tax appeals.

JANET BORDEN

DAN CACICH

Realtor | Compass

Broker | Coldwell Banker Realty

Last year marked the first full year that Janet Borden worked for Compass after she and colleague Allison Silver launched the company’s Highland Park location. Among her notable transactions was selling three homes with indoor basketball courts. She also was the No. 1 individual agent for the number of homes sold in Highland Park for the third year in a row. Borden supports the Southern Poverty Law Center and does hands-on work for Habitat for Humanity and the Ronald McDonald House.

Dan Cacich reports that 2021 was the best year of his 25-year real estate career. His sales throughout the Chicago region and northwest Indiana included a Calumet City property that received 38 offers within just a few days and sold for $35,000 above list price. Cacich regularly finds investors for challenging properties. He is the past president, vice president and treasurer of Thrivent Financial, North Lake County Indiana chapter, and past chairman of the Unmet Needs Committee at Lakeshore Area Regional Recovery of Indiana.

PAIGE DOOLEY

CONNIE DORNAN

Broker | Compass

Broker | @properties

Paige Dooley sold a particularly memorable home in 2021—a more than 100-yearold property with expansive gardens, a tennis court, an indoor pool and a buyer who was a relative of a former owner of the home. In a year with tight inventory, she leveraged her large agent network to find homes for her clients. Dooley is enthusiastic about supporting educational causes and is a longtime member and past president of the Winnetka Public School Foundation and past chair of the Winnetka Children’s Fair.

The past year saw Connie Dornan sell a luxury home in Glencoe for $3.75 million and one in Northbrook for $2.55 million.

She was the fourth broker hired for the Northbrook home and sold the property in a multiple-offer situation. It was the first sale of over $2 million in Northbrook School District 27. Dornan combines triedand-true networking and outreach with modern technology such as geotargeted marketing and algorithms to market her homes. She is a supporter of the Autism Self Advocacy Network and Youth Services of Glenview/Northbrook.

ANNE DUBRAY

LAURA FITZPATRICK

Agent | Coldwell Banker Realty

Senior broker | @properties

Anne DuBray closed the second-mostexpensive listing in Lake Geneva, Wis., for nearly $12.8 million. Working closely with the Coldwell Banker Realty’s public relations team, DuBray helped land multiple media write-ups about the home in the Chicago and Milwaukee areas. She also worked with Fox Business on their “Mansion Global” TV show, shooting a segment inside the Lake Geneva listing. DuBray regularly mentors new agents and every October hosts open houses to raise money for breast cancer research.

Laura Fitzpatrick more than doubled her sales volume between 2020 and 2021. Her largest transaction sold for more than $2.8 million in Kenilworth, and a home she sold in Wilmette received seven offers over list price. She is an active volunteer at St. Joseph School in Wilmette, including on their marketing and benefit committees, and is a member of the Wilmette Working Moms group.

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26 APRIL 4, 2022 • CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS

NICOLE FLORES Broker Dream Town

Nicole Flores’ work is now a family affair— her son Xavier joined her team as a full-time broker last year. Her team of six brokers is now the largest it has ever been. Flores boosted her marketing efforts last year by advertising on a bus bench and a billboard and adding her first professional video to her business page.

She is on the board of Everyday Edgebrook and is a longtime supporter of the Danny Did Foundation.

LORI JOHANNESON Broker @properties

Lori Johanneson, a published MBA graduate, last year launched Living Local With Lori, a cross-marketing platform where local experts can share ideas and support one another’s efforts.

The platform includes weekly video interviews and news about biannual events. Jo-

hanneson completed the IronMan Chattanooga in Tennessee last year and started her own real estate team in December 2020.

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SANDRA FRAMPTON

CARRIE GOODMAN

Managing broker @properties

Broker @properties

Sandra Frampton saw her biggest year in her 18-year career in 2021. She also did it without the help of an assistant—Frampton’s business grew so quickly that she didn’t have time to hire a replacement for her former assistant. She did, however, officially cement her role as a mentor for other agents by upgrading her license to managing broker, and she became an assistant managing broker for @properties’ new Algonquin office. Frampton is a longtime member of the Educational Foundation of District 65 and a member of the Mainstreet Professional Standards Board.

Carrie Goodman made her first $1 million-plus sale in 2021 after finding the perfect Long Grove residence for a buyer looking for a home with a basketball court. That helped her exceed her sales volume goal by $1.6 million. Goodman goes beyond typical listing sheets and brochures to provide property updates, improvements and notes on local schools to her clients. She is the secretary on @properties’ philanthropic board, @givesback, and serves on the Congregation Beth Am Sisterhood board.

GINA GUARINO

ANNE HODGE

Broker Coldwell Banker Realty

Broker @properties

In 2021, Gina Guarino expanded her business to include southwestern Florida, along with her listings in Illinois and Indiana. She also sold two properties completely virtually last year, including one where the buyer never stepped foot inside the home. Guarino combines digital and print efforts for all her listings, including postcards, social media posts and ads, video slideshows, magazine-quality printed brochures and e-blasts. She is a member of the St. John-Dyer Chamber of Commerce and the Schererville Chamber of Commerce.

In a hectic market, Anne Hodge relied on a variety of print materials, including eight-page mailers, a brochure mailer program and QR codes, to help her clients sell their homes. Hodge, whose pre-real estate career included working in the construction industry and at a Fortune 500 tech company, helps her fellow brokers build their skills by hosting workshops on technology and the sales process. Hodge is a supporter of pediatric brain tumor research charity Winning With Wyatt and is past co-president of La Grange Newcomers & Neighbors.

NANCY HOTCHKISS Sales associate Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago

Two of Nancy Hotchkiss’ most memorable recent sales included selling the highest-priced home in her market and selling the home of a Chicago celebrity.

Since becoming a fulltime broker in 1983, Hotchkiss has enjoyed

helping buyers and sellers realize their dreams. She is active in her community as a member of the Beverly Area Planning Association, a nonprofit community alliance group.

JOANNE HUDSON Broker Compass

Among the notable homes that Joanne Hudson sold last year was a 1920s English home in Glencoe that was previously struck by lightning. The home was painstakingly and authentically rebuilt using salvaged blueprints.

To sell the home, Hudson created a drone video that highlighted the home, the grounds and the golf course view. She also sold the neighboring home of the fictional McCallister family from “Home Alone.”

Hudson likes to use social marketing videos, drone video and digital pre-marketing to market her listings.

SUSIE KANTER

AMY DUONG KIM

BRAD LIPPITZ

VITTORIA LOGLI

ANN LYON

MICHAEL MAIER

Broker Dream Town

Senior broker Compass

Broker @properties

Broker @properties

Last year saw business increase by 50% for Susie Kanter’s team, which gets more than 90% of its business from personal referrals. Kanter helped neighboring condo owners sell their units by giving advice on necessary updates and contractor suggestions. Both sold quickly and for a healthy profit and led to Kanter getting referrals from both the sellers and buyers of the units. Kanter is a volunteer and supporter of Refugee One, Common Pantry and Real Estate to the Rescue.

The past year was the strongest of Amy Duong Kim’s career.

She closed multiple units in the Residences of St. Regis Chicago, a new addition to Chicago’s skyline. She also capitalized on a trend she noticed of suburban buyers purchasing new homes within 1 mile of their current home. She did a mailer campaign to neighbors in the same school district and received two of the three offers on her listing from the campaign.

Duong Kim is a member of the Hinsdale Junior Woman’s Club and the Asian Real Estate Association of America.

President, Brad Lippitz Group Compass

During the frenetic real estate market of the past year, Vittoria Logli used professional staging, 3D tours, floor plans and videos to expose her listings to as many potential buyers as possible.

One sale that was close to her heart was saving a new client’s home just days before it was going to be sold at auction. Logli found a qualified buyer, and the client made a nearly $100,000 profit on the home, allowing her to relocate to be closer to family.

Logli is a member of the Glenview Public Library Foundation Board.

Ann Lyon joined @properties in 2021 after working for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices.

Among her notable recent transactions is managing both sides of the sale of the Schweppe Estate, a more than 5-acre lakefront estate in Lake Forest. Lyon has led the highest-selling team in the Lake Forest and Lake Bluff markets for the past two years. She is involved with the Lake Forest chapter of the Infant Welfare Society, Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital Women’s Health Auxiliary Board and the Junior Garden Club of Lake Forest.

Broker Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago

In an unpredictable year, Brad Lippitz nearly doubled his prior-year sales in 2021 by capitalizing on Chicago’s submarkets to maximize sellers’ returns and help buyers find their homes. Lippitz likes to create geofences for his

properties to reach and capture more buyers.

Lippitz regularly hosts fundraisers for Human Rights & Justice and the Human Rights Campaign.

Michael Maier worked with a buyer from the Netherlands to secure the perfect Sheridan Road investment property last year. The buyer didn’t see the property in person until the day before closing. With a long career in luxury property sales and marketing, Maier regularly sends out customized e-newsletters for his listings and market data to highlight his properties. That includes several recent marketing-to-sale efforts for residential properties in Streeterville. Maier is a member of the Streeterville Organization of Active Residents.

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CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS • APRIL 4, 2022 27

LAURA MAYCHRUK

AMANDA MCMILLAN

Broker Gullo & Associates

Broker @properties

Laura Maychruk made several memorable sales in the past year, including one during a block party and another to a U.S. Army veteran couple.

She considers surviving in a pandemic and simultaneously having the best year of her real estate career a major accomplishment. Maychruk is deeply involved in her community as president of the Oak Park Arts District Business Association, a member of the Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation and the owner of Oak Park’s Buzz Cafe.

She is also a volunteer at Housing Forward and Beyond Hunger.

Amanda McMillan grew her business by over 30% in the past year and expanded her team by three members. McMillan continued to use first-person videos she narrated herself to market her properties. One of her trickiest and most satisfying deals was actually three intertwined transactions: selling a couple’s condo, selling their mother’s condo and buying a two-flat for them all to live in. A cause close to McMillan’s heart is the nonprofit War Dogs Making It Home, an organization that pairs returning veterans with service dogs.

RALPH MILITO

SUSAN MINER

GINA MUSOLINO

Broker @properties

President Premier Relocation & Real Estate Services

Broker Coldwell Banker Realty

Ralph Milito sold the most homes of his more than 30-year career in 2021. The past year also included the special moment of helping his two sons buy their first investment property together. Milito is a real estate investor himself and has owned and managed more than 30 properties. Milito, who began his career as a real estate appraiser, enjoys handling every step of the sales process from listing to closing.

He is a member of the National Association of Realtors and a volunteer for Cure SMA’s annual conference.

The past year saw some major highlights for Premier Relocation’s founder and president, Susan Miner. That included selling three Winnetka lots for $24 million—the highest price for a single-family residential land purchase in Chicago real estate history.

She also rented a condo at the highest recorded monthly rent of $85,000. Miner is a member of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Women Business Owners and Celebrity Advisors, a nationwide network of top brokers.

One of Gina Musolino’s most noteworthy sales was a custom $1.25 million, 6,200-square-foot home in Valparaiso, Ind. An executive needed to sell quickly to relocate, and Musolino was able to get multiple offers on the home within a month. Additionally, she strengthened her agent networks and even helped three former clients become real estate agents. Musolino, who was born in Italy, is a member of the Italian American Women’s Club of Lake County. She is also a 25-year supporter of the local fire department and volunteers for the department’s yearly open house.

JOANNE NEMEROVSKI

MAUREEN O’GRADY-TUOHY

Broker Compass

Realtor Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago

Working without a team, Joanne Nemerovski uses handson, white-glove service to sell luxury real estate. She has sold more than $1 billion of real estate in her career. That includes the recent resale of a 6,000-square foot duplex, one of just a few in a building over-

looking Lincoln Park.

Nemerovski is active with Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital and the Respiratory Health Association.

Maureen O’GradyTuohy, a second-generation Realtor, expanded her focus on technology in the past year by using more QR codes for advertising and working with digital staging to better promote her listings on social media. Her efforts paid off with a high-volume year, including selling the Walgreen estate in Lake Forest for the second time.

O’Grady-Tuohy, a board member of Lake Forest’s Citadel Theatre, also collects supplies for local nursing homes and for organizations that support veterans and the homeless.

Top 10 Team in Chicago for 10 Years in a Row $111 Million Sold in 2021

Congratulates

Brad Lippitz

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BRAD LIPPITZ GROUP 773.404.1144 brad@bradlippitz.com bradlippitz.com 3323 N. Broadway, Chicago 20 W. Kinzie St., Chicago

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And everything in between.

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28 APRIL 4, 2022 • CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS

ANDRA O’NEILL

LINDSEY PAULUS

Broker @properties

Broker @properties

Andra O’Neill, Lake Forest’s No. 1 individual agent for the past five years, sold some of the suburb’s top historic homes in 2021. With more than 20 years of real estate experience on the North Shore, she is well versed in the market. O’Neill is a member of the women’s board of Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital and head of its 2022 gala.

She is also a member of the Gorton Community Center board of directors.

The largest transaction of Lindsey Paulus’ career, a property listed at $1.45 million, came in January 2021.

It also happened while she was sick with COVID-19. Due to her strong relationships with the agents in her office and with her clients, she was able to get the deal done. Paulus likes to creatively market her properties, including hosting ice cream events where she hands out homemade “It’s My Jam” ice cream. Paulus is the president and fundraising chair of the La Grange Pet Parade board, one of La Grange’s most popular community events.

LINA SHAH

MARY SUMMERVILLE

Broker Coldwell Banker Realty

Lina Shah made several notable sales in 2021, including a Doug Garofalo geothermal home in Oak Brook. Shah, an inductee in the Coldwell Banker’s President’s Club for the top 1% of agents in the Chicago area, came to real estate with a background in law and business.

That gives her added insights into contracts, negotiations and regulations. Shah is active in the Oak Brook community as a member of the village’s Commercial & Residential Revitalization Development committee, the Oak Book Community Caucus and the Oak Brook Women’s Club.

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Broker Coldwell Banker Realty

In the past year, Mary Summerville hired a new agent for her team, sold a newly rebuilt historic Glencoe home and completed the sale of Pitner Row, a 10-unit development on the site of a former landscape nursery. In March 2022, she also joined Coldwell Banker after more than six years at Dream Town Realty.

Summerville is a former board member of the North Shore-Barrington Association of Realtors and an active supporter of Northlight Theatre and the YWCA Evanston/ North Shore’s Race Against Hate.

LINDSEY RICHARDSON

MILLIE ROSENBLOOM

MICHAEL ROSENBLUM

Broker Dream Town

Broker associate Baird & Warner

Not only did Lindsey Richardson beat the individual sales record she set in 2020 within the first two quarters of 2021, but she also got married after having to postpone her wedding because of the pandemic. She even closed the sale of her client’s condo on her wedding day while getting her hair and makeup done.

Richardson is a volunteer with Cradles to Crayons and a former board member of Real Estate to the Rescue.

Millie Rosenbloom has been No. 1 in sales among Baird & Warner’s 2,200-plus brokers for more than 10 years. One of her most notable 2021 sales was a Gold Coast condo with a heated, 1,900-square-foot wraparound terrace.

Rosenbloom has closed more than $1.1 billion in sales in her career, including properties such as a hospital and a golf course. She is past president of the Chicago Association of Realtors, a member of the Magnificent Mile Association and a supporter of the Brain Research Foundation.

Broker associate Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago

SUE TEPER

LISA TRACE

MARY WALLACE

Broker @properties

Broker @properties

Broker Coldwell Banker Realty

Sue Teper sold a home last year solely through video streaming, and the clients didn’t even see the home in person until three months after they bought the property. To get maximum exposure for her listings, Teper, who has more than 30

Lisa Trace, whose @properties team includes her daughter, Sam, sold several remarkable properties in 2021. For a listing with a six-car garage, she targeted her marketing efforts at local car dealers, believing that the home would appeal to car enthusiasts. Trace has worked in real estate for 20 years, but she also had a 20-year career as a U.S. Navy nurse. She is a board member of the College of Lake County Foundation, helping to raise money for scholarships.

One of Mary Wallace’s areas of expertise is helping people sell their loved one’s homes after a death or a move to assisted living. She helps coordinate everything from clean-outs to scheduling repairs. In the past year, Wallace closed the biggest sale of her career. The $770,000 sale was the eighth-highest home sale in Beverly in 2021. Wallace spent 12 years as a board member of the Oak Lawn Park District and was the youngest person ever elected to the board.

years’ experience in real estate, advertises in international publications and The New York Times real estate section. Teper enjoys volunteering with her two children for organizations such as the Center for Enriched Living, Keshet and the Perk Center Cafe.

Michael Rosenblum closed 20 properties at the Residences at Water Tower in 2021.

He also wrote his second best-selling children’s book, “The Caterpillar and the Butterfly.” Rosenblum is an inductee of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ Chairman’s Circle and regularly ranked in the top half of the 1% of the company’s broker network. He is a committee member of the Chicago Association of Realtors’ Professional Standards & Ethics Board and donates a portion of every closed listing to Doctors Without Borders.

SWATI SAXENA

DARRELL SCOTT

Broker associate Baird & Warner

Broker Compass

Swati Saxena has made great use of technology to sell real estate during the pandemic by hosting Facebook Live open houses and using Zoom for walkthroughs and inspections with out-of-town buyers. One of her favorite 2021 sales was finding a dream home for a couple whom she helped fall in love six years earlier. Saxena started her real estate career 11 years ago after spending nearly 15 years as a semiconductor engineer. She is a board member of the Oak Park Area Association of Realtors and the founder of the association’s diversity committee.

Darrell Scott, who heads up his own team, doubled his business last year.

He did that partly by taking a very handson approach to selling homes. He weighs in on everything from choosing paint colors to setting up professional drone videos. Scott regularly works with Chicago’s top entertainers and athletes, including members of the Chicago Cubs, Bulls and Blackhawks. He and his wife, Jill, who is also a broker at Compass, volunteer monthly with the Off the Street Club in West Garfield Park.

HAYLEY WESTHOFF

JAMES ZILTZ

President, The Westhoff Group Compass

Hayley Westhoff grew her team last year and helped them reach their goal of $100 million in sales.

Her most noteworthy transaction was selling a Lakeview condo in eight days for more than $250,000 in profit. Westhoff is a big believer in privately listing properties before bringing them to market to get feedback on pricing. She sells close to 30% of her listings pre-market. Westhoff is a volunteer and donor at Team Bright Side and Children’s Oncology Services’ Camp One Step.

Broker Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago

In 2021, James Ziltz expanded his business into the south Florida market and also grew his Chicago-area business. He made several off-market and pre-market sales and has experience in guiding homeowners through necessary minor and major home renovations.

Ziltz enjoys mentoring other brokers and has managed and trained nearly 60 agents in his career. He is a supporter of several philanthropic organizations, including the Face the Future Foundation, Heartland Alliance and Sunshine Kids.

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CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS • APRIL 4, 2022 29

Julie Bird (left), Allie Payne

Amy Diamond

Barbara O’Connor (left), Hilary O’Connor

Cheryl Bellavia (left), Dympna Fay-Hart

Ben Lalez

Bryan Bomba

ALLIE+JULIE TEAM

AMY DIAMOND, DEAL WITH DIAMOND GROUP

BARBARA O’CONNOR GROUP

BELLAHART GROUP

BEN LALEZ TEAM

Dympna Fay-Hart and Cheryl Bellavia, brokers Dream Town

Ben Lalez, team lead and real estate agent Compass

BRYAN BOMBA GROUP

In 2021, the BellaHart Group was founded, its members joined a new brokerage, Dream Town, and the organization sold $46 million in residential real estate. A personal highlight for Dympna FayHart, who began working in her parents’ real estate business on the Northwest Side of Chicago when she was a child, was selling her youngest son his first home. She holds a Senior Real Estate Specialist designation with National Association of Realtors and is active in her local chamber of commerce.

Over the past year, the Ben Lalez Team grew to 16 agents from six, while increasing sales to $100 million from $23 million.

Lalez, who owns and operates a property management company as well as a small general contracting company, leverages TikTok to promote properties and develop a following of younger home buyers. He also was an industry pioneer in hiring a full-time social media manager. He is a leader with nonprofit Lyte Collective’s Agents of Change and has helped raise more than $50,000.

Allie Payne & Julie Bird, team principals Compass Real Estate

A big year saw the creation of the Allie+Julie Team, with a total of nine licensed team members, along with the opening of a brick-and-mortar office in Evanston. Key marketing methods include the use of QR codes, social media, videos and digital ads; the goal is to be as eco-friendly as possible by reducing paper waste while letting buyers download information straight to their phones. An interesting transaction was a hidden gem: A unique, 50-yearold coach house turned into a single-family home.

k.

Amy Diamond, real estate broker and team lead @properties

In 2021, the Amy Diamond, Deal With Diamond Group sold the same number of homes as 2020, but saw a 10% increase in volume.

The group uses a three-tier approach: Work with the client to stage and declutter; next is a firm belief in print’s ability to target areas with the right buyers; then combine heavy online efforts with the group’s social media following to cast a huge net. The group’s annual charitable event supports a nonprofit that provides social services and housing in 37 towns in the north and northwest suburbs.

Barbara O’Connor, president and founder Dream Town

Business grew by 30% year over year as well as the number of brokers on the team, making the Barbara O’Connor Group No. 1 in Dream Town’s Lincoln Square office and into the top 1% of Chicago Realtors rankings. Another highlight was selling a commercial property using a unique auction approach that drew in multiple bids and wildly outperformed the market to the tune of an extra $250,000 for the client. Team member Hilary O’Connor serves on the Dream Town Diversity Council. Barbara O’Connor chairs the Chicago Association of Realtors’ education and grievance committees as well as the Realtors Political Action Committee.

Bryan Bomba, broker @properties

Hinsdale-based Bryan Bomba Group specializes in the new-construction segment, with both builder and buyer representation.

Bomba, who has expertise in residential valuation on complex residential properties, recently negotiated and solved the complex issues of three clients on a single block in one neighborhood—involving eight transaction sides on three properties. He also has a background in marketing and sales with Procter & Gamble, and is a member of Real Estate Vision, the Relocation Appraisers Consortium, the Employee Relocation Council and Thrive Mastermind.

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30 APRIL 4, 2022 • CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS

Julie Busby

Caroline Starr

Kelly Parker

Crystal Ly Tran Jerbich (left), Salma Torres

Dawn McKenna

Maria DelBoccio (left), Diane Marchetti

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BUSBY GROUP

C STARR TEAM

CRYSTAL TRAN TEAM

Caroline Starr, team lead @properties

DAWN MCKENNA GROUP

THE DELBOCCIO | MARCHETTI GROUP

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Julie Busby, founder Compass

CHICAGO HOME COLLECTIVE

For every Busby Group transaction, a donation is made to the Greater Chicago Food Depository; as a result, breaking the $100 million sales mark in 2021 meant a donation of 50,000 meals, surpassing the group’s goal by nearly 20,000 meals. Among other highlights, Busby represented a buyer who bought a $2.5 million condo in Tribune Tower sight unseen. In fact, that was just one of five listings the group (which markets its local properties nationally) managed to sell sight unseen last year. Julie Busby is a board member of the Neighborhood Parents Network.

A key to the C Starr Team’s success—in 2021, it registered a 35% increase in both volume and units—is innovative marketing. For example, the group makes heavy use of short video clips

Dawn McKenna, team lead Coldwell Banker Realty

with single-frame shots to highlight architectural and design features and gives buyers quick, visual information. In one recent transaction, the group helped a first-generation American family purchase their first home and, by spearheading donations, helped to furnish it. Caroline Starr serves on the board of Journeys | The Road Home.

Chicago Home Collective successfully navigated the pandemic, increasing sales by 43% entirely through referral or repeat clients.

Notable sales include a landmark greystone in Logan Square for $1.1 million and pre-selling an entire nine-unit development in Wicker Park. Kelly Parker was featured in CS Magazine and has spoken many times about challenging the “hustle culture” of the industry, improving agent etiquette and modeling different, more-aligned ways to grow business. She serves on the fundraising committee of the Honeycomb Project, a nonprofit that mobilizes family volunteer opportunities.

Maria DelBoccio and Diane Marchetti, founding members @properties

Debra Dobbs

Danielle Dowell

Elaine Sweeney Pagels (left), Brita Pagels

Emily Sachs Wong

THE DOBBS GROUP

THE DOWELL GROUP

Debra Dobbs, lead broker @properties

Danielle Dowell, founder and real estate broker Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago

ELAINE PAGELS GROUP

THE EMILY SACHS WONG GROUP

Elaine Sweeney Pagels and Brita Pagels, sales associates Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago

Emily Sachs Wong, real estate broker @properties Christies International Real Estate

During the pandemic, Elaine Pagels Group developed a multi-layered marketing approach to generate exposure for listings: in-person and remote tours of properties; video tours of the neighborhood amenities near listings; and digital, print and phone canvassing of the neighborhoods. One of its most noteworthy 2021 transactions was the sale of the “glass house” in Downers Grove, a home with a unique architectural style, history and location.

The group is in the top quarter-percent of production in the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network nationally.

Last year was a record-breaker for The Emily Sachs Wong Group, ranking within the top three teams in Chicagoland (on $316 million in sales) after growing by $100 million in sales from 2020. Emily Sachs Wong was named the No. 1 agent in Lincoln Park for the year as she passed a milestone of $2 billion in career sales. A noteworthy transaction came early in 2021: An 11,000-square-foot mansion on a triple lot with a full-sized yard held the title of the most expensive home sold in Chicago for the majority of the year.

In 2021, the Dobbs Group not only grew from one to four agents (representing 70 years of collective experience), but also quadrupled its volume. It also closed on the sale of a home in Lincoln Park that achieved Chicago’s highest price of the year, and the group won an award for its website. Debra Dobbs’ varied background includes opening the first gelateria in Chicago and producing a David Mamet play. She is active today in national and local politics, as well as the Realtors Political Action Committee and the Zoning Committee–Lincoln Central Association.

P025_P035_CCB_20220404.indd 30

The Dowell Group saw several notable transactions in 2021 as it increased its business by more than 30%, added to its new-construction developments and listings, and grew its roster of agents as well.

One of the group’s strategies is to find gaps in the market and use analytics to properly market and sell homes for a premium. A Chicago real estate broker since 2007, Danielle Dowell serves on the Home Builders Association of Greater Chicago Board.

Kelly Parker, founder and principal broker Compass

Crystal Ly Tran Jerbich and Salma Torres, sales associates Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago

In 2021, the team added six new teammates and achieved a 192% increase in units and a 377% increase in sales volume. The organization uses an array of technology, including videography, virtual staging, QR codes, social media marketing and paid ads to promote listings on its website. A recent highlight was selling one of seven homes on DuSable Lake Shore Drive. Crystal Ly Tran Jerbich volunteers at Humble Design, a notfor-profit that designs and furnishes home interiors for individuals and families emerging from homelessness.

Last year was a recordbreaker for Dawn McKenna Group as it closed on $605 million in business. Crain’s dubbed a $7.675 million Hinsdale listing—the most expensive home in the village’s history—as “the first megamillion-dollar deal of 2021.” Dawn McKenna is part of Coldwell Banker’s International Luxury Alliance, and as a Global Luxury agent ambassador often speaks about best practices for social media.

She is a member of the Chicago Advisory Board of the Concussion Legacy Foundation and a supporter of the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Mike Esenberg (left), Sherri Esenberg

In DelBoccio | Marchetti’s most noteworthy transaction of 2021, the group took over a listing that had been on the market for 600 days; radically rethinking the target market shifted the focus (and a sale) to a happy family. The team also shifted into high gear with social media, adding videos of listings, stories on social accounts, still photos, reels and other techniques to offer sneak peeks into upcoming listings. Maria DelBoccio started and oversees the Battle of the Badges, a charitable foundation for first responders.

Holly Connors

THE ESENBERG TEAM

GETBURBED

Sherri, Mike and Lauren Esenberg, brokers Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Starck Real Estate

Holly Connors, senior broker @properties

Over the past year and a half, The Esenberg Team worked with 120 families— the most business it has ever done in an 18-month span.

A family business (wife, husband and daughter), the team was named to Real-

Trends’ “America’s Best” list.

The Esenbergs volunteer with OMNI Youth Services, American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Save-a-Pet, Fortunate Pooches & Lab Rescue and Christopher House.

A year of milestones for Holly Connors saw her sell more than $100 million in real estate and pass the lifetime sales marker of $700 million as well.

A former United Airlines flight attendant, Connors began selling real estate in the city, but completely changed her business by moving to the suburbs. Today, she’s heavily involved in her community, serving on the Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the Committee for ABC/25 Foundation, the local PTA board, and as a member of the Chicago Association of Realtors as well as its national and state associations.

4/1/22 3:00 PM

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CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS • APRIL 4, 2022 31

Brad Andersen (left), Brady Andersen

Elizabeth Goodchild

Nicole Hajdu

Moin Haque

Jackie Mack

Missy Jerfita

THE GGL GROUP

THE GOODCHILD TEAM

THE HAJDU GROUP

THE HAQUE GROUP

JERFITA TEAM

Nicole Hajdu, realtor Dream Town

Moin Haque, broker Coldwell Banker Realty

JACKIE MACK & MORE

In 2021, The Hajdu Group grew with the addition of a virtual assistant and several showing agents.

Nicole Hajdu aligns the group’s marketing efforts to complement each other, from drone footage and photos to staging and special events. She reached a personal goal by joining the top 1% club, and moving forward, plans to add a focus on investment partnerships. Hajdu is a board member with the Gladstone Park Chamber of Commerce. She and her team support a different charity each month.

Moin Haque reports that he doubled his business revenue from 2020 to 2021, with a notable transaction being the sale of an Oak Brook home owned by White Sox legend Frank “The Big Hurt” Thomas for $4.5 million. With an MBA in finance and a background with major financial services companies, Haque also helps clients create real estate investment portfolios. His practice focuses on Naperville, Chicago, Aurora, Oak Brook, Lisle and Plainfield.

He is on the board of the Infection Prevention & Control Foundation.

Brad Andersen and Brady Andersen, founding principal brokers Compass Real Estate

Last May, The GGL Group entered a strategic partnership with Compass Real Estate that combines its century-old legacy brand with a brokerage with a leading-edge technology platform. Today, GGL is recognized as the highest-producing team in its primary market area.

Brad Andersen is president of the North Shore-Barrington Association of Realtors, a former president and board member of the Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Rotary and Lions clubs, and an executive committee member and treasurer of the Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Chamber of Commerce.

Elizabeth Goodchild, broker Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Starck Real Estate

In 2021, Elizabeth Goodchild sold more than 90 homes “singlehandedly,” bringing her career total to 1,800. She also recruited 10 new agents—“mostly Gen Zs”—to her 21-agent team and elevated it to a No. 1 ranking within Starck Real Estate. She hosts a radio show, “Good to Know with Liz Goodchild,” Saturdays on AM 1160 and recently was elected as the Greater Chicago chapter president of the Asian Real Estate Association of America.

She is also chief business development officer at Zinda, creator of social media platform Journyz.

Jackie Mack, vice president of sales and broker associate Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty

For Jackie Mack & More, working in real estate is a way to maintain affordable housing options in Evanston. The group donates at the end of each transaction to a charity of the client’s choice and donates Mack’s annual “Commission Mission Award” of $10,000 to local charities.

The group helped a young couple buy a building using an FHA 203(k) loan to create a not-for-profit theater. Jackie Mack serves on the advisory board of the Evanston Community Partners for Affordable Housing and is committee chair for the Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club.

JUST LISTED

Missy Jerfita, team lead Compass

A former actress, Missy Jerfita started her real estate career 19 years ago in a challenging market and sold $10 million her first full year. Jerfita Team has made “staging to sell” one of her trademarks, noting that due to HGTV’s impact, buyers today want to see finished product, not in-progress “projects.”

Jerfita has served on board of Youth Services of Glenview/Northbrook, offering counseling and crisis intervention, and she also developed the Jerfita Team Key to Success Scholarship for Glenbrook South High School seniors.

ACTIVE

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2120 Lincoln Park W, 5-6 | $5,800,000

2040 N Mohawk | $3,750,000

4/1/22 3:00 PM

32 APRIL 4, 2022 • CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS

Sophia Klopas (left), Jason Stratton

Kari Kohler

Lance Kirshner

Matt Laricy

Karen Schwartz (left), Laura McGreal

Elizabeth Lothamer

Mario

KLOPAS STRATTON TEAM

THE KOHLER GROUP

THE LAKE GROUP

LARICY

LOTHAMER GROUP

THE

Kari Kohler, broker and team lead Coldwell Banker Realty

Lance Kirshner, real estate broker and team lead Compass

Matt Laricy, managing partner Americorp

THE LAURA MCGREAL & KAREN SCHWARTZ (LMKS) GROUP

Elizabeth Lothamer, broker and team leader @properties

Mario Berks Hom

In 2021, The Kohler Group expanded to Denver and Las Vegas, building teams on the same model as the St. Charles-based business. The team also hired a videographer to document clients’ homes, with a focus on such amenities as large at-home offices, pools, outdoor areas and in-law arrangements.

A notable transaction helped put a subdivision experiencing depressed pricing back on the map with publicity surrounding the sale of a home with a full-size basketball court for top dollar. Kari Kohler is a board member of Arcsology.

In 2021, The Lake Group expanded to seven fulltime team members and business nearly doubled to $73.8 million from $47.5 million. Lance Kirshner and his group were the fourth broker/team to list a unit at 900 N. Lake Shore Drive, a building designed

In the last 18 months, Laricy closed 543 units with volume of more than $268 million. One was a $5.6 million penthouse in the West Loop and another was a large terrace unit at luxury Noir Residences building for $2.5 million. Matt Laricy relies on technology for marketing: social media advertising; promoting weekly on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube; 3D tours, drone video and custom online interactive presentations. Laricy also uses NFC (near-field communication) tags, which he believes will be the wave of the future in lieu of brochures.

After building the Lothamer Group team from one to five agents, Elizabeth Lothamer recently hired both a new operations manager and full-time marketing director to streamline business. Unusually creative marketing approaches include hosting wellness events at listings with massage and acupuncture. The team works with Humble Design, an organization that furnishes homes for people emerging from homelessness, helping to furnish rooms for teenage moms and families. The team does an annual Habitat for Humanity women’s build and fundraising event and volunteers with the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust.

The M Nota Estat has f time estab socia for a majo Insta and ers. M law f Jone & Ell intel litiga is a f mem a bo ans S

Sophia Klopas and Jason Stratton, partners Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Chicago

Sophia Klopas downsized her team to six brokers while increasing volume with a renewed dedication to excellence. During COVID, the team found new ways to spin its 4K video marketing investment, converting tours to more of a blog style, reshooting many existing videos and creating mashups, clips and teasers to entice buyers. A founding member of the KoenigRubloff Cares Foundation (now known as the Kindness Foundation), Klopas raises money for supplemental programming at local elementary schools as well as student backpacks and Christmas presents for the kids.

by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. After managing a renovation, the team successfully sold the unit within 48 hours of relisting. Kirshner has closed over $300 million in transactions so far in his career and is also a licensed real estate appraiser.

Laura McGreal and Karen Schwartz, broker/team leads Dream Town

Over the past 18 months, the LMKS team has grown to 10 women, becoming No. 1 in transactions and No. 2 in volume at the Dream Town Lincoln Park brokerage office—its highest numbers to date.

For its biggest transaction of 2021, the group’s background in new construction helped guide its client in the negotiation and purchase of a double unit in the pre-construction phase at the Peoria Green Development. Two other notable projects were Illume in the West Loop and Norweta Club.

CONGRATULATIONS LORI JOHANNESON

Crain’s 2022 Notable Residential Real Estate Brokers

#1 REALTOR®

CONGRATULATIONS

@properites Christie’s International Real Estate NAPERVILLE *

The Esenberg Team on being a Crain’s 2021 Notable Residential Real Estate Broker Team 847.370.6251 | esenbergteam.com

Lori Johanneson Real Estate Broker

(630) 283-2089 lori@ljhomesellingteam.com

www.ljhomesellingteam.com @johannesonhomes

Let our family show your family the way home!

*B re Re Ba

©2022 BHH Affiliates, LLC. An independently owned and operated franchisee of BHH Affiliates, LLC. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices and the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices symbol are registered service marks of Columbia Insurance Company, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate.

Equal Housing Opportunity.

Broker Metrics/InfoSparks 1/1/2021 to 12/31/2021 closed sales.

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CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS • APRIL 4, 2022 33

Mario Greco

John Morrison

Danielle Moy (left) and Shelly Moy

Melanie Giglio-Vakos

Pattie Murray

Randy Brush

P

THE MG GROUP

THE MOY GROUP

Mario Greco, founder Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago

THE MVP TEAM; MELANIE GIGLIOVAKOS PARTNERS

PATTIE MURRAY TEAM

RANDY BRUSH TEAM

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The MG Group, a Crain’s Notable Residential Real Estate Broker since 2019, has focused significant time and resources into establishing professional social media accounts for all its agents on all the major channels: Meta, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and LinkedIn, among others. Mario Greco practiced law for several years at Jones Day and Kirkland & Ellis in Chicago in their intellectual property litigation departments. He is a fundraising committee member for CurePSP and a board member of the Evans Scholars Foundation.

John Morrison, owner and broker @properties

From 2020 to 2021, Morrison Home Team increased its total sales volume by 77.5%. It marks the third year that John Morrison has outsold all other competing brokerages in the 60010 area and the 12th consecutive year he’s been the No. 1 agent in closed volume in Barrington. The most interesting transaction of the year was a $2.995 million home, which sold in just over 30 days for the full list price.

Morrison is an active member of The Shepherd’s Circle, supporting health care in the Barrington community.

Danielle Moy and Shelly Moy, brokers @properties

With more than $78 million in sales volume in 2021, The Moy Group is the No. 1 real estate team at @properties’ Orland Park office. One of its key marketing tools is “coming soon” ads and reaching out to local realtors to promote properties before they hit the market. Danielle Moy is a member of the Asian Real Estate Association of America, which promotes sustainable homeownership opportunities in Asian American communities, and she was its “A-List #1” top sales professional by 2020 individual sales.

CONGRATULATIONS, ANNE DUBRAY! #1 COLDWELL BANKER REALTY AGENT ON THE NORTH SHORE A Luxury Property Specialist with the Coldwell Banker Global Luxury® program and an International Society of Excellence award winner, Anne achieved over $90

Melanie Giglio-Vakos, team lead Compass

The MVP team has an extensive list of unlisted new-construction properties as well as resales of condos, townhomes, and single-family homes in Chicago and the suburbs.

A key marketing tool is to leverage off-market listings to create an air of exclusivity for buyers to make an offer before homes hit the general market. Melanie Giglio-Vakos, who has more than 20 years of residential real estate experience, is a board member of Imerman Angels and is on the board of the Chicago Association of Realtors’ Casino Royale event.

Randy Brush, broker Coldwell Banker Realty

Pattie Murray, broker Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago

Randy Brush considers himself a coach and mentor to new agents and to clients, especially seniors, who can require a higher degree of hand-holding services. Having worked for a moving company earlier in his career, he personally shepherds clients—he closed 115 transactions last year alone—through details. In one case, he helped a disabled veteran evicted from an “inhabitable” home get his property sold quickly so he could move off the streets. Brush has been involved with Realtors Against Homelessness for the past five years.

The network led by Pattie Murray, a lawyer admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, leans toward bankers, attorneys, doctors and other professions. A notable recent transaction saw her serving as the selling agent for the largest (in terms of dollars) residential single-family home sale in Glen Ellyn, at $2.6 million. She has served on the board of directors for Wheaton Bank & Trust since 2005, is chief fundraiser for the Young Men’s Educational Network in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood and is an annual Diamond Sponsor for the Glen Ellyn Infant Welfare Society’s Housewalk.

congratulations

to Connie Dornan on being Crain’s 2022 Notable Residential Real Estate Broker

million in sales in 2021 and has more than $1 billion in

NOMINATED 5 YEARS IN A ROW!

career sales.

In 2021 Anne achieved outstanding success: • #1 Coldwell Banker Realty Agent on the North Shore • #2 Coldwell Banker Realty Agent across Chicagoland • Represented More Buyers and Sellers in Glenview than Any Other Agent*

TheotokosPanagia

TheotokosPanagia

Count on Anne and her Anne Advantage Team for exceptional real estate service. Let the best guide you.

8 47. 2 0 8 .1 3 9 7 CO N N I E @ CO N N I E D O R N A N .CO M

ANNE DUBRAY

anne.dubray@cbexchange.com 847.657.3747 Licensed in Illinois and Wisconsin

TOP 1% IN THE NORTH SHORE* #2 IN ILLINOIS

BY REAL TRENDS**

*By North Shore-Barrington Association of REALTORS ® **Top 1% & #2 in State of Illinois by Real Trends 2015-2021. This data is LQIRUPDWLRQDO DQG FDQQRW EH JXDUDQWHHG DFFXUDWH 'DWD PDLQWDLQHG E\ 05(' //& PD\ QRW UHáHFW DOO UHDO HVWDWH DFWLYLW\ LQ WKH PDUNHW

*Based on total number of units in Glenview in all price ranges as reported by Midwest Real Estate Data on Jan. 13, 2022 for the period of Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2021. One unit equals one side of a transaction (buyer or seller). Source data is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Affiliated real estate agents are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ©2022 Coldwell Banker. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker logos are trademarks of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. The Coldwell Banker® System is comprised of company owned offices which are owned by a subsidiary of Realogy Brokerage Group LLC and franchised offices which are independently owned and operated. The Coldwell Banker System fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. 22A76Z-DC_CHI_3/22

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34 APRIL 4, 2022 • CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS

Vadie Reese (left) and Elijah Reese

Bari Levine (left), Elena Tamillo

Riz Gilani

Rosie Gonzalez

Marlene Rubenstein (left), Dena Fox

Ryan Preuett

Mike S

THE REESE GROUP

REFINE RESIDENTIAL BY THE BARI & ELENA TEAM

RG GROUP

THE ROSIE GONZALEZ GROUP

RUBENSTEIN FOX TEAM

RYAN PREUETT GROUP

THE TEA

Rosie Gonzalez, broker Coldwell Banker Realty

Marlene Rubenstein and Dena Fox, broker associates Baird & Warner

Ryan Preuett, global real estate advisor Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty

Mich brok Kelle

Vadie Reese, real estate broker Serene Realty

The Reese Group recently created a concierge program to help sellers in low-income communities renovate homes with no upfront costs or fees, enabling them to sell at top-dollar market values.

To be COVID-safe, the 18-member team conducted digital tours, used QR codes to schedule appointments and even sold one listing to a buyer using FaceTime video.

Vadie Reese, who is a clinical quality improvement specialist and an accredited distressed property representative, is on the women’s board at Greater Love MB Church in the Austin neighborhood.

Bari Levine and Elena Tamillo, co-founders @properties

The Bari & Elena Team had a record-breaking 2021 with more than $125 million in sales. Five agents on the team have individually sold more than $10 million in real estate. A notable recent transaction was a fall listing that got stale: The team virtually staged photos to refresh it as a “new” listing and sold it for the full asking price after three months. Bari Levine has been featured on “House Hunters,” is president of @Gives Back charity, and contributes to the Anthony Rizzo Family Foundation and Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Foundation.

Riz Gilani, broker Dream Town

RG Group had its best year yet, ranking in the top 1% of Chicago Realtors in both 2020 and 2021. With 95% of business coming from prior clients and their referrals, the team has grown to five licensed brokers. An interesting recent transaction involved a multifamily investment purchase, which fell through when the appraisal came in lower than the contract price.

A week later, another client reached out. The property was appraised the second time around, and a new deal was put together promptly. Riz Gilani is a board member at One Tail at a Time.

CONGRATULATIONS

La Grange-based Rosie Gonzalez has held the top spot in her office in sales and volume for the past six years; this year, she sold six times more homes than any other agent in her hometown. A college recruiter before she ventured into real estate, Gonzalez has introduced TikTok to her social media marketing game, using it to introduce new listings and open houses. A notable transaction—and one that she considers an honor—was a referral from a well-known retired broker for his brother.

The Rubenstein Fox Team, which surpassed the $100 million mark in team sales, started a new brokerage in Florida to serve as a second market for Illinois clients. Marlene Rubenstein is a LeadingRE relocation and seniors real estate specialist. The team has expertise in public relations, retail, finance and project management.

Rubenstein is active with the National Kidney Foundation of Illinois, where she co-founded the Women’s Board, as well as with a shelter in the city for battered and abused women with children.

Ryan Preuett Group achieved more than $100 million in closed and pending sales in 2021. The team also expanded the number of incoming and outgoing referrals by building on a network of brokers throughout the country. A noteworthy speedy transaction was one built entirely on trust: Preuett met the buyers on a Wednesday, spent a day with them Sunday, and closed the transaction about a week later. He is a part of the Top Agent Network Advisory Board and the Hippocratic Cancer Research Foundation Board.

Compass Congratulates Lance Kirshner

C S TA R R T E A M . C O M

CAROLINE STARR 8 47. 8 9 0 . 8 8 9 2 caroline@cstarrteam.com N OTA B L E R E S I D E N T I A L R E A L E S TAT E B R O K E R

· 2022 · CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS

Premier Real Estate Team, Exceptional Results

Providing Concierge-Level Real Estate Services

Total Volume

Units Sold

$73.8M

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CRAIN’S CHICAGO BUSINESS • APRIL 4, 2022 35

Mike Saldino

Scott Stavish (left), Andy Tsoukalis

Philip Skowron

Todd Szwajkowski (left), Amie Klujian

Nick Fallico (left), Craig Fallico

Josh Weinberg (left), Tommy Choi

THE SALADINO SELLS TEAM

SCOTT STAVISH GROUP

SKOWRON GROUP

SWAKEGROUP

TEAM FALLICO

Michael Saladino, managing broker Keller Williams OneChicago

Scott Stavish and Andy Tsoukalis, brokers @properties

Philip Skowron, founder and broker @properties

Todd Szwajkowski, president and broker Dream Town

Craig Fallico, team lead and broker Dream Town

WEINBERG CHOI RESIDENTIAL

Over the past three years, Michael Saladino has sold more than 170 units for over $60 million in volume, earning him a Top Producer award from the Chicago Association of Realtors for the seventh year in a row. A former sergeant with the Chicago Police Department, Saladino was appointed by the city as a Commissioner for the Northwest Home Equity Assurance Program. He’s also affiliated with Homes for Heroes, is a member of the Keller Williams Sports + Entertainment division and serves on the Chicago Association of Realtors’ Grievance Committee.

The Scott Stavish Group was involved in more than 150 transactions totaling $80 million-plus in sales in 2020 and 2021, including an “incredibly special” home in Evanston. The team of five agents covers a market stretching from the South Side to the northern suburbs. Prior to working in real estate, Scott Stavish was a vice president with a Chicago restaurant group. Recently, he was on an episode of “House Hunters.” Stavish and other team members are involved with dozens of charities.

Philip Skowron emphasizes team mentoring and coaching. Three individual Skowron Group agents earned membership into the @properties’ “Road to Rolex” club because each closed out 2021 with more than $12 million in volume. One noteworthy transaction involved selling two penthouse units at the Park Monroe, both fetching the building’s highest price-per-squarefoot resales in the last six years—and without publicly listing them. Skowron is involved with the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Heifer International and OneWorld Health.

The members of SwakeGroup take pride in selling clients’ homes at 99.58% of list price, on average, a level that it says is 2.25% higher than the Chicago average. The team also listed and sold Chicago’s first pre-certified Passive House Institute US renovation, as well as an “inventive reinterpretation” of a Lakewood Balmoral Historic District two-flat in Andersonville, which was one of only five single-family homes listed above $2 million to sell in that neighborhood in 2021. Todd Szwajkowski is also president of Dream Town’s LGBTQ Client Services Division.

In the past 18 months, Team Fallico has closed 352 homes and nearly $150 million in volume, becoming the No. 1 brokers at Dream Town and in the city of Park Ridge for three years running. Known for aggressively marketing all over Park Ridge, Craig Fallico was formerly a teacher and coach, and many of the Team Fallico’s clients (estimated at more than 7,000 over the years) are former students and athletes. The team hosts an annual “One-Ton” food drive in November.

Tommy Choi and Josh Weinberg, co-founders Keller Williams OneChicago

Tommy Choi, a 2020 Crain’s 40 Under 40 honoree, is a past president of the Chicago Association of Realtors. Noticing that 80% of millennials start their home search on mobile devices, the Weinberg Choi Residential team observed that millennials can use help in curating their home search and might have too many options being alerted to them. Deciding to “go analog,” team members made 500-700 calls each week to various realtors to bring the team’s listings to their attention, enabling them to be influencers to their clients.

CONGRATULATIONS NANCY HOTCHKISS ON BEING A CRAIN’S 2022 NOTABLE RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE BROKER NancyHotchkiss.com | 312-339-3405

2022

RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE BROKERS

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