Real estate has always been a mark of independence and freedom in this country. Owning property for most people is the biggest financial investment of their lives. Having your own home or investment property provides a sense of pride, financial security and can be an important step towards financial independence.
My real estate career is a second profession that started in 2004 when I purchased an apartment building, lived in one unit and rented out the other units. They have a word for it now – house hacking. But at the time it was a great way to get into a property, build equity and have assistance from tenants to pay the mortgage down. I was hooked. I got my real estate license in a week and started helping others figure out how to use real estate as a financial freedom tool.
From 2004 to 2009, I sold property in Chicago with a partner. We sold mostly investment properties and condos on the west side. In 6 years, we sold around 175 properties and about $100Million in sales. This high-volume experience gave me a strong foundation in what it takes to successfully get through a transaction and I built solid relationships with clients and agents that I still have today.
In 2010, I moved to the western suburbs of Chicago and have since sold about 160 properties and $85M in sales with a focus mostly on the single-family home market. My city specialties are Elmhurst, Downers Grove, Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills, Western Springs, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton and LaGrange. Many of my suburban clients are city people who want to move to the more "urban" suburbs that have commuter train access, great schools and strong communities with walkable amenities.
In 2016, I started a real estate development company called Brush Hill Development. We work with non-profits to develop apartment buildings for their clients who are low-income adults with disabilities and mental illness. My company is a turn-key development firm where we locate land, re-zone as necessary, then design and build. All our funding comes from government resources and each building takes about 2 years to complete. At the end of the day, our client's families have better choices for their adult family members with disabilities. It makes me proud to use my real estate experience to help others have better choices regarding their living situations. And it makes me a better real estate professional to have first-hand knowledge of development, design and construction.
After 17 years and roughly 360 successful real estate transactions, I'm proud to say that all of my business comes from referrals – previous clients, their family members, their friends, and other real estate agents. People like working with me because I give clients the honest and sometimes difficult truth that they don't always want to hear but learn to appreciate. I take more of an investment approach towards real estate, and I'm good at thinking on my feet which is useful in difficult transactions. I treat my clients like family, with honesty, and integrity - as if it was my own money being invested. For me, real estate is not a one-time transaction; it's the beginning of a long-term relationship based on service and communication. Long after the closing, I remain an advisor to my clients, whether they need referrals for contractors, help refinancing or later selling.
Before discovering my passion for real estate, I spent 10 years in advertising and marketing in Corporate America for Carmichael Lynch in Minneapolis, Ogilvy & Mather in Chicago and Lante in Chicago. I've been with @properties since 2004. My B.S. in Business is from the University of Minnesota's Carlson School of Management. If you've read this far, thank you for your interest. Please contact me if I can be useful to you in reaching your real estate goals, whether they be investment or primary home. Happy house investing!
