Kim is a Chicago native and has been a real estate agent since 1997. “My real estate education began while i was a teenager. my mother, an architect, developed a small condominium project in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago. she acted as architect, developer and construction manager and my sister and i helped with the open houses each weekend. This was in the late 1970's when interest rates were in the high teens. it was a tough market, but we prevailed. it was a great education at such a young age.”
“I enjoy working with a broad range of clients - from first-time buyers to sophisticated sellers - and the variety is energizing. each client is unique, just as every property is unique. I believe my talent is in finding the perfect match between buyer and seller.”
Kim previously worked in educational administration. she is organized, methodical, and thorough, yet retains a creative edge. “I have a sincere desire to inform and educate my clients about marketplace trends, neighborhoods and specific properties. an educated client makes more informed decisions during what can be a very emotional process. when my husband and I renovated a 4-unit apartment building, I got a great education about costs and issues in rehabbing which I immediately shared with my clients considering a similar investment.”
Kim loves what she does and her enthusiasm is obvious. “many of my friends became my clients, and many of my clients have become friends. they know that I have their best interests in mind and they trust me. that's one of the best parts of my job and a great gift.”
Kim is committed to being a great agent. In 2005 she received @properties Christie's International Real Estate's prestigious Road to Rolex award, and she stays at the top of her game by investing in her professional education. She holds CRS (certified residential specialist) and GRI (graduate, REALTOR® institute) designations, which are awarded to fewer than 4% of agents nationwide. in 2009 she added the CNE (certified negotiation expert) designation and in 2014 she added the ABR (accredited buyer representative) designation.
Professional, ethical conduct is especially important to Kim. She is the former chair of the Chicago association of REALTORS® (CAR) ethics & grievance committee and served on the committee from 2005-2009. in 2009, she joined CAR's professional standards committee. at the request of @properties Christie's International Real Estate, Kim has represented @properties Christie's International Real Estate at the national level; since 2012, Kim has been on the board of directors for the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), voting on important issues affecting the greater real estate community. As part of @properties Christie's International Real Estate's new agent training, Kim teaches “kerb” appeal, a lively class where she shares her years of experience and mentors new agents on how best to work with and serve buyer clients.
Kim and fellow @properties Christie's International Real Estate agent Kevin Van Eck founded the Lake Effect Chicago group as a division of @properties Christie's International Real Estate in 2010. Lake Effect is a boutique team that provides good old-fashioned, concierge-style customer service in a digital age and a modern world.
Kim has lived and worked in Los Angeles and Denver and holds licenses in California and Colorado. “if someone is considering diversifying their real estate portfolio I can refer them to some great agents.”
Kim grew up in Lincoln Park, and has lived in almost every neighborhood on the north side of Chicago “before there was a Starbucks on every corner” and currently resides in North Center/Lincoln Square. She is a graduate of Chicago's Francis W. Parker school and is vice president of its alumni association. Kim holds a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Illinois-Chicago and a master’s degree in film studies from the University of Iowa. Kim is an avid tennis player whose personal interests include cinema, art, literature, architecture, photography, surrealism, psychoanalysis and road trips.
