Chicago Agent Magazine

11/09/2025

🏡💡 Want a secret weapon for faster closings and happier clients? Team up with an architect!

If you’re like most real estate agents, you have a circle of industry professionals including mortgage brokers, stagers, home inspectors and more you can tap for expertise when representing homebuyers — but do you have an architect or design professional among that group? 🛠️ If not, you’re missing out on a fantastic strategy to add value for your clients while also potentially getting to the closing table sooner.

John Potter, AIA, NCARB, a partner with Evanston, Illinois-based Morgante Wilson Architects, works with clients on private residences across the country and strongly believes collaboration between agents and designers is a win-win for everyone.

👉 Read the full article to learn how to build your own broker–designer partnership and elevate your business!
https://chicagoagentmagazine.com/2025/11/03/top-coach-november/

If you’re like most agents, you have a circle of professionals you can tap when representing homebuyers — but do you have an architect in that group?

11/09/2025

From the moment he stepped into a high-volume real estate law firm at the start of his career, Themis Katris understood what it meant to move fast, think critically and handle pressure with grace. Over the years, he’s closed thousands of transactions, but his commitment to excellence remains personal. “My father taught me the ins and outs of real estate when I was young,” Themis recalls. “I pursued the legal side so I could help him later in life. Then I discovered how much I truly loved the work itself.”

Today, he’s the co-founder and managing partner of The Katris Law Group, which he launched with his sister, Viki. Their practice focuses on both residential and commercial real estate transactions throughout Chicagoland.

Themistoklis Katris, Founder & Managing Partner
The Katris Law Group

From the moment he stepped into a high-volume real estate law firm at the...

11/08/2025

Do you think your 2026 numbers will beat your 2025 numbers? Do you plan on changing brokerages in 2026? Take a minute and let us know in our latest survey!

Take a minute and let us know your thoughts on what the next year will bring in our latest reader survey!

11/08/2025

C21 Circle hired Chicagoland real estate veteran Chris Stephens as its new vice president of agent development and coaching.

Stephens most recently served as director of agent engagement and productivity at Baird & Warner. He’s also worked as vice president of strategic growth at Dream Town Real Estate and as designated managing broker of Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty.

CENTURY 21 Circle hired Chicagoland real estate veteran Chris Stephens as its new vice president of agent development and coaching.

11/08/2025

In the vibrant landscape of Chicago real estate, The Chicago Home Guide stands as a beacon of expertise, integrity and personalized service. Co-founded by Trupti Patel and Spencer Terry, this Compass-affiliated team brings more than 28 years of combined experience and an uncompromising dedication to guiding clients through every step of their real estate journey.

Through The Chicago Home Guide, Patel and Terry offer tailored guidance on property value, home improvements, tax strategies and trusted vendor resources — all delivered with white-glove service and their lasting commitment to remain advisors for life.

Trupti Patel & Spencer Terry Compass Real Estate , Real Estate Advisors
The Chicago Home Guide , Compass

In the vibrant landscape of Chicago real estate, The Chicago Home Guide stands as...

11/07/2025

Former North Shore luxury broker Megan Mawicke has joined Jameson Sotheby's International Realty and will lead its new Winnetka office when it opens in 2026.

Bradley is a former TV network news anchor and sports reporter who worked for CBS 2 Chicago from 2004 until 2020, when she joined . She quickly became the No. 1 broker in her hometown of Kenilworth and the No. 3 broker in the New Trier School District. Since 2020, Megan and her team, the Mawicke Group, have closed more than $250 million in sales.

Former North Shore luxury broker Megan Mawicke Bradley joined Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty.

11/07/2025

Rachel Perl helps buyers to envision properties they never imagined for themselves and sellers to show the best version of their homes without breaking the bank.

A licensed managing broker with Coldwell Banker North Shore, Perl has 26 years of experience in assisting buyers, sellers and developers in Chicago and on the North Shore. Her clients benefit from the knowledge she gained building her own real estate portfolio, which continues to outperform the market. “I started with a small investment and built a large real estate portfolio buying, renovating, renting and selling properties,” she says. “I have bought and sold homes in Illinois, Indiana and Mexico, always with my finger on the pulse of the economy.”

Rachel Perl - Real Estate Broker , Licensed Managing Broker
Coldwell Banker North Shore

Rachel Perl helps buyers to envision properties they never imagined for themselves and sellers...

11/06/2025

In an industry that runs on urgency, Liam Bresnahan is known for being the calmest, most competent person in the room. Clients routinely describe him as steady, responsive and refreshingly direct — someone who brings clarity to complex situations and confidence to big decisions. Whether navigating a first-time purchase or a multimillion-dollar sale, he listens deeply, communicates clearly and keeps things moving without making clients feel rushed.

A three-time Christie’s International Real Estate Impact Award winner and recipient of the Road to Rolex award, Bresnahan recently closed his largest transaction at $2.3 million. But his proudest moments come from earning his clients’ trust and loyalty.

Liam Bresnahan MBA- Real Estate Broker/Realtor, Broker
atproperties Christie’s International Real Estate

In an industry that runs on urgency, Liam Bresnahan is known for being the...

11/06/2025

Winner of the 2025 Best Dressed category in the Chicago Agents' Choice Awards, Curtis Johnson from Baird & Warner - Oak Park, believes in breaking the rules if it reflects your style and says "When it comes to style, 'it ain't for the weak,' so make a strong statement!"

Johnson shares confident and present style tips, what fashion accessory he feels naked without and more in our latest feature.

https://chicagoagentmagazine.com/2025/11/03/curtis-johnson/

"When it comes to style, 'It ain’t for the weak,' so make a strong statement!" — Curtis Johnson, Baird & Warner, Oak Park

11/05/2025

In 2023, Nina Gonzalez lost her son, Niarey. That moment was a turning point in her life, not just in terms of healing but also in terms of faith and purpose. As a result, she founded the Niarey L. Brown Foundation, a nonprofit created to honor her son’s legacy by investing in youth, faith and future leaders.

At the same time, Gonzalez continued raising her two daughters and leading in the business world. She maintained her commitment to her clients with the same quiet strength that she exhibited throughout her 20+ years in mortgage lending, a career that began in 2000 when she worked as a bank teller and a loyal customer recognized her potential.

Today, Gonzalez works with buyers across Illinois, Indiana, Texas, Georgia and Florida, but her roots run deep in Chicago’s West Side and the Near West suburbs.

Nina Gonzalez, Mortgage Loan Officer & Team Lead
Guaranteed Rate Affinity NMLS # 1213893

In 2023, Nina Gonzalez lost her son, Niarey. That moment was a turning point...

11/04/2025

Over 50 agents from eXp Realty Illinois came together for the company’s fourth annual I Heart eXp Community Day, volunteering their time with Feed My Starving Children , a nonprofit organization dedicated to ending hunger worldwide.
https://chicagoagentmagazine.com/slideshows/exp-realty-illinois-i-heart-exp-community-day/

Agents from across Illinois gathered at FMSC’s Chicagoland locations to hand-pack meals with foods specially formulated for malnourished children. The finished meal kits are then shipped to distribution partners around the world.