Chicago Agent Magazine

12/06/2025

From a very early age, Tony Pigatti worked in retail and enjoyed helping customers. After earning a degree in finance from the University of Iowa, he was encouraged by his stepmother, who worked for a local savings and loan institution, to pursue a career in mortgage lending.

Now a sales manager for Wintrust, Pigatti has been in the industry for 28 years. His finance degree has given him an edge on the analytical and technical sides of the business. “Lenders have to know more than everyone else in the transaction,” he says, noting he really enjoys closing the loans for which others lack the experience or skills to figure out. “My experience and exposure to various anomalies has provided me with an arsenal of tools to solve problems as they arise.”

Tony Pigatti, Sales manager
Wintrust Mortgage, NMLS # 681070

From a very early age, Tony Pigatti worked in retail and enjoyed helping customers....

12/06/2025

2025 Chicago Agents' Choice Awards Best Agent Website: The ATM Team – theatmteam.com, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago

Founded by Team Lead for Buyers Adam Murphy and Team Lead for Sellers Tabith Murphy, The ATM Team brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the home buying and selling process. With a critical eye, construction veteran Adam Murphy assesses a home’s strengths and potential problems for buyers, providing valuable insight and informing important purchasing decisions. Meanwhile, as an accredited staging professional, Tabitha Murphy possesses the expertise to transform homes into irresistible, market-leading properties.

The ATM Team, representing Buyers, Sellers and Investors in the Chicagoland areas. Helping you find your way home!

12/05/2025

Chicago-area home sales rose 2% year over year from 7,542 to 7,690 closings, while the median-sales price in the nine-county metro jumped 8.5% from $340,000 to $369,000, Illinois Realtors® said.

In the city of Chicago, sales rose 2.2% from 1,743 to 1,782 transactions, and the median-sales price climbed 7.2% from $345,000 to $370,000.

Statewide, Illinois home sales rose 2.6% year over year from 11,370 to 11,665 closings, while the median-sales price climbed 5.6% from $285,000 to $301,000.

Read more to see what market experts have to say about the numbers here:

Chicago-area home sales rose 2% year over year from 7,542 to 7,690 closings in October, Illinois REALTORS® said.

12/05/2025

Husband-and-wife duo Regina and Dave Danikowski have a combined 29 years of experience in the industry. Dave, a former U.S. military member, ran a successful auto service business for 24 years before joining The Danikowski Team in 2020. Regina began her career in the financial sector as a credit card underwriter, and in 2000, she transitioned to mortgage lending, eventually joining Guaranteed Rate in 2011. Their diverse backgrounds help them connect seamlessly with veterans and business owners.

The Danikowski Team stands out with unique offerings such as cutting-edge technology, a same-day mortgage program and no-lender-fee loans for veterans.

Regina Danikowski at Guaranteed Rate Nmls # 560041, Senior Vice President of Mortgage Lending, NMLS # 560041
Dave Danikowski at Guaranteed Rate, Assistant Vice President of Mortgage Lending, NMLS # 1987671
The Danikowski Team, Rate

  Regina Danikowski, Senior Vice President of Mortgage Lending, NMLS # 560041 Dave Danikowski,...

12/05/2025

Spa-style amenities, customizable lighting options, integrated technology, storage solutions — and ample space for these features — all surfaced as top trends in the National Kitchen & Bath Association’s 2026 Bath Trends Report.

Here are the standout shifts shaping what’s next:
💆‍♂️ Wellness Takes Center Stage
💡 Smart Tech Is Moving In
📦 More Space, More Storage
🌿 Color Trends Go Green
♿ Accessibility Becomes Essential

Want more design insights shaping the 2026 home? Tap the link to read the full breakdown.
https://chicagoagentmagazine.com/2025/11/25/bathroom-design-trends-2026/

Modern homeowners ask a lot of their bathrooms! Here's our breakdown of the latest bathroom design trends as revealed by the NKBA's report.

12/04/2025

Leaders from CENTURY 21 Circle, Compass, RE/MAX Premier, Baird & Warner and BHHS share their Chicagoland real estate predictions.

12/04/2025

🌏 eXp Realty launched LYVVE, an international real estate platform connecting the 27 countries where eXp operates. Site users will be able to access every eXp listing — regardless of regional boundaries — using the tool’s search engine.

The platform offers an alternative to region-specific property listing sites and includes features like built-in WhatsApp messaging.

More on this new feature and what key problems this helps solve for the real estate industry here:
https://chicagoagentmagazine.com/2025/12/02/exp-lyvve-international-real-estate-technology/

eXp Realty launched LYVVE, an international real estate platform connecting the 27 countries where eXp operates.

12/04/2025

With two decades of experience and a mission rooted in service, Leda Quiaro found her calling in real estate after purchasing her first home. Witnessing the power of homeownership to build wealth and stability, she was inspired to guide others on that same journey. As a longtime professional serving Chicago and its western suburbs, she brings deep local insight, strategic expertise and heartfelt purpose to every transaction.

As team lead of the Quiaro Group, Quiaro heads a dedicated team that shares her values of trust, transparency and teamwork. She is known for her structured — yet personal — business style, which is organized and detail driven with an emphasis on maintaining strong, clear communication at every step. Her clients include first-time buyers, investors and families relocating or upgrading, and she guides each client with education, empathy and steady focus.

Leda Quiaro, Team Lead, Real Estate Agent
Quiaro Group, Keller Williams Realty

With two decades of experience and a mission rooted in service, Leda Quiaro found...

12/04/2025

One of the most persistent myths in residential real estate is that consumers drift away from their agents because they have “moved on” or “forgotten” who represented them. But the numbers tell a very different story.

Here is the strategic truth: Long-term success in this business is built not on prospecting intensity but on relationship depth. The agents who consistently win are the ones who remove friction from staying in touch.

Top Coach Keith Robinson, co-CEO of NextHome Inc., shares three types of outreach that strengthen client relationships without feeling transactional or self-serving in the full article here:
https://chicagoagentmagazine.com/2025/12/01/keith-robinson-top-coach/

"Reengagement does not require theatrics. It requires presence," Top Coach and NextHome CEO Keith Robinson writes.

12/03/2025

The latest November Market Update is in! 👀 Swipe through to check out Chicago’s housing stats from last month. 📊

12/03/2025

2026 real estate predictions survey results are in! 🔮

Thank you to all who participated in this survey last month.

Curious where agents stand with their brokerages? Or what truly gets a listing priced at the top of the market? Want a pulse check on the biggest forces set to shape housing in 2026?

➡️ Swipe through for valuable insights on 2026 real estate predictions brought to you by your peers.

12/03/2025

A small but mighty team, the K&G Collective at Compass is a collaboration of like-minded individuals who share a passion for helping clients.

After operating their respective teams independently, co-principals Terry Kraus and Shelly Gubser started the collective to grow and support each other using their unique strengths. They are pictured here with one of their talented agents, Jatnna Idonije.

A CAR Top Producer and member of the Compass Legends Society, the team attributes its success to remaining calm, listening closely and never rushing the process. Given the team’s achievements in the Chicago market, Kraus recently expanded the K&G Collective and Compass in the West Michigan market.

K&G Collective
Shelly Gubser, Co-Principal
Terry Kraus, Realtor, Co-Principal
Jatnna Idonije, Team Member
Compass Chicago Real Estate

  Shelly Gubser, Co-Principal Terry Kraus, Co-Principal Jatnna Idonije, Team Member A small but...