Northern Illinois SAVE THE DATES! Secrets of the Stars*
Thursday, October 16, 2014 K-1 Speed, Addison Register Here: http://events.SignUp4.com/SecretsOfTheStars2014
Holiday Bash*
Thursday, December 11, 2014 Abbington Distinctive Banquets, Glen Ellyn
38th Annual Awards Ceremony Friday, February 20, 2015 Hyatt Regency Chicago
*Brought to you by the RE/MAX Northern Illinois Sales Advisory Council
NEWS in Northern Illinois
September/October 2014
RE/MAX Realty of Joliet Relocates to West Side of Joliet
Nancy Freeman
RE/MAX Realty of Joliet has helped thousands of clients buy, sell and rent homes since 1980. Now, it has found a new home for itself, relocating its office to spacious quarters at 3033 W. Jefferson St. on the west side of Joliet, about a mile from its long-time location. The move was completed in mid-August.
According to Broker/Owner Nancy Freeman, the relocation was triggered by the availability of firstfloor space in a highly desirable area. “This is a very active, high-traffic location, with great visibility. Our former space on Springfield Avenue was much more secluded,” she said. “The move also gave us the opportunity to completely modernize our workspace. We’ve ordered all new furniture, which will contribute to an extremely comfortable facility that provides a full range of high-tech tools for our agents and their clients.” The 3,900-square-foot space now occupied by RE/MAX Realty of Joliet includes a large reception room, a combination of private and open office areas, conference room, and kitchen. It is now home to 20 agents, but Freeman expects that number to grow significantly. “We expected that this new location would attract new agents to our location, but the response to date has really exceeded our expectations,” Freeman said. Another key reason for the move, she noted, is the steady recovery of the local housing market. “It took a while to shake off the impact of the recession, but our overall market has steadied, and certain segments have been quite strong this year, especially homes in the $120,000 to $190,000 price range. More recently, we’ve also seen increased demand for larger single-family homes in the $250,000 to $350,000 bracket,” Freeman added. “Our optimism about the long-term trend in this market was definitely a motivation to invest in a top-flight new facility.”
NEWS
Northern Illinois Brokers Dominate the “America’s Best” Ranking of Illinois Real Estate Professionals RE/MAX Associates in northern Illinois held a dominant position among Illinois brokers ranked among the 2014 “America’s Best Real Estate Agents.” These rankings were compiled by REAL Trends, a leading real estate industry publication. RE/MAX Northern Illinois individual brokers and sales teams held 157 of the 614 spots in the Illinois rankings, or 26 percent of the total. That is a higher percentage than those affiliated with any other real estate brokerage organization. A complete list of the northern Illinois RE/MAX brokers and teams in the “America’s Best” ranking is available at http://www.illinoisproperty.com/ remaxil/index.asp?p=pagecontent.asp&pid=10716. Brokers and teams were ranked separately by REAL Trends, both by the number of transactions they closed last year and the dollar volume of those completed sales. The Illinois rankings for closed transactions included only those teams or individuals who closed at least 50 transactions, while the sales volume ranking was limited to brokers or teams with at least $20 million in sales. A distinguished group of RE/MAX brokers and teams qualified in both the transaction and sales volume rankings. “The fact that more RE/MAX Northern Illinois agents made the America’s Best list than any other group of agents in the entire state of Illinois is a tribute to the caliber, experience, diversity and dedication of our network and their ability to meet the real estate needs of the public,” said Brian Reagan, president of RE/MAX Northern Illinois.
Named a Leading Low-Cost Franchise
Entrepreneur Magazine Adds RE/MAX to Another Top List RE/MAX has been named among the leading low-cost U.S. franchises for 2014 by Entrepreneur magazine. The global real estate leader ranked the highest among real estate brokerage franchises, and 11th overall on this year’s list, which included 95 franchises “that can be started for less than $50,000.” The list appeared in the magazine’s August edition. To be considered for the low-cost rating, franchises had to be rated among Entrepreneur’s 2014 Franchise 500, based on “quantifiable criteria such as system size, growth and financial
strength and stability.” RE/MAX was the highest-ranked real estate brokerage in the Franchise 500. Earlier this year, Entrepreneur also rated RE/MAX 16th on its list of fastest-growing franchises. Again, RE/MAX was the highest-ranked among real estate franchise brokerages. This year, RE/MAX is celebrating its 41st anniversary and continues to be recognized as an industry leader. RE/MAX was also named the leading real estate organization in the Franchise Times Top 200 for the fifth consecutive year in 2013 and was the only real estate company to be included in the 2013 Top 50 Franchises for Minorities as compiled by the National Minority Franchising Initiative.
in Northern Illinois
September/October 2014
2
3
Hasani Steele of RE/MAX Premier Properties Blends Roles of Broker and Development Advisor to Become Top “Good Neighbor” on Chicago’s South Side Hasani Steele of RE/MAX Premier Properties has carved out a distinctive niche in the real estate market on Chicago’s South Side as both top real estate broker and a leading consultant on rehab and development. Over the last three years, he has been instrumental in completing Hasani Steele residential development projects in Chicago that have captured a remarkable 23 Good Neighbor Awards from the Chicago Association of Realtors® (CAR), while also ranking as the top individual RE/MAX broker in Northern Illinois based on 2013 sales. Earlier this year, 13 projects that Steele helped complete in 2013 were recognized at the annual Good Neighbor Awards ceremony. Eleven were among 34 in Chicago to receive a Good Neighbor Award this year. Two other projects in which he was involved earned honorable mention. Steele played a central role in the conception and design of each project through his Steele Consulting Group and then brokered the sale of the completed properties. The honors bestowed this year on the projects in which Steele participated set a new record in a consistent pattern of accomplishment. Steele was involved in seven projects that captured the Good Neighbor Award last year and in five projects that won the award in 2012. Steele has been very effective in establishing markets throughout numerous Chicago neighborhoods. His success stems from his strong belief that in any real estate market there are buyers who will pay for a high-quality product, especially on the South Side
of Chicago, which offers beautiful beaches, elegant boulevards, highly ranked universities, and some of the world's most stunning architecture.
4th Annual Michelle Radke Benefit Raises $5,000 for Lurie Children’s Hospital On a blistering hot August 24, friends and fans of Lurie Children’s Hospital travelled to the new Lake County Fairgrounds in Grayslake to enjoy several hours of music, food, drinks, games, pony rides and more in order to raise funds for Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago. The event was organized by mother-daughter team Donna and Jennifer Radke of RE/MAX Center, Grayslake, to honor the memory of Donna’s daughter and Jennifer’s sister Michelle, who was once a patient at a Children’s Miracle Network hospital before losing her battle to diabetes. The event raised approximately $5,000.
Steele has been instrumental in turning a series of blighted properties into attractive residences with modern finishes, while maintaining the historical essence of landmark properties. “There are tremendous opportunities for thoughtful rehabilitation and development across the South Side,” said Steele. “The recognition our projects have received from CAR should help focus attention on those opportunities, bring more investment to those communities and help revitalize them and the city as a whole. For those reasons, we are very excited about the number of awards we have captured this year. It shows our momentum is accelerating.” The 2014 Good Neighbor Award-winning properties in which Steele participated are at 3438-48 S. Giles Ave., 3638 S. Giles Ave., 4842 S. Evans Ave., 3648 S. Prairie Ave., 1716 W. Beverly Glen Pkwy., 6659 S. Ellis Ave., 9715 S. Lowe Ave., 6508 S. Kimbark Ave., 4541 S. Champlain Ave., 4058 S. Lake Park Ave. and 6417 S. Ingleside Ave. Projects at 4245 S. Langley Ave. and 6651 S. University Ave. received honorable mention. For more on these projects, visit www.whatasteele.com. The Good Neighbor Awards program, established in 1992, recognizes ground-breaking rehabs and new developments throughout the nine-county Chicago area that contribute to serving local community needs, enhancing economic vitality and bolstering civic pride. Editor's Note: Steele recently appeared on the cover of the September issue of “Above, The RE/MAX Magazine.”
NEWS
continued on next page
in Northern Illinois
September/October 2014
4
5
continued from previous page
4th Annual Michelle Radke Benefit Raises $5,000 for Lurie Children’s Hospital
NEWS
continued on next page
in Northern Illinois
September/October 2014
6
7
continued from previous page
BALLOON SIGHTINGS
4th Annual Michelle Radke Benefit Raises $5,000 for Lurie Children’s Hospital
Follow the RE/MAX Hot Air Balloon on Twitter@remaxballoonil! The RE/MAX hot air balloon, one of the most famous and memorable corporate symbols in history, has been flying the skies of northern Illinois all year long. For the most recent flights, see the flight log below or follow us on Twitter @remaxballoonil! In 2013, the RE/MAX hot air balloon flew 157 times in northern Illinois!
2014 BALLOON FLIGHTS FLOWN (July 16 - September 22, 2014)
NEWS
Date
Launch Site
Landing Site
Date
Launch Site
Landing Site
7/16/2014
Naperville
Aurora
8/23/2014
Grayslake
Hainesville
7/17/2014
Streator
Streator
8/24/2014
Palatine
Barrington Hills
7/17/2014
Lake Zurich
McHenry
8/26/2014
Lockport
Lockport
7/19/2014
Woodstock
Woodstock
8/27/2014
Lisle
Naperville
7/20/2014
West Dundee
Cary
8/27/2014
Fox River Grove
Lake in the Hills
7/24/2014
Bloomingdale
Aurora
8/28/2014
Bolingbrook
Oswego
7/28/2014
Aurora
Plainfield
8/31/2014
Rockford
South Beloit
7/30/2014
Rockton
Roscoe
9/2/2014
Zenda
Richmond
8/2/2014
Naperville
Bolingbrook
9/3/2014
Cortland
Kingston
8/2/2014
Yorkville
Yorkville
9/6/2014
Crestwood
Peotone
8/3/2014
Huntley
Cary
9/6/2014
Flossmoor
Tinley Park
8/5/2014
Round Lake
McHenry
9/7/2014
Crete
Crete
8/6/2014
Alsip
Frankfort
9/8/2014
Rockford
Roscoe
8/7/2014
Waukegan
Grayslake
9/8/2014
Huntley
Woodstock
8/9/2014
Buffalo Grove
Fox River Grove
9/14/2014
Belvidere
Russellville
8/10/2014
Midlothian
Mokena
9/16/2014
Alsip
Frankfort
8/13/2014
Geneva
Naperville
9/17/2014
Hampshire
Huntley
8/14/2014
Palos Hills
Lockport
9/18/2014
Lansing
Chicago Heights
8/19/2014
Rockford
Poplar Grove
9/22/2014
N. Aurora
Yorkville
8/20/2014
Sugar Grove
Oswego
in Northern Illinois
September/October 2014
8
9
BALLOONSIGHTINGS continued from previous page
The 26-foot inflatable RE/MAX balloon made a striking presence at the South Side Housing Expo in Chicago on Saturday, July 19. Warren Davis of RE/MAX Premier Properties, Chicago, requested the balloon, which was seen by more than 600 attending the event.
The RE/MAX 35-foot inflatable balloon held a commanding presence at the main gate of the Lions Club Summer Fest and Antique Tractor & Truck show held in Waterman on Saturday, July 19. Tether rides in the RE/MAX hot air balloon were also given. The presence of the balloons was requested by the Lions Club. This family oriented affair has no charge for most events and offers something for everyone. More than 3,500 attended the event.
NEWS in Northern Illinois
The inflatable Soaring Home cold air balloon and RE/MAX hot air balloon were on display at Calvary Church of Flossmoor during Family Day on July 26. The balloon demonstration was requested by the church’s pastor and more than 300 (including 100 children) were in attendance.
The 26-foot RE/MAX inflatable balloon was displayed at RE/MAX Hub City in Rochelle on Sunday, August 17 during the community's parade, which had an estimated crowd of 2,500.
continued on next page
September/October 2014
10
11
BALLOONSIGHTINGS continued from previous page
RE/MAX Center, Grayslake, incorporated both the RE/MAX balloon man costume and their inflatable 6-foot balloon in the Grayslake Bike and Pet Parade on Saturday, August 17.
The 35-foot inflatable RE/MAX balloon was on display at the annual Institute of Real Estate Management golf outing at Kemper Lakes in Hawthorne Woods on August 4. This sold out event included a silent auction for charity and was chaired by Linda Carrasco of RE/MAX Unlimited Northwest, Palatine.
The RE/MAX hot air balloon participated in the Second Annual Color Aloft Grayslake Hot Air Balloon Festival on August 23 at Central Park in Grayslake. Hosted by the Village of Grayslake, the Grayslake Park District and Chamber of Commerce, this event included balloon flights and evening balloon glows along with family activities, live music, food vendors and a Civil War Era baseball game. The RE/MAX balloon was the first to fly out at the festival.
NEWS in Northern Illinois
Agent Meegan Gerace of RE/MAX All Pro, Bloomingdale, hosted the balloon team at the Heritage Lakes School Back to School Event on Friday evening, August 29. Two hundred forty students and parents were in attendance. continued on next page
September/October 2014
12
13
BALLOONSIGHTINGS continued from previous page
Three indoor presentations were performed on a rainy September 10 at Flinn Middle School in Rockford for 1,050 students.
NEWS in Northern Illinois
An outdoor inflation of the RE/MAX hot air balloon was conducted at Ebinger School of Chicago on September 3 for 700 students.
continued on next page
September/October 2014
14
15
BOXSCORES 2 0 14 CALENDAR OF EVENTS Click HERE
NEWSMAKERS FOR THE MONTH OF JULY 2014 Top Office (Closed Transactions)
RE/MAX Action, Lisle
Largest Commission Check
$100,000
Largest Referral Check
$19,225
Total Residential Transactions
3,865
Total Commercial Transactions
55
BOX SCORES
FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST 2014
RE/MAX NORTHERN ILLINOIS*
Top Office (Closed Transactions)
RE/MAX Synergy
Number of Offices
102
Largest Referral Check
$11,848
Number of Agents
2,145*
Total Residential Transactions
3,703
Closed Sales Volume (YTD)
5,194,172,291*
Total Commercial Transactions
47
RE/MAX, LLC Number of Offices
6,000+
Number of Agents
90,000+
Number of Countries
90+
*Through August 31, 2014
On July 26, RE/MAX All Pro in Sugar Grove hosted a booth at the Sugar Grove Corn Boil. Thousands of people attended the event and many of them stopped by the booth to get popcorn and sign up for free raffle prizes. Pictured left to right are brokers Lynn Sommers, Mike Peters, Pam Moutray and Cathy Peters.
Congratulations to Bobbie Gerbrecht, RE/MAX Great American North, St. Charles, on being installed as the 2015 President of the Realtor® Association of the Fox Valley, Inc.
SAVE THE DATE
NEWS in Northern Illinois
Mark your calendars for the 4th Annual Realtors® Against Homelessness fundraising event, which benefits homeless students in School District 211. RE/MAX At Home in Rolling Meadows is one of the founders and organizers of this charity, which is comprised of the District 211 Foundation and Realtors® from a variety of brokerages. Date: Thursday, November 6 Time: 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Location: Chandler's Banquets, Schaumburg
Bobbie Gerbrecht
continued on next page
September/October 2014
20
21
NEWSMAKERS continued from previous page
Northern Illinois Affiliates participate in 2014 Eric and Kathy Radiothon on September 5 RE/MAX Northern Illinois Brokers from the four top CMN fundraising offices in 2013, were armed with headsets and laptops on September 5, from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., to take financial pledges from the public to help the young patients of Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. More than $1.4 million dollars was raised for the hospital during the radiothon, which is held annually. On the phones for RE/MAX were: RE/MAX Suburban’s Frankie Nunez, Jr., Lynn and Lowell Stone; RE/MAX Showcase’s John Steele, Domenica Koch and Deb Borgeson; RE/MAX Unlimited Northwest’s Cherie Smith Zurek and Adele Petersen; and RE/MAX All Pro’s Marla Kubik, Jill Rudman and Mercedes Czernek.
NEWS in Northern Illinois
continued on next page
September/October 2014
22
23
NEWSMAKERS Northern Illinois Retreat for Broker/Owners and Managers
RE/MAX Northern Illinois hosted its annual retreat for its Broker/Owners and managers on September 18 and 19 at the Abbey Resort in Fontana, WI. The two-day event included education, market forecasts and networking.
NEWS in Northern Illinois
continued on next page
September/October 2014
24
25
NEWSMAKERS continued from previous page
Pradeep Shukla
Tom Krettler
Dale Taylor
Debbie Pawlowicz
Piero Orsi
Marsha Collins-Mroz
Broker/Owner Pradeep Shukla, RE/MAX Renaissance, Des Plaines, has been named the 2014-2015 President of the Mainstreet Organization of REALTORS®. He was sworn in on September 12 at the installation and annual meeting. Tom Krettler, RE/MAX Unlimited Northwest, served as the Master of Ceremonies. The 2014-2015 Committee Chairpeople from the RE/MAX Northern Illinois Region are as follows: Dale Taylor, RE/MAX All Properties, New Lenox (Golf Committee); Debbie Pawlowicz, RE/MAX Action, Lisle (Government Affairs Central); Piero Orsi, RE/MAX Showcase, Gurnee (Government Affairs Lake); Tom Krettler, RE/MAX Unlimited Northwest, Palatine (Government Affairs North); Marsha Collins-Mroz, RE/MAX Properties Northwest, Park Ridge (Global Council).
Julie Snyder
Julie Snyder, RE/MAX Property Source, Rockford was recently appointed to the board of directors of the Winnebago County Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) program. CASA is a nonprofit, volunteer-based organization that advocates for abused and neglected children within the juvenile court system.
Brenda Lawler, RE/MAX Showcase, Gurnee, held her annual garage sale event to raise money for Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago. Garage sale visitors were asked to give $5 while they shopped. The event raised $300 for the hospital. Brenda Lawler
The RE/MAX Northern Illinois booth at the Illinois Association of Realtors® (IAR) Conference generated a lot of interest and foot traffic. The conference was held September 4-6 at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place. Later that evening, RE/MAX Northern Illinois sponsored the IAR Young Professionals Networking Reception held at The Cliff Dwellers, a private club at 200 S. Michigan Avenue in Chicago.
RE/MAX Co-Founders, Dave and Gail Liniger, recently donated The Wildlife Experience facility – the popular Denver, Colorado, wildlife art and natural history museum to the University of Colorado. Their gift, valued at $40 million, is the largest real estate donation in University’s 138-year history.
In Memoriam Our heartfelt condolences go out to the friends, family and colleagues of Barb Bailey, RE/MAX 2000, Crete, who recently passed.
NEWS
Dave and Gail Liniger
in Northern Illinois
September/October 2014
26
27
An Important Message From Our Awards Ceremony Sponsor
This advertisement does not constitute an endorsement from the RE/MAX organization.
NEWS in Northern Illinois
September/October 2014
28