Busby Group is Growing!
It is an exciting time at Busby Group: we are growing! Are you a newer or experienced broker looking for a team of work hard, play hard real estate brokers to join? This may be the opportunity you have been waiting for!
What sets Busby Group apart
Here at Busby Group we offer our clients white glove, concierge-level service. Whether for a buyer or seller, we are the leader of all aspects of their transaction. To help provide that level of service, we offer our brokers extensive support, including:
Full-time marketing team: Have a marketing idea, but don’t have the time or budget to bring it to life? At Busby Group we employ a full-time marketing team responsible for brainstorming and executing all aspects of marketing.
Full-time scheduler: Never worry about scheduling showings again because our full-time scheduler handles all those details. The same goes for vendor appointments to prepare a listing for the market – we handle all of it!
Full-time Director of Operations: She focuses on your contract timelines so you can focus on what you do best!
Best-in-class training: We are one of the only broker teams that regularly works with a top sales trainer, so you can expert to constantly enhance and perfect your skills.
Mentoring: I love sharing my nearly 20 years of experience with my brokers. We also use a small group system, with each team member assigned to a smaller accountability team that meets weekly to discuss goals and strategies.
Amazing team: I am so proud of our team’s diverse backgrounds, knowledge, intellect, hard work, and kindness. Most of all though, I am proud that we love working together, and are genuinely good friends! Plus, working with a team means easy backup when you go on vacation!
Supplemental compensation: Earn additional income by assisting with my buyer and seller clients – and learn along the way!
So much more: This list really just scratches the surface of all we have to offer! Plus, we are always finding new ways to make our team member’s lives easier and better.
More about Busby Group
Founded in 2016, we are a top 1% real estate team in the Chicagoland area servicing downtown Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. We service a near even split of buyers and sellers in all types of real estate transaction, including: traditional buy/sell, multi-unit, investment properties and new construction/development.
A few words from team members
I asked the team about their favorite part of working with Busby Group, and here is what they had to say!
Maggie: “The collaboration. If you come across a situation you haven’t dealt with before, there is always someone on the team who has been through it before and can provide insight. I also love that the team is made up of women who enjoy being friends. We genuinely like hanging out or grabbing drinks when we can.”
Barb: “Our girl’s night out parties!”
Susan: “Working alongside such an inspiring, talented, and experienced group of women!”
If working with Busby Group sounds like it might be a good fit for you, please contact me directly!
Julie Busby
julie@busbygroup.com
312-890-4818
Why timing is absolutely crucial in Chicago’s current real estate market
We are in uncharted Chicago real estate market territory. In normal years, there are aspects of the market that we can depend on: spring will be our busiest time of year, it always starts earlier than you think (end of January!), and we will see another uptick in activity at the tail end of the summer. During busier times, sellers can get up to 5% more versus selling in the off-season. For example, an $825K home in the spring market we have seen sell for $770K in an off market – a 7% difference in that of case.
The current market
This year, the market is changing on a weekly basis. We saw an incredibly busy winter and spring market for most types of product, but not all. Many anticipated that the uptick in activity would continue on through the summer, but so far that prediction hasn’t 100% proved out. Currently though, what we see is that now that people are vaccinated, they are spending the summer having fun instead of looking for real estate (I guess not everyone thinks looking for real estate is fun!).
Micro activity bursts
What does this volatility mean for sellers in particular? It means that timing is everything. The frenzy mentality is lessening, and the demand is decreasing because there are less buyers aggressively looking. Buyers who were actively looking earlier in the year have lost steam (maybe they lost in multiple offers), and are taking a break. Because my team and I are living and breathing the market every single day, we are able to spot these micro-bursts of activity. Over the past several weeks we have successfully paced out our listings to capture buyer activity in certain neighborhoods.
Our predictions for the near future
In the very near-term, we anticipate the last week of June to be crickets. With Chicago Public Schools last day of school on June 22, people will be out spending time with their kids. It is these sorts of totally unrelated events that can have a huge impact on the market and a property’s ability to attract buyers.
We also anticipate that with the uptick of activity and people returning to offices downtown, there will be more demand than there has been for the past several months.
And lastly, we are counting on our typical late-summer uptick in activity. There is discussion of rates increasing, which usually also creates an uptick in demand from buyers who want to buy before the rate increase.
All of that to say, every single property is a unique situation. When we say we create custom marketing plans for every listing, we truly mean it! If you are considering selling, definitely get in touch now so that we can start formulating a strategy plan that will help achieve your goals.
Is Chicago a sellers or buyers market in summer 2021?
If you have been following the national real estate news, you’ve probably seen dozens of headlines about record breaking seller’s markets, bidding wars and property values. The coverage makes it sound like all you have to do is list a home on a Friday and receive multiple offers by Sunday.
And while that is sometimes true in Chicago, it is also true that our city’s micro-market has a much more nuanced story to tell. Of course, some properties do go under contract here with multiple offers and appraisal wavers. But, that isn’t always the case. Today I am chiming it to outline what we are personally experiencing on a daily basis in the Chicagoland real estate market.
The three sellers’ markets in Chicagoland
There are three micro-markets within Chicagoland that are extremely competitive and therefore favor sellers:
Suburban single family homes: City dwellers are heading to the suburbs in record numbers in search of more space. Across the board in the north, west and south suburbs we see seller’s markets, multiple offer situations and lots of competition. Buyers should be prepared for steep competition.
Urban starter homes: Lower priced starter condos (especially in smaller buildings), and single family homes depending on the neighborhood are in high demand.
Urban single family homes: Demand is not quite as high for urban single family homes as suburban, but there is still a good amount of competition. Homes with good outdoor space in popular neighborhoods with desirable school districts see the most activity.
What that leaves is a lot of luxury, both condos and single family homes, sitting on the market. Sellers of these types of properties need to price competitively right out of the gate to generate interest. If a luxury property is priced as if in a seller’s market, my prediction is that it will sit.
Be aware of this emerging buyer trend
The big new trend we have seen emerge this year is that Chicagoland buyers are not nearly as divided as they once were between the city and suburbs. Before this year, a Chicagoland buyer was either exclusively looking in the suburbs or in the city, never both. This summer particularly, we are seeing buyers shop around to see where they can get the most updated space (both interior and exterior) for their dollar.
And for urban sellers, the bar for perfection is actually higher than it is for suburban sellers, meaning that the urban home needs to be as close to perfect as possible to win against a suburban home.
The other difference in these buyer’s behavior is whereas before they would typically exclusively look in Lincoln Park and Lakeview, they are now expanding their sights to include Avondale, Ravenswood, Irving Park and Sauganash in search of more space.
Buyer and seller takeaways
The big takeaway for sellers is that if you want to compete for the current batch of buyers, who will take the time to shop around to find the best of everything (deal, condition, location), there are three considerations: price, timing and condition. This may mean painting, updating, organizing or staging. Here’s a great article we wrote a bit ago outlining our best tips for preparing your home for the market.
For buyers, you should prepare yourself for differing amounts of competition depending on where and what you are looking for, and this competition should be reflected in your offer. Plus, many of these micro-markets change on a weekly basis, so staying informed is a full-time job (hopefully of your amazing real estate broker!).
Why I love Chicago's suburb in the city: Sauganash!
By Liza Balistreri Cahill
I’m a big planner. I like to be prepared, anticipate what’s coming next, and have a plan.
So imagine my surprise (at myself) when bambino #2 arrived and we found ourselves in a townhouse that did not include a bedroom for the new little man in our life. Whoops!
And then… global pandemic. No school. No childcare. Walls felt like they were closing in on us, we were craving more outdoor space and absolutely needing more office space. And of course, more bedrooms. Aaaand a 2-car garage… the list was getting longer and I was becoming increasingly uncompromising in what I wanted.
I had been looking casually for over a year. The planner in me envisioned our family in Lincoln Park, Old Town or Bucktown. We also considered the North Shore. But it was either out of our budget, too far from the city, or didn’t have the space we were looking for.
During the initial quarantine days, we drove over to the LaBagh Woods forest preserve to get some fresh air, and after walking through the amazingly secluded-feeling trails, spotting several deer and waving at friendly kayakers, we stepped out of the woods onto Bryn Mawr Avenue and were immediately greeted by a family playing in their yard. I had been in Sauganash with clients before, but that day I felt like I had rediscovered the neighborhood: people gardening in their yards, kids riding bikes on the sidewalks, grandparents pushing strollers and couples walking dogs. It just felt like home.
We struck up a conversation with this family about how their kids knew all the other kids on the block and how generations of families plant their roots in the community. I remember looking at my husband and saying: do we want to live here? Three months later we had closed on our new home, and it has made our lives so, so much easier. We now have plenty of bedrooms, two offices, multiple living spaces, a yard and a garage – hallelujah!
We have absolutely fallen in love with Sauganash for so many reasons, but the ones that stick out the most are:
The sense of community: Sauganash feels like a village. Multiple generations populate each street, and you can run into someone who has lived in the neighborhood for 30+ years just as easily as you can meet a new young family. I’ve yet to encounter someone who doesn’t say hello, and I’ve met dozens of people just by walking around the neighborhood. Parents know all the kids up and down their street, and when someone new moves in, it’s not uncommon for neighbors to drop off welcoming goodies to their front door. Just yesterday I saw a sign in the window of a home that read: “Children, bikes and dogs are welcome on this lawn!” It truly doesn’t get any better.
The architecture: From 1920s Tudors to mid-century ranches to French revivals to Cape Cods and even new construction, Sauganash is anything but cookie-cutter. The Sauganash Community Association prides itself in being a resource for renovation and construction, encouraging property owners to embrace different architectural styles.
The location: This was a huge consideration for me. As someone who lived near the lakefront for over a decade, I never thought I could let that go. But living by the forest preserves means we have access to trails and nature, so jogging, biking and unicorn hunting is covered. And Sauganash’s proximity to I-94 means you can get downtown in 15 minutes or less (my husband and I can get to the West Loop for dinner in 12 minutes!), can get to O’Hare also in about 15 minutes, and can easily bounce around the greater Chicago area.
The value: There is such a wide variety of homes in Sauganash, there truly is something for every price point. While the inventory does tend to get snatched up quickly (which is why you need a well-connected real estate agent… hiiii!), if you act quickly you can find fixer-uppers in the $300s and more updated homes starting in the $600-$700s. For the square footage, you can easily double your purchase power for a home here compared to neighborhoods like Lincoln Park, Old Town and Bucktown.
The schools: There are excellent pre-k schools in and around the neighborhood. Sauganash Elementary is a highly rated (Level 1+) K-8 school that soon will have a brand new addition to house more classrooms – including dedicated STEM rooms - and a new gym. Queen of All Saints, which enjoys a robust athletic program, is also in the neighborhood.
Since moving to Sauganash, our day-to-day life as a family has become so much easier, and we can still navigate around the city easily, too. Sauganash may be one of the not-so-best-kept secrets in Chicago. If you’re thinking about a move here, let’s talk! Just don’t tell anyone else…
Thinking of selling, but have nowhere to go?!
I can’t tell you how many clients I have spoken with recently who are interested in selling, but wonder, “where will I go once I sell?!” And this is a totally valid question. Right now we are seeing a strong seller’s market for single family homes and depending on the neighborhood, condos with three bedrooms or more. This means that sellers are definitely in the driver’s seat during negotiations, and that many homes are going for over list price.
As I mentioned though, many of our clients who want to sell their home are getting tripped up wondering where they will go once they sell. Afterall, the lack of inventory impacts sellers too when they are ready to look for their next home.
My overall message is that there are several ways to make it work, and it is definitely worth it to make it work. Interest rates are low but climbing, and similarly, inventory is low but also climbing. So, if you are thinking about selling, now is the time – do not wait! We are here to help work out all the details. In fact, I am sharing my three best tips and advice for clients to navigate this current market and find a great replacement home!
Negotiate a longer close on the property you are selling: Due to high demand, buyers are willing to be flexible on nearly every contract point, including a longer close. Negotiate additional weeks or even months in some cases to find your replacement home.
Close and lease back: Another option is closing on your current home and then leasing back from the buyers. This way you have the funds from your sale available to make your next purchase and you don’t have to include a home sale contingency (which would weaken your offer!).
Find a short or long-term rental: Many sellers are opting to sell now to take advantage of the market, and are moving to either short or long-term rentals. Some of the short-term rentals are also furnished, which allows sellers to pack up everything and leave it until they find their next home. Others are opting for longer year-long leases and moving in and settling while they look for something new. These options also give you access to your funds, which is great for your next purchase.
Bridge loan: Compass offers a bridge loan program that offers qualifying sellers a loan on their purchase, and then paying back the loan at closing of their current home. This is a great option for a busy market like we are in where home sale contingencies will weaken an offer.
As you can see, there are a number of ways we can help make this transition work for you and your family. Please give me a call if you would like to discuss further. Every situation is different, so our conversation may spark even more ideas and options.
Everything you need to know about Southwest MI, plus a fun announcement!
By Mara Walsh
I have a fun announcement for fellow Michigan lovers: I finally got my Michigan real estate license! I say “finally” because we have had a home in Harbor County and specifically the New Buffalo/Union Pier area for over a decade, so this has been a long time coming!
Honestly what pushed me over the edge to go ahead and get my Michigan license is age old supply and demand! Michigan home sales are through the roof. 2020 saw record numbers in home sales, with a 38% increase in homes sold along the SW Michigan gateway areas near Lake Michigan. Further, a 21% increase in the average sale price! That’s not just a result of the pandemic. All of SW Michigan has experienced a steady climb in homes sold, average sales price and total dollar volume over the past 10 years. Our neighboring counties in NW Indiana also experienced growth in homes and a median volume of 10% on average. I have become somewhat of my friend’s Michigan expert, so it only made sense to be able to actually help friends and family find a great Michigan home.
We bought our first home in Michigan over ten years ago, in an amazing community with a neighborhood pool and close proximity to the beach called Lakeshore Cottages. We would drive up on summer weekends (just a 75 minute drive from the city), and spend our time beachcombing, lakeside dining, antiquing, biking and savoring the sunsets! You truly cannot beat the sunsetting behind Lake Michigan; gorgeous! The beaches are not just beautiful, but so soft featuring dozens of dunes that the kids love. Our son was five years old at the time, and he absolutely loved heading to Michigan each weekend – we did too! To me, Southwest Michigan is the Hamptons of the Midwest: a space to truly relax, slow down and unplug, yet still so conveniently close to Chicagoland.
Just recently we sold our beloved New Buffalo/Union Pier home. Our plan is to spend more time in Michigan after our son heads to college, so we bought a home in Sawyer, which is just eight miles north. We were able to find a bit more land and privacy, which we are already enjoying,
One aspect of our vacation home I love so much is that there is something different to do with each season. In the spring and summer we spend tons of time at the beach, Warren Dunes, hiking, and riding bikes. In the fall and winter we pick apples, head to the pumpkin patches, snowshoe, cross country ski and walk our dogs on the snow filled beaches! Taking the train from the city to the New Buffalo train station is also convenient and fun. In just 40-50 minutes you are in a totally different community – think of commuting from downtown to Naperville!
Having just recently gone through the buy/sell process myself, I have so much knowledge to share! I decided to hang my license with a wonderful boutique brokerage I found along the way called People’s Property, managed by Ryan Keller. I was so impressed with Ryan’s extensive professional network and on-the-ground knowledge of the area and I am very excited to be working with him. Combining Ryan’s local expertise with Busby Group’s concierge-level service will be a huge asset to future clients! And, of course, I am still hard at work in Chicago for all of our buyers and sellers there too!
For those heading to the Harbor County / Southwest Michigan area, I am sharing a few of my area favorites.
Harbor County Shopping:
Boutique shops: Mix and Mingle, It’s a Breeze
“Window Shopping”, a new boutique in Sawyer
Antique shops galore along Red Arrow Highway
Patina and Hoity Toity in Michigan City
Incredible antique shops in Three Oaks
Harbor County Restaurants:
Greenbush Brewery, Stray Dog, Red Arrow Roadhouse, Bentwood Tavern, Timothy’s, Journeyman, Froehilch’s, Susan’s, Peasant’s Pantry, Harbert Swedish Bakery
Harbor County Breweries and wineries:
Journeyman Distillery, Greenbush, Tapistry, Haymarket, Beer Church, St. Julian, Round Barn, Lemon Creek, Hickory Creek, Gravity
Of course Michigan is not Napa, but Harbor Country wineries are still so fun! We love spending a day hopping from one to the next!
1 Baby Boomer + a team of Millennials = the real estate perspectives we all need
2021 will be a year of reflection, and although this may have been the most unusual year since 2007 that I have experienced in the real estate business, I look back with utmost satisfaction. Busby Group is a team of eight strong, savvy, knowledgeable women who work in earnest to support each other to help all of our clients fulfill their dreams of home ownership at every price point. Sometimes it takes a village!
As a Baby Boomer, I suggest that looking ahead this year might require some vigilance. Yes, interest rates are still relatively low and inventory is only slightly higher, but a change in Washington always merits careful attention to all of the markets. Most of the team is Millennials, which is good, because Millennials will be the largest group of home buyers this year – again! It is widely known that something like $50-65 trillion will be transferred down to Millennials over the next 25 years from their grandparents and parents. The process has already started. And one of the five buckets that Boomers are advising their younger family members to put some of that inheritance in is real estate. Whether a Boomer or Millennial or Gen X, Y or Z, there are some constants in real estate worth noting.
I remember reading that billionaire Andrew Carnegie famously said that 90% of millionaires got their wealth by investing in real estate. I bought my first condo at age 25 in NYC as a “Yuppie”. Of course, I wish I had kept it as an investment, but like most young people, had to sell it to move up to the next size home. We sold it to move to Chicago, a city I had never seen. This city looked quite different then, as you can imagine. Mortgage rates were 18.45% in October of 1981! Lincoln Park was not yet the home of the 1% – that didn’t happen until the late 1980’s.
We had no idea where to start looking for a home (and there was NO internet) so we relied on a seasoned Realtor that my mother-in-law recommended. What great advice. Not only did she help us find the right home, but the right neighborhood, the right grocery store, the right jazzercize studio – well, the right everything – which made for a lifelong relationship, and not just our first transaction here in Chicago. All these years later, I know now what I did not know then: what a good investment looks like in Chicago, what will maintain its value, and what won’t. I also learned the importance of making sure the customer feels good after the sale is completed. This is exactly why our referral business at BG is so strong.
I learn as much from the younger members of the group as they learn from me. And it isn’t just all about real estate. I can empathize with the mindset of the Millennials because my children are in their thirties. Millennials are some of my favorite clients because they come prepared and ask great questions. They are excited and optimistic. I can appreciate where they are in their lives. In return, they see where I am and advise me on restaurants, CBD and athletic wear! And from my team I am constantly learning too. As fleeting as restaurant and athletic wear trends are, so too is the status quo of the real estate market. My team constantly presents new and innovative ideas and ways of thinking, and of course, new technology to make things easier!
What would I say is the best advice I can offer my teammates, based on my years in the business? We can’t forget that real estate transactions are all about the EXPERIENCE. That experience starts upon our first contact, well before showings, right to and through the closing moments....and forever afterward. Making ALL these experiences rewarding, efficient, thoughtful and enjoyable for all is certain to cement strong relationships into the future.
We believe that the experience Busby Group offers can never be replaced by a computer algorithm or discounted service alone. Your representation matters. I once worked for a destination club owned by a real estate development company. Everything we did was about the client experience, and in fact, giving the client the ultimate experience actually made my work experience overwhelmingly positive. This never fails.
Having team members of various ages, backgrounds, skill sets and perspectives enables Busby Group to give the most well-rounded advice and service to our clients, and have a lot of fun in the process. That is how we manage to stay in the top 1% of Chicago real estate brokers. We love finding terrific homes in every Chicago neighborhood and helping to match them with new buyers. We are really match-makers! It is one of the most satisfying phrases to tell a client: “we have a deal!” Everyone smiles. It means they can move on to their next exciting chapter. Are there often mixed emotions? Yes! Has there been anxiety? Yes! But the challenges we overcome for our buyers and sellers are evidence that having a broker on your side with market knowledge, integrity and discretion is essential.
Here’s to moving forward in 2021, utilizing all we know from the past!
Screen Time Philosophies Pre-Pandemic and Now
Some of you may not know that our very own Liza writes for Neighborhood Parent’s Network, one of our very favorite organizations! Liza is the mom of two young kiddos, and an amazing, thoughtful resource for parenting tips and advice. We are luckily sharing her latest piece, focused on screen time rules, pre- and post-pandemic! Thank you, Liza!
Written by Liza Balistreri Cahill for Neighborhood Parent’s Network
I remember being pregnant with my daughter (kiddo #1), and having very ambitious plans about what kind of parent I was going to be…
Make homemade baby food? Of course! How organic.
Sign up for a variety of baby/toddler classes? Yes, swimming and music galore!
And screen time? No way! I’m going to be a totally involved, dedicated parent focusing on real-life experiences.
WELLLLLL fast forward slightly to balancing work and life with a kiddo. In comes the kid-friendly shockproof iPad case so we can start with Sesame Street and Chu Chu TV. Still limiting the time to when I’m cooking dinner or taking a quick shower…
AAAAAND fast forward a bit more to introduce kiddo #2, global pandemic, lifestyle shut down, still working and balancing life and trying not to lose my mind. (Thank you, iPad Screen Time Alert for reminding me how much my daughter’s use increased when that happened. Ugh.)
So what is the right call these days? Obviously we are all trying our best just to SURVIVE right now. Most kids are at home e-learning, and most parents are balancing working from home with parenting and schooling at the same time. Times are not easy. But our pendulum has swung in both directions and I feel like we’ve found our healthy and practical balance.
Let’s start with Google (a good way to achieve a baseline what “they” say is good or not good): The American Academy of Pediatrics, which, depending on the child’s age, generally recommends no or very limited screen time for kids, has recognized that kids’ media use will likely increase under these stressful circumstances. (See the AAP’s article on healthychildren.org -> COVID-19 link.) Among their recommendations are:
Keep a routine
Use screen time for positive, social connections
Choose quality content
Use media together
Recommended screen times are definitely fluctuating now, too. Obviously if you have a middle-schooler who needs to virtually attend classes, their necessary daily screen time is likely more than a toddler’s. But the recommendations for keeping media use useful and also balanced can be broadly applied across different ages. Our family’s pandemic pendulum is more or less in a balanced state, and thankfully it seems to follow the AAP’s suggestions. Here’s what it took to get us there:
Routine & schedule: When the lockdown started and we were going bonkers trying to figure things out, screen time was whenever I felt stressed or didn’t know what else to do. But it felt panicked, disorganized and lazy to consistently use it that way. So we wrote up a schedule and had very specific times on when screen time was allowed. Still very useful when I need to focus on cooking dinner.
Positivity & socializing: We have all been Zooming and FaceTiming more, and when my daughter started asking to call her friends, it was a great way for her feel like she had some control on her own socialization. And watching two 4-year-olds have an in-depth conversation about how much they like mac & cheese is pretty cute.
Quality content: This is really important to me. I’m pretty strict about being on YouTube. Kids can go down some weird wormholes watching videos of other kids eating gross food or strange adult hands playing with kids’ toys. We like Numberblocks and Cosmic Kids, videos of kids building with engineering-related materials. We also have total veg-out options, of course, like Disney+ movies on Friday nights and Saturday morning cartoons.
Togetherness: Sometimes I sit with my daughter to chat with her about what’s she’s watching. Hearing her tell me about how multiplication works or how she is calming her yogi energy makes me feel re-connected with her, and allows her to process the information she’s absorbing and explain it in her own words.
Forgive yourself: As a parent, we are often our own worst critics. There are times when I’ll need to jump on my computer when I’m wearing my Mom Hat and we are supposed to be having a no-iPad lunch. Guess what? Sometimes the schedule changes, and my daughter gets a bonus movie-with-PB&J time. Don’t feel guilty if it happens.
Structuring your kids’ screen time within this frame work can help you achieve a more successful balance in these crazy times. Using media as a limited tool – or an emergency helper! – is very normal. You know that you have some time to focus on your own tasks while your kids’ brains aren’t turning into mush. And a no-mush brain is always a win for a parent!
The four lessons I learned launching my career during the pandemic
Launching your real estate career during a worldwide pandemic is not for the faint of heart! Honestly though, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I truly believe that the obstacles put in my path only made me a smarter, stronger broker. And, in the end, the hard work paid off! 2020 was a banner year for Busby Group. Together we helped 156 families buy and sell real estate throughout Chicagoland, totaling $65M in sales – that is a $20M increase from 2019!
And, the 2021 spring market is already here! In a moment of reflection before my schedule imploded, I sat down and wrote the top lessons I learned throughout 2020 so that they always stay with me. Here they are, in no particular order.
Be adaptable: Now that we are many months into the pandemic, we all know how to cope and how to conduct our business, but back in March we had no idea! I will never forget all eight of us hustling out to every one of our listings to record virtual tours. We already had professional videos, but we also wanted this more casual, informative video to offer potential buyers. We then shifted to virtual tours and Zoom showings because we wanted to make sure our listings gained the most exposure possible. This experience taught me two things. First, the real estate market is always fluctuating. What worked for one listing, may not work for another. Be observant and adapt. And second, the Busby Group team will do anything for our clients!
Be proactive: The pandemic may be just about the only force able to slow a Chicago spring market! Instead of waiting around, we took that time to focus on and invest in new and existing streams of business. One such area was our corporate relationships. We have deep seeded relationships with many of the top consultancies and hospitals throughout Chicago, working with busy executives moving to or from Chicago. During these slower days we took the time to perfect our protocols and logistics for these clients, and strengthened existing relationships even further.
Give back: The pandemic has impacted everyone differently, but I know we can all agree that giving back to the local community has never been more important. On a large scale, Busby Group introduced our partnership with the Chicago Food Depository, with a portion of every sale going toward helping feed Chicagoans. Giving back is our way of paying it forward and working toward helping to improve the city we love.
Evolve with your clients: One of the many ways the pandemic has had an unforeseeable long-term impact on people’s lives is second homes! The demand for second homes has skyrocketed. As a result, I am planning to obtain my real estate license in Michigan to help my clients buy and sell. Stay tuned for an update in February! We have owned a second home in Michigan for 10 years, and just this past October sold that home and purchased a new one. I love to chat about all things Michigan, so please reach out anytime!
With more passing time and retrospect, I know this list will grow. I am excited for the 2021 real estate market (so busy already!), and know that I will use the lessons of 2020 on a daily basis. As one of my recent clients said in the following testimonial, it is very important to me to go the extra mile for my clients!
Testimonial from past client, Kanika:
“Mara was amazingly patient as she helped us figure out what we really wanted, and matched it with what was available in our budget – and she did all this during a pandemic when everything was closing down. Her persistence in following up with sellers and getting us in to see our dream property (when no one else could during the pandemic) was commendable. Mara guided us through the complete buying process and we felt confident that we paid the right price for a home that will grow with us.”
Happy one year anniversary, Barb!
It is hard to believe that one year has already flown by with Barb on our team! I have actually known and worked with Barb for many years, and am so happy to have her experience and point of view represented on the team. Barb is a people person through and through, and her clients will tell you that her natural inclination to help people is an amazing asset! Here’s to many more great years together, Barb! To celebrate, we put together a fun and quick interview with Barb herself! Enjoy!
You have been in real estate for over a decade, but what did you do before starting in real estate?
My career has many chapters! After college I worked in the tax department of a large law firm in NYC. I actually worked under Marty Ginsburg, who would often talk about his wife, Ruth! When I decided I did not want to be an attorney, I took my Series 7 exam and became an account executive at Merrill Lynch. My original clients were from the law firm.
Then when I got engaged we moved to Chicago, where I joined Citicorp in their Corporate Foreign Exchange group. Many midwest companies did business overseas and needed to buy and sell different currencies. My career took another turn after my children were in school when I worked in a contemporary high-end jewelry firm selling pieces from all over the world. My beginning in real estate came as the VP of networking for a global destination club. So I have a broad background in markets and marketing of all kinds. Sales and service came naturally to me.
You have a unique and diverse background! What is the secret to your success?
The one common aspect of all of my past positions are my people skills. I genuinely enjoy talking with people and finding solutions to their problems, or finding them something they love. Their happiness, gratitude and appreciation are important to me.
What drew you to the BG Team?
I worked with Julie for several years on a large and successful real estate team. I enjoyed working with her and respected her energy, experience and integrity, so when it came time to find a new team, she was my first call. The group includes eight terrific women from all different types of backgrounds, which I find helpful and exciting.
What is your favorite part of working in real estate?
I love the sense of accomplishment I feel when vacuuming, shoveling snow and raking leaves, so, of course, finding the right home or buyer for a client feels just the same: a project with closure – and happy clients!
What has been your biggest professional ah-ha moment so far?
That working smart is so much easier than working hard.
What are you most excited about in the coming year?
Easy! I can’t wait to move beyond the Covid environment: dining out, playing golf, pickle or tennis and hosting my networking events are all activities I look forward to.
Lightning Round:
Where do you live in Chicago, and what is your favorite neighborhood?
I started in the Gold Coast, then moved to Lincoln Park and am now on LSD in East Lakeview. Each has its own vibe and amenities. I grew up in NYC, so I can’t believe you can live with so much space and green, look at the water every day and still be in a major metropolitan city. It’s hard to pick a favorite as new neighborhoods keep popping up, and we visit them all everyday!
Favorite Chicago restaurant: Either of my daughter’s homes.
Favorite local shop: Sabbia Fine Jewelry at 900 Michigan.
You are actively involved in a number of charities; can you tell us a bit about each one?
Before children, I volunteered for Landmark’s Preservation Society because I love history and great architecture. I was also on the Woman’s Board at the Field Museum for a number of years also because of the fantastic history and anthropology that is on display there.
When I went back to work and had less time, I focused on the Rush University Medical Center. The original medical college was the first in Chicago, established in1837, two days before the city was incorporated. Today the medical center is a general medical and surgical facility, ranked No. 17 on the Best Hospitals Honor Roll. I have been on the Woman’s Board since 1983 and am currently the Chair of the Road Home Project, which focuses on caring for our veterans returning from battle with the invisible wounds of PTSD, depression, recovery from sexual abuse, etc. This program is also funded by the Wounded Warrior Program.