My husband and I recently listed our 2 bedroom condo with Debra. We met with several agents prior…read moreto choosing her and got the best feeling from her. She had great opinions about what to do to stage our condo and how to market it. Ultimately, we were under contract exactly 1 week after listing for full price. Unheard of and so much better than anything we could have imagined. She also helped us find our dream house and was there for us every step of the way. The most impressive thing to us was that she pushed the seller for a super fast close so we didn't have to live in temporary housing between the sale of our condo and our purchase!! I would recommend Debra to anyone selling or buying!

Debra Dobbs and Alyssa Alger provided us with the best experience possible. We primarily worked…read morewith Alyssa who was a complete joy. She was professional, creative and hard working. She treated our condo like it was hers, and used everything in her power to help us sell our unit for the best price possible. We felt like we were in very capable hands . These women actually care about their clients. We couldn't be happier with this team and the experience they provided. I would highly recommend them for all your real estate needs in the Chicago area.

We're so grateful we got to work with Katie when buying our first home. As first time buyers, we…read morehad a lot to learn and her level-headed and educational approach helped us feel so much more confident in taking this big and daunting life step. We wound up finding our dream condo extremely early in our search thanks to Katie's combing of the pre market listings. While it was scary to jump right into making an offer, she empowered us to make our own decision without any pressure while also supporting us and helping us craft a strong offer that got accepted in 24 hours. Katie is great at what she does and we wholeheartedly recommend her!

As first-time home buyers, my fiancée and I were clueless as to where to start. Jeff was amazing…read moreat breaking down each section of the home buying process into a simple overview before we even started our search. Then, during each step of the way, was able to communicate exactly what to expect and he was spot on. He was really on top of the market and was able to show us a lot of properties right away. He has a great eye for potential problems and what to look out for. Jeff is also well connected to the rest of the pieces of the puzzle and made wonderful recommendations from inspector to attorney to locksmith. Jeff really gets the Chicago real estate market. Our search was also during COVID and Jeff was able to adapt easily to still be effective and safe. Jeff is a great guy and a great agent.

Jeff is really great to work with! I worked with him to buy my condo, then again several years…read morelater to sell the condo and buy a house. He is very good at answering questions, and very responsive. He even arranged a last minute showing for me during the coldest day of the year! I very very highly recommend Jeff.

Purchased my first condo in Chicago with Alex, and he was very pleasant to work with! I live in…read moreCalifornia so it was hard to find a quality agent (Redfin was awful. They redirected me to 3 different agents and did not take me seriously). I resorted to LinkedIn where he reached out and offered his help. He was available through text, call, and email, and he provided the latest listings in the Lincoln Park area. We had 7-8 properties to view, and he was able to set all appointments in a single day. When I flew out for the appointment, I didn't have a car and was going to ride a bike, but he kindly offered to take me to all the viewings. One day later, we were able to put an offer down on a condo and close out by the end of the month. Alex is very accommodating and helpful. I really like how professional yet casual and easy he is to talk to. I highly recommend!

Great realtor. Really will make it work around your schedule. He was driving at odd times to places…read morecompletely inconvenient to help seal the deal. Also was on top of the other side in making them get corrected documentation (the other lawyer wasn't really putting any effort into getting thru attorney review). Personable, not pushy, we looked at dozens of houses before we came to a decision. Didn't feel rushed at all thru the shopping process. Can say he was looking out for our interests instead of just sealing the deal to hit quotas like at larger realty groups.

Ed was fantastic and patient with us, as we were first time homebuyers. He explained every step of…read morethe process in terms we could easily understand. He also gave us bits of information at appropriate times as to not overwhelm us with information. Not only was he knowledgeable in the transaction of properties but he had great insight on building materials and property maintenance. This helped to know what we could potentially face down the road with a given property. He was flexible and always in a good mood. He was always around, quick to respond. He even told us beforehand if he would be busy for whatever reason but told us when he'd be free again or who to contact in the meantime. A true pleasure to work with and even someone I would consider a friend!

Ed is truly among the greatest agents you can work with. I was a first time homebuyer nervous about…read morethe daunting process and every concern I had was quickly resolved with Ed. He is thorough, knowledgable, patient, friendly, diligent, and responsive. Ed reaches out to give you everything you could possibly need throughout the process. Lender information, lawyer recommendations, and even contractor recommendations. During every tour Ed made sure to investigate the homes thoroughly to make sure he could give you the absolute best advice. He is quick to notice any potential costs or concerns that might come with any home. Ultimately, Ed found me my first home in Chicago and provided all the tools so I could make well informed and competitive offers. I cannot recommend Ed enough!

Without naming names, I can honestly tell you that I could have negotiated a better real estate…read moredeal myself as opposed to my agent at Urban Domain. At 23 years of age. In a dark alley. Drunk. And knocked unconcious. When making an offer, I wanted to offer approx 5 percent less than the asking price. My agent told me "oh no, we don't want to insult them." Excuse me, who are you reprsenting!? Also, on my final walk through...she was annoyed that I caught a few things that had NOT been repaired according to the sales contract. Luckily my real estate attorney forced the sellers to escrow the money for repairs at closing, so I did not get screwe over...but had it been up to my agent I'd have just shut my mouth and closed the deal so she could get the comission. My agent was so...unambitious, unassertive, un real estate agent-like. I kept asking around at how much experience she had, thinking she MUST BE new. No dice, she had 10 years of experience and still had no answers to my questions, and constantly having to get back to me after she talked with the boss. It's like, how do you not know these things!? Or...anything for that matter!? Needless to say, I will do much more research when I find my next agent. I chalk it up to naivete and youth, and I will not make the same mistake again. They do have a nice office...but that's the only positive I can think of.

This is very terrible property management company I have ever met from China to America which is…read moreacross more than half of the earth. The agency, named Sarah, often hang up my phone while most of the time she won't reply my message, phone and email. And the attitude is rude, tough and impolite. I don't know why. Maybe because my nationality? When I can't get what she says and ask her speak slower, her attitude is arrogant and teasing me with one to one word which sounds ambiguous. I know there is gap between different country. But I have been staying in kind of western countries for many years. I can feel, I can distinguish that This kind of attitude is discrimination to me, disgraceful and hurt my Chinese self-respect. There comes another agency named Adam. I thought I saw the hope to get reasonable treatment and respectful attitude. When I ask for release for more than one month ago, after many times of Sarah' insult attitude and I turned to connect with Adam. At first I tried many times and spend a lot of time to get the final definite procedure to do the sublease, which you know the whole thing is really torturing me: I seldom could contact with Adam and get stuck in everyday' waiting. After the sublease guy's the application online and paid the charge,I waited for 11 days to get Adam'reply that the guy's application online is approved but what never told me is that I should wait for the other people who rent the house' agreement! And then I have to get stuck in another time' waiting and I don't know how long should I wait. Because I can not get Adam' reply any more. Really torturing me a long time. I just don't know why the simple things become so complex. In other property management, it is quick that let the previous tenant and future tenant sit together with the agency and sign the contract on the spot and solve the problem. What make me feel really suffering is I seldom get the agency 'reply. I really can't stand this.Because my nationality, language, female, student, that I get such treatment? I think America is a fair country. This is housing discrimination which is against the law Fair Housing Act of 1968. I really feel desperate for the thing.

Matt Messel and his team of professionals successfully sold two penthouse units in Palatine for me…read more Each property presented unique challenges, as they were standout residences within an otherwise average building. Throughout the process, Matt skillfully navigated numerous obstacles, including multiple instances where contracts fell through at the last minute. Thanks to his business acumen, persistence, and in-depth market knowledge, both units ultimately sold at satisfactory prices. I would not hesitate to work with the Blackshaw Messel Group again for any future real estate needs.

Ryan Gable from Starting Point Realty was our agent when we were shopping for a house. We're first…read moretime home buyers, and even though we did as much self-learning education we could, he taught us there was always more and more to learn during the home buying process. Even though we had a hard time deciding between single family homes (Detached) and town homes/Condos (Attached), Ryan was always patient with us. He was with us every step of the way with great insights on affordability, explaining how home offers work, even when we decided to switch our search locations! No matter the twists and turns we presented (I'm sorry Ryan!!), Ryan stood by our side the entire process. In fact, he was a mentor for us, who went to essentially EVERY single house we wanted to see, who gave valuable opinions and insights on every home and even the area where the home was located. He checked in with us and made sure we actually loved the house instead of pushing us towards a home to make a quick sale. Ryan is the kind of real estate agent you would want; patient, will educate you during the whole process, and will ensure you're taken care of during the whole process!

Ryan was incredibly knowledgeable, experienced and empathetic. He was able to deftly guide us…read morethrough the process of selling our home and the absurdities of the current market to a safe landing. Ryan was down to earth and walked us through each step, always respectful of our situation and perspective while providing honest and insightful counsel. Ryan worked with us even before any formal agreement, advising on remodeling and market value. We had to sell our condo due to unemployment, it was an emotionally difficult process but Ryan and his team were always supportive and compassionate. Ryan went above and beyond in terms of availability and providing hands on help. This process could have been an absolute nightmare with a lesser realtor, but we always felt safe guided by Ryan's expertise.