Q: How did you first get into this industry? 

A: I got into the industry by helping friends find homes just for fun! I was obsessed with learning their wants and needs, and then finding the needle in the haystack. After doing this numerous times and telling them to “have your realtor take you to this home and offer this amount,” it became clear that this passion should be my career. Making home ownership accessible to all who desire it is my calling, my vocation and my life.

My husband and I are so fortunate that our friend network in Park Ridge launched our business, and now we have expanded to the lake home niche as well. Our clients were experiencing frustration with a lack of vacation home inventory in Illinois, so Dave got licensed in Wisconsin to widen the net considerably for our clients. Lake Geneva, Elkhart Lake and Lake Beulah are particularly special places for our family that we love to share with our buyers.

Maria Shriver had a quote that really resonated with me: “My definition of success? Being the kind of woman that I would want to have as a friend.” Replace the word “woman” with “realtor,” and you have my guiding principle as a businesswoman.

Q: How can you make sure that your clients are able to find their dream home, whether it be Park Ridge, Lake Geneva or elsewhere?

A: Maria Shriver had a quote that really resonated with me: “My definition of success? Being the kind of woman that I would want to have as a friend.” Replace the word “woman” with “realtor,” and you have my guiding principle as a businesswoman. I cannot serve you to the best of my ability if you aren’t comfortable sharing your true self with me. I endeavor to find the perfect home for my clients’ authentic selves, not the armor they wear to face the challenges in their lives.

Our business is 99 percent referral driven. Clients have embraced our mission to be full-service realtors, focused on getting our clients their primary and lakefront homes in the most pleasurable manner possible.

In fact, Dave and I were recently honored to receive the “Do What’s Right” award from d’aprile Properties. We were nominated for it by repeatedly putting clients’ needs above our own bottom line. “Doing what’s right” is our true north in every client interaction and transaction. Winning it held far greater significance for us than any of our awards for production.

Why Lake Geneva over other locations?

Our favorite day of the entire year takes place in Lake Geneva. Way back when we were still dating, we started going to a friend’s annual 4th of July celebration. Our girls have grown up swimming at this party under the watchful eye of members of the Water Safety Patrol, eating food catered by locals and laying in the lush grass to watch the fireworks explode overhead, set to classic American music.

If they are having a bad day at any point of the year, I conjure up memories from this day to fill their hearts with feelings of joy, community and tradition. It has a 100-percent success rate at re-centering their moods.

Coldwell Banker is located at 145 Vine Avenue in Park Ridge. Call 847-232-8311 or click here for more information.