What People Are Saying

This was without a doubt the best experience I have ever had with a real estate agent. (and we were not easy customers) I was selling a condo for my aunt who had gone into assisted living. The transaction was taking place long distance and the condo was in horrible condition. Karen took care of everything. I thought that the sale would be at a loss, and she sold it quickly and at a profit. I honestly didn't quite believe her when she assured me that she would be able to sell the condo quickly and for a price that was greater than I expected. She did exactly what she said, and it was completely hassle free. She was professional, available,and made sure that I did what I was supposed to do. She did everything that was necessary to make the sale happen. I am very grateful.

Andrea Zucker
 

Surrounded by homeownership educators and counselors at work, I began the home buying process with confidence. To my surprise four years of theoretical experience and book knowledge just didn't cut it when trying to buy a house. There were far more nuances in the process than a book could ever cover. Thankfully I found Karen and Lou Elia.

Karen and Lou were an absolute pleasure to work with. Lou walked me through numerous houses pointing out both strengths and weaknesses in each house. His patience was amazing, and I never once felt like he was trying to pressure me into buying. I was quite thankful for Lou's knowledge of home maintenance issues, which may have saved me from some unfortunate decisions. His sense of humor kept me encouraged after looking at many houses that weren't the right fit. Once I decided to place an offer on a house Karen stepped in with grace and efficiency. She kept me on track through the entire process and was an invaluable guiding hand. Karen's excellent communication kept all of the moving parts flowing toward my end goal. The home buying process was quite bumpy for me with some dangerous curves thrown in the mix. I'm grateful for my whole home buying team, but Karen and Lou were the glue that held everything together. Thanks to their help I am now the owner of a beautiful two-flat located in Chicago.

These are two people you want working for you!

Heather Blankenship

We had the pleasure of working with Karen & Lou hunting for a single-family home in Chicago last year after my sister-in-law recommended them.. They were both so genuine & truly made the entire process so easy for us. We were first time buyers, so it was a learning experience for us as well. Karen really took her time educating us about the whole process, the various neighborhoods, & helped us find that perfect property. We've recently celebrated one year in our new home & couldn't be happier. If you're in the market to buy or sell, do yourself a favor & contact Karen.

Phillip Lowe and David Bima

I had to write and thank you for your help and expertise in the recent short sale of my condo.  Before I contacted you, I had spoken to several different real estate agents who, because of the bad real estate market, wouldn’t even consider trying to sell my condo; they just kept putting me off.  I was moving out of state and really needed to sell.  It was very disappointing and disheartening, meeting with agent after agent who wasn’t willing to help. I wondered if they were only in real estate for the money, when times were better?  And then I called you.

When we first met in my condo, you were friendly and outgoing.  After we carefully discussed my situation, you suggested a short sale.  You came very well prepared with information on the recent sales, time on the market, and asking/actual sold price differences for not only condos in my building but for those in the surrounding neighborhoods.  You took the time to explain everything to me thoroughly and answered all my questions, making sure I understood completely about short sales, foreclosures, renting possibilities, and what exactly was happening in the real estate market, so I could make the best decision for my situation.

There were a lot of ups and downs pertaining to the sale of my condo because of the bad market; so much paperwork from the mortgage company, the lawyer, and the banks, but through it all you remained calm and confident, which in turn kept me calm, and for me, being halfway across the country, that meant a lot!  You really did get me through this ordeal.  This condo was my first real estate purchase and first real estate sale and you walked with me through it every step of the way, constantly explaining everything that was happening and truthfully answering all of my questions.

I truly cannot thank you enough. I believe the sale of my condo NEVER would have happened without YOU!!!!  I have told family and friends how wonderful you are and how you really know your business when it comes to “all things real estate”. It is obvious you have been in this business for a long time, you are up-to-date on current issues/processes regarding real estate information. You are honest and open about everything and you truly care about your clients!  I am so happy and grateful to have met you and was able to work with you. I would call you again in a heartbeat!!

Deidre Hogan

 

I had almost given up hope of selling my condominium when Karen Breen Elia of Chicago City Homes came along.  I was an out-of-state owner, and trying to sell property long-distance was a difficult matter.  Karen’s knowledge of real estate in general and the local market in particular enabled me to seal the deal.  She is a professional, friendly, and hard-working broker who takes a personal interest in the seller and the seller’s needs and wishes.  I felt as though I had known her for a long time.  Not only did she do her job well, she went beyond expected in terms of service, handling many small details so that I wouldn’t have to travel to get the job done.  I would not hesitate to recommend Karen Breen Elia to anyone wishing to buy or sell property.  Thank you!

Ruth Zurich
 

Wow, this has been a process. Worth every bit of effort in the end because we got the place we love and this will be our home as we begin our marriage and our family.

We would like to thank the both of you for your dedication and persistence in getting this job done. We couldn't have done it without you. We know who we will be calling 5 years from now when it is time to buy a home in the suburbs (of Colorado...just kidding, haven't talked Ash into that quite yet). Anyway, you are both great, feel free to drop by for a beer anytime you are in the area.

Jonathan Silver and Ashley Levit 

 

"We want to start off by just saying THANK YOU! You were everything we could have asked for and more in a real estate broker. You were extremely knowledgeable, professional, straightforward and you helped us through the entire process. Since we were first time home buyers, everything was new to us and you did a GREAT job educating, coaching, and setting realistic expectations for us. Taylor and I greatly appreciate it that you took the time to truly understand what our "dream home" consisted of, and you did an amazing job in showing us all different types of places to help us really lock down what was most important for us.

The one thing that we truly appreciated is that you always had our best interest in mind, and you always were honest with us. We also appreciated the fact that you never pressured us, and gave us the time to make the right decision that was best for us. To be honest, Taylor and I couldn't be happier in our new home. Every day we constantly say how perfect our place is! So with that said, thanks again for all your help, guidance, and knowledge throughout the process. Most importantly, we HIGHLY recommend your services to any other potential home buyers!"

Lawrence & Taylor McDonald
 

"I did want to take a moment to thank you for all the help you provided in finding my new home in Chicago. It seems like only a few weeks ago that we were sitting at the closing, but in reality it's been a little over 8 months. Where does the time go? Each time I come home, I walk in and feel the same way I did when you first showed me the place back in January - I LOVE MY CONDO! I'm so glad Laura gave me your name, as I loved working with you. I think it was a great match!

You are thorough, honest, to the point, knowledgeable about the downtown area and you really know your market. I knew, after meeting you last September that I couldn't go wrong working with you and boy was I right. While it wasn't my intent to make an offer on our first day out together, you showed me exactly what I was looking for in a home I didn't need to look any further! I was a little stressed out about buying a home when I was still living in California, but you made my "cross country purchase" a breeze. Additionally, this wasn't the easiest deal to pull off, with the funky smell no one could find, the seller's attorney who was a little "wacko," and a difference in real estate law between CA and IL which almost cost us the deal. But you were professional, level headed, and at times put in a position where you had to talk me in off the ledge...thank you.

When the time comes, as it always does, that I feel I'm ready to move on to my next home in Chicago, I wouldn't even think about working with any other agent. You're my first phone call! You made buying a home in the city lots of fun and a wonderful experience."

Tracey A. Ferrara

"Thank you so much for your unbelievable help finding our new Chicago home. We would not have succeeded without your support, encouragement, knowledge of the area, unbelievable drive, and professionalism. You were outstanding and we could never thank you enough!"

Damon and Mary Chris Williams

"It looks like everything will be cool now that I and three friends helped Moses load his truck for about five hours last night (got home after 1:30 a.m.).  A little bit of a glitch when his GF told us that her purse had been packed in the truck after it was about 90% full and had their house keys and the truck keys in it.  We are assuming the rental place has a spare key.  Nothing like dealing with organized people.

"I was so happy with service Karen Breen Elia and her husband Lou provided. They are a wonderful team and very supportive if you need a lot of hand holding through the process. They were available to me all hours of the day and night. Karen also provided me with all the people I would need to use for this process - a loan originator, home inspector and real estate lawyer. I really learned a lot about real estate and what to look for when buying a home. I would highly recommend Karen to anyone."

Rachel Baum

"Karen is awesome! Thanks for putting me in touch with her. She is really on top of the game, she knows just what we're looking for, and doesn't give me that 'used car dealer' vibe that we've gotten from 98% of the agents we've come across. In fact, she's downright trustworthy and leaves me & Alex with a warm fuzzy "We're going to be homeowners!" feeling."

Elysia Lock

"I wanted to personally thank you all for the tremendous amount of hard work you provided when helping us sell our home. It was a long ride for us in this very tough market, but somehow you managed. We know that you constantly marketed our house and you definitely brought the market to us. When we ended up getting basically two offers in the same week, you negotiated a bidding war and got us a much better offer because of it. We thank you sincerely for all of your hard work." 

Samantha Ethier