Windy city workforce

This department spotlights a relatively recent addition to the workforce, focusing on the person’s educational or working background, daily responsibilities, challenges, passions, frustrations and outlook for his or her future in the field.

Name: Mindy Stevens
Age: 27
Occupation: Real estate agent / interior designer
Company: D’Aprile Realty and Mortgage Services
College Path: Interior Design School in San Diego

How you ended up here: As a side business Ryan, the broker here, was buying homes, fixing them up and selling them for a modest profit. Eventually, Ryan had bought and sold over 15 properties and moved up to buying three-flats and eventually small office buildings, retail centers and large apartment complexes. His side business soon became a full-time career, and he had such a passion for real estate that he decided to full-time into the business. About four years ago, Ryan started D’Aprile Realty and Mortgage Services and has grown the company to over 30 agents and several loan officers. Personally, I went to the Interior Design School in San Diego (it is a private school, and yes, surprisingly I majored in interior design). Out of college, I started a job with a custom-home builder, working with new home owners to design the interior of their new home. And from there, I decided I wanted to move back home to Chicago and get more into the sales side of real estate, so I teamed up with Ryan. He brought me in with an interior design background and Kelly Byrne with a marketing background on a full-time basis to give all of his clients the attention they require and deserve. This is one aspect that separates us from the rest: Every client knows they have three full-time dedicated professionals working on one of the largest transactions of their lives.

How long you’ve been at it: More than seven years.

Who you answer to, if anyone: Every client, past client, prospective client and our agents.

Hours you expect to be working: Being a real estate agent is one of the most demanding career paths one can take. That’s why the burnout rate is so high. We work seven days a week 9 a.m. to about 8:30 p.m. on weekdays, and weekends usually 10 a.m. to about 5 p.m. No matter what anybody tells you, there’s no such thing as a part-time real estate agent. If your agent is, you’re not getting the service you deserve.

Breakdown of what people anticipate from you: Our clients expect us to be their real estate sgent, financial advisor, counselor, psychiatrist, friend, etc.

What your friends assume you do all day: They know how hard and how much we work.

What is the key to surviving the real estate market fluctuating as much as it does? Keeping it fun. Always putting in 100 percent too keep your clients happy and the referrals coming in. We really feel our customer service is what separates us from the rest of the crowd.

What do you tell people who seem content with renting into their late 20s or early 30s? If they anticipate relocating several times for a career, it’s fine. But if they plan on staying put for a few years, it’s a mistake. Most wealth is accumulated through real estate. In addition, you need a place to live, so it might as well be yours.

Buying property for the first time is ... scary at first with the thought of the commitment, the responsibility. But when they make the move, our clients are filled with a sense of accomplishment and pride in home ownership, you know, the American dream!

Best perk: Meeting people and helping them find a place to live. We tell our clients, and it’s so true — it’s not just a home you’re buying, it’s a lifestyle, where you’ll meet new friends, where you’ll get your Saturday coffee, etc.

What are some of the factors that can make one neighborhood hotter than others? Retail, nightlife, community functions and involvement.

When it comes to buying or selling real estate in Chicago, can you ever ask too many questions? Yes, sometimes people can overanalyze. It’s important to put a lot of time and consideration into your purchase, but there are those who overanalyze, and then two, three years go by and they still haven’t made the decision. Sometimes you just need to do it.
I have trouble dealing with... the work/life balance and the fact there is just not enough time in the day to get everything done. Some how it always does, but there are a lot of late nights and early mornings, seven days a week.

Where can you go from here? Anywhere. We are building single-family homes and another retail center. We’re opening a second office in Bridgeport, and we continue to attract new clients and agents to our team.

Why you have a smile when you come to work: We love our job, our co-workers and our clients. We really do. Every day is something new with this team.

Advice for joining the field: Make sure you love the business and understand that it takes a lot of work to succeed. To be honest, the barrier to enter into this business is not that high. Therefore, competition is fierce, increasing the time and effort you have to put in to separate yourself from the rest.

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