The Brokerage Firm
In 2010, T. Nicholas Realty was founded with the intention of being a "different kind of brokerage" in Chicago. Three years later, T. Nicholas continues to set itself apart and has grown from one part-time broker to a team of nearly a dozen real estate professionals.
For many agents in Chicago, real estate is a career that they fell into. It is a licensed industry -- so there are some barriers to entry -- but the level of education required to become a broker is still minimal. Licensees must only be 21 years of age and have a high school diploma or GED.
While the State of Illinois recently made it more dificult for individuals to assist in the purchase and sale of real estate -- changing the amount of education an entry-level agent can have, raising the amount of education from 45 hours to 120 -- it still doesn't go far enough. Going to school full-time for three weeks can't replace having also earned a master's degree or doctorate in a directly relevant area.
We're Educated Agents
It isn't uncommon to find highly educated invidivduals with practical, real skills working for East Coast brokerages in cities like New York and Boston. These agents are accountants, lawyers, architects, and even Ph.D.'s. They choose real estate brokerage as a career and make a niche out of adding valuing to the consumer experience -- bringing an ability to crunch numbers or provide a vision for future development of raw space.
Chicago's market seems quite different. Ask an agent in Chicago what they "used to do" and invevitably you hear stories of folks who came to real estate because they lost their job or couldn't find anything else. And because it is realtively easy to get a real estate license, you have an abundance of agents who, in other contexts, you might not trust to valet your car. So why let them be involved with the sale or purchase of your home -- one of the biggest and most important investments in your life?
T. Nicholas believes agents armed with sophisticated educational backgrounds -- coupled with experience in finance, law, accounting, architecture, and interior design -- can add significant value.
We Empower the Consumer with Technology
T. Nicholas also has a fundamentally different approach to technology. If you browse the web, inevitably what you find is that real estate brokerage companies don't provide a lot of information directly to consumer. Why? We think its probably an issue of job protection. These companies want to give you as little information as they can to generate your lead -- but not enough information to be an educated consumer and be confident enough to act without an agent.
Our business model is quite different. Give a consumer everything they need to make an informed purchase decision so they could do the dean on their own, if they needed to. Yes, by doing these things we run the risk that you won't call us. But we also believe that because real estate transactions are hard to do in Chicago's market without an agent, you will need to work with a brokerage company. We want to be the brokers you choose because you appreciate that we are all about disclosure and transparency in the market place, and our agents have the education and experience to add value.
Whether buying, selling, or renting real estate in Chicago, let T. Nicholas Realty show you how different we are. Call us today at: (312) 638-9600.
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