Real Estate Legends

“Its been a journey for sure. It starts with my parents. My parents came here separately. I originally came into this country in 1988 with my mom. My dad came here 3 years earlier in 1985. So… we are all from Poland, we left communism and I am the product of the American dream.” - Michael Walczak on his roots and family

Greg Viti and Michael Walczak on Real Estate Legends podcast

From the first moment I met him, Michael has been impressive for his age, and just impressive period. I call him Fulton Mike as I watched him run his work and crews in Fulton Market on a very large project, and he was young. For anyone, much less a young man, to run crews the way he did with seasoned tradesmen was quite impressive.

A lot of people can think of the big idea, but the details will kill you. Michael shines in the details. He lives it daily, and you can see how it matters to him personally. We all need to count on the people we trust, their word and work.

In his new venture, Michael is taking his vast experience and MBA and created In House. It is not just a “service” available online. Not just a pass thru to anyone. It is a LOCAL service that has the name and commitment from Michael Walczak, and he intends to deliver to that standard. Michael will only go as far as he can service today in Chicagoland. Taking one customer at a time where he can deliver exceptional service. Convenience and security for local owners backed by local experts with a proven track record.

Real estate is an evolving market and innovation is part art part science. Recognizing the need of your market is important, yet showing up every day and standing behind your commitment is the true test. I have seen Michael pass that test many times, and I know he will many times more on his journey.

I hope you enjoy our visit with Michael. Limited Offer: 30% Off! 1 year maintenance membership 

Limited to the first 100 listeners to sign up. 

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“We went out to Schiller Park, the Horseshoe Inn, myself and my dad went into the bar. Vince Heneghan is there, and he says to my dad (my dad was a good tradesman) come out and work for me.”

“He says no, I wont go, but the fellow there will go with you, he pointed to me. So the next day they picked me up, I went to work for them and never looked back.” -Jimmy Ronan on his start in Chicago

Greg Viti and Jimmy Ronan at Ronan Construction Offices

This is a few firsts for me. As we met in an Irish bar, we like to have fun. This episode is fueled by beer, because that is how Jimmy and I hit it off in the first place. Secondly, it has more personal stuff in it than many podcasts because of my love of construction, and real estate. I just love the idea of creating stuff that makes a difference, and so does Jimmy. So with a few Guiness and Harp, we cover our love for real estate and Chicago.

Chicago is our home, and this episode touches on many aspects of doing business in Chicago. It also touches on the generations of cultures of Chicago. The Irish have a rich heritage in Chicago, as do the Italians. We share pride and generations of our history in our perspectives.

To hear the real stories behind what you see might surprise you. Jimmy talks about the losers along with the winners over the years. You see how he grew and all of the effort of a family man, and his family. Crediting his brothers and his father for how they have become successful, they worked together. From a small village in Ireland to the middle of Chicago, the Ronans have made their mark.

Real estate is about people, enjoy listening to a great guy talking about what he loves with someone who understands real estate. Jimmy and Greg are part of a community and they will occasionally toast to members of that community. Enjoy and Sláinte.

It is not unusual for Chicago locals to enjoy a few pints, stories and laughs. Real estate is a business that can be tough and it’s a town they both love. Understand and witness the value of local people in real estate, and how good people work together.

Another American dream in a story about an Irishman coming to Chicago. Today, an Irish lad coming to Chicago is told find Jimmy Ronan and he will give you a job. Life comes full circle.

“I look back to the Italian masters. Brunelleschi, who built the Duomo in Florence. He had a benefactor and they did everything start to finish. All the way through construction. The thing I love about development is I can be that person.” -Peter Nicholas on what he enjoys most

Greg Viti and Peter Nicholas at a Nicholas Designed property conference room.

I went into what I thought was one of the most striking properties I have ever been in, and after 40 of real estate I have seen a lot. This home was magnificent, and that design was my first impression of Peter Nicholas.

Often I think we underestimate architecture as a business, not just a design and a look. Talking to Peter, you see and hear both aesthetics and business. It is refreshing to see how the mind of a professional can adapt and create a solution for the need.

Step by step Peter grew in skills and abilities as he found his own style. He found his setting was best if it had a blend of architecture, urban and aged. This all blended with a surfer kid mentality that was more laid back. It all comes together in his work.

As legends always show up, I hear from Peter about how he started and the hoops and hurdles. Being a young California guy, he was a ball player and then architecture sparked his interest. He found architecture is a good fit for him and his passion. He knows how to be part of a team and how to treat his teammates and their needs. Great skill sets for an architect who works with many different interests and considerations. Then he shows the persistence it takes to become a top pro and legend.

Peter shares freely about business and projects, not just the design but the whole process. In the end, you get to understand more about design and architecture in a more human way, from someone who shares his journey from day one.

Finding his way to today, hear what dedicated local professionals like Peter can do with a plan and some land. It can be remarkable.

“I worked with the guys for years learning the business. Our family has been developing properties for generations and I started as a laborer, a worker and learned the business. That was handed to me with support and responsibility just as I pass it on.” Keith about the family name and their company.

Greg Viti and Keith Jacobs in a Highland Park building Keith built.

There are so many ways and avenues to develop and build real estate, yet most of us think of the classics. Homes and residential construction. Keith Jacobs is a man who grew up in this business, and it fits him like a perfectly tailored garment, very well.

This is about a family and years of history that built up a business in building. From his early days to today, Keith shares his family story and the values and work that has become a prominent well regarded builder for ages. A hard earned reputation through all the ups and downs of centuries of business.

Top professionals understand their business and clients at a different level, and Keith does that in all facets of his business. Dealing with the trades as well as clients is a priority to achieve excellence.

Keith started learning at the bottom and has never stopped. Now in a more senior role, the traditions and family business is thriving and what is old is new again. Quality work, good ideas and professional execution still creates the success of each project and day.

In a sometimes rough market, or choppy waters, top professionals provide more than just a product, they create trust to move forward often on drawings.

And you might get some inside info on the market too. Generation4 just started a new development that will be a very successful single family home project on the North Shore.

“I walked in scared. Not understanding. I had never bought even a house myself, I did not have a license; I live in the city, I don’t even know where I am at, I can’t figure out the six corners; hard.. soft.. left, right…and I don’t get the difference…it was overwhelming but also exciting.” Danielle about her start in real estate and new to Chicago.

Greg Viti and Danielle Dowell in Danielle’s Berkshire Hathaway Office in Lincoln Park office.

A beautiful, statuesque woman gets out of a Jeep wearing a pair of heels I could not stand up in, and gives me a big hug. When I ask her what she has been doing lately she pulls out a photo. The photo is of her basketball team that just won the championship at her health club, it is a men's league. She is a power forward and her specialty is her “lockdown” defense. You just met Danielle Dowell.

Danielle started in real estate when I was with Koenig and Strey, so I got to see her grow and become the real estate professional she is today. I am not surprised, as her attitude and willingness stood out from day one and it does still today. Danielle has the ability to get along with a wide variety of people, and she enjoys a wide range of personal and professional experiences. In the business of real estate, there are always ideas and concepts that are waiting to be discovered. Danielle saw that as she started as an unlicensed assistant, and never stopped working at it.

From a small town with a love for sports, Danielle grew and competed in sports and those same skills worked in business. She starting in hospitality and learned the hospitality business, and did the same with real estate. After about 6 months in Chicago, she got her license and the rest is history.

In many ways, her story has the same elements many legends have; hard work and a personality that gets your attention… yet she is much more. She shares her story from answering a Craigslist ad to becoming the real estate powerhouse she is today, revealing her approach to excellence. It shows how simple and effective a person can be applying their skills and abilities to serving people who appreciate great service. Using her sporting background and her hospitality skills, Danielle believes she has always been in the people business, and that is her drive.

Enjoy hearing how a good person with no connections or previous knowledge came to Chicago and became a top producing real estate professional today. You will root for hard working professionals in real estate.

“It kind of goes back to the idea of family. You know money is money, it’s great… it pays the bills. But there is so much more to life. And when you have a sense of belonging to a community of people who are like you , they are lifelong learners, care love and are passionate about what they do, it transforms things. That has been my journey.” - Jennifer Ames

Greg Viti and Jennifer Ames in Engels and Volker Lincoln Park office.

“I am a true city kid.”  That is the start of the conversation with Jennifer Ames, and we go back into the 1800s. Jennifer has a family history that touches on many important aspects of Chicago real estate. Listen to a viewpoint that has been formed by a constant growth both personally and professionally.

In this episode, you will get stories to interest you and an understanding of a person living in and through it, Jennifer Ames. Jennifer is a leading force in local real estate and has made her way in a distinctive fashion. It is a story of generations of Chicago real estate from a personal perspective. She will tell you stories of an emerging Chicago in different periods. In many ways, Jennifer has had real estate in her veins from birth. Even though her mom was a pro and promoted a career in real estate, she did not have the interest until later. Worlds to conquer and her Yale degree in hand, Jennifer followed her interests; from modeling to banking to producing movies. They all are part of her going forward.

Only after these career experiences did Jennifer see how she could be a real estate professional, on her terms. Jennifer has been a leader in how she conducts her business and in the Chicago real estate community. Today you can see how the Chicagoan in her grew into a business force that understands and uses storytelling and visuals as well as honing in on the business details that make the difference. She works hard at each area, that is at the core. And although her talents are tremendous, her humanity is the difference in her and creates her brand. All of that goes into her office at Engels and Volkers, and she speaks of her real estate family with care and values.

You hear how she walks the same walk as all salespeople, how daily challenges along the way were part of what makes her who she is today. From tough salesperson to caring community leader, you will see how a local professional cares more about everything, not deals, but people. She knows the power of thank you, and being thankful.

“He was an example of how to carry yourself, how to treat people and never give up. Never quit, never take no for an answer. My dad still inspires me to this day”.  Warren Baker

Warren and his ETHS Certificate

One of my favorite things about Warren is his passion. We have known each other for a very long time, and he does not hold back with me, ever. When I was doing a construction/development project that was big for me, Warren always took my calls and gave me the hard truth. Business can be hard, and the truth is important to hear.  I appreciate that about Warren, and I think that in this podcast you will hear a man that might surprise many people.

Warren is direct and curious about how things work. It might be part of his DNA and it started at his fathers side and never stopped. The best example to see this is his auto class certificate from ETHS Evanston Township High School. He uses that mechanical curiosity and process, the same one he learned on cars, to both show and create some of the most sophisticated and perhaps valuable real estate developments. 

Warren is not a one trick pony. He led the deconversion wave strategy with a difficult parcel in Lincoln Park, new upscale housing in Hyde Park and brownfield in Bucktown. Developments that have a footprint, and impact. Impressive work and cutting edge technology.

Warren shoots straight and gives the average man an understanding of how a good developer adds to a community, the risk taken and how the reward is earned. After you hear him, you may have a better appreciation for a very good developer. There is a difference in people and outcomes in real estate, and it shows in the end.

In all of this, Warren shares the values he got from his father, and a very compelling story that starts in a Nazi concentration camp and includes English lessons from Harry Caray.

This is a great story of an American dream and generations. How legends are made, every day and Warren Baker tells you how. Enjoy a candid conversation with a smart, accomplished person that found a career in real estate.

Mario Greco and Greg Viti

“You are not a limousine, you are a CTA bus. Everyone that comes your way, take them unless it does not make sense. It almost always makes sense. Do Not turn Stuff away.”
- Mario Greco

Mario Greco is a Chicagoan, real estate agent and community member family man all at once. What you will get from Mario is everything he can give, which is both personal and informative at least. His sharing and perspectives might surprise people who do not understand that every day actions lead to legends, showing up relentlessly. That is Mario Greco.

Since he started in this business, we have worked at real estate firms together, and Mario would give me a hard time about my business. Jokingly but serious, he is an entrepreneur and so am I, but we are different and so is our business. Mario is a prolific entrepreneur, and his business reflects his values. It is the same for me, except that my values are different. That is part of what mkes real estate great, your personal choices and desires. That is the way my family lived throught my life. My business decisions, just as his company, is an extension of who we are, our vision. We are different, competitive and yet we get along in a marketplace that we compete in every day. It is the beauty of a healthy community and has a positive impact for everyone.

Born and raised in Chicago, Mario Greco came to real estate by way of engineering and law. He graduated with honors from both Northwestern University (with degrees in Chemical Engineering and Environmental Engineering) and Boston University School of Law. He practiced law for several years at Jones Day and Kirkland & Ellis in Chicago in their Intellectual Property Litigation departments. While practicing law full time, he started his own real estate brokerage firm and sold an average of $9M worth of real estate a year on a part-time basis. Since then, Mario's business has grown significantly while partnering with companies such as Century 21 Sussex & Reilly, Prudential Rubloff Properties, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago and now COMPASS. Throughout his career, Mario has consistently proven to be a top producer. He has been recognized as being in the top 1% of Chicago Realtors(R) every year since he started selling real estate in 2002, and his total sales have already amounted to over $2 BILLION. Mario and The MG Group have been ranked Top 50 in the Nation by The Wall Street Journal, have been recognized as a Notable Residential Broker since 2019 by Crain's Chicago Business, and awarded Best Team in 2019 and Best Website in both 2020 and 2021 by Chicago Agent Magazine.

“If you want to make change you have to get involved in politics, there’s no other way around it.”
- Jim Ascot

Jim Ascot is the President and CEO of Ascot Realty Group, Inc. He served as President of the Chicago Association of REALTORS®, Chairman of the Lane Tech Local School Council, Chairman of the 2022 Greek Heritage Parade, and Chairman of the State of Illinois Election Day Voter Registration Commission.

After a successful commercial real estate career, Jim is now running to represent the city's new 34th Ward as alderman. His top priorities as alderman include eliminating homelessness, reducing crime, improving quality of life and efficient government services.

“I’m their ROI. They took a chance and invested in themselves and their future to come to this country. For me, everything I do is their return on their investment.”
- Tommy Choi

Tommy Choi is the Co-founder and owner of Weinberg Choi Residential and Keller Williams ONEChicago. The Weinberg Choi Residential team has sold over 1,000 properties, and over $500 million dollars in sales volume. They are consistently ranked in the top 10 real estate teams in Chicago, which puts them in the Top 1% of Chicago Association of Realtors’ top producers.

Other notable achievements include serving as the president of the Chicago Association of Realtors and being the first Korean-American president in the association’s 135 year history. Tommy was also the first Asian American vice president of the National Association of Realtors. It’s no wonder he was named to the 2020 class of Crain’s Chicago Business’ 40 under 40. All things considered, Tommy’s legacy remains solely about his kids. At the foundation, gratitude is where he stands upon on.