Get to know Staci
Having grown up in the northern suburbs, I lived in the city for over 20 years and have worked across the northwest, southwest, and southern outskirts of Chicago for decades. I know the housing markets and school systems in both the city and the surrounding suburbs, and I bring that knowledge to buyers, sellers, and renters working toward very different goals.
I work with three kinds of clients: families helping an aging parent navigate a housing transition, buyers and sellers relocating to or within the Chicagoland area, and first-time buyers making one of the biggest decisions of their lives. Every situation is different. Every conversation starts the same way: I listen first.
With a background in social work and special education, I'm a patient negotiator and a calm presence in demanding situations. Before real estate, I spent 20 years as a school social worker and special education administrator. That background shows up in how I help clients figure out what actually matters most, whether they're buying their first home, selling the one they raised a family in, or helping a parent decide it's time to make a change.
Raised in Des Plaines, I've lived in Lincoln Park, Lakeview, and Logan Square since moving to Chicago after graduate school. I hold a B.A. in Psychology and Human Development from the University of Kansas, an M.S.W. from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and an M.A. in Educational Leadership from Chicago State University.
I earned my Illinois real estate license in May 2015, and I've since added the ABR® (Accredited Buyer's Representative), SRES® (Seniors Real Estate Specialist), and CSA® (Certified Senior Advisor) designations. I'm also part of Compass Plus, a select group of agents with advanced training in advocacy and support for older adults navigating real estate decisions, whether they're the ones selling or their adult children are helping coordinate the move. If you are helping a parent with a move, start with my guides: How to Help Your Aging Parent Sell Their House in Chicago, and Best Realtor for Senior Downsizing in Chicago.
I've also worked in new construction, owned and rehabbed a condo before renting and eventually selling it, and served on my condo board for several years, which gave me a firsthand look at real estate from angles most agents only see from the outside.
As featured in Inman
I wrote a piece for Inman about something I see every week: real estate is built for the 45 year old buyer, but many of my clients are 84. They have different timelines, different priorities, and a family who often wants to help. My article covers what changes when we slow down and plan the move around the person who is actually moving.
Read it here: Winning looks different when your client is 84, not 45
Outside of work, I volunteer at Gilda's Club Chicago and serve on the Chicago Compass Cares Committee. In my free time, I do Pilates and strength training, cook and bake, read, travel, and spend time with the people I love.
