Mickey Hobson, Broker Associate
Catherine Holbrook, Broker
Matt Laricy, Managing Broker
Amy Beyer, Graphic Designer
Mike Opyd, Broker
The Matt Laricy Group
Americorp Real Estate
A branch of Americorp Real Estate, The Matt Laricy Group exemplifies what innovative thinking can accomplish, as the small, five-person group has leveraged new technologies and open communication to build themselves into a premier Chicago real estate team.
Leader of the group and third-generation Realtor Matt Laricy attributes his and the team’s shared success to an understanding that nothing worthwhile is accomplished absent hard work. “I excel because I spent five years with nothing. I knew and smelled what hard work was like, and I embraced it.” Laricy, who specializes in the downtown market and has received numerous accolades, including top 1 percent of sales Palladium Award and Industry MVP by Chicago Agent magazine, says he approaches the business and his clients with an open mind, designed not to narrow what he can do or whom he can work with. “It is about building a relationship, not a sale.”
Broker Mike Opyd mimics Laricy’s sentiment, touting the importance of clear communication and a level of honesty approaching brutal. “If I disagree with something, I am going to tell my client.” But Opyd explains his intention is not to argue but to educate. The eight-year industry veteran, who works primarily with first-time homebuyers, is so dedicated to cultivating himself as a resource for his clients that he recently published the informative book “How to Buy Your First Chicago Home,” which he hopes will further inform buyers looking to enter the local market.
For Catherine Holbrook, a broker, joining The Matt Laricy group was about being a part of the process and helping people take the next step in their life. “I always say you don’t make this kind of investment many times in your life, so the fact that clients pick you out of so many agents is flattering.” Building on a foundation of leasing and property management experience, Holbrook has developed into an integral element of Laricy’s team. Through a careful approach blending creativity, friendliness and information, she’s developed a loyal client base and is working diligently to continue the trend.
The team’s rookie, broker associate Mickey Hobson, hails from South Africa, where he says the industry is “extremely underdeveloped compared to the States.” Upon moving to America, Laricy offered Hobson a position with the team, and as he describes it, “the position was a no-brainer.” Though young, what Hobson lacks in experience he makes up for in an insatiable thirst for the industry and a natural inclination toward service. “Treat them like gold,” he says of his clients. “One good relationship can lead to many more.”
Perhaps the most significant driver behind the group’s branding is the coordinated marketing effort that spans several outlets, including the team’s website and social media. Graphic designer Amy Beyer is the key component behind that strategy, which she admits is somewhat fluid. “We have a very different approach to social media,” she says, adding that she uses no style guide to direct her efforts, but rather relies on originality and results.
Together, The Matt Laricy Group has achieved an enviable level of success, which includes an average annual growth rate of 50 percent for the last five years.