In a recent review, a client of Penny O’Brien’s wrote, “Bottom line, we got the house because our Realtor was better than theirs!”

O’Brien, a broker with Baird & Warner, assists buyers and sellers in the western suburbs, specializing in her hometown of Naperville. Before earning a real estate license, she was a district manager for The Limited in Texas and Oklahoma and a sales representative for Procter & Gamble. “Everyone always told me I should try real estate,” she says. “It has surpassed my wildest imagination that I would be one of the top agents in Naperville.” Last year, she sold 63 homes, totaling $29.25 million. In her first year at Baird & Warner, she earned membership in its Founder’s Club and ranked among the top 1% for sales and units. She also consistently ranks among the top 1% of Naperville agents and has been in the top 150 out of 30,000 agents in northern Illinois, according to the MLS.

When prospective clients talk to more than one agent before choosing representation, it always makes O’Brien feel like she’s trying out for head cheerleader. “My marketing consultations are full of facts and information but also humor,” she says. “I always know if it was a great meeting based on how much we laugh and get to know each other.”

O’Brien is always honored to be chosen. “I specialize in listings, including those that didn’t sell previously,” she says. “I love to figure out what they need to do and get the job done for them.”

O’Brien provides all of her clients with complimentary professional staging, a strategy proven to sell homes 76% faster. One of the inexpensive ways she suggests to improve the salability of a home is to paint the interior in a neutral color palette. “Paint is money in a can,” she says.

A certified stager, Seller Representative Specialist and Real Estate Negotiation Specialist, O’Brien enjoys sharing the “aha” moment with buyers when they fall in love with a home.