Although Antje Gehrken has now spent 18 years in real estate, she didn’t exactly get her start there. She was a touring musician in a band called Tin Horse, which played a blend of country and Southern rock in venues around the world.
Gehrken eventually retired from the music industry and is now president and managing broker for A.R.E. Partners, serving both residential and commercial markets in the greater Chicagoland area and Northwest Indiana. Though her international touring days are over, Gehrken garnered a unique sense of spunk and energy that she still carries with her today. “When people ask me how I went from being a rock star to a real estate broker, I just tell them, ‘I’m still a rock star,’” she jokes.
The Cook County Land Bank Authority recently selected Gehrken as a preferred broker, with the goal of stabilizing neighborhoods through the redevelopment and reuse of tax-delinquent properties. “It’s a mission I believe in, so it is a great honor to have been selected,” she says.
Additionally, Gehrken is now a Certified Commercial Investment Manager. Only 6 percent of real estate professionals hold this distinction, which recognizes designees as experts in the commercial and investment industries. She often carries the expertise she gained through the certification over to her work in the residential market as well as to the training and mentorship she provides to the team at A.R.E. Partners.
Throughout her career, Gehrken has earned many awards, though she’s particularly proud of her Chicago Association of Realtors’ 2018 President’s Award. She credits much of her success to her loyalty, dedication and authenticity as she connects with those she works with throughout every step of the process. “I become like a family member to my clients and to A.R.E.’s brokers,” she said.
Giving back remains one of the most important aspects of both Gehrken’s personal and professional lives. She volunteers for several organizations and serves as the 2019 treasurer for the CAR Foundation, a mentor for The Goldie Initiative, and the treasurer-elect for the Chicago Association of Realtors.
