Like many Realtors, Dan Kieres, managing broker with Northwest Real Estate Group, got his start in the business after buying his first home. Luckily for him, his agent left him with a memorable, fun takeaway that set him on a path to become licensed and start treating buyers and sellers with the same kind of care he received.

“My agent, Debbie, made such an impression on me buying my first home,” he says. “Absolutely nobody deserves a poor homebuying experience, and that motivates me to accomplish clients’ goals to this day.” In 2020, when isolation and distance became the name of the game, Kieres took to his own YouTube video channel to make fun, informative videos about real estate, garnering laughs and earning new fans and connections. “I love coming up with new ways to broadcast my personality through video and make people smile,” he says.

But of course, not all things real estate are fun and games. “My job is to create the overall experience for clients,” Kieres says. “I educate, prepare and inform clients so that they can make the best possible decisions.” And while that may have meant “lots of masks, gloves and hand sanitizer” in 2020’s market, it worked out well for Kieres, with $15 million in volume. Overall, his team at Northwest Real Estate Group ended the year — just their second in business — with $35 million of sales.

“I’m just so proud of our team of Realtors,” he says. “They’re hungry, well-polished, constantly educating themselves and searching for better ways to serve clients.” Kieres has built a strong referral base and a large network on the northwest side of Chicago, bringing his easygoing and straightforward experience to clients of all types.

“Having a great team makes all the difference for me,” he says. “And by making things fun and stress-free, it can make all the difference for clients.”