“I’m not a ‘desk’ kind of guy,” says Chad Gradowski, team lead of the ChooseChad Team at Coldwell Banker Realty. “I like to be on the go, outdoors, meeting and talking with people. My interests and personality came together to be a great fit for this industry.”

Before getting into real estate, Gradowski was a professional horse show jumper and trainer. “It was only when I got into real estate that I realized my horse clients had some truly great real estate,” he jokes.

Gradowski’s team serves clients in Indiana and Michigan, but most of their client base comes from the greater Chicagoland area. “Because we’ve lived and worked in these communities for most of our lives, we’re able to help our clients navigate the unique character of each of these distinct communities, find the local resources and sense of community they need, and discover the diverse and wonderful lifestyle we have here,” Gradowski says.

Gradowski’s clients appreciate his straightforward approach and honesty, as well as his ability to work through challenges and keep deals on track, even when things get a little hairy. “When you’re a Realtor, you play a role in a huge step in someone’s life, and I like to make that as pleasant and easy as possible,” he says.

The ChooseChad Team includes Gradowski’s wife, who is a buyer’s agent, as well as an administrative assistant and another full time-agent. In 2020 and 2021, the team sold over $140 million — that’s not just a personal sales record, but a record for the entire Southwestern Michigan Association of Realtors.

“My wife calls me the encyclopedia of real estate,” Gradowski says. “I’ve been doing this for a long time, so I think when I meet with clients, my knowledge is so in-depth, it gives them confidence in me from the start.”