Noel Christopher
Vice President of Institutional Accounts
Investability.com
Broker – Century 21 Affiliated
Noel Christopher describes real estate as an industry that is subject to economic and market conditions, so he knows the importance of remaining relevant in all aspects of his work. This is why he focuses on the emerging area of buy-to-rent properties and helps his clients ensure a return on their investment even while striving to stabilize Chicago’s neighborhoods. Being at the forefront of this growing sector, he says, is “very exciting” because it allows him and his team to connect investors to real estate opportunities that may not have previously existed.
Christopher developed and strengthened the kinds of skills he relies on today when he worked as a trainer for sales guru Tom Hopkins several years ago. That role helped him better understand his own approach to negotiations and promotions, particularly when it comes to real estate since that was his specialty within the company. “I took advantage of opportunities to learn from mentors, tailored my focus according to my strengths and developed a strong network in the industry,” he says.
With a penchant for consistency, timeliness and professionalism in all of the transactions they undertake, Christopher and his top Century 21 team continue to raise the bar when it comes to meeting and exceeding investors’ expectations. For example, he recently connected for-profit, socially conscious developers to the National Community Stabilization Trust’s (NCST) First Look Program, which permits local housing providers to purchase foreclosed and abandoned properties at a discounted price with goal of community revitalization. “NCST works with these investors to help stabilize areas around Chicago,” Christopher explains. “I run a program that vets for-profit developers to be part of the initiative. It’s something I’m proud to have been involved with the last three years.”
Counted among the Chicago Association of Realtors’ top producers, Christopher draws inspiration from volunteering for groups like the Residents for Patriots Fund as well as from his wife and two daughters with whom he recently relocated to Boulder, Colorado. He plans to work in both that city and Chicago even as he launches a new position with Investability.com, which is the nation’s first real estate search platform focused on the needs of the individual investor. Powered by the industry’s most accurate data, Investability.com allows the user to find properties based on cap rate, cash flow and cash on cash return.
As he begins this new phase in his already successful career, Christopher says he appreciates that his learning curve never plateaus. “Real estate is ever-changing,” he points out, “and that makes it almost impossible to ever get bored.”