Andy Kiener, Vice President and Director of Project Sales
Christine Lutz, Director of Residential Brokerage
Steven Maher, Principal and Managing Broker
Kinzie Brokerage
“We don’t have to be the biggest brokerage firm, but we strive to be the best brokerage firm,” explains Kinzie Brokerage’s Principal and Managing Broker Steven Maher. An affiliate of The Kinzie Real Estate Group of Companies, Kinzie Brokerage offers their clients top-tier talent, bringing them expertise in both residential and commercial real estate. They are well known for delivering high-quality service to buyers, sellers, owners, portfolio managers, lending institutions and developers. Together with Maher, Vice President and Director of Project Sales Andy Kiener and Director of Residential Brokerage Christine Lutz bring 70 years of collective experience to the boutique firm. Kinzie already boasts a reputation for uncompromised integrity and unwavering commitment to clients’ best interest.
With experience in more than 15 markets, Maher specializes in project-based sales and marketing for mid- and high-rise new construction, as well as adaptive re-use lofts. His record of achievement, which includes launching and executing more than $1.6 billion in transactions, perfectly positions him to lead and mentor his outstanding team so that they “optimize each other’s strengths.” He credits Kinzie Group Principal Steve Spinell and developer Warren James with helping him to learn how to oversee project-based sales through the developer’s lens when he began in the early 1990s. Today, his firm is overseeing the redevelopment of seven planned urban projects that include a single- family community, townhome initiative and condominium building.
Maher adds that the plummeting market in 2008 required him to ideate new approaches to overcome the challenges he faced. “I’ve experienced the highs and lows of the industry, which has allowed me to learn all aspects of successful real estate sales and become a very well-rounded consultant.”
Kiener’s interest in real estate was sparked when he watched the construction of a new home in his childhood neighborhood. “I was fascinated by the transformation that was taking place,” he recalls. Soon after college, while working as a trader, he decided to purchase and renovate a Victorian home, and found himself again drawn to the industry. He transitioned careers by starting as a sales representative for a developer, during which period he earned multiple industry awards and certifications. In his career, Kiener has been involved in the marketing and sale of over $1 billion in real estate throughout the U.S. Kiener’s role at Kinzie Brokerage partners him with prospects searching for the ideal home. He also collaborates with property owners and investment groups, as well as supports new construction sales and rentals through its developer services team.
Kiener’s greatest professional achievement, he says, was his redesign of a Minneapolis mid-rise when sales of the development project proved sluggish. His ability to help re-architect the building with smaller, less costly units attracted buyers who camped out overnight to be first in line for the pre-sale, earning the project press pickup on the evening news.
Like her colleague Kiener, Lutz was introduced to real estate at a young age. The daughter of a North Shore broker and developer, she specializes in luxury, new construction and condominium sales. Her experience in marketing and selling over $1 billion in property has established her as an expert in Florida, Illinois and Texas, providing a range of experience that not many can cite. Among these are several high-profile multi-million dollar Lincoln Park sales, and her involvement in bringing a once-distressed David Adler-designed home to market once it was renovated, a project that holds special meaning given that her recently departed mother-in-law served on the board of the David Adler Music and Arts Center.
“My goal as a team leader is to provide a platform that allows my group to achieve great success,” explains Lutz. Her strategy for doing so requires creating a strong rapport with her colleagues and recognizing each for the contribution he makes. She herself is currently experiencing a turning point in her career as she transitions from strictly large-scale development sales to general brokerage. “I love that I can do both!”
A leader in the industry, Kinzie Brokerage approaches each project with the intent of building a lasting client relationship. “The goal is never to lead one project and be done, but rather to establish a partnership with a client so that you can continue to work together in the long-term,” says Maher. He and his team make this happen by offering the kind of knowledge that earns clients’ confidence and trust. “One of the best benefits we offer is our ability to not only listen to their needs, but to also leverage our talent to fill in the gaps.”