Mike Opyd

Broker Associate
Americorp Real Estate

Eight years ago, Mike Opyd asked a question that changed his life. He wanted to know a little something about real estate, but the answer he received turned into a 30-minute conversation that ignited something within him. He immediately knew that the industry was his calling and decided then and there to pursue a career in it. Opyd earned his Realtor’s license a few weeks later and has never questioned his decision.

“I look at myself as an entrepreneur and my real estate career allows me the privilege of working on several endeavors,” he says. One of those pursuits is Opyd’s authorship of “How to Buy Your First Chicago Home,” a guide that helps individuals avoid the pain and stress of first-time homebuying in the city, whether it will be their first property purchase ever or first purchase outside of the suburbs. Opyd describes it as a resource that helps people know what to expect so that nothing comes as a surprise when navigating the complex process.

Just like most aspects of his career, Opyd’s colleagues in the business inspired his decision to pen the book. “When I see or speak to my friends who are experiencing success in the industry, it makes me work that much harder to be more successful myself.” His track record highlights his impressive achievements thus far, like No. 19 and No. 9 in Americorp Real Estate’s ranking for total dollar volume in Chicago and Cook County, respectively, in 2014. Opyd counts his ability to simplify concepts for first-time homebuyers as a unique expertise. “I’m a very good teacher and can explain anything to anyone, so I’m able to help buyers and sellers feel informed so that they can make a smart decision.”

Helping them make that decision requires going above and beyond when it comes to information gathering. “There’s so much information available to people nowadays, so clients expect me to know things that no else knows, the things they can’t find online themselves, like which buildings a buyer should avoid, what areas have the greatest potential for growth and what neighborhoods are good for investing,” says Opyd. He guarantees that his answers to these and other questions are extremely honest, even if it means he and his clients may disagree. This is because he views transparent dialog as an opportunity for knowledge building that eventually pays off in the long term. “The goal is – and will always be – to work together to ensure that my clients ultimately realize a return on their investment.”