Compass

The skills that Anne Kavanaugh gained in her previous job as a social worker, have come in handy throughout her real estate career. “Working with wards of the state, ages 17 to 21 who were not ready to be living on their own, but they had aged out of the foster care system,” says Kavanaugh of her former clients at Jane Addams Hull House. “I taught them basic life skills to prepare them to live on their own.”

In return, she learned consistency, compassion and patience. “This has helped me working in real estate as you need to have these skills to have a successful and smooth transaction,” says Kavanaugh, a broker with Compass. She assists first-time buyers, luxury buyers, sellers, investors and new construction clients in downtown Chicago, Gold Coast, Old Town, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Bucktown, Wicker Park, West Loop, Roscoe Village and North Center.

“My mother was a Realtor while I was growing up, and she thought it would be a good option to increase my income,” Kavanaugh says. Turns out, her mom was right. In 2017, Kavanaugh was named a Top Producer by both the Chicago Association of Realtors and her former brokerage, CONLON/Christie’s International Real Estate. She was also recognized as the seventh-most improved agent in all of Chicagoland. “My largest project in the past year was a 13-unit new construction development in North Center, 11 residential units and two commercial units,” she says. It sold out in 60 days, all units closed successfully.

Kavanaugh says the ability to recognize and adapt to the communication styles and needs of each client has been instrumental to her success. “Each client has a different level of needs during a transaction. I make sure to be extremely responsive to their needs, whether they want to speak each week or several times a day.”

Unafraid of a little freezing-cold water, Kavanaugh participates in the Polar Plunge and other events each year to raise money and awareness for the Special Olympics.  She also supports Habitat for Humanity.