Working exclusively by referral from past clients, other real estate professionals and friends allows Kristin Eccles the time and resources required to focus entirely on her clients’ needs. Suburban Staging Solutions, Eccles’ own company, also adds value to the client experience by giving her an expansive inventory of home decor to stage every property she sells. “We only have five seconds to capture a buyer’s attention on the internet before they ‘swipe left’ and move on to the next home,” says Eccles, a Realtor with @properties. “In today’s market, you have to win both the beauty and the price contest.”

Multilingual, Eccles lived in Brazil for six years and speaks fluent Portuguese and Spanish, skills that have allowed her sphere of influence to recommend her to clients who speak those languages.

Eccles assists buyers, sellers and investors in the western suburbs, with a focus on Naperville and its surrounding communities. Although she does not focus on a specific client type, many people refer clients who are moving from the city to the western suburbs, as well as first-time homebuyers, seniors and everyone in between. Eccles’ own move from River North to Naperville eight years ago inspired her to shift from a successful career in corporate marketing and new product development to real estate. “Launching a new product is like buying and selling a home,” she says. “The bottom line is that you have to understand what the consumer is looking for.”

Passionate about knowledge, Eccles takes continuing education very seriously and holds several designations: Pricing Strategy Advisor, Real Estate Negotiation Expert, Seller Representative Specialist, Seniors Real Estate Specialist and Accredited Buyer’s Representative. A member of the National Association of Realtors and the Mainstreet Organization of Realtors, she is also active in the Rotary Club of Naperville, where she recently held the position of youth service chair for two terms.