Ivonne Payes, Owner & Broker
Josh Payes, Broker
When Ivonne Payes began her real estate career in 2014, she envisioned it being a family affair. Now that vision has become a reality. Payes’ brother, Josh, has joined her powerhouse team at RE/MAX American Dream and has jumped right in, learning from one of the best — his very own sister.
“Our primary goal is to not just put families in homes, but to build relationships along the way with our clients for years to come,” says Ivonne Payes, owner and broker at RE/MAX American Dream. “They turn into family for us.”
The siblings grew up in Evanston and relocated to Lake County in the early 2000s, gaining firsthand knowledge of both the city and the suburbs. They primarily assist buyers and sellers in Lake and Cook counties, but branch out as far as their clients need them to.
Payes runs a referral-based business. She currently leads a team of eight buyer agents and is spending time teaching them to branch out into listing agents, as well. “I like to be out shadowing with them on the road, as well as mentoring them when the opportunities arise,” she remarks. “I want them to be a reflection of me while on the streets working and meeting new clients and most importantly, interacting with other agents. Our reputation is everything in this business.”
Payes is proud of her team for reaching RE/MAX’S Titan level during the pandemic. “Being the only Latina-lead team to reach Titan in this region feels pretty amazing,” she shares. Her business style, for that matter, is to have fun while educating clients. “We want our clients for life, so my focus is on delivering top-notch service with as little stress to them as possible,” she explains. “We are with clients every step of the way, from showing to closing, and truly look to develop lifelong relationships.”
The immediate past president and chair of the Chicago National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, Payes continues to serve and mentor the team that followed her presidency year. After a pandemic-induced period of reflection, she checked off all the adventures on her childhood bucket list that she never experienced, including taking private tennis and piano lessons.
