A staple of the real estate industry, Joan Smothers exemplifies the best Chicago has to offer. “People say to me, ‘You are La Grange,’” relates Smothers, managing broker of Smothers Group with Compass.
Smothers leads her team of 28 brokers, passing on insights she learned from her three decades of experience so that they, too, can reach the industry’s highest echelons. “I am proud that I can help a new broker become a top producer in their first few years or mentor brokers whose careers have plateaued over the barriers,” she says, adding that the top two brokers in the La Grange market are members of her team, having begun as new agents at Smothers Realty Group (now Smothers Group with Compass) over 20 years ago.
A former manager at a consulting firm, Smothers pursued her real estate license after flipping homes with her husband. Beginning her career 30 years ago as a broker with Coldwell Banker, she specialized in the western suburbs of Chicago, quickly earning a reputation as one of the area’s rising stars. Recognized by Coldwell Banker as Rookie of the Year in 1990, she was later named the company’s No. 2 in metropolitan Chicago before leaving in 1996 to start Smothers Realty Group. Before aligning with Compass in 2020, Smothers Realty Group was the No. 1 real estate brokerage in La Grange for more than two decades. “When we joined Compass, we were the No. 1 local company and joined the No. 1 national independent company in the country,” she explains. “As important as the state-of-the-art technology and collaborative resources for marketing and training that we gained, Compass also shared our mission for community involvement.” Smothers reports the collaboration with Compass has generated more exposure and business over the past year.
Smothers is a member of the La Grange Business Association and vice president of the nonprofit The LeaderShop, whose mission is to empower youth and where her responsibilities include fundraising and community awareness initiatives. She also is a passionate gardener, art collector and reader.
