For Nicole Van Haverbeke, real estate falls nothing short of an obsession. “At a young age I would spend time looking at the real estate ads in our local newspaper and try to identify the type of architecture or understand the listing price,” says Van Haverbeke, a realtor at Compass and current Bucktown resident. Specializing in the Bucktown, Wicker Park, Lincoln Park, Old Town, Roscoe Village and Evanston markets, Van Haverbeke works with clients ranging from first-time homebuyers to families moving onto the next chapter of their lives. She likes to take an individual and empathetic approach to working with clients, recognizing the emotional and financial significance of purchasing or selling a home, and becoming fully-invested in the success of her clients.
Prior to her real estate career, Van Haverbeke was a litigation discovery consultant, where she honed her project management, strategic thinking and negotiation skills, enabling a smooth transition to her current role. “Clients often comment on my professionalism and resourcefulness,” she says, noting such skills were fundamental to her former career. “I am a trusted advisor to my clients by providing positive, honest, collaborative and professional communication and am someone they know they can turn to with any question or need.”
While balancing the responsibilities of parenting during COVID, Van Haverbeke began working with a real estate business coach to create a sustainable business model to ensure future professional and personal growth. “Although the pandemic was challenging, it brought incredible clarity about my priorities and a renewed gratitude for everything in my life,” she explains.
In 2014, Van Haverbeke earned Rookie of the Year Awards from both Chicago Agent magazine and Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty. Despite her accolades, Van Haverbeke doesn’t view real estate as a competition, instead choosing to focus on creating lasting relationships with her industry peers and her clients. “Once you have established a solid and trusting relationship, then you can focus on the details of the deal and positioning the property or client for the best chance of success,” she explains.
