Having earned the Silver Key award from d’aprile properties for the past three years, Realtor Ana Castillo works with clients all over Chicagoland but focuses mainly on properties in the city (“Southside, Northside, Your side”).

Castillo became curious about real estate while studying for her master’s degree in hopes of becoming an astronaut with NASA. While searching for houses to flip after graduation, she realized how quickly she could become a Realtor herself. “As soon as I finished that program, on the same day, I went over and picked up my RE book and began the self-study course,” she shares. “My original intention was to use my license to my advantage in flipping homes, but by the time I earned it at the end of the summer, I already had a few clients waiting for me to help them.”

Castillo says that “everything happened for a reason,” and while she never reapplied to NASA or started flipping houses, she found her passion in helping clients find their dream homes. She has resources for first-time buyers to get them down payment and closing cost assistance grants, but also works with investors that buy multi-units and homes to flip. Her clients describe her as a “teacher Realtor” with a great team of people surrounding her.

In addition to her real estate career, Castillo earned her B.A. from DePaul University and works as a math teacher in Little Village at a high school she helped open in 2005. She teaches her students how to calculate mortgages, including 30-year and 15-year mortgages with escrow. She holds a National Board Certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, a distinction held by only 3% of teachers in the country.

Currently, Castillo volunteers her time and consultation services to help open up what will be the second-largest LGBTQ+ nightlife and Sunday brunch venue in the nation, Inergy. She is a member of Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority Inc.