Raised on the North Shore, Carey Walling worked as an elementary and special education teacher before making the jump to real estate. Walling became captivated by the industry after becoming licensed in 2016 and selling her home in three days.  She then found her new home with @properties Christie’s International Real Estate and has never looked back as a real estate professional. 

Walling credits much of her success as a broker to the communication skills she honed as a teacher, providing the foundation for the successful, referral-based business she has today. “Forming relationships, communicating with clients, brokers and vendors, and navigating uncharted paths were all foundational skills I developed throughout my teaching career and have transformed to help benefit myself and my clients,” she says. 

Specializing in all residential property types across Chicago’s neighborhoods and the North Shore suburbs, Walling is able to serve her clients well, having lived around the city over the past 21 years. Noting that she is a persistent negotiator who is knowledgeable and responsive, Walling’s clients know she is passionate about her job and strives to exceed her clients’ expectations. She creates buy-in by managing expectations from the beginning of every client interaction. Her balance of process-driven focus and lightheartedness is why they return to her time and time again. Her ability to listen, empathize and understand a client’s goals paves the road to success.

Walling places high value on bringing a wealth of experience to the table. This is why she aligned herself with a phenomenal, top-producing team. As a self-described people person, Walling notes, “You have the benefit of everyone’s knowledge and experiences on a deal when necessary. You have the comradery of a team.” Teamwork and helping others have always been second nature to her. When not brokering a deal, she can be found on the lakefront with friends and family or volunteering with various organizations.