In her 21 years in real estate, Cathy Bier has worked with everyone from first-time buyers to down-sizers and all those in between, including luxury purchasers, relocation clients and investors.

Prior to real estate, Bier earned an MBA in finance and was a corporate banker at Chase Bank. “I’d always loved real estate investing, negotiating and business in general, so when I decided to make a career shift, residential real estate made sense,” she says. “It has some similarities to banking, but the big difference is that real estate includes the emotional side of a business transaction.”

With more than 100 five-star reviews on Zillow, Bier’s clients appreciate her strong work ethic, fierce negotiating skills and superb market knowledge. They also note her excellent communication skills, attention to detail and down-to-earth personality.

Despite the pandemic, Bier had her most successful year in 2021, with 147 homes and $76 million sold — maintaining her position as the No. 1 La Grange area broker since 2009. She has also been named a Crain’s Chicago Business Notable Broker, a Chicago Magazine Top Agent and her team has been recognized as a Mainstreet Organization of Realtors Top 1% Mid-Size Team.

Bier says the skill that’s helped her the most over the years is her ability to listen: “It’s so easy to get hyper-focused and not hear what people are saying, but it is critical to not let that happen,” she says. “I take the time to get to know my clients, listen to their wants and needs and treat them the way I would want to be treated. I sell over 100 homes a year, but to each individual family I work with, that sale is their only focus — and I take that to heart.”