Being part of a leading nationwide real estate firm, specializing in a broad swath of Chicagoland and handling a wide variety of clients could, in theory, make it hard for a broker to build relationships. That simply is not the case for Eric N. Hauser, franchise sales director for the Midwest at Weichert Real Estate Affiliates, Inc., and managing broker for Illinois and Wisconsin with Weichert Realtors.

Born and raised on the Northwest Side of Chicago and having been a longtime resident of Chicago’s North Shore, Hauser is an investment property owner himself. “I relish working with people on fortifying their future with real property ownership and investment,” says the former IT and management consultant and author of two books about real estate, including “Real Estate is Relational.”

“Working with very detailed requirements of clients and customers was the perfect training for working with real estate broker-owners,” Hauser says. With his extensive background in franchising, mergers and acquisitions, along with keen financial and business knowledge, Hauser offers strong negotiation skills and a vast network of resources and contacts. Working with one of the largest independent real estate firms in the country also means he has been able to pivot across a wide territory to serve clients.

“It’s all about emotional intelligence,” he says of the soft skills that have helped grow his business. “It matters that I’m easy to talk to and a great listener, and I do my research.” For Hauser, he always looks back to the leadership and skills gained with Weichert over the years. “My favorite quote is by Jim Weichert, and it’s this: ‘People buy people before they buy a product or service.’”

Driven mostly by referrals and repeat business, Hauser’s client base has people returning again and again for his knowledge of the industry and ability to finalize their deal. Hauser also specializes in luxury real estate marketing, and Wisconsin vacation home investments and sales.