Kate Samuelson is thrilled to have recently joined Luxury Living and continues to carve out her niche working in luxury rentals and residential sales. “I find that I am at my best in an extremely fast-paced environment, which can be easily found working with rentals,” she says. Samuelson is also a big amenities fan and truly enjoys experiencing first showings of luxury buildings with her clients and discovering what distinguishes each property.

After a successful career in catering and events at Navy Pier, Samuelson found her segue into real estate to be seamless. “My job in catering and hospitality was, in fact, very similar to being a Realtor,” she recalls. “Same skill set. Communication is the biggest component with experience and reaction times playing close seconds.”

Known by her clients as a “Wikipedia of Chicago neighborhoods,” Samuelson says she learned the Chicago market while living and walking everywhere from Lincoln Park to the Southport Corridor to Rogers Park. “What I love most about Chicago is that a car is not a necessity,” she says. “Walking is not only great exercise—it’s often much quicker running errands on foot than driving.” Her clients can trust her for recommendations of exceptional restaurants, food stands, museums, parks and kid-friendly activities. She can also advise as to the best pools in the city as well as where to get the best fountain beverage in any given neighborhood.

Her clients recognize Samuelson’s can-do attitude, humor and lightning-quick response times and appreciate her no-nonsense approach when it comes to closing deals. She is an avid reader and walker and loves to keep busy with both work and home projects. She is a warm-weather lover and gets the most out of summer in Chicago at the beach, pool or while taking long walks with friends.