Originally founded as a family team, Pagels Group is a multi-generational real estate group in which Elaine Pagels and her daughter, Brita Pagels, serve as co-leads. “We learned about the industry by watching and working with my mother, Lucy Hilt, (Brita’s grandmother) as a real estate broker at her own boutique brokerage,” Elaine says. “Brita and I decided to merge our interests and skills, while leveraging our entrepreneurial spirits to help people.”
As real estate brokers with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago, the duo are part of Pagels Group, which includes four brokers, a director of operations and a marketing consultant. After 50 years as a broker, Lucy is now the team’s client ambassador. “The team was formed to create a collaborative environment where individual brokers could work together and shine while providing a broader range of client services,” Elaine and Brita say. “This makes work more enjoyable, engaging and supportive while maintaining longevity.”
Ranked among the highest producing small teams in the state within the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices community this past year, Pagels Group has received numerous accolades through the years including: BHHS Chicago Legend, Chairman Circle Diamond and Platinum; Chicago Magazine’s top agent and real estate team; Crain’s Chicago Business Notable Residential Real Estate Brokers; Real Trends America’s Best Teams; and numerous other outstanding achievements. They are also members of various real estate organizations and support numerous nonprofit organizations.
In her free time, Elaine enjoys her gardening, being in nature and visiting her grandkids. Brita likes connecting people with organizations that can use surplus building materials, tools and more. “Collaboration and consistency are key to our success, especially when life presents lemons,” Elaine adds, referring to when she, Brita and Lucy fought breast cancer in the same year.
