Some brokers stumble into real estate. Anne Hardy was pointed to it by a close friend who recognized something she hadn’t fully seen herself: an encyclopedic knowledge of the North Shore built one youth sports field at a time. Raising three children in the area meant weekends driving to baseball diamonds, soccer complexes and hockey rinks across a wide swath of Chicagoland. She knew the towns, the commute times and the local spots. When she got her license 13 years ago, that knowledge became her foundation.
Hardy launched her career in relocation, previewing homes before clients arrived for their home-finding trips, memorizing Metra schedules and walking streets she hadn’t grown up on. That groundwork built a business now spanning Cook and Lake counties, covering more than 17 communities in a single year. As a broker and relocation specialist with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago, she serves buyers and sellers at every price point, guided by a straightforward philosophy: Every client gets luxury-level service.
Staging is Hardy’s signature. Regardless of price point or how quickly a home might sell, she stages every listing. She pairs that commitment with thorough preparation, analyzing comps, tracking market trends and arriving at listing presentations armed with data. Referrals drive most of her business; clients have described her as a smart, kind and tenacious advocate.
Last year, Hardy alone closed more than $31 million in volume while simultaneously serving as an assistant managing broker for nine months. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices awarded her its Chairman’s Circle Diamond award, placing her in the top half of the top 1% of the network nationwide. Mainstreet REALTORS® also recognized her among the top 1% of its producers.
When she steps away from work, she fills her time by reading, walking her dogs and swimming. Finding more balance is one of Hardy’s goals for the year ahead.
