Tabren Smith, Team Lead
Helen Lopez, Real Estate Agent
Andriana Acosta, Real Estate Agent
Sydney Thomas, Transaction Coordinator
In 2018, after becoming dissatisfied with managing a tanning salon, Tabren Smith decided to enter real estate after speaking with a regular customer who worked in the industry. That customer, Nick Libert, owner of EXIT Strategy Realty, the brokerage Smith now works with, hired him as an assistant while he earned his real estate license.
Managing a tanning salon and working in corporate sales provided Smith with the consumer-facing experience that has led to a fulfilling career in the industry. He has since started his own brand at EXIT Strategy Realty, The NextGEN Group & Co., serving as the team lead.
Smith fell in love with Chicago’s North Side, where his source of business is located. Having lived in Lincoln Park, River North, Lakeview and now Uptown, he has developed strong experience in the surrounding neighborhoods.
Smith’s team includes real estate agents Helen Lopez (Pilsen), Andriana Acosta (Joliet) and Sydney Thomas (West Side of Chicago). Their knowledge and experience in their respective service areas provide each NextGEN client with unmatched neighborhood expertise. “We really are the NextGENeration of agents who intend to build our empires based on trust and positive client experiences,” Smith explains.
Lopez brings a Chicago native’s perspective to the group. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, she knows all of the city’s fantastic nuances. Acosta is a well-connected, hardworking and self-driven agent — attributes clients look for. Thomas, the newest member of the team, comes from a real estate family and offers a fresh take on the rental market.
With help from trusted referral partners, including Libert, Smith’s team closed more than $13 million in deals within their first year. “We’re truly resilient and know that whatever this market throws our way, we stand together and will come out on top,” he shares.
