What do you do when you want to find an affordable home in Chicago ... in this market ... with low inventory .. in good-school neighborhood ... all while living in DC? You enlist Diana Massaro. Here's what Diana will do for you: She will first pull up what has been bought and sold in your price range based on the type of home you're interested in buying. She's set realistic expectations but also inspire you to think outside the box. She'll get a sense of what you want even though you might not be articulating it so perfectly because the process stresses you out and you forget how to use words. Diana will then get to work. She will send you homes: private listings, 'inside-scoop' properties she has worked hard to cultivate based on previous client experience, as well as homes as they hit the market. She will stop by properties you're sort of/kind of interested in (not even fully) in the snowy rain (rainy snow?) ... with her kids ... and take video for you to get a sense if it's worth scheduling a tour. One of the properties we were curious about had the Chicago El tracks behind it and Diana legit stood there waiting for the train so we could see how close and loud it might be (too close BTW). When you get nervous and randomly ask you to look up rentals because this market is so scary and maybe you won't ever get a house, she will send you a list of rentals but also gently nudge you to stay positive and continue the search. Diana will Facetime you for every home tour she conducts. If you can't be present for FT or if you get motion sickness from FT (like me) she will send several videos as an alternate. She will talk to neighbors and walk around the block. She will set the phone down on the floor and raise her hands up high-high in the basement so you can see how tall the ceilings are. Diana will put in as many offers as you'd like, often working late into the night after a son's birthday party or during a harrowing week when she had to say goodbye to her beloved pup. She will explain what she is doing and why; she will also listen to your input and make sure the offer reflects where you stand. When you buy your house from a distance, Diana will do a walk through with all of the family members who live in the area, including fathers and mothers and brothers and in-laws and nephews and friends of the family who are also contractors. She will befriend them all, but also make sure you are the most important person in the room, even though you are on a tiny screen. She will recommend a lender (thank you Luke and Jennifer!), a solid inspector (we love you Steve!) and befriend the seller's agent (shout out to Rhonda!). On your closing day, Diana will walk to your house as a symbolic gesture of support even though the closing is happening in an office somewhere else with powers of attorney doing the signing. She will drop off a beautiful bottle of champagne in a tiny retro-refrigerator box because she knows you want to embrace the vibe of a Chicago bungalow. She will take a picture with the seller's agent in solidarity and celebration. She will also follow up to see how things are going and get just excited as you do that the linoleum floors have beautiful original wood underneath! Enlisting Diana is the right choice for your remote home-buying journey ... and my two sisters can attest that she also is the perfect realtor for searches in your own Chicago backyard. We are so grateful for you, Diana, best of luck with future buyers!
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