Karen Breen Elia - Testimonials

Karen helped my husband and I find our first home in the West Loop of Chicago back in 2010. It was our first time buying real estate and she took the time to explain the entire process and ensured we felt comfortable with all the steps that needed to take place in order to get us into our dream home. She did a wonderful job showing us a variety of different places, and used her many years of experience to guide us in selecting the perfect first home for us! When we closed on the condo Karen found for us it was a dream come true for us! In March of 2014 we decided it was time to sell as our family was growing and we needed more space. We immediately contacted Karen and we knew she would be able to help us sell quickly and at a great price. We had a newborn at home and Karen was very considerate of the fact that our schedule had to revolve around the baby and that it would be difficult for us to be in and out of the condo for showings. Her strategy was to pre-release the listing to a select group of realtors in the city, and then officially list on the home on the MLS the next day. She asked us to set aside two evenings where she could show the home and between the 2 nights I believe she had 18 showings. Within 48 hours we had 6 offers on the condo and we sold our place for 26K over asking! It is because of Karen’s knowledge, experience, and connections in the market that we were able to sell our home so quickly with minimal inconvenience to us. We loved working with Karen and can’t thank her enough for all her help!

She listened to what I wanted and was patient in helping me find it. Karen has also continued to stay in touch and helped me with issues after closing. Most importantly, she was willing to fight for me putting my best interests first which is exactly the kind of realtor I wanted. Karen was great to work with!

I wanted to sell my condo but I knew it would be difficult given various circumstances. I was recommended an agent through a mutual friend. I was extremely discouraged when she estimated the amount I would receive. I was ready to take a hit but not by that amount. I have to admit I had talked with Karen on the phone before I met the above mentioned agent but nothing came of it. A bit later she showed up on my doorsteps, I figured I had nothing to lose, I’ll hear her out. The moment she walked in the door I felt that an overbearing distant relative had arrived to take over my life. With that same thought came the conviction that if anyone can sell this place it’s her. To make a long story short, I took her suggestions, often times unwillingly, and within a reasonable time she sold my condo for far more than I was initially willing to settle. She exhibited great enthusiasm, a positive and aggressive attitude and provided comp sheets and other data that blew me away. I am highly impressed with her work ethic. To be frank, I wasn’t aware that such a high level of professionalism existed in a field that I generally regarded with the same skepticism as used car salesmen. So there you have it. If you want a hard working, no nonsense professional agent who knows what she is talking about, Karen is the one. I am a very pleased customer.

I would have rated her higher if there were more boxes to check! Her knowledge of the market, her experience regarding negotiating, her down to earth attitude and her genuine concern for us make her an outstanding real estate agent. Because she has been in the business for so long, she understands the complexities of today’s market and she knows how to work with and communicate with the other agents involved in the transaction. She knows what to say and she knows what not to say. I have used her both as a buyer and a seller. When it was time to sell our house this past February, there was never any doubt about who would handle the transaction. I believe she is simply the best in her field!

Our agent Karen was a incredibly knowledgeable and caring agent. She helped negotiate for the purchasing of our home and helped us find our dream home after several deals fell through. We will be forever grateful for her patience, expertise and negotiating and followup and her 30 plus years of experience to get the best home at the best price. GRATEFUL

He told us if we wanted our condo to sell, we needed Karen. When I met her I knew why right away. Karen is the right balance of kindness and gusto. She gave us advice for improvements that we hadn't received from our previous agency. She told us how we could accomplish them in a cost efficient manner. Karen is excellent in communication and organization as well. She also took time to get to know our family and what exactly we wanted out of our experience. She sold our condo in no time! Karen knows her stuff and gets the job done.

She brought a solid plan to help us sell our condo. We were excited about her plan and followed her recommendations. She was able to help us sell our condo for a great price because of the recommendations. She understands specific market area needs and is well-connected. Her knowledge of the product and pricing of the market was spot-on. She brought insights from the reports that provided us a unique perspective and helped us tweak our strategy together. I recommend Karen and her team whole-heartedly.

Her extensive market knowledge and comprehensive list of comparable properties helped us set a realistic price that quickly attracted four good offers. She qualified the prospective buyers and represented us, the sellers very well through the offer and contract negotiation process. Karen's follow-up of action items throughout the entire process was outstanding. In short, Karen will help your property expeditiously and at a fair price.

She knows Chicago’s neighborhoods inside and out and provides insightful and useful advice that helps a homebuyer or seller understand the market. That ability has made Karen one of Chicago’s best Realtors for multiple decades. I have used Karen for her services personally and professionally for nearly 20 years. I have worked with hundreds of her clients and I can attest that I have never heard one complaint about the service she and Lou provide. They are available, they listen, and most importantly they truly do care about their clients. I have seen them sacrifice significantly over the years to go the extra mile. That’s why their business is built on referrals and has kept them among the best of the best for years in Chicago

I appreciate everything you did in make the transaction go smoothly & promptly. As you know it was hardest on me letting go of my family home that held so many priceless memories. Working with you gave me a sense of ease and comfort. You did an amazing job! Thank you again for all your hard work & again I appreciate all that you did.

They were born to do this! They have been my real estate brokers for 2 decades and I wouldn’t dream of using anyone else. They are tireless and will do what it takes to sell your property as well as find the right property for you. I recommend them to all my friends and family. Their connections to the industry are priceless! Their ideas and insight are second to none!

For my condo purchase – my first ever home buying experience, Karen talked me through the whole process in plain English and made it easy to understand. She explained each step way before it happened so I knew exactly what to expect during the purchasing process, which minimized surprises and stress and made it as easy as it could be. She is incredibly patient with first-time buyers and sellers and spends as much time as necessary explaining everything. She answers phone calls and emails with lightning speed and never rushed me through anything, always taking as much time as I needed for each step in the complicated process. For my second purchase- a new construction townhome with my significant other- Karen and Lou lived up to my expectations from my first purchase experience. They took the time to explain the differences between a new construction purchase and existing buildings, buying alone vs. with another person, and made sure I was set up with the best inspector, attorney, and other vendors needed who have more experience with new construction. Their vendor recommendations have always been spot-on and their attention to detail with each type of purchase has never let me down. Karen also handled the listing for my condo when I rented it out and had to find a tenant, and also made that process easy as pie- handling all of the leasing paperwork and explaining my rights and duties as a new landlord, all of the showings, and helping me find the best possible tenant. It was rented literally 3 days after she listed it! I can’t recommend Chicago City Homes enough- especially for first-time and new homeowners, sellers, and renters. Their knowledge base and experience is second to none and I won’t trust anyone but Karen and Lou with my real estate questions and concerns. Thank you Karen and Lou!