I had a fantastic experience with Ask Nagel Realty with my purchase of a 3 flat building in Ukrainian Village. After an initial consultation, we began a targeted search and visited numerous properties. Greg actually talked me out of offering on 2 different deals because it was not an ideal fit for my situation, and "the numbers were not compelling enough". Greg is one of the rare brokers that puts his client's interest first. When we found the right fit, Greg negotiated the deal like it was his own over several weeks in order to help me secure the best price. His experience, local knowledge and negotiation skills shined at several points in the transaction when we dealt with a prolonged negotiation on credits and repairs, helping me manage one set of tenants moving out and finding new tenants 10 days prior to closed so that I closed on a building that was fully rented. Greg was very generous with his time above and beyond what it took to complete the transaction. He spent hours giving me advice on how to add value to the property and become a better landlord and that was after the sale. I would highly recommend Greg & Ask Nagel Realty read more

Greg is a true professional and works hard to make sure all of the bases are covered and details are taken care of. From prepping your home to making sure the photoshoot is perfect, he's obsessive about the details. And the makes the world of difference. Greg did a great job on helping us sell our condo, which was a difficult home to price. We had a contract within 3 days of listing! Thanks to Greg and his team for a kick-a** job! read more

I was not actually a client of Greg's--I was on the other side of the transaction and was using a limited-service real estate agent to sell my property (Greg's clients were the buyers). Because of the nature of the real estate service I was using, I worked with Greg as the buyer's agent more than a seller in a traditional transaction would. Normally tasks like negotiation, sales contracts, etc. would have been fallen to my own broker, but instead I was responsible for handling these tasks. I found Greg to be extremely helpful (not to mention patient) in working through these tasks. Obviously negotiating a sale price is never a fun endeavor, but even through this process I found Greg to be reasonable and pleasant. The entire process went very smoothly, and in large part I attribute this fact to Greg's professionalism and demeanor. I would highly recommend Greg's services, and he will be at the top of my list should I need the services of a real estate agent in the future. read more

I've dealt with Greg a number of times. He is a true professional in the real estate industry I knows more about construction of homes then most agents I work with. As a home inspector, I literally have met thousands of real estate agents and consider Greg to be among the best. read more

We had an outstanding experience with Greg Nagel in selling our penthouse duplex up condo in Ukrainian Village. He KNOWS the real estate market and West Town like nobody else. I selected Greg because he is active in the community, as a member and participant in many Facebook groups and other relevant organizations. He also owns his company and his fees are less than other agencies. When I first met with Greg, he had other listings and references on our block to show his specific knowledge of our property. He also had already run comparable units and had a few thoughts on pricing. Greg did his homework even at our first meeting. He has extensive knowledge of the neighborhood and community.. For our listing, we had an open house 7 days after listing resulting in multiple offers and an above-listing price 2 days after that. We closed less than 45 days after listing, which was just a few days ago and was the timeline we wanted. If you want an aggressive agent who will represent you and work for you, Greg is the best option. He knows Chicago, he knows real estate, and he knows how to work hard on your behalf. He also helped us with some budget-friendly suggestions to get our condo ready for sale. When he and his team took pictures, the results were outstanding. Our open house was overflowing with people because of Greg's aggressive but targeted marketing. This is bittersweet because we are moving to the suburbs to raise our family and are expecting a second child. However, the fast and straightforward sale process that Greg managed has enabled us to do so. If you want an aggressive negotiator who will work on your behalf to optimize your returns, select Greg. It is rare to see someone who is truly amazing at his job, with passion and purpose. read more

I am a licensed Architect and Developer here in Chicago. I have had the pleasure of working with Greg as part of a team for his clients and most recently he helped me sell my multi-unit building during the pandemic! He started off by giving me the real numbers that I should expect to sell the building for. While I didn't like it, he told me like it is. That is not easy for any professional. There is no sugar coating with Greg Nagel. The showings were extremely difficult between coordinating with nervous tenants and eager potential buyers and their agents. Greg was there every step of the way and did what had to be done with his persuasive best with all tenants. To summarize, Greg brings a wealth of financial knowledge, market information, and personality which make him unique among a sea of realtors. He is extremely effective for his clients. I recommend his services with full confidence. read more

Buying and selling real estate can be a long, stressful, drawn out process, but it doesn't have to be. With the right real estate agent it can be smooth and stress free. I found that agent in Greg Nagel. From the first time I met Greg I knew that he was the right agent to sell my home. He came prepared with loads of data on comparable properties that had already sold and laid out his pricing strategy. It was very helpful to see how my home stacked up against others in square footage, outdoor space, finishes, etc. We truly "measured the market" so that we could be sure that our price wasn't too high or too low. He also laid out his marketing strategy, including staging, professional glossy photographs (beautiful), and his online approach. Throughout our discussion I never felt that he was telling me what to do; we were collaborating to sell my home. I would have signed with him then and there, but he told me to take some time and think about it. I signed with Greg the following week. I told Greg my priorities and we put together a pre-sale to do list. This included some minor repairs, a little painting, other general fixes to make my home as marketable as possible. He helped out wherever possible, sharing his contacts and providing advice as we moved along. When it came time to list, I was confident that we had done everything possible to sell my home at as high a price as the market would bear. So what happened? My home was on the market for less than a week and we received multiple offers above list price. Greg did all the negotiating (that encyclopedic knowledge of comparable properties comes in handy here), and we accepted an offer well above list price with very favorable terms. I was blown away. The escrow period was very short and very smooth. I was out of country for the final two weeks and Greg handled everything on the ground. We closed on time and at the contract price. Again, I was blown away. Greg Nagel is truly a full service agent. He knows the market better than any of the other agents I met and knows how to get the job done. He will bend over backwards to accommodate his clients' needs and requests, and he's a pretty good guy too. I will use Greg Nagel for all of my future real estate needs and you should too. read more

I had a broker helping me find a place and he wasn't very helpful and didn't give me the information I requested. So I decided to contact Greg who I know from a mutual friend. I explained my dilemma to him. Within minutes he emailed me all the information I needed plus called me and explained everything to me in detail. Greg was very efficient and answered my questions promptly. I appreciate him spending some time working with me on a Saturday afternoon to accommodate me. I would definitely work with Greg again. read more

Greg helped me sell my Ukrainian Village condo - I am grateful ! I don't live in Chicago anymore, so I relied on Greg to be efficient, detail-oriented and communicative. He did all this ! He was an excellent representative of my needs and really listened to what I was looking for in terms of pricing and negotiations. He is extremely knowledgeable about this neighborhood, as well as Bucktown and Wicker Park. I would highly recommend Greg to anyone who is looking for an expert realtor who is extremely knowledgeable, focused on details and an excellent advocate to get you the best deal! Thank again Greg for running a smooth sales process read more

Greg has now helped me sell 2 properties in Chicago. I cant begin to say how good he is, he is always on point, has strong project management including prep to sell and staging. He negotiates well and he always keep you engaged along the way. He is professional, kind and takes care of all the paperwork for you including engaging a lawyer. A big thank you and kudos to Greg and his team. read more

I called Greg one rainy afternoon while living in Seattle for help selling my rental home in Chicago. From the first conversation he was honest/ forthright with detailed explanation of the business process. I trusted him from the start and knew I was in the best hands possible. The detailed process of hard work Greg put into the sale of my property went beyond my expectations. I am grateful for business owners in this world who go above and beyond the average "above and beyond as we know it". Greg went to extreme measures to stage my home suggesting repairs in our favor and detailed inspection to ensure the sale. There was not a detail untouched and since I live across the country Greg and his team were my sole property managers. His honestly was refreshing. The work to be done was plenty all the while Greg mindful of my position across the country. The details that went into the sale of this property would take up all of Yelp's space but I am blown away by the process from start to finish while in the hands of Ask Nagel Realty LLC. My life single handedly changed from the moment of that rainy afternoon phone call. Best phone call ever made. Anyone ready to sell property would have rocks in their head not choosing Greg Nagel at Ask Nagel Realty, LLC. Things I do not say lightly: 1. There is no other realty company of realtor who could have done 1/2 as great a job as Greg. 2. This experience changed my life in trusting property in someone's hands. 3. I have another rental property I would not allow anyone else to manage than Greg. 4. Call Greg Nagel for any realty needs ASAP! Thank you Greg, Nancy De Leonardis read more

Worked with Greg M and he was absolutely great. He comes from a background in investing, so you know he knows how to tell you if you're getting good value. We were a very picky couple, and he put up with us every step of the way without any problem. He was willing to go the extra miles during months of shopping for a new place. Once we found our place, he handled everything with ease and really helped us feel comfortable with the entire process! Highly recommended! read more

Tom is awesome! We purchased a property and we are lucky to have had Tom Tom help us. He is knowledgeable, efficient and made the entire process easy! We look forward to working with him again! read more

Greg is the absolute best!! He helped us find the home of our dreams in such a short time. Greg was always available to look at places and so quick and thorough with all our communication. He knows how to listen to his clients and We always felt that he was listening to our wishes while also showing us stuff we didn't even know we'd love! Our experience with Greg was awesome and if you want to enjoy your house hunting experience he is the realtor for you! read more

Nagel Realty specifically Greg is the real deal. I used Greg as my agent for buying in 2014 and recently selling my condo. I can't say how easy it is to work with him. Communication is definitely their strong point. Aside from getting me the best deals both way, there are no games or tricks dealing with him. Everything is open and on the table. And his work ethic is second to none. Don't even bother looking around for other agents, he and his team are the best. read more

My fiancé and I worked with Greg Nagel on finding and buying our first property. We were in the market for a 3-flat that we planned to be our home and an investment. Although this was our first time pursuing anything like this Greg made us feel very comfortable and was always there to help us throughout the entire process and even after. When we first met with Greg he asked us what exactly what we were looking for so he could optimize his search. He understood that the property not only had to meet our expectations as an investment, but also as a home. Using his experience and expertise, Greg showed us a map of Chicago and began explaining the different area that met our needs. Within one day of meeting with Greg he already provided us with a list of properties that we could see on the weekend. Along with the listings, Greg also drafted a profit & loss statement (P&L) to illustrate what each properties return on investment was. This was very helpful as we could now compare properties against one another. While visiting properties, Greg used his experience in the field to ask questions that my fiancé and I would not have thought of. He also looked for properties with potential for rent increases based on simple improvements. Throughout our experience we grew to really trust Greg's opinion because it was evident that he was not trying to make a quick sale, but make sure we were happy in what we were buying. When we finally found the property we wanted to buy, Greg's services did not stop there. He was active in the process of finding a lawyer, inspector, insurance and securing a mortgage. Greg went way beyond the normal scopes of a realtor and acted more as an investment consultant. Even after my fiancé and I closed on the property, Greg and I still met and he taught me skills and tips for a successful transition as a landlord. He helped me identify what improvements I could make to the property to increase rents and helped me set up a financial plan on how to do it. Overall, Greg did an amazing job helping us through our first property and we look forward to working with him again in the near future. read more

We were referred to Greg to help us sell an investment condo in Lakeview area of Chicago. We have bought and sold quite a number of properties over the years. We found Greg to be very knowledgeable, responsive and he offered a number of great ideas for marketing the property. The process was very smooth, and we had a great outcome in a short time. Would highly recommend Greg to others. read more

Excellent experience! I walked into Greg's office with knowing very little about real estate and walked out with tons of valuable and useful information. Impressive!! read more

Greg was very informative and passionate about the local market in Chicago. My fiance and I wanted to buy in a neighborhood that was not only accessible to the highway and public transportation, but also "up and coming". Greg educated us on the "value" neighborhoods and only showed us listings that stayed within our guidelines. When we did find a place that we knew was the "one", he was out of town. However, he was quickly available by phone and was able to set up a viewing remotely! His willingness to help regardless of where he was or what he was doing was amazing. In this market now, everyone is fighting to buy the house of their dreams and it was very assuring to have a realtor who understood this. From the moment we put in a offer, to the moment we closed, he made sure our best interests were met and made sure we did not spend a single penny over market value. I would definitely recommend Greg to potential buyers (or even sellers)! His eager and "on-point" attitude helped us seal the deal in a great house with a great price. I know that some realtors may use a more laid back approach, but in this market you need someone who knows their stuff and works around the clock to get you what you want. GO Greg! read more

Greg is truly an expert in the industry - knowing exactly what to, why to do it, how to do it and when to do it. He promised to not just sell my property, but to sell it fast and to get top dollar. Selling one's property can be emotional and stressful, but working with Greg was awesome - he treated me like I was his only client and that my property was his own; it was a fantastic partnership. Whenever I had a question about anything, Greg was fully accessible and usually one step ahead of me providing the reasoning, explanation and guidance. I couldn't be more pleased working with Greg and the end result: On the market for less than one week and a bidding war that got me above my asking price! Greg provides top notch service and delivers superior results! read more

My partner and I had a horrible experience here and I would not recommend Greg to any of my friends. Greg was aggressive, pompous, and unprofessional. Your time is better spent else where. read more

He had shown me an apartment a couple years ago, I decided to take the apartment with a August start date. when i showed up to sign the lease he had changed the date to July, since it was so late in the process I had no choice but to sign and pay rent in 2 places. Then after i moved in, he brought his girlfriend over to show her his work. He knocked on the door and before I could answer he walked right in and proceeded to walk in all the rooms of the apartment. I know his specialty is selling and buying homes, but I wouldn't rent from him again let alone trust him with hundreds of thousands of dollars. He's a used car salesman. read more

I actually called the wrong #, but Greg Nagel answered and spent a good chunk of time offering analysis for free. He explained the ins and outs of low appraisals, explained that he was not even angling for my business since his specialty lies elsewhere, but was just being helpful with his expertise b/c it's good to help folks. So I'm returning the favor. If my DIY sale falls through, I'll be hiring an agent--wish I'd had this kind of help from the beginning. read more

I knew I wanted to purchase a condo but I didn't have a solid plan as far as the selection and close. Since I was a first time homebuyer I assumed there would be a plethora of helpful programs and services to aid me through this journey but unfortunately that was not the case. In particular, I tried to rely on the services offered by the Neighborhood Housing Service (NHS) but my experience was frustrating since I dealt with slow (and oftentimes" non") responsive staff that provided a lot of unhelpful information. If it wasn't for the dedication and resourcefulness of my amazing realtor, Greg Nagel, I wouldn't be the happy owner of a two bedroom, two bathroom condo in my desired neighborhood (Douglas/Bronzeville). With his help, I was not only able to successfully select and close my dream condo, I was fortunate enough to rent out my condo before moving in. All in all it took nearly 7 months for me to settle on the right condo after searching and reviewing a lot of condos within the South Loop/Bronzeville/Pilsen/Tri-Taylor areas. At one point I thought I found my ideal condo during the summer but there were several problems that Greg and I discovered as we attempted to move forward with this deal. We were informed by an existing owner that the developer installed dummy vents in the first set of properties. We also had to argue with the developer about the undone paint job (which he had no intent of completing) and visible moisture problems on the ceilings and wall. The icing on the cake occurred when Greg and I both realized the developer and seller falsely advertised the condo's FHA status. After patiently waiting a month for the developer to address these shortcomings, Greg did his due diligence by annulling the deal and letting the developer and seller know that we didn't appreciate their lack of professionalism. In my opinion, this type of action demonstrated the genuineness of Greg's character since he was more concerned about me finding the right home than making an easy sell. After overcoming that discouraging ordeal, Greg continued to help me through this journey by making me a more assertive, well informed home buyer. I slowly gain a better understanding of multiple homeownership tips ranging from choosing quality interior finishes, the building's foundation and brick selection, ratio of homeowners to renters in a building, assessing the marketability of a neighborhood, the sell-ability of a condo in the future, etc. In addition to the ongoing education, Greg paired me with a great team of people which included an amazing real estate attorney team, knowledgeable (and extremely patient) mortgage consultant and thorough/meticulous inspectors. All of these people were instrumental in my selection and closing process. Given my disappointing experience with NHS, I really appreciated Greg's ability to connect me with so many key players within a matter of seconds with anything regarding my condo. He's even been gracious enough to mentor and guide me as a new landlord. Greg has represented and educated me well and I'd gladly recommend his services to anyone searching for a home. Based on my pre-conceived perceptions about real estate agents I was slightly skeptical of any real estate agent's intentions, but thankfully Greg has changed my perspective entirely. He has passion and dedication to this field and he always has the client's best interest at heart. Thanks again Greg for making my dream a reality! read more

We are huge fans of Greg and Ask Nagel Realty! Three years ago, we purchased our first home with Greg's support and could not have been happier with how he led us through the purchase process. We decided we were ready for a bigger home, so this time around we were fortunate to work with Greg on the selling side. As soon as we contacted him, he was immediately ready to help us as first-time sellers. He covered every detail -- helping us prepare our home, finding strong comps., educating us at length about the selling process, arranging for beautiful pictures for advertisements, hosting a successful open house, negotiating with multiple interested buyers, and helping us get under contract in less than a week -- the list goes on and on. Throughout the entire process, Greg was professional, attentive, thorough, and detail-oriented. We are very happy with his work and are looking forward to working with him again to buy our next home too! read more

Greg was instrumental in getting our condo sold. From the first meeting with him we knew we had an incredible asset on our side. Greg toured our property and gave us a detailed list of what needed to be fixed/updated if we wanted to sell our condo quickly and for top dollar. He was honest with us in terms of pricing and market conditions. The process of selling had its ups and downs as we faced a slower market time and low ball offers. Greg encouraged us to remain positive and advised us through the slow market time. This was invaluable information as we listed a short while later and ended up selling our condo for 20k over listing price. He is top notch when it comes to negotiating and we never felt like any money was left on the table. If you want an incredibly honest, available, expert negotiating member on your team, then choose Greg Nagel. read more

I enthusiastically recommend Greg Nagel to anyone looking to buy an investment property in Chicago. I had a great experience with Ask Nagel Realty when I bought my first multi-unit property back in 2016, so when it came time to buy a second property, working with Greg was a no-brainer. Greg is not only an expert in the Chicago real estate market, but he is one of the few agents who fully understands the investment side as well. Greg walked my girlfriend and me through every step of the process: how to calculate key profitability metrics, which neighborhoods to look in, good and bad types of construction, you name it. And he really listened to what we were looking for and fully allowed us to drive decision points. He makes the process easy and personalized, calling to talk through deals and potential strategies to achieve your goals. Greg will not rest until you are 100% satisfied and is truly invested in your success as a real estate investor. Greg found us our dream property and used masterful negotiation through a multi-bid scenario to get us the deal at a great price. If you want to buy in West Town and you need a realtor you can trust, Ask Nagel! read more

Greg is always a pleasure to work with! He most recently assisted my mother with a sale of a condo and the amount of effort and knowledge was unparalleled. Let's just say the condo had some "issues" he had to work around. Phenomenal job! read more

I recently purchased a condo through Tom Tomek. I have a non traditional work schedule and he was always available. He has great feel for the different neighborhoods in the Chicagoland area. His laid back personality was refreshing, and writing an offer was always on my terms. I would highly recommend Tom to anyone. He made the whole experience pleasant and exceeded my expectations. read more

Greg was a complete pro from beginning to end! We had very specific desires/needs for our new home. We wanted to stay in the city but needed more space; separate offices for my wife/me, dedicated guest room, larger living, kitchen, dining areas. We also wanted ample outdoor space for entertaining ourselves, our friends and our very active dog! AND we had a specific budget to make all of this happen. Greg went to work FOR US immediately. We looked at many possibilities and we negotiated on a few. Greg remained patient and provided fantastic counsel every step of the way. We eventually found our perfect match, but it was a bit outside our budget. Through a very strategic negotiating process, we landed this great single-family home sitting on a full double-lot in the city. In the end, we got this fabulous home for 84% of the asking price...unheard of! Huge thanks to Greg for guiding us through the process. I highly recommend Greg Nagel to anyone in Chicago looking to buy or sell. His knowledge of the city, the nuances of the very different neighborhoods and execution of the entire real estate sales and buying transaction in unparalleled. Ask Nagel! read more

My wife and I approached Greg in the spring of 2020 with a lofty goal to buy property with several characteristics: a multi-unit that cash-flowed well, and which had an available unit that we could live in with 2 bathrooms and decent finishes. Greg didn't hide the fact that it'd be difficult, but also didn't dissuade us. Although COVID hit that spring and there were very few properties coming on the market that spring and summer, Greg never tried to push us into something we didn't feel 100% comfortable with, so we visited a couple decent properties during this timeframe that we didn't end up pursing. Our patience was rewarded when we found a 4-unit building that had been on the market for a couple months, and Greg did an awesome job negotiating the price down to 95% of list price. He also boldly proposed to the sellers (as part of the inspection negotiations) that they accept a "one month warranty" period since the building was entirely redone and hence might have issues pop up, which the sellers accepted. This is our second time working with Greg on a multi-unit deal, and we will definitely use him if we pursue another one in the future. read more

Greg is the best. He is a wealth of knowledge and gets things done efficiently and effectively. A+ negotiation skills and service. If you're looking in the West town area he should be your guy. Can buy/sell anywhere but that neighborhood is his specialty. Highly recommend Greg, 5 stars! read more

To whom it may concern, I've bought and sold 4 properties in the 13 years I've lived in the Chicago-land area. In that time, I've worked with a variety of realtors on the selling side, and have ultimately come away unimpressed: poor quality photos, no marketing beyond MLS, and recommendations which appeared to be in the best interest of the realtor instead of the seller. These experiences led me to sell my last property FSBO. This time around, I strongly considered the use of a discount listing service. Our condo showed well, and was located in a desirable Lakeview neighborhood. Beyond the need for professional photos and access to MLS, we figured our place spoke for itself (particularly if priced appropriately). Shortly before making our decision, my wife noticed a property very similar to ours, located only a few blocks away, which went under contract within days of listing. I looked up the agent, talked with Greg Nagel for 5 minutes, and immediately knew we found the right man for the job. Greg exudes confidence, enthusiasm, and intelligence. Greg convinced me that we could sell my property at a cost differential over the discount listing service which would more than make up for his commission. He was right. Greg was right about a lot of things. As we would later find out, Greg priced our property perfectly. Does your property need some work? Greg has experience in construction and rehab. Greg optimally timed the listing of our property (how many agents wait until 1 am to list your property to avoid burning a day on the market?). Greg doesn't just hire the best property photographers in the business (does your realtor provide a floor plan to prospective buyers?), but he works with them during the shoot, rearranging your furniture to maximize the space of your rooms. Greg doesn't expect MLS to sell your property, but rather he relies on his extensive personal and electronic social network (does your realtor use Twitter and Facebook correctly? Do they have a radio show?). How extensive? Within 24 hours of our property going on the market (2 days before our planned open house, mind you), Greg had 4 showings. So what? Talk is cheap; show me the money. Greg did. By 10 pm the day our listing went live, Greg presented us with a cash offer from a buyer at asking price. Now, if you are a realtor, what would you do? If you are looking out for your own bottom line, you prompt your client to immediately accept the offer. Attempting to negotiate higher jeopardizes an immediate return on your time investment for little financial gain. What did Greg do? Greg worked in our best interest and recommended we attempt to negotiate a higher sale price. How did he do it? He presented a thorough, sound, and intelligent argument, with backing comps, to the buyer's realtor. And guess what? They accepted the deal. We closed two weeks later. Greg worked diligently to keep the buyers happy and the deal healthy. Greg Nagel paid for himself and I walked away with an appreciable check and a smile on my face. There are many agents to choose from, but few to one agent who works hard to maximize the value of your property in this economy. Greg Nagel is the expert who doesn't rest on his laurels like many so-called "experts." Looking to buy/sell in Chicago-land? Greg Nagel is your guy. read more

As a condo seller in a tough market, I am delighted to recommend Greg Nagel as a real estate representative. Greg kept in regular contact with us throughout the sales process, advising us on how the property was showing, how frequently it was showing, how it ranked within an ever-changing market, and when he thought additional consideration on pricing needed to be made. He was always sensitive to our concerns and answered questions promptly so we were able to make informed decisions throughout. I never felt he wasn't working for us. When that buyer did come along and Greg would be dual agent in the transaction, I realized it was Greg's outstanding reputation that had been the initial draw. How lucky for us! Only after did it become "location, location, location." And Greg's ability to fairly represent both sides will continue to set him apart, making him an excellent rep no matter what side of the market you're on. In closing (both literally and figuratively), Greg kept all parties in synch: making sure we, as sellers, knew exactly what we needed to do; coordinating with attorneys the resolution of a few last minute obstacles that popped up; and ensuring everything was in hand to complete the sale in an astonishing 10 business days. It was incredible! We feel very fortunate. May Greg and good fortune also shine upon you. read more

This is a professional review. Before I start, I'll give a little background. I'm a real estate investor and developer of residential real estate in the Chicagoland area. I knew Greg when he was president of the East Village Neighborhood Association. When one of my investors/close friend was looking for a new home in the Wicker Park/Bucktown/East Village area, I recommended Greg's services given Greg's knowledge and experience in the area. I had to make sure my investor was in good hands so I sat through the whole process of introductions, accompanied every property walkthrough (5-6 weekends) and weighed in on post-walkthrough discussions. In this experience, I found Greg to be one of the best realtors I know in helping clients find a new home in the West Town area. A couple of points stood out: (1) Greg's knowledge as a former contractor This was helpful in short listing properties with less maintenance requirements. Examples are dropping/discounting homes with split-face block (water seepage risk), back porch construction (building code violations/maintenance requirements) and fairly accurate estimates on rehab/update costs (they were close to my own personal estimates). (2) Greg's dedication to research My investor didn't care for sifting through an endless list of properties and we did not want to waste time looking at duds. This was made clear to Greg. Greg did the research beforehand and sent over extensive commentary/reviews on properties that my investor initially wanted to see. (3) Greg's experience on client needs My investor's wife is expecting their first baby due April 2013. Greg's experience showed when he recommended useful home features (attached garages with space for baby prams/bikes, #stairs/levels, child friendly design, same level master-baby room). (4) Greg's efficiency Greg was able to push us through 7-12 properties during each walkthrough session (2.5 hrs or less). That's ~15 mins a property, not including windshield time, and almost a standard I carry for myself as an investor. Before you dismiss this point, it's critical for homebuyers to see as many properties as possible and do a post-review at the end. You either like the property or you don't. Most other realtors tend to let prospective buyers marinate in a property for awhile, hoping they'd just like it/accept it. read more

As first time home buyers, we were looking to work with someone who was extremely knowledgeable about the process, responsive at all times, honest and reliable. Greg, not only met, but also exceeded our expectations in each regard. In our first few meetings, Greg asked questions that helped us understand our preferences better and arrive at a list of features we did not want to compromise on. Next, he gave us a feel for different neighborhoods in the city which helped us pick a neighborhood we wanted to live in. Greg meticulously set up automated searches within MLS and curiously followed up on our rejects. His curiosity only indicated his passion to understand his clients better, so he could best cater to their needs. While viewing properties on our power-outings, Greg ensured that a Sellers' Agent didn't overwhelm us with unnecessary information or skew our outlook of a property. On the other hand, at one of the showings, Greg respectfully extended help to a Sellers Agent. That clearly demonstrated his self confidence and willingness to help his peers in a competitive market. At a time when there was a dearth of properties in the Chicago real estate market, resulting in multiple offers on a single property, Greg pulled out unique and innovative tricks to help make our offer stand out against the rest. Greg made certain that we eventually found a property in a neighborhood we simply love! There were minor compromises in the quality of the unit we purchased but Greg comforted us by helping identify and separate cosmetic rehabs from major shortcomings. Greg is easy to work with, professional in his demeanor, well-informed and client focused. We strongly recommend Greg's services while you are out shopping for a place you'd like to call 'home'! read more

From the first time I met Greg I knew I made the right decision to let him list my condo. My plan was to sell it quickly as I was transferred for work and moving out of state. He made a strong argument as to why my condo was worth more than I thought and had the statistics and numbers to back it up. I trusted him heavily on his advice and expertise as he proved quickly he was an expert in the field. As we started working together I saw he was very organized through the whole process and walked me through everything from pre-listing to closing. His marketing knowledge was superb and resulted in me receiving 3 offers on my condo after the first week of listing. With those 3 offers I had to rely heavily on Greg's skills and I was happy I did as he negotiated fiercely to get me the highest dollar value possible, which was even higher than his initial estimate. Greg exceeds every expectation I ever had for a real estate broker and I would recommend him to anyone looking to list their property. He is extremely knowledgeable in the Chicago market and loves what he does which shows in his work. read more

Reliable, intuitive, diligent, and highly knowledgeable! Greg made buying a property easy. He scheduled many visits in a row and handled other pushy real estate agents with ease while looking out for my interests. I recommend Greg to any serious buyer. read more

As I've learned over the past 13 years living in Chicago, there are a ton of undiscovered treasures to find in this town. Two of the best ones my wife and I came across while searching for a new home were Greg Nagel and Tom Tomek from AskNagel Realty. We had a few items on our must-have list when we began the process of finding an agent, and some of those requirements included: * knowing the area with absolute expertise, and an adeptness for negotiating an uber-smart price * working with our crazy schedules, and the flexibility to move incredibly fast * caring more about our financial budgets and personal interests than their take on any deal * teaching us a ton about what we did not know, and making us feel good we were in great hands This dynamic duo, supported by a terrific administrative staff, delivered in spades. They refused to let us put an offer on a property that we did not truly love. While both these guys remained involved throughout the search and well-beyond the time we closed, their divide and conquer approach did exactly that, landing us the home we are still thrilled about at a price that was just as nice. If realtors have a financial interest in quickly closing deals at the top of a buyer's budget - and of course they do - you would never know it with Tom, who took the lead on our search. He invested more time getting to know what was important to my wife and me both before and after the search/close process than it took while we were actually on the hunt. You would think our future kid were his own grandchild, as with each prospective property we considered, he conducted and provided extensive research and background on every aspect of the place for us to take into account. Tom worked on our schedule, arrived on time or early for every expedition, taught us more about the process than we could ever forget and made each outing as enjoyable as adventuring around the city with our good friends. Finding such character and integrity in a real estate agent can be tougher than landing that ideal new home, and lucky for us, as an unexpected bonus we also scored a great new friend. While Tom was deep into the search, Greg put his master networking skills to work, and somehow helped fulfill one of my wife's dreams - appearing on HGTV's House Hunters. While we initially joked about that having a place on our must-have list, Greg took it to heart, as he did every other personal bit of information we shared. In the matter of just a couple months, we learned how generous a guy Greg is with his time and energy, as we quickly found out how he's ascended into the top 1% of his trade. Pair a passion for helping clients with a brilliant grasp of the marketplace, and what we got was the perfect partner to get the mission accomplished. If you're looking for incredibly personalized service with the expert resources of a major firm, that's exactly what we received from AskNagel. In a few years when it's time to grow again, our search for another real estate partner is already done. Best in the business, without a doubt. read more

I was a first time home buyer that did not know much about the whole process or market in general. I met Greg after he showed me an apartment, that I knew right away I wasn't interested in, but he invited me to coffee afterwards to answer any questions I might have. During that meeting, Greg literally laid out the entire home buyer process to me in as much detail as I needed. He basically paved the pathway for me and made the whole process extremely easy. After that meeting, it was an easy decision to work with Greg as I knew he would work tirelessly to get me a house that I would love. Throughout the entire home search and closing process, Greg was there for me every step of the way. The negotiating of the contract, inspection, and final closing all went very smooth. Not only that, but after I closed on my place, Greg made sure to remind me that I am a customer for life and any problems or concern I may have I can talk to him about. The fact that he also has previous experience being a contractor was a huge advantage, because he has an eye for potential problems in houses we were looking at. What shocked me the most about Greg, was that my budget looking for a house was not very high at all. Although I wasn't looking for an incredibly expensive house, he gave me the attention and service he would give to any customer. I never once felt like I was put on the back burner since my budget was low, which I truly appreciated and think that is a trait you can't find in many other people. I would recommend Greg to any of my family and friends because I have no complaints with the entire process. Thanks Greg! read more