In a world where Realtors are a dime a dozen, there is one person who sets himself outside the rest - Sam Shaffer. The best decision you will ever make in your Real Estate journey will be choosing Sam to be by your side. My fiance and I were first time homebuyers and knew next to nothing about the process. This is the biggest purchase you make in your life and honestly the whole thing seemed so daunting and stressful. Sam and his team were there for us at every step to make sure that our questions were answered. I kid you not - for several weeks I must have called, emailed, or texted Sam 5-6 times a day. Every. Single. Day. (Sorry Sam!!) Not once in the million of first time homebuyer panic-filled calls did Sam ever respond with anything other than the same cheery and calming voice. He was a godsend during this stressful time at making sure we knew everything was going to plan. Sam will work for you He will go to bat for you He will champion your concerns as if they are his own As a first time homebuyer - I cannot stress enough how lucky we are to have found him. He guides you through the process and we truly could not have done it without him. read more

We recently purchased a single family home and sold our condo with the help of Sam and his amazing team. Sam is an expert negotiator and knows the Chicago market inside out. It took us over 6 months to find our perfect home and he kept us from settling along the way just because we were anxious to move and tired of house hunting. He knew what we wanted and made sure we got exactly that. He is patient, kind, but tells it like it is which is exactly what you need when buying a home. Ann and Noach did an awesome job getting our condo listed and made it a seamless process. They had our place staged and we got several offers at asking price within days of listing. Buying and selling a home can be stressful and daunting but this team makes it a breeze. They are hands down the best in the city. read more

Sam -- good 'ole Sam. All the basics are there, of course. But then he also goes beyond. He's very responsive. Note: don't text him in the late hours of the night unless urgent (I stay up late). He gives his blunt opinion, and urges you to be "over the moon" about your place, which was a helpful mindset as we were browsing. His team was great, namely Ann, who was a warming presence at showings and gave her opinion without trying to push us one way or another. Most importantly, Sam ushered the process along as I made enemies with his preferred lender. Long story, but Sam was professional about it 100% of the time, and for that I respect him. read more

We began working with Sam after he was referred to us by a friend who'd also worked with him purchasing their home. We reached out to him several months before we were ready to start the active hunt, and he was very helpful in getting us set up with search results so that we could get familiar with the area (we were moving across country), pricing, and inventory. Despite the insanity that is real estate in 2021, with Sam's expertise we were able to get the first house we made an offer on, under ask, in a wonderful neighborhood. Every step of the process was so smooth. We're so grateful he was on our team. Thanks, Sam! read more

This is my first time buying a home, and Sam and his team were great to work with. They made the process as stress free as possible. Sam was helpful and informative every step of the way. He was also very patient -- my search was pretty specific, so it was on-again/off-again and took almost a year. When I finally found a home, he helped me secure it against a counter-offer. I definitely recommend him. read more

Working with Arlette Quiñones these past few months have been nothing short of amazing. We were first time home buyers in Chicago and we had no idea on where to even start. From the first outreach to tour our first condo, I was immediately impressed by the timeliness of the response from Sam Shaffer at Chicago Properties Firm. He immedtiately connected us with Artette and I feel so lucky to be able to work so closely with her thse past few months. I can't speak highly enough of her and the team at Chi Properties. Her professionalism, honesty, integrity and hard work were very much appreciated and respected. She is very detailed, honest, and just so great to work with. From the first home she viewed with us, to the last, she remember every single detail of things we liked & disliked and as I sent her listing after listing until we found the one, she advised on before even going to the listing if we would like it or not. 10/10 experience with her and the team! When we decide to buy our next home, I will absolutely be using her and the team again as they made this process as seamless as possible. read more

An absolute pleasure to work with. We bought and then later sold (6yrs later) our condo with Sam and his team. They knew the market extremely well and they were able to advise us properly. Also quick to respond, always accommodating, and made sure to move at a pace we were comfortable with. From our experience they prioritize the relationship with their clients above everything else. If we find ourselves back in the Chicago market we'll be working with them again! read more

Sam and his team were great throughout the entire process. You always hear horror stories about buying a house, but we never had a single issue. From finding the place to the whole buying process, his entire team took care of everything. Sam was referred to us after 3 friends had used him and we have already referred him to a couple of other people as well. read more

As always, Sam and his amazing team did a fantastic job helping us to sell our home. He makes the process so easy and simple. He and his team were true partners and advisors throughout. Would highly recommend. read more

Working with Sam was an absolute pleasure. He is a consummate, attentive, trustworthy, and personable professional. His incredible knowledge of the market made our long-distance home search easy and fun. His responsiveness, understanding of our preferred neighborhood, and the market along with his phenomenal work ethic helped us find a home in a single weekend. His office handled all our paperwork requirements (we are moving to Chicago from Northern California) efficiently and effectively. His lawyers dealt with our mortgage lender and walked us through the entire process. Sam doesn't know the meaning of the word no. Everything is possible with him. His joy and enthusiasm for his job is apparent and it made working with him effortless. We would strongly and without hesitation recommend Sam and his team! read more

Sam is the best realtor we've ever worked with. We just finished buying our new home in Lincoln Park, Chicago. He is super considerate of our needs and made so many customized searches for us. He also has resources and connections to find pre-listed homes that have not gone on market yet. And he never rushed us to make any choice any time. In the process of buying, he tried very hard to talk down the price for us. We just felt so comfortable working with him. Very confident you can find your ideal home with the help of Sam! read more

Sam, and his entire team, were simply awesome! Responsive, informative, accommodating, patient... Listened to what we were looking for and gently steered us in the right direction, all while letting us see what we needed to see, even if he knew before we did it wasn't what we wanted. Highly recommend!! read more

Working with Sam and his team, Ann and Noach, was an absolute dream. Everyone is responsive, professional, and attentive. Sam is incredibly knowledgeable in Chicago real estate, and having his guidance and insight was invaluable. Buying our first place was daunting but Sam was great at ensuring we felt supported, secure, and confident in the decisions we made. It was a true pleasure working with Sam and we can't recommend him, or Chicago Properties, highly enough. read more

Sam, Noach and Ann guided us through the home selling and buying process with professionalism and an invaluable local expertise. We are so grateful to have had the opportunity to work together and plan to return with all future real estate transactions. Thanks a million guys!! read more

Sam helped me buy my first condo in downtown Chicago and I couldn't be happier with both the process and my home. Within the first few viewings, he knew exactly what I was looking for and helped me weed out condos that didn't fit the bill. He was very realistic with me about pricing, timeline, and eventually, what I would need to win the bid and close. I closed during the first months of the covid-19 crisis and Sam went above and beyond to stay in communication with my lender, lawyer, and myself to ensure the close went smoothly. I will recommend him to my friends and call him when it comes time to buy again! read more

Great agent and now with the whole experience behind us, an even better friend. Sam goes above and beyond for his clients, this is not your typical agent. Clearly more interested in a long term relationships with ecstatic clients than anything that could come out of any single sale. As someone involved in what will likely go down as one of the goofiest closing processes in Chicago history, no way we would have been able to navigate it without the experienced and, just as importantly, calm and collected Sam at our side. The best way to signify our satisfaction is that we have since recommended two of our closest friends to Sam who are both currently closing on places of their own. From their constant praises I'm sure they will be here leaving a similar review soon enough. read more

Sam is everything I would hope, but not necessarily expect, a real estate agent to be. As a first-home-buyer-ok-just-considering-it-kind-of-maybe guy, Sam initially showed me a few places, telling me upfront, "You aren't going to buy any of the three places I show you today." In his role of a salesperson, he never flinched in having a no-pressure-lets-just-have-fun-and-look-at-houses-and-see-what-you-like attitude. Sam spent hours showing me more than 20 properties, during which time he taught me his mastery of Chicago real estate. He invested the time I needed to make a truly informed choice when it came to choosing a home. That happened one Saturday morning, about four months after I initially met him, when Sam called me (waking me up at 11am -- the nerve) INSISTING that I meet him ASAP to see a place he thought that I "needed to check out." A half hour later I was standing in front of what is now a purchase I couldn't be more ecstatic with. Sam knew exactly what I wanted and when he saw it pounced on it for me. During the actual purchase process Sam was nothing less than a zealous advocate and stellar counselor. He explained to me the negotiation strategy he suggested, which sounded pretty damn good to me, and pressured the sellers for an immediate acceptance of our offer (about 7 hours after the place went on the market, mind you!). Perhaps most importantly, Sam made this entire process fun. It also became clear to me that Sam is first class in his profession as other agents asked for his advice in selling properties he wouldn't dare let me purchase! In sum, Sam Schaffer knows Chicago real estate like the back of his hand, provides pragmatic and candid advice, has polite and informal yet tenacious and effective negotiation skills, and is above all just a blast to hang out with. read more

Sam is excellent at what he does. Knowledgeable, organized and patient. I would recommend him to anyone, especially first time buyers! As first time home buyers my boyfriend and I were more than a tad overwhelmed. We contacted Sam at the beginning of our search when we didn't yet have a super clear vision of what we were looking for. We left our first visit with him feeling comfortable and excited to have a clear plan of how to go about the process. Sam laid out a basic process and asked more than basic "what are you looking for" questions to not only get us thinking but to know what to show us. He was very flexible with showings. The fact he took us to 4 places on one Saturday morning that they had already seen, just so I could see them in person showed me how much he wanted us both to make the best decision for us. When we were crazy about the last condo we scheduled to see and were jumping to make an offer, he had us go get lunch, talk it over and then make a decision. There was never any rush to the process and we never felt pressure. Last minute we decided to see another place and became torn between the two. Sam negotiated between the two and we ended up getting a deal better than we thought possible. We were aiming to move mid-late January and even through the holidays Sam kept in contact with updates. Our appraisal went haywire and we in the course of getting a new appraisal we feared not only that we wouldn't be moving the next week, but that we wouldn't get the place at all. Sam kept us calm (by us I mean me) and worked with us to create a game plan we were happy with. We ended up closing on the condo. It's been a year and a half since we moved in and Sam has worked with two of our friends, one who moved into his new home last month, and another who is moving forward with a short sale. I can't stress enough how easy Sam is to work with. He is very patient and we felt comfortable putting our trust in him. read more

Sam Shaffer recently completed two complicated real estate transactions for me. The first, an apartment in downtown Chicago and the second, a three story building in Rodgers Park. These properties were on opposite ends of the city but that did not stop Sam from taking on the challenge of selling them both. Not only did Sam sell them, he sold them within days of listing them and they both closed on time. Sam is reliable, kind and professional and made the process of selling properties stress free. Sam goes above and beyond for his clients. read more

The biggest benefit to working with Sam is the team of professionals he connects you with. From lawyers to mortgage brokers to inspectors, it was super easy to get through the process efficiently, especially for first time homebuyers! read more

Best realtor ever!!! Sam is my person. He has now been with us through two home purchases and I will never have anyone else. Always tells us 'how it is', always ready to 'go shopping' and someone I consider a friend. read more

Sam and his team helped me sell my home in 2020. I had worked with Sam previously with purchasing a home and was even more impressed during the selling process. I always knew what was going on day to day with any new interest, showings, or updates from potential buyers. I think that the honest, no pressure way that he handles his business is the most important part of working with him and his team. They took care of everything from the listing through the sale of the home and I always felt comfortable that they had my best interest in mind, not just the quickest sale possible. I would 100% recommend Sam to my friends and in fact friends have already had the same satisfactory results. read more

Working with Sam and his team was a great experience. As a first time home buyer, I never felt lost or pressured - Sam and his team were great guides throughout the process. As Sam got a feel for what I was looking for, he helped me to narrow my search and was able to recommend listings that aligned to my preferences and taste. Sam has a firm grasp of the market and provides valuable insights about making a competitive yet fair offer. He also did a great job of helping me to navigate and block out noise while looking at properties. Overall, I enjoyed working with Sam and his team, and I look forward to working with them again in the future. read more

This is our second time working with Sam and his team. We have used them to buy and now sell and they have been absolutely amazing. Whenever you have a question or are uncertain about a detail, Sam and his team are right there to help navigate. I would highly recommend he and the team to anyone looking to buy or sell and we are certain to partner again with them in the future. read more

Sam and his team were exceptional on every level. Sam visited our condo to discuss the listing, and we liked him instantly. He is personable, honest, and professional. Communicating with Sam and his team was seamless throughout the process, and this was especially valuable to us as we were attempting to show our unit while caring for our two newborns. We very strongly and enthusiastically recommend Sam and his team, and thank them for doing a wonderful job for us! read more

We love Sam and his team! Not only are they communicative and professional, they are a lot of fun to work with. Sam helped us find the perfect place in Lakeview within our parameters and then sell our home within the required time and for the right price range to make the move. Sam was always available to us, incredibly masterful and knowledgeable about everything, and was an excellent negotiator. These qualities made the entire buying and selling process process seem seamless and easy. He and is team are an absolute asset for anyone looking to buy/sell in Chicago. read more

I was given Sam's contact information by a family friend who also used him to purchase his first home in West Town. Sam and I both sat down before even discussing potential listing just to get a feel for each other. From our initial meeting Sam had an understanding of what I was looking for as a first time buyer and was able to tailor the market accordingly. He was a huge asset in the purchase of my first condo. I highly recommend him to anyone looking to buy in / around Chicago. read more

I have used Sam to sell both my primary residence (last year) and my rental condo that I just sold. Sam did a fantastic job with both properties. With both units, I had an offer within days of listing the properties. In this recent sale, I needed to sell a recently tenant vacated property for sale. Using Sam's advice, I used a stager he knows that transformed my empty bare unit into a beautiful homey condo ready for sale at a very affordable staging price. This advice really made the difference between having a place sit on the market and one that sold quickly. Sam is a knowledgeable broker as well as a trustworthy guy. I highly recommend him! read more

Sam's knowledge, dedication, and understanding of what we were looking for helped keep us sane through both the selling and buying processes. We were definitely picky buyers and looked at many many houses with Sam. We ended up finding exactly what we wanted, where we wanted, at the price we wanted, and Sam is the one that made it happen. He called one day and said "found it!" He was right. We never had the feeling that Sam was pushing us in a direction to benefit his own interests. He listened to us, and helped us throughout the entire process, from the beginning to the end. Highly, highly recommended. Thanks Sam! read more

Sam was incredibly helpful in our purchase of our home, which we could not be happier with. He always remained objective during the process and never pushed us to buy. He consistently provided us with great insights and was always personable, diligent, responsive, and organized. Whenever we hear of a friend or family member with an interest in buying a home, we recommend Sam. Now, after five years since we purchased our home, Sam regularly checks in on us, which is such a nice touch. read more

I would definitely recommend Sam. We were first-time home buyers and he provided us with invaluable information about the market. We looked on and off for over the course of a year and he was very patient with us. He helped us along the process and always had our interests in mind. Aside from showing us homes, he was always available for information and responded to our questions in a timely manner. If you use Sam's services, you will not be disappointed! read more

Sam has helped me purchase one home and rent an apartment that I have. His knowledge of the neighborhood and the market are unsurpassed. He literally knows every property on every block in my area. Perhaps just as importantly, I know that I can always get a hold of him when I need to. In the few instances where he did not pick up his phone when I called, he called me back within 3 minutes. read more

Sam was a real asset during my condo purchase. He was responsive, knew his stuff, and gave good advice. Recommended.

Sam is absolutely amazing....from the moment you meet him, until your closing...and beyond. He is very professional and will advise you with confidence and 10+ years of experience. He will also support you when you decide to veer to unchartered territory, or take a path less traveled. We were referred to Sam by our close friends who were extremely happy with him as well. read more

I don't live in Chicago, but I called Sam because I thought he was an attorney and I needed someone local to help with a case. Instead of saying "sorry, I can't help" he stayed on the phone with me for 10 minutes asking a bunch of questions about what type of help I needed. He then said something like "I don't know anyone with that specific expertise, but call X and she certainly will. She is great. Sorry I can't help out more." Try to find someone else with that level of service! I had nothing to offer him. I'm not even someone local who may use him in the future. He just helped me out since he's a great guy. Thanks Sam! read more

I was a first-time homebuyer so I had no idea what I was doing, but Sam was great from start to finish - he helped me consider an initial list of properties, suggested some of his own, patiently showed me anything I wanted to see, and was incredibly responsive and active during the bidding/offer process. He had great advice and thoughts during the showings, since I didn't really know much (read: anything) about buying a house. He stayed involved all the way up until closing with the inspection, final walkthrough, and financing process. He has an amazing network of referrals and was really quick to understand what I was looking for. He's a really friendly, funny guy and I enjoyed going through the process with his help. I highly recommend him if you're looking to buy or sell -- he'll be a great advocate and partner in the process. read more

We were in a slight timecrunch, but Sam couldnt of been more patient and efficient. He sent us only places in our budget and ideal location and drove us around to all the places. He couldn't of made it easier! We found a place in weeks and made the negotiations super smooth all the way up to closing. Even with a few hiccups along the way, he always made us feel that he was on our side and supported us on all decisions and at the same time, giving us honest feedback when we asked for it. We cant recommend Sam enough! read more

Sam and his team helped my husband and I sell our condo in Lakeview East and every step of the way was a great experience! When I initially inquired about selling he called me within less than a minute, literally. He was very knowledgeable, professional, and always was available when we had questions. We received a cash offer when Sam was out of town on vacation but he still worked on coordinating the deal until easily 10 pm on a Saturday. I highly recommend Sam and his team! Thanks so much! read more

Sam is the best! We highly recommend Chicago Properties to anyone looking to buy or sell in Chicago. We moved to the west coast but were unsuccessful selling our Bucktown home. We met Sam through friends on a visit back to Chicago and instantly liked his style. He stayed in touch and when the time came to re-list the home, we knew Sam was the person to do it. He and his amazing team did a great job getting the house ready to list and were very successful in presenting us with multiple offers. There are a lot of realtors in Chicago, but in our opinion Sam was wiling to "hustle" to sell our house, and he did. Kudos to Sam, Noach and Anne for being exceptional at what they do. You can't go wrong with Chicago Properties! read more

Working with Sam is like working with an old friend -- and he'll become a new friend by the end of the process! We worked with Sam at Chicago Properties when we purchased our home and couldn't have had a better experience! Not only did Sam take the time to really understand what we were looking for, but unlike most people in this industry we have dealt with, he completely respected our price-point and showed us only places at that level or below. His assistance was instrumental in finding our dream home -- and we've been so happy here in the 5+ years since. We recommend Sam to all of our friends and will certainly call him up if we ever plan to move. read more