MG Group Spotlight: Sam Stewart
A born-and-raised Chicagoan, Sam Stewart has spent his life getting to know the city and suburbs. As a Senior Sales Consultant, Sam’s background in financial analysis gives him a keen eye for details, while simultaneously keeping the big picture in mind. Get to know Sam on our latest team spotlight:
How did you get involved in the real estate business?
I first got involved in the real estate world when I sold my family’s home off-market. The real estate world was always interesting to me because each property is unique, and that brings its own set of challenges and opportunities and makes each day different from the last.
How long have you been at MG Group? What have you learned from your time at MG?
It’s hard to keep track! I’ve been with the MG Group since 2015. Time really flies. Since joining the Group, I’d say that the biggest thing I’ve learned is that it’s important to see all aspects of the transaction, and how different people will react to different things. It’s part of why customer service is so important and how you need to tailor your approach to each client.
What keeps you passionate about what you do?
Every day is a new challenge and that keeps things exciting. When I first started out in the real estate world, I was more on the financial analysis and underwriting side for a company that specializes in managing real estate. It was important work, albeit somewhat monotonous. Working with the MG Group is not at all that way – we’re doing something different every day and that’s exciting.
How does MG Group stand out from other teams, in the Chicago area or even nationwide?
I think that we really have an all-hands-on-deck approach. We have team members that help out with each step along the way, from our listing concierge, which helps in getting listings ready for market, to our scheduling and sales teams, which help get the property sold, to our contracts team which helps see the process to a successful closing… we all have a part in the process. I think this resonates with clients and they appreciate that they’re always being taken care of by an expert and that no call or email goes unanswered — even after normal business hours and on weekends.
What accomplishments are you most proud of with MG Group?
Prior to joining the Group I was a solo agent, but since joining the Group my business has really taken off, so that’s likely my greatest accomplishment. Our/my continued professional growth is a testament to the Group’s structure and collective success. It’s also helped in learning from my teammates as they’re a wealth of information and a great sounding board for any situation that may arise, so you’re always learning.
What trends are you seeing in the Chicago residential market that are most interesting these days?
I think that in the Chicago residential market, we’re seeing a shift more towards properties with large square footage and outdoor space – two things that typically come with a premium attached and generally lend themselves to being outside of the core downtown markets (i.e., the Loop, West Loop, South Loop, River North, Gold Coast, etc). Now that the pandemic is subsiding and things are starting to get back to normal, we’ll likely see people return to those downtown neighborhoods as things continue to reopen.
What I’ll be interested to see is if many companies continue to keep employees remote, or if they go to more of a hybrid model where people come into the office intermittently. It will have a significant impact on whether or not people feel like they need to be close to their offices downtown or whether they can live farther away to enjoy a possibly more balanced and better quality of life.
We’re incredibly proud of our team of dedicated, passionate people. Stay tuned for more team member spotlights on the Home. Made.™ Blog.
