Ask Nagel Realty

As first time home buyers, Tom was the best realtor we could have hoped for in a process we had very little knowledge of. When starting out, we wanted to simply get a feel for what was out there in terms of the location we wanted in the price range we could afford. Tom listened to what we wanted, and gave his honest and helpful insights into each property we looked at. When finding our dream home, he helped make it a reality when it came to negotiating a fair price and made the whole experience as easy as possible. He explained things to us that we didn’t understand in a friendly way, educating us to be knowledgeable homebuyers.
We recommend Tom to anyone looking to buy their home. He is very invested in his clients, as evidenced by him following up with us to see how we were settling in, and even donating to One Tail At a Time for Christmas in our name since he knows how important our dog is to us. We are lucky to have had Tom help us in buying our first home.

Greg helped my husband and I find a beautiful Wicker Park home. He is very knowledgeable and knows a ton about West Town Real Estate. He was the sole reason we were able to find a new ultra modern condo and we will definitely call him when we go looking for our next home! We will probably call him before then because he became a good friend along the way.

The most driven Agent in Chicagoland. He goes that extra mile for his clients, He is keeping is eye on my real estate needs. He over deliver’s and has a great eye for value and class

Greg gets results! Despite another unit in the building being in foreclosure, our 2 bedroom/​2 bath condo in East Village sold for $ 12,000 over list price and set a price record for a Unit 2. This couldn’t have been done without Greg’s commitment and experience.
During our initial meeting with Greg, we were impressed with Greg’s analysis of the market and his strategy to sell our condo. After implementing Greg’s strategy, we were put in the best position — after less than a week on the market, we received 12 offers. Greg professional and assertively negotiated each offer and, in looking out for our best interest, was able to get the buyer to agree to a non-​appraisal contingent deal. Throughout the process, Greg was super responsive and went above and beyond our expectations.
When you hire Greg, not only do you get an amazing and experienced real estate agent, but you also get his knowledgeable «team». Since this was our first selling experience, Greg and his team of contractors, listing photographers and attorneys guided us through the process and made it a painless experience. We’d highly recommend Greg to anyone looking to get results.

I can’t thank Greg enough for helping me and my girlfriend find a fantastic home in a great neighborhood. Greg was helpful every step of the process and since was my first time buying in the Chicago area, his knowledge of the area was very useful. He started us off with a consultation to build our search criteria and provide us with good information with the neighborhoods we had interest in. When it came time to go out on a home finding outing, Greg put together a schedule for the day that included a good mix of different property types that we had expressed interest in seeing in person. For each property we visited, Greg pointed out the good, bad, & the ugly in the minor details that we may have otherwise missed in a quick visit. Of all the properties that we saw on that day, there was one that clearly stood out above the rest and after going back for a second look since the open house was still «open» I knew we needed to put an offer in that day. Greg helped us work up and offer and it was accepted that very same day. Between the time of going under contract and the closing day, Greg would routinely check in and make sure that everything was moving along with inspections and the loan process and provided advice and assistance where I needed it. After closing, Greg provided us with a comprehensive list of things we would need to know from community information to contractor contact information.
Overall, we had a pleasant experience working with Greg and would recommend him to others as well. Aside from the knowledge and tips he shared with us along the way, he was fun to work with and that helped take a lot of stress out of the home buying process. When the time comes for us to sell our place or buy a new one, we’re sure to remember Better Call Nagel!

My husband and I reached out to Greg after we had a sour experience with another broker in the city. From the start, we couldn’t have been more impressed! Being first time home buyers, we had many, many questions. Greg sat down with us and went over all of our questions from the start, to put us at ease and helped to educate us on the home buying process.
We really got the feeling that Greg cared about us, and we were not just another ‘deal’ in his book. It was obvious he was more interested in finding us a place we would be happy with in the long run, than just making a quick sale. He spent 3+ late nights in his office with us (10:30−11pm) helping us put together offer letters, and going over comps in the area.
Finding your dream home is both mentally and physically exhausting! Greg was very quick to respond when we saw a place we wanted to go see. He helped make the process easy and fun, and really knows all of the in’s and out’s.
We are now scheduled to close on our first home next week, and we wouldn’t be in the position we are now without him. Eventually down the road when it comes time to sell our place, we will definitely be using Greg! I would recommend him to all of our friends & family looking to buy or sell!

Greg helped us buy a condo in the Wicker Park/​Ukrainian Village, Chicago area in July 2015.
When I first started searching for a buyer’s agent, I asked my colleague and longtime East Village Association member for West Town realtor referrals his one and only was Greg Nagel — Greg was described as incredibly hard working, aggressive, and would bend over backwards in service to his clients. 100% true.
What my colleague didn’t explicitly mention — and what my wife and I were pleasantly surprised to find — is that Greg is incredibly generous and also genuinely cares about his clients’ wellbeing and long term success (and not just about getting a transaction done).
While we placed a lot of trust in Greg to help us find the perfect condo, he prioritizes his clients’ preferences and is not overly aggressive in steering one way or another. Evidence: in our first meeting, the Home Search Consultation, we described our dream condo and he delivered upon our requirements entirely without compromise. I consider Greg’s expertise truly value-​add and again not just trying to push toward a deal.
Equally as important — and sometimes underappreciated — Greg assembled and creatively/​tenaciously captained a fantastic real estate team including attorney and lender that I firmly believe was unique in being able to get a complex transaction across the finish line.
Thank you! Definitely a «Raving Fan!»

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.

Greg was great. Gets stuff done quickly, hugely knowledgeable, always on call to offer tips and advice outside of the usual process. I’d recommend him and work with him again.

I found Greg by using the
app when I was searching for my first home purchase. I knew nothing about buying homes, except that it seemed like a good investment versus renting for the rest of my life. Having lived in Chicago for the past 9 years, it seemed like it was time to stop throwing my money away to another landlord and I knew I needed to move again after my landlord was about to raise rent. I’ve been living in West Town (Wicker Park) for the past 5 years, and loved the area, but as mentioned, didn’t know much about how to buy a home, or what to look for. When I clicked on requesting more info on a house on the
app, Greg immediately emailed me. Maybe this seemed overwhelming or a little too eager, so I almost backed out of using Greg. HA! I was very honest and told him I was going to use a friend that was newly entering the realtor business instead. It was his knowledgeable and thorough response that convinced me to make an appointment with him anyway, just to chat and see my options. I figured why not… this guy actually seems like an expert in the field.
I met him at his office only a couple days later, and he gave me a complete run down on what buying a home would be like. I literally was in his office for 2 hours. Well worth it!!! He answered all of my questions, and explained step by step what the process would be like – from preapproval letters, to mortgages, to what to look for in homes, to how this works for him as a realtor. He truly earned my trust.
We met in December, did a power outing within the week of our first meeting, saw a few other homes a few days later, and boom! We put an offer on our number one choice for first floor duplex down in Smith Park. This was an odd search, since I’m a musician and definitely needed a basement, but a single family home for what I was looking for wasn’t exactly in my price range. Greg was a master at figuring this out, what would work, and how to get what I wanted.
Seriously, Greg is a rock star. From start to finish – though I really feel like we’re never finished since I ask him questions even after we’ve closed and moved in! Some great moments during the process happened when we met with other agents showcasing the homes. Greg was blowing them out of the water with recognizing details about the places that the sellers hadn’t noticed or mentioned! I giggled quite a few times… and honestly felt bad for the owners!
Like I said, I knew nothing about buying, and Greg has guided me completely. I’ve asked for and used his recommendations (beyond the home details and locations) for my inspector, attorney, lender, contractors, handy men, HVAC… seriously everything and everyone! He’s funny, chill, and not pushy at all, just legit and knows how to do his job. I am incredibly appreciative of all of his serious hard work and honesty. If things didn’t seem right, he would speak his mind, and he really sticks up for his clients. I am very lucky to have found Greg! And I got a deal! When my appraisal came through, my final closing cost was below, so I’m already ahead! That definitely is not always the case.
Anyway, this experience ruled, and I will continue to be a costumer of Greg’s and will refer everyone I know to him. My sister is going through a home buying experience right now, but in Virginia, and I wish Greg could work for her. My experience was so easy and awesome in comparison to the stories I’m hearing from her. You will not be let down and only have great experiences to gain!

I met Greg Nagel at an open house that he was hosting. As soon as my husband and I walked in the door, he kindly introduced himself, told us a little about the property and asked about our search. We are first-​time homebuyers. This was our second open house, and we weren’t working with an agent or broker yet.
Not only did he walk us through the property thoroughly – even knowing that our situation would not allow for a quick close (i.e. no matter how much we wanted to, we wouldn’t be able to buy that particular property at that time) – he pointed out things to look for when considering a property: width over length, all-​brick versus split-​faced brick and block, etc.
We immediately knew that Greg was knowledgeable and had his client’s best interests in mind. He offered to walk us through the home buying process and we met with him for over two hours. He answered all of our questions, listened to our concerns, wants, and needs, and even graciously put up with our eccentricities. He also introduced us to Melissa Doubleday, one of his agents, who – SPOILER ALERT! – would end up being our agent.
After that meeting, we scheduled an all-​day outing to look at properties. Greg refers to this as a «lookie-​loo.» Greg, Melissa, my husband, and I looked at about 10 properties that day. We learned what we should be looking for in properties within our price range, and where we could find deals.
At that point, Melissa took over as our agent. She took us out on several all-​day property-​hunting adventures, plus several all-​evening looks. I was very picky and I think we saw 40+ properties with Melissa. Through summer downpours, late appointments, our discouragement, our beyond-​our-​price-​range standards and more, Melissa remained professional, cheerful, kind, positive, and persistent. She would not stop focusing on our search until we found the right property.
And then, once we did and the offer was accepted, the appraisal came in surprisingly low (as in, deal-​breaking low). But Greg and Melissa swept into action, visiting the «comparable» properties and realizing that they weren’t comparable at all. Our property has two generous balconies and a full rooftop – one comp counted a Juliet balcony as a full balcony. They both quickly provided updated comparable properties to the appraiser to help him or her accurately reflect the value of our hopeful property. They were successful. Only later did we realize that there was even a problem and everything they had done to ensure a smooth close.
Melissa even made sure that the last stages of the close remained quiet, as we were out of the country for two weeks before the close on our first vacation in a year.
I highly recommend using Melissa Doubleday and Greg Nagel in your next purchase. They are professional, knowledgeable, and kind. Greg is extremely well-​connected in Chicago, notably the first ward and West Town area, and has experience as a contractor, CPA, realtor, broker, and more, which really comes in handy at various stages in the process. Melissa is really wonderful at getting to know you and the types of properties and amenities you’re looking for, and translates that to showing appropriate properties that have the potential to be a great fit.

I’ve know Greg for over seven years as an East Village resident and in the real estate profession. Greg has always impressed me with his enthusiasm, energy, knowledge of real estate and commitment to the client. He has a great work ethic with attention to detail. As a Chicago neighborhood expert he’ll guide you in the right direction.
Of all the brokers I have know Greg sets the bar highest when researching a property for a Seller or Buyer. He does an amazing job of creating an accurate comparative market analysis to determine the value of a property, a critical step so many other brokers fail to execute properly. He doesn’t take short cuts and goes the extra mile.
Greg is very savy when negotiating a deal and fights for his clients best interests and money. His deep experience sets him apart. He’s not afraid to be truthful about any aspect of the selling or buying process. He will offer his expertise and coach, but will always allow the client to make the final decision.
I regularly consult Greg for advice and value his friendship. Give him the opportunity and he’ll make you a raving fan of his business.

I recently met with Greg to discuss the process of purchasing a condo. As a first time buyer you can imagine the amount of questions I had, and Greg was fantastic at answering all of them. He went through the entire process in great detail; I walked away feeling really well educated about buying a new home. I am so excited to be working with a realtor who is not only an expert, but someone who really takes care of his clients. Hands down, Greg is Awesome!

I sat down with Cara and Greg from Ask Nagel to talk about purchasing a new home. I had one in mind I saw on trulia but found out it wasn’t actually on the market even though trulia said so. They were able to show me homes that are actually for sale and in my price range and with the features I’m looking for. Much better to have a customized search and I got to see what’s really out there. They also explained a lot to me that I had not not known about house hunting. I’m in the process of getting a pre-​approved mortgage so that I can officially begin my search with them. I’m excited! I have spoken to other agents, some who were recommended by friends, but I just felt I was in much better hands with Cara and Greg. I found them by all the positive reviews so I figured I’d add my own. I’ll update after my hunting/​closing experience!

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.

Greg did an awesome job selling my condo. Got 3 offers, 2 over asking within the first week it was listed! Couldn’t have asked for a better or easier transaction. He’s highly knowledgeable in regards to the current market, comps, and locations. He and his staff went above and beyond to make sure everything went perfectly. I definitely recommend!

I met Greg through our local neighborhood association, and after sitting down with him to discuss our wish list, we hired him to help us with our house hunt. I figured he would have great knowledge of the local landscape and he didn’t disappoint. Any agent can show you a list of houses that meet your criteria, but what set him apart was his knowledge and honesty. There were several times that Greg had concerns with properties that we initially were attracted to. It was quickly obvious he was more interested in finding us a place we would be happy with for a long time, than making a quick sale.
We did finally find the place we wanted and managed to negotiate a price we were quite happy with. Our closing process was tricky, contentious and frustrating, but Greg was there to help us for the year and a half (yes that’s right) that it took to finally get the deal done. We finally have our home and certainly have him to thank.

As a broker myself of 10 years in Chicago, I wanted to convey an important message about professionalism and integrity among our own community. I have encountered many hot shot agents in the real estate market only to find out later their lack of ethics or morals. When I met Greg Nagel, I was impressed by his generosity, education, ambition, and his integrity. Since then, I have sent him several referrals which he worked on, and showed appreciation.
I enjoy discussing real estate with Greg and getting his CPA knowledge on top of it. He’s great with the economics of real estate analysis which is so important for buyers and sellers. He uses broker metrics to take a factual look at Chicago micro markets and their activity. This is something I should have been doing a long time ago.
Overall, Greg is a great resource and someone to know if you are investing in Chicago’s market. Especially if you need an expert of the West Town area of Chicago.

Greg was very informative and passionate about the local market in Chicago. My fiancé 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!

My partner and I engaged Greg Nagel after our previous broker completely dropped the ball. We are both attorneys so we had high expectations with regard to our realtor, and demanded the very best.
My previous career was as a mortgage broker so I already knew the ropes and had worked with dozens of agents in the past. I can honestly say that I have never worked with a more competent, forthright, and insightful agent. He was literally as good as it gets. Period.
Greg took the time to sit down with us and explain everything from start to finish. After we picked out several properties that we were interested in, Greg started to put together preferences what neither of us were aware of. It was common for him to walk into a place and immediately know that we would not like it. As we hedged about, «we could compromise the living room size because the kitchen is amazing,» Greg kept us focused and helped keep us from settling on something that we would have only marginally liked.
After getting to know Greg, we went out on our second or third «power-​outing» (where we go out and see 10 – 15 properties back to back). One of the properties that we had picked went under contract that day so Greg took it upon himself to add a property that we had not seen yet. Because of his insight, knowledge, and foresight we found our dream home. The «substitute property» was EXACTLY what we had been looking for. From the moment that elevator opened I knew we were home.
I could not recommend Greg more highly, professionally or personally. He was wonderful to work with. You will be glad that you chose him to guide you as you look for your dream home.
On a personality note, you will not find a more genuine and nice broker. He is personable, friendly, and helpful.