Jon Gerstein – @properties

Jon made this closing happen. This was a very challenging sell from the get go and I even warned Jon to run from it when he first contacted me, but he not only convinced me he knew how to make this happen, he assembled the best short sale team out there, was accessible at all times and never gave up and got it done. I am so relieved and thrilled with how great he was to work with. Cannot say enough. I would recommend Jon highly and hope to one day utilize his talents again.

My wife and I were looking for our first home. We were informed on the process, but nervous about committing to a home long-​term. After checking out several properties online, we found a couple of postings that we were interested in.
Jon reached out to us and asked us some questions to really get a feel where we were in the process. He made sure that we had everything in-​line for pre-​approval, and took us to see the properties, with late notice (same day).
Jon gave us candid advice about what to look for, and what was important regarding an HOA structure/​funds. Our experience in working with Jon was incredible. He kept us well-​informed, communicated proactively, and was knowledgeable on the process through his work-​experience and his personal experience in real estate.
In addition to working with Jon, we also had the pleasure of working with some of his vendors (attorney, lender, home inspector). EVERY person we worked with was as professional as you can imagine, and we have not had any surprises from the process to-​date.
If you are going to buy or sell in Chicago, Jon is your guy.

My wife and I were looking to buy our first condo in the West Loop. We found Jon on Unilocal and from our first meeting he was very friendly, patient and easy to work with.
He guided us through every step of the home buying process and it ended up being a lot less stressful than I had expected it to be. He also had very good recommendations on who we could use as our mortgage broker, lawyer and home inspector which minimized the stress of having to find reliable people to work with.
He was also very accommodating and took us to visit over 12 properties before we made our first offer (which we ended up closing on!)
I would highly recommend Jon to anyone that is in the market for a condo in the city.

Jon Gerstein provided me with excellent advice and professionalism during my home buying process. He reassured me that a perfect property at the price I wanted was attainable and my final home purchase showed that.

I found Jon through a good friend. I knew from past experience that searching for real estate agent can be a stressful process.
Jon’s relaxed but confident, professional manner put me at ease and actually helped me stay relaxed from the start. I instantly felt I could trust him to find the right property.
Jon was great at asking questions that I didn’t think of to the selling real estate agent and pointing out items (both good and bad) about the places. Jon used my reactions and comments during the next week and found me a great gut rehab property that wasn’t even on the MLS yet! We were able to view the place and because we were one of the first to see the building I had my pick of units. So within a few weeks of meeting Jon, I was signing a contract on a place!
Jon was great at working with the developer and the developer’s Realtor to make sure I got the proper upgrades and features. He even negotiated soft-​close drawers (something I wanted) when he found out that the developer had not included it in the contract but had verbally stated it was a ‘standard’ item.
Jon also recommended a great team of people to work with to complete the sale/​close. While I did shop around, I finally decided to use one of each of the mortgage brokers, attorneys, and home inspectors that he listed. Everything went smoothly and I’m glad I trusted Jon through this process. I would highly recommend using Jon as your real estate agent.

Jon was nothing short of amazing. As a first time home-​buyer he was careful and attentive every step of the way, and made the entire process stress-​free. He has a great eye for promising listings on MLS, and I wouldn’t have even looked at the place I closed on if it wasn’t for his suggestion. After going under contract, he team that he recommended from lender to attorney was a pleasure to work with and completely hassle free. After hearing comments from other people about how stressful their homebuying process was, I definitely cannot relate. I love my new condo, and I would absolutely recommend Jon to anyone looking to buy a home.

Jon emailed me when he noticed I was looking online for a condo on the Gold Coast. I live in Little Rock, so much of the work would be done long distance. He was extremely helpful and always answered my questions promptly. I found a unit, and he was great in guiding me through the bid process, acceptance of an offer, and closing. Almost all of this was done long distance.
If you need someone who is working for you when you an’t be there yourself, Jon is your guy. And to top it all off, he is unassuming and friendly.

We stumbled across Jon when first beginning our condo search. From the beginning, he was very friendly, professional, and patient. As this would be our first home, we had a lot to learn and Jon was there every step of the way to answer our questions and to provide us with all the important information regarding purchasing in the city of Chicago.
What we liked most about working with Jon was his honesty. We felt we could trust him throughout the whole searching and buying process. On one occasion, he steered us clear of what would have been a horrible purchase, on account of the bad construction of the property and in another instance, Jon advised us not to put in a higher bid on a property that was not worth what the sellers were asking. Had he not advised us against going higher, we would not have ended up in our dream, first home!
Jon was great when it came time to put an offer on what would become our first home. He did the research, gave us a rough estimate of what he thought the home was worth, and we eventually settled with the buyer on a price that we were extremely pleased with. We could not have purchased the condo we did without Jon, his negotiating skills, and his hard work. He is a real asset, especially for a first time home buyer.
We gladly recommend him and although we are planning on staying put for a while, we will be sure to keep his number handy in case our needs change.

Jon is the best.
As a first time homebuyer, he not only helped me understand every part of the home buying process, but also helped me figure out exactly what I was looking for in a home. Honest, friendly and experienced — he helped me take every step in stride. Before setting out on the adventure of a first home purchase, I didn’t think I would be able to make it happen, but with Jon’s expertise and professionalism, it was actually an exciting learning opportunity.
More than anything, I think it’s important to have not only a professional, but also a personal report with your real estate agent — after all, you’re going to be spending a lot of time and some stressful moments with them. For me, Jon has the perfect blend of expertise and sense of humor that made the process that much easier.
He comes highly recommended.

With Jon’s help, I bought a condo in Old Town this past spring. As a first-​time homebuyer, I really didn’t know what key issues to look for in a condo or how to navigate the process of buying a home. Jon was very patient and worked with me at every step. He was good at providing education and debriefing after viewing properties. With his help, I was able to get a great place and take advantage of the tax credit.
I would highly recommend Jon, especially if you are unfamiliar with the process or just need someone to provide guidance throughout the process.

I cannot even begin to express my gratitude to Jon for selling my place (at a PROFIT) in such a tough real estate market. When a downstairs neighbor of mine approached him about wanting to sell her unit at a dramatically lower price than mine, Jon handled the situation with integrity and care. He did not go for the quick cash, but stuck by ME and my place until it sold. Two months later, my neighbor’s place went on the market for well below my initial asking price. I am so grateful to have had such a respectable, and concerned realtor representing me in such a precarious market. If you are looking for a great realtor in Chicago… Jon is your man!

Jon was excellent, could not have asked for more. My wife and I tend to be very picky and Jon understood that; had extreme patience the entire time. Jon not only made himself very available to show us what we asked to see, he also screened our selections if he knew ahead of time it was not something that met the specifications that we provided him. This was our first purchase, not only did he recommend a great mortgage broker, he ensured that we were comfortable along the way providing explanations to all of our questions. If Jon didn’t know the answer to our questions, he found a resource who did! Not only did Jon find us a great condo in Lakeview, that met our exact specifications, he also remained in contact after our purchase to ensure we were pleased with our purchase. Jon also delivered dinner to us our first night while we were moving in, once again demonstrating his care towards his clients. Jon is first class throughout the entire process, I would highly recommend him to anybody in need of an agent. I will gladly use Jon again when it comes time to selling/​buying our next home.

Buyer, River North
When we first started working with Jon, we were quickly impressed by his work ethic and the fact that he actually seemed to care about finding us a Condo that we’d love… not just making a sale. We were not even living in Chicago at the time we purchased our Condo from Jon, and because of our previously negative experiences with brokers we were very anxious about the whole process, but Jon’s relaxed, confident demeanor quickly put us at ease. There were several days we saw 10 – 12 Condos and Jon’s ability to schedule all of these showings was quite impressive. Several things separate Jon from previous brokers we have worked with including his ability to thoroughly research a property and clearly present the information he has gathered. His approach is organized and comprehensive, but he manages to do this without the pressure one often feels from salespeople. Jon’s passion for his job is also a breath of fresh air, especially at a time when many brokers are burned out and frustrated, often seemingly just going through the motions. Jon walked us through every step of the process in buying our River North Condo, and did it in a way that made us feel both comfortable and confident that we were getting a great deal. We are now happily sitting in our beautiful condo looking East toward Trump Tower… appreciative of Jon for all his hard work… Thanks Jon!