Lyle Harlow -- Koenig & Strey Real Living

I have worked with Lyle three times and could probably write a book extolling his virtues. When my husband and I were selling his place to temporarily relocate to DC in 2008, we worked with Lyle to sell my the condo. We learned that Lyle not only has a meticulous eye for detail when it comes to staging, but is the consummate businessman as well. He was managing not only our best interest, but the expectations of my husband’s firm, as they were relocating us, in a market that was losing steam. And Lyle was up to the task. He found the right buyer and we couldn’t have been more pleased with how it worked out.
When we got back to Chicago, there was no question who we would be working with to buy a place. Lyle knew our tastes exactly, and he worked around our schedule, cramming many a viewing into the two weekends we spent coming up to Chicago to look at places. And he found us the perfect place, in the perfect location.
When it was time for me to sell again, of course I turned to Lyle. And despite some unusual circumstances, we had the best possible selling experience. Lyle did a walk-​through with me and told me how best to stage the place. He even risked his life replacing lightbulbs in a stairway. Within hours of listing, we had a viewing request, and with Lyle’s guidance, I was able to sell to the first and only people to see the place, settling on a deal that made everyone very happy. Due to time considerations, we had to try to push things through the various channels quickly and Lyle worked tirelessly to get the deal closed in less than a month, from the first viewing to the closing. He is busy (because he is SO GOOD at what he does), but was always available when I called, emailed, or texted. And he kept me on task, getting the things done that I needed to and providing advice and assistance where I needed it. He even had a friend who could fix my broken gas fireplace and did major research to find a piece that would fix it without my having to purchase a whole new unit — try finding that on Angie’s List!
To be honest, I had no idea what a gem we had in Lyle until going to DC and trying to work with an agent there. She didn’t show us a single property that showed she had listened to anything we’d told her. And then when we came back and were looking at places, I found myself questioning why the sellers were working with certain agents. None of them could hold a candle to Lyle. He is professional and geuine, someone you don’t mind spending a day pounding the pavement on a cold, slushy March day with (while wearing a boot after foot surgery — true story).
I could not be happier about the results Lyle has gotten for me. I trust him completely, and am honored to call him a friend. He has a keen eye for detail, he is upfront and honest, he knows the system inside and out, and he knows Chicago. His memory is incredible, and he really understands his clientele’s tastes. I am so indebted to him for helping me negotiate the sale of my condo and making something that could have been a huge headache into a very pleasant experience. I can’t say enough nice things about him, and would recommend him to anyone looking to buy or sell. In fact, I already have friends who are working with him on their house hunt.
Guess who I’ll be calling next time I’m in the market to buy property in Chicago?

Lyle was my first agent for my first place, and being a somewhat paranoid and compulsive person I wasn’t sure how much I could trust an agent at first. But Lyle led me through the whole process from beginning to end with unflagging persistance, patience, appropriate candor, and wonderful responsiveness. He never left me hanging and was available for any stupid or relevent question by phone or email. Lyle knows the whole city of Chicago quite well and is able to act in full confidence and honestly on the behalf of his clients, and I would (and have) recommend anyone to his services. His mortage broker reference Michael Gigante was also quite good as well; while I never met him, he was always available for questions as well and gave good closing rates.