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Dugandzic was most recently a loan originator at Key Mortgage Services, where he worked for 15 years.

He specializes in residential mortgage financing, including jumbo, portfolio and conforming loans.

“I’m excited to take the next step in my career with Union Home Mortgage,” Dugandzic said. “UHM gives me the opportunity to support my referral partners, take advantage of great technology and resources and to continue to provide my clients with honest advice and help them understand the financing options that serve their needs and are in their best interest.”

The post Bernard Dugandzic joins Union Home Mortgage appeared first on Chicago Agent Magazine.

The share of first-time buyers rose slightly from 21% in last year’s report, which was a record low, but remains well below the historical norm of 40% before 2008. Their median age remained 40, the highest on record. Repeat buyers had a median age of 62, tying the previous record.

That gap was also clear in how buyers paid for their homes. Thirty percent of repeat buyers purchased with cash, while their median down payment was 19%. First-time buyers made a median down payment of 9%, and 10% purchased with cash, the highest share recorded for that group. 

Among first-time buyers who paid all cash, 28% used an inheritance. That compares with 9% of first-time buyers who financed their purchases. The median age of first-time all-cash buyers was 54, compared with 38 for those who financed. 

Repeat buyers also had a median household income of $127,000, up from $111,700 in the previous report. Fifty-seven percent used proceeds from the sale of their previous home for a down payment. 

First-time buyers relied most heavily on personal savings, with 62% using that source. Thirty percent used financial assets such as retirement accounts, stocks or cryptocurrency, while 25% used gifts or loans from family and friends. Ten percent used an inheritance for a down payment, the highest share recorded. Financial assets have now accounted for a larger share of first-time buyer down payment sources than gifts or loans for two consecutive years. 

Saving for a down payment remained a major obstacle. Twenty-eight percent of first-time buyers identified it as the most difficult step in the buying process, compared with 6% of repeat buyers. Among buyers who had difficulty saving, 50% cited high rent or an existing mortgage payment. Credit card debt was cited by 35%, student loans by 32% and car loans by 31%. 

The financial sacrifices made to buy a home also differed between the two groups. Sixty-two percent of first-time buyers said they made sacrifices to save for a down payment, compared with 31% of repeat buyers. Buyers said they cut back on nonessential purchases, entertainment and clothing, and some canceled vacation plans.

The report also found that 29% of first-time buyers carried student loan debt, compared with 10% of repeat buyers. The median student loan debt among buyers with those loans was $35,000. 

How buyers are approaching homeownership 

The profile of buyers is changing in other ways, too. Four percent of buyers purchased with unromantic roommates, an all-time high. Among first-time buyers, that share was 5%. Fourteen percent bought multigenerational homes, often to care for aging parents (30%) or save money (23%). 

The desire to own a home remained the leading reason for first-time buyers (60%) to make a purchase. Among repeat buyers, 18% said they wanted to be closer to family and friends, while 13% wanted a larger home. 

Finding the right property remained a challenge for buyers. Fifty-six percent identified it as the most difficult step in the homebuying process. For first-time buyers (39%), understanding the steps involved in purchasing a home was the biggest challenge.

Buyers spent a median of 10 weeks searching for a home. Forty-six percent began the process by looking online for properties, while 19% contacted a real estate agent first. Overall, 53% found the home they purchased on the internet, 28% through an agent and 8% through a friend, relative or neighbor. 

The role of real estate agents 

Despite the challenges facing buyers, real estate professionals continued to play a central role in transactions. Ninety percent of buyers used an agent or broker, the highest share recorded. That figure rose to 93% among buyers of previously owned homes. 

Finding the right home was the service buyers most wanted from their agents (51%). Another 15% prioritized help negotiating the terms of a sale, while 12% wanted help with price negotiations. 

Agents also helped buyers navigate the process and evaluate properties. Fifty-five percent said their agent pointed out features or faults they had not noticed, and 54% said their agent helped them understand the homebuying process. This was especially important for first-time buyers, with 78% saying their agent helped them understand the process, compared with 47% of repeat buyers. 

Most buyers still found their agent through personal connections. Forty percent found their agent through a friend, neighbor or relative, while 23% worked with an agent they had previously used. Among first-time buyers, 52% found their agent through a personal referral. Just 1% of buyers found their agent through an AI search. 

Sellers also continued to rely on real estate professionals. Ninety-two percent used an agent or broker, a record high, while for-sale-by-owner transactions accounted for 5% of sales, matching the all-time low. 

Homeowners stayed in their properties for a median of 12 years before selling, the longest period recorded in the report. That was twice the six-year median recorded between 2000 and 2008. Moving closer to friends and family was the leading reason for selling, cited by 22% of sellers. 

When choosing a listing agent, sellers (31%) placed the greatest importance on the agent’s reputation. Another 24% identified honesty and trustworthiness as the most important factor. Sellers most often wanted help marketing their homes and setting a competitive price (20%). Seventeen percent said selling within a specific timeframe was their top priority. 

Eighty-seven percent of sellers said their agents provided a broad range of services during the sale. The findings also showed that 63% of sellers worked with an agent who was referred to them or whom they had used previously. 

The post NAR: Repeat buyers dominate home sales as first-time buyers struggle to enter the market appeared first on Chicago Agent Magazine.

National home-price growth rose 1.7% year over year in September but dipped 0.3% compared to August, with the annual increase being driven by strong results in the Northeastern and Great Lakes states that offset weakness in the West and South, Cotality said in its monthly Home Price Insights report.  

Compared with August, appreciation strengthened in about half of U.S. metros and weakened in the other half, suggesting no single national trajectory, Cotality said. Illinois led the nation in price growth with a 6.9% increase. 

The month-over-month dip to $429,500 was the largest decline since 2022 and the third September in a row without monthly growth, Cotality noted, blaming the softness on high mortgage rates that cooled summer demand. Normally, home prices rise 0.2% from August to September. 

“Potential homebuyers are feeling the pinch from rising costs across the board, especially for daily living expenses,” Cotality Chief Economist Selma Hepp said. “Meanwhile, limited job opportunities and slow wage growth are making households reluctant to move.” 

Looking ahead, Cotality expects home-price growth of just 0.9% for the 12 months through September. 

“Elevated mortgage rates are expected to limit home-buying opportunities in 2027,” Hepp said. “However, more inventory and greater buyer bargaining power will keep home-price growth subdued, improving affordability. Market activity will favor regions with solid economic prospects, regions that attract retiring population and offer affordable homes.” 

The post Cotality: Illinois leads nation for home-price growth in September appeared first on Chicago Agent Magazine.

The move will create a top 10 national retail mortgage lender thanks to their parents’ respective specialties. Rate is a leading fintech company, while Compass is a leading real estate brokerage company. 

According to the companies, the combination will result in a mortgage business with “vastly greater resources and geographic reach, still backed by Rate’s advanced AI technology, breadth of products and state-of-the-art, end-to-end mortgage lending platform.” 

The combined platform will take advantage of Compass’ owned-brokerage network of over 80,000 real estate agents, according to an announcement.  

“This merger creates a powerhouse lending platform never before seen in the real estate industry,” said Victor Ciardelli, founder and CEO of Rate. “Between Coldwell Banker Realty and Compass alone, there are over 200,000 buy-side purchase transactions representing more than $200 billion in purchase volume. OriginPoint now connects the best real estate professionals and the best loan officers in the country. It is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for best-in-class loan officers to exponentially grow their businesses.” 

Compass and OriginPoint will continue to invest in building out their platform. The companies said that OriginPoint customers will receive a “streamlined real estate experience unmatched in the industry” that lets them find, secure and close on a home in as few as 10 days.  

“OriginPoint is a trusted partner of our team. By bringing our two joint ventures with Rate together, we can now serve our clients better than ever before,” Compass Chairman and CEO Robert Reffkin said. “We can connect more great real estate professionals with more great loan officers to create a simpler, more seamless and connected experience for homebuyers.” 

The post Guaranteed Rate Affinity, OriginPoint to merge into mortgage powerhouse appeared first on Chicago Agent Magazine.

While at Coldwell Banker, Sojka received the International Sterling Society Award twice, which honors the top 11% of sales professionals within the brokerage worldwide.

Sojka holds the Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR) designation and is a Certified Residential Specialist (CRS).

Her real estate career began in 2018 when she earned her license, but she didn’t fully commit to the industry until 2020. After moving to the United States from Ukraine at 19, Sojka held several different jobs before finding her place in real estate.

In her new role, she said she wants to “be a person for the community” and show others what makes Indiana a great place to live.

“Joining Komar Real Estate is more than a new chapter for me — it’s an opportunity to grow, build something meaningful and help create new opportunities for other agents as well,” Sojka said. “I am incredibly excited about what we are building, especially now as we expand into Indiana. I believe in the people, the vision and the possibilities ahead. The best is yet to come.”

The post Oksana Sojka joins KOMAR Real Estate as designated managing broker in Northwest Indiana appeared first on Chicago Agent Magazine.

The founders — AGNT Inc., parent of eXp Realty and NextHome; Home Services of America Inc.; Keller Williams Realty LLC, and Real REMAX Group — also noted that the platform had received 826 letters of support from real estate brokerage leaders, and of those, 493 or 59%, came from independent firms.  

According to the founders, this shows support from brokerages of every size and business model, from single-office independents to some of the largest independent brokerages in the country. Among these are Atlanta Communities, Iron Valley Real Estate, LoKation Real Estate and Realty of America. 

“We have already received significant interest from across the real estate industry since our announcement, and we look forward to continuing to engage with brokerages of all sizes, MLS organizations and technology providers as we develop a platform that expands consumer choice and transparency for home buyers and sellers,” the founders said in an announcement. 

Open Real Estate is designed to complement — and not compete with — existing MLS organizations and aims to work alongside the MLSs to expand access to listings for brokerages, agents and consumers, founders said. 

“Broker-led innovation shouldn’t be viewed as a threat to the MLS. It’s an opportunity to strengthen the cooperation that has served our industry for decades,” NorthstarMLS President and CEO Tim Dain said. “I hope this initiative brings even more brokers and MLSs to the table.” 

“We welcome the initiative of Open Real Estate and look forward to actively participating and partnering with industry leaders to build on the capabilities already in place at Bright and advance a more connected, efficient, broker-driven marketplace,” Bright MLS President and CEO Brian Donnellan said. 

“[North Texas Real Estate Information Systems] remains dedicated to fostering a transparent, cooperative and neutral marketplace that serves all broker participants equally by delivering consistent listing access and empowering exceptional consumer service,” said NTREIS CEO Chris Carrillo

“Strategically, California Regional MLS and Open Real Estate are in alignment with the concept of allowing brokers to bring listing data in from outside the CRMLS MLS Input Platform,” CRMLS CEO Art Carter said. “It has been a long-term project of CRMLS to allow our brokers to have that ability. We look forward to working with Open Real Estate to see how that possibility comes to fruition within their platform.” 

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In the 21st annual Chicago Agents’ Choice Awards, we’re honoring the very best of Chicagoland real estate — according to our readers. With tens of thousands of votes cast across 21 categories, we’re proud to announce this year’s Industry MVP, Managing Broker of the Year, Lender of the Year, Best Dressed and more!

Meet the individuals and companies making a serious impression on the Chicago real estate community.

The post Announcing the 2026 Chicago Agents’ Choice Awards winners appeared first on Chicago Agent Magazine.

After years of intense involvement, meetings, strategic planning and decision-making, stepping into the role of immediate past president can feel like a significant change of pace. While the title may suggest that leadership responsibilities are winding down, the reality is quite the opposite.

One of the most important responsibilities of the immediate past president is serving as a trusted advisor. New presidents and officers often benefit from the perspective of someone who has recently navigated the same challenges and opportunities. Rather than directing decisions, the immediate past president can provide context, historical understanding and guidance that helps current leaders make informed choices. The goal is not to continue leading from the sidelines, but to help new leaders succeed in their own right.

The transition from president to immediate past president also presents an opportunity to refocus on service. Leadership is not defined by a title. In fact, some of the most meaningful contributions to an association occur outside the executive offices. Former presidents are uniquely positioned to continue making an impact through committee work, advocacy efforts, mentorship, professional standards, fundraising activities, community outreach and strategic initiatives.

Perhaps the greatest challenge for outgoing leaders is recognizing the significant volunteer gap that can be created when their board service concludes. When a term ends, those volunteer hours do not simply disappear from the association’s workload. Someone must step forward to fill them.

Long before a leadership term concludes, every outgoing leader should consider how they will continue contributing and where they can best apply their experience. Replacing those volunteer hours does not necessarily mean serving on the same committees or maintaining the same schedule. It means making a concerted effort and intentionally finding new ways to remain engaged and ensuring that the association continues benefiting from your commitment and expertise.

One effective approach is mentoring emerging leaders. For newer volunteers, the path to leadership can sometimes seem unclear or intimidating. Former presidents can play a valuable role by sharing their experiences, encouraging participation and helping future leaders understand the opportunities available within the association. 

Advocacy is another area where past leaders can continue making a significant difference. Realtor associations are strongest when members actively engage in protecting private property rights, supporting homeownership and advancing issues that impact the real estate industry. Former presidents often possess valuable relationships, knowledge and credibility that can strengthen legislative and grassroots efforts. Their continued participation helps reinforce the association’s voice at the local, state and national levels.

Members and staff gain confidence when they see experienced leaders remaining active and supportive after their terms conclude. This activity demonstrates that association service is not about personal recognition or a specific title. Rather, service is about a long-term commitment to the profession, to fellow Realtors and to the association.

At the same time, transitioning into a new role offers an opportunity for personal and professional growth. Many leaders discover that stepping away from the presidency allows them to reconnect with aspects of their business, pursue specialized areas of association involvement, or explore new leadership opportunities within the broader Realtor organization.

As Realtors, we understand the value of planning for the future. The same principle applies to association leadership. A successful presidency should not mark the end of service. It should serve as a foundation for continued engagement and impact.

As immediate past presidents and former leaders, we have a responsibility to support those who follow us, cultivate future volunteers and ensure our associations remain vibrant and effective.

The greatest legacy of any association leader is not what was accomplished during a single term. It is the lasting impact created by continuing to serve long after the title has changed.

James Byrnes is the immediate past president of the REALTOR® Association of the Fox Valley.

The post What’s next: Finding purpose and impact in your association beyond your leadership term appeared first on Chicago Agent Magazine.

There was no Instagram, Facebook, TikTok or artificial intelligence to help generate leads or create marketing campaigns. I didn’t have thousands of online followers or a database filled with automated reminders.

I had my business cards, my relationships and a willingness to show up.

I attended events, introduced myself to people, followed up and built connections one conversation at a time. I learned that people weren’t necessarily doing business with the agent who had the biggest advertisement. They were doing business with someone they knew, liked and trusted.

Twenty-five years later, I find myself reminding agents of those same lessons. Because sometimes, moving forward means going back to the basics.

Being visible is not the same as being connected

Today, agents have more tools and opportunities to market themselves than ever before. Yet many are struggling to build meaningful relationships.

We spend hours creating content, watching engagement and trying to figure out the next marketing trend.

But here’s a question I often ask agents: How many actual conversations did you have today?  Not likes. Not comments. Not views. Conversations.

Technology has made it easier to reach people, but reaching someone and connecting with someone are two very different things.

A social media post may remind someone you’re in real estate. A personal conversation reminds them why they should trust you. Both have value, but one should never replace the other.

Consistency creates opportunity

Over the years, I’ve learned that success rarely comes from one big moment. More often, it’s the result of small actions repeated consistently.

Making the phone call. Attending the networking event. Following up with someone you met months ago. Checking in with a past client. Offering guidance without expecting anything in return.

One of the biggest challenges I see among agents is inconsistency. When business is good, they become consumed with transactions and stop nurturing relationships. When business slows, they scramble to find new opportunities.

Imagine what would happen if we treated relationship-building as a daily responsibility rather than something we do only when we need business.

Community is your competitive advantage

Real estate has always been rooted in community. Before people trust you with one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives, they often want to know who you are, what you stand for and whether you’ll be there when they need you.

Get involved. Support local businesses. Volunteer. Attend community events. Build relationships with other professionals.

And don’t underestimate the importance of relationships within our own industry.

As a managing broker and mentor, I’ve seen how collaboration, education and genuine support can transform an agent’s career.

When we share knowledge and help others grow, we create an environment where success isn’t limited to one person. There’s room for all of us to succeed.

Embrace technology, but don’t lose yourself in it

I’m not suggesting we abandon technology. Quite the opposite.

We should use every tool available to become more efficient, better informed and more responsive to our clients.

Use your CRM to remember important dates. Use AI to streamline your marketing. Use social media to educate and stay visible. But don’t confuse activity with productivity.

Posting five times a day means little if you’re not building relationships or creating opportunities. The goal isn’t to be everywhere. It’s to be remembered by the people who matter.

The basics never stopped working

I’ve seen markets rise and fall, technology transform our business, and countless trends come and go.

But the one thing that hasn’t changed is the importance of human connection. As we prepare for another year, my challenge to agents is simple: Return to the fundamentals.

You don’t need to reinvent yourself every time the market changes. Sometimes, you simply need to reconnect with what made this business work in the first place.

Today, I have more tools, more experience and more opportunities, but the foundation remains exactly the same.

And that’s a lesson worth remembering.

Maggie Antillon-Mathews is an award-winning Realtor, senior managing broker at Realty of America, coach, author and mentor with 25 years of experience in the real estate industry.

The post The power of showing up: Why consistency, connection and community still win in real estate appeared first on Chicago Agent Magazine.