Real estate is personal, and a good introduction matters more than a good search filter. Over the years I've built real relationships with advisors across the Engel & Völkers network — not names in a directory, people I can actually call. That means if a friend is buying a condo in Miami, selling a place in Italy, or relocating a family to somewhere neither of us has ever sold a home, I don't have to guess who to send them to. I already know. And I stay in the loop until they're taken care of.

The network runs wider than most people realize. Engel & Völkers isn't just city condos and single-family homes — it's yachts, private islands, castles, ranches, and land, in markets both massive and quiet. So whether it's a beachfront estate, a working ranch, or a first apartment for someone's kid across the country, there's almost always someone in the network who already knows that exact corner of the world.

If you know someone — anyone — buying, selling, or investing somewhere outside Chicago or Costa Rica, think of me first. It costs nothing to ask, and it's often the difference between a stressful search and a smooth one.

This isn't a referral hotline. It's the same thing I'd do for my own family — find the right person, brief them properly, and make sure whoever I introduce is treated the way I'd want to be treated.