With a background of nearly 20 years in his industry, David Kipnis’ exceptional experience, demonstrated success rate, and genuine passion for his profession have not only earned him top honors in his field, but have also won him the utmost respect and gratitude from the clients he serves.

 

As a top Coldwell Banker Sales Consultant, David Kipnis knows what it means to go above and beyond the call of duty. His experience buying, selling, developing, and investing in real estate— both professionally and personally—has proven tremendously helpful for his clients looking to buy or sell single family homes.

Growing up in Evanston, Kipnis began learning about the real estate industry at a young age; his father was a prominent real estate attorney for Jupiter Realty, which owns numerous leading high-rises and hotels around the country. As an ambitious student at Northwestern University, Kipnis owned and operated three retail businesses in downtown Evanston. Upon graduation, he sold his businesses and decided to pursue a real estate career in Chicago before recently shifting his professional focus to selling single family homes on the North Shore. Presently, Kipnis has 19 years of experience in his field, including 15 years of investing in and developing real estate. Perhaps most importantly, his 30-year residency on the North Shore has fostered his intrinsic knowledge of the market. He now specializes in the New Trier District (which includes Wilmette, Kenilworth, Winnetka, Glencoe, and Northfield), although he also offers representation for buyers and sellers in Northbrook, Evanston, Highland Park, and other northern suburbs.

Because Kipnis is also a developer and investor, he is able to advise his clients on a variety of related matters, such as when to fix or replace certain items, how to go about building an addition to the house, and whether or not building a new home is a feasible option. He is also able to advise his selling clients how to best showcase their home for an optimum price. His experience selling real estate in Chicago gives him a distinct advantage; in the city, his team often handled 120 or more transactions per year—a number that takes a typical North Shore agent, working alone, about five or six years to reach. This experience, coupled with Kipnis’ extensive personal experience buying and selling properties, allows him to truly put himself in his clients’ shoes. Kipnis is also a transition specialist, having lived and worked in both Chicago and the North Shore, and is able to guide clients seamlessly during the move from one to the other.

Over the years, Kipnis has developed a distinct business philosophy to aid his clients in their search for the right home. Before the declining economy, people often bought homes strictly on emotion—if they loved the house and it was in their price range, they bought it and automatically assumed its value would appreciate. In the present real estate market, however, this conclusion is not always true. “Now, not only do you need to look for a house you love, but you also have to buy the right investment—because that’s what buying a home really is,” Kipnis explains. “Even though it’s a personal thing, it’s usually the largest single investment someone makes in their life, and it should be treated as thus.” Consequently, he is able to evaluate important aspects of the property, such as location, lot size, and real estate trends, in order to help his clients make the best possible decision.

Kipnis’ expertise has also won him the respect of many notable clients, including Prabha and Anita Sinha. Prabha is a founding partner of ZS Associates, a global management consulting firm. Kipnis has also worked with Scott Hartman, co-founder and Managing Director of SeaView Capital Advisors, a private equity firm, and Dana Kowen, owner of Dana Kowen Associates, a top headhunting firm. “We’ve been working with David for over nine years now,” Kowen says. “He’s been the best Realtor we’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. He’s always had our best interests at heart.” Moreover, Kipnis’ dozens of impressive real estate awards include “Top Team” in both sales and number of transactions for all of Coldwell Banker (city and suburbs), five years in a row.

Kipnis’ personal love of the North Shore has also contributed to his enthusiasm for his job. Presently, he lives in Glencoe with his wife, Betsy, a school teacher of 12 years, who advises Kipnis’ clients on the excellent North Shore school systems and resources, and his children, Alana (age 7) and Alexander (age 4). As a financial supporter of organizations such as St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Special Olympics, The Humane Society of the United States, and many others, Kipnis is devoted to important philanthropic causes. During his free time, he enjoys studying history, collecting art, and staying fit.

When it comes to his profession, however, his lifelong love will always be real estate. “The first thing I do when I get up in the morning is to check the market, and the last thing I do before I go to bed is to see if anything is new or has been sold. I dream about real estate; sometimes I wake up and feel like I’ve been working all night,” he says with a laugh. Moreover, he always finds contentment in helping clients achieve one of the biggest goals of their lifetime. “The most rewarding part of my job is having a truly happy client, because I’m doing such an important thing for them: Finding them a home where they’re going to raise their family,” Kipnis says. “Seeing someone happy with the work I’ve done for them gives me a great deal of satisfaction.”

Beginning in the August/September 2011 issue, Sheridan Road will debut David Kipnis’ new independent column. Find it in each upcoming issue to read about his top picks for North Shore homes on the market. To contact Kipnis, call 847-441-1061 (office) or 312-375-9669 (cell), or e-mail him at [email protected]. For more information, visit davidkipnis.net