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By Mitch Hurst
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARIA PONCE BERRE
STYLED BY THERESA DEMARIA
Always current. Fanselow stops to check emails, stay on top of new listings, and see what the line-up is for carpool duties that afternoon.
First drawn to Barrington’s idyllic hometown feel, Kate Fanselow has lived here for more than a decade. She runs The Kate Fanselow Group, part of the Barrington office of Compass, one of the most successful brokerages in the area. Hiring two like-minded women, Mo Marienthal and Anne Mannelly, the trio has taken on the local market as working mothers, who are dedicated to their clients, their families, and their community. “What I love about my career is it’s different every day,” Fanselow says.
The first thing I do in the morning is check my phone. A lot of my deals get negotiated late at night or early in the morning and within an hour or two, my schedule for the day fills up. (I love the unpredictability of it!)
I have two kids, Penny (13) and Teddy (9), and sometimes helping them get ready for school can be a bit of a hot mess, but we manage. Then, I try to exercise. I love The Den Fitness, right in town.
My days are jam-packed, especially in today’s strong market. I’ll typically have meetings with clients, designers, and stagers to prepare homes for listing. I’ll sometimes meet with my investor client, who is doing home flips. There are also meetings with inspectors and appraisers, and showings and negotiations. If there’s time, I swing by Cook Street Coffee or Nekter to pick up drinks for my clients. I support local businesses, and they support me. There’s a great vibe in Barrington—I call it a “throwback”—where people support each other.
I’m usually on the go during lunchtime so I grab a quick sandwich at Heinen’s, our local grocery store. On Thursdays, I play paddle tennis and am fortunate that I have the flexibility in my career allowing me to do so.
One of my favorite parts of my job is helping first-time homebuyers. They meet me after their workday, and we’ll check out homes that came onto the market that day. There’s also a lot of paperwork in this business. So, toward the end of the day, I look at the stack on my desk and dive in. One of the reasons I love Compass is the technology the company offers; it’s very advanced and gives our brokers an edge. I use it to capture data and keep databases up to date.
I often won’t get home until 7 or 8 p.m. My husband is a great partner and he’ll make the kids dinner—his Chicken Parm is Teddy’s favorite—so once I get home, I’m available for “Mom Time.” Checking in with the kids and learning about their days is how I find balance between work and being a mom.
I love to go to my kids’ sporting events and will often bring my laptop and work while I’m there. The market moves so fast that you have to be ready to help clients take advantage of opportunities at a moment’s notice.
Once a week, I try to get out with my husband, Ed, or girlfriends to a local restaurant. It is the best to be greeted at gigi Wine Bar & Bistro with their signature Gold Rush cocktail without even having to ask. There’s something special about a small town.
These are long days, often 12 hours or more, but I love my career. I love the exciting pace of the real estate business, and I love helping my clients achieve their goals. Most importantly, though, I love giving back to the place that has given so much to me.
For more information, visit katefanselow.com.
