It’s one thing to be a partner in the home buying and selling process. It’s another thing to be a trusted adviser. Karen Lynch is a residential broker, accredited staging professional, and global luxury specialist with Coldwell Banker who does significantly more than just list and show houses. Her No. 1 goal is to help all her clients understand what’s happening in the real estate market to align their goals with market conditions. “This is achieved with consistent and effective communication,” she says. “The ability to listen, understand the market and clearly articulate market conditions and the transaction process is the key to success,” she adds. Lynch brings as much organization to her daily routine as can be expected in this industry. Every day begins with a market review: What new homes have been listed What homes are under contract? “I conduct this review with each client in mind,” she says. The remainder of the day she works on current client listing and offer transactions to prioritize her work. Often this entails creating marketing materials, posting new videos or blogs, and documenting stats for clients. Emails are addressed, phone calls are made, and a new to-do list is created for the next day. Today’s buyer is very busy yet savvy, Lynch says, which means she understands the value of her role as an adviser in the buying process, even when the clients have done their homework. On the flip side, the added value Lynch provides to listing clients is fostering teamwork to prepare a home for the open market. “As an accredited staging professional, my goal is to assist them in selling their home quickly and at top dollar. Staging is a necessity in today’s selling environment.” That environment Lynch describes is one where buyers are looking for a move in ready home. “Historically, buyers were more willing to take on home remodeling and renovation projects after the purchase, but not anymore,” she says. “In Hinsdale and the surrounding areas, millennial-aged buyers want homes with versatile floor plans, flexible layouts, 11-foot ceilings, and designs that bring the outside in.” For empty nesters looking to downsize, low-maintenance communities are also in demand, like the upcoming Hinsdale Meadows community, which includes single-family and duplex homes. Despite the two separate markets and their different needs, Lynch works hard to find what her clients want-and delivers for them.

Karen Lynch is with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, locted at 8 E. Hinsdale Avenue in Hinsdale, 630-430-1771, [email protected].