The past year and a half have been challenging for everyone. To say that selling real estate during a global pandemic has been tough is an understatement. Today we are tipping our hats to Jena Radnay and her exceedingly positive, can-do attitude that keeps her business strong and her clients happy. Radnay met the unique challenges of COVID head-on by creating an innovative approach to her business that enabled her to achieve her best sales year ever and be named the #1 Realtor in Illinois by Chicago Magazine.

How did she manage to accomplish this? By creating a virtual platform connecting buyers and sellers in a safe environment. In fact, it was an aha moment in the middle of a sleepless night when she came up with this concept. “I had clients who I wanted to continue helping. Literally clients in the middle of buying, selling, closing, moving and I knew there had to be a way to make the process of moving forward easier,” Radnay says. “I wanted to be proactive, not reactive. At the time there was so much fear and uncertainty, and safety had to be prioritized while still allowing life to proceed.”

Radnay was definitely ahead of the curve when she created TouchlessShowing.com which allows real-time, “live” showings to continue. She offers a variety of virtual showings where buyers are able to choose what best suits their needs and comfort level. This includes same-day virtual showings for vacant listings, a live video walkthrough with Radnay, or a conference walkthrough for remote participants. What Radnay created through TouchlessShowing.com allows agents and buyers to safely tour a house while maintaining safety protocols. This allows both buyers and sellers to have a stress-free real estate experience. Socially distant live showings are also available with all safety precautions taken to ensure the health and comfort of all.

While Radnay has a large business, she has intentionally created it to deliver an intimate, personalized experience that makes her clients feel prioritized. “There’s a lot of hand-holding getting to that finish line. It’s not just a one-and-done process. Moving is stressful and my job is to make it less stressful.” Radnay’s clients know she is a problem solver. “I am a one-stop-shop. I manage all of the details from start to finish and I have a fantastic team helping me do it—two Millennial go-getters, Elle and Annie, who I treat as my two second daughters.”

Radnay and her team provide services for their clients that go above and beyond the typical realtor-client relationship. She owns two storage units filled with furniture and accessories, so she is always prepared to stage her clients’ homes. She also employs a team of professionals who help with everything from cleaning to making repairs and other necessary improvements. Sometimes at a moment’s notice. Radnay takes control and her clients love her for it.

Although it is clear that Radnay is exactly where she was meant to be, her path to this career may not have always seemed so obvious. Radnay grew up in Hinsdale and graduated with a degree in nursing from Georgetown University. Although she never worked as a nurse, that training and ability to put others first is what sets her apart today. Immediately upon graduation she landed a job at DDB Worldwide, a prestigious advertising agency, and worked on the McDonald’s account. Her years in advertising ingrained the importance of marketing and she uses that knowledge today to help drive sales for her clients.

“I am a marketer. My expertise is in real estate and each home becomes a brand that I market and sell.” Her marketing plans for her clients include producing videos and taking advantage of all social media platforms, including Instagram and TikTok, as well as traditional media.

Radnay’s background and skill set combined with her passion to create happiness for her clients set her apart. When Radnay forms a business relationship with a new client, the most important thing she’s looking for is a partnership. “I want someone to be as excited to have me on their side as I am to be on theirs.”

Radnay is nothing if not a closer. She never leaves anything to chance. She credits this thinking and her street smarts in general to her Czech grandmother, Mary Wolf (lovingly known as Babi). “She always told me ‘Jena, it is ultimately up to you to make sure that everything gets done right.’” It looks like heeding her grandmother’s advice has been a formula for well-deserved success.

Radnay and her family live in Winnetka and her greatest joy are her two children, Anne, 15 and Jack, 13. When Radnay isn’t working you can find her at Home Goods buying pillows (you might need one), driving thru Starbucks with a dozen kids laughing in her car, or traveling to the happiest place on earth, Disney World.

Jena Radnay is with the Winnetka office of @properties. For more information, call 312-925-9899 or visit touchlessshowing.com.