THE ART OF STORYTELLING

Annika Valdiserri is a Real Estate Advisor with @properties Christie’s International Real Estate and a 2026 Christie’s International Real Estate Masters Circle honoree. Serving clients from Winnetka and Chicago’s Gold Coast, she is known for her refined, relationship-driven approach and deep expertise across the North Shore’s most distinctive properties.

How do you define “exceptional” in today’s luxury market?
The beauty of the North Shore market lies in its abundance of exceptional homes—from stunning historic architecture to striking new builds and incomparable locations. To me, “exceptional” means one-of-a-kind homes—and we’re fortunate to have so many of them here on the shore!

How does representing exceptional homes differ from traditional residential sales?
Each home is different and comes with a different story—it’s all about curating the storytelling. I always ask my sellers to collaborate on what they have loved about the home; the stories they tell lead to how I market and visualize the product. Since there is often a smaller buyer pool for these homes, it’s important to have a vast off-market approach. A discreet off-market outreach and strong relationships are key to success.

How do you guide clients through pricing, timing, and discretion?
In my role as their real estate advisor, I guide and I listen. It is so important to have a great dialogue—that is the main reason I never wanted a team—for all the communication and work to be just with me, to not lose that intimacy and trust that are at the core of a successful transaction. Every seller has different needs and wants, and it is important to know how to work around that.

Annika Valdiserri is with @properties Christie’s International Real Estate’s Winnetka and Gold Coast offices, 30 Green Bay Road and 900 N Michigan Avenue, 312-504-5020, atproperties.com/agents/annikavaldiserri, @annikavaldo.