(iStock, Wikipedia Commons/Illustration by Alexis Manrodt for The Real Deal)
The number of newly licensed Chicago residential brokers has been on the rise, fueled by a hot Chicago housing market and Covid-related layoffs.
The Chicago Association of Realtors reported a 40 percent jump in new member compared to 2019 numbers, according to the Chicago Tribune. The organization also reported that inquiries in its pre-license classes spiked 65 percent from July through December, compared to the same period in 2019. CAR represents 14,500 members statewide.
New brokers included residents laid off from the pandemic, like Lauren Schwartz, who in April lost her job booking hotel reservations, the Tribune reported. She earned her broker license last fall and joined a relative’s real estate group at Dream Town Realty, according to the report.