Category: Life as a Broker

Whether you’re a first-time home buyer or an experienced real estate investor, Dan Nelson is the broker you want in your corner. 

He’s got more than 20 years of experience in the Chicagoland market, getting his start when his wife decided to rehab and flip a house, building that into a profitable business. “It feels like we are living in a real-life HGTV show with all the chaos and definitely all the fun.”

Dan knows that buying and selling real estate is a smart way to build wealth — but it pays to do your due diligence and make decisions based on facts instead of emotions. 

As someone who’s managed countless projects, his unique insights are an abundant resource for anyone looking to learn more about house hacking, flipping property, earning rental income, and becoming a serious real estate investor.

With a background in product management, marketing, and learning and development, Dan is a perfect fit with Baird & Warner Lincoln Park and our individualized approach to growth and support.

He believes that one of the most rewarding aspects of a career in this industry is forging a strong relationship with each client, truly getting to know them, and helping them achieve their dreams. Dan especially enjoys working with budding real estate investors and offers insider tips and guidance on how to create a successful strategy for receiving rental income.

One of his clients was a young house painter who dreamed of buying a rental property and using that income to build his portfolio. Dan was able to pair him with the perfect piece of real estate and now he’s making plans to acquire his second one this year. 

Naturally gregarious, Dan’s open and easy communication style makes him an expert negotiator and a wise advisor. His favorite part of being in real estate is the opportunity to listen to and share his knowledge with a diverse audience. 

His keen eye for detail and savvy perception skills also help him triumph at the poker table. Dan’s mastery of the deck was the original source of funding for his family’s emerging rehab business, and he still keeps his hand in the game.

Amongst Chicago’s historic 77 neighborhoods, he feels most at home in Andersonville, a laid-back area on the city’s North Side which is known for its architecture, Scandinavian roots, and high concentration of local and independent businesses. 

Andersonville began as a small village of Swedish immigrants in the mid-19th century and still celebrates that flavor with its annual Midsommarfest in June and the St. Lucia Festival of Lights every December. It’s also one of Chicago’s most welcoming communities and features plenty of opportunities for shopping and dining. 

Dan and his family love popping into the Taste of Lebanon on West Foster for healthy and affordable dishes like chicken shwarma, falafel, hummus, and baba ghanoush. For a thrilling night out, they adore the Chicago Magic Lounge, featuring a 107-seat cabaret theater, a speakeasy performance bar, and one of the country’s best libraries of magic literature and memorabilia. 

He loves to explore the city’s scenic Lakefront Trail bike path, which connects lush green spaces with dramatic urban views, beaches, and cultural institutions. It’s an easy and fun way to get to some of Chicago’s most iconic hangout spots like Del Campo’s Tacos, Caffè Oliva, and The Dock.

More and more consumers are looking for ways to generate additional income in nontraditional ways, and Dan has a gift for helping others choose the right property with the maximum amount of earning potential. This could be the ideal time to purchase a multi-family residence or a home with an accessory dwelling unit as a way to jumpstart your real estate portfolio.

Find out more about Dan’s love of transforming homes and inspiring his clients on his website, check out his Instagram, or reach out to him directly at [email protected].

There’s one glorious ideal that drives Dan in his chosen career with Baird & Warner Lincoln Park. 

And that’s to help others. He believes that there’s no better path than helping people improve their lives by finding the perfect home. 

From a young age, Dan has been fascinated by architecture, buildings, and the idea of creating beautiful spaces. 

He studied at Missouri State University, graduating with a degree from their highly respected and unique Construction Management Program. It’s one of the only programs in the country that offer incredible opportunities for onsite training and internships in this particular field.

One of the reasons that Dan loves living in the Chicago area is its reputation as the architectural capital of the world. He enjoys admiring the city’s many iconic buildings like the Tribune Tower, Willis Tower, the Rookery, the Chicago Cultural Center, and the Aqua skyscraper.

Dan and his family regularly go adventuring and take advantage of the nearly endless kid-friendly things to do and places to go that the city is known for. Some of his favorite places to spend time with his loved ones include:

• Lincoln Park Zoo, which is free!
• Millennium Park’s Crown Fountain
• Navy Pier
• Shedd Aquarium
• The Art Institute’s Ryan Learning Center
• The Children’s Literature Gallery at the American Writers Museum
• The Museum of Science & Industry

Chicagoland is an exhilarating place to visit any time of the year, of course, but in the warmer months, Dan takes every opportunity for exploring the great outdoors and hiking some of the best urban trails on the planet with his partner and 2 energetic children. He also thinks this is a wonderful place to raise kids and loves helping potential homeowners find homes in Chicago’s diverse family-friendly neighborhoods.

The 1.8-mile Lakeshore Path is an especially awesome trail for both walking with the kids and admiring breathtaking beach views and cityscapes, as is the Chicago Lakefront Trail. In the summer, of course, it’s time to hit the beach — you should check out North Avenue, 63rd St Beach, and Montrose near The Dock, where you can indulge in comfort food like cheese curds, burgers, and tacos after a day in the sun.

Anyone visiting Chicagoland always gets a million suggestions for where to go and eat. Dan always has the inside scoop on sourcing gourmet grub in his favorite neighborhoods, but his absolute favorite place is Gather in Lincoln Square. Welcoming and low-key, it’s a no-frills gastropub where his family can savor decadent yet still-sort-of-healthy plates like glazed baby carrots, crispy Brussels sprouts with candied pistachios, and seared tofu with a caramel glaze.

As one of Chicagoland’s top real estate brokers, Dan simply loves what he does. He sees immense value in Baird & Warner’s people-centric approach to growing a real estate firm sustainably as well as their cutting-edge technology and organizational knowledge.

There are countless brokerages in the Chicago area, but Baird & Warner Lincoln Park offers an incredibly unique mix of elite office management, mentorship, training, and a warm, inclusive company culture. 

He’s excited about mentoring new agents as the Assistant Managing Broker and has some valuable insights to help those just starting out. His most crucial piece of advice for anyone entering this industry is to be consistent and focus on building strong daily habits.

Dan knows that your true worth is based on how much you give to others. He recommends reading The Go-Giver and its follow-ups, a series of enlightening tales by Bob Burg and John David Mann. These thought-provoking works inspire him to give to others, provide support, and add value to every aspect of his life. 

His active, family-oriented lifestyle means he’s always on the move, but you can reach Dan on LinkedIn or at [email protected]. 

Molly Marino is not your cookie-cutter real estate agent, and she delivers a uniquely rewarding and holistic experience for each of her clients. 

After receiving her MBA from the prestigious Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago, Molly believed that she was on the corporate track and destined to be a high-powered marketing executive. 

But like so many passionate entrepreneurs, she yearned for more freedom and decided to make the decision to forge a new future for herself. 

Continue reading “Agent Spotlight Molly Marino”