There are some things we’re born to do. Just ask Brita Pagels of Pagels Group. As a fourth-generation broker, she’s been immersed in real estate since birth. “Real estate has always been a part of me,” says the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago broker.

While her path began by sketching buildings and gardens in pre-Kindergarten, crayon drawings gave way to a Master of Urban Planning and Policy degree, peppered with relevant internships, both local and overseas. Pagels gathered her degrees and life experiences and married them to a genuine love of real estate under the same career umbrella.

Now 12 years in, Pagels has expansive knowledge of the ebb and flow of local current market trends. From her point of view, buyers these days are more concerned with PITI (principal, interest, property taxes and property insurance) as opposed to focusing on the value potential of a property due to increased interest rates.

“It’s one more reason to hire a dedicated broker,” she says. Clients need someone in the business who can successfully navigate these changes. Then there’s the personal side of moving, to which Pagels is not a stranger. Having relocated several times as a child, she understands what clients are navigating, and not just from an investment perspective. That’s why the right agent matters. “This industry is relationship driven,”

Pagels knows. “Technology will continue to progress and increase the ease of transactions, but it can never replace human integrity and interactions.” She builds a close rapport, which is what clients need, both during and after a move.
Pagels knows that each and every transaction is as different as each day. She enjoys strategizing to help clients achieve their individual objectives and sees herself as the strong leader of the broker, attorney and lender group. “I’m here to head up the team every day and every step the way,” said Pagels.