Meet Dave + Amy
Dave and Amy Chung got started in real estate through investing. When they bought their first “fix-and-flip” home, Dave decided to get his license so he could sell it himself. And, Dave says, “It just took off from there. Clients started reaching out, so we dove right in and started selling full time.” Now Dave and Amy have been in business for four years. Over that time, they have established themselves as trusted guides in their local market.
Dave and Amy serve the North Shore suburbs of Chicago, specifically the New Trier High School district, including Wilmette, Winnetka, Kenilworth, Glencoe, and Northfield. Almost 80% of their business comes from repeat and referral clients, and Dave credits this impressive rate to the unique perspective and skill set he and Amy offer. “When we started, not only were we in a different life stage than just about any other agent around, but we also embraced digital and online marketing from the beginning,” Dave says. “Both of our backgrounds are on the creative side, so a lot of the marketing we do is quite different in terms of not just the style and the messaging, but also the interactivity.”
In marketing their listings, Dave and Amy take what they describe as a “digital first” approach, meaning that they create all assets for the campaign digitally prior to anything else. “That way, we can promote in that medium from the beginning,” Dave explains. “Some folks might focus on print or on creating beautiful brochures—and certainly we do all of that too—but the most important thing are the digital assets.” In addition to professional photos and floor plans, their marketing strategy includes video tours and virtual tours of the property. They also roll out paid digital ad campaigns on social media, which drives considerable traffic to their listings and open houses.
It’s also the personal touch that sets Dave and Amy apart. “When clients work with us, they realize that it’s not just the marketing, but also the customer service aspect. We really put our clients first and do whatever it takes to help them achieve their goals. That’s been the focus from the beginning.” At virtually no cost to their clients, Amy utilizes a treasure trove of in-house staging materials to personally stage each one of their client’s homes. “We want each of our listings to feel like a model home. Many of our clients don’t want to move after we’re done getting their home ready for market!” Amy says. This client-first approach has yielded excellent results, both in client satisfaction and in the success they have had in breaking into the local market so quickly. For the past three years, Dave and Amy have consistently averaged between $15-$20 million in annual volume, seeing more growth each year.
Community involvement is important to Dave and Amy. Dave serves on the board of a local bank, and Amy is on the board of the Northwestern Settlement House, a large organization in Chicagoland that runs a charter school and other community endeavors. When he is not working or giving back, Dave enjoys playing tennis and paddle tennis, and spending time outdoors with Amy and the kids. Dave and Amy are big foodies—she is a classically trained chef—and they love to host dinner parties and go out to eat with friends.
In the future, Dave and Amy plan to keep growing at a sustainable rate, while continuing to serve their clients to the best of their abilities. “For us it’s more of a personal growth approach than growing bigger in size,” Dave says. “We want to grow personally, in our craft and in our community. My favorite part of real estate is the interpersonal aspect, interacting with our clients and getting to share in the experience with them. That gives us a lot of energy and a lot of satisfaction.”
