Our Team
Joe Zimmerman - team leader
Joe prides himself most on providing excellent client service and extensive industry knowledge to every client relationship - - attributes that have enabled him to build 100 percent of his client base on referrals.
Recently named to the National Association of Realtors' "Top 30 Under 30" and the Chicago Association of Realtors' "Top 40 Under 40" lists for achievement in sales, Joe is a Chicago-area native who got his first taste for the business at the age of 15. His parents were selling their family home and it was Joe who ended up showing the house and landing the sale.
A former resident of the West Loop, River North and Bucktown areas in Chicago within the last ten years, Joe has experience in the condo, townhome and single-family market in every neighborhood throughout the Chicagoland area.
"I feel extremely fortunate to be able to help my clients with one of the biggest purchases of their lives in what I believe to be the greatest city in the world," Joe says. “And now through the expanded My Kinda Town Realty team, I feel that I can provide even better counsel and superior industry knowledge to my clients more effectively.
Mary Haight - team leader
A Certified Home Luxury Specialist, Mary joined @properties in 2003 after several successful years in the commercial real estate industry working with landlords and developers in retail, office and investment properties throughout Chicago. Since 2003, she has been consistently recognized by the Chicago Association of Realtors as a top producing agent.
Mary is known among her clients for her enthusiasm and appreciation for Chicago real estate and her unwavering commitment to achieving her client’s objectives. Her honest approach, wealth of industry knowledge, and stellar negotiation skills has resulted in a client base that is largely repeat clients and referrals.
“My No. 1 objective is to be an advocate for my clients,” Mary says. “I make it my top priority to listen, educate and advise, and I always keep my clients’ best interest top of mind.”
Mary loves city life, has working knowledge of every Chicago neighborhood, and enjoys working with all types of clients from the first-time homebuyer to the luxury buyer and seller. She moved to Chicago after graduating from The University of Michigan in 2000 and has lived in both Lincoln Park and Lakeview since that time. She enjoys volunteer work and is currently involved with Children’s Memorial Hospital, North Side Housing Services and Metro Achievement Center.
Amber Wilson - team manager
Amber joined the Bucktown office of @properties in December 2009, when she began managing the My Kinda Town Realty team, consisting of top producing agents – Joe Zimmerman & Mary Haight. Amber is a licensed real estate agent and has worked closely with other top producing agents and real estate teams in the Chicagoland area to assist in acquiring & maintaining brokerage business, as well as sales of new property developments and condo conversions; including Crilly Court, located in Chicago’s charming Old Town area & Roscoe Court, in the heart of Lakeview.
She has participated in a variety of real estate transactions during her 8 years of practicing in the state of Illinois, including luxury residential properties in the secondary home market in Chicago’s Gold Coast, Old Town, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Wrigleyville, Bucktown, Wicker Park and the South & West Loop neighborhoods. Her established relationships and local experience, combined with @properties expert resources, provide a unique advantage to her clients.
In 2001, Amber started her real estate career in Chicago, when she began working for a sealed bid auction firm in River North. Amber was responsible for analyzing and coordinating closing of property portfolios. The types of property included retail gasoline stations and commercial real estate valued at over $250 million.
Prior to making the move to Chicago, she worked as a national commercial escrow officer in Arizona, closing multi-million dollar transactions, acquisitions and exchanges.
To navigate the complex decisions involved in to today’s real estate market requires the guidance of a professional. Amber brings a vivacious energy, along with a sense of humor; she is committed to service with an emphasis on accountability, reliability, timeliness and enthusiasm. Amber provides her clients all the information necessary to help them make real estate investment decisions throughout the changing market cycles and is a valuable asset to the @properties & My Kinda Town Realty teams.
Katie Hackett - team agent
Katie is a Chicago native; born and raised in the Northern suburbs and a resident of the city of Chicago since 2005. With her extensive knowledge of the city and surrounding areas, she is confident and proud to work in the area that she has always called home.
Katie is an alumna of Loyola Academy in Wilmette, and continued on from there to Georgetown University where she graduated with a Bachelor degree in Government in 2005.
Before joining the real estate world, Katie rounded out her professional experience working for the Northern Trust Company. However, her heart was in real estate so she had to follow her dream. She has joined the team of two of Chicago’s top producing real estate agents with @properties. With their guidance, Katie has gained both the knowledge and practice to deliver the best experience to her clients.
Tawnya McVicker - team agent
Since becoming a Licensed Realtor® in 2003, Tawnya McVicker has quickly distinguished herself both within the industry and with her clients. An Accredited Buyers Representative (ABR), Tawnya received Rookie of the Year award in 2004 for exceeding $5 million in sales volume within her first year of business. She is also a member of the Graduated Realtor Institute (GRI) and a Certified Residential Specialist (CRS). Since then she has grown her experience to include the successful sale of all types of properties from condos to single-family homes. She also has developed a vast working knowledge of the entire Chicagoland market by representing clients from the South Side to the North Shore suburbs, and all neighborhoods in between. Most recently she has become a Licensed Real Estate Broker.
Feel free to contact Tawnya directly with questions about the Chicago market, buying or selling property, or to learn more about her experience.
“I would be pleased to utilize my skills and experience to ensure that my repeat and future clients realize all the benefits the Chicago real estate market has to offer,” she says.
Wendy Johnson - team agent
“My goal as a Realtor is to make a personal connection with my clients and become their life-long Real Estate consultant and trusted advisor. I make every Real Estate transaction smooth, stress-free and fun by listening to my clients and by customizing the buying or selling process to suit their specific needs. I am a positive presence throughout a very emotional process. I help my clients make informed and intelligent real estate investments, keeping their best interest in mind, and fully understanding their personal lifestyle and future goals.” -Wendy Johnson
In 2011, Wendy joined “My Kinda Town Realty,” a team of professionals with superior industry knowledge driven to provide clients with maximum exposure and exceptional sales and marketing services. Together we will provide you with premier, innovative, and professional services by a TEAM of experts. Our extensive training and attention to detail has earned us the designation of “Luxury Home Specialists,” suitable for helping the most discriminating luxury buyer and seller, or giving the first-time homebuyer the most exemplary of service. We are pleased to extends our services to the Western Suburbs were Wendy Johnson was born, raised and currently lives.
We believe that when it comes to Real Estate, whether you are a first time buyer or a seasoned veteran, everyone is an investor either rationally based on numbers or emotionally searching for that Dream Home. By focusing on our City to Suburb service, we are able to put our team’s proven experience in achieving real estate results to work for you throughout the different stages of your life.
When I am not helping clients, I am passionate about spending time with my family. I enjoy exercising with kettlebells, cooking, and dinning out at great restaurants. My creative side inspires my husband and I to take on many of our own do- it -yourself projects.
Kelly Bisceglia Boenzi - team member
Kelly joined @properties and the MKT Realty team in July 2011 with the objective of contributing as an administrative asset to help manage scheduling & aid in transaction management, also to focus on increasing clientele and contributing to the overall success of MKT. She has a BA degree in Media Communications & Public Relations from St. Mary's University in Minnesota & recently completed her Masters Degree in Teaching at Dominican University in River Forest.
Although she enjoyed teaching and has a passion for children, Kelly has always has an interest in real estate. And she is no stranger to @properties or understanding the basics of real estate. During the course of her two-year Masters program in Elementary Education, she was employed as a full-time administrative assistant at the @properties Lincoln Park office. She also attended a week long seminar at The Chicago Association of Realtors to learn more about the Chicago market.
Kelly is excited to be working with one of the top selling real estate teams in Chicago and looks forward to her continued growth and success in the business.
Lauren Burgess - Team Agent
Lauren Burgess is an agent that you can identify with! With more than 5 years of experience in the industry under her belt, Lauren is prepared to handle ANY question you could possibly have as a first time (or anytime) home owner. Her motto is “if I don’t know the answer, I know someone who does!” Her tight-nit group is made up of developers, investors, financial counselors, loan officers, attorneys, home inspectors, stagers, and many more. So feel free to use her for any and all questions pertaining to real estate related affairs. It’s like having your own real estate consultant at your disposal.
Lauren has a degree from DePaul University in Sales and Marketing. Through her schooling, internships, and career experience, she has been exposed to sales, rehabbing, developing, appraising, financing, staging, and many other intricacies to the real estate industry. After all of that experience, she realized her heart was in helping people buy and sell property.
Lauren has lived in the Chicago Land area all her life, has lived in many neighborhoods of Chicago, and currently has made Lakeview her home. She is very active, and involved in playing soccer, serving at a local church, and giving back to her community…which she hopes will be your community too soon!
She takes her business very seriously and sees her position imperative in helping buyers on a their journey in one of the most important purchases of their life.
“You only buy a new home a few times in your life time, and I want to make sure it’s the most pleasant memory possible!”
