Jeff Payne

Founding Broker/ Principal

Office: 312-767-7744

“Jeff, I wanted to write to thank you for your top-notch talent and above-and-beyond support in selling my condo.”

More reviews of Jeff.

Best Chicago Properties, LLC

About Jeff

Jeff has been interested in real estate for as long as he can remember. So in 2005, when seeking a change after a 22 year career in corporate sales and marketing, he decided to combine this interest with his business skills and set out to help people successfully navigate the often complex process of buying or selling a home in Chicago.

He consistently ranked in the top 5% of Chicago real estate brokers. Moreover, he’s been recognized with multiple Top Producer Awards from the Chicago Association of Realtors®.

Jeff found it especially satisfying to help clients sort through Chicago’s wide variety of home styles to discover the “best Chicago property” for their needs. In 2007, when he opened a residential real estate brokerage in the rapidly developing West Loop it just made sense for the name to be Best Chicago Properties.

With the brokerage, Jeff sought to create a positive, energetic culture together with a group of accomplished brokers who shared his client-centric vision. With this in mind, he invited friend and colleague Chuck Gullett to become a partner in the company.

Over the years, Best Chicago Properties has enjoyed success even through the most challenging of times. The company is nimble, makes the most of new technology and quickly adapts to change. Jeff credits the talent, work ethic and client-centric focus of his colleagues for the company’s continued success.

Currently, Jeff resides with his husband Vladimir and their dog Mishka in Atlanta. From there he leads the BCP team, manages the website including design, UX and SEO. Plus, he regularly publishes real estate articles on the BCP blog.

In addition, he enjoys working with Atlanta home buyers and sellers as Managing Broker/ Owner of Best Atlanta Properties.

Jeff earned an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management and a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing Communication from Arizona State University. He was raised in Wilton, Connecticut.

Licensed real estate Managing Broker in Georgia & Illinois.

Memberships include: Atlanta Realtors® Association (ARA), Georgia Association of Realtors® (GAR), Chicago Association of Realtors® (CAR), Illinois Association of Realtors® (IAR), the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) and the Graduate Realtors® Institute (GRI).

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Reviews

“Jeff, I wanted to write to thank you for your top-notch talent and above-and-beyond support in selling my condo.”

“I’ve worked with many Realtors over the years and you are by far the best. While I’m sure you don’t have a large number of clients that buy a condo and then sell it within the course of six months, you were gracious, supportive, and responded well to my desire to make a profit, even after such a short ownership tenure. The fact that we had a signed offer within days of listing, at the selling price that I wanted, is nothing short of spectacular. Thank you for being so good at what you do. If and when I buy real estate in Chicago, you’re definitely the first person that I’ll call.”

Best Chicago Properties, LLC

“Words cannot approximate how happy I am to have realized this dream.”

“Jeff, thanks for all you did to help me find my beautiful new home in Logan Square. Words cannot approximate how happy I am to have realized this dream. I plan on handing out your business cards to everyone who mentions home buying!”

Best Chicago Properties, LLC

“Working with Jeff at Best Chicago Properties is the best decision we could have made in searching for our West Loop loft.”

“Jeff was both friendly and professional, and his knowledge of the Chicago real estate market was exceptional. Jeff devoted a huge amount of time to helping us find the perfect loft, and it was always clear he had our best interests at heart. Everything about our experience with Jeff and Best Chicago Properties was great and we would enthusiastically recommend them to anyone looking to buy a home in Chicago!”

Best Chicago Properties, LLC

“Jeff’s level of professionalism is second to none.”

“We used Jeff to sell our Boystown condo last year and purchase our new Andersonville townhouse this year. Jeff’s level of professionalism is second to none. Jeff is honest and straight forward and will always tell you what he believes are the honest facts. It’s a tough market for real estate right now and you don’t need someone to tell you want you want to hear; you need objective honest assessments of what it is. Even in this tough market, we sold our condo to the second person who looked at it. Jeff’s excellent negotiating skills are what got the deal done. Moreover, Jeff had the patience to go through our experiencing of finding a new place, trying to decide on what neighborhood, looking at many properties and often at short notice. There are a lot of Realtors out there but if you want a true professional that will represent your interest, Jeff is your Realtor.”

Best Chicago Properties, LLC

“We chose Jeff to sell our condo because he is knowledgeable about the West Loop market, well-organized and committed to meeting our goals.”

“Jeff took the time to explain the marketing strategy as well as what we can expect throughout the selling process. Jeff has taken the stress out of selling our home and we would definitely recommend him to our friends.”

Best Chicago Properties, LLC

“We were most impressed with Jeff’s professionalism.”

“Jeff helped us sell our home during a tough real estate market as well as make the purchase of our River North dream home a smooth process. We were most impressed with Jeff’s professionalism. Jeff kept us informed every step of the way and never hesitated to research questions that he did not know the answers to. Even our real estate attorney was impressed with the level of service Jeff provided…thanks Jeff!”

Best Chicago Properties, LLC

“Jeff is a very charismatic, honest and patient.”

“This was my first time buying a place and I was very uncertain about the process and what all needed to be done to do this. Luckily, I ran into Jeff at one of his showings. He offered to help me out and aid me through the process. He was very professional and personal which made the home shopping very easy. He walked me through all the forms and what to keep an eye out for when shopping around. Jeff is a very charismatic, honest and patient. Not once did I feel pressured to buying any place. He wanted me to be certain and feel confident about my decision. I would recommend Jeff to anyone I know who is looking for a new place. Thank you, Jeff for everything!”

Best Chicago Properties, LLC

“When relocated to Chicago from Upstate New York, we connected with Jeff and immediately decided to work with him to find our new condo because of his enthusiasm, professionalism and sincerity.”

Jeff listened to our needs and desires and from there he located 5 perfect condos from which to choose. Without Jeff, we would never have met our timeline for a quick close at the right price on the perfect vintage concrete loft in the West Loop which we now call home. If you want a high energy Broker who will be totally dedicated to finding you the right home at the right price, we recommend you work with Jeff.”

Best Chicago Properties, LLC

“Jeff’s solid experience, flawless matchmaking skills, and calming demeanor made the process very smooth and enjoyable.”

“Chris and I have had a lot on our minds this year. With job searching for me, a hurried condo search, and a big marriage set for September, we really haven’t had any time to burn. Jeff’s presence in the process was a God-send. He honestly answered every question we had and guided us safely through the turmoil of this shaky housing market. Jeff’s solid experience, flawless matchmaking skills, and calming demeanor made the process very smooth and enjoyable. He’ll be the first one we call if we need further real estate services.”

Best Chicago Properties, LLC

“Working with Best Chicago Properties and Jeff on the sale of my home was a breeze.”

“He was very thorough and went the extra mile to explain contract details, ramifications and potential conflicts. Before entering into an agreement Jeff made sure he understood my sales objectives, what would be acceptable and any nuisances that I had. He did a realistic analysis of comparable properties that had sold and were on the market. We discussed market conditions and timing. Jeff then set out to find the right potential buyers and didn’t waste my time with repetitive questions or casual prospects. In one of the most difficult real estate markets in many years, we got a fair price in a surprisingly short period of time. The sale closed without a hitch. I experienced none of the horror stories that have been floated during this down market with turbulent financing. I would highly recommend Best Chicago Properties and Jeff to anyone interested in buying or selling a home. They will not give you false hopes or unrealistic expectations.”

Best Chicago Properties, LLC

“Being a first-time loft buyer…”

“I was more than just a little apprehensive about the whole process and really had no idea where to start looking or what I really wanted. Jeff was fabulous throughout the whole process weather it was questions I had about property or real estate in general to concerns I had with specific developments. What could have been a very stressful process was a blast and I look forward to finding my next property with Jeff.”

Best Chicago Properties, LLC

“Jeff, we would like to thank you for all your work in selling our West Loop home.”

“You made the process extremely easy for us by giving us feedback on a regular basis. Once the condo was sold you also kept us informed through every step of the sales process and really put us at ease during a busy time. Your advice was greatly appreciated and we felt confident that our home was in great hands with you. The selling process was painless and we can’t thank you enough!”

Best Chicago Properties, LLC

“Shoji and I wanted to write and say thank you for the guidance you provided us through this adventure of choosing and purchasing our Irving Park home.”

“I have to say I was quite skeptical of the whole process at first, thinking most Realtors we met would be like telemarketers or used car salesmen in their tactics, but you were nothing of the kind and answered all our questions honestly and objectively. Jeff, I don’t think Shoji and I would have felt ready to make such a huge purchase if we didn’t have someone like you guiding us through the process.”

Best Chicago Properties, LLC

“We were first-time homebuyers, not really sure where to start.”

“We had looked around at properties with other agents over the past couple of years, but nobody had shown us anyplace that felt special enough that we would want to make it our home. When we met Jeff, our luck changed! He understood what we were looking for, and knew what kind of a home would be right us–maybe even better than we did ourselves. Jeff’s trusted advice and unflagging enthusiasm helped guide us through the intimidating process of buying our first condo in Lakeview East, and we are so delighted with our new home!”

Best Chicago Properties, LLC

“Jeff, Bob and I were extremely happy that we chose you as the Realtor to sell our River North condo.”

“As you know, we had listed it previously with another Realtor but got very little interest. When you came on board, we felt you were really interested in selling our unit and gave us extremely beneficial professional advice. You designed promotional material did a great job of highlighting the benefits of our condo. Your program for marketing also worked well and within a short time our unit was sold. One of the things we appreciated the most was your constant feedback to any sales opportunity. We felt we were fully informed at all times. I can’t tell you how much that meant to us in feeling confident that we chose the right Realtor. And obviously we did! Everything worked out well and we’re now where we want to be at the right time and with everything we hoped to have. Jeff, we can’t thank you enough!”

Best Chicago Properties, LLC

“The result was an offer in 24 hours!”

“After having our West Loop condo listed for a year with another real estate agent, we finally moved to Jeff. The result was an offer in 24 hours! Thanks for a great experience throughout the total sales process.”

Best Chicago Properties, LLC

“Jeff, you went above and beyond the call of duty in listing and selling my West Loop condo.”

“Your knowledge of the market, marketing skills and hard work is greatly appreciated. Thanks for making this process as painless as it was—as well as the great results you got for me!! I will definitely use your service in the future, as well as recommend you to my friends (most of whom did not have the same experience in the past as I did!)”

Best Chicago Properties, LLC

“We would recommend your skill, dedication and professionalism to future buyer and/or sellers.”

“We met Jeff two years ago when he was representing the seller of a West Loop condo we bought. We knew then that he was going to be our Realtor in the future! When we wanted to purchase a second property Jeff was very patient and courteous to our needs taking us to a variety of properties all over Chicago. He found us the perfect place and made the rest of the process easy! Thank you again Jeff for your hard work and dedication in making other people happy. We would recommend your skill, dedication and professionalism to future buyer and/or sellers.”

Best Chicago Properties, LLC

“Jeff made buying my first home in Lakeview not only easy, but delightful.”

“I’ve found a place through him that I couldn’t be happier with and he has demonstrated incredible follow-up as well, ensuring that as I continue to look for potential investments in the Chicago area, he will be the first person I turn to.”

Best Chicago Properties, LLC

“Now whenever somebody tells me they are thinking about moving to Chicago I tell them their first call should be to Jeff!!”

“We moved from a different city and have never lived in Chicago. Jeff listened to what we wanted, made very helpful suggestions and worked extremely hard until we found exactly the right place for us in Ukrainian Village. Jeff did a great job negotiating and getting us all the way through the entire process. Now whenever somebody tells me they are thinking about moving to Chicago I tell them their first call should be to Jeff!!”

Best Chicago Properties, LLC

“…you took a lot of the stress out of the process.”

“Jeff, we listed our condo with you because of your knowledge of market values in the West Loop and your dedication to meeting and our goals. You were there for us every step of the way and you took a lot of the stress out of the process. We are so happy with everything you did for us and we will highly recommend you to our friends!”

Best Chicago Properties, LLC

“Jeff is a knowledgeable, patient and sincere Realtor.”

“From his recommendations and detailed explanations to his familiarity with the West Loop, from answering my plethora of questions to his support at the closing and continuous follow-up, Jeff’s guidance has been invaluable. This first-time buyer could not have found a better Realtor!”

Best Chicago Properties, LLC

“Words cannot approximate how happy I am to have realized this dream.”

“Jeff, thanks for all you did to help me find my beautiful new home in Logan Square. Words cannot approximate how happy I am to have realized this dream. I plan on handing out your business cards to everyone who mentions home buying!”

Best Chicago Properties, LLC

Contact Jeff