5 Best Real Estate Agents in Chicago (2026)

Independently ranked by our review of ratings, reviews and reputation · How we chose

By Lorian Hartfield, Real Estate and Financial Expert · ✓ Data verified August 2026 · 8 min read

Out-of-state buyers show up again and again in these reviews, people relocating to Chicago sight-unseen and relying entirely on a real estate agent's judgment about a neighborhood they've never walked. The Chicago agents and teams on this page have logged nearly 1,800 Google reviews between them, and four sit at 4.9 or better, so the real edge is which one actually specializes in your situation, first-time buyer, competitive-market seller, or rental relocation.

Short answer: For real estate in Chicago, Laricy Team leads on volume with a 5.0-star average across 739 reviews, led by Matt Laricy and covering the full range of buying, selling and market segments citywide. Vesta Preferred Realty (4.9, 391 reviews) and REAL: Adam Zagata (5.0, 327 reviews) are strong alternatives for buyer-focused and personalized service respectively.

Jump to a business

1. Laricy Team
2. Vesta Preferred Realty
3. REAL: Adam Zagata
4. Gold Coast Realty Chic…
5. Home Easy
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Chicago's Top Real Estate Agents, Compared

#	Business	Rating	Reviews	Best for
1	Laricy Team	5.0 ★	739	High-volume buying & selling	View ›
2	Vesta Preferred Realty	4.9 ★	391	First-time buyer guidance	View ›
3	REAL: Adam Zagata	5.0 ★	327	Personalized, low-pressure service	View ›
4	Gold Coast Realty Chicago	4.9 ★	157	Gold Coast & Lincoln Park listings	View ›
5	Home Easy	4.7 ★	184	Fast rental relocations	View ›

5 Best Real Estate Agents in Chicago (2026)

Our top picks, reviewed

#1 Overall🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

Laricy Team

5.0739 Google reviews

Laricy Team is a Chicago real estate group led by Matt Laricy, a fourth-generation Chicago agent and managing partner at Americorp, covering neighborhoods citywide including River North, Streeterville, Lincoln Park and Lakeview. The team combines a lead agent with a full staff of supporting agents handling showings, negotiations and closing coordination, and it works across both buyer and seller representation.

What people praise

Deep market knowledge across multiple Chicago neighborhoods
Highly responsive team, even outside normal business hours per reviewers
Strong negotiation track record on competitive-market offers
Long-term repeat clients spanning over a decade of transactions

Worth knowing

As a large team, your day-to-day contact may be a supporting agent rather than Matt directly
High demand means booking a showing may require advance notice during busy seasons

Reputation scorecardrank in Chicago

Rating5 / 5

Review volume739 · 98th

Confidencevery high

Recency3 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown99% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The most-reviewed team on this page with a broad citywide footprint, making it a safe default whether you're buying, selling or relocating from out of state.

Website +1708-250-2696 Directions

375 W Erie St, Chicago, IL 60654

#2🕑 Open 5 days/wk↩ Responds to reviews

Vesta Preferred Realty

4.9391 Google reviews

Vesta Preferred Realty is a Chicago real estate brokerage founded in 2009, with agents handling buying, selling and rental representation across the city. The brokerage operates with individual agents under one firm, and reviewers consistently name specific agents, including Julia Thompson, Kevin Tang and Arlette, describing hands-on guidance through the mortgage, legal and closing process.

What people praise

Individual agents get consistently detailed, specific praise from clients
Helpful with out-of-state buyers relying on video tours and remote coordination
Connects clients with lawyers, mortgage brokers and contractors as needed
Comfortable with first-time buyers who need extra explanation

Worth knowing

As a multi-agent brokerage, ask specifically which agent will be assigned to you
Agent availability and specialty varies by neighborhood focus

Reputation scorecardrank in Chicago

Rating4.9 / 5

Review volume391 · 93rd

Confidencehigh

Recency5 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown98% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A strong choice for first-time buyers specifically, with reviewers repeatedly describing agents who go beyond the transaction to coordinate the full home-buying process.

Website +1773-645-4455 Directions

1333 N Kingsbury St Ste 304, Chicago, IL 60642

#3🕑 Open 7 days↩ Responds to reviews

REAL: Adam Zagata

5.0327 Google reviews

REAL: Adam Zagata is a Chicago real estate agent operating with a small supporting team, working across buying and selling with a focus on relocation clients moving to Chicago from other states. Reviewers describe Adam as personally involved throughout each transaction, working alongside named team members Yasmine and Mike on client check-ins and inspection coordination.

What people praise

Perfect 5.0 rating across an unusually consistent review base
Named as personally hands-on rather than delegating to a large team
Strong fit for out-of-state relocation buyers
Described repeatedly as low-pressure and patient with client decisions

Worth knowing

Smaller team means fewer simultaneous transactions than the largest brokerages
No business address listed publicly, so confirm meeting logistics when you reach out

Reputation scorecardrank in Chicago

Rating5 / 5

Review volume327 · 88th

Confidencehigh

Recency2 months ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown100% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A strong pick for buyers who want a more personal, hands-on relationship with their agent rather than a large team structure.

Website +1773-732-3661 Directions

#4🕑 Open 7 days

Gold Coast Realty Chicago

4.9157 Google reviews

Gold Coast Realty Chicago is a real estate agency based on North Clark Street, specializing in Gold Coast and downtown Chicago condos and real estate, with individual agents also handling Lincoln Park and other North Side neighborhoods. Reviewers frequently name agent Cathleen Walker for both buy-side and sell-side transactions, alongside other named agents including Alex Marr and Matthew.

What people praise

Deep specialization in Gold Coast and downtown condo transactions
Comfortable coordinating remote, out-of-state buyer showings
Named agents get consistently specific, positive reviews
Handles competitive-market negotiations in high-demand neighborhoods

Worth knowing

Geographic focus leans toward downtown and North Side neighborhoods specifically
Fewer total reviews than the largest teams on this page

Reputation scorecardrank in Chicago

Rating4.9 / 5

Review volume157 · 78th

Confidencemoderate

Recency3 weeks ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown97% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: The strongest specialist here for Gold Coast and downtown condo buyers, with reviewers consistently praising the same handful of named agents.

Website +1312-280-9600 Directions

1165 N Clark St #700, Chicago, IL 60610

#5🕑 Open 7 days

Home Easy

4.7184 Google reviews

Home Easy is a tech-driven real estate agency based in the Loop, using an AI-assisted search tool to match renters with apartments, homes and private-landlord listings across Chicago and several other US metros. The company pairs the software with human agents who arrange showings, negotiate move-in terms and coordinate applications, and reviewers frequently describe urgent, short-timeline moves handled successfully.

What people praise

Built specifically for fast-turnaround rental searches
Free service for renters, per its own site text
Video tours provided when in-person visits aren't possible
Coordinates multiple showings quickly under tight deadlines

Worth knowing

Focused on rental placement rather than home buying or selling
As a multi-city operation, confirm your assigned agent's specific Chicago neighborhood knowledge

Reputation scorecardrank in Chicago

Rating4.7 / 5

Review volume184 · 83rd

Confidencemoderate

Recency7 months ago

Info completenesssite · phone · hours

Rating breakdown90% 5-star

✓ VerifiedSource: Google

Our take: A useful option specifically for renters facing a tight move-in deadline, though it's a rental-search service rather than a traditional buy-side or sell-side agent.

Website +1872-903-3495 Directions

332 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, IL 60604

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How we score

Every number on this page comes from public Google data on the date shown, not from opinion or payment. Rating is each agent or team’s live Google star average. Review volume measures how many clients have rated them, ranked against other Chicago real estate agents. Confidence weighs the rating by that volume, so a 5.0 from hundreds of reviews carries more weight than a 5.0 from a dozen. Recency reflects how recently clients are still leaving reviews. No business can pay to change these numbers.

How much does a real estate agent cost in Chicago? (2026)

Real estate agent commissions in Chicago are typically negotiated as a percentage of the sale price and vary by brokerage and transaction type. None of the agents above publish specific commission percentages in the reviews or site text we could verify, so we are not listing numbers here.

Serving all of Chicago

The agents above cover neighborhoods across Chicago including River North, Lincoln Park, Gold Coast, Streeterville, Lakeview and the Loop, with several also handling suburban and out-of-state relocation clients. Searching for a real estate agent near me? Every listing below shows a live phone number and directions so you can reach the closest option fast.

What to ask before you hire a real estate agent

How many transactions have you closed in my specific neighborhood this year?
What is your commission rate, and is it negotiable?
How will you communicate updates, and how quickly do you typically respond?
Can you coordinate remote or video showings if I’m relocating from out of state?
Do you specialize in buying, selling, renting, or all three?

Frequently asked questions

How did you choose these real estate agents?

We started from every real estate agent in Chicago with a public Google presence, then ranked by rating, review volume, consistency and recency. See How we score above.

Are these rankings paid?

No. Rankings come from the public Google data in the scorecard. A business can pay to be a Featured Partner, which adds a badge and top placement, but that never changes another business’s score or position on the underlying data.

How often is this updated?

The data carries a verified date (August 2026 on this page). We refresh listings periodically so ratings and review counts stay current.

Which Chicago agent is best for out-of-state relocation buyers?

Laricy Team, Vesta Preferred Realty and REAL: Adam Zagata all have reviewers specifically describing successful remote, out-of-state relocation purchases.

Is Home Easy a traditional real estate agent?

No. Home Easy is an AI-assisted rental search service focused on placing renters quickly, not a traditional buy-side or sell-side home sale agent.

The bottom line

Laricy Team is the safe default given its citywide footprint and review depth, while Adam Zagata and Vesta Preferred Realty are strong picks if you want more personalized, hands-on guidance. Confirm which specific agent will handle your transaction before you commit.

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