Agent Spotlight: Tim Perry

Tim Perry’s family ties to Long Beach, Indiana run deep, culminating in the purchase of his dad’s cottage where his own three boys would grow up. Of course, no story is complete without a little intrigue. From a mysterious visit to home renovations, Tim soon learned of his cottage’s special history.

In this week’s Agent Spotlight, get to know all about Tim, his experiences in real estate, and how he is making a difference in his community.

What were you doing previous to real estate and how did it prepare you for your current role?
Advertising and Marketing for Paramount Productions, Office Product sales for Pitney Bowes, Branch Management and loan origination for Wells Fargo, BoA, 5/3 Bank, Wintrust and finally Real Estate Sales.

What is your favorite part of working in real estate?
Listening to my client’s needs and finding ways to help them

What is one thing you literally could not do your job without and why?
My cell phone. I have become so accustomed to working from wherever I am whenever I want, I could never go back to being in an office with a desk phone.

What do you read every single day?
My emails.

What is one piece of advice you’d give to a new real estate agent?
Make sure everyone you have ever met in your life knows you sell real estate and that you want to be their Realtor!

3 things you always bring with you to a showing and why?
Business cards, Listing sheet, and financial calculator. I want to be prepared for questions and I want to be able to run payment scenarios if necessary. $10,000 sounds like a lot of money, but when you can show it’s only $60 per month over 30 years, it’s a lot easier to handle price objections. The business card so they know how to find me.

Who in the industry has made the most impact on your professional journey?
An old manager at Pitney Bowes, Bob Winholtz. After 7 great years there I went into his office to quit. I told him I wanted to get into the mortgage business because I met a guy who was making 300k and I thought I could do that. He said, “If there is a guy making 300k there, you’ll make a million. Get the hell out of here and call me when you hit the number.” It was a nice call to make a few years later…

How do you start each day?
Feeding my two female Labrador Retrievers, Lucy, and Bella

Describe your own first home.
Cockroach infested Bucktown Three Flat that I renovated and made a bunch of money on.

What is the first big-ticket item you bought when you moved into your current home and why?
A super comfy Henredon leather chair. My dad always had one that I referred to as his throne… I wanted one like it.

What is your favorite local restaurant? Why? What is one amazing dish you always order/recommend?
Zia’s Trattoria! Their Penne Abruzesse is to die for.

What do you love most about your neighborhood?
Probably that I have lived here my whole life and I feel like I know everyone…Like Andy Griffin in Mayberry.

How do you stay involved in your community? Philanthropic ties, volunteering, etc.
Lately, I paint and donate my art to local charities. Being able to do something that I love and have it benefit someone who is less fortunate is a wonderful thing.

You have a full day free in your town with no obligations and cost is no object. What do you do?
Golf in the morning, Paint in the afternoon, dinner at Zia’s in the evening.

What is your proudest achievement to date? 
Professionally I have won top sales awards in three industries (Office Products, Mortgage, and Real Estate). Personally, I can’t imagine anything better than having the three smart, funny, handsome wonderful sons I have been blessed with. We range from 6’5 to 7 feet tall. I love walking into a room with them.

What is the best advice you’ve ever been given?
A grudge is like a hot stone. The one who holds it is the one who gets burned.

If you won the lottery which property would you buy and why?
A 1968 Shelby GT500 Mustang. There was one by my house growing up. I asked to buy it every week after I turned 16 and until I went away to college. One day I came home from school and it was gone. I have wanted one ever since.

What are 3 words friends or family would use to describe you?
Tall, Funny, Creative.

What was one of your most defining moments?
When my wife got breast cancer. I realized that nothing else mattered than her beating it and that there was no limit to what I would do to make sure of it. For the first time in my life, I was able to be completely selfless.

If I weren’t a real estate agent, I would be…
An artist, writer, or singer in a blues band…

What did you eat for breakfast today?
Too much coffee!

If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?
I would choose to fly. To be anywhere at any time would be fantastic!