Jim, the REALTOR

“I started in real estate in the summer of 2003. I got in as a way to supplement my income as a month earlier I became a stay-at-home dad,” recalls Jim Ludes. “It didn’t take too long for me to realize that real estate was a) very hard, b) a lot harder with an infant and c) a year later, even MORE difficult with a second infant and a 1-year old.” 8 years of multi-million dollar production behind him, since that time, Ludes is near the top of his craft. At the cutting edge of Will and Grundy County Internet marketing/ social media savvy, Ludes works well with those who like information fast and like to see their homes all over the web. “The Internet and technology, in general, is such a big help in real estate. I don’t know how REALTORS did it before modern technology. I get texts, faxes and emails straight to the phone in my pocket and even that doesn’t seem fast enough sometimes! Most agents have not embraced technology like I have and I struggle to see how they survive. I like that constant ability to communicate with and for my clients.” Jim represents sellers and buyers in and around Will and Grundy County, Illinois. When asked if he’ll travel outside of those boundaries, he giggles, “Of course I will. I’ll list a home and help a buyer find one whenever I think I’ll do the job best for that client. If ever one would like my services in an area that I don’t feel I could represent him/her to the standard I hold myself to, I’ll refer that client to a REALTOR I trust to do the job like I would.”

Jim was one of only 24 agents in Northern Illinois/ Northwest Indiana to win a Quality Service Producer Award from his former brokerage’s corporate office in 2009. To win the award Jim needed to have a customer satisfaction rating of 85% or better for the year. He had a 98.4%. He received an even more special award for repeating that service in 2010. To receive the second award in 2010, he needed a 95% and finished the year at a 98.8% for the year. The nation-wide average for real estate sales people is 70% customer satisfaction! Of the honors Ludes downplays, “those awards are fantastic. They truly are! To know I’m satisfying each and every client warms my heart. I won’t be happy until I have a 100% customer satisfaction. And even then, I won’t be happy until I have that two years in a row, and then three and four and so on!”