I want to tell you a story about one of my favorite transactions of the year. Not because it went smoothly. It did not. Not because we never felt like we had lost. We did.
I want to share it because it is the clearest example I can give you of what fierce, intelligent advocacy for a buyer actually looks like - not on paper, not in theory, but in the middle of a frenzied Chicago market with 15 competing offers and a listing agent who had already verbally committed to someone else.
My clients needed real space. Several children, a need for five above grade bedrooms, an open layout that still felt like a connected home, and a neighborhood where their family could genuinely put down roots. We found all of that in a beautifully renovated Portage Park bungalow that honored its original Chicago architecture while delivering exactly the livable, modern floor plan they needed. I knew it was the right house the moment we walked through.
Protecting My Clients Before the Storm Hit
My clients wanted to see one more property before committing. That is completely their right. But while they took the time they needed to be sure, my job was to protect their position on the home I knew was the right fit.
I called the listing agent directly. Introduced myself. Told her my clients were serious and that if her seller was moving toward accepting an offer, I needed her to call me first so we could submit. She agreed.
That call was not a formality. It was proactive advocacy. It was thinking ahead on behalf of people who were trusting me to protect their interests while they made one of the biggest decisions of their lives.
We went to see the other property. It was not the right fit. We moved to submit on Portage Park. I called the listing agent.
Shanon, I am so sorry. We just agreed to go under contract.
I felt that drop. But this was not the moment to react. This was the moment to think.
Reading a Listing Agent Under Siege - And Using That Intelligence to Fight for My Clients
This listing agent had fielded 70 showings in three days and managed 15 competing offers. She was not careless when she forgot to call me first. She was completely overwhelmed. And my job in that moment was to read that clearly and respond in a way that kept every possible door open for my clients.
I did not lecture her. I did not make her feel worse. I acknowledged what she had been carrying - genuinely, because it was real - and then, with that foundation of mutual respect in place, I asked the one question that mattered.
Have you signed anything yet?
She said no.
That question was not polite conversation. That was me refusing to accept that this deal was finished for my clients until I had exhausted every legitimate option available to them. That is what I was hired to do.
I asked what it would take for her seller to consider our offer. She told me. I called my clients immediately, got a clear answer, and came back fast. She went to her seller. The seller wanted to honor the verbal commitment they had made to the first buyer - and I respected that completely. But before I got off the phone I made one final ask.
If anything changes, please call us first.
Why She Called Us and Not the Other 14
The next day the listing agent called. The first buyer would not agree to the post closing possession period the seller needed. The deal was falling apart.
She had 14 other offers she could have gone back to. She called us first.
Not because I had been aggressive. Because throughout every conversation I had treated her as a professional doing a brutally difficult job under enormous pressure. Because I had been direct and honest without making her feel cornered. Because she knew from how I had conducted myself at every step that a deal with The Tully Team would be professional, clear, and would close.
That is not a personality trait. That is a deliberate professional standard I hold myself and my team to every single day. And in competitive markets it produces outcomes that pure aggression never could.
We worked out the post closing possession issue. My clients got the house and we never even negotiated a backup offer.
And here is what my clients had to say:
"Shanon was great to work with! She made everything such a smooth process and had great recommendations along the way. She always responds to messages and phone calls and is so accommodating to our schedules. She helped us find our new family home, and we are so grateful!"
Advocacy That Did Not Stop at the Front Door
Once we were under contract, the inspection revealed items that needed to be addressed. This is where many transactions turn adversarial and fall apart over negotiations that should have been handled with more skill.
We held the same standard. Focused, precise, and relentlessly oriented toward the best possible outcome for my clients without putting a hard-won deal at risk. We negotiated a $10,000 credit that gave my clients full flexibility to handle every inspection item on their own terms and timeline.
The seller felt respected. My clients were thrilled. Everyone left the closing table satisfied.
That is what complete representation looks like - from the first showing to the final signature.
What Buyers in Chicago and the Western Suburbs Need to Know About Who Represents Them
In a market with low inventory and relentless competition - whether you are searching in Portage Park, Downers Grove, DuPage County, or anywhere across the western suburbs - buyers often focus entirely on price. Price matters. But the agent representing you matters just as much.
Your agent carries your reputation into every conversation that happens without you in the room. The way they communicate with the listing agent. The way they handle pressure. The way they respond when things go sideways. All of it reflects on you. All of it shapes the outcome.
The best agents are not the loudest ones. They are the ones listing agents trust and want to work with - because they are honest, reliable, and professional under pressure. Those agents get phone calls that other agents never receive. They get second chances that other buyers never know existed.
That reputation is something I have spent 25 years building across Chicagoland. It shows up in moments exactly like this one.
If you are buying a home in Chicago, Portage Park, Downers Grove, or anywhere in the western suburbs, I want to be the agent in your corner. Not just for what I know about this market, but for how I fight for you when it counts.
Shanon Tully is a licensed real estate broker and leads the The Tully Team at Platinum Partners Realtors located in Downers Grove, Illinois. She provides exceptional concierge real estate services throughout the Chicagoland area, especially the western suburbs. A residential listing specialist, Shanon thoroughly enjoys helping clients achieve their goals, and particularly relishes the unique challenges associated with staging, redesigning, and marketing properties. Her attention to detail and dedicated care for her clients has earned her numerous rave reviews! Among other things, Shanon has earned several designations and certifications including SRS-Seller Representative Specialist, PSA-Pricing Strategy Advisor, RENE-Real Estate Negotiation Expert, SRES-Senior Real Estate Specialist, CSC-Certified Staging Consultant, ABR-Accredited Buyer's Representative. She is eager to speak with you and always welcomes new referrals! Shanon can be reached at 630.435.3585 or [email protected].
The above references an opinion and is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to be financial, legal, or tax advice. Consult the appropriate professionals for advice regarding your individual needs.
