Instagram story viewer> @markkowalik> Posts

Mark Kowalik

@markkowalik

1028

posts

913

followers

564

following

@theactiverealtor
Realtor, 150+ Million sold in🏡@ Baird&Warner, Dad, and Husband
✨new listings & resources here ⬇️

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Download All

Who you hire as your buyer’s agent matters.

Almost any Realtor can open a door and show you a property.

But in a competitive market, the right agent can be the difference between winning the home or losing it.

Real estate is a relationship business, and reputation matters.

Over the past 11 years, I’ve worked hard to build strong relationships with listing agents so that when I submit an offer, they feel confident presenting it to their seller.

They know:

✔️ My brokerage carries weight.
@bairdwarner 168-year reputation brings professionalism, experience and credibility to every offer.

✔️ I’m a full-time Realtor.
I know how to guide buyers from the initial offer through inspection, financing and closing.

✔️ I bring a solution-focused mindset.
When challenges come up, I stay calm, communicate clearly and keep the deal moving forward.

✔️ I have a trusted team behind me.
Experienced lenders, attorneys and inspectors help give my buyers the support needed to reach the closing table.

The strongest offer is not always the highest.

Sometimes it is the offer backed by the agent, communication and team that gives the seller the most confidence.

Opening the door is easy. Getting you successfully through it is where experience matters.

#TheActiveRealtor #ChicagoRealEstate #BuyersAgent #HomeBuying #RealEstateNegotiation taken in Lincoln Park, Chicago by @markkowalik

3

0

11 days ago

There’s a reason Lincoln Park and Lakeview continue to stay on fire 🔥🌳☕️

Every week I’m walking these side streets with buyers, and the trend keeps getting stronger—especially with the 25–40 age group and first-time buyers. 🚶‍♂️🏙️

What are people chasing?

• Quiet tree-lined streets 🌳
• Low-rise buildings with character
• Walkability 🚲
• Neighborhood coffee shops ☕️
• A true neighborhood feel while still being close to downtown

It’s lifestyle-driven demand.

And this is why understanding buyer trends matters so much in real estate. When you can identify where people genuinely want to live, you start seeing opportunities before the market fully prices them in.

I personally believe these trends continue for years because demand in neighborhoods like Lincoln Park and Lakeview continues to outpace supply. 📈

For sellers holding quality properties in these areas, that’s a powerful long-term position to be in.

#ChicagoRealEstate #LincolnParkChicago #ChicagoLiving #TheActiveRealtor #LakeviewChicago by @markkowalik

82

16

3 months ago

Sometimes all of the factors line up perfectly and I can help my clients negotiate a lower price on their dream home! I always do my due diligence when helping my clients prepare their offer by checking how many showings a property has had, the number of days on the market, and of course a comparative analysis to ensure it is not overpriced. Nothing beats the excitement from my client when we successfully negotiate a deal!
.
#theactiverealtor #chicagorealestate #chicagolandrealestate #chicagorealtor #chicagolandrealtor #lowballoffer taken in Chicago, Illinois by @markkowalik

5k

3

4 years ago

July Western Suburbs market update is in — and here’s what I’m seeing across Elmhurst, La Grange, Brookfield and Oak Park.

⚡ Watch the full Market Sprint for all four community breakdowns.

📈 Prices (YoY)
👉 Elmhurst: +15.0%
👉 La Grange: +10.1%
👉 Brookfield: +6.0%
👉 Oak Park: +1.4%

💡 Home values increased across all four markets, with Elmhurst and La Grange posting the strongest year-over-year gains.

🏠 Months of Supply
👉 Brookfield: 1.1 months
👉 Oak Park: 1.3 months
👉 La Grange: 1.5 months
👉 Elmhurst: 1.8 months

💡 Every market remains below two months of supply, meaning buyers continue to face limited options and sellers still hold an advantage.

📉 Change in Supply (YoY)
👉 Brookfield: -31.3%
👉 Oak Park: -18.8%
👉 Elmhurst: -10.0%
👉 La Grange: +15.4%

💡 Inventory tightened further in Brookfield, Oak Park and Elmhurst. La Grange saw supply increase from last year, but at only 1.5 months, it remains firmly in seller’s-market territory.

🧠 The Takeaway
👉 Prices are rising across every community
👉 Inventory remains extremely limited
👉 Updated, well-priced homes can still attract strong attention
👉 Buyers need to be prepared when the right property becomes available
👉 Pricing and preparation remain critical for sellers

This is not simply a hot market or a cold market…

👉 It’s a low-inventory market where the best-prepared buyers and sellers are creating the wins.

Want the full community breakdown?

👉 Check out my July Western Suburbs Market Report — LINK IN BIO. 📊🏡

#ElmhurstRealEstate #LaGrangeRealEstate #OakParkRealEstate #BrookfieldRealEstate ChicagoSuburbs #theactiverealtor taken in La Grange, Illinois by @markkowalik

0

0

13 hours ago

Friday night, Brittany and the girls stayed at a hotel closer to Ava’s dance skills camp, which started early the next morning.

That meant I had the entire house to myself.

Did I want to sit on the couch, order some food and enjoy a quiet night? Absolutely.

But I also have goals I’m trying to hit, and those goals require putting in the work, even when it would be easier not to.

One of the benefits of living in the West Loop is that the @bairdwarner West Loop office is only a four-minute walk from my place.

So instead of staying home, I walked back to the office to prepare for upcoming listing presentations and make progress on a few real estate projects that needed uninterrupted focus.

No phone calls.
No distractions.
Just a quiet office and a few hours of deep work.

Sometimes getting ahead simply means taking advantage of the small windows of time that other people let pass.

#WestLoopChicago #ChicagoRealtor #BairdWarner #RealEstateBusiness #theactiverealtor taken in West Loop, Chicago by @markkowalik

1

0

a day ago

11 years ago, I started in real estate without a large sphere, an established reputation or a pipeline of clients waiting to work with me.

What I did have was the drive to build a career around helping people and delivering an exceptional level of service.

I focused on answering the phone, communicating clearly, solving problems and treating every client’s purchase or sale like it was the most important transaction in my business, because to them, it was.

Eleven years later, RealTrends ranked me:

🏙️ 76th in the City
📍 241st in Illinois
🇺🇸 10,905th in the Nation

I am incredibly proud of these results, but these rankings represent much more than sales volume.

They represent first homes, growing families, major moves, new chapters and important milestones.

None of this would have been possible without the clients who trusted me to guide them through buying or selling a home.

To every client who has worked with me, referred me or supported my business along the way, thank you.

I appreciate you all more than you know and am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue doing what I love. 🏡🔑
#theactiverealtor #chicagorealtor #toprealtor taken in West Loop, Chicago by @markkowalik

20

2

3 days ago

One of the biggest perks of raising a family in the city…

Is having places like this just 27 minutes from home. 🌊

Living in the West Loop, Monroe Beach has become one of our favorite summer spots with the girls.

Unlike some of Chicago’s more popular beaches, it feels like there’s actually room to spread out.

🏖️ A huge stretch of sand for building sandcastles.
🌊 Plenty of space for the kids to splash in the waves.
🚗 Free parking that’s surprisingly easy to find.
✨ A clean beach that never feels as crowded as Oak Street, Ohio Street or North Avenue.

Sometimes the best family memories aren’t the expensive vacations.

They’re the spontaneous summer afternoons when you throw towels in the car, make the short drive, and spend a few hours together by the lake.

That’s one of the reasons we love raising our family in the West Loop.

We get all the energy and convenience of city living, while incredible places like this are less than 30 minutes away.

Less time driving.

More time making memories.

What are some of your favorite family spots around Chicago? 👇

#WestLoopChicago #ChicagoFamilies #MonroeBeach #ChicagoLife #theactiverealtor taken in Montrose Beach by @markkowalik

22

2

4 days ago

July market update is in — and here’s what I’m seeing across West Loop, Lincoln Park, and Wicker Park/Bucktown/West Town.

⚡ Watch the full Market Sprint for all three neighborhood breakdowns.

📈 Prices (YoY)

👉 Lincoln Park: +5.6%
👉 Wicker Park / Bucktown / West Town: +4.3%
👉 West Loop: +1.9%

💡 Home values increased across all three markets, with Lincoln Park continuing to lead the way.

📉 Home Sales

👉 Lincoln Park: -33.5%
👉 West Loop: -25.9%
👉 Wicker Park / Bucktown / West Town: -17.3%

💡 Fewer homes sold compared with last year, but lower sales volume has not stopped prices from rising.

🔥 Under Contract Activity

👉 West Loop: +15.0%
👉 Wicker Park / Bucktown / West Town: +5.6%
👉 Lincoln Park: -12.7%

💡 Buyer activity is picking up in the West Loop and Wicker Park/Bucktown/West Town, while Lincoln Park saw fewer homes go under contract.

🏠 Months of Supply

👉 Lincoln Park: 1.1 months
👉 Wicker Park / Bucktown / West Town: 1.5 months
👉 West Loop: 2.2 months

💡 Anything under four months is generally considered a seller’s market. All three neighborhoods continue to favor sellers.

🧠 The Takeaway

👉 Prices are still rising
👉 Fewer homes are changing hands
👉 Inventory remains limited
👉 Buyers are actively moving on the right opportunities
👉 Preparation and pricing strategy still matter

This is not simply a hot market or a cold market…

👉 It’s a market where the best-prepared buyers and sellers are creating the wins.

Want the full neighborhood breakdown?

👉 Check out my July Market Report — LINK IN BIO. 📊🏙️

#ChicagoRealEstate #WestLoopChicago #LincolnParkChicago #WickerPark #TheActiveRealtor taken in West Loop, Chicago by @markkowalik

2

0

5 days ago

The price said $2,500,000.

That didn’t mean my buyer had to pay it.

This luxury Gold Coast residence sits just 50 feet from Oak Street Beach—one of the most desirable locations in Chicago. 🌊🏙️

But even with a location like this, the asking price was only the starting point.

The biggest wins in real estate do not always come from being the first buyer, offering the most money or immediately agreeing to the seller’s terms.

Sometimes, they come from patience.

From understanding the seller’s position.

From recognizing when there is leverage and knowing how to use it.

We put together a strategy, negotiated an 11% reduction and secured the property on terms that created significant value for my client.

My buyer is now under contract to purchase the property for $2,225,000—$275,000 below the original asking price. 🔑

Finding the right property was only the beginning.

The real opportunity was in the negotiation.

#GoldCoastChicago #OakStreetBeach #ChicagoLuxuryRealEstate #ChicagoRealEstate #TheActiveRealtor taken in Gold Coast, Chicago by @markkowalik

2

1

6 days ago

Why I Started My Long Run at 11:23 PM 🌙

Last year, I attempted my first 100-mile ultramarathon.

I made it to mile 62.

Physically, I still had plenty left.

Mentally… I was done.

It was 10:30 at night, and all I could think about was the fact that I still had another 12 hours of running ahead of me. I wasn’t injured. I was exhausted. Sleepy. Defeated. I dropped out.

Since then, I’ve learned about something ultrarunners call the “nighttime demons.” It’s the combination of exhaustion, sleep deprivation, and the mental battle that shows up when the rest of the world is asleep.

This October, I’m attempting another 100 miler—and this time, I plan to finish.

So instead of avoiding the night…

I’m training in it.

Last night I intentionally waited until 11:23 PM to start my run.

I worked all day.

Spent the evening with Brittany and the girls during movie night.

Helped put the kids to bed.

Cleaned up the house.

Then, when every part of me wanted to crawl into bed…

I laced up my shoes instead.

Three hours later, I was home by 3:00 AM.

Showered.

Asleep by 3:30.

When Josie woke up at 7:35 this morning, I was already up helping get the house ready.

Because this dream is my choice—not my family’s burden.

Yes, I’m tired.

But I’m one step closer to becoming the person who finishes 100 miles.

During those three hours along the lakefront, I saw people leaving bars and couples taking late-night walks.

I didn’t see another runner.

Big goals usually require doing things most people would never consider.

Some people will think you’re crazy.

That’s okay.

The people who accomplish uncommon things usually look a little crazy while they’re chasing them.

More than anything, I hope my daughters grow up knowing this:

If you want an extraordinary life, you have to be willing to make extraordinary sacrifices.

Sometimes…

The path to your biggest goals starts at 11:23 PM. 🌙🏃‍♂️

#TheActiveRealtor #UltraRunning #100Miler #chicago #DadLife taken in Chicago Lakefront Path by @markkowalik

260

33

7 days ago

Chicago summers just hit different. ☀️🚲

Today I had a listing appointment in Old Town.

Google Maps estimated 23 minutes by car.

On my bike? 12 minutes.

No traffic.
No searching for parking.
Just a ride through the city on a beautiful summer afternoon.

It’s one of the many reasons I love living in the West Loop—almost everything I need is just a short ride away.

@divvybikes
#WestLoop #OldTownChicago #CityLiving #ChicagoRealtor #TheActiveRealtor taken in West Loop, Chicago by @markkowalik

0

0

8 days ago

0

0

15 days ago