There’s a new player in the real estate market in the Kankakee River Valley.
Village Realty (VRS) has offices in Peotone, Grant Park and Beecher. Two other offices, likely in the Kankakee-Bradley-Bourbonnais metropolitan area, are on the way.
The Village Realty signs are recognizable for their oval green and red design — green on the top and red on the bottom surrounding the initials VRS.
VRS, run by the father-and-son team of Mike and Michael Glenn, started in Frankfort in 2017. In 2018, they opened in Orland Park, Mokena and Merrillville, Ind. Manhattan was added in 2019 and Chicago in 2020. Fort Myers, Fla., came in 2021, followed by Homer Glen in 2022. Oak Forest and New Lenox arrived last year. This year has seen locations in Lemont, Peotone, Beecher and Grant Park.
VRS has won Readers Choice awards in the Lincoln-Way area.
Mike Glenn says the VRS model is designed to be more agent friendly and agent profitable. The firm caps its share of the annual sale by its agents at $10,000. The VRS share of each commission is 10%. Overall, the firm says it has attracted more than 300 brokers.
VRS gives a membership in Hometown Heroes for its brokers. Hometown Heroes provides discounts for the military, police fire fighters and government workers. The firm also has a winter coat drive and book collection at each location, as well as seasonal pictures with Santa and the Easter Bunny at many offices.
VRS does have a training program for agents.
“We provide comprehensive training and personalized support so while agents can do things their way, they’ll never have to do it completely alone,” Mike Glenn said.
VRS has also joined KIFAR, the Kankakee, Iroquois Ford Association of Realtors.
Mike Glenn started in real estate right out of high school. A 1984 graduate of Providence Catholic where he was a running back and linebacker, he remembers playing football against Bishop Mac. His further education, he says, was in the “college of hard knocks.”
His first project was buying a mobile home for $300, fixing it up and flipping it for $1,100.
“It was hard work,” he said. “There was lots of pain and suffering.”
Glenn would go on to be an investor, builder and developer. He has built car dealerships and Cracker Barrels in more than 40 years in business.
“The most fun I have in real estate,” he said, “is getting deals done.”
His business model now is to give brokers a bigger share of the proceeds.
“We see it as our job to incentivize excellence,” he said. “Agents will work harder (and sell more) if they know they’re taking most, if not all, of the commissions home with them.”
One of the local agents working with VRS is Amelia Bodie, who heads the Amelia Bodie team. The team includes: Ashley Christenson, the buyers agent; and Autumn Hambrick, transaction coordinator. Ashley works with buyers. Autumn is the detail person, handling the transaction. Amelia works with sellers.
While Amelia is the team leader, the three are sisters working together. Their slogan: “Let’s fulfill your dream. Call the Amelia Bodie team.”
The Bodie team serves properties in Kankakee, Will and Cook counties.
Ashley joined in five years ago and stayed through the pandemic. While Autumn handles transactions now, she has just passed her real estate exam.
“Working 24/7 in real estate is our baby.” Amelia said. “We are a close-knit family.”
Team leader Amelia started in real estate in 2013. She had originally been in banking after graduating from Manteno High School in 2007. She was the type of person, she says, who was everybody’s friend and who knew everybody. Her future plans include marrying fiancé, Josh, at a venue in Southwest Michigan in January.
She’s having fun planning he wedding. She’s also a dog mom to Rolo.
She’s successful, she said, because she guides clients through the process step by step. She is also unfailingly honest. Wherever she has worked, she says, she has always won awards as a top producer and one of the best. She has sold more than 700 homes.
“I show everything,” she said, “even the flaws (in a home).”
“My clients are my passion,” said. “Our clients become family.”
Her advice to sellers is that inventory in the area is still low. A house will sell, and sell quickly, if it is priced right.
Sellers also need to declutter and take down personal mementoes, so the potential buyer can see the house as their home. Better, brighter lighting also helps.
She tells buyers that rates are going down, “so get ready to find your home” and save-save-save. She also says that real estate is an investment, so it is always good to buy, for the short or for the long term.
Amelia and her team actively support a variety of charities, including families with disabilities, the River Valley Special Recreation Association and the Vintage Purse Museum.