Title: Proud founder of Garvey Residential Team and GrtHomes.com. Proud manager of EXP Realty LLc at 1010 Lake St. in downtown Oak Park, IL.
I was born and raised in Oak Park and along with my wife Nancy, raised our three children in River Forest and then again in Oak Park. What an amazing exprience it has been!
We bought our first home in 1986. It was a beautiful Victorian on Ridgeland that we fixed up. We went on to do that with four other homes in Oak Park and one in River Forest. At the time I would never have guessed that fixing up 100-year-old homes would lead to the fantastic HGTV lifestyle that I live now as a realtor.
During my journey through life here, I have seen the amazing evolution of a quaint small town feel village progress into these beautiful, vibrant and full of life villages that still feel small town, but have a harmony within todays slightly hectic world that seems to be working pretty well.
Oak Park and River Forest have been a dream come true as Nancy and I grew up to know the community. We watched our three boys experience these beautifully diverse and multicultural schools and then go on to be wonderfully successful in life.
Nancy and I met at Marquette University where she was studying to be a nurse, while I was studying business. We went on to get married and started looking for our first home. While I was pretty sure we were destined to stay in Oak Park, Nancy grew up in Wheeling Illinois and wanted to live close to her family, so I was keeping an open mind as to where we would eventually be raising our children.
It was around this time that my father offered me a little advice. He said to me “Chris, there is no better place to raise your children or just live your life than right here in Oak Park and River Forest.” Now I am not saying that he may not have had ulterior motives, but when he said it I sensed that he really meant it. He told me that his father had said that to him. I knew my Grandpa and his word still means more to me now then ever. My children are the fourth-generation of Garvey’s to live here.
My father said to us, “Whether you are raising a family or just living your life, your ability to grow in this world, your social interaction with the community, the relationships that you will form at the bandstand’s and in the parks – or a local sporting events, will not only be your greatest times in life, they will become your steppingstones in life.”
Now, as I grow older, I see how this fabric of life – this mixing of people throughout the village, its businesses, parks and many activities – and I see the success of my children and their friends and their friend’s families and I have come to understand what my father meant by these steppingstones in life. I am truly just beginning to learn of the great value this community brings to those who embrace it.
I will leave you with one last quote from my father’s father (the first Garvey to move to Oak Park). He said to my dad that “if you place yourself in the place of most potential, and you are open-minded enough to recognize an opportunity when you see it, success will always come to you.“ Ever since I have lived here, I’ve always found this to be true.
Post Script:
When you are ready, I invite you to tour homes for sale with me while you experience your own HGTV style of exploring homes. How can you make a decision on a home to buy, if you have not seen enough homes to know what a good value is?
Find out everything you need to know about our neighborhoods and buying these beautiful, but often times 100+ year old homes and condos.
Client Testimonials
I can't say enough great things about this guy. I met Chris several months ago when I decided that I was looking to buy a home in Oak Park. I requested information about a condo and Chris called me back promptly. I had requested info from other realtors in the past and they seemed short and straight to the "when and where" of meeting when we spoke. Chris was different. When he learned that I was looking to buy in Oak Park, he told me that he grew up there and provided me with history of the area. We chatted for about 15 minutes and I really got the sense that he cared about knowing what I was looking for in a place so I agreed to meet. He also had no problem meeting on Sunday because that was my only day off. When Chris and I met, he had a detailed itinerary of every place I told him I wanted to see and he drove me to each location since I didn't have a car. He went above and beyond many times but one example was in our first meeting when he gave me a tour of Oak Park and the surrounding area after we were done looking at apartments for the day. Over the course of the next several Sunday's, Chris and I met up to look at different condos. Ironically, I wound up purchasing the first home I viewed but Chris and I must have looked at 20+ units before I decided to submit an offer. He had the patience of a Saint when we searched and when I believed something was out of my price range, he told me he wouldn't be happy if I bought a place that I felt I couldn't afford. That alone speaks volumes as to the kind of man Chris Garvey is. Especially in a commission based business. Knowing that I ultimately wanted the first condo I viewed, I consulted with Chris and decided to make an offer. Chris negotiated back and forth with the listing agent and after some time, he called me on the phone and said "congratulations you bought yourself a condo." I was elated and still am. Chris even drove me to the closing and to the condo's association meeting which I had to attend. Meeting Chris was a blessing and I firmly believe that I got such a great deal because he was on the other end of the negotiation. He even Facilitated the sale of the furniture already in the unit and I was able to walk into a fully furnished place (at a deep discount). I strongly recommend Chris Garvey to anyone looking for a knowledgeable realtor of the highest integrity who goes above and beyond what his job requires. An all around great guy.
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brianhart2012/07/2015
Chris worked with us for well over a year in our single family home search in the Oak Park area, and additionally, sold our Chicago condo. We appreciated his no pressure, low stress approach to the house hunting phase as we explored neighborhoods in Oak Park, but when we decided it was "time", he was all-in with us. His knowledge of the area was extremely helpful to us, and appreciated his timely response to questions and advice about the local market. From beginning to end, it was a sincere pleasure working with him.
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kristin s.9/06/2016
Chris represented us in the sale of our existing home and the purchase of a new home. His knowledge and expertise were invaluable throughout the process.
On the sell side, Chris was able to sell our home before it was even listed on the public market!
On the buy side, Chris provided sage counsel throughout the process. We had very specific criteria for our home and Chris’s patience throughout the process was very much appreciated.
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cscott846/06/2019
Chris Garvey is FANTASTIC!After employing him for both a sale of a condo in Oak Park, a purchase of a three-story home in Forest Park, and the sale of two condos in Evanston, Illinois, we can’t say enough wonderful things about him! He and his Team hit a grand slam every single time! We kept hiring him because he’s the right guy for the job!He absolutely loves what he does. He loves his communities. He takes the care, the time, and the resources needed for each task involved in the process, and he pays the attention to detail that is necessary to get the sale and/or purchase done right and done quickly. He has knowledge about Oak Park real estate and history and the surrounding Chicago areas, like no other. His accessibility is unparalleled. Chris Garvey exceeded our expectations every time, in every way. He has obviously devoted his life to this stuff! It is his passion and an experience he loves ... with each individual client, with each of his families, and each of his neighborhoods.Unlike all the others realtors out there (whether local, regional, or national), his knowledge extends to all of the other stuff that you need to know about before and after (and, of course, throughout) the sale/purchase process, e.g., he knows the best contractors, developers, and lawyers, and he has an unmatched working knowledge relative to local and state ordinances and laws and construction, engineering, remodeling, decorating, and design. If he doesn’t, he makes sure to acquire the knowledge and information for you, so that you don’t have to do the work. ... so that you do not have to worry.In short, you get so much more than a realtor when you hire Chris Garvey and his Team!You absolutely won’t be disappointed. We promise!CHRIS GARVEY IS YOUR GUY!Jennifer & David(We have not in any way been paid by Chris to say the above. In fact, please contact Chris if you would like to speak to us about our experience. We believe in him and his Team so much that we are willing to give our time to share our wonderful experiences with him.)
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Jennifer C.3/19/2019
Chris is the definition of true professionalism. His knowledge of the real estate industry is vast and it shows through his work during the entire process. He is honest and transparent; he makes you well aware of what options you have and what you are getting into. Chris is extremely flexible and is always available to meet or talk and due to the amount of years of experience, he has multiple resources and contacts that a home buyer might need for any questions, issues or concerns that come up! It was a pleasure working with Chris and I would definitely recommend him to my family and friends.
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a c.11/05/2019
Great, Patient, respectful , always on time, helpful, complete knowledge of the city, he sold my apartment and found also a new one for me in one week. He gave us lots of advice and was very clever in helping me with the appraisal of my sell.
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user9551324910/04/2017
I had a great experience with Chris Garvey as a buyer in Oak Park. He was not interested in simply making a sale, and really appeared to love showing different places and pointing out the good and the bad. The entire experience, from house hunting through closing, was great. He was always on top of communication, and we were never in the dark about anything. More, everything he told us to expect was accurate. My wife and I highly recommend to anyone searching for a new home and real estate agent.
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Andrew Z.3/19/2019
Chris Garvey was easy to work with and very professional.
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Sam C.3/19/2019
If you’re looking for a buyers agent for Oak Park / River Forest stop reading and call Chris now. We could not have asked for a better partner in all facets of the search. Chris intimately knows OPRF and he REALLY knows these old houses, their history, and their construction. We toured many houses to get a sense of the area and his insight gave us great confidence to buy our 98 year old house with eyes wide open to what was good about it and what needed some love. He’s also a strong negotiator willing to play ball. Choosing Chris was the best decision we could have made!
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user782907612/28/2021
Chris is one of the smartest Agents I've encountered. His knowledge of Real Estate and work Ethic is why I HIGHLY RECOMMEND him!!
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Caleb C.3/19/2019
I was extremely happy with the work Chris did while I went through the buying and selling process. Chris handled both sides of our deals. He sold the house we lived in and found the house we bought.He was always very on top of things. What I like to refer to as mentally well organized. He made me feel like I was his only client when we worked together. (Obviously, he couldn't make a living if that were true.) But, it was his memory of what I liked, didn't like, the purchase price I was looking towards, on and on that made me feel that my needs for both the sale and the purchase were important.
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Maureen T.3/19/2019
Chris has been a great resource during our search for a home in Oak Park. We spent well over a year looking for a home. Chris was patient and available for showings whenever we requested and sincerely enjoyed viewing and educating his clients on the homes. He provided useful advice based on his experience of showing homes and living in Oak Park. He is also honest and upfront about valuations, neighborhoods and other considerations when viewing and considering a home purchase.
Again a great resource to have when making one of the largest purchases in one's life. Thanks for all of your help.
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Purav B.8/17/2020
Chris, where do I start.. You ARE the best realtor in Oak Park by far. We're so grateful to have your help and knowledge in buying our first home. I'm even a little sad that we won't get to look at houses together anymore, but very happy to have our new home. Thank you so very much for your kindness and patience and generosity. We were so very lucky to have you.
Kelly and Dave
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kelly K.1/08/2020
Nobody got back to me.
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Eyal H.1/14/2022
Chris was a huge help in my buying my first home. Easy to work with, knowledgeable, and flexible with my needs in both finances and time.
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Daniel H.3/19/2020
Chris was great! He made selling my home easy and stress free. He is very knowledgeable of the home market in my area and his input on staging my home was invaluable. We were thrilled that our home sold within two weeks and Chris even negotiated a price higher than I expected. The transaction was stress free because of all the guidance Chris provided us throughout the process. He went above and beyond what I expected in every way. I highly recommend Chris to everyone!
Nancy G.
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nagarvey6/11/2015
Chris was very accommodating, and willing to go the extra mile. We are very happy with the results and his commitment to make this an enjoyable experience for us.1
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acaracho3/23/2016
Caroline is an amazing realtor. As first time home buyers, we began this process with a different realtor and did not have a positive experience. We almost walked away from the buying process all together.
Caroline was/is an informative & tenacious realtor. We learned so much about every aspect of the process. She listened to our needs and respected our financial parameters. Caroline was always positive and kept our spirits high. We can not recommend her enough, and if and when we want to sell, she will be our realtor again
