McColly brokers named among America’s Best in 2021

Mortgage rates have been unprecedently low. Many employees have been working remotely, while other families have simply needed extra space to help teach youngsters at home. It has been a perfect storm for a booming real estate market in northeastern Illinois, and McColly Companies have been leading the way in the local sales. Two agents from McColly were recently recognized nationally for their production in 2020 by RealTrends, as America’s Best Agents.

To qualify for inclusion, an individual agent must have closed at least 50 transaction sides or $20 million in sales volume for 2020. For real estate teams, the minimum is 75 transaction sides or $30 million in closed sale volume.

Named for recognition were Sandy Boyer and Kelly Winterroth.

Here are the stories of these two agents’ successes:

Sandy Boyer

“Obviously 2020 was an odd year for the world. And, Iroquois County, being a big county in size, but small in population, so typically, when the news says that prices are up and the market is booming, it usually doesn’t mean us. But, in 2020 it did. Prices went up some and our market was excellent. Buyers were coming in from everywhere and it was very nice for our rural area and our sellers,” said Sandy Boyer, an agent for McColly-Rosenboom in Watseka, Illinois.

“Interest rates are at an all-time unbelievable low, thereby adding to the successful equation,” Boyer said.

“During COVID people realized they didn’t have to go into the office, and that they could still perform their duties from home. That made it much easier to determine they did not have to live in a certain area, or in a house that was smaller than they wanted. They came south for a bigger house, on a bigger lot, at a better price, and they loved it,” Boyer explained.

“Referrals and repeat business from past clients are always welcome and contribute heavily to my success,” Boyer said.

Boyer strives to learn as much as she can about all the properties she shows, advising her buyers of important information they need to know to make an informed decision, whether buying or selling.

In 2020, Boyer did 63 residential transactions and $5,705,000 in sales.

Boyer has been a full-time broker for 19 years and is an Accredited Buyers Representative and a graduate of the Real Estate Institute. Twice she has served as president of previous Iroquois-Ford Association of Realtors, is a past board member of the Kankakee-Iroquois-Ford Association, and in 2012 was selected as the Association’s Realtor of the Year.

Her office is located at 128 E. Walnut St. in Watseka.

Kelly Winterroth

Heading up the Winterroth Team in Bourbonnais, Kelly is her team’s leader and listing specialist.

Sales of $32.123 million and 154 transaction sides made the Kelly Winterroth Team an award winner in 2020.

“The year 2020 was initially a little concerning with how it started out, but we were quickly innovative and were able to adjust to the market utilizing technology,” Winterroth said.

Her team was able to sell homes site unseen using 100% virtual self-guided tours and 3D renderings.

The drop in interest rates triggered even more sales, leading to unprecedented volume for 2020, and being on pace to surpass even those numbers in 2021.

Winterroth and her team specialize in the upper-end market, where they’ve seen higher prices lead to a domino effect, so sellers are seeing higher property values for their homes. “This is real encouraging for our community,” she said.

Kelly strives to simplify the buying and selling process for her clients, being an advocate to help them make the best financial decisions possible. She tries to identify problems before they become difficult and have a solution readily available.

“I really enjoy putting my clients at ease, having it as least stressful as possible, ultimately getting them the best price they want to pay or get the best price for what they are selling,” Winterroth said.

She enjoys sales because it’s ever evolving, and she’s able to grow as a person and in business. “The one thing that really excites and motivates me is growing this team. Watching this team grow, helping them fulfill their goals, that is exciting,” Winterroth said.

She credits her buyers specialists Emily Outsen and Carrie Cuffe, client care specialist Tari Kapchinske and transaction coordinator Holly Spencer for working with her and behind the scenes striving for success.

Her team has been No. 1 in volume and units sold in greater Kankakee area, “but my biggest award is helping my clients get what they want,” Winterroth said.

Her office is located at 29 Heritage Drive in Bourbonnais.

Individual by Transaction Sides:

Kelly White, McColly Real Estate Portage — 68 Transactions

Sandy Boyer, McColly Rosenboom Watseka — 63 Transactions

Julie Elisha, McColly Real Estate Portage — 60 Transactions

Brent Wright, McColly Real Estate Portage — 60 Transactions

Ed Del Real, McColly Real Estate Schererville — 58 Transactions

Paul Boyter, McColly Real Estate Chesterton — 58 Transactions

Medium Teams by Volume & Transaction Sides

Lisa Grady Team, McColly Real Estate Schererville

— Ranked No. 8 with $50,589,060 in Sales Volume

— Ranked No. 13 with 179.5 in Transaction Sides