For Greg Simington, a big part of real estate success is listening to the customer.

The electronic world is fine, he says, and he certainly uses that for efficiency. He does have all the electronic links.

But it is also important to meet people one-on-one. He describes himself as “down to earth.” He meets with buyers and finds out what area they would like to live in. Simington sits back and absorbs the information.

He will Zoom or do an electronic signing when it needs to be done, but he says he is “old school”

“Communication is the main thing for me,” he said. “I prefer to see people.”

“No home is perfect,” he said.

He thanks his guardian angel. He appreciates the fact that people put their trust in him.

Simington has been selling homes for 25 years and doing it full time for the past 10. He mostly does homes, but also handles some land and some commercial sales.

He works out of Coldwell Banker, 501 N. Kinzie Ave., Bradley, and can be reached at 815-933-9700.

He worked for Bunge Oil as a mechanic for 46 years. He and his wife of 29 years, Vindia, have a blended family of four daughters and one son. They also have 10 grandchildren.

The Simingtons support a wide range of charities, including Harbor House; Wounded Warriors; Child Network; The Salvation Army and Toys for Tots.

For the past 10 years, the Simingtons have visited children’s wards in local hospitals, bringing toys to children who, unfortunately, must spend their Christmas healing. That good deed was temporarily blocked by COVID, but now that gift-giving has resumed.

“If you see someone in need,” he said, “you ought to reach into your pocket.”

While he does not push religion on people, he is confident that the Lord up above has given help.

Simington was born in Mississippi, but moved to Kankakee when his father took a job at the Kankakee Foundry. He learned to work hard by following the example of his father. Respect for others was another trait passed down by his father. Simington’s educational path included Kankakee Community College.

Simington also continues to learn in real estate through the Coldwell Banker system. Coldwell banker, he says, has a good format for Realtors.

“If you want to learn, they will teach you and show you,” he said. “The people here are very helpful.”

The answer can always be found at Coldwell Banker, he added.

You need to keep learning because the rules keep changing, he said. Real estate is not a profession where you can sit still.

All his full-time work in real estate, he said, has been at Coldwell Banker.

He has been approached by other firms, but he describes himself as a traditional and loyal person. Coldwell Banker surveys customers and the responses about Simington always come back very positive.

Getting back positive feedback is great.

“I enjoy hearing that I am doing a good job,” he said. “If I say I am going to do it, you can believe it.”

There is a working knowledge, he explains on how to deal with people and that is a skill that cannot be taught. There are times when you are working with a couple, and you try to get a feel if either the husband or the wife is the one on-board with the home.

When Simington was younger, he experienced some injustice when he went to buy his own home. That has given him a sensitivity to represent people in the best way possible. He can look at the home from the perspective of either the buyer or the seller.

“I am always happy to see people get a home,” he said.

This is a good profession for him.

“I’m contributing to the area and helping people,” he said.

His advice to sellers in this market is to check to make sure they get a good Realtor. It is like trying to find a lawyer or a doctor, he said. Meet them and interview them.