Broker Associate
Mobile: 312-560-4950
Office: 312-767-7744
“Mark Lale is hands down the best Realtor we have ever worked with!”
About Mark
When he started in Chicago real estate, Mark put together five leases during his first week. Since then, working with buyers, sellers and renters, Mark has been a part of more than a thousand transactions.
He has helped many clients sell their homes by bringing his design sense to updating and staging their property to show it in the best light. This has succeeded in getting higher purchase prices and faster sales than clients expect. He has had many listings sell within one week of being on the market.
Prior to getting his real estate brokers license over a decade ago, Mark earned a degree in graphic design and painting. He then completed graduate studies at Pratt Institute in New York.
That was the basis for a 20 year career as an advertising agency Art Director with national accounts like Discovery Networks, Bank of America and Chilean Fresh Fruit – working in New York, LA, San Francisco and Miami before landing in Chicago with his wife, daughter and son. He feels his background helps him as a Realtor® in terms of problem solving and his visual memory of the thousands of condos and homes he has seen.
Mark has a passion for helping buyers and renters find a home they love. He works diligently to understand a person’s wish list.
Often clients find properties surpassing what they expected because, as Mark says, “I edit like a fiend”. He has learned that the finest units sell quickly and he wants his clients to see the best properties as soon as possible.
All the effort pays off in keeping with his goal and slogan – wanting everyone to: “Go Home Happy”.
Listings
Reviews
“Mark Lale is my go-to resource when I have real estate question.”
“Mark Lale is my go-to resource when I have real estate question. I’m an agent myself. I worked with Mark many years ago. And to this day when I need guidance on a real estate matter, I ask Mark. He’s been a great help to me over the years. I know him to be entirely trustworthy and reliable.”
“Mark Lale is hands down the best Realtor we have ever worked with!”
“He found us a perfect tenant for our condo unit, he sold two properties for us. Throughout the whole process, he made himself available and welcomed any questions that we might have had. He doesn’t just do the showings and treat us like clients: he made us feel that It was him who is buying a place and he’s a friend who’s always there to help. When he showed our condo, he’d even just pick up a towel and clean smudges on the glass door. That’s just a small example. He’s an artist and provided awesome artistic guidance to stage the house when we are selling. After he sold our house in Chicago, and we moved to a different state, he even made special pillows for us with the curtains in our house to give us a piece of our home to remember by. It’s the best house warming gift- so thoughtful! So unique and special! Go to mark for all your real estate needs- you will know what I mean!!”
“As a first-time renter, Mark was extremely helpful throughout the entire process.”
“Even after I found a place other than the ones he showed me (but from a company that he directed towards), he still continued to advise me through the process. He clearly has a lot of knowledge of the Chicago area, I highly recommend working with him, and will likely do so myself again.”
“I had a great experience with Best Chicago Properties and Mark Lale was a pleasure to work with.”
“He was very accommodating, responsive, and knowledgeable. He took the time to really understand what I was looking for to make my search easier and more efficient. He also was incredibly helpful throughout the entire process from start to finish. I would definitely recommend him.”
“Mark Lale at Best Chicago Properties = FANTASTIC!!”
“Mark Lale served as my agent during my recent purchase of a one bed plus den condo in River North. Prior to closing on this property, Mark accompanied me to countless showings for nearly 4 years, as I moved from rental property to rental property all the while seeking the perfect condo for purchase. In every case, Mark worked tirelessly to get us into properties as soon as they went on the market, in many cases anticipating listings before they hit the MLS. Mark really has your best interest in mind and works to identify a building, not just a unit, that fits your lifestyle and personality. On this particular property, Mark’s patience and persistence throughout the negotiations resulted in concessions from the seller; ultimately he helped reduce the purchase price several thousands of dollars and eliminate unforeseen closing costs. I think one of Mark’s most unique talents is his vision not only for what the property is, but what it can be. On several occasions, he brought paint samples and talked through design possibilities to really make the place my new home. In addition to his services, he also recommended the real estate lawyer who outperformed all expectations. Thanks for helping me find my first home, Mark!”
“Passing on how fantastic Mark Lale was in sourcing my new home.”
“I highly recommend our company put new hires that need a home in touch with Mark first given:
- He was relentless in finding the right property for me
- He took into account my feedback on properties inspected when suggesting new properties
- He was aggressive in applying for properties I liked which allowed me to best position myself
- He was always available on the phone when I had questions or sought application updates
- He went out of his way to offer a lift to inspections
- He is an extremely professional, friendly and courteous guy”
“I honestly can’t say enough great things about Mark Lale.”
“He found my perfect home, and also found my mother her perfect home. Mark is diligent, to be certain. I think he must check new listings in the middle of the night. If a new property is listed, Mark knows about it and passes the information along — with lightning speed. He is always accessible, promptly returns calls and correspondence, and is incredibly reliable. Beyond these qualities, which I’d think would be essential to a successful career in real estate, he has a few others which make him a standout. Mark has an incredible aesthetic. He has an eye for great property, and that eye combined with his unparalleled knowledge of Chicago property gives him a great sense of what is available, and what properties are truly special or unique. He is also a lot of fun, and going around looking at property with Mark is a fun way to spend time. And he won’t waste time, but he is willing to spend time and surpass expectations.”
“How fortunate we were to find you!”
“Dear Mark, thank you for all you have done for us, both with the apartment and the condo. How fortunate we were to find you! We truly appreciate the time and consideration you put in to helping us find our home, but also orienting us to Chicago. In addition to your knowledge and skill in real estate, who else could show us the first home and be right—on to our specs. We found you to be a wonderful, caring person, and also very giving…”
“Mark Lale is a class act.”
“While his knowledge of the city is impressive, it’s Mark’s vision for what can be which truly stands out. My wife and I highly recommend Mark Lale to anyone who is either new to the search or someone who has been through it before. He is extremely prompt, prepared, and always looking out for the best interests of his clients. It is refreshing and comforting to know that Mark will go the extra mile for all your real estate needs, whether it is to find a home or to sell one (his staging of homes is impeccable!). We hold him in the highest regard. Thank you, Mark, for all your incredible work!”
“Working with Mark Lale was a pleasure!”
“He was very helpful, always available and very easy to work with!”
“Mark is an absolutely incredible and hardworking agent that helped us throughout all hours of the day and night to secure our perfect first apartment downtown.”
“He is very honest, extremely quick and detailed in his work. He was very transparent and intelligent in the process as well as trustworthy. If you are looking to find your perfect home or apartment I would recommend Best Chicago Properties and Mark Lale every time!!”
“My friend and I were searching for our first city apartment and once we were referred to Mark Lale it was such an easy process.”
“All it took was one 20-minute convo for Mark to truly understand what we wanted and not try and sell us on other options. He was extremely helpful and not even 24 hours later he had found 3 great apartments for us to see. All three met all of our requirements and were amazing. We narrowed it down to two and eventually chose our perfect first apartment. Mark went above and beyond the role of a broker and was running around to tie up loose ends that go far beyond his responsibilities. He is truly amazing and someone I look forward to working with throughout my time in Chicago. I highly recommend Mark to anyone who wants an effortless apartment search and transition to the city.”
“…Mark is not just great at what he does- but he is also a great person who is dedicated to doing a wonderful job!”
“I worked with Mark to get our nearly renovated single family home rented out! He was not only a pleasure to work with and a great communicator- but he also was only interested in getting us “great renters” and renting our property at the best price point! He not only got our home rented and had the lease signed within about a week- but he also got us great renters! Oh- not to mention- he also got us a 2-year lease! You can tell Mark is not just great at what he does- but he is also a great person who is dedicated to doing a wonderful job! Thanks Mark!”
“I would recommend Mark to anyone looking to sell or buy a house.”
“Mark Lale helped my husband and I sell our house of 30 years. He was fantastic. Not only did he find people who could help us remove 30 years of junk but he got us a terrific painter/handyman. He advised us on what buyers were looking for and he staged the living room. He went above and beyond. We sold our house in 4 days close to our asking price. He then found us a house that was perfect for our needs. I would recommend Mark to anyone looking to sell or buy a house.”
“Mark Lale at Best Chicago Properties is the BEST!”
“I was moving to Chicago from Nebraska and Mark was amazing! We spent countless hours on the phone and numerous emails discussing what I would like, what I must have and what I could live without. Not living in the state and only being able to view things online was stressful for me, but Mark had vast knowledge of these buildings and was able to offer advice on every one. He had plenty of suggestions that would fit my style and my budget. Mark was very trustworthy, patient and kind. He went above and beyond to send me links of different apartments so I could have plenty to choose from once I came to visit. When I came to apartment hunt in Chicago, Mark picked my dad and I up and personally drove us to 4 different apartments in downtown Chicago. He was very knowledgeable and asked questions that I didn’t even think about asking. He really did cater to my needs and I ended up going with the very first apartment that he showed me! I landed in River North that allows me to walk to work. I found a perfect quaint convertible apartment with a patio, attached covered parking and a rooftop pool. This is the best city to live in and Mark made the stressful process of finding a place so easy! He even was so nice to follow up with me a week later and make sure that I was still happy. I couldn’t have done it without him and if I ever move from my apartment I will definitely be using him again!!”
“Your excellent follow through and communications are commendable based on finding exactly what we were looking for in a condominium.”
“From the beginning to the closing you were there with answers to our questions. Your recommendations from a real estate attorney to the construction company & inspectors were excellent. I would highly recommend you to any of my friends & family members. Please have any of your prospective clients contact me for a reference.”
“I found a fantastic apartment that everyone who visits wishes was theirs.”
“Thanks again, Mark. In the end, I found a fantastic apartment that everyone who visits wishes was theirs. I’m paying less than I budgeted for a place that is much nicer than I expected to find. Continued success finding other gems.”
“I’d like to thank you for the help finding the apartment / condo at Kinzie Park.”
“Your service and knowledge of properties were exceptional, as was your follow up – especially regarding the parameters and amenities that I needed. I will recommend your services in the future to anyone looking for a place…”
“We sincerely wanted to thank you for taking the time to help us find an apartment on such short notice.”
We are so excited to move to Chicago and settle in on Lakeshore Drive. We look forward to working with you again in the future.”