From flips to finding families their perfect home, Dario Medina said there's hardly an area of real estate that he hasn't explored. (Photo provided)
Before entering the real estate industry, Dario Medina saw his father and brother succeed in the business of buying, selling and developing properties. After a decade-long corporate career in New York, Medina decided to join them.
Now the managing broker at Better Homes and Gardens County Line in Hinsdale, Medina earned his real estate license in 2007. He got his start as one of online firm Redfin's first Chicago-area agents before working his way up to management positions with the company.
He's worked in the Hinsdale market since moving to the village from the city in 2020.
"It was a good move for us," he said.
Medina still manages the occasional listing and sometimes helps families find their next home, but his job as managing broker focuses on running the Hinsdale office, supporting its 15 agents and recruiting the best new brokers to the company and the Hinsdale market.
"No day is very typical," he said, and neither is the Better Homes and Gardens agency.
The office on South Washington Street hosts Wine Wednesdays each month to keep homeowners, sellers and anyone who is interested informed about the local market. Along with food and drinks, each event features a presentation on a specific subject. In March, a home inspector presented "Debunking the home inspection process." In April, a local architect will offer insight into local zoning laws.
"It's just something that we want to do for the community," he said.
Medina said helping homeowners make the right decisions while they're living in their homes is part of the firm's identity as a "lifestyle brand." Its design center at 110 S. Washington St. is open to the public and home to experts who can offer guidance in an array of home-related subjects.
Medina's real estate career has included helping buyers and sellers of residential and commercial properties, as well as experience as a developer and real estate owner.
"I can advise them in all of those different areas," said Medina, who said he gets "a thrill" from matching a customer with the buyer or property that's right for them.
High interest rates and low inventory created a challenging real estate market in 2023, Medina said. As the real estate market heads into its busiest months of the year, Medina said he expects a spike in activity as more houses join the market and buyers anticipate lower interest rates.
"Things are loosening up," he said, but buyers and sellers should be prepared for the effects of pent-up demand. Sellers, he said, should have their homes ready. That means making all necessary repairs and any changes such as decluttering or fresh paint.
Buyers, Medina said, should be ready to make a move when the right home becomes available. Houses in Hinsdale sell quickly, he said, especially in the $750,000 to $1.5 million range.
Having entered the field as part of Redfin, Medina is keenly aware of the role technology has come to play in real estate.
"For the most part the changes are positive," he said, making shopping for and selling homes more transparent and more efficient. But there is no substitute for an agent who knows the market and works for the client.
"The human component of real estate is always going to be important," Medina said.
- by Sandy Illian Bosch
