Mark Raffaelli, a broker with Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty, celebrates 24 years serving Chicagoland, surpassing $200 million in career sales through referrals and repeat clients, while closing a strong third quarter amid rising above-asking-price home sales in Chicago’s competitive market.
— Mark Raffaelli, a broker with Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty serving Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, has surpassed $200 million in total career sales. The milestone follows a strong third quarter that carries him into the end of 2026 with momentum.
Over 24 years, Raffaelli has built a practice largely through referrals and repeat clients. He has been a Chicago Association of REALTORS® Top Producer since 2013, holds the Certified Negotiation Expert designation, and has been named to Chicago Agent magazine’s Who’s Who in Chicagoland Real Estate in multiple years, including its 2026 edition. His practice spans the West Loop, West Town, Bridgeport, Lemont, Burr Ridge, Willowbrook, Willow Springs, and La Grange, covering condominiums, single-family homes, multi-unit investments, and luxury properties.
Raffaelli says the approach is simple. He stays personally involved in every transaction, from the first conversation to the closing table.
“I don’t hand my clients off to someone else,” said Raffaelli. “I’m hands-on in every part of the transaction. When you’re making one of the biggest financial decisions of your life, you should be working with the person you hired.”
Honest Pricing in a Market That Rewards Overconfidence
The milestone lands in a Chicago market that looks nothing like most of the country right now, and that is precisely why Raffaelli’s pricing argument has teeth.
Redfin’s September 2026 data shows the Chicago median sale price at $409,805, up 7.8 percent year over year, with homes closing at 101.5 percent of list price and 49.4 percent selling above asking, up 7.1 points from a year earlier. Median time on market was 52 days, two days faster than last year.
Supply is the reason. Illinois REALTORS® reported that inventory in the city of Chicago fell 26.3 percent year over year in July 2026, to 3,502 homes, while the city median price rose 13.3 percent to $425,000. Across the nine-county Chicago metro, inventory was down 11.9 percent with a median price of $401,000, up 6.8 percent, and statewide the median reached $338,000, up 6 percent.
When half the market clears above asking, Raffaelli says sellers draw exactly the wrong conclusion.
“Everybody hears that homes are going over asking and assumes that means any number works,” he said. “It does not. The homes going over asking are the ones that were priced correctly to begin with, so three buyers showed up on the same weekend. Price it on hope instead and you get no offers, then a reduction, and then you are negotiating from behind in a market that should have handed you leverage.”
He is blunt with sellers about what that means in practice.
“I’m going to tell you what will actually get your house sold,” he said. “Being honest has cost me a listing or two up front, but a lot of those homeowners call me back three to six months later. People respect the truth, and in the end it’s what gets them the best result.”
Sellers can start with a home valuation and review current market reports, and buyers weighing the same conditions can read his guidance in Is Now a Good Time to Buy a Home in Chicago, IL?
The Work Does Not Stop at Closing
That commitment outlasts the transaction. Many of Raffaelli’s clients still call him 10 to 15 years after a sale, whether they are remodeling a bathroom, planning a kitchen renovation or looking for a trusted contractor. He keeps a working network of painters, handymen, general contractors and staging consultants for exactly those calls.
“I don’t stop when the transaction’s over,” Raffaelli said. “I want my clients to call me for every little thing. That’s how relationships are built.”
It is also why the practice is nearly all referral and repeat business rather than paid lead generation. Clients who have had a kitchen contractor recommended to them eight years after closing tend to be the ones who send their siblings and coworkers.
Neighborhood Knowledge Across Two Very Different Markets
Raffaelli’s footprint spans the city and the southwest suburbs, and he cautions against treating them as one market. A West Loop condo and a Burr Ridge custom home attract different buyers, price differently and reward different preparation. Lot size, age of construction, assessment history, school boundaries and the specific block all move buyer behavior independently of the citywide numbers.
He covers those distinctions in posts including Does the Age of a Lemont Home Affect Its Resale Value?, Why Privacy and Custom Homes Matter in Burr Ridge, IL, How Should Growing Families Compare Larger Homes in Willowbrook?, Living in Lincoln Park, Chicago, IL and the Ultimate Checklist for Moving to Chicago, IL. Buyers can search current inventory through his advanced search and map search, or run numbers through the mortgage calculator.
Outside the Transaction
Raffaelli founded a nonprofit that assists victims of natural disasters, and following Hurricane Harvey helped deliver four 26-foot trucks of food, water and clothing to affected communities. He is a member of the Fenwick Alumni Association.
He is also a classically trained chef, and brings the same attention to detail and hospitality to client relationships, from neighborhood restaurant recommendations to private dinner events for the clients he serves.
Professional Highlights
- Broker, Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty
- More than $200 million in career sales
- 24 years in Chicagoland real estate
- More than $35 million in closed sales over the past three years
- Chicago Association of REALTORS® Top Producer since 2013
- Certified Negotiation Expert
- Named to Chicago Agent magazine’s Who’s Who in Chicagoland Real Estate, including the 2026 edition
- Top Agent recognition
- Practice built almost entirely on referrals and repeat clients
- Condos, single-family homes, multi-unit investments and luxury property
- Serving Chicago, Lemont, Burr Ridge, Willowbrook, Willow Springs, La Grange, the West Loop, West Town and Bridgeport
- Founder of a nonprofit assisting victims of natural disasters
- Illinois real estate license 475143938
About Mark Raffaelli
Mark Raffaelli is a lifelong Chicagoland resident and real estate broker with Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty, serving buyers, sellers and investors across Chicago and its suburbs. With 24 years of experience and over $200 million in career sales, he specializes in residential, investment and luxury properties. A Chicago Association of REALTORS® Top Producer since 2013 and Certified Negotiation Expert, Raffaelli has earned multiple Who’s Who in Chicagoland Real Estate recognitions. His referral-based practice emphasizes personalized service and lasting client relationships. Learn more through his page, video library and press page. All commissions are negotiable and set by agreement between the client and the brokerage.
Connect with Mark Raffaelli
Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | Nextdoor | Email: mark@raffaelligroup.com
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