James is the founder and team leader of Moda Group at Compass. Hailing from the world of fine dining, hospitality is the foundation upon which James has built a thriving real estate career over the last twelve years. Spend an hour with him and you'll understand why his clients and peers rave about his authenticity, knowledge, and dedication to making the process of buying or selling a home as seamless as possible. Spend two hours with him and you’ll walk away with a list of where to get the best dishes in the best restaurants in Chicago.
James’ success as an agent is rooted in his commitment to providing each of his clients - from the first-time homebuyer to the seasoned real estate investor - with the highest level of service and attention to detail at every step in the process. By taking the time to listen to his clients and truly understand what they want and need, James is able to apply his deep knowledge of the Chicago real estate market to get them the best results possible.
James knows that it takes more than just experience to provide his clients with the highest level of service for which he has become known. And that is why he founded the Moda Group, a full-service real estate team dedicated to continually improving the client experience while leveraging the industry’s best tools to maximize the value of every real estate transaction - an approach he likes to call housepitality.
James received his BA in Marketing & Advertising from Columbia College Chicago. He was recognized as a top producer by the Chicago Association of REALTORS® in 2018 and led Moda Group to become a top producing team in 2019 and 2020.
James lives in Chicago's Ukrainian Village neighborhood with his wife, Agnes, and is a proud father to their daughter, Stella. When he's not meeting with clients or mentoring his talented team, he's off on a culinary adventure somewhere in Chicago or halfway around the world.
What do you get when you combine a teacher, a comedian and a COO?
Either the start of a really bad joke or an attentive, knowledgeable, detail-oriented, and entertaining real estate agent. In this case, we’ve got the latter. Lauren Herskovic, founding member of Moda Group at Compass and creator of the popular “Who Wants to be a Homebuyer” Trivia Night, specializes in helping first time homebuyers in Chicago.
The home-buying process is opaque, and the investment is huge, making it scary and overwhelming for first time homebuyers. But Lauren’s focus on educating her clients, constant communication, and utilizing tried and true systems, make for a seamless and (dare we say it?!) fun experience for her clients.
“Lauren was hands down the best resource we could have asked for in looking for our first condo. Not only did she guide us through the whole process smoothly, but every other resource she recommended, from inspectors to lenders to attorneys, was incredible.” - Kelly, First Time Homebuyer in Chicago
“As first time homebuyers, we really enjoyed working with Lauren. She guided us through each step of the process seamlessly, and ensured that we were comfortable and knowledgeable all along the way. Lauren was always available to answer our (many) questions and give great advice. She was also proactive in reaching out to us, rather than waiting for us to come to her, which we really appreciated.” - Kimmie, First Time Homebuyer in Chicago
Background:
Lauren grew up in suburban Detroit and now lives in Logan Square. She got a BA in English and Secondary Education from the University of Michigan (Go Blue!). She then served as Editor in Chief for an online women’s magazine in NYC before working as COO for a consulting company based in Chicago, taking the company from a 3-person operation to a team of 100+ with offices in the US and China. In her free time, she plays tennis, takes pictures of her food and binge-watches Bravo withher Toy Poodle, Harvey. If you’re looking for help in finding your next home - whether you’re a first time homebuyer in Chicago or a seasoned real estate investor - call/text/email/send an owl and Lauren will help get you set on that home-buying journey!
Julia has a PhD in perseverance (or she would, if those were a thing). After graduating with a double major in Psychology and Women & Gender Studies from Ohio University, she took her passion for people and went to work as a full-time caregiver and house manager in Lincoln Park. Over the course of her five years of caring for 3 children and managing the household for their parents, Julia honed her skills in patience, organization, communication, and, most of all, negotiation. (Have you tried to negotiate with a toddler?)
All of that juggling, organizing, planning and kid-herding has positioned her perfectly for her career in Real Estate and her role on the Moda Group team.
Julia’s professionalism, her commitment to helping others, and her uncanny ability to manage multiple tasks at once are a huge asset to the clients that she serves. But it is her ability to connect with people that really sets her apart. She digs deep with her clients, really understanding their needs, wants and goals, and then works tirelessly to help them get there.
Julia is in love with the Chicago food scene and is quite possibly Sweet Mandy B’s biggest supporter. When she’s not chowing down on those cupcakes, she’s playing with her puppy, Porter.
Greg grew up on the North Shore of Chicago before heading off to the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he graduated with a BS in Financial Planning and minors in Business and Spanish. Upon graduating Greg moved to the city and began his career in commercial real estate, working for one of the top multifamily teams in the country.
After learning the nitty gritty investment side of real estate, Greg realized he derived the most joy from working with clients face-to-face and helping them on a more personal level so he said goodbye to his desk job and “Oh hey!” to residential Real Estate.
Greg has since represented buyers, sellers, investors, and more landlords and tenants than he can begin to count. He combines his love of real estate and relationship-building to make the home-buying or selling process as simple and enjoyable for his clients as possible. By being highly organized, communicative, and ambitious, Greg adapts to his clients’ needs and tailors the process to each individual client.
Whether you are a first-time home buyer or a seasoned investor looking for the best return on your investment, Greg has the experience and the skills to get you from A to B as seamlessly as possible, while getting you the best deal (and a few stops to his favorite restaurants and bars) along the way.
When Greg isn’t eating his way through Chicago’s always-growing food scene or sipping on an espresso martini on one Chicago’s many patios (for those few weeks of good weather we get), you can find him walking his corgi Biscuit on the lakeshore path or binge watching Bravo (even though he’s already seen everything...twice).
If you want to be the best, you have to learn from the best, and that means it can’t get much better than Vita Pavlyuk. Before joining the Moda Group, Vita spent nearly five years at Compass as an Agent Experience Manager, supporting Chicago’s top and most respected agents in their day-to-day operations. They not only inspired her to become an agent herself but also taught her everything she needed to be the best agent and advocate for her clients.
In addition to her inside-out and upside-down knowledge of Real Estate, Vita's bachelor's degree in Psychology from Illinois State (Go Redbirds!) equips her with a unique ability to connect with people on a deeper level, understand their specific needs, and guide them through the emotional aspects of Real Estate transactions. We often joke that our job is one part Real Estate and 5 parts Therapist… and Vita’s got what it takes to handle it all.
Vita was born in Ukraine and moved to Chicago at the age of six. She spent most of her childhood in Downers Grove and later moved to the city, where she has lived in various neighborhoods including Lincoln Park, Streeterville, and Gold Coast. Currently, she calls Bucktown (and, more specifically, Club Lucky) home. Vita's intimate knowledge of these neighborhoods and the western suburbs, along with her love for exploring the city's diverse communities, makes her a local expert who can guide clients to their ideal location. And her bi-lingual proficiency in English and Ukrainian broadens her ability to connect with a diverse clientele.
As an avid foodie, Vita loves seeking out new restaurants, exploring Chicago’s street festivals, and discovering new local breweries. In her downtime, you can often find her binge-watching her favorite shows, relaxing on a sunny patio, or walking the 606 trail with her dog, Bentley.
Leslie brings a wealth of knowledge and corporate insight to the Chicago real estate scene. After growing up in Evergreen Park on the southwest side of Chicago, Leslie attended the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where she earned a degree in Marketing from the College of Business. After graduation, Leslie spent 8.5 years in corporate roles where she gained a wide span of leadership experience in sales, marketing, general management, and operations.
As a current resident of Wicker Park, Leslie's firsthand experience as a landlord and with home renovations has fostered a nuanced perspective on property management and the intricacies of home ownership and the real estate landscape. Her deep understanding of the care and love a home needs helps guide her clients before, during, and after their home buying or selling process.
Recognized for a client-focused and detail-oriented approach, Leslie prioritizes transparency and effective communication, ensuring that clients are well-informed and empowered throughout their real estate journey. With a genuine passion for helping others achieve their real estate goals, Leslie is dedicated to providing a seamless and enriching experience, tailored to each client's unique needs.
When Leslie is not helping her clients find their dream homes, you can usually find her at a concert or working her way through the “Best Burgers in Chicago” list (for the millionth time). Her #1 (for now, at least)? Gretel in Logan Square.
Compass
2350 N Lincoln Ave
Ste 3 Chicago, IL 60614
Moda Group
