I was born into a large family in the beautiful country of Managua, Nicaragua. I moved to San Jose, California when I was 14 years old and lived with my father. When my mother and brothers arrived in Frankfort, Indiana I moved in with them, and is where I graduated from high school in 1996. I studied Psychology at Purdue University and graduated in 2000.

Moving here was quite an experience that I wouldn't trade for anything. I really think it made me a much stronger person and made me want to help others. I started to work in the mental health field when I was in high school, as a nurse assistant, taking care of the elderly at a nursing home I also worked in group-homes when I was at Purdue. I have worked with a variety of people with different illnesses.

I really like my profession. I currently work with people that have a mental illness. I teach social skills, independent living skills, run groups, to help them integrate into the community. Overall, I help them in many different areas. I really love being there for them, socializing, teaching them different skills and most of all – I love the people I work with.

Later that year, after the graduation, I moved to Chicago and was looking for a job in my field of Psychology. On the other side, I am very involved with investing in Real Estate. I became interested in Real Estate in the year 2000, right before the “dot.com bomb”. Even though, I love my profession, I knew I wanted to do something else. I started reading about real estate, bought some courses, drove around neighborhoods, worked on improving credit and started attending real estate investment clubs.

I eventually bought my first home with my partner, who also became interested in real estate. We negotiated a great deal for ourselves and did a 203K. A 203k is a purchase plus rehab loan in one. I learned a lot doing this rehab and the two flat that we rehabbed made us enough money to do other deals!

I eventually got my license and became a REALTOR. I now work with investors and first-time home buyers to help them identify neighborhoods, type of property needs, showing them the best from what they have selected, assess the value of the selected home, draft offers for purchase, negotiate, arranging some of the many details before closing involving lenders, attorneys, "walk though" inspection and closing the deal. I love what I do and plan on helping as many people as I can achieve their goals and giving back to the people that need it. I really hope I can continue to provide low-income housing for people who need it and blend both of my passions together.

Mark Allen Realty, centrally located in Chicago’s hot Bucktown neighborhood, services the entire Chicagoland area from River West to Palatine, the South Loop to Plainfield.  We house 14 well-seasoned agents who pride themselves on customer service while maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards.  We have produced over twenty million dollars in annual sales through over one hundred successful transactions, and continue to expand not just our volume but also our knowledge base.  Furthermore, we are equipped to handle both the rentals and management of multi-unit apartment buildings and co-ops.  Finally, Matt Liss, a broker / owner of Mark Allen Realty, is a licensed general contractor in Chicago and is well versed in the city’s building codes, permits, and applications.  Clearly, whether you are searching for your first condo, building a custom home, or researching an investment property, Mark Allen Realty can provide the guidance, knowledge, and experience that you need in order to be successful in today’s real estate market.