Randi Quigley was not pursuing a job in television when she was informed about a casting call for HGTV’s “The American Dream.”
As a prominent luxury real estate agent from south suburban Manhattan, Quigley has built a reputation for selling Chicago-area homes ranging from $119,000 to $5.51 million.
With 19 years in the business and annual sales between $20 million and $30 million, Quigley was introduced to the show by a real estate agent and host from California. After auditioning, it wasn’t long before Quigley was given a role as Chicago-area host.
“I went and I fell in love with the program,” she said. “It felt like it was pretty organic how it happened.”
“The American Dream” first aired in 2018. The show selects real estate professionals who take viewers to different neighborhoods, educating the audience on cultures and lifestyles all over the country, Quigley said.
For Katie Bickham, a colleague and close friend, Quigley’s selection for the show came as no surprise. Bickham and Quigley first crossed paths while working together at a restaurant during college. Today, both are brokers at eXp Realty, where their professional paths continue to align.
“She’s unstoppable, and anything that she puts her mind to, she has always achieved,” Bickham said. “So I have no doubt that she will do great on the show and that they chose the perfect person.”
After earning her undergraduate degree in marketing, Quigley didn’t dive into real estate right away, Bickham said. However, once she obtained her real estate license, she made a significant impact on the industry by leveraging her marketing expertise to achieve remarkable success, she said.
“She really is a true example of a real estate broker who has the grit and determination to rise above all of the cycles of real estate,” Bickham said.
Quigley, with a significant social media following, said her marketing background played a key role in her decision to audition for the show.
“You have to brand yourself,” she said.
Britny Duffy, who works with Quigley at eXp Realty, considers her as both a mentor and a friend. When Duffy first reached out to Quigley at the beginning of her real estate career, she was drawn to work with her because of Quigley’s vibrant personality.
“She has such this, big personality,” she said. “You’re like, oh, what is she doing?”
In 2022, Quigley was nominated for Crain Chicago Business’ Notable Residential Real Estate Broker award.
Beyond the personal branding benefits, Quigley is most excited about introducing viewers to the lesser-known towns in Illinois.
“I’ll be going around and interviewing different communities and showing local towns,” Quigley said. “And then also including my listings as well … within different values too. I don’t want to just be with luxury. I want to show all the different areas and different towns within the state of Illinois.”
Quigley said she starts filming her first episode for the show on Sept. 3 which will most likely air in October. The episode will feature one of her listings in Mokena, followed by a tour of Frankfort’s downtown area where she plans to highlight the numerous dog friendly businesses and restaurants. She also plans to capture some moments from the annual Frankfort Fall Festival over Labor Day weekend, just before filming starts.
Some of the other upcoming segments will feature Naperville, Hinsdale, Lemont and Chicago, she said.
Quigley hopes the show will inspire people to return to Illinois. She often encounters clients who are leaving the state due to Illinois’ high property and income taxes, but to counter that trend, Quigley aims to highlight the state’s unique appeal.
“It’s a really cool opportunity for the exposure, but also getting people to get back to Illinois,” she said.
She also aims to spotlight a variety of local businesses, hoping to boost their growth and visibility.
“I’m such a big believer in my community, and I feel like this is just a great opportunity to showcase other businesses, to help entrepreneurs,” she said.
For Duffy, working with Quigley has provided invaluable support for her career growth. Recently, Quigley opened her own real estate office, through eXp in Manhattan, where she plans to return to a more traditional, in-person business model.
“She wants to know how she can help you. She wants us to be successful,” Duffy said. “And I’ve never had that in a broker or a mentor.”
smoilanen@chicagotribune.com
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