“My neighborhood was filled with blue-collar, hardworking residents, and many municipal employees of the city of Chicago,” says broker Mark Buckner of Compass Real Estate. “I grew up in the trades where I learned a work ethic; the value of quality construction; and that I did not want a career that required full-time manual labor.”

Originally from the South Side of Chicago, Mark grew up in a robust Irish Catholic neighborhood just outside of Beverly. Mark watched, and was influenced by, the residents around him work their way through the everyday, and as true for most young boys, his father became his first hero. 

“My father taught me the benefits of superior customer service and that life is not always easy,” Mark says. “He also taught me that you should always have a ‘go-to guy’—a knowledgeable and reliable person [you can call on] for every type of service.”

In his early school years, Mark struggled with a learning disability that made it hard for him to keep up with his classmates in reading and writing. Because academics never came easy, he had to work harder than others to succeed.

“I purposefully socialized with kids who were very bright, and I became determined to not be left behind,” he says. “Throughout my academic experiences, I would often start out failing but end up succeeding through sheer determination.”

Mark followed up his bachelor’s degree with graduate studies at the prestigious University of Chicago, an achievement that brings him pride. After graduation, Mark worked as a therapist in behavioral health care and as a licensed clinical social worker—work that required him to develop greater empathy, active listening skills, the ability to adapt to his clients’ needs, and push through difficult circumstances to promote positive change. 

“After twenty years in healthcare, I found I enjoyed the industry less and less,” Mark explains. “During the last three years [I was in it], I did a lot of soul searching to figure out what I wanted to do next.”

Also during his final years working as a professional therapist, Mark purchased and remodeled two primary residences as a way to manage the expenses of the rehab, and found himself unable to not stop browsing through online real estate listings. “I was officially bitten by the bug,” he states. Looking for his next investment opportunities, he partnered with a general contractor to flip foreclosed properties. Together, they developed an energy-certified, modest-sized, single-family home that the developer dubbed the “Smart Tech House.” The product took off and so did Mark’s “second career.”

 

“While we were building five of these homes, I was introduced to the principal owner and managing broker of the North Clybourn Group (NCG), which is run by two powerful, amazing women who eventually became my mentors,” says Mark. Around 2012, he obtained his general contractor and real estate licenses, and started developing single-family homes and small condo buildings in addition to selling real estate at NCG. “Over time, I realized I was a good developer but an even better broker,” he explains. “It’s important to know your strengths.”

In 2018, after about five years doing double-duty as a developer and a broker, Mark decided to give up developing to concentrate on being a broker. He started focusing on sales, growing his real estate portfolio, and managing his investments. Mark’s impressive investment portfolio now includes over twenty-two rental doors in addition to his real estate brokerage team, the Mark Buckner Group. Through all his ventures, he still draws on his development know-how and his experience as a social worker to guide his service approach.

“When I started as a REALTORⓇ I discovered how little first-time buyers knew about the quality of construction and that I could be a good resource,” he says. “My background as a social worker also allows me to guide clients through one of their more stressful life events.”

When not busy managing his many business interests, Mark prioritizes time with family. His wife, Eliza, and daughters, Violet (20) and Marigold (17), enjoy traveling and staying active together, and supporting the local charities Chicago Lights and Kids Above All. In addition to being passionate about BBQ—grilling, smoking, and eating ‘que,’ Mark is an avid snowboarder and a self-confessed CrossFit nut.

“I am not very good at relaxing, so I like to push myself in the gym,” explains Mark. “It keeps me young at heart, accountable to goals, and connected to a community. It’s a lot like selling real estate.”

In running his business, Mark leverages the many techniques and tools he has relied on to overcome his learning disability. He has established clear standard operating procedures (SOPs) for nearly every activity at his firm, such as uploading contacts, booking a showing, placing a property under contract, and many others. His team also maintains a finely tuned database of his network, consistently tracking every activity. 

Personally, Mark blocks off time to focus on projects and move them forward, and he stays accountable to a handful of measurable goals per year. He sees all these steps as crucial to maintaining a well-oiled business machine. And all these practices facilitate his ultimate goal: to always be one of the “go-to guys” his father spoke so highly of.

“When my clients are unhappy, it keeps me up at night,” says Mark. “I am all-in when trying to help them buy or sell a home.”

“I am passionate about this industry. I’m passionate about everything from running a team, to implementing systems, to touring properties, updating homes, investing, negotiating, and finding solutions to problems. I love it all,” he adds. “It’s not a job. It’s a lifestyle for me and my family.”