If there is one word that encompasses Judy’s approach to real estate, its “collaboration.” Whether collaborating with her clients to find the perfect home; collaborating with her business partner and husband, Steven Greenberg, and their team; or collaborating with other agents within the industry, Judy is all about bringing people together and establishing genuine connections for a greater good. 

A REALTOR® since 2002, Judy has strived for over twenty years to elevate the industry through hard work, integrity, and connection. Her entrance into the industry was prompted by the negative experience she had with her own agent. Frustrated by what she perceived as “minimal effort,” she committed herself to a client-focused approach to real estate.

“As a buyer’s agent, I treat every client as if they were one of my family members,” Judy emphasizes. “I have talked many clients out of homes that they really wanted, discussing why the home was not a good fit. I knew that by being honest, my clients would really appreciate my knowledge and [through that] I would develop lifetime relationships. Today, 95 percent of my clients are referral-based. As a listing agent, I have a ‘tell it like I see it’ attitude even if it means losing a potential listing.” Judy won't overpromise just to get a listing, especially as she and her team are known for their success based on their attention to detail, and staging and negotiation skills. 

If there’s another term that describes Judy’s career, its “dedicated hard work,” a quality exemplified by her parents growing up. Judy’s mother worked two jobs and her father owned a hardware store and later worked as a salesperson for a houseware company. Judy worked all through high school—whether at the local donut shop or at Fannie May as an accounts receivable clerk, in addition to babysitting on the weekends. 

Graduating from the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign with a business degree, Judy received her CPA license right out of school and went to work as a tax accountant while earning her masters in taxation from DePaul University in the evenings. She was working as a tax accountant for high-wealth individuals when she decided that real estate might be a better career choice when raising three young sons.

Starting real estate later in life made Judy a bit more motivated than most. In a pre-Zillow world, she recognized the value of organic search optimization and spent countless hours blogging and posting photos and videos to generate high search optimization results that converted into website leads. 

She also hit the pavement: she did hundreds of open houses and became affectionately known as “the cookie lady,” as she would always bring a baking sheet filled with frozen cookies to bake right before each open house. “People remembered me and called me as a result of those hot, fresh chocolate chip cookies,” Judy recalls. 

Even today, Judy loves to incorporate fresh baked goods into her business. During the entire months of November and December, Judy purchased and delivered delicious challah loaves that a friend of hers bakes to her clients. All proceeds were given to the Lone Soldier Foundation, a charitable organization that supports soldiers without family. Contributing to the well-being of others through supporting this cause and other local businesses and organizations like 100 Women Who Care, the Lauri S. Bauer Foundation for Sudden Loss, and spearheading a coat drive for veterans gives Judy a profound sense of fulfillment.

Bringing people together is what it’s all about for Judy. About eleven years ago, she created a private REALTORS® Facebook friend group where agents in the business could come together to share ideas and support each other. Today, the group serves as a source of inspiration to over 600 members, prompting agents to reflect on their own practices while fostering a community where everyone can learn and grow together. 

“Every week, I receive calls from at least two to three individuals across various agencies, seeking my guidance on matters such as potential listings, pricing strategies, and marketing approaches,” says Judy. “It's truly an honor that they value my advice. I just love being able to help and connect a lot of people—whether it's finding the perfect home for someone or finding the right contractor or even finding their future spouse—every day is an opportunity to make a lasting impact in someone’s life.”

Judy is incredibly grateful for where she currently is in real estate. Having joined Compass three years ago, she has enjoyed the support she receives from all of her colleagues—from the person at the front desk, to the marketing personnel, to the president of the company; not to mention her three team members—Susan Libman, Ilene Nye, and Lori Shapiro—and of course, her partner and secret weapon, Steven Greenberg. 

Steven joined Judy ten years ago. The combination of his high-level corporate sales and management experience and Judy’s extensive knowledge of the market and ability to beautifully stage homes, created an unbelievable synergy within their business. 

Outside of their business, their partnership includes three wonderful sons and a daughter-in-law;  and their fifteen-year-old mini golden doodle, Cosmo. Steven loves to golf, and Judy loves a game of pickleball. Unsurprisingly, Judy’s love of bringing people together fused with her love of pickleball, which led to her teaching pickleball to a group of her colleagues at Compass. 

While Judy still works sixty hours a week, the joy she receives from bringing people together sustains her, providing balance, fulfillment, and purpose as she continues doing what she loves every day.