“I tell everyone that having one child in the city exponentially made me a better REALTOR®,” says Eli Masud of Second City Agents. “It gave me another layer of personal experience that truly helped me understand what people with children are going through—the pain points in their search, specific requirements, etc.—and guide them on what to look for and avoid when purchasing a property.”

On April 21, 2024, Eli and his wife, Lauren, welcomed their second child, Cameron Elias (6 lb., 11 oz.) into the world at Northwestern Hospital. Cameron, whose name honors Eli’s grandfather, Maroon, joins his three-year-old sister, Madeline. Following a series of challenges after Madeline's birth, Eli and Lauren gained a deeper appreciation for their personal and professional lives.

“Throughout our efforts to have our second child, I moved forward with starting the process to put in a stake in the western suburbs by hiring a few agents,” says Eli. “Our family’s plan was to move out that way, and I wanted to make sure that all of my past clients who were having kids and had the same plan felt that they would be appropriately serviced in both the city (listing their home) and the suburbs (purchasing their next home).”

“It was difficult to maintain effort, a positive outlook, and personal production throughout,” Eli adds. “But already having Madeline in our lives helped give us the perspective that we were already blessed.”

After Cameron’s arrival, Eli’s family began to rethink their living situation. When they listed their city condo, Eli was able to experience firsthand the challenges his seller clients and those looking to move to the suburbs face. 

“Now I can better guide clients who have kids and make recommendations throughout the process—like listing prep, financial preparation, and a purchase search strategy—because I can fully understand and empathize with what they’re going through,” says Eli. “I also started to view city living from another perspective.”

“Living here with one child is one thing—it’s difficult in many ways and it’s expensive, but you can manage to adapt and figure out ways to deal with it,” he says. “But once you have a second child, things get exponentially more difficult. While it’s possible to continue living in the city, most people are forced to start the process of moving to the suburbs.”

Eli just surpassed his tenth year as a REALTOR® and is aiming for big things in the coming year. He’s building a team at Compass and helping them grow their businesses in various ways. His ultimate goal is to earn MRED’s Platinum Award in the large team category in either production volume or transactions. Eli sees his ability to juggle work and his family of four as a huge positive to his future business.

“Having a second child has taken me to another level of experience, understanding, and prioritization,” he affirms.