When Allison Silver started her real estate career in 2002, she had recently moved to the Chicago area and had very few contacts. She was a teacher but had decided to get her real estate license so she could start flipping homes on the side. She started selling right away, however, and her career took off. Today, Allison and her business partner, Janet Borden, run Arrow Home Advisors—the top team at Compass Highland Park and one of the top teams in North Shore. 

 

Navigating the last 20+ years in real estate, while also raising two kids and helping to found a nonprofit, took a tremendous amount of hard work, dedication, and ingenuity from Allison. During these years, she not only built her successful business, but she became a founding member and, until recently, was the treasurer of Gratitude Generation, a local nonprofit whose mission is to instill gratitude in future generations through education and service. “We have an incredible teen board of leaders who find projects and charities they are passionate about and then create educational programs or fundraisers to support those causes,” Allison explains. “This organization is so important to me. We [Allison and fellow founders] invested so much blood and sweat to get it off the ground. It has been amazing to watch it grow, and seeing the impact it has made is so heartwarming.”

 

Allison built her business from the ground up through open houses, networking events, putting in the floor time, and by always giving her very best to her clients while pivoting through each turn of the market. In many ways, she was made for real estate. Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Allison comes from a family of business-minded entrepreneurs. Her grandfather owned a fruit factory, and her father is an accountant and real estate developer who has always believed real estate is the best investment. Allison exhibited a knack for business at a young age and gleaned wisdom from her grandfather. In fact, when she was young, Allison and her sister wanted to create a business called “the Negotiators,” where they would handle negotiations for people for various things.  

 

“My grandfather always taught us that you end a negotiation with everyone smiling and then give them a grapefruit,” recalls Allison. “I have enjoyed some fun negotiations in my career, some of them ending with ice cream cones for everyone or a bottle of premium Alida Tequila.” 

 

While Allison has been recognized many times for her negotiating prowess, it’s her skills as a teacher that truly impact the relationship she builds with her clients, walking them through each step of the transaction and ensuring they make educated decisions. Allison completed her teaching degree in early childhood education at UCLA after earning her undergraduate from Toronto’s York University, which included a year abroad at Tel Aviv University in Israel. She worked as a teacher until going full-time into real estate.

 

Allison and Janet first started working together ten years ago, backing each other up when one of them needed the extra help or support. They always knew they’d officially partner one day and were the founding members of Compass Highland Park (2020). They started Arrow Home Advisors in 2022 and have already become one of the top teams in North Shore.

 

Allison and Janet perfectly complement each other in the business. The daughter of an accountant, Allison focuses more on the numbers and investment side, while Janet handles more of the creative aspects. Their similar styles, work ethic, and vision align to create a powerfully clear path, direction, and culture for the agents on their team. They are passionate about pouring their expertise and knowledge into their team, too. 

 

“We are growing a team of rock stars and the energy and support we share is magical,” Allison affirms. “We are not looking for a big team, but a team that supports each other, inspires each other to be our best every day, and is dedicated to providing clients with an exceptional, elevated experience. Our mission is to protect our clients’ best interests with the utmost integrity, and to take every step to create a smooth and enjoyable transaction for all parties. As Arrow Home Advisors, we are ‘the Arrow in the Compass’ guiding our clients home.”

 

In just one year, Allison and Janet have built a team of six agents and one admin. With weekly trainings and paid professional coaching, they provide close mentorship and support to their agents, who have already seen significant growth in their businesses. 

 

“We all learn from each other, and I love how each team member brings so much to the table,” Allison says. “Our culture and energy are collaborative. We have so much fun together and feel like a family. We really have something special happening.”

 

While Allison loves to work hard, she also loves to play hard. She wholeheartedly believes that laughter is the best medicine and loves to laugh, play jokes on people, and may or may not have TP’d her managing broker’s house. 

 

Allison also loves being in nature, whether enjoying stand-up paddling at the North Shore Yacht Club, hiking, spending time on Lake Michigan, or visiting family back in Canada. Traveling with her husband, Joe Silver, and their two kids, Ethan and Sami, is another passion of Allison’s. As a family, they have visited some incredible places like Thailand. “One of my big trips was a multi-week trek, hiking through the Annapurna mountain range in Nepal,” shares Allison.  

As Allison continues on her journey in real estate, she will continue to bring her passion and spirit of gratitude into everything she does. Whether sealing a deal with an ice cream cone or shaping the future agents of Arrow Home Advisors, Allison will always go beyond business as usual and be the arrow that guides clients home.