Deborah Smith

Deborah joined Strauss Realty, Ltd. in 2017, following more than a decade as an economic development professional, where she assisted small businesses and manufacturers with TIF, Enterprise Zone, and other public sector incentives.

Industrial real estate brokerage was a natural next step for Deborah Smith, who had spent much of her career helping to retain and attract business to Chicago’s Northwest Side as part of a City of Chicago economic development initiative. The enduring relationships she developed with industrial business owners helped launch her real estate career, leading to successful transactions representing buyers, sellers, and landlords both within the City of Chicago and as far out as DuPage County.

She has since branched out into the commercial service sectors, where she counts day-care providers, retailers and contractors, along with metal fabricators and woodworkers among her top clients.

After earning a Master’s degree in Urban Planning from UCLA, Deborah returned to Chicago and has called West Rogers Park her home. She plans to remain there as long as the neighborhood continues to be served by an abundance of freshly painted pickleball courts!