Lee Diamond

His name is Lee Diamond and he is the Broker of Big Shoulders Realty. He’s been doing mortgages and/or Real Estate in one form or another since 2002, and while it isn’t the career he ever imagined he would have earlier in life, accidentally stumbling into this career has somehow become his life’s calling.
He has had an amazingly vast number of jobs and careers thanks in part to an indecisive youth, a strong work ethic and a series of accidents. As of this moment, and/or his past,he has sold blinds, worked in and eventually owned a record store, worked in record distribution, wrote for various publications, wrote, sold and or otherwise directed business conferences, built cabinets and furniture, managed a coffee house, flipped burgers and doled out hot-dogs at a food-stand, worked at countless fairs in various food-service roles, cleaned up in a cafeteria, delivered newspapers, played in bands everywhere, brokered and banked mortgage loans, owned a record label, booked music at a club and for a collective as well as at least 3 incidents of babysitting in the past that did not involve relatives.
All of it has served him well.He still plays the drums, he still does a little carpentry, though mostly for our house at this stage, and he has managed to incorporate much of what he has learned in a variety of ways to enhance his career in Real Estate. While he feels equipped to handle many situations, he has several areas of interest and emphasis.
His interest in Historic Preservation is born of his father who was heavily involved in the Cleveland Historical Society when he was growing up. He can remember the joy of running through soon-to-be demolished buildings with his dad and a crowbar too big for him to use effectively. He also remembers his family’s frustration with a house and garage full of architectural artifacts of dubious worth. Nonetheless, the importance of preservation is ingrained in him. With all the talk of green construction, the most important thing they can do for their environment is to not create more waste, and preservation not only reduces landfill waste, but minimizes use of materials. He is very eager to assist in the preservation of our architectural past and believes that the past methods of building and construction offer unparalleled excellence. He likes old things. His wife has called him grandpa since he was in his late twenties.
He likes helping first time buyers as well. He thinks that the knowledge of both real estate and his past career in mortgage financing makes this easier. Buying your first home is serious business and it is important to understand what is happening while you are doing it. He enjoys helping people learn about the process at a pace that they are comfortable with. He has always advocated making sustainable decisions and he thinks it is especially important when considering a real estate decision in such a volatile and mysterious marketplace.
He also has a very strong interest in helping teachers, as his wife was a teacher for many years and no one is less appreciated in ourr country than a teacher. Especially these days.
He seeks to assist families who have members with special needs including the assessing of living space for accessibility. He knows the challenges a family faces with these concerns because his son has severe disabilities and he has more experience than he ever thought he would, and the utmost desire to help people in similar positions in their search.
He is an avid cyclist and also operates the website Chicago Velo and a series of architectural bike tours of the city called the Chicago Neighborhood Bike Tours. He lives in a bungalow in Evanston with his wife Chaney, son Jackson, daughter Zoe and cats Lulu, Ruby, Opal and Slinky.