Tommy Van Ess featured in Top Agent Magazine

Tommy VanEss

Tommy Van Ess

Copyright Top Agent Magazine

The day I spoke with Tommy Van Esshe was simultaneously working on athree million dollar land developmentlisting, a $1.25 million dollar houseoffer, had two closings scheduled thenext day and was selling a 1,000square foot condo in Middleton for$100,000. “I treat everyone thesame,” he says with a smile.

After years working in politics,having served on the staff of theGovernor in the 1990’s and as Chiefof Staff for a past State SenatePresident, Tommy Van Ess certainlyknew a lot of people. Lobbyists andbusiness professionals representingthe REALTORS® Association, WIBankers, and the Builder’s Asso -ciation were amongst the many hereally took an interest in and spenthours and hours in negotiations.

“It gave me a crash course indevelopment and real estate.” He wasknown as one of the best negotiatorsin the Capitol. “Real Estate nego -tiating came really easy after dealingwith all the controversial issues onthe floor of the Senate.” Tommy also

learned a lot about real estate andmortgages working for a law firmwhich represented one of the nation’slargest banks.

Yet Tommy didn’t enter real estateduring the peak of the market.“When I started in real estate, manyagents who had been successful foryears were leaving in droves. But Ilike a challenge.” Thus in 2009,during one of the worst housingmarkets in recent history, Tommydove in.

“I don’t know what it’s like not tohave to work extremely hard forevery sale. I didn’t have the luxury ofgetting into real estate when youbasically took orders for homes. Butthat means I also didn’t have time todevelop bad habits”

As the result, Tommy is alwayswilling to do whatever it takes forclients. For example he recalls work -ing with a buyer who wanted a $79Kcondo. “I found the President of adevelopment company in Chicago.He didn’t have any condos listed, but

“My tough experiences in life and in theCapitol fighting to pass bills taught me howto find solutions to any obstacles that arise.”


I called him and said that I had abuyer in Madison and asked if hewould be willing to sell one. He saidhe absolutely would. He’d had themon the market with another agent forover a year without one sale.”

“I sold that condo, and then I sold 30more in my first sixteen months inreal estate. One of the owners of FirstWeber, Sharon Rapkin, likes to saythat I didn’t know any better. I didn’tthink twice of calling the Presidentof a Chicago company. That singlecondo turned into more than $2Million in condo sales alone thatyear.” From there, Tommy listed twolarge 72 unit multi-million dollar

commercial buildings, all from one$79,000 condo.

Those he has worked with don’tforget the extra mile Tommy wentfor them, either. “The woman whobought that first condo comes backevery year and buys another rentalproperty with me. We’re at five orsix so far.” Another example in -volved taking over a listing fromanother that had moved away toSouth Carolina. The seller told himhe didn’t have any showings formonths. “I went over to the housefor a preview and the snow wasliterally five feet high down thedriveway and sidewalk so I went


home and grabbed a shovel. I thinkI had a good idea why no one view -ed the home,” he laughs. Tommylisted and sold the house a couplemonths later.

Today, although Tommy has nowsold some of the most expensivehomes in various areas, he is alwayswilling to work with those in anyprice point. “From $50K-$5 Million,I won’t turn away any client. I’m verypeople-oriented and I love that everyday, and every client is different. Itkeeps it interesting for me.”

Tommy is able to work with so manybuyers and sellers due to hispartnership with Laura Callahan.“She does a ton of research, internet,computer, and all of the behind-the-scenes work. Pulling comps, draftinglistings and offers, you name it.She’s incredible,” Tommy says.

Of course Tommy and Laura areproud of being top producers withinFirst Weber, which is the largest realestate company in the state. “Awardsare great and dandy, but the biggestreward is seeing families so happy.


I’ve seen people cry because they areso happy to own a home, and that’swhat makes us feel good.”

To ensure that he continues to provideservice that makes people happy,Tommy is very goal driven. “Mygoals aren’t just for real estate, theyare life goals. I believe that if you failto plan, you plan to fail.” As such, hisgoal includes the ways in which hewill give back to others each year.He’s currently donating a portion ofevery commission to the FirstWeber Foundation. “Our Com pany

has donated more than $1 Million tocharities through the First WeberFoundation.” Tommy also volunteersFriday nights at the local fish fry andat the summer picnic on Father’s Day.He gladly supports causes close to hisclients’ hearts.

His goals extend to how he willspend time with his sons, Devon andAddam, and he loves to plan ski tripsto Colorado with them, and attendssporting events with them. “I like myBadgers and my Packers. Before realestate I never missed a game, but


For more information about Tommy, visit www.tommyvaness.firstweber.com

email [email protected] call 608-395-7375

now I squeeze them in when I can.”He also plans which courses he willteach at Concordia University, wherehe has been a professor for more than15 years. “I’ve taught Business Man -agement and Business Ethics in thepast. I love teaching and many of mystudents turn into my clients”

Rest assured, Tommy will nevercompromise his service to clients forsports or anything else. “Personalcontact is so important. That’s whywhen buyers and sellers work withus, they deal only with Laura or me.We know what is going on witheach other’s clients all of the time,and we don’t ever send someoneelse in our place.”

Clearly Tommy has found the key tosuccess for his clients, and he couldn’tbe happier about it. “I very, very rarelylose a deal. My tough experiences inlife and in the Capitol fighting to passbills taught me how to find solutions toany obstacles that arise.”