Baird & Warner’s commitment to market transparency and independence draws a top North Shore @properties agent to the firm
Baird & Warner, Chicagoland’s largest independent real estate brokerage, today announced that veteran broker Peter Cummins has joined the firm as team lead of Cummins Advisors.
With more than two decades of residential real estate experience, and over $500 million in transaction volume, Cummins, most recently with @properties in Winnetka, brings deep expertise and his long-standing reputation for integrity and client advocacy on Chicago’s North Shore. The decision to join Baird & Warner came down to independence, integrity and what Cummins sees as a golden opportunity for the iconic Chicagoland brand to grow its North Shore market share.
“In today’s marketplace, corporate-owned brokerages control much of the market, which invites unfair practices and leaves consumers at a disadvantage,” said Cummins. “I’ve always believed in fair housing and an open market, and I’ve been outspoken in my opposition to practices like private office-exclusive listings, which I find fundamentally at odds with transparency. The real estate market today is more challenging than ever on the buyer’s side, and equal opportunity for consumers to consider and pursue all available opportunities is the essence of fair housing practices.”
Baird & Warner has been a vocal proponent for fair housing and transparency in the industry, most recently advocating for Clear Cooperation, a National Association of Realtors policy that stipulates once a property is publicly marketed, it must be made available to the broader marketplace through the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) within one business day.
“I work on Main Street, not Wall Street, and what drew me to Baird & Warner was its independence, its investment in growth and its culture of professionalism,” said Cummins. “Despite having been around since 1855, Baird & Warner has never been more agile and is positioning itself more like a startup, especially when it comes to opportunities to grow on the North Shore. That’s the kind of company and the kind of story I want to be part of.”
Cummins noted that Baird & Warner’s recent rebrand and strategic expansion, including its June acquisition of independent brokerage Dream Town Real Estate, signaled to him that the firm is actively investing in the future and cementing its position as the leading independent agent-centric brokerage in Chicagoland.
“Joining Baird & Warner allows me to align with a firm that is growing, innovating and standing up to protect the integrity of the marketplace,” added Cummins. “I’m drawn to a company where local leadership is reinvesting in the business they’ve built to serve our communities, clients and consumers with excellence.”
Born in Evanston, Cummins established himself as one of the North Shore’s most trusted names in real estate over the course of his long career. Before joining Baird & Warner, he spent 16 years with @properties, where he was one the first agents to park his practice at the firm’s Winnetka office. Cummins has also served as Village Manager of Glencoe and Lake Bluff and as the Assistant City Manager of Lake Forest. As a real estate developer, he has been involved in projects across the North Shore, giving him rare insight from both the municipal and market sides of the business.
David Bailey, senior vice president and general sales manager at Baird & Warner, emphasized the significance of Cummins’ arrival. “Peter is a highly respected figure in the industry whose experience and perspective will be invaluable as we expand our presence on the North Shore,” said Bailey. “He’s passionate about doing what’s right for clients, for agents and for the market as a whole. His decision to join Baird & Warner is a testament to our culture of independence, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to the team, along with other talent he brings as part of Cummins Advisors.”
About Baird & Warner Real Estate, Inc.:
Established in 1855, family-owned Baird & Warner is Chicagoland’s largest independent real estate services company. The Baird & Warner brand has been synonymous with making real estate easier through experience, innovation and integrity for more than 170 years. Steve Baird, the firm’s fifth-generation owner, has been consistently recognized among the industry’s most influential leaders. Baird & Warner is a 10-time Chicago Tribune Top Workplace award winner, and with more than 3,000 broker associates in 32 offices and comprehensive mortgage, title, insurance and relocation services, it ranks among the nation’s top real estate firms. Learn more at BairdWarner.com.
Peter Cummins, veteran real estate professional and leader of Cummins Advisors, joins Baird & Warner as the firm expands its presence on Chicago’s North Shore. (Credit: Baird & Warner)