Real Estate Market Analyst/Urban Planner - Kretchmer Associates - Evanston, IL

Real Estate Market Analyst/Urban Planner - Kretchmer Associates    

LOCATION: Evanston, IL (Hybrid)  

DESCRIPTION: Full-time  

SALARY: Commensurate with experience  

COMPANY OVERVIEW: Kretchmer Associates is a 37-year-old real estate and planning consulting firm based  in downtown Evanston (accessible by Metra, CTA Purple Line, and CTA and Pace buses). Clients include real  estate developers, lenders, local, regional, and state government agencies, non-profit organizations, public  housing authorities, and transit agencies.  

POSITION OVERVIEW: The Real Estate Market Analyst/Urban Planner evaluates and communicates the real  estate market context of residential, retail, office and industrial development proposals and urban planning  initiatives. Reports are submitted to developers, municipalities, lenders, and various funding agencies. The Real  Estate Market Analyst/Urban Planner works closely with other Kretchmer Associates staff and reports to the  President.  

RELEVANT INTERESTS: Affordable and market-rate housing development, real estate, urban planning  

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:  

• Data collection and analysis, primary and secondary research  
• Independent fieldwork (involving in-person visits with building leasing and management, depending on  COVID safety needs, and neighborhood assessments)  
• Assistance with report writing and production, proposals, and presentations. Full responsibility for  deliverables with increased experience.  
• Communicating with clients  

QUALIFICATIONS:  

• Master’s degree in urban planning, real estate, public administration, policy analysis, business or other  related field and 1-2 years of relevant experience, or Bachelor’s degree with 3 years of relevant  experience  
• Ability to work independently, on a small in-house team, and, occasionally, with external partners 
• Communicate clearly, verbally and in writing  
• Ability to create clean/client-presentable slides, charts, graphs, and maps  
• Attention to detail, ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously and to meet deadlines (typical - 4-6-   week turnaround for market studies, sometimes longer for corridor/district planning studies, etc.) 
• Familiarity with real estate data a +  
• Affordable housing knowledge a +  
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, and U.S. Census data (knowledge of PUMS a +) 
• Knowledge of Inkscape/Illustrator, ArcGIS (online or desktop), or QGIS a +  
• Spanish speaker a + but not required  
• Local and occasional out-of-town travel required, usually in the upper Midwest. Candidates must have  a driver’s license but do not need their own car.  

WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Hybrid in-office and remote. The applicant must be currently  located or be willing to relocate to the Chicago metro area. 

  

WHAT WE OFFER:  

• Generous time off (15 days annual PTO, plus company holidays and paid sick time) 
• 100% paid health insurance premium for employee  
• Employer retirement contributions starting in third calendar year  
• Attendance at professional meetings and conferences  

TO APPLY: Please submit a cover letter and resume to Valerie Kretchmer, President, via email only at  vsk@kretchmerassociates.com. Applications will be accepted until a hire is made. Initial interviews will be  virtual. 

People of color, women, people with disabilities, immigrants, LGBTQIA people, and people who come from poor  or working-class backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. Kretchmer Associates is an equal opportunity  employer.

Associate - SB Friedman

Who: SB Friedman

What: SB Friedman Development Advisors is a development consulting firm with a mission to guide and enable our clients to create high-quality places through the practice of real estate economics, development finance and urban planning. We assist in the planning and implementation of complex public-private real estate development projects. We work closely with our clients to evaluate development potential and financial and business impacts; project market and financial feasibility; identify innovative public-private development solutions; and prepare implementable development strategies. The firm works nationally, with a focus on the Midwest. Clients include various cities, suburbs, metro planning organizations and other public bodies, not-for-profit institutions, and private developers.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Associates are responsible for research, quantitative and qualitative analysis, data synthesis, presentation of findings, and preparation of deliverables (presentations, technical memoranda and reports). Associates are assigned to multiple projects at one time. Candidates should have demonstrated ability to sift, organize, analyze and synthesize various data in a timely manner, ask thoughtful questions and draw reasonable conclusions and/or recommendations from the analysis.

REQUIREMENTS OF POSITION

Candidates must have a graduate degree in urban planning, business or real estate and demonstrate:

• Exceptional quantitative analysis skills, particularly using Microsoft Excel
• Strong writing ability
• Strength in oral communication and interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines
• Detail orientation and accuracy
• A driver’s license (within 6 months of start)

In addition, successful candidates will have academic and/or professional experience in areas relevant to our practice, such as:

• Demographic and economic analysis
• Public finance and tax projections
• Real estate market analysis
• Real estate financial analysis/feasibility
• Experience with GIS

The following additional skills and experience are desirable for Associate candidates:

• Experience with IMPLAN and/or similar tools

OTHER DETAILS

We are focused on the professional success of our employees and offer the following:

• Competitive salary
• Performance-based bonus compensation
• Generous benefits packages, including company-paid health and dental insurance, 401k with employer match, vacation, and 10+ paid holidays
• Paid membership to professional organization to encourage professional growth
• Regular peer-delivered “brown bag” sessions on topics of professional interest
• Monthly happy hours and staff get-togethers
• Newly renovated offices overlooking the Chicago River in the Loop

TO APPLY

Please respond by submitting the following via sbfriedman.com/careers:

• Cover letter
• Resume
• Written sample of your professional work

Writing samples should be primarily authored by the applicant; if a team project is submitted, clearly indicate the responsibilities and contributions of the applicant. Incomplete submittals or submittals in other formats may not be considered or reviewed.

All applicants will be afforded equal opportunity without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin or ancestry, citizenship status, age, physical or mental disability unrelated to ability, military status, or an unfavorable discharge from military service.

Senior Data Scientist - Cook County Assessor

Who: The Assessor's Office is responsible for setting fair and accurate values for 1.8 million parcels of Cook County property. The value of these properties is not determined on an individual basis, but rather by a mass appraisal system. The mass appraisal system is a way to put fairness into the entire assessment process. In addition to working with other government agencies to stimulate economic development, job creation and the construction of affordable housing, we also seek to help county residents better understand the assessment process and take advantage of money-saving exemptions the office provides.

What: Reporting directly to the Deputy Assessor - Chief Data Officer (CDO), the Senior Data Scientist is responsible for advanced mathematical and statistical concepts and theories to analyze and collect data and construct solutions to problems in assessment methodologies for residential real estate. Performs complex statistical analysis on assessment data of residential real estate to validate and quantify trends or patterns identified by junior data scientists and modelers. The Senior Data Scientist constructs predictive models, algorithms and probability engines to support data analysis; verifies model and algorithm effectiveness based on real-world results. Designs experiments and methodologies to generate and collect data for use in the valuation and assessment processes. The Senior Data Scientist participates in the policy-making process by producing data-informed policy recommendations and prescriptive analytics. The Senior Data Scientist supervises and manages the workflow of direct reports, identifies and resolves issues or bugs with processes and scripts, identifies opportunities to improve processes and scripts, identifies potential new sources of low-cost data, and otherwise supports the CDO, as needed.
Essential duties include:

Associate - SB Friedman (Chicago)

Who: SB Friedman Development Advisors is a development consulting firm with a mission to guide and enable our clients to create high-quality places through the practice of real estate economics, development finance and urban planning. We assist in the planning and implementation of complex public-private real estate development projects. We work closely with our clients to evaluate development potential and financial and business impacts; project market and financial feasibility; identify innovative public-private development solutions; and prepare implementable development strategies. The firm works nationally, with a focus on the Midwest. Clients include various cities, suburbs, metro planning organizations and other public bodies, not-for-profit institutions, and private developers.

What: Associates are responsible for research, quantitative and qualitative analysis, data synthesis, presentation of findings, and preparation of deliverables (presentations, technical memoranda and reports). Associates are assigned to multiple projects at one time. Candidates should have demonstrated ability to sift, organize, analyze and synthesize various data in a timely manner, ask thoughtful questions and draw reasonable conclusions and/or recommendations from the analysis. 

Qualifications: