Todd Szwajkowski
Residential Specialist

The Swake Group, President

After earning two degrees from Iowa’s Cornell College in 1991, Todd Szwajkowski moved back home to Chicago and began a career in Marketing. He immediately made his home on the north side and has always taken great pride in being a son of this great city. Over the next thirteen years, Todd worked in marketing for a Chicago neighborhood redevelopment organization, an international hardware retailer and global marketing and promotions agency.

In making the transition to real estate, Todd brought a wealth of knowledge in marketing and project management – two skill sets essential to successfully managing real estate transactions. His first year in the industry ended with a commendation from the Chicago Association of Realtors® for sales volume. And each subsequent year has established him as a “Top Producer” in the market. In addition to transactional business, Todd has added real estate development to his portfolio. Projects include renovations of both multi-unit properties and single-family homes.

The growth of Todd’s business over recent years has been based solely on referrals – a testament to the priority he places on personal attention to his clients. For Todd, it’s more than just a sale; truly understanding his clients’ needs and maintaining an unwavering attention to detail supports a smooth transactional process and ensures that his clients’ goals are exceeded.

This business philosophy serves as the foundation of SwakeGroup – the real estate team Todd established in 2007. He is emphatic that “Walking you home, every step of the way.” is not just a tagline – but rather – a mission statement.

When not working, Todd indulges his passion for travel, architecture and being on the water. He is a regular supporter of Habitat for Humanity, the Human Rights Campaign, and The Lincoln Park Community Shelter.

Amie Klujian
Residential Specialist

The Swake Group, Vice President

Amie grew up in the Chicagoland area before moving away to earn a degree in politics from Princeton University. Following graduation, she returned to Chicago to attend Northwestern University for a master’s degree in integrated marketing communications. Making her home on the North Side for the last fifteen years, Amie continually draws inspiration from the city’s rich history and varying neighborhood personalities.

Previous to selling real estate, Amie managed marketing efforts for the Chicago Tribune’s real estate advertising sales division – its largest business category responsible for over $90 million in annual revenues. This experience cultivated her knowledge of the Chicago real estate market and proved a natural fit for her entry into the transactional side of the profession.

As a licensed real estate practitioner, Amie utilizes her general business knowledge and marketing acumen to achieve successful results for her buyers and sellers. By truly listening to her clients’ needs, effectively communicating, and maintaining relentless attention to detail, she consistently provides creative solutions and exemplary client service.

Amie enjoys Chicago because it embodies a great balance between work and play. She feels the beautiful lakefront and the vibrant and diverse neighborhoods, along with the city’s combination of historic and modern architecture as well as its multi-cultural and arts communities, make it an ideal place to call home.

Outside of work, Amie proudly serves as an executive board member for ‘Girls in the Game’ – a local non-profit organization providing sports opportunities, health education, and leadership development for underserved girls.

Liz LaTour
Residential Specialist

2010 Top Producer, Awarded by the Chicago Association of Realtors
The Swake Group, Vice President

Liz attended the University of Missouri where she earned both undergraduate and graduate degrees on a division one soccer scholarship. Immediately following graduation, she relocated to Chicago’s north side and began to pursue her passions.

Liz worked as a sports and orthopedic physical therapist for six years. And while she had always derived great satisfaction from assisting her patients on their paths to recovery – she could not ignore her passion for design and architecture, so she began selling real estate.

In her first year, Liz transacted more than six million dollars in residential real estate–and in the process established herself as a highly valued resource to buyers and sellers looking to redevelop their properties. Utilizing her renovation and design skills, she helps sellers obtain top-dollar for their properties. For her buyers, Liz has planned and implemented numerous kitchen and bath remodels and project managed the complete renovation of both single-family and multi-unit properties.

Liz manages the processes of buying and selling through her up-to-the-minute knowledge of the market, her focus on client service, and a highly pragmatic and organized work style. Her laid back personality and sense of humor never go unappreciated in what can often be a stressful experience for parties to a transaction.

In her free time, Liz can usually be found drilling holes in “stuff”, repainting a room for the umpteenth time, or acquiring a new piece of furniture for her home. She lives with her family in Chicago’s Andersonville community.

Liz was recently recognized as a 2010 Chicago Association of Realtors Top Producer. This prestigious award is given to the top 10% of agents based on sales volume for the year. Even in a tough market, Liz’s business continues to grow.

Mike and Sarah Saladino
Residential Specialist

Good decisions start with good information. That is why you need to pick a trusted advisor to help you with the many decisions you will encounter while buying or selling your home. Mike and Sarah pride themselves on being honest, knowledgeable, and driven. The combination of their extensive market knowledge and excellent negotiating skills enable them to get you the most value for your home. Trust is hard to come by in today’s real estate market, but Mike and Sarah want to assure you that they have the professionalism and integrity to represent you in one of the biggest decisions of your life.

Mike is a lifelong native of the north side of Chicago. He is a graduate of University of Illinois with a major in Finance and has also earned a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Lewis University. His inherent knowledge of every neighborhood in Chicago is magnified by his experience working for over ten years as a Sergeant for the Chicago Police Department in almost every area of the city. Mike is an extremely giving person and has a strong desire to help others which has lead him to the real estate industry. He loves to learn, and to teach others in the process. His clients can be assured that he has the professionalism and integrity they deserve while buying or selling real estate.

Mike enjoys spending time with his wife, twin daughters, and two dogs as well as his family and friends when he is away from work. He also enjoys bike riding, working on his home, and dining in Chicago’s great restaurants. He loves learning new things every day about this city. In his free time he volunteers for the Daniel Murphy Scholarship Foundation as well as the Chicago Foundation for Education. He is also involved with the Chick Evans Scholarship Alumni Association These organizations help kids when they need it most – early on in their education.

Sarah graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in Nursing. She moved to Chicago in 2001, and has enjoyed working as an Oncology, Neurosurgery, and Medical-Surgical nurse at Rush Medical Center downtown. Sarah loves the city life, and decided to branch off and explore her passion for real estate. Sarah truly is a people person. She has the competence and optimism that will make her clients feel at ease. She wants to make the process of buying and selling real estate to be straightforward, successful, and fun for her clients. Sarah will bring confidence and a contagious enthusiasm to any situation.

Sarah enjoys running, listening to live music, and spending time on the water. She appreciates photography and architecture. Sarah can often be found reading magazines and watching the latest trends in home repair and design. She has lived in and loved many different neighborhoods of the city, but currently resides on the Northwest side of the city with her husband, twin daughters and dogs. She volunteers for Chicago Foundation for Education, which awards teachers with grant money to be used towards enriching their student’s education.

Mike and Sarah proudly joined the Swake Group of Dream Town Realty in 2008 and they believe the dedication, integrity, and professionalism of their partners have led to the great successes that the team has experienced.

Thomas Secson
Residential Specialist