My name is pronounced e(as in echo)-de-lin, sh-ie. My last name is particularly useful if you are learning Mandarin Chinese – it means “thanks”.

I graduated from Peking University, in China with a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance. I went on to work at KPMG, one of the Big Four accounting firms. I could have been just a normal white collar working in Beijing today. But life suddenly shifted lanes.

Thinking back, my journey to the States was in spirit very similar to the Pilgrims boarding the Mayflower. Once in the US, I got my graduate degree in MS Finance. I worked really hard, juggling three jobs at times, learning as much as I could. I worked at several banks, made it to Vice President in the Credit Risk department. Thanks to my 10-year tenure in the banking industry, I got to know the ins-and-outs of mortgages, and naturally extended to real estate.

I got into real estate more as a side hustle for my own investments, then I found out I could really help people with my knowledge. But after many years in the industry, I’ve come to find that most realtors still abide by the century-old model: sell themselves, and defend their commission. I didn’t feel comfortable when I was on the receiving end of such sales pitches, and it didn’t feel right charging homeowners of $800k homes eight times commission as that of $100k homes.

There has been so much technological development in the real estate industry. We have great data aggregators and analytical tools. Buyers and sellers today have changed much in the ways they conduct research and search for houses. As realtors, it’s only natural that we evolve to meet the needs of the customers of the Internet Age, instead of pegging everyone to the century-old model.

So I opened my own flat fee brokerage. For those that are in need of an alternative kind of real estate service, we offer flat fee service packages, and buyer rebates, we can also tailor our services based on exactly what you need.

I myself also hold a mortgage broker’s license in Illinois (NMLS #1939503). So I could help customers get the best rates and loan programs that best serve them. And it allows me to better assist my buyer clients by providing a holistic view.

Whether in mortgage or in real estate, to me, it is more to service than to sell. If you know me, you’ll find that I’m an ultra-introverted nerd, and not your pushy sales-y kind. I find the greatest satisfaction in providing real value and real help with perhaps one of the biggest investments in one’s lifetime, not in pushing through deals. 

That’s why I started this. For each and every one of you that trusted me, I hope I could bring real, solid value and a fresher way of doing things.