Groho Group

What Groho Group does

Groho Group is a sibling-led residential real estate team based in Chicago, founded in 2016 by Ed Grochowiak and Meg Grochowiak, with Nicole Sauer and Lynn Jarrick as additional licensed Realtors. The firm provides buyer, seller, rental, and investment-property representation across all 77 Chicago neighborhoods and the western suburbs, operating under the @properties brokerage umbrella. The team has closed more than $125 million in transaction volume since founding and was recognized as a 2023 Inman Innovator Award finalist in the Top Agent or Team category.

The business runs on a traditional commission-based revenue model, earning fees on completed buy-side, sell-side, and rental transactions; specific rates are not publicly disclosed and are negotiated per deal. Distribution is anchored by direct agent sales and two key partnerships: an @properties brokerage affiliation providing MLS access and national listing reach, and a Zenlist partnership granting access to real-time, agent-verified off-market and private listings that Zillow typically misses. There is no proprietary technology platform; operations rely on standard real estate tools plus a Squarespace-built website.

Customer acquisition is community-led and content-driven. The firm operates an Instagram presence (@grohogroupchicago), a blog, a monthly 'Your Keys to the City' neighborhood guide email series distributed via Flodesk, and a recurring calendar of community events (wellness gatherings, neighborhood walks, seasonal celebrations) co-hosted with roughly a dozen local small-business partners. Customers are individual SMB and mid-market residential buyers, sellers, renters, and investors — there are no enterprise accounts or institutional clients. Customer testimonials describe competitive-offer wins, above-list-price closings, and complex multi-unit and new-construction transactions served across Lincoln Park, Bucktown, Avondale, and other Chicago neighborhoods.

Name

Groho Group

Legal name

Groho Group

Website

https://grohogroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Groho Group is a Chicago-based, sibling-led residential real estate team offering buyer, seller, rental, and investor representation across all 77 Chicago neighborhoods and the western suburbs, operating under the @properties brokerage.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Real Estate Commission: Traditional real estate commission model for buying, selling, and renting properties in Chicago. Agents earn commissions on completed transactions for buyers, sellers, and renters.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Groho Group is a sibling-led residential real estate team that represents buyers, sellers, renters, and investors across all 77 Chicago neighborhoods and select western suburbs. Core services include property search and buyer representation, listing and seller representation with marketing strategy, rental placement including off-market inventory via Zenlist, and investment advisory for multi-unit and income properties. The team operates under the @properties brokerage and supplements transactions with neighborhood content guides and community events.

Product overview

Groho Group is a sibling-led Chicago real estate team founded by Ed and Meg Grochowiak, offering comprehensive residential real estate services across all 77 Chicago neighborhoods. The core offering consists of buyer representation, seller representation, rental services, and investment advisory. The product portfolio includes neighborhood-focused content through the 'Your Keys to the City' guide series, an educational blog covering market updates and buyer/seller guides, and a community events program featuring local gatherings and wellness events. The team leverages partnerships with Zenlist for off-market listings access and operates under @properties brokerage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Real Estate Buying Services Comprehensive buyer representation services for individuals purchasing homes in Chicago, including property search, offer negotiation, lender and attorney introductions, and closing coordination across all 77 Chicago neighborhoods.
• Real Estate Selling Services Seller representation services including property valuation, strategic pricing, marketing campaign execution, listing presentation, and transaction management to help homeowners achieve optimal sale outcomes.
• Real Estate Rental Services Rental representation connecting clients with available Chicago rental properties, including access to off-market and private listings through the Zenlist platform partnership.
• Real Estate Investment Advisory Consultation for buyers of multi-unit buildings and income-producing properties, including market analysis, investment strategy development, and property management guidance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Closed over $125 million in sales since 2016
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Casa CactusminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Local coffee shop in Mayfair featured in community events, hosting neighborhood walk meetups.
• Plant Shop ChicagominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Local plant shop partner for community events, featured in neighborhood walk events.
• Contrast Hot & ColdminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Wellness partner for community 'Rest & Restore' contrast therapy event in January 2026.
• Ross Sports ChiropracticminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Wellness partner Dr. Kyle Ross co-hosted contrast therapy community event.
• Optimal PerformanceminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Movement studio hosting community fitness event with Coach Steve Richardson.
• EVOTS PerformanceminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Coach Steve Richardson led community movement event.
• Blue Print Home LoansminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Joey Rosen of Blue Print Home Loans co-hosted community movement event as financial partner.
• Mrs. Murphy's Irish BistrominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Local Irish restaurant venue for St. Patrick's Day community gathering.
• Backstrom AcupunctureminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Wellness partner Dr. Hona Backstrom hosted soundbath and acupuncture healing community event in April 2026.
• @propertiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFull brokerage affiliation providing MLS access, national listing network, training, and brand support. Managing broker Rick Sobin and leadership team (Kevin Van Eck, Amy Corr, Thaddeus Wong, Mike Golden) support team development.
• ZenlistcoreTechnology or IntegrationReal estate listing platform partnership providing access to real-time, agent-verified off-market and private listings that complement MLS inventory.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Compass: Tech-enabled national brokerage with a major Chicago presence and proprietary platform; competes for the same buyer and seller mandates but at vastly greater scale, technology investment, and marketing budget.
• @properties: Chicago-headquartered residential brokerage and Groho Group's core affiliate; provides MLS access, brand, and back-office support. Larger incumbent that hosts Groho as a team within its network rather than a direct competitor, but overlapping buyer/seller mandate scope.
• eXp Realty: Cloud-based national brokerage with a growing Chicago agent population; comparable residential transaction model but with a viral agent-recruiting model that can quickly absorb independent teams into its network.
• Sotheby's International Realty – Chicago: Luxury-tilted brokerage affiliate with Chicago coverage; competes for premium and luxury residential mandates as well as high-net-worth investor business that overlaps with Groho's investment advisory offering.
• Redfin: Tech-enabled brokerage with active Chicago operations; comparable buyer and seller service offering but differentiated by proprietary platform, rebate model, and national scale that pressures traditional teams on commission economics.
• Coldwell Banker: Established national brokerage with a substantial Chicago agent footprint; overlapping residential buyer/seller service offering but with global brand recognition and broader luxury-marketing resources.
• Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Chicago: Large Chicago brokerage network serving the same neighborhoods and price points; comparable residential buyer/seller service model but with significantly broader agent headcount and brand reach.
• Engel & Völkers Chicago: International luxury-focused brokerage with a Chicago shop; competes for higher-end residential mandates and investment property transactions that overlap with Groho's multi-unit investor segment.

Direct peers

• Dream Town Realty: Chicago-based independent brokerage with comparable neighborhood-level residential focus; closest peer in scale, geography, and traditional-brokerage service model, competing head-to-head for city buyer and seller mandates.
• The Dawn McKenna Group: Chicago luxury real estate team operating under @properties, comparable in team structure, Chicago geography, and brokerage affiliation; competes for luxury and family-segment mandates across the same North Side neighborhoods.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/grohogroupchicago
• Xx.com/GrohoReal
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/groho-group-at-sergio-banks-real-estate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Groho Group