D.J. Paris — VP of Business Development, Kale Realty

D.J. Paris is the Vice President of Business Development at Kale Realty in Chicago and the host of Keeping It Real, the most-listened-to real estate podcast in the industry with more than 600 episodes and millions of downloads. D.J. has spent more than a decade interviewing top-producing real estate agents nationally about what actually works — sales scripts, business systems, technology, mindset, and how to grow a real estate practice that compounds. At Kale, D.J. helps Chicago real estate agents evaluate whether their current brokerage is the right fit for their business, and if it isn't, what an honest alternative looks like.

Role at Kale Realty

D.J. leads business development for Kale Realty, including agent recruiting, brokerage strategy, and the comparison-content series at joinkale.com/compare that publishes honest cost breakdowns between Kale and every major Chicago brokerage. The work is built on a simple premise: most agents have never seen the side-by-side math on what their current brokerage actually costs them per year, and when they do, the brokerage conversation changes.

D.J.'s philosophy on recruiting is that the right brokerage decision is the one that fits the agent's actual business — not the most aggressive recruiting pitch. Kale isn't the right brokerage for every Chicago agent, and the comparison content explicitly calls out who should stay where they are. The page volume of agents D.J. has had honest brokerage conversations with — including telling many of them Kale isn't the right fit — is a meaningful part of why Kale's culture is what it is.

Keeping It Real podcast

Keeping It Real launched in 2014 and has become one of the most listened-to real estate podcasts in the industry. The format is straightforward: D.J. interviews top-producing agents from around the country about how they actually built their business — what's working, what's not, what they wish they'd done sooner. Guests have included some of the most recognized names in the industry, plus agents you've never heard of who quietly close 100+ deals a year.

The show airs weekly with a back catalog of more than 600 episodes covering lead generation, sales scripts, marketing, team building, mindset, technology, time management, and the business systems that separate sustainable practices from burnout. For Chicago agents specifically, the show offers a window into what top producers in other major markets are doing — and what's translatable to Chicago conditions.

Listen at keepingitrealpod.com or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and major podcast platforms.

Areas of expertise

D.J. is regularly cited and consulted on:

• Brokerage economics in Chicago — splits, caps, franchise fees, royalties, and how the math actually works across major brokerages
• The Compass-Anywhere consolidation — January 2025 acquisition of @properties, January 2026 acquisition of Anywhere (Coldwell Banker, Century 21, Sotheby's, Corcoran, ERA, Better Homes & Gardens) and what it means for Chicago agents
• Agent recruiting and retention — what motivates agents to switch brokerages, what makes them stay, and how brokerages should think about long-term agent relationships
• 1099 vs W-2 real estate models — including the Rocket Companies acquisition of Redfin (July 2025) and the implications for agents
• Real estate technology adoption — what tools actually save agents time vs which ones are sales pitches
• Agent training and coaching — including the in-house mentor program at Kale, transaction coaches, and the integration of TLR's TRACK+ program
• Chicago real estate market conditions — neighborhood-level dynamics, condo vs single-family, luxury market activity

Publications and press

D.J. has been featured or quoted in the following publications and outlets discussing Chicago real estate, brokerage economics, and agent career topics:

• Forbes
• Inman News
• US News & World Report
• The Chicago Tribune
• RISMedia
• Chicago Agent Magazine
• The Real Deal Chicago

For a current list of media coverage and press mentions, see the Kale Realty press page.

How to reach D.J.

D.J. responds personally to every agent who reaches out. There are three reliable ways:

• Schedule a 30-minute call: joinkale.com/schedule. Bring your last 12 months of closed sides and your current brokerage's split structure if you want to run the actual numbers.
• Text directly: 312.238.9796. Tell D.J. what you're trying to figure out and he'll give you a straight answer.
• Email: dj@kalerealty.com

D.J. is based at the Kale Realty office in Logan Square, Chicago, and works in person there most weekdays.

About Kale Realty

Kale Realty is Chicago's family-owned independent real estate brokerage, operating since 2007. The Kale family has been in Chicago real estate since 1951. The brokerage uses a flat-fee model — $400 per closed sale capped at $6,000 per year, plus $54 per month and $249 per year for E&O — rather than the percentage-split model used by most national brokerages. See full pricing and brokerage details.