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Tommy 
VanEss
Tommy VanEss 
The day I spoke with Tommy Van Ess 
he was simultaneously working on a 
three million dollar land development 
listing, a $1.25 million dollar house 
offer, had two closings scheduled the 
next day and was selling a 1,000 
square foot condo in Middleton for 
$100,000. “I treat everyone the 
same,” he says with a smile. 
After years working in politics, 
having served on the staff of the 
Governor in the 1990’s and as Chief 
of Staff for a past State Senate 
President, Tommy Van Ess certainly 
knew a lot of people. Lobbyists and 
business professionals representing 
the REALTORS® Association, WI 
Bankers, and the Builder’s Asso - 
ciation were amongst the many he 
really took an interest in and spent 
hours and hours in negotiations. 
“It gave me a crash course in 
development and real estate.” He was 
known as one of the best negotiators 
in the Capitol. “Real Estate nego - 
tiating came really easy after dealing 
with all the controversial issues on 
the floor of the Senate.” Tommy also 
Copyright Top Agent Magazine 
learned a lot about real estate and 
mortgages working for a law firm 
which represented one of the nation’s 
largest banks. 
Yet Tommy didn’t enter real estate 
during the peak of the market. 
“When I started in real estate, many 
agents who had been successful for 
years were leaving in droves. But I 
like a challenge.” Thus in 2009, 
during one of the worst housing 
markets in recent history, Tommy 
dove in. 
“I don’t know what it’s like not to 
have to work extremely hard for 
every sale. I didn’t have the luxury of 
getting into real estate when you 
basically took orders for homes. But 
that means I also didn’t have time to 
develop bad habits” 
As the result, Tommy is always 
willing to do whatever it takes for 
clients. For example he recalls work - 
ing with a buyer who wanted a $79K 
condo. “I found the President of a 
development company in Chicago. 
He didn’t have any condos listed, but
“My tough experiences in life and in the 
Capitol fighting to pass bills taught me how 
to find solutions to any obstacles that arise.” 
Copyright Top Agent Magazine 
I called him and said that I had a 
buyer in Madison and asked if he 
would be willing to sell one. He said 
he absolutely would. He’d had them 
on the market with another agent for 
over a year without one sale.” 
“I sold that condo, and then I sold 30 
more in my first sixteen months in 
real estate. One of the owners of First 
Weber, Sharon Rapkin, likes to say 
that I didn’t know any better. I didn’t 
think twice of calling the President 
of a Chicago company. That single 
condo turned into more than $2 
Million in condo sales alone that 
year.” From there, Tommy listed two 
large 72 unit multi-million dollar 
commercial buildings, all from one 
$79,000 condo. 
Those he has worked with don’t 
forget the extra mile Tommy went 
for them, either. “The woman who 
bought that first condo comes back 
every year and buys another rental 
property with me. We’re at five or 
six so far.” Another example in - 
volved taking over a listing from 
another that had moved away to 
South Carolina. The seller told him 
he didn’t have any showings for 
months. “I went over to the house 
for a preview and the snow was 
literally five feet high down the 
driveway and sidewalk so I went
home and grabbed a shovel. I think 
I had a good idea why no one view - 
ed the home,” he laughs. Tommy 
listed and sold the house a couple 
months later. 
Today, although Tommy has now 
sold some of the most expensive 
homes in various areas, he is always 
willing to work with those in any 
price point. “From $50K-$5 Million, 
I won’t turn away any client. I’m very 
people-oriented and I love that every 
day, and every client is different. It 
keeps it interesting for me.” 
Copyright Top Agent Magazine 
Tommy is able to work with so many 
buyers and sellers due to his 
partnership with Laura Callahan. 
“She does a ton of research, internet, 
computer, and all of the behind-the-scenes 
work. Pulling comps, drafting 
listings and offers, you name it. 
She’s incredible,” Tommy says. 
Of course Tommy and Laura are 
proud of being top producers within 
First Weber, which is the largest real 
estate company in the state. “Awards 
are great and dandy, but the biggest 
reward is seeing families so happy.
Copyright Top Agent Magazine 
I’ve seen people cry because they are 
so happy to own a home, and that’s 
what makes us feel good.” 
To ensure that he continues to provide 
service that makes people happy, 
Tommy is very goal driven. “My 
goals aren’t just for real estate, they 
are life goals. I believe that if you fail 
to plan, you plan to fail.” As such, his 
goal includes the ways in which he 
will give back to others each year. 
He’s currently donating a portion of 
every commission to the First 
Weber Foundation. “Our Com pany 
has donated more than $1 Million to 
charities through the First Weber 
Foundation.” Tommy also volunteers 
Friday nights at the local fish fry and 
at the summer picnic on Father’s Day. 
He gladly supports causes close to his 
clients’ hearts. 
His goals extend to how he will 
spend time with his sons, Devon and 
Addam, and he loves to plan ski trips 
to Colorado with them, and attends 
sporting events with them. “I like my 
Badgers and my Packers. Before real 
estate I never missed a game, but
now I squeeze them in when I can.” 
He also plans which courses he will 
teach at Concordia University, where 
he has been a professor for more than 
15 years. “I’ve taught Business Man - 
agement and Business Ethics in the 
past. I love teaching and many of my 
students turn into my clients” 
Rest assured, Tommy will never 
compromise his service to clients for 
sports or anything else. “Personal 
contact is so important. That’s why 
when buyers and sellers work with 
us, they deal only with Laura or me. 
We know what is going on with 
each other’s clients all of the time, 
and we don’t ever send someone 
else in our place.” 
Clearly Tommy has found the key to 
success for his clients, and he couldn’t 
be happier about it. “I very, very rarely 
lose a deal. My tough experiences in 
life and in the Capitol fighting to pass 
bills taught me how to find solutions to 
any obstacles that arise.” 
For more information about Tommy, 
visit www.tommyvaness.firstweber.com 
email vanesst@firstweber.com 
Copyright Top Agent Magazine 
or call 608-395-7375

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Tommy Van Ess featured in Top Agent Magazine

  • 2. Tommy VanEss The day I spoke with Tommy Van Ess he was simultaneously working on a three million dollar land development listing, a $1.25 million dollar house offer, had two closings scheduled the next day and was selling a 1,000 square foot condo in Middleton for $100,000. “I treat everyone the same,” he says with a smile. After years working in politics, having served on the staff of the Governor in the 1990’s and as Chief of Staff for a past State Senate President, Tommy Van Ess certainly knew a lot of people. Lobbyists and business professionals representing the REALTORS® Association, WI Bankers, and the Builder’s Asso - ciation were amongst the many he really took an interest in and spent hours and hours in negotiations. “It gave me a crash course in development and real estate.” He was known as one of the best negotiators in the Capitol. “Real Estate nego - tiating came really easy after dealing with all the controversial issues on the floor of the Senate.” Tommy also Copyright Top Agent Magazine learned a lot about real estate and mortgages working for a law firm which represented one of the nation’s largest banks. Yet Tommy didn’t enter real estate during the peak of the market. “When I started in real estate, many agents who had been successful for years were leaving in droves. But I like a challenge.” Thus in 2009, during one of the worst housing markets in recent history, Tommy dove in. “I don’t know what it’s like not to have to work extremely hard for every sale. I didn’t have the luxury of getting into real estate when you basically took orders for homes. But that means I also didn’t have time to develop bad habits” As the result, Tommy is always willing to do whatever it takes for clients. For example he recalls work - ing with a buyer who wanted a $79K condo. “I found the President of a development company in Chicago. He didn’t have any condos listed, but
  • 3. “My tough experiences in life and in the Capitol fighting to pass bills taught me how to find solutions to any obstacles that arise.” Copyright Top Agent Magazine I called him and said that I had a buyer in Madison and asked if he would be willing to sell one. He said he absolutely would. He’d had them on the market with another agent for over a year without one sale.” “I sold that condo, and then I sold 30 more in my first sixteen months in real estate. One of the owners of First Weber, Sharon Rapkin, likes to say that I didn’t know any better. I didn’t think twice of calling the President of a Chicago company. That single condo turned into more than $2 Million in condo sales alone that year.” From there, Tommy listed two large 72 unit multi-million dollar commercial buildings, all from one $79,000 condo. Those he has worked with don’t forget the extra mile Tommy went for them, either. “The woman who bought that first condo comes back every year and buys another rental property with me. We’re at five or six so far.” Another example in - volved taking over a listing from another that had moved away to South Carolina. The seller told him he didn’t have any showings for months. “I went over to the house for a preview and the snow was literally five feet high down the driveway and sidewalk so I went
  • 4. home and grabbed a shovel. I think I had a good idea why no one view - ed the home,” he laughs. Tommy listed and sold the house a couple months later. Today, although Tommy has now sold some of the most expensive homes in various areas, he is always willing to work with those in any price point. “From $50K-$5 Million, I won’t turn away any client. I’m very people-oriented and I love that every day, and every client is different. It keeps it interesting for me.” Copyright Top Agent Magazine Tommy is able to work with so many buyers and sellers due to his partnership with Laura Callahan. “She does a ton of research, internet, computer, and all of the behind-the-scenes work. Pulling comps, drafting listings and offers, you name it. She’s incredible,” Tommy says. Of course Tommy and Laura are proud of being top producers within First Weber, which is the largest real estate company in the state. “Awards are great and dandy, but the biggest reward is seeing families so happy.
  • 5. Copyright Top Agent Magazine I’ve seen people cry because they are so happy to own a home, and that’s what makes us feel good.” To ensure that he continues to provide service that makes people happy, Tommy is very goal driven. “My goals aren’t just for real estate, they are life goals. I believe that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” As such, his goal includes the ways in which he will give back to others each year. He’s currently donating a portion of every commission to the First Weber Foundation. “Our Com pany has donated more than $1 Million to charities through the First Weber Foundation.” Tommy also volunteers Friday nights at the local fish fry and at the summer picnic on Father’s Day. He gladly supports causes close to his clients’ hearts. His goals extend to how he will spend time with his sons, Devon and Addam, and he loves to plan ski trips to Colorado with them, and attends sporting events with them. “I like my Badgers and my Packers. Before real estate I never missed a game, but
  • 6. now I squeeze them in when I can.” He also plans which courses he will teach at Concordia University, where he has been a professor for more than 15 years. “I’ve taught Business Man - agement and Business Ethics in the past. I love teaching and many of my students turn into my clients” Rest assured, Tommy will never compromise his service to clients for sports or anything else. “Personal contact is so important. That’s why when buyers and sellers work with us, they deal only with Laura or me. We know what is going on with each other’s clients all of the time, and we don’t ever send someone else in our place.” Clearly Tommy has found the key to success for his clients, and he couldn’t be happier about it. “I very, very rarely lose a deal. My tough experiences in life and in the Capitol fighting to pass bills taught me how to find solutions to any obstacles that arise.” For more information about Tommy, visit www.tommyvaness.firstweber.com email vanesst@firstweber.com Copyright Top Agent Magazine or call 608-395-7375