Chicago real estate isn’t that much different from real estate in other cities.  Things get incredibly busy during the spring.  Real estate agents and leasing agents barely have time to think so they’re always answering phones and setting appointments and then constantly going to those appointments.  Things can still get hectic during the summer, but not as much.  Some agents make a few grand a week during the spring and make most of their yearly income during that season.  Fall’s still all right, but things start grinding down and getting slower.  Finally, things die down during the winter.  On some days, there’ll be no phone calls at all.  The week of Thanks giving is traditionally the deadest business week of the year for real estate.  You’re lucky if you get one or two calls that entire week.  Things aren’t any better the week of Christmas and the week that then leads into New Year’s.  You have to do well the rest of the year to be able to get by during the winter.  It’s basically make or break.  A good salesman will do fine, but not everyone is a good salesman.  It’s the winter when they find out whether or not they’re cut out for the real estate business.