|
 |
Don’t take our word for it. Read what our clients had to say.
Browse testimonials by City, Division, Service Type and more. |
|
My daughter and I were fortunate to work with Colfax Grad Properties. We were not sure if we wanted her to rent or own. Colfax was able to help us with viewing both apartments and condominiums. Talk about exceptional professionalism! Thanks, Colfax, for helping me find a safe place for my daughter to live.
C. Reeves, University of Chicago graduate student rented a place in Chicago through our Student Housing division. |
![]() |
Colfax Relocations showed us apartments that met our needs, which was difficult because we were on a budget, and we needed to be in a specific school district. Yet they were able to find us a fantastic apartment. After finding the apartment, our Colfax Housing Advisor spent nearly two full days in her office helping us prepare the necessary documents to secure the apartment. Our Housing Advisor also told us a lot about the area to make moving in easier. I would and will highly recommend Colfax to anyone that I know that needs to move into an apartment in NYC.
S. and L. Storkamp rented a place in New York City through our Relocations division. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Our management team brings a diverse set of skills and experience. |
 |
Martin Claure, President
After a frustrating search for graduate student housing in Evanston, Illinois, Martin Claure and his wife Carmen de Jongh founded Colfax Realty, a boutique real estate brokerage providing services to incoming Kellogg MBA and other graduate students. In 2004, after graduating from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management with an MBA in marketing, Martin expanded the scope of the company to include relocation and residential brokerage services for incoming and graduating students from the top MBA, Law and medical schools across the US. To this effect, additional offices were opened in Boston, Chicago, Miami and New York. In 2006, Martin opened an office in Panama and formed partnerships in several nations across Latin America and the Caribbean in response to the second home market boom across the region.
While focusing on the growth of the company, Martin has personally brokered dozens of national and international investment transactions. His familiarity of investment fundamentals coupled with an acute awareness of trends in multiple real estate markets such as student housing and second homes allow him to provide invaluable services and insight to his clients.
Martin is currently focused on the future of Colfax, which includes further expansion into developing investment markets.
Prior to founding Colfax, Martin helped build and was Vice-president of Value Added Services at Brightstar Corp, the world’s largest cell phone distributor and an Engagement Manager at KPMG Consulting.
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Carmen de Jongh, VP of Brokerage Operations, Evanston, IL
Carmen de Jongh has been Managing Director of the Evanston operation since March of 2004. In one year of operations, Carmen closed over $20 million in real estate transactions and positioned Colfax as the leader in Evanston’s highly competitive student housing market. Before joining Colfax Realty, Carmen worked as a residential real estate agent for Cosmopolitan Realty in Miami, FL, where she consistently achieved top producer status and closed over $40 Million in real estate transactions.
Prior to Cosmopolitan, Carmen was employed by Body Glove ® as Marketing and Sales Director and was responsible for launching the company’s accessory product line in Latin America. Carmen was also employed as Regional Manager for Sealand Mearsk in Venezuela and as Sales Associate for All Star Telecom in Miami, FL.
Carmen received her B.S. in Finance from Bentley College in Waltham, MA. |
 |
|
|
|
|
Lacey Fondren, Managing Director, New York, NY
Prior to joining Colfax, Lacey Fondren worked as Director of Educational Operations with Sylvan Learning Centers. At Sylvan, she increased sales revenue by 35%, marketed Sylvan products to schools and organizations, and managed a large staff of employees.
Lacey has had the privilege of teaching in Mississippi and Illinois, where she collaborated with a team of teachers to plan, develop, and execute curriculum to meet the state and grade-level expectations using best practices. Prior to Sylvan, Lacey established a start-up business, Lacey Griffin Designs, for which she designed and manufactured hand-painted, functional dinnerware for nationwide sales and distribution to both retail and wholesale markets.
Lacey holds a B.S.E. in Education and a B.S. in Studio Art from Samford University, as well as a M.Ed. in Art Education from Mississippi College. |
 |
|
|
|
|
Jane Stahmer, Managing Director, Chicago, IL
Jane Stahmer joins Colfax Realty with more than eighteen years of educational and management experience. Jane was employed as the Center Director with Sylvan Learning Center in Chicago, Illinois for three years. During her tenure, the Center’s national ranking increased from the low three hundreds to ninety-first in the nation, and Jane increased the Center’s revenue by more than 35%.
Jane has also served as the director and grant writer for the United States Department of Education Trio grants. Her grant-writing skills generated more than $3,000,000 in grant funds during multiple funding cycles. As director of these grants, Jane supervised a large teaching staff. Additionally, she was the only grantee in the United States to be awarded four Upward Bound grants. Due to this accomplishment, Jane was given the privilege of becoming a national trainer and speaker for the United States Department of Education.
Jane owns and manages student housing in Wisconsin and has been involved with her own property management for more than twenty years. Jane’s reputation as a reputable housing manager has enabled her to maintain 100% occupancy, with student’s requesting her units more than a year in advance.
Jane holds a B. S. in Education and an M. S. in Counseling from the University of Wisconsin. She also received the Sallie Mae Outstanding Teacher Award and was named by Newsweek magazine as one of the nation’s outstanding educators. |
 |
|
