224-225-1139
info@lakesrealtygroup.com
Homes for Heroes
You serve us. Let us serve you.
Are you a firefighter, police officer, nurse, doctor, teacher, veteran or active military? We have a program for you — just one way we show our appreciation for all you do.
How it works
Four steps from hello to a cheque in your hand
Homes for Heroes is a national programme that Lakes Realty Group is an affiliate of. You buy or sell a home the normal way, with a local broker from our Fox Lake office, and after closing you receive a Hero Rewards cheque. There is no application fee and no cost to you.
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Tell us first
Call, email or send the form on this page and say you are a hero. This is the step people miss — you have to be signed up and connected to an affiliate specialist before you start working with any agent or lender, otherwise the rewards cannot be paid.
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Meet your broker
We pair you with one of our brokers and, if you need one, an affiliate lender, title company and inspector. You are free to use your own instead — it only changes which savings you qualify for, not whether you get the real estate reward.
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Buy or sell as normal
Nothing about the process changes. Same search, same marketing, same negotiation, same closing table. There is no separate contract, no extra paperwork and no restriction on which homes you can look at or what price range you sell in.
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Get your reward
After closing, Homes for Heroes sends your Hero Rewards cheque. Across the 135 heroes we have served so far, our brokers have given back $285,520 — an average of just over $2,100 per hero.
One rule worth repeating: sign up before you talk to another agent or lender. Homes for Heroes cannot pay rewards retroactively once you are already under contract with someone else — so make us your first call, not your second.
Who qualifies
Five groups of everyday heroes
If you serve your community in one of these roles — currently, or as a retiree or veteran — you are eligible. Not sure whether your job counts? Ask us. It usually does.
Firefighters & EMS
Career and volunteer firefighters, paramedics, EMTs and emergency dispatchers across Lake and McHenry County fire protection districts.
- Firefighters
- Paramedics
- EMT
- Dispatch
Law enforcement
Municipal police officers, county sheriff's deputies, state troopers, corrections officers and federal law enforcement, serving or retired.
- Police
- Sheriff
- State police
- Corrections
Military
Active duty, reserves, National Guard, retired and veterans of every branch. Military families make up the largest share of the heroes we have served.
- Active duty
- Reserves
- Guard
- Veterans
Healthcare
Nurses, doctors, techs, therapists, care aides and hospital and clinic staff — the people who kept showing up through the hardest years on record.
- Nurses
- Doctors
- Techs
- Care staff
Teachers & school staff
Classroom teachers from pre-K through college, plus administrators, aides, counsellors, coaches and support staff in our local school districts.
- Teachers
- Professors
- Administrators
- Support staff
Not on the list?
Programme eligibility changes and there are more roles covered than most people expect. One phone call settles it — and it costs you nothing to ask.
- Call 224-225-1139
Our circle of giving
What it has added up to.
Every hero who buys or sells with us receives a Hero Rewards cheque after closing. Here is where that has landed so far — figures as of December 2025.
- 135Heroes served
- $285,520Total rewards given to heroes by Lakes Realty Group
- $5,000Foundation award to Veterans Path to Hope
Who we have helped
- Military33.61%
- Teachers23.53%
- Healthcare21.85%
- Law enforcement13.45%
- Firefighters & EMS7.56%
Common questions
What heroes usually ask us
Still not clear on something? Call 224-225-1139 and ask for a Homes for Heroes broker — there is no obligation and no sales pitch.
Does it cost me anything to join?
No. There is no sign-up fee, no membership dues and nothing deducted from your proceeds. The Hero Rewards cheque comes out of the commission our brokerage earns on the sale — it is our thank-you, not an extra charge passed on to you.
How much will I actually get back?
It is a percentage of the sale, so it scales with the price of the home. Across the 135 heroes Lakes Realty Group has served, we have given back $285,520 in total — an average of a little over $2,100 each, with bigger cheques on higher-priced homes. We will tell you the exact figure in writing before you list or make an offer.
Does it work when I'm selling, not buying?
Yes. Buying, selling, or both in the same move — each side earns its own reward. Sellers get the full marketing package either way: professional photography, drone imagery, video and an email campaign to our own buyer list.
Can I still use a VA loan or my own lender?
Yes. Hero Rewards is a thank-you from us after closing — not a loan product, not a grant and not a government benefit — so it does not interfere with a VA loan, an FHA loan, a first-time buyer programme or anything else you qualify for.
You are also free to bring your own lender, title company or inspector. Using Homes for Heroes affiliates for those services can add further savings, but it is never a requirement.
When does the cheque arrive?
After closing. Once the sale is recorded, the reward is processed and sent to you directly — most heroes have it within a few weeks of getting their keys.
Why do I have to sign up before I start looking?
Because the reward is tied to the brokerage that represents you. If you are already under contract with another agent or lender when you find the programme, it cannot be applied after the fact. Reach out first, even if you are months away from moving — there is no commitment in making the call.
Which areas do you cover?
Our brokers work across the Chain O'Lakes and both counties either side of it — Fox Lake, Antioch, Lake Villa, Spring Grove, Johnsburg, McHenry and the villages in between. If you are being posted here, or leaving, we can help at either end.
Does my family qualify, or only me?
The reward follows the hero, so you need to be one of the buyers or sellers on the contract. If you are buying with a spouse or partner, that is fine — one hero on the paperwork is enough.
Are you ready for a home?
You deserve this reward.
There is no catch and no extra paperwork for you. Work with us to buy or sell, and the Hero Rewards cheque arrives after closing.
Schedule a CallClaim your reward
Make us your first call.
Send this before you talk to another agent or lender — that is the one step that protects your Hero Rewards. A local broker will come straight back to you.