55+ Awards, News & Trends

Khadeejah oversees operational efficiency and strategic initiatives for the brokerage, audit, and partnership divisions. With extensive experience in real estate management and brokerage operations, she ensures compliance with state and local regulations, while guiding referral agents in adherence to contract law. Khadeejah also fosters collaborative partnerships within the referral program, all while leading a high-performing team. She is known for her strong leadership, attention to detail, and dedication to fostering growth in the brokerage community.

Chad Walker joined 55places in 2022 as the VP of Sales and Real Estate Operations. He comes with 14+ years of experience in the Real Estate industry, ten of which have been dedicated to leading operational excellence. Chad started off in the industry as a top producing Real Estate Agent in Seattle, WA before taking on positions to lead high-performing teams of real estate professionals to advocate for customers along their journey of home ownership. Chad specializes in the real estate tech sector and focuses on the strategy of growing sales, revenue, and teams by collaborating with other leaders on the company’s goals and initiatives. Chad has a customer-first mentality and builds his organization around that passion. Chad currently resides in Seattle with his family and enjoys traveling when not thinking about real estate.

Bill Ness is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of 55places.com. His real estate career began in sales for Del Webb before becoming a sales manager for Sun City Huntley. After noticing that the industry lacked a central, reliable, and unbiased resource for active adult communities, Bill left Del Webb in 2007 to start 55places.com. Having traveled to countless 55+ communities and having interviewed residents, builders, and agents around the country, Bill is considered a leading expert on the active adult lifestyle.

Bill Ness is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of 55places.com. His real estate career began in sales for Del Webb before becoming a sales manager for Sun City Huntley. After noticing that the industry lacked a central, reliable, and unbiased resource for active adult communities, Bill left Del Webb in 2007 to start 55places.com. Having traveled to countless 55+ communities and having interviewed residents, builders, and agents around the country, Bill is considered a leading expert on the active adult lifestyle.

Carrie Pallardy is a freelance writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience. She is a lifelong Chicagoan and avid traveler. Carrie has written extensively about real estate for Neighborhoods.com.

Bill Ness is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of 55places.com. His real estate career began in sales for Del Webb before becoming a sales manager for Sun City Huntley. After noticing that the industry lacked a central, reliable, and unbiased resource for active adult communities, Bill left Del Webb in 2007 to start 55places.com. Having traveled to countless 55+ communities and having interviewed residents, builders, and agents around the country, Bill is considered a leading expert on the active adult lifestyle.

Kasey boasts a decade-long writing career, covering a diverse array of topics. Writing serves as a therapeutic outlet for her, allowing her to articulate thoughts and ideas to portray her best self. Driven by an innate curiosity, she delves into topics of personal interest. Her choice of undergraduate degree in history was motivated by the extensive research it entails. As a higher education professional in her local community, she has amassed considerable expertise, particularly in real estate, both locally and in burgeoning areas. Passionate about all things DIY, spanning home improvement, gardening, and health, she delights in imparting knowledge and guidance to her audience.

Maddy Crozier (she/her) is an experienced freelance writer and editor who has worked with 55places since 2018. Now a fifth-year PhD Candidate in English at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, she has a BA and MA in Writing, Rhetoric, and Discourse from DePaul University. She specializes in researching real estate trends across the country with a focus on the Midwest and Southeast regions, including the housing markets of Chicago, Indianapolis, and East Tennessee. Dedicated to helping homebuyers make evidence-based decisions, she brings six years of experience in real estate writing and research.

Deana Becker is the Senior Content Strategist at 55places.com. With an extensive editorial background, she has been writing, editing, and researching real estate topics since 2018. Her work has brought her in contact with many subject matter experts in the real estate industry, and she enjoys continually improving her SEO and content marketing skills. As a Chicago native, she's also well-versed in the Midwestern housing market (as well as the best places for deep-dish pizza).

Kasey boasts a decade-long writing career, covering a diverse array of topics. Writing serves as a therapeutic outlet for her, allowing her to articulate thoughts and ideas to portray her best self. Driven by an innate curiosity, she delves into topics of personal interest. Her choice of undergraduate degree in history was motivated by the extensive research it entails. As a higher education professional in her local community, she has amassed considerable expertise, particularly in real estate, both locally and in burgeoning areas. Passionate about all things DIY, spanning home improvement, gardening, and health, she delights in imparting knowledge and guidance to her audience.

Kasey boasts a decade-long writing career, covering a diverse array of topics. Writing serves as a therapeutic outlet for her, allowing her to articulate thoughts and ideas to portray her best self. Driven by an innate curiosity, she delves into topics of personal interest. Her choice of undergraduate degree in history was motivated by the extensive research it entails. As a higher education professional in her local community, she has amassed considerable expertise, particularly in real estate, both locally and in burgeoning areas. Passionate about all things DIY, spanning home improvement, gardening, and health, she delights in imparting knowledge and guidance to her audience.

Deana Becker is the Senior Content Strategist at 55places.com. With an extensive editorial background, she has been writing, editing, and researching real estate topics since 2018. Her work has brought her in contact with many subject matter experts in the real estate industry, and she enjoys continually improving her SEO and content marketing skills. As a Chicago native, she's also well-versed in the Midwestern housing market (as well as the best places for deep-dish pizza).

Deana Becker is the Senior Content Strategist at 55places.com. With an extensive editorial background, she has been writing, editing, and researching real estate topics since 2018. Her work has brought her in contact with many subject matter experts in the real estate industry, and she enjoys continually improving her SEO and content marketing skills. As a Chicago native, she's also well-versed in the Midwestern housing market (as well as the best places for deep-dish pizza).

Deana Becker is the Senior Content Strategist at 55places.com. With an extensive editorial background, she has been writing, editing, and researching real estate topics since 2018. Her work has brought her in contact with many subject matter experts in the real estate industry, and she enjoys continually improving her SEO and content marketing skills. As a Chicago native, she's also well-versed in the Midwestern housing market (as well as the best places for deep-dish pizza).

Cari Oleskewicz is a writer based in Gainesville, Florida. She has been writing about real estate, property management, travel, and active adult lifestyles for 10 years. She has delivered lectures on the importance of high-value website copy for small businesses, and has ghostwritten books for real estate investors. Before settling in Gainesville, she lived in Tampa, Florida; Baltimore, Maryland; Los Angeles, California; and Florence, Italy. Before launching her writing career, Cari was a communications and editorial strategist for a digital advertising agency in Tampa and managed the communications department of a nonprofit organization serving people with disabilities in Maryland. She has also taught middle school and writes poetry. Cari graduated from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York in 1994, with a BA in Communications/Journalism. She currently lives in Tampa, travels frequently, and recently helped her father find the perfect 55+ community to call home.

Kira is a freelance writer living in the beautiful state of Colorado. She is passionate about words and science and loves how writing requires her to learn something new every day.

Deana Becker is the Senior Content Strategist at 55places.com. With an extensive editorial background, she has been writing, editing, and researching real estate topics since 2018. Her work has brought her in contact with many subject matter experts in the real estate industry, and she enjoys continually improving her SEO and content marketing skills. As a Chicago native, she's also well-versed in the Midwestern housing market (as well as the best places for deep-dish pizza).

Maddy Crozier (she/her) is an experienced freelance writer and editor who has worked with 55places since 2018. Now a fifth-year PhD Candidate in English at the University of Tennessee Knoxville, she has a BA and MA in Writing, Rhetoric, and Discourse from DePaul University. She specializes in researching real estate trends across the country with a focus on the Midwest and Southeast regions, including the housing markets of Chicago, Indianapolis, and East Tennessee. Dedicated to helping homebuyers make evidence-based decisions, she brings six years of experience in real estate writing and research.