CHICAGO—The city of Chicago has become far more popular with younger, tech-savvy and creative workers who increasingly reject the suburban lifestyle in favor of the downtown's amenities and nightlife. And a new brokerage firm called Idealty Real Estate has just opened for business with the aim of serving this key demographic.

Idealty will initially focus on residential brokerage in downtown neighborhoods including Wicker Park, Logan Square, the West Loop, River North, Lincoln Park and Old Town. It will also offer commercial brokerage and development services.

“Real estate is inherently rich in information and visually beautiful, but the business side of the industry has always been a bit of a late adopter of change, particularly in terms of the creative aspects of marketing, web design and social media,” says Preston Jones, co-founder and director of operations for Chicago-based Idealty. “It's pretty homogenous how listings, neighborhood data and even agents are presented on most brokerage websites. We saw an opportunity to marry our team's creative energy and capabilities with the brokerage world, and present real estate solutions in a fresh and aesthetically sophisticated way that's unlike anything else in Chicago.”

Jones adds that Idealty appeals to innovative clients who appreciate inventiveness and authenticity. “We're really the first brokerage firm to offer information and resources in the look and feel that they prefer for consuming information, as well as content that speaks to their priorities. Consumers today are very sophisticated and drawn to visually-stimulating sites like Houzz and Pinterest when it comes to designing their home, so why should they settle for a less exciting website or experience when it comes time to buy or sell a home? We don't think they should.”

Idealty officials say they use high design quality and aesthetic standards on its website, marketing materials and neighborhood guides. Using neighborhood data, the firm has also created community reports with visually pleasing infographics that present a snapshot of each area's dynamics.

“We are not in the business of providing a dry list of data points,” says Maria Boncza, managing broker for Idealty. “Instead, we combine imperative stats like home values and appreciation rates with lifestyle facts about a given neighborhood, such as average commute times and resident employment levels, so we give buyers the best 360-degree view of what it might be like to live in a particular area.”

Idealty has already scored a significant client. It is the exclusive listing agent for circa 922, a new 104-unit rental building under construction at 922 W. Washington Blvd. in the West Loop that will open this January.

Idealty is temporarily based out of Canvas Chicago, 2313 W. North Ave., until moving into new office space currently under development at 3204 W. Armitage Ave. in the Logan Square neighborhood.