Chicago Condo Company in 2008: A Year to Look Forward To!
As these final hours of 2007 slip away and a new year is about to rush in, the OwnACondo.com family wishes our many friends, clients and clients-to-be a safe, happy and productive 2008.
OwnACondo.com is on the move, planning for a great new year. Coming up, you'll experience even better cutomer care, with expanded staff, additional training and technology that will soon be the talk of the industry. FinanceACondo.com will soon be open, with title and insurance services also being planned.
You've seen the OwnACondo.com name in many prominent places over the past year, from highway billboards to cable television spots to signage at U.S. Cellular Field. Look for all of that and more in the new year.
Finding your next condo anywhere in Chicagoland will never be easier when we launch our new search capability that will provide you the best personal customization and functionality, even better than our current popular search feature. And of course, if you have a condo to sell, OwnACondo.com is here to help with the same dedication and capabilities available to buyers.
All the best to you and yours in the New Year!
Chicago Condo Statistics
If you're wondering how 2007 stacks up to other years regarding the total number of homes sold nationwide, here's a statistic you probably won't see in the media: It's in the Top Five.
That's right. When the last of the 2007 sales numbers are in, probably sometime in January, 2008, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) estimates 5.67 million homes will have sold this year, making it the fifth largest volume since record keeping began.
NAR predicts a slight increase for 2008, and then a quickening of the sales pace for 2009. Many analysts who are independent of the real estate industry are making similar forecasts.
As for Chicago-area sales of condos, the number sold in the third quarter of 2007 was 11,746, down from 14,193 during the same period of 2006. However, the median condo price was up almost five percent over that same period in 2006: $233,000 compared to $222,100, according to the Illinois Association of Realtors. Median price means half the condos sold for more and half sold for less.
Look for fourth-quarter 2007 statistics in early 2008. We'll be sure to report them right here.
Chicago Condo Company supports local Charities
The year-end holiday season is a whirlwind for many of us. Travel, gift-buying, wrapping up or launching projects at work, attending get-togethers, coping with difficult weather...it's a lot of excitement and bustle.
The concern among far too many of our fellow citizens, unfortunately, is where the next meal is coming from. And while hunger is an issue that depends little on what the calendar says, it can be especially acute during the holiday season, psychologically and logistically.
According to the Greater Chicago Food Depository, close to half a million people each year rely on emergency and supplemental food provided by the Depository and its member network of almost 600 pantries, soup kitchens and shelters. And that's just in Cook County. Think hunger is just an inner city problem? Think again. The Northern Illinois Food Bank estimates that one in 11 people in the entire state have irregular food intake and/or reduced quality and variety of food. And approximately one-third of those in need are under the age of 18.
During this time of giving and and sharing, it's especially important to remember those who may be in need of one of life's most critical essentials: food. Here at OwnACondo.com, we're collecting non-perishable food items for MORe, the Mainstreet Organization of Realtors.
MORe's food drive has been a tradition for many years, says Amy Robey, the group's communication director.
"Last year, we collected 3,000 lbs. of food," she explains. "This effort helps Realtors help those who need it."
At OwnACondo.com, food items (along with essential non-edibles such as soap, toothpaste, deodorant, etc.) are piling up under the watchful eye of Victoria Ramirez, office manager. Readers of this blog who'd like to drop off items for the food drive are encouraged to stop by any day before January 15, 2008, at 2001 Midwest Road, Suite 209, Oak Brook, Illinois. The office will be closed Dec. 24, 25 and Jan. 1.  Call 866-696-2266 for more information.
