We'll bet she does. Not that it's that much of a leap. After all, lots of people own condominiums. But we like Betty White, and she's been quite the media butterfly again recently, which led us to wonder "does Betty White own a condo?"
You don't have to be glued to the TV or have your head buried in supermarket checkout aisle magazines to know about Betty White. The charming and tough 89 year-old comedien and actress has experienced a sort of career rebirth recently, dropping salty language as host of Saturday Night Live and being tackled in the mud by a football player for a TV commercial. She's also a star, along with Valerie Bertinelli, in the current series Hot in Cleveland. It's a long way from her appearances on television game shows and talk shows in the 1950s and '60s, her role as Sue Ann in the 1970s on the Mary Tyler Moore Show and--most famously--her long-running character Rose on the TV sitcom Golden Girls in the 1980s. In fact, Betty, who married for the third time at age 41, recently told a writer at AARP Magazine that sex got better with age. Go, Betty!
Does Betty White own a condo? No doubt she has a sprawling home befitting a successful Hollywood personality, but somewhere in the world, we think she enjoys condo living, too. Choosing a condo has nothing to do with wealth. Rather, it's about independence, maintenance-free living and lifestyle. It's about having something of your own, be it penthouse or garden-level, luxury to affordable.
We like the possibility that Betty White owns a condo. We'll help you find your condominium, no matter where it may be.
It's a buyer's market out there. Let OwnACondo.com help you with your real estate purchase.
Mortgage interest rates are ultra-low. The supply of condos in most areas is plentiful. Should be a perfect combination for real estate buyers, but an uncertain economy continues to keep many potential buyers on the sidelines.
There's lots of evidence that the economy is slowly beginning to warm up again, however. And, human nature being understandably what it is, it's no surprise that most people would prefer to watch someone else make the first move before doing so themselves. That's why it's so important to let OwnACondo.com help you with your real estate purchase.
Of course, if selling is what you want to do, OwnACondo.com Condo Specialist Realtors® are fully qualified to help you with that also.
Let OwnACondo.com help you with your real estate purchase. We'll assist you every step of the way, from your condo search to your closing.
Many buyers enter the real estate market when sales are slow and there is a glut of homes. Many times they will want to jump into the market, and there is nothing wrong with that, but you may need to show some restraint. Since most buyers are buying for themselves there can be a great deal of emotion involved. Sometimes knowing just when to jump in to the real estate market can save you thousands of dollars and make you feel really good about yourself for making not only a sound business decision but finding that home you desire.
They key to buying is doing some research before you make a decision on the area and type of home or condo in which you are interested. Today there are so many places to look that it can be confusing. Prospective buyers need to know where they can get the best information which often times is the internet. The internet has a plethora of information about the real estate market that otherwise was not available just a few short years ago. Today most real estate companies have websites which provide you with all the information you will need to make a good decision. Information from websites range from tips about how to make an offer and what type of financing is available and is best for you. You can get information about when the property last sold and for what price which can help you with that first offer. All in all, do your research about what is important to you and start the process of finding your dream home or condo.
Realtor® Justin Vangelista is the newest member of the dedicated team of Realtors at OwnACondo.com.
Justin earned his real estate broker's license in 2002 with the original intent to help family and friends with their real estate needs. He quickly learned how much he enjoys serving a much wider range of people.
"One of the biggest things in a person's lifetime is finding a place to call home, and being able to help them do that means a lot to me," says Justin.
"Some of my clients have seen 30-40 properties before finding the place they liked," he says. "I always negotiate well for people and I don't believe anyone would say I didn't get the best price for them."
Indeed, Justin brings the perfect attitude to OwnACondo.com, a company which strives to achieve the highest level of customer satisfaction.
Justin Vangelista earned a bachelor of science degree in geography from Northern Illinois University and he has a professional certificate in GIS (Geographic Information Services). He lives in Hanover Park and covers virtually all of Chicago and the suburbs for his real estate clients. Justin's
• Chicago Real Estate
• Suburban Chicago Real Estate
• Condos
• Condominiums
• Townhomes
• Single Family Homes
• Buyers’ Agent
• Real Estate Investors
• Real Estate Auctions
• Leasing
• Rentals
• Foreclosures
• REO
• Short Sales
• Condo Financing
• GIS data creation and geodatabase design
• GPS data collection
• Building of custom applications with which to collect data in the field
• Teaching and learning from others efficiently
• Fostering a team environment.
Contact Justin Vangelista at jvangelista@ownacondo.com or 847-312-3977.
Anthony McCallahan has joined the growing team of dedicated Realtors® at OwnACondo.com.
Anthony has been involved in the real estate business for more than 10 years, including the past five as a Realtor®. The Michigan native earned a bachelor’s degree in finance from Ferris State University in Big Rapids, and holds life, accident and health insurance licenses also.
As a resident of the Chicago Loop, he has become very familiar with Chicago neighborhoods. His specialties include:
- Condos
- Financing
- First-time homebuyers
- Downtown Chicago condos
- Chicago North real estate
- North Cook County real estate
- Chicago South real estate
In 2010, as a mortgage sales representative with Amerisave Mortgage, Anthony McCallahan was named to the President’s Club for being in the top 10 percent of sales reps, bringing in $984,000 in revenue. During his career he has also been a Realtor® for Re/Max in Chicago, Up North Properties in Michigan, and Michigan General Mortgage in Grand Rapids.
“I have had a passion for real estate and finance for as long as I can remember. My mother has been a broker for over 20 years, so I guess you could say it is in my blood. I know the financing and lending side of real estate too, so I look forward to sharing my knowledge with my clients and helping them get the best deal on whatever property they choose.”
Outside of real estate, Anthony McCallahan said his interests include volunteering with the Big Brothers/Big Sisters program and other charities, in addition to working out, playing basketball and traveling whenever possible.
If you have any questions or would like Anthony to help you find your dream home or investment property, you may contact him at amccallahan@ownacondo.com or at 312-399-9477.
So after working so hard in the office, we tend to get a little loopy at times. I noticed that one of my colleagues was eating a banana the 'wrong way’ as I had seen it. I was always told to look at how a monkey eats a banana, and that is the way that humans are supposed to eat it. That very way is upside down, as most people see it. Most people peel the stem of the banana and then proceed to eat it, but if you have ever seen a monkey eat a banana or if you read this blog, you will know that the proper way is to peel from the non-stalky end. This usually leads to less "banana strings" and you can use the stalk as a handle. It is easiest to just pinch this end instead of trying to pull first before eating the banana.
We, here at OwnACondo.com now know the proper way to eat a banana. Check that off the list and also add that to the list of what we already know and are good at, like finding dream condos for buyers all around the Chicago area. We are experts at this and we are there to assist you when you are looking to buy a home. We not only know the proper way to treat our clients, we know the best, most effective way to get you the property of your dreams.
The pope and social media don’t often get mentioned together, but on Jan. 24, Pope Benedict issued a statement giving a virtual “like” to the use of social media, approving of it as a networking tool. If he had any questions about the value of social media, at least when it comes to business, he could have asked OwnACondo.com.
While Pope Benedict XVI did not name Facebook, LinkedIn or any other specific network, he did opine that social media in general are a good way to network, as long as they are not overused to the detriment of human contact. He hasn’t gone so far as Tweeting himself, but his aides do update a Facebook page about him.
Coincidentally, just as the pope and social media issue came to light, Realtors® at OwnACondo.com are getting robust LinkedIn accounts, with help from staff, if they don’t have them already. All of our Realtors® are already being encouraged to use LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter to build their networks and advertise their business. The goal is to improve their ability to help clients buy or sell property as much as possible.
Of course, many clients looking for condos to buy or rent also use social media, and one of the best things about condo living is that it provides plenty of opportunities to meet and socialize with neighbors, no matter how much time you spend on Facebook. So people who pay attention to the pope and social media don’t need to worry about becoming anti-social.
Mention stylish living and it's a sure bet people will think of Chicago lakefront condos.
Chicago borders the beautiful Lake Michigan shore for almost 25 miles, from far south to downtown to far north. All along this stretch can be found Chicago lakefront condos in many different styles and price ranges. Examples of some of these popular communites include:
Hyde Park, located on the South Side of Chicago, is seven miles south of the Chicago Loop and home to the University of Chicago, the Hyde Park Art Center, the Museum of Science and Industry, the Oriental Institute and The Renaissance Society. As a neighborhood, Hyde Park is generally centered around 53rd Street and the lakefront. Its boundaries are commonly regarded as 51st Street (Hyde Park Boulevard) to the neighborhood around the Midway Plaisance or simply "The Midway" (between 59th and 60th). The neighborhood's eastern boundary is Lake Michigan and its western boundary is Washington Park.
Gold Coast is a historic district, part of Chicago's Near North Side community area, it is roughly bounded by North Avenue, Lake Shore Drive, Oak Street, and Clark Street. The neighborhood is a mixture of mansions, row houses,high-rise apartments and Chicago lakefront condos.
Lincoln Park, the community, is named after Lincoln Park, the vast stretch of park belonging to the Chicago Park District. The area is anchored by the Lincoln Park Zoo and DePaul University. Lincoln Park is bordered by the community areas of Lakeview and North Center to the north, Logan Square (Bucktown neighborhood) and West Town to the west, and Near North to the south. Lincoln Park, the neighborhood, is typically defined by the boundaries of Diversey Parkway on the north, Clybourn Avenue on the west, North Avenue on the south, and on the east by the public park of the same name. More than 900 condos sold in Lincoln Park in 2008!
Rogers Park is the northernmost of Chicago community areas on the far North Side of the city. It is bounded by the city of Evanston along Juneway Terrace and Howard Street to the north, Ridge Boulevard to the west, Devon Avenue and the Edgewater neighborhood to the south and Lake Michigan to the east. The neighborhood just to the west, West Ridge, was part of Rogers Park until the 1990's. Some Chicagoans use the phrase "East Rogers Park" to refer to any area east of Ridge, but usually East Rogers Park refers only to the portion of Rogers Park east of Clark Street.
And let's not forget Edgewater, which we highlighted in a previous posting.
Each of these communities are perfect choices for Chicago lakefront condos! Check with an OwnACondo.com condominium specialist. You can even find rent-to-own condos in these great communities. And of course, if you are looking to sell a condo in these or other areas, be sure to let us help.
Jesse Martinez has joined the OwnACondo.com team of dedicated Realtors®, many of whom have earned accredited buyer representative (ABR) designations .
Jesse, a licensed real estate broker, has more than 15 years of real estate experience, getting his start as an investor at age 21, when he bought his first multi-unit investment property in 1994. From 1998 to 2008, he owned several companies, including Barrister Mortgage Co., BMI Title and Jesel Properties, all in the Chicago area. He worked for Exit Elite Realty in Naperville from 2009-2010. As the owner of E-list Realty, which he opened in 2010, he purchased, rehabbed and sold more than 25 properties.
He has a wealth of experience handling the purchase and sale of properties valued at $500,000 and above. Jesse Martinez also is a licensed investment and insurance broker. In addition to high-end properties, the Naperville resident's real estate specialties include:
- Investors
- Condos
- Townhomes
- Single-family homes
- First-time home buyers
- DuPage County real estate
- Downtown Chicago real estate
- Kane County real estate
- Will County real estate
- Chicago-North real estate
- Chicago-South real estate
- North Cook County real estate
- South Cook County real estate
- Naperville real estate
- Kendall County real estate
- Lake County real estate
- McHenry County real estate
When he is not helping clients either sell or buy real estate, Jesse Martinez enjoys spending time with his wife and two young children. He likes sports such as biking, ice hockey, basketball, baseball and football, and is involved in the Big Brothers, Big Sisters organization, serving as the “big brother” for an 11-year-old boy.
“I have 15 years of real estate experience, as a Realtor® and broker, and as an investor myself. I am very familiar with the real estate market throughout the Chicago area, and I am eager to share my knowledge with my clients,” said Jesse Martinez.
Contact Jesse at jmartinez@ownacondo.com or (630) 418-0611 if you have questions or would like him to help find your dream condo.
So I am sure almost everyone has heard that Angry Birds is now coming out with a cartoon! For those of you who don't know, Angry Birds is an incredibly popular puzzle video game in which players use a slingshot to launch birds at pigs stationed on or within various structures, with the intent of destroying all the pigs on the playing field.
Interestingly enough, this Angry birds strategy is a similar strategy that OwnACondo.com is using to take on the competition. OwnACondo.com uses their slingshot to launch experienced agents, cutting-edge technology and general all-around awesomeness (!) into the marketplace, benefitting the consumer and making the company stand out among their competitors. The game plan is to dominate the markletplace and strengthen OwnACondo.com's position as the best place to buy condos, and sell them too.
OwnACondo.com is in the game to get the best prices and best places on the market for all of their clients. So just as everyone has heard that the Angry Birds in coming out with a cartoon, everyone has probably heard about the arrival for the OwnACondo.com Chicago office at 540 N. Lake Shore Drive. It will be the number one office in Chicago that will be taking Real Estate and working with buyers and sellers to a whole new level!
