While I Was Away
By Patty Boysen
I just returned back to work from my honeymoon and so much has changed since I have been gone! I drove in to work, put my flashers on and ran in to grab my parking pass that I had left at work for someone else to use while I was away. It was that moment that I decided to take a look around and see all of the new improvements that OwnACondo.com had made. I took a quick lap around our brand new office at 540 N. Lake Shore Drive to see that most of the boxes were unpacked, furniture was cleaned and pictures were hanging on the walls. I then hopped back in my car, parked it and entered back into work. Just as I sat down to start my day, my co-worker comes through the door. The questions that of course come out of my mouth right away was, “Hello, How are you?” and “What did I miss?”
After a short pause my co-worker says, “Oh, you didn’t hear what happened while you were away?” I said, “No, what?” He goes on further to say that I needed to get up right away and follow him to the conference room. Here I am thinking, oh maybe we got a new table or a new TV for the conference room or something.
As soon as I walk into the room, I immediately gasped! Yes, he explains someone drove into our conference room early Sunday morning. Needless to say there was glass everywhere, blinds broken, windows boarded up, and the bumper with the license plate on it. So my co-worker proceeds to say, nothing much really happened while you were away, just this small mishap!
So, just as OwnACondo.com gets the office spruced up and looking beautiful, a little surprise comes our way. This does not stop anything or anyone however, and work is resuming as usual. We are still recruiting and expanding all over the United States. Let’s just say, a car driving into our office doesn’t even stop us!
Nicholas Clancy
Nicholas Clancy has joined the growing team of condo specialist Realtors® at OwnACondo.com, and is eager to share his wealth of real estate knowledge gathered over several years in the mortgage industry.
“I bring seven years of experience as a mortgage broker and banker to my real estate career. As a lifelong resident of Chicago, I am very familiar with local condos and the housing market in general in the city and its many neighborhoods and suburbs,” said Nicholas, a diligent worker who specializes in assisting buyers.
“With the wide range of properties available for sale now, it is certainly a buyer's market. I know how important buying a home is, because for most people it will be the most expensive purchase they will ever make,” Nicholas noted.
A graduate of De La Salle High School, Nicholas Clancy studied at Harold Washington College before heading into the business world. Most recently, he was president and CEO of Real Deal Properties and Investments, a company based in Bridgeport, where he lives in the shadow of U.S. Cellular Field. the home of the Chicago White Sox.
He is very familiar with the city’s many neighborhoods and suburbs. His other specialties include:
• Condos
• Townhomes
• Multi-family buildings
• Commercial property
• Downtown Chicago real estate
• Cook County real estate
• Real estate investing
• Real estate auctions
• Leasing
• Rentals
• Foreclosures
• REO
• Short sales
• Condo financing
“An important part of the buying process is getting pre-qualified for a loan, and I am very good at helping clients with that. I will help my clients every step of the way, from the loan process to the closing. In addition to buying, I also help clients interested in leasing too, whether it is a condo, house, or four-flat. I handle commercial property too,” Nicholas added.
When he is not in the office setting appointments, or showing property to his clients, Nicholas enjoys spending time relaxing with his family and friends, and watching the White Sox and his other favorite teams.
If you would like Nicholas Clancy to help you buy or sell property, you may contact him at nclancy@ownacondo.com or by calling 312-217-3237.
Loretta Lomax
Loretta Lomax has joined the growing team of dedicated Realtors® at OwnACondo.com, many of whom have earned accredited buyer representative (ABR) designations.
She brings to our company more than three years of experience in real estate sales, as well as a professional philosophy. In addition to being a Realtor, she is also a business owner and has a professional background in computer technology. The companies she has owned since 1997 include Lomax Enterprises and Lomax Real Estate Solutions.
Her specialties include:
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Townhomes
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Downtown Chicago real estate
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North Cook County real estate
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South Cook County real estate
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Will County real estate
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Lake County real estate
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DuPage County real estate
When she is not working on helping her buyers, Loretta Lomax has a wide range of interests, including running, tennis, sewing and cooking. She also donates her time to non-profit organizations such as Jobs for Youth and Urban Prep Academy. She also is assistant manager of the Chappel Condo Association and holds membership in several industry organizations. These include Association of Information Technology Professionals, and e-Marketing Association Network, as well as National Association of Realtors®, and Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) Certified Professionals.
Her educational background includes a degree in Business Administration from Harold Washington College and certification in information technology and digital media from the Computer Systems Institute.
“Having bought and sold a personal residence, and lived in and assisted in the management of a condo complex, I feel I have an up-close and personal connection with consumers interested in buying real estate. Prompt, patient and professional is my philosophy,” Loretta Lomax said.
Contact Loretta at llomax@ownacondo.com if you have questions or would like help finding your dream home.
OwnACondo.com is Continuing to Improve and Thrive in Today’s Market
There are many changes going on at OwnACondo.com. We decided to kickoff 2010 in a good way by implementing new procedures, divisions and trainings. Why most companies are stretching to stay open, OwnACondo.com is expanding and continuing to grow. Our company has goals in mind and we are visualizing and planning each and every day exactly how we are going to reach those goals.
The first avenue our company decided to focus on is training. We decided to AMP up our training that we already had in place. We feel that training the agents properly will ultimately lead to more sales and more money for all. We implemented workshops, call nights, trainings, seminars and focus groups. We decided to make all the classes at different times on different days, so that the agents have options to choose from and so that there is flexibility with all agents’ schedules. We are planning to also add an OAC University to help the agents achieve more knowledge and education. Earning higher designations will also be an option for them.
We also decided to implement more procedures. We are putting a new software system in place that will make it easier and more efficient for agent’s transactions. After all, everything to do with the transaction is important. Putting a system in place so that all transactions close smoothly and all the necessary paperwork is there, is crucial to agents as well as the company. OwnACondo.com is a cutting edge company and we feel it is important to be aware of all the new technology to enhance our business. This is also important, as we expand to different states that we have a system in place.
We have added an auction division to our company as well. Auction specialists have come on board to handle all auctions at OwnACondo.com. Auctions are a big part of the pie in this market, so we have decided to not only tap in to this segment but bring specialists on board who know exactly how auctions work. This will ensure that the OwnACondo.com Auctions will be the best place to buy and sell property.
It is exciting to see that we are thriving as a company. We are always ahead of the curve and continue to stay that way. It is very important to our company that we achieve the goals set out for us so we can continue to succeed and continue to be the best place to buy and sell condos.
Chicago Condo Development
When choosing a Chicago condo development there are many things you should always keep in mind. Some things are obvious to us all but others may not be.
We all know we need to check out the structure of the building. Was it really designed to be a condo or townhome complex or was it a conversion? At first glance you may not be able to tell because conversion many times can look even better than the old design. If you really want to know you can check with the local city planning office and ask for the plans that were submitted by the developer. You think a conversion may not matter with today's building codes but noise and insulation problems may arise since the design was made for different purposes. You should always insist on a building inspection that you are interested in purchasing. Most inspections will cover the common areas of the building but you might want to take a more invasive approach to identify structural and integrity concerns.
When you are searching for a Chicago condo development an obvious area to check out before you buy is the community. Try to find out if there is a sense of community within the complex. One of the best ways to find out is to spend some time in the common areas. Do the residents seem happy and satisfied? Do they respect each other and their privacy? Ask some questions while you are there, such as what they like and dislike about their community. Smiling and making eye contact while talking with your potential neighbors can speak volumes about the place in which you are about to invest.
Make sure check into some of the extras that may be offered. Is there a parking space included in the price and where is it located? Is the location convenient and safe? Are there extra storage areas, are they free and secured? If there are pools, hot tubs, gym areas, are they well maintained and clean? Do they meet legal and safety regulations? These extras may make the difference in how well you enjoy your new condo.
One last area that may not be as obvious but is becoming more prevalent is green living. More and more condo buyers are embracing the green living concept and many Chicago condo developers are meeting the challenge. Developers are seeing the change in mood of condo buyers and are now seeking to be certified by the United States Green Building Council. Buyers today are looking for green living developments not only due to energy saving features but as a way for them to lessen the impact on the planet for future generations.
Realtors
Many people still do not know what a Realtor does or even why to use a realtor. Most think that what we do is drive people around to look at houses and make tons of money in the process. Nothing could be further from the truth! Today a real estate agents job is much more complicated and difficult than most people think. Just think of all the technology out there today and how we use it. You may not think much of going on the internet and looking for a home or condo but a realtor must be up to date on all the technology and what you can get for free off a search engine costs a real estate agent hard cash.
Realtors today work long hours and must wear many different hats to be successful. Most will work with buyers and sellers which present its own set of challenges. When working with sellers the agent works diligently to represent their client and the property to be sold. Agents must be adept at staging properties or something akin to an interior designer to make certain the property is presented in the best possible light to entice as many buyers as possible. The agent's responsibility to the seller to find the highest and best price possible, definitely a challenge in today's market. On the other side is the coin is working with buyers which can be some of the most challenging customers in which to work. The agent works to assist the buyer in the purchase of a property but in most cases has a fiduciary responsibility to the seller. The agent will guide the buyer through the maze of purchase contacts, termite inspections, home inspectors, property appraisers, lenders and many more of the requirements necessary to purchase a home or condo today.
Technology today for the Realtor has become just as important as being the consummate sales person. Without all the tools today an agent can find themselves lacking in important and costly ways if they don't keep up. Instant communication is a must for a successful agent with Blackberry's and I-Phones leading the way capable of searching the web for newly listed properties, receiving e-mails instantly for showings or just simply to make and receive a phone call. Laptops capable of wi-fi connections have taken the place of older forms of accessing information so now agents can see properties and obtain pertinent information while sitting in their car or restaurant. The technology of all business today has made life easier for all involved but when it comes to buying or selling your home there is nothing like the personal touch of a trusted Realtor.
