Registration at the real estate auction
I am looking forward to my role as registrar, assisting registration at the real estate auction that OwnACondo.com is holding on Sunday, Nov. 8, at the Chicago Marriott Oak Brook hotel, 1401 W. 22nd St.
Prospective buyers, sellers and interested spectators are invited to join us at the 11 a.m. event, the first of many real estate auctions that OwnACondo.com plans to hold in the Chicago area and nationwide. I will be one of four registrars at the front table, taking names and other information from participants, so I invite you to stop by and say hello. Auctioneer Vinnie Zaffarano, the 2009 champion bid-caller in Illinois, is expected to put on a great show.
Registration at the real estate auction will begin at 9:30 a.m. and will continue until 11 a.m. People planning to bid should have their financing in place already and have inspected the properties that interest them. They will need to bring government- issued photo ID and a $2,500 cashier’s check or money order payable to themselves for each property on which they wish to bid. Winning bidders will then sign over the checks to the seller. A personal check would also be needed to make up the balance of the 5 percent buyer’s premium required, which will serve as earnest money.
We will also be gathering basic information from spectators in order to determine their level of interest in the event and the possibility that they will be bidding at future auctions. Prospective sellers might be interested in entering their property into one of our upcoming auctions.
As many as 22 properties will go on the auction block to be sold to the highest bidder. The process is likely to move very quickly so the auction could be over in an hour. You can literally buy a condo, your dream house, or even a nice piece of vacant land, and still catch the opening kickoff of the Bears game at noon. One of the many advantages of auctions is that qualified buyers and motivated sellers are assured of a closing in a short time as well, usually between 30 and 45 days.
During and after the registration at the real estate auction, I will also be chatting with winning buyers and other participants to see how they liked the auction experience and what we could do to improve it. We are expecting a great turnout for this inaugural event, and welcome input from participants that could help us make the next one even better.
Several upcoming real estate auctions are already planned, including two in the Chicago area, in January and March, and one in Miami in February.
Chicago Real Estate Auction
This is probably one the the single best events that someone can take part in to take advantage of today's market. The question becomes, why wouldn't anyone want to participate in a real estate auction? Who can think of a better way to bring buyers and sellers together with properties from all over Chicagoland? There are many benefits for both buyers and sellers who participate in a real estate auction.
For buyers, there is alway assurance of clean title at closing with no liens or back taxes, meaning that there is a set gurantee that the property you are purchasing has good clear title. There are plenty of opportunites to inspect the property and receive full disclosures before the real esatate auction. This way there are no worries or fears that you are going to buy this great property that ends being a lemon! You also have the ability to name your price and bid at whatever level you wish. If the price becomes too high, you just simply stop bidding!
There are many benefits for sellers in the auction as well. There is competitive bidding among buyers. The room is filled with anxious people ready to purchase property for a great price. The exposure through mass marketing campaigns is also a great benefit for purchasers. Think about it... would anyone who lists their place with any agent, get this much exposure? I mean we are talking billboards, catologues, website and print advertising, etc.. This is marketing that reaches the masses not just one individual at a time. Also, these people are ready and willing buyers who are qualified and ready to purchase. Ownacondo.com offers buyers Condo Financing to assist in pre-qualifing the potential buyers prior to the auction.
Additional benefits include the ease of transaction, being that the properties have been inspected, the buyers have been pre-qualified and they are prepared to make an offer. Another benefit is that it is a quick sale with no waiting periods in between negotiation. If a listing is sold, it is sold within minutes. Normally the sale has to close within 45 days, otherswise there is a penalty to the buyer, so there is no long drawn out closings. If you are interested in buying or selling a condo in an auction, go to the real estate auction on November 8th hosted by Ownacondo.com at the Mariott hotel in Oakbrook, IL. This will be an event to remember!
Own A Condo
Do you want to Own A Condo? Owning a condo can be one of the most rewarding experiences you'll ever go through as long as you choose the right people to help you though the process. There are many players in the process to owning a condo. It starts with you. Why do you want to own a condo to start with? What draws you to this type of real estate?Â
A condominium is very different from a house. A condominium has lots of neighbors connected to the same building and you have a five person team running the entire complex known as the condo association board. There are rules you have to abide by and there are times you can't be as loud as you like because you probably will have a neighbor above you, below you, on the each side of you and across the hall.Â
To own a condo you'll need to start with checking into condo lending. This is the beginning of everything. The condominium lender will let you know all about programs that you'll fit under. There may be a need for a co-signer if your credit is bad. You may need a partner if you do not have enough for a down payment. All of these issues will be talked about at that initial meeting. Most lenders will ask you to provide proof of the information you give them. You may need to provide bank statements and proof of income from your employer.
Once the lender has determined the program that's right for you, the next step is to choose a realtor to help in the process of looking for a condo. Condominiums are all over the and at different prices. Real estate agents work with this process everyday and can help you zero in on the condo you want to own. The real estate agent typically gets paid by the seller of the condominium, so use their services. Basically you're getting a wealth of knowledge for free. To own a condo in a specific area of Chicago, you'll need to check out the condition of the condo association. Is the association up to date with their payments on the essential bills running the condo complex? Do they have any money in a budget for long term capital expenses? Your attorney and real estate agent will help you with all these questions.
If you really want to own a condo, it can be accomplished. Choose the right team and get out and look at some condos and before you know it, you'll own the condo of your dreams!
A Condo Company
A condo company is important when buying or selling a condo. The real estate industry is changing and people are specializing now. A condo company focuses in one thing; selling condos. Let’s break this down to fully understand the difference.
Think of a doctor one hundred years ago. It went to him for just about everything. If you had a battle with the flu or if you had an eye problem there was one person to turn to. As time went on, the specialists started to kick in. There are now doctors for every part of the human body imaginable.
Think of a Realtor that does not work for a condo company. He’s sitting at his desk and the phone rings with a seller of a one million dollar home in the city of Chicago. They run out to meet the seller of the home, do all the due diligence investigating homes for the next three days and they finally list the house for sale. The next week this same real estate agent gets a call from a vacant land owner wanting to sell land in Hinsdale, Illinois. The realtor goes through the same process but now with the piece of land in Hinsdale.Â
When the year is up, this particular Realtor did twenty four presentations, two per month. They did six condos, six homes, six apartment buildings and six vacant pieces of land. They marketed all these properties and met four different types of buyers as well. This Realtor became the jack of all trades, learning about these four different arenas of real estate.
Let’s look at an real estate agent that worked for OwnACondo.com, a condo company dedicated to just condos. The same real estate agent working for OwnACondo.com handled twenty four condo listings in the same twelve months. They met the same amount of people but they have four times the amount of buyers for one product, versus twenty five percent for four categories. They are not the jack of all trades but the master on one.
By being a master of one, you become better than anyone else. That means more knowledge and more efficiency. It means faster closing and sales. It ends up separating yourself from the pack.
The time has come for a condo company and the one rising to the top of the heap right now is OwnACondo.com. You can reach them 866.696.2266.
Miami Condos
If you are looking for a low-maintenance lifestyle, maybe in a popular downtown location or near the beach there is no better place to look than Miami Condos. Living in a condo in Miami can offer many benefits that you will not find in a home in the suburbs. They can offer more plentiful amenities from beach access, pools, golf courses, lawn maintenance and much more. All of these things offer a different lifestyle that many find appealing but there are a few things you might want to consider.
- 1. Condos usually have an association that has guidelines, some may be casual but others can be strictly enforced. Get a copy of the rules and guidelines and make sure they will fit in with your lifestyle. Being at odds with the association and possibly your neighbors can make home a much less appealing place to live.
- 2. Many Miami condos come with a variety of benefits but also a cost. Most associations have fees that cover many of the amenities which convinced you to entertain the idea of condo living in the first place. Some associations charge a small maintenance fee to cover the basics but depending on the extravagance of what are offered in your complex they can run much higher. Associations are anxious to provide you with their list of fees, what they cover, and what is expected of you as an owner. One last thing to consider regarding fees is to find out if the association is planning on any improvements or upgrades that can raise costs.
- 3. Before you jump at that Miami condo find out about the community you are buying into. Does it fit the lifestyle you want? What is the financial status of the condo association? How many units are vacant? How many units are rented? If possible, talk to some of the owners and find out if they are happy living there, how well the complex is being run, or if they have had past problems and how those problems were resolved. You are buying into an entire community and it is important that you know all you can before making a decision.
Â
There are many Miami condos in all types of locales from downtown Miami to Coconut Grove to Key Biscayne offering something no matter your taste or budget. No matter if you are retiring to south Florida to sit on the beach or find a vacation property there can be no more exciting location than Miami.
Chicago Condo Company Wishes Happy Holidays!
The OwnACondo.com family wishes you and yours a very special holiday season, filled with warmth, good cheer and good food!
Our office will be closed Dec. 24 and 25, reopening Friday, Dec. 26. Our weekend hours remain intact, 10 a.m to 5 p.m.
All the very best!
Decorate A Condo
If you're looking for a way to brighten your Chicago condo as well as your mood in these challenging times, consider that suniest of colors, yellow.
The Pantone Color Insitute, a recognized authority on color for design professionals, has released its "2009 Color of The Year". Specifically, Pantone cites a particular shade of yellow called Mimosa.
"Optimism is paramount and no other color expresses hope and reassurance more than yellow," said Pantone in announcing its choice for the new year.
Owning A Chicago Condo Is Your Choice
Owning a condo starts with you. So many people fear not being able to get a loan or not having enough for a down payment, that it stifles them into not doing a thing. And another year goes by without ownership. The landlord wins again. Month after month, year after year. Isn't it time to make a change?
OwnACondo.com can get you to own. If you truly want to own a Chicago Condo, we can make it happen. It starts with you. Pick up the phone and talk to one of our condo specialists about owning. We can do it in steps with our rent-to-own program if need be. One way or another, if you want to own a condo, we will help you achieve it.
We are open seven days a week and can be contacted at 866.696.2266.
Join Us For a FREE Condo Buyer Seminar
 
| August 23rd at 10:00 - 11:00 A.m. | September 3rd at 7:00 - 8:00 P.m. |
| September 13th at 10:00 - 11:00 A.m.|
OwnACondo.com | 2001 Midwest Road, Lower Lever Suite LL44, Oak Brook, IL 60523
Call Today! 877.627.5530 or send us a email: freeseminar@ownacondo.com (Please include your name, phone number and date that you would like to attend)
Owning your own condo is living the American Dream and it is easier than you think.
NO OBLIGATION! Come learn about the buying process.Ownacondo.com is holding a home buyer seminar to help you understand the process from the first step to that day you move into your own home.
HOW DO I GET A MORTGAGE? Learn what’s affordable and the many financing options available. Find the right one for you.
WHERE DO I WANT TO LIVE? Decide the neighborhood you want to live and we can help you search for the perfect home there.
HOW DO I GET THE BEST DEAL? Write an offer with the guidance of your Realtor® and learn the best negotiating tips.
CONTRACT ACCEPTED. WHAT’S NEXT? Now your offer has been accepted. Your agent can help you handle all that needs to be done once the offer is accepted.
WHERE ARE MY KEYS? This is the best part! The closing…You sign all the documents, get your keys, and begin moving into your own home.
You have just reached one of life’s milestones. “Live the Dream†of owning your own home!!!
