Upcoming Foreclosures

Can someone recommend a good buyer's agent in Chicago?

I am looking to buy a property in Chicago, and I would like to get an opinion from the public...referrals are good but can be biased, and I really need an agent who understands foreclosures, bank owned properties, distressed real estate, and is a good hard negotiator. Thanks much!

Public Comments

1. I would recommend Branko Gjoreski at Consumer's Choice Realty...he is one of the guys who has actually purchased foreclosures and tax certificates himself, and has great knowledge about the foreclosure process. He also has a good network of tax certificate buyers and agents that list foreclosed properties from banks, so you can always get the best inside information on the deals. His current website is at http://www.taxresales.com and his number is 773-474-6648. He offers his buyers rebates of up to 50% of his commission....I guess the less showings he does for you the more you get as a rebate, so that is good for the do-it-yourself buyers who do a lot or research on their own on the internet. It pays to be decisive and it never hurts to get some cash back.
2. I surely can! I'm a real estate agent in Louisiana. I cannot help you personally, but as a REALTOR I can find you a very good agent in your area and set you up with them. That way there is no work on your part and you still get one of the best agents in your area. Would you be interested in this? If so shoot me an email and we can talk. Thanks.
3. Don't even bother with an agent. Over the past year, over 30,000 homes in the Chicagoland area went on foreclosure. They're listed by pages in all the local papers. Pioneer press specializes in local publishings. Identify which area you want to go into, get the local paper and pick the property. There are really tons of properties listed every week. If you get an agent, s/he will do the exact same thing, or otherwise pull fannie mae properties from the MLS. The money you think you will be saving on buying on forclosure, you'll actually pay to the broker. Another way of seeing what's out there (but a little more involved) is going by the county assessor's office and finding out which properties are going out for tax sales. For this one, you will actually have to go to the Loop (Clark St. between Randolph and Washington) and go in the basement and start looking through records. This is probably most equitable way, but it also involves research time. Tax sale auctions go on frequently and if you have a cash, you can buy the property for as little as the delinquent tax.
4. Why would you look at newspaper listings and spend time in basements? I get a list or pre-foreclosures, foreclosure auctions and bank owned real estate from http://www.taxresales.com in Excel....it is easy to sort and filter...you can't get that in the online service providers, and if you can, the "download" option is much more expensive.... I have not used a buyer's agent, but doing my own research and then inviting an agent for the showing and offer negotiation seems reasonable if they give me a rebate...it's like an immediate discount of about 1% or more...