For every decent real-estate Web site or blog, there are probably about a hundred sites that have been set up as phishing schemes, intended to both optimize search engines and lure buyers into sharing their contact information to generate “leads.”
Today, I came across a blog with the suspicious title of The Chicago Condo Loft, which is connected to a Web-based brokerage (seriously) called CondoDomain. All blog posts are written by Robert Chiarito, CondoDomain’s city vice president of Chicago, and they all share a frightening inability to string together a meaningful sentence.
Here’s a recent post from the blog describing a condo development referred to simply as “The Century 21”:
Century 21 is located at 3812 West 47th Street in Chicago. This is the 3 stories building. Beautiful slate flooring in bathrooms and eucalyptus wood flooring in all areas besides bedrooms and bathrooms. Prices range from $990,00 to about $710,000. Other points of interest include a frameless glass shower door, Grohe shower heads, and stone slab countertops. The kitchens come fully stocked with granite countertops, 21.6 cubic foot refrigerators, built-in gas cooktops and self-cleaning ovens, 42†upper cabinets, and double-bowl stainless steel sinks. The Century 21 building itself offers residents a choice of lake, city, or Soldier Field views, a business center and conference room, an entertainment room, fitness center. The Century 21 is also convenient to many cultural and educational destinations.
For comparison, check out this listing from Redfin. The only listing for 3812 W 47th St that surfaces in an MLS search is a one-bedroom condo priced at $85,000 — well outside the $990,000 to $710,000 range cited in the post. And without the help of a hot-air balloon, I’m not sure that anyone in West Elsdon can choose from “lake, city, or Soldier Field views.”
Don’t take candy from strangers, kids.