Wolak’s new company specializes in residential and commercial properties, with offices in Tampa, Sarasota and Naples. A short-sale division handles sales for financial institutions, but Wolak also sells for individuals who are looking for an innovative way to showcase their properties.

At a recent auction Wolak sold a Ritz-Carlton penthouse for $3 million, her largest residential sale to date. She’s currently preparing to auction off a buildable canal-front lot at 505 Avenida de Mayo on Siesta Key. And with each successful sale, her telephone starts to ring. “We’re a nice alternative to real estate agents for people who want a different approach, say a faster resolution or results without the marketing costs,” she says.

Wolak explains that sellers have to be motivated and not looking for top dollar, although there are occasions when the competitive nature of the auction drives price up. Sometimes bidding starts with a reserve amount and the sale price is subject to seller confirmation. Then there are absolute sales, where offers can begin at any amount and the property sells to the highest bidder, creating tremendous excitement in the crowd.

Wolak has the genuine patter of an auctioneer. “I love to hold my auctions on the property, with a big tent filled with chairs so bidders can see the land, see the waterfront and walk around the neighborhood,” she says. Wolak also offers a bidder reward program for high rollers and frequent bidders, including VIP seating in a special roped-off section along with beverages and appetizers. “We don’t just sell property at our auctions, we create events,” she says. “The atmosphere is exciting and fun.”

IN ANY LANGUAGE Candy Swick felt certain she could loll around the house in her pajamas on New Year’s Day. But the telephone rang very early, and the caller begged Swick to show her prospective buyers a house that Swick had listed for sale. One hour later, Swick met the enthusiastic clients at the property only to find out that neither spoke or understood a word of English.

The buyers hastily called a multilingual friend, and he hurried over to the house to act as interpreter. The buyers loved the place and decided right then and there to buy. But the friend could not accompany them to the bargaining table, and once again Swick was left to negotiate the contract and explain the subtle nuances of the transaction.

“I was lucky enough to locate someone through MLS, Tania Corredor, who was fluent in Spanish and English, and I hired her to facilitate the transaction,” Swick says. As luck would have it, the deal did not go through. But Swick was so impressed by Corredor’s people skills and professionalism that she hired her to come aboard and work at Swick & Associates.
Not long afterwards, the Spanish-speaking couple called back. “This time, the details all came together,” says Swick. “They got the house; I got a brilliant new associate and a few words of Spanish on my vocabulary. Gracias.”