From the monthly archives:

March 2007

Arlington Heights Market Times Rise, But so do Prices

March 30, 2007

Yesterday I met with a family who plan on selling their house in Arlington Heights this fall. They wanted to get an idea of what the house might sell for so they know what kind of money will be available for their next home.
I also discussed with them market times which have been up [...]

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Featured on First Business Show

March 28, 2007

I made my cable TV debut yesterday at 5 a.m. on First Business, a global morning business news program. Anchor, Beejal Patel, interviewed me about real estate blogging. I’ve made a mental note to smile more in future interviews. I think I came across a little too serious.
A big “thank you” to my [...]

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Pulte’s The Prairies of Winchester Glen in Carpentersville

March 27, 2007

On Sunday and Monday I visited new home developments in Elgin and Carpentersville with a couple relocating from Minneapolis. One of them has a new job with Sears in Hoffman Estates.
Their top two picks were 2 different inventory homes for sale at Pulte’s The Prairies of Winchester Glen in Carpentersville. After I reviewed comparable sales [...]

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Gold Coast Video

March 24, 2007

The Gold Coast neighborhood in Chicago is one of the areas a buyer of mine is considering. He’s still in Hawaii, so I thought I’d post a video on the Gold Coast for him to watch. The video is by Ian Sklarsky. If you’re interested in more of Ian’s videos, you can visit his blog, [...]

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Albany Park Area vs. Albany Park Neighborhood

March 23, 2007

Yesterday while researching the Albany Park condo market I was puzzled why a condo building had units listed in the North Park area of Chicago. Then I realized the condo building was in the Albany Park Neighborhood, but not in the Albany Park Area. If that’s confusing, let me explain the difference.
The Albany Park Area [...]

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New Category: Pets

March 22, 2007

Last night while talking with a new client I couldn’t help but smile when he asked if specific condos in downtown Arlington Heights allow dogs. He doesn’t currently have a dog, but he and his partner plan on getting a dog after they sell their separate condos and buy a home together. A couple who [...]

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MLS Listings’ Lot Sizes Often Incorrect

March 21, 2007

If you are using an online Multiple Listing System (MLS) listings system such as Realtor.Com or BairdWarner.Com to search for homes for sale and are searching for homes for sale with a specific minimum lot size here’s a tip that may save you wasted trips to homes for sale on lots that aren’t as advertised. [...]

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Another Opinion on Attic Mold

March 20, 2007

Yesterday I met with Dan Horvath of Harry Bellock & Associates (general contractors) at a townhouse where mold was found during the home inspection (see Home Inspection Finds Attic Mold). Dan has done a lot of work for insurance companies whose policy holder’s homes have suffered damage. He confirmed that there were no leaks allowing [...]

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How to Avoid Overpaying for a New Home

March 18, 2007

This morning’s print edition of the Daily Herald’s Homes Plus Section includes Jack Guttentag’s column on page two titled, “Unlucky buyer paid more than house worth”. Jack is known as the Mortgage Professor and is a Professor of Finance Emeritus at the Wharton School of Business.
A recent home buyer wrote to Jack, “After being in [...]

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Home Inspection Finds Attic Mold

March 16, 2007

This morning I met with Rob Plachy of American Environmental Solutions at a home a couple of my buyers had inspected last Saturday. During the home inspection, mold was discovered in the attic and it appeared that mold remediation had already been attempted.
Rob determined that the mold encapsulant used by the mold remediation company [...]

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