From the monthly archives:

June 2007

Look at Locations Before Looking at Homes

June 30, 2007

I received an email this week from a man, Brad, who with his partner, Jose, wants to sell their condo in the city and buy a house in the north or northwest suburbs. Brad had some questions and was upfront that they weren’t ready to work with a Realtor yet. They’re focused on driving around [...]

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How to Minimize Your Risk When Buying New Construction

June 27, 2007

One of the differences between buying a resale home and buying new construction is the contract used. The Multi-Board Residential Real Estate Contract used by Chicago area Realtors for resale properties provides several contingencies for buyers including attorney review, inspection, homeowners insurance and mortgage contingencies.
New home contracts are typically unique to each developer and [...]

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Book Review: All Real Estate is Local

June 24, 2007

I just finished reading “All Real Estate is Local” by National Association of Realtor’s Chief Economist, David Lereah. The main point of the book is that real estate prices are primarily influenced by the local economy and what he calls the local market’s DNA, its characteristics such as Chicago’s location on Lake Michigan.
Based on the [...]

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Goofus & Gallant Listing Agents

June 21, 2007

When I was growing up I would read “Highlights for Children” when in the waiting room of the doctor’s office. The one part I’ve always remembered was Goofus & Gallant which showed the wrong way to behave (Goofus) and the right way to behave (Gallant). Goofus would play in an area and leave a mess. [...]

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Lying is Not a Good Home Buying Tactic!

June 18, 2007

Saturday night I attended the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Chicago Gala at the Chicago Hilton. It was a great event with a wonderful speech by the actress, Marlee Matlin.
During the reception I was talking with a Realtor based in Chicago’s Gold Coast Neighborhood who shared the story of how a couple had called him about [...]

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Fix Water Leaks Before Putting Your Home on the Market

June 16, 2007

This week I met with a gentleman who will be listing his home for sale in Glenview. As he showed me around the basement, he mentioned that there was a leak in a corner about twice a year when it rains hard for a couple of days. He wasn’t getting it fixed.
I advised him to [...]

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Randolph Place – 165 N. Canal, Chicago

June 14, 2007

3 of the condos I showed my buyer on Saturday were at Randolph Place, the building shown left. Located at 165 N. Canal, the building is just north of and across the street from the Ogilvie Transportation Center. It’s also very near where the Chicago River branches north and south. Being on the west side [...]

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South Loop’s Prairie District Neighborhood – Metra Station & Good Bistro!

June 11, 2007

Sorry I haven’t blogged for a few days. I’ve been busying showing 2 bedroom condos in several areas of Chicago.
The photo above is a view from a new condo one of my buyers signed a contract for yesterday in the Prairie District Neighborhood of the South Loop. The Prairie District extends from E. 16th down [...]

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Interest Rates Moved Higher

June 7, 2007

In the past week we have seen reports indicating that the economy is doing better then expected.
Unemployment remains Low
Retail Sales are Stable
Central Banks Around the World Have Increased Interest Rates
Oil Prices Are Up – Bad for Inflation
Federal Reserve Chairman Expressed Lingering Concerns About Inflation
As a result, interest rates have been moving up. A 30 year [...]

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Chicago Area Before & After School Care

June 5, 2007

Sunday I talked with a woman considering relocating back to the north suburbs from Los Angeles. She has a daughter who will be in first grade this fall and wanted to know about the availability of before and after school care. Below are links to such programs and the schools that may provide before and [...]

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