Chicago Real Estate Blog

Where to Find Chicago’s Fireworks this Fourth of July

Most people know they can go downtown to Grant Park to see the City of Chicago fireworks tomorrow night (July 3), but where do you go if you’re in the suburbs? Here’s a list of suburban Chicago fireworks displays as reported in the Daily Herald…

Posted at 02:30PM Jul 02, 2009 by Spencer Mason in General  |  Comments[0]

More Affordable to Own than Rent?

Economists have all kinds of indices and formulas to determine whether it’s more affordable to own a home in a given city than to rent an apartment there. Moody’s Economy.com is a respected organization that recently published new calculations for the top metro markets in the U.S. and Crain’s Chicago Business laid out the results this week in their June 29th edition.

Posted at 02:03PM Jun 30, 2009 by Spencer Mason in General  |  Comments[0]

Featured Chicago Open Houses

Check out the hot buys around Chicago this weekend!

Posted at 02:30PM Jun 26, 2009 by Spencer Mason in General  |  Comments[0]

Mortgage Apps/Home Sales on the Rise

Both new mortgage and refi applications rose last week, according to a survey by the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA). The increase in applications is a 17.2% jump from last year at this time and another sign that the housing market is heating up with the temperature.

Posted at 04:13PM Jun 24, 2009 by Spencer Mason in General  |  Comments[0]

Featured Chicago Open Houses

Check out the hot buys around Chicago this weekend! Come visit Dream Town’s featured listings on Saturday and Sunday – we’ve got a great selection, including a new construction home, historic rowhouse and short sale loft. If you don’t see anything you like here, check out our other featured properties, or contact an agent and tell them what you’re looking for!

Posted at 12:57PM Jun 18, 2009 by Spencer Mason in General  |  Comments[0]

Senate Bill to Expand Home Buyer Tax Credit: $15K, for ALL Buyers

If $8,000 wasn’t enough to motivate home buyers, perhaps $15,000 will get results? A new legislation to expand the First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit was proposed last week. The modifications would nearly double the maximum incentive amount, eliminate the first-tier income cap, and make the credit available to all home buyers.

Posted at 03:49PM Jun 16, 2009 by Spencer Mason in General  |  Comments[0]

Featured Chicago Open Houses

Dream Town has a lot of featured open houses this week, including an architecturally significant Mid-Century Modern home in the city and a gorgeous Victorian gem in the suburbs. We’re also showing a great variety of condos, lofts and townhomes in various Chicago neighborhoods. Come check them out!

Posted at 01:26PM Jun 12, 2009 by Spencer Mason in General  |  Comments[0]

Pending Home Sales Rise AGAIN!

For the third month in a row, pending home sales went up again this April. Many are wondering if the prolonged turn in an appreciating direction has marked the bottom of the market (we’ll keep our fingers crossed!). The numbers, released by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), are a positive sign for the housing market – and really for the whole economy. Nationwide the Pending Home Sales Index increased 6.7 percent from the previous month (the biggest spike in almost 8 years) and it went up 9.8 percent in the Midwest, which is over 11 percent higher than April of last year.

Posted at 02:53PM Jun 09, 2009 by Spencer Mason in General  |  Comments[0]

Featured Chicago Open Houses

Visit Dream Town’s Featured Open Houses! This Sunday, several one- and two-bedroom condos are welcoming homebuyers to stop by and take a peek at some prime Chicago real estate. Read on for locations, prices, open house hours, property photos and more! And, if you don’t see something you like – contact a Dream Town Agent to find exactly what you’re looking for!

Posted at 10:59AM Jun 05, 2009 by Spencer Mason in General  |  Comments[0]

Update: First Time Buyers Tax Credit for FHA Down Payment

Further clarification of how the First Time Home Buyers Tax Credit can be used for upfront home buying costs with FHA loans was released today. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that the $8,000 tax credit can be used as money down on top of the 3.5% down payment required by FHA-insured loans. It can also be used for closing costs or to buy points to lower the interest rate.

Posted at 11:55AM Jun 03, 2009 by Spencer Mason in General  |  Comments[0]

Featured Chicago Open Houses

This Sunday, Dream Town is hosting a number of open houses at a variety of city condos and lofts, plus one architecturally significant single-family house on the Northwest Side. They’re all happening on the 31st, so plan to stop by – or contact a Dream Town Agent to schedule a private showing!

Posted at 02:12PM May 29, 2009 by Spencer Mason in General  |  Comments[0]

Don’t Make These 5 Home Selling Mistakes…

Be a smart seller. Here are five simple things to avoid when selling your home.

Posted at 05:00PM May 27, 2009 by Spencer Mason in General  |  Comments[0]

Featured Chicago Open Houses

It’s a holiday weekend, so there are limited Dream Town open houses – but we do have a couple listings open for visits this Saturday. So if you’re sticking around town and itching to find the perfect home, check it out! 

Posted at 12:03PM May 21, 2009 by Spencer Mason in General  |  Comments[0]

Dream Town Agent Appears on HGTV Program This Thursday!

Our very own Maggie Ahern will make her small-screen debut tomorrow night at 7pm Central on the hit HGTV show “My First Place.” As a second generation Chicago realtor, Maggie has real estate in her blood. She’s the perfect agent to help first-time home buyers find their Dream Home in Chicago!

Posted at 09:14AM May 20, 2009 by Spencer Mason in General  |  Comments[0]

Featured Chicago Open Houses

Check out where to find this weekend’s featured open houses in Chicago and the suburbs. There’s a rare listing for a Mid-Century Modern single-family home on 4 city lots in the Budlong Woods neighborhood of Chicago. There are also some quality condo units you can visit and other single-family homes up for sale with open houses this weekend. 

Posted at 02:21PM May 15, 2009 by Spencer Mason in General  |  Comments[0]