10 Ways to Make Your Home Greener (And Keep the Green in Your Wallet!)
A number of inexpensive things can be done to improve your home’s energy efficiency. Keep in mind that many of these solutions are longer-term initiatives. The energy savings will be immediate while the true cost savings may not be realized for a couple years. Learn eco-conscious ideas you may not have already heard about.
[Read More]Posted at 02:54PM Aug 31, 2009 by Julius Dickens in Green Real Estate Comments[0]
It’s the last week in August and Dream Town is closing out the month with a packed schedule of open houses. There’s a good variety of homes to see, including a high-rise condominium on Michigan Ave, trendy timber loft in the historic Prairie District, and spacious duplex in a Lincoln Park walk-up. The details are right here!
[Read More]Posted at 02:53PM Aug 28, 2009 by Bob Billimack in Open House Comments[0]
How Have You Made Your Home Green?
In recent times, people have shown increasing interest in Green Certified properties. As there is a limited supply of green home listings on the market, many buyers and homeowners are turning to the next best option: retro-fitting an existing home to make it more energy efficient. Curious how you can update your own place?
[Read More]Posted at 11:39AM Aug 27, 2009 by Chandra Rose in Green Real Estate Comments[1]
Will People Still Buy Green/LEED Certified Homes?
So what is LEED? In a nutshell, LEED is a certification developed by the United States Green Building Council that rates the energy efficiency and environmental design of a structure. It takes into account everything from construction to water usage and incorporates the entire lifecycle of a building from design to future upgrade-ability or retrofitting.
[Read More]Posted at 03:00PM Aug 25, 2009 by Beverly Bahm in Green Real Estate Comments[1]
This weekend you are invited to visit a couple of Dream Town’s featured properties. There will be open houses on Sunday for a cheery city condo in United Center Park and a spacious single-family home in Aurora, Illinois. Interested in seeing other properties for sale? We can help you find your Dream Home! Use Dream Town’s free Chicago home search or have an expert real estate agent locate listings for you (find your agent here!).
[Read More]Posted at 10:32AM Aug 21, 2009 by Bob Billimack in Open House Comments[0]
Chicago Home Sales Up from Last Year
For the first time in 2 years existing home sales in the Chicago area have shown a year-over-year improvement. Media outlets such as the Chicago Tribune tout the news as a possible “sign that the local housing market may have, from a sales volume standpoint, bottomed out.”
[Read More]Posted at 12:00PM Aug 18, 2009 by Nykea Pippion-McGriff in Market News Comments[0]
Venture out to Dream Town’s featured open houses this weekend. It’s a great opportunity to visit one- and two-bedroom condos in neighborhoods around the city. Find out where to go right here.
Or, if you're looking for something else, check out Dream Town's other featured properties here.
[Read More]Posted at 12:09PM Aug 14, 2009 by Nykea Pippion-McGriff in Open House Comments[0]
Finding Your Dream Home Step 3: Making an Offer
Now that you and your agent have whittled down the listings and found your Top Choice, you are ready to make an offer.
This step will be different from state to state. In Illinois it can be a very simple process, depending on the type of residential property you have decided to buy. There are a few different kinds… Traditional: the most common type of sale where the seller is not in any financial trouble; Foreclosure: where a bank has repossessed the home and is now trying to sell it at a reduced rate; and Short Sale: where the homeowner has made an agreement with their bank/lender to sell their home short of what they owe—any offer will require bank approval to sell.
[Read More]Posted at 01:57PM Aug 11, 2009 by Bob Billimack in Buying Comments[1]
Want to see some excellent examples of Chicago homes for sales? This weekend’s featured open houses offers a great list of prime properties currently on the market. Get a first-hand look at townhouses, lofts and condos that span from Hyde Park on the South Side to Edgewater to the far North.
[Read More]Posted at 02:00PM Aug 07, 2009 by Julius Dickens in Open House Comments[0]
Case-Shiller Index: Good News for Housing
The Case-Shiller real estate index has been churning out doom and gloom reports about the housing market for the past three years. That’s why the public is really perking up now that the index is saying home prices are on the way up.
[Read More]Posted at 09:24AM Aug 05, 2009 by Nykea Pippion-McGriff in Market News Comments[0]
Finding Your Dream Home: Step 2
Step Two: Working Efficiently with Your Buyer’s Agent
Having successfully navigated Step One (the Interview Process), where you found the best agent to meet your needs and personality, you are now ready to move forward. In this post we’ll go over helpful practices when working with an agent.
Posted at 10:20AM Aug 04, 2009 by Bob Billimack in Buying Comments[0]
“Midwest Showing Strongest Signs of Recovery” – Associated Press
There was a wave of optimism in the media this past weekend by reports that the economic downturn is nearing the bottom and may begin a slow rebound. In an article distributed by the Associated Press, a claim that the “the worst is over” was supported by signs of housing stabilization in many markets around the country—including a notable demonstration of recovery in certain areas of the Midwest.
[Read More]Posted at 12:08PM Aug 03, 2009 by Spencer Mason in General Comments[0]
