Goal: Finding Your Dream Home Step One: Find The Right Buyer’s Agent! Find an agent who is based in the area you hope to find your home. This agent will often times specialize in that area and have a significantly more in depth knowledge to answer your questions. The next…
The clock is ticking for home buyers who hope to benefit from the First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit. With only a little over 4 months to go, now is the time to act if you’re interested in getting the $8,000 tax break. Considering that the average time to find and…
Even though it is home to The Second City, Chicago has long been overlooked as a second home city. In the past, vacation home buyers, empty nesters and retirees headed to coastal destinations such as California, Florida and New York to purchase a secondary residence. But now, Chicago’s abundant new…
The Sears Tower is easily recognized by its steely black façade and twin white antennae. But pretty soon Chicago’s tallest building will also be celebrated for its innovative green characteristics. Chicago’s crowning glory of architecture is undergoing an extensive five-year overhaul to make the skyscraper more eco-friendly. Renovations include the…
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…
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. From the previous week,…
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…
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…
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%…
1.) DON’T List Without Quality Photos Nearly nine out of ten home buyers start the process by looking for listings on the Internet. And you know what they want to see? You got it – Photos. The better the photos you have of your property, the better it shows to…
Our very own Maggie Ahern will make her small-screen debut this Thursday 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…
First-time home buyers can now use the $8,000 federal tax credit as down payment on Federal Housing Administration-insured loans. Modification to the tax credit was announced Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and is hoped to significantly increase the number of first-time buyers entering the…
If you’re nostalgic for a home with old world charm that still fits your contemporary lifestyle, take a tour of the historically significant 1856 Century House at 4362 W. Grace Street in Irving Park.
There are those homeowners who love cubbyholes and nooks, and then there are those who admire clean lines, open space and modern edge. If the latter describes what you’re looking for, then take a drive by 4511 North Wolcott in Ravenswood.
When you crave natural light and luxuriously open indoor spaces, a typical cubbyhole condo simply won’t do. If you’re looking for a high-class home that lets the outdoors in, visit the exquisite corner townhome at 2701 N. Greenview.
Are you the king (or queen) of home entertaining? Looking for a new home that inspires a little zen? Then you owe yourself a tour of 3117 North Hoyne in LakeView.