931 W. Leland #406- Top Floor Corner Unit in Lovely Recently Rehabbed Condo Conversion in Uptown!

TOP FLOOR CORNER UNIT IN LOVELY RECENTLY REHABBED CONDO CONVERSION IN UPTOWN. MANY UPGRADES FEATURING: HARDWOOD FLOORS THRU-OUT, KITCHEN WITH BEAUTIFUL GRANITE COUNTER TOPS & STAINLESS STEEL APPLIANCES,... [Read more about this property]

1050 W. Dakin #2E- Rehabbed Two Bedroom/Two Bath in Great Wrigleyville Location!

Rehabbed Two bedroom/Two Bath in Great Wrigleyville Location! Large living room with separate area for a dining room table. Huge kitchen, hardwood floors, gas fireplace, balcony, and brand new front-loading... [Read more about this property]

444 W. Fullerton #1909- Former 3 Bedroom Converted to Large 2 Bedroom with more Living Space!

ULTIMATE LINCOLN PARK LIFESTYLE! AMAZING, UNOBSTRUCTED NORTHWEST VIEWS! FORMER 3 BEDROOM CONVERTED TO LARGE 2 BEDROOM WITH MORE LIVING SPACE! 2 FULL BATHS, OAK HARDWOOD FLOORS, WASHER & DRYER IN-UNIT... [Read more about this property]

4259 N. Ashland #1- Real Three Bedroom Condo in a Total Gut Rehab with a Great Location!

Real Three Bedroom Condo in a Total Gut Rehab with a Great Location!! Gourmet Kitchen with SS Appliances, 1 1/4″ granite, 42″ cabinets, and a huge breakfast bar. Exposed brick in living room.... [Read more about this property]

1528 W. Monroe #PH1- Top Floor,Luxury Penthouse with 2 elevators directly into your new home!

Top Floor,Luxury Penthouse with 2 elevators directly into your new home!! 16 ft ceilings w/ crown molding, Gourmet kitchen with Wolf stove, Subzero, wine fridge, & stone deck off the kitchen &... [Read more about this property]

1122 N. Dearborn #24J- Beautiful 3 bd/2.1 ba Corner Unit in Heart of Gold Coast!

Beautiful 3 bd/2.1 ba Crnr Unit in Heart of Gold Coast! This unit features: walnut hdwd flrs, bamboo window treatments, marble bathrms, & a kitchen w/ SS appliances, maple cabinets, & granite... [Read more about this property]

4028 N. St. Louis - Live in a Recently Rehabbed Single Family Home for the Price of a Condo!

Live in a Recently Rehabbed Single Family Home for the price of a Condo! This beautiful home features: A Gourmet kitchen with SS Appliances and Granite Countertops, WBFP, a Front Porch and a Large Back... [Read more about this property]

Single-Family Housing Starts Hold Steady For The 8th Straight Month

Single-family Housing Starts idled last month, dropping just 3,000 units from the month prior, or 0.2%. According to the Commerce Department’s report, February marked the 8th straight month in which Housing Starts straddled the half-million marker, dating back to June 2009. This is a different slant on the Housing Starts story as told by the press. Most publications are reporting that Housing... [Read more]

A Simple Explanation Of The Federal Reserve Statement (March 16, 2010 Edition)

Today, the Federal Open Market Committee voted 9-to-1 to leave the Fed Funds Rate unchanged, in its target range of 0.000-0.250 percent. In its press release, the FOMC noted that the U.S. economy “has continued to strengthen” and that the jobs markets “is stabilizing”.  It also said that business spending has “has risen significantly”. This is a slight departure... [Read more]

A Rate-Locking Strategy For Today’s Fed Meeting

The Federal Open Market Committee adjourns from a scheduled 1-day meeting today, its second of the year.  The FOMC has held the Fed Funds Rate in a target range of 0.000-0.250 percent since December 16, 2008, and the voting members of the Fed are expected to vote “no change” again today. However, no change in the Fed Funds Rate doesn’t necessarily mean no change in mortgage... [Read more]

15-Minute Fixes For Around The Home

Home maintenance is an ongoing project. There’s always something to do around the house, or something to fix. The problem is, you may not have the time, or the skills, to get it done yourself. In this 4-minute piece from The Today Show on NBC, you’ll see some projects are quite simple. Dubbed “15-Minute Fixes”, see how simple it can be to handle 3 common household chores: De-alcification... [Read more]

How To Refinance When Your Home Is Underwater

The Federal Housing Finance Agency has extended the government’s Home Affordable Refinance Program by 12 months. HARP’s new end date is June 30, 2011. Originally known as Making Home Affordable, HARP aims to help Illinois homeowners refinance their mortgage who may otherwise be ineligible because of falling home values. There are 4 basic HARP criteria every borrower must meet: The existing... [Read more]

Foreclosures Per Capita | February 2010

According to foreclosure-tracking firm RealtyTrac, foreclosure filings topped 300,000 for the 12th straight month last month as 1 in every 418 U.S. homes received a foreclosure filing. It’s a small improvement from January and a just 6 percent increase over February 2009. On a per-capita basis, foreclosure density varied by state: Nevada : 1 foreclosure filing per 102 homes Florida : 1 foreclosure... [Read more]

Don’t Rush To Refinance That ARM — It May Be Adjusting To 3 Percent Or Lower

If your mortgage is set to adjust this year, the smart move may be to let it. Today’s conforming mortgages are adjusting lower than ever before — as low as 3 percent.  It may not be what you expected when you signed for your ARM several years ago. The reason why ARMs are adjusting lower is because of how they’re made. When conforming adjustable-rate mortgages adjust, they adjust... [Read more]

7 Weeks Remain To Find A Home, Claim Up To $8,000 In Tax Credits

In November, Congress extended and expanded the First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit program to include a subset of “move-up” buyers — homeowners that have owned and lived in their home for 5 of the last 8 years. The credit ranges up to $8,000 per buyer. There’s now just 7 weeks left to take advantage. To be eligible, home buyers must be under contract for a new home no later... [Read more]

Geek Gifts : The 16-Piece iPhone Coaster Set

You could call it the Ultimate Geek Gift for an iPhone-toting friend — or even for yourself. It’s a set of 16 coasters made to look like iPhone application icons. Made by Brazilian firm Meninos, the coasters are constructed from sturdy, medium-density fiber plywood and are coated in vinyl.  They’re are roughly 3 1/2 inches square, washable, and feature non-skid, rubber bottoms. Many... [Read more]

Pending Home Sales Drag In January, But Should Rebound For Spring

Fewer homes went under contract in January as the housing market continues to limp through the winter months. According to the National Association of Realtors®, the Pending Home Sales Index fell to its lowest level in 3 quarters this January. By contrast, in October 2009, the index had touched a 3-year high. The Pending Home Sales Index measures the number of homes that have gone under contract... [Read more]