AWESOME NEW CONSTRUCTION BUILDING SOUTHERN FACING DUPLEX UP, ALL ABOVE GROUND, BEST UNIT IN THE BUILDING! 3 BEDS 3 FULL BATHS NICE DINING ROOM WITH 270 DEGREES OF WINDOWS SEPARATE LIVING ROOM BIG KITCHEN SS APPLIANCES 1 1/4" GRANITE COUNTER TOPS BRAZILIAN CHERRY FLOORS THROUGHOUT EXTRA TALL CEILINGS MARBLE BATHS WITH EURO HEIGHT VANITY HUGE TERRACE WITH SUNNY SOUTHERN EXPOSURE AND NO ONE LIVES ABOVE YOU! 2 CAR SECURED TANDEM PARKING INCLUDED! CALL TODAY JASON ENGLE @ PROPERTIES JENGLE@ATPROPERTIES.COM 312.953.9657 SEE MORE PHOTOS AND PROPERTIES AT HTTP://PROPERTYENGLE.COM 01/17/2008

As we move into the next phase of online buyer customers we (as agents and brokers) may need to readjust our approach slightly.  Over the past 5 years expectations have been changing for buyers searching for real estate online.  In the beginning, they felt it customary to give their email address in exchange for the ability to search for home online.  As time progressed, certain websites allowed users to search using an IDX solution that gave them the ability to search for listings without giving an email address.  As most of you know, IDX does not allow users to search as many listings as a VOW search, but not having to sign-in immediately is appreciated by many customers.Competing systems like IDX has changed expectations.  Now, many customers expect to be able to search for listings ... 01/17/2008

MI tax DeductibleAs we get closer to tax season you wonder what you can do about your Monthly Mortgage Insurance. Well right now MI is tax deductible and is going to stay that way at least until 2010!Here is some information to better assist you. Make sure that your CPA is aware of the fact that your MI is tax deductible. You will be surprise how many CPA are not aware of this right now. This is a great benefit that will help you keep your payments lower and your interest rate lower, and the great thing about it is that is available in every state.   No matter how you slice it,MI is a wise choice.Especially now that it's tax-deductible through 2010! Mortgage insurance (MI) has always been an easy, safe and affordable way for homebuyers to purchase a home with less than the traditional 2... 01/14/2008

I for one am sick and tired of politician's making false promises. When will it ever STOP? I woke up this morning to hear that our wonderful governor of Illinois has once again Broke a Tax increase promise and wants more money from an already struggling Real Estate Market!It seems that now he is raising the Real Estate Taxes to cover the Chicago pubic transportation mess. How can this be?I don't understand how the richest county on the globe can spend trillions over sea's and not here? I wish one day I the Tax payer will have a say to where my hard earned money goes! I hope my Stager friends up in Canada can except one more. Because if things don't change here in the US Im sorry to say I don't think I can live in a country where the middle class folks are the pockets for the politicians... 01/11/2008

CUSTOM BUILT SINGLE FAMILYONE OF A KIND HOME ON DOUBLE LOT IN THE HEART OF BUCKTOWN! 6, BED/5.1 BTH. TOO MUCH TO LIST: 12 TO 35 FT CEILINGS,, IMPORTED HARDWOOD, TILE AND CUSTOM EPOXY FLOORING. COOKS, KITCHEN W/60" CABS, BREAKFAST BAR, PROF SS APPLS, THICK, GRANITE. 35 FT ATRIUM W/CUSTOM STEEL & WOOD STAIRCASE., CHICAGO BRICK ACCENT WALLS, CUSTOM LIGHTING, FULL AUDIO/, VIDEO SYSTEM, 2 GUEST SUITES, 3 LRG DECKS, GARAGE PKG UP ... View Photos Now!   01/10/2008

I found a positive article about the real estate market forecast... Over the next few months, existing-home sales are expected to hold fairly steady as indicated by pending sales activity, then rise later in the year and continue to improve in 2009, according to the latest forecast by the National Association of Realtors®. Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, said there is a pull and tug exerting itself on the market.  “On the one hand, we have a pent-up demand from the four million jobs added to our economy over the past two years of sales decline,” he said.  “On the other, consumers continue to wait for additional signs of market stabilization.  There are more people with financial capacity now than in 2005, but many are trying to market-time their purchase.  As a result, the exact timi... 01/09/2008

I want to invite you to listen in on my talk show.Yes,you heard that right, I have my own talk show. Get all the juicy details about it by clicking on the following link www.blogtalkradio.com/ceceliaknowsmortgagesShow starts at 11am CSTCecelia Marlow - Senior Mortgage Consultant 01/09/2008

I reached for the phone but there was no one to call. The six inches of snow on top of the other six inches of last week's snow has made leaving or entering my house challenging, and access to my garage--(the whole point of having one to begin with being harborage from the elements), treacherous. And even though I am my father's son (and the apple never falls too far from that tree, as we are all well aware), it's not my intention this day to discuss the weather.I'm ticked-off because I don't have a management company to complain to because my walkways are under a foot of snow and the City of Chicago snow-plows, buried my garage door. My mailman, (correction: he prefers to be called a letter carrier per his Christmas card signature...your letter carrier, Roger) Roger won't walk up my i... 01/01/2008

The 1800-plus agents at Baird & Warner were informed via our intranet that two local brokerages have been "merged" into the B&W company.  In the city of Chicago, B&W acquired Habitat Brokerage Company, and in Lake Forest , B&W acquire Renissance Realty Partners.   I believe this is rather exciting; both of those brokerages are highly respected in their niche markets, and bring just that much more energy to the rest of us.  It will be interesting to track how many of those agents with Habitat and Renaissance stay the course, vs. taking their license to a different brokerage.  When I read from time to time that some large brokerages are facing hard times (and some small ones, of course), how gratifying to know that we are doing well (but we already knew that!   ;-)A deeper discussion of t... 12/17/2007

Hope you're enjoying a relaxing Sunday morning! Our Associate Tom Rice at Keller Williams Fox in the Lincoln Square Neighborhood of Chicago IL wanted us to inform you of our Office Blood Drive, in partnership with LifeSource, Chicagoland's Blood Center.YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU, OR THOSE YOU LOVE, MAY NEED BLOOD.  SO GIVE BACK, IN ADVANCE!The Specifics -THURSDAY, DECEMBER 20TH, 9:00AM - 3:00PM, LifeSource Donor Coach, in front of Keller Williams Fox Realty, 4601 N. Western Avenue, Chicago IL.For more information, or to schedule your appointment, contact Tom Rice - 773-564-4236 - or, email Dean's Team.  Appointments are recommended, although walk-ins are welcome.We hope you will participate!DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO  12/09/2007

THE CHICAGO REAL ESTATE MARKET, AND OTHER THINGS CHICAGO, FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF A LITTLE WHITE DOG! Well, I'm getting in my Chicago-ready winter sled and hitting the trails again!  Here's this week's "Chicago Community News You Can Use!' from me and Dean's Team Member Jennifer Garrity!There is a lot to do in the neighborhoods, if you happen to be coming to Chicago this Holiday Season.  Here is a neighborhood perspective, from Chicago Neighborhoods Edgebrook, Portage Park, and Rogers Park, and the Chicago Suburbs of Skokie and Norridge.  Read more in today's post on BlogChicagoHomes.com.Bark at me if you're in town!BUDDY HOLLY MOSS & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO 12/06/2007

Foreclosures are on the rise!  Over the last year the media has been providing the public with unbelievable numbers about the escalating foreclosure rates. With the rise in foreclosures, we have also begun to see people's attention shift to the idea of profiting from foreclosures.  Hit TV shows like, Flip This House, Flip That House and Property Ladder have planted the seed that foreclosures are a potential gold mine.  Investing in foreclosures can definitely be a very profitable business. However when the person looking to purchase a foreclosure is a novice investor or homebuyer (a person planning on living in the home) looking "for a deal" purchasing a "short sale" may in fact be a better choice.  In most cases the novice investors or homebuyers are working with limited capital and pu... 12/06/2007

Without a doubt, home staging can help sell a property. Even in this slower market, with so many home sellers having postive results using the services of an expirienced home stager, it is no surprise to find that time and again the blogging stagers here on Active Rain write posts to share their stories of the many wonderful success they have created.So as much as I don't want to or like to report this, I have to admit that not every home that is staged benefits from the staging. Sometimes staging just can't do enough to make the home sell.Why doesn't staging sometimes help a property sell? Well, there can be any number of reason why the best of staging efforts might be negated, but 3 of the most common reasons are: - The property was overpriced. - The property wasn't marketed properly.... 12/04/2007

It's a great time to be buying a 3000+ square foot loft in the West Loop.  Prices have reduced dramatically and most have fallen under the million dollar mark.  At the time of posting this message, there were only four brick and timber lofts on the market that featured 3000+ square feet, 2+ bedrooms, 2+ baths and offering lots of quality finishes that we all have come to expect today.  The location of these gems is prime-right in the heart of the west loop, within walking distant to all the hot Randolph Street and Greek town restaurants.  This area is still very hot, evidenced by all the boutiques, hair salons and restaurants now expanding to the meat packing warehouses of Fulton and Lake Streets.  Have you tried "newly opened" Macello at 1235 Lake Street?  The pizza is awesome. Old fav... 12/04/2007

multi unit foreclosures for sale in Chicago Illinois 11/29/2007

condos, house, townhomes, foreclosures in Chicago Illinoiscondos, house, townhomes, foreclosures in Chicago Illinois 11/29/2007

As Alfred Hitchcock used to say . . . Goood Eeevning!Down in IL Capitol Springfield tomorrow, the IL House of Representatives debates diversion of the IL Gasoline Tax in the six-county Chicago Metro Area to provide a long-term solution for Transit Funding in and around Chicago and the suburbs - IL Counties of Cook, Lake, DuPage, Will, McHenry, and Kane.  All area transit agencies - the CTA Bus and el, METRA Rail, and PACE Suburban Bus - would be impacted by the funding program.This is relevant to not only Downtown Chicago Real Estate, but also Chicago Suburban residents as well - whether or not appropriate legislation is passed has a direct impact on train, bus, and el fares throughout the area.  If fares are raised, and service cut back, more daily commuters will hit the roads each mor... 11/27/2007

Know anyone in Chicago who wants to grow? Our Team, at Keller Williams Fox in Lincoln Square, on the North Side of Chicago, near Western & Wilson Avenues, is looking for the one right individual to join us.Incredible work ethic and the desire to learn, and grow to your next level are a must.  You've got to be willing to work hard, be coachable, and want to do well.  We all live by the Dean's Team Code of Conduct in our daily business.  It says, in essence - We're EXCELLENT at what we do, and we'll bring that excellence to our Buyer, Seller, and Investor Clients.  No discounters, no weak links!Great splits, proven marketing system, strong internet presence (and growing stronger every day).  We invented the wheel already - you don't have to!  Our office is amazing, the Keller Williams Bus... 11/26/2007

Hitting the mall today?  Not me!  Like many guys, my biggest shopping day this year will be Monday, December 24th, at around 4 in the afternoon.  Ladies, you want to find a bunch of males, each with a "deer in the headlights" look in their eyes, and fear in their hearts, heading straight to the "Gift Card" rack (they still can't think of what to buy their wives or girlfriends) - go to any mall or big box store late in the afternoon on Christmas Eve!  It's quite humorous!Click to BlogChicagohomes.com for some relevant thoughts and great links updating what's happening on the Chicago Holiday Shopping Scene today. Here's a summary of links to follow before you hit the road this weekend -Chicago Tribune Blog Friday - Continuous Updates from the Field (oops, Macy's)WBBM, 780 AM - Live Stream... 11/23/2007

There is a racoon living on our property-actually, a family of racoons. We thought this was pretty cool a few months ago when we decided to buy a timeworn, if not stately, house on the utmost western tip of the Chicago city limits. Our property virtually abuts a forest preserve to the north and a Metra commuter train stop to the south-a line whose tracks are also shared by Amtrak and what remains of the Illinois Central Railroad (the latter would be freight trains btw). Note to self: Spend an entire night in the next house I buy before cutting the final earnest money check for escrow. It's all good, though.There are also deer, I shat you not. Now I don't eat venison, nor do I hunt, but if one more forest preserve denizen bolts in front of my BMW on my way to or from civilization, then I... 11/23/2007