The Chicago 77

Representing both buyers and sellers I have learned the impact of price changes in this particular market. It is home-buying process is not only about the value of the property, but also the buyer’s perception that the seller really wants to sell. Sellers Must Acknowledge Price Pressures Sellers need to remember, particularly right now, they […]

Upon a mixed bag of numbers released last week by the National Association of Realtors, Standard & Poor?s Case-Shiller Housing Numbers released this morning show continued movement upwards making July the sixth month in a row with slight gain. ?The rate of annual decline in home price values continues to decelerate and we now seem […]

The week after Labor Day traditionally marks the beginning of Chicago?s fall real estate. As this has been a period of non-traditional activity, I have thought carefully about what are my expectations. The strengths and weaknesses in the marketplace will depend on what type of property in what area at what price. There is no […]

Regardless of real estate market conditions, our clients hire us to get their properties sold. Sorting through this week’s news and numbers regarding how we market those listings, there still seems to be a huge disconnect between how most agents think their listings are marketed and the realty of the fastest growing resources that the […]

31 July 2009 ? Chicago?s North Shore high-end market has been especially hard hit by the real estate market?s downturn as reported today on Rismedia. Even offering creative incentives and major price reductions has not helped in moving luxury properties in Chicago?s north suburban areas. According to the North Shore Association of Realtors only 154 […]

First-time buyers have been driving the market in Chicago for months. They are taking advantage of both the low prices and the nearly record breaking interest rates available to them. First-time buyers are also helping the market by buying homes from sellers wanting to also take advantage of the market by buying something larger. In […]

The Chicago Tribune posted an article in yesterday’s Business section titled, “Chicago housing prices drop even faster.” In the article there was a graph which posted home prices and their price reductions broken down by neighborhood. The news source for the pricing was Trulia. Trulia is a website where seller’s and agents alike are welcome […]

13 July 2009 ? Trulia reports that nationwide as of July, sellers cut $27.1 billion from asking prices. This is the first month Chicago has made the top ten list nationally. The volume of price reductions in Chicago was $229,444,054, ranking the city at number seven. Thirty one percent of active listings took an average […]

As I had time to reflect over the holiday weekend, I thought back to all that happened in the month of June. My Personal Market Activity Buyers re-engaged in the marketplace, resulting in sold properties. Sellers who want to sell are listing at prices to sell, not just to list. Communication between the Realtors®, lenders, […]

30 June 2009 ? Changes in the Housing and Economic Recovery Act and The Home Ownership and Equity Protection Act that were made last October will go into effect July 30, 2009. All lenders and brokers must comply with the new rules. It will impact the real estate industry every single day. Realistic expectations will […]

Take comfort home sellers! Celebrities are having the same problem as we common folk. Here are some celebs who can?t seem to sell their houses: Jon and Kate Gosselin, co-stars of the popular TLC show “Jon & Kate Plus 8,” have been trying for three months to sell their former home in Elizabethtown, Pa.

As prospective buyers are sitting back, waiting, and speculating about when to take advantage of the bottom, it appears we have hit a plateau. One of the most effective ways for pricing to stabilize and then see appreciation is depleting inventory. Signs Home Prices in Chicago Are Stabilizing According to the Illinois Association of Realtors, […]

Is your real estate agent evolving or are they a dinosaur? And you know what happened to the dinosaurs?