Monday, July 25, 2016

Why Lakeshore East Is a Great Community


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Lakeshore East is one of the premier communities in the Chicago Central Loop. There are a lot of different developments, family attractions, Chicago landmarks, and luxury condo and townhome developments.

This condo in particular is right by Navy Pier, a Chicago landmark that is over 100 years old and draws over 9 billion visitors each year. Not only that, but there are also many restaurants nearby, as well as the beautiful Lakeshore East Park.


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Lakeshore East is one of the premier communities in Chicago.

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Lakeshore East Park is only two or three minutes away from here. The park features a dog park, garden, and swingset. This building is also right next to the new Riverwalk development, which was just finished this year. The Riverwalk goes for a mile and a half along the river. You can ride your bike on the bike paths, check out restaurants, catch the water taxi, and even kayak down the river!

Finally, this condo is right by Millennium Park, one of the major tourist attractions in Chicago. As you can see, Lakeshore East is a great community filled with activities for the entire family.

If you have any questions, you can reach David at (708) 705-7911 or email him at Dave.Bowen@imortgage.com. As always, if you have any real estate questions, give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

Friday, July 8, 2016

How You Can Afford One of My Chicagoland Condos


Looking to buy a Chicago home? Get a full Home Search
Selling your Chicago home? Get a free Home Price Evaluation

Today I’ve brought in David Bowen with imortage to discuss how to buy one of my listings. Today we’re sitting in one of my downtown listings, a beautiful building in The Regatta just under 1,000 square feet with everything upgraded - marble baths, granite countertops, 42-inch cherry wood cabinets, hardwood floors, assessments under $570, and an unobstructed view of the Chicago area.

So, how can you buy this property? The condo is reasonably priced, but if you want to know the amount, just give me a call. According to Dave, in a building such as this, you’re typically looking at 5% to 10% down. The building is also Fannie Mae-insured, which basically means you can get a Fannie Mae insurable loan. This opens up the realm to a lot of different buyers.


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This condo is Fannie Mae-insured.

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If you need to know anything else regarding financing, just give Dave a call at 708-705-7911. If you have any questions regarding this condo or know someone who wants to buy it, call me at 312-497-1651.

Monday, June 6, 2016

A Loan for Every Situation with imortgage


Looking to buy a Chicago home? Get a full Home Search
Selling your Chicago home? Get a free Home Price Evaluation

I'm joined by Dave Bowen, who you may have noticed was absent from the last few videos. He's back, and happy to announce that he's moved to join a new mortgage company called imortgage.

This is good news, because it will allow Dave to provide more products to his customers and better service to the clients. This is beneficial for Dave's customers, because he now has a loan designed for every situation on a home. He has a lot more possibilities to provide loans in particular situations, and that's why he moved companies. The service at imortgage is tremendous, according to Dave, who said their philosophy is to close loans on time, period.


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Dave's mortgage products and services with imortgage can appeal to the surrounding community.

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We have a myriad of clients who are first-time buyers and millennials, as well as move-up buyers and luxury buyers. Dave's mortgage products and services with imortgage can appeal to the surrounding community. For example, there are multiple options just for renovation loans. Dave's company is the only one in the country that can offer VA renovation loans! They're also licensed across the country, coast to coast.

If you have any questions for Dave, you can reach him at (708) 705-7911.

If you have any needs for buying and selling homes, give me a call as well. I look forward to hearing from you.

Friday, May 20, 2016

How Much Buying Power Do You Have in Chicago?


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Selling your Chicago home? Get a free Home Price Evaluation

For any buyer, there are a few different things that are very important when determining your buying power. The first is your credit score. It’s the first thing lenders will look at, and it determines how strong of a buyer you are to a lender. The next thing to focus on is a down payment. How much can you put down? The more the better, and if you put at least 20% down, you will eliminate private mortgage insurance. Finally, a lender will take a look at your debt-to-income ratio. The lower those numbers are, the more buying power you will have. An ideal ratio can vary depending on the program, but a good rule of thumb is having 35-40%. The next thing to focus on is assets. The more assets you have, the stronger you are as a buyer.


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The first things lenders will look at is your credit score.

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The most attractive buyer will be someone with a high credit score, high down payment, and low debt-to-income ratio. If you have any questions for us about buying a home, give us a call or send us an email. We would love to hear from you!

Monday, May 16, 2016

5 Tips to Accurately Price Your Chicago Home


Looking to buy a Chicago home? Get a full Home Search
Selling your Chicago home? Get a free Home Price Evaluation

Today, I’m going to discuss how to price your home accurately in today’s market. Here are five things you should keep in mind.

1. Consider the comparables in the area. What have other homes sold for in your neighborhood in the last 60 to 90 days? How do they compare to your home in terms of size, upkeep, and amenities? 

2. Consider the competition in your area. Always be aware of which homes are for sale in your neighborhood.

3. What are your contingencies? Is there a certain time frame for your move? Do you need to be in the new property by a certain date? There are two issues that affect real estate sales in any market: price and the seller’s motivation.


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Price your home correctly from the start.

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4. Be accurate in pricing. According to the National Association of Realtors, if you are 3% higher than what the fair market value is, your home could take 20% to 30% longer than the average market time to sell. 

5. Know what offers you’re looking for. Know what you are willing to take before you even begin negotiations with the buyer. 

If you have any questions, give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you.