Living in Lincoln Park Blog

Discover Living in Lincoln Park!


 SUBSCRIBE

May 27th, 2008

Ignore the Headlines…

…says Dan Kadlec in Time Magazines February 25, 2008 issue.
 

Dan brings what the pundits and negative press would have you believe about the current real estate market down to $$$$ and sense.  Common sense that is.
 

His argument is that although some ‘regional’ skepticism is certainly in order, overall finance costs will rise as the economy (and real estate market) recover, so trying to ‘time’ real estate might not pay off.
 

“Let’s say you are emotionally ready to be a homeowner.  You have good credit, plan to stay put for five years and have been waiting for the perfect entry point.  It’s time to get serious—–before an inevitable rise in interest rates wipes out your advantage”.
 

According to Jim Svinth, chief economist at mortgage firm Lending Tree, “the thing that will make home prices stop falling is the very same thing that will push mortgage rates higher”.
 

That should translate into the realization that any $$ advantage  you might gain by real estate prices dropping will likely be offset by rising financing costs.
 

Read the complete article at http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1713483,00.html   Do the hard math.  Then contact Doug @LincolnParkLiving.com to discuss the local real estate market, get the statistical facts on Chicago and get started on your home search today.
 



 

May 27th, 2008

Avoid the long lines for you city sticker!!

In the May/June issue of the 43rd Ward Alderman Vi Daley News, staffers remind us that on Saturday, June 7th (9am-12:30pm) and Monday, June 23rd (10am-5pm) Chicago City Clerk Miquel del Valle’s staff will be at Alderman Daleys offices (735 W. Wrightwood) selling city stickers and residential permit parking stickers.

Easier still, if you have received your renewal notice from the City, go to www.ChiCityClerk.com. You will need the ‘application’ numbers on the notice and a major credit card in order to process your renewals. The entire process took me less than 5 minutes and my sticker and residential Zone permit should be here within 10 days.

May 2nd, 2008

The road to a jumbo mortgage

Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac were supposed make getting a conforming jumbo mortgage easier by raising the dollar limit to $625,000 from $417,000 in the more expensive markets. Unfortunately, for some reason, Chicago didn’t make that cut! What they’re finding in those markets that did make that cut, the jumbo rates have increased to a point that it seems to offset the benefit of the higher loan amount and the lender requirements have gotten to a point that it is getting even more difficult to get that loan. So, is it relief or grief!

|
Lincoln Park News

Real Estate - Residential stories from Crain's Chicago Business News and Features regarding Real Estate - Residential from Crain's Chicago Business

This Old House honors Chicago bungalow belt neighborhood (AP) ? A Chicago neighborhood filled with historic bungalows and tree-lined streets has landed on a best-of list by This Old House magazine. The magazine lists North Mayfair on the city's Northwest Side as one of the best "old-house neighborhoods" in the U.S. and Canada. North Mayfair ...
Illinois to use mortgage database licensing system (AP) ? Illinois is embracing a licensing database that officials say will help ensure the competency of mortgage loan professionals. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation said it'll start to use the Nationwide Mortgage Licensing System for license applications ...
Neighborhood Housing Services chief Gottschall retires after 35 years (Crain?s) ? Bruce Gottschall, who helped start what has become the city?s largest housing counseling agency, is stepping down as its executive director after 35 years. Mr. Gottschall began Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago in 1975. He will retire on Dec. 15. ?It feels like ...
Amcore put on the clock by regulators (Crain?s) ? Federal regulators have rejected Amcore Financial Inc.?s plan to raise capital, giving the troubled Rockford-based lender a month to raise the needed money or sell. Amcore has until Dec. 4 to submit a new plan to the U.S. Office of the Comptroller of the Currency under ...
USG loss casts pall over housing market outlook (Reuters) ? Building products maker USG Corp. reported a larger quarterly loss on Wednesday and said the near-term outlook remains weak, sending its shares down more than 8 percent. The result is another sign the housing construction industry has yet to fully right itself after collapsing ...
Key ShoreBank executive leaves lender (Crain?s) ? The veteran ShoreBank executive in charge of the lender?s signature loans to apartment rehabbers ? the portfolio whose success largely created the community bank?s national reputation for profiting while lending in low-income neighborhoods ? has left the bank. James ...
Capone's hideout sells for $2.6 million (AP) ? The former northern Wisconsin hideout of Chicago mobster Al Capone has sold for $2.6 million to the bank that foreclosed on the property. Margie Schull of the Sawyer County Sheriff's Department says Chippewa Valley Bank was the only bidder during a five-minute sheriff's sale on the ...
Capone's Wisc. hideout up for auction Thursday (AP) ? The former northern Wisconsin hideout of Chicago mobster Al Capone goes on the auction block Thursday. A bank foreclosed on the 407-acre wooded site and a sheriff's sale takes place on the steps of the Sawyer County Courthouse in Hayward. Chippewa Valley Bank says the starting bid ...
Illinois earns 'C' for financial instability (AP) ? If Illinois had parents, they wouldn't be too happy with the state's economic grade card. An advocacy group, the Corporation for Enterprise Development, gave the state an overall 'C' grade in its annual assessment of financial stability in all 50 U.S. states. Illinois fared better ...
Civic Fed OKs 2016 cost forecast ? except for Olympic Village (Crain?s) ? The Civic Federation has come out with a report that generally concurs with Mayor Richard M. Daley's budget projections for the 2016 Olympics ? with the exception of the development of the Olympic Village. In a highly anticipated report, the tax-policy group said that "the ...
U.S. homes sales up for 3rd straight month (AP) ? Signaling a housing recovery is under way in much of the country, sales of previously occupied homes rose for the third month in a row in June. The National Assn. of Realtors said Thursday that home sales rose 3.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.89 million last month, ...
State debuts new-homebuyers help (Crain?s) ? First-time homebuyers scrambling for a down payment are getting a financial boost from the state. The Illinois Housing Development Authority rolled out its Illinois Home Start Loan Program on Wednesday. It provides qualifying homebuyers with a 30-year fixed-rate FHA loan and up ...
Chicago Community Trust beats $1M fundraising target (Crain?s) ? The Chicago Community Trust announced it surpassed a $1-million target to provide funds for shelters and pantries that have been overwhelmed by soaring demand. In an initiative launched late last year, the community foundation raised $1.3 million for its Unity Challenge ...
Citadel to invest up to $100M more in E*Trade (AP) ? E*Trade Financial Corp. said Wednesday it plans to raise $400 million in common stock, with Citadel Investment Group purchasing up to $100 million of the offer.
AG Madigan sues American Escrow for skipping clients? tax payments (Crain?s) ? Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has sued a Chicago-based independent escrow company that went out of business in March without paying taxes on behalf of homeowner clients around the country. Ms. Madigan, working with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional ...
FireStats icon Powered by FireStats