Every home sale transaction has a lot of moving parts. Builders, lenders, inspectors, appraisers – anyone involved with the transaction—has their own guidelines and processes that need to be followed. With so many details to keep track of, it’s easy for home buyers to get tripped up.
3 Hidden Pitfalls Home Buyers Can Avoid
May 22, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Don’t Get Soaked This Hurricane Season
May 8, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Hurricane season in Florida is a bit like being a Chicago Cubs fan…you prepare for the worst, but hope for the best. So with the 2013 Atlantic hurricane season fast approaching, it’s important that Florida homeowners be prepared. [Read more...]
Cheaper by the Ocean
April 22, 2013 by Leave a Comment
“Cheaper” and “ocean” are two words you don’t typically hear together, especially when you’re talking about real estate. But my interest was piqued recently by a blog post from Margaret Goss, a Realtor® serving the exclusive North Shore area of suburban Chicago.
Her blog post is titled, Lakefront Homes in Winnetka—More Expensive than Living on the Ocean, and it turns out it’s pretty accurate, especially from a Ponte Vedra Beach point of view. [Read more...]
Learning to Live With (and Love) Imperfection
April 2, 2013 by 3 Comments
Many years ago, my sister had a Chicago apartment as close to the El as the one Elwood Blues inhabits in this scene from The Blues Brothers. Her apartment was nicer, and considerably more spacious, but from her back room, I swear you could open the window and almost touch the train tracks.
She got used to it. And we got used to stopping every 8 – 10 minutes into a phone conversation to let the train go by. Point is, it was just one imperfection (albeit a large, noisy, rumbling one) at a property that had lots of other things going for it. It was less than a block from Wrigley Field. You had your choice of a ton of great bars and restaurants, every night of the week. And, obviously, it was close to public transportation.
When is a Home Warranty Truly Warranted?
March 18, 2013 by 2 Comments
In our market, homebuyers (or their agents) will often request that a home seller provide a home warranty as part of the sales contract. It’s like an insurance policy for some of the bigger ticket items in a home that you wouldn’t want to fail. For instance, home warranties for existing homes typically cover mechanical systems and appliances, and, in our market, at least, can be purchased for around $400 or less (depending on the home). [Read more...]
