The festive holiday, known for the coloring everything Green – from local beer to the Chicago River, is just around the corner. To get you in the Irish spirit, here are some fun facts about Saint Patrick’s Day that you might not be aware of, plus a yummy recipe for chocolate stout cupcakes to help you celebrate! While Saint Patrick’s Day commemorates the death of Saint Patrick, the patron Saint of Ireland, Saint Patrick wasn’t Irish. He was actually British, born to a wealthy Christian family. It wasn’t until he was kidnapped by Irish pirates at the age of 16 that he began the journey that he is now famously…

And The Good News Is… With so much happening on the national and international political front, our long running real estate recovery seems to be taking a back seat in news headlines these days. That said, there remain many important items of note that we need to keep our clients and friends aware of. Government agencies, and also our local MLS, report that existing home sales (closings) fell in January for the third straight month. We believe the main cause of this to be a function of low supply. A secondary, although far lesser cause, can likely be tied to the rise in interest rates we all experienced at the…

If you’re preparing to buy a home, the first consideration you’ll likely make is how you will come up with your down payment. Some first time home buyers are fortunate enough to have family to borrow from, or might even qualify for a down payment assistance grant. However, if you’re like the majority of prospective home buyers, you will be saving for a while on your own for your down payment. Saving enough for a down payment on the average priced home can seem like a daunting task, so we’ve compiled some helpful tips that will help get you on your way to home ownership. Step One Take a second…

  Most buyers start the house hunting process by making a list of their “must have” and “would like to have” features when it comes to their new home. Depending on how flexible (or realistic) these lists are, some buyers can be left frustrated by the process. Nothing can kill the excitement that accompanies buying a new home faster than being let down after every showing – it can feel like the right home will never come along. Consider the fact that we are also facing an inventory shortage in our current market, and these frustrations can turn into realities for some buyers. If you find yourself in this situation,…