March 2012 Market Stats: In the nine-county Chicagoland region, sales of single-family homes and condominiums totaled 4,447 in January 2012, up 15.7 percent from January 2011. The median January home sale price in the Chicagoland region was $140,000, down 11.4 … Continue reading →

In the Chicagoland Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area (PMSA), home sales including single-family homes and condominiums totaled 5,453 in November 2011. That’s up 20.7 percent from homes sold in November 2010. 

ManyCookCountyproperty tax bills came out in October, and while Chicago and suburban landowners assume their property values have sunk, it may not translate to lower tax bills. Countywide, property owners will collectively pay a 2.68 percent increase — a rise … Continue reading →

In October, Cook County property taxpayers received their 2010 2nd installment tax bills, due November 1. For some homeowners and business owners, those bills caused “sticker shock.” Increased tax bills may not only impact the taxpayers directly, but may indirectly … Continue reading →

Market Snapshot In the Chicagoland Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area (PMSA), September 2011 home sales, including single-family homes and condos, tallied 6,035. That’s up 13.3 percent from September 2010. The median home price in the Chicagoland PMSA for September 2011 was

U.S. house prices have plunged by nearly a third since 2006, and homeownership rates are falling at the fastest pace since the Great Depression. The good news? Two key measures now suggest it’s an excellent time to buy a house, … Continue reading →

For Sale By Owner (FSBO) Statistics FSBOs accounted for 9% of home sales in 2010. The typical FSBO home sold for $140,000 compared to $199,300 for agent-assisted home sales.

People often ask me what the difference is between a short sale and foreclosure.  This is a simplified explanation. A short sale typically occurs when an owner can’t afford his or her mortgage payments or needs to sell the property … Continue reading →