Since our kids are still so small, we did not register for this race, however, we woke up at 7am today and everyone went out on the bike! The weather was so nice, not very hot yet in the morning, we heard lots of encouragement when they see our kids on their small bikes. We went to the Buckingham fountain, then my older daughter complains about her knees hurt. It was great to see so many people are coming out and be active on their bikes! There are 30,000 people have registered for this bike on the ride.
We did some fun stuff after the ride for the kids, they have enjoyed the experience. I am so glad that we live right at the new east side, it is so easy to get to this kind of event all year long!
Tags: bike the ride at the lakeshore·bike the ride chicago
I have been showing one bedrooms, one bedroom plus dens and two bedrooms at the lake shore east this week. My client has picked the one bedroom with a balcony facing south at the Chandler, 450 E Waterside unit 2206. This unit has lots of upgrades, wood floor, nice kitchen with granite kitchen and granite back splash. The rental price is $1,850 with a parking space. The unit has around 940 square feet. There is a walk in closet in the master bedroom.
During the showings, we have looked at a few different buildings, including the Park shore, the 222 Columbus, the Columbus Plaza, the Chandler, the Lancaster, each building has it’s own pros.
I am so happy that my client found their favorite place!
Tags: 222 columbus·450 e Waterside·chandler·columbus plaza·granite kitchen·lake shore east·lancaster·one bedroom rental at the lake shore east·one bedroom with balcony at the chandler·park shore two bedrooms for rent
There is a three bedrooms short sale finally closed last week after being contracted since October 2009. The closed price is $820,000. This three bedrooms has open kitchen, granite kitchen, wood floor, lots of upgrade in the unit. Whoever has bought this unit has got a good deal, but they did waited for a long time. This is the second distressed property in the building after the foreclosure one unit 709 of last year. From here we could tell that our building is really going strong. Since we have more than 480 units in the building, you would see a lot more foreclosures and short sales in the other buildings than the parkshore.
Tags: granite kitchen·open kitchen·short sale closed at the park shore·three bedroom short sale·three bedrooms park shore·wood floor
After the tax credit running out, I would have time to sit down and think about to refinance our home. Just checked the current 15 year fixed rate with 25% down is around 4.375%, our current rate is around 5.25% which is almost 1% higher. But the bad thing is that we have to come up with some cash as the current market value is so low now.
Tags: low mortgage rate·refinance time·tax credit running out
It’s only less than 10 hours before missing out on a credit up to 8,000 dollars for first-time home buyers and 6,500 for existing home owners. Lots of real estate agents are going to work until midnight tonight. I know our office at 565 Quincy is going to open unit 12:00 midnight. Just received e mails from other agents that they would accommodate showings anytime today and would like to help to draft contracts… This time looks like the government is not going to extend the credit. I have a client is in negotiation of a contract too, but we are around $16,000 difference, I think there is very minimum chance that we will get the deal:-) I hope the other agents who are working hard everyday could get some deals!!!
Tags: 10 hours to tax credit·565 quincy·6500 tax credit·8000 tax credit·tax credit running out
Staging Your Home For First-Time Buyers
Selling downtown Chicago homes is more difficult in the current market than it has been in the past. Potential home buyers are priced into areas that they wouldn’t have been able to afford a few years ago. Making sure that your condo is staged appropriately to appeal to these buyers is an important factor. Along with competitive pricing and other incentives, staging that appeals to first-time buyers can help you move your home off the market more quickly.
The Wall Street Journal points out a few important characteristics to remember about first-time buyers, and you can capitalize on those factors with your staging.
- First-time buyers prefer “homey” homes. This is good news if you are trying to sell your home while living in it. If you are trying to sell an unoccupied property, it might be worth the investment to get some furniture and home accessories in the space to make it more believable as a home for new buyers.
- First-time buyers don’t want to pay for large improvements. A coat of paint or a professional cleaning will lure in new buyers, but a massive renovation that gets added into the price of the home will turn them off. Make small improvements that will have a big impact in the home.
- Simultaneously, first-time buyers don’t want to have to make large improvements themselves. Trying to sell a home that needs major improvements to new buyers who, in this market, can buy something finished is going to difficult. Completing rehabs and repairing major issues might be necessary for sale.
- Maintenance matters to new home buyers. First-time buyers like a well-maintained property. The cost of doing things like landscaping while your home is on the market will be worth it when it helps you sell your home.
- First time buyers want to see themselves in your home, not you. When you are showing the home, you want it to feel homey but also generic. When staging for first-time home buyers, remove overly distinctive decor and signals of yourself or the current resident.
In addition, some tactics beyond staging that might help you sell your home to first time buyers include:
- Offering to help with the closing costs. For first-time buyers, high closing costs can be a major barrier to purchase. By contributing to the closing costs, you may help to expedite the sale of your home.
- Offering a home warranty. To transition young buyers from life with a landlord to managing their own property, giving them a warranty on the home might make them feel more comfortable with their new role as homeowner.
- Consider all offers. Even first-time buyers are shopping for a deal in the high-end neighborhoods that they are now priced into. Considering even low ball offers at least gets you into negotiation with a buyer– you never know where it will go from there.
The most active demographic in this buyer’s market is first-time buyers, and even in markets that they used to be priced out of, many homes are selling to young people who have never owned before. Making your home salable to a first-time buyer might be the key to closing for you. With an experienced agent and a good understanding of what first-time buyers are looking for and how to cater to it, you can compete with other sellers and find a buyer for your property.
Tags: Chicago·Downtown Chicago Homes·Jameson·Wall Street Journal
I had a few showings lately at the Lakeshore East. The buildings are Park Shore – 195 Harbor, the Chandler – 450 E Waterside Dr – the Aqua Building – 225 N Columbus Dr. These are all very nice buildings but they are also very different. My client is interested in studio or one bedroom, they really like 195 N Harbor Dr due to the view in the units, the great maintenance of the building, the good floor plan.
Tags: 195 n harbor·225 columbus·450 e Waterside·aqua building·chandler·lakeshore east·Park Shore
I have been hearing about it and never think that it is so true that staging can help big deal when you want to sell your place until my coworker has sold her listing at 1514 w Thomas, Unit 3C, this one was on the market since last June, after staging it, it sold in one month. What a big difference!
Tags: staging your home
There are currently two short sale unit at the 450 waterside – the Chandler building, one has a contract and the other one is a two bedroom asking $389,000, when I called the agent two days ago, also being told that a contract is pending. That is a great price for a two bedrooms unit.
Tags: 2 bedrooms short sale at the 450 waterside
I had two showings for the 195 N Harbor Dr unit 4007. This is a one bedroom unit facing west with views to the new designer lake shore east park and you could also see the Buckingham fountain and the grand park, the lake shore dr, the Chicago River from the window. The bathroom is newly remodeled and the kitchen has granite counter tops. This room has around 706 square feet and lots of closet spaces, no waste in the floor plan.
Tags: 195 harbor unit 4007 for sale·buckingham fountain·chicago river·grand park
