Rental properties ineligible for mortgage debt relief
Q: I am hoping you can clarify debt relief as it applies to rental property. My sister has a single-family residence that she rents out, and...
True tales of neighbors, gators and comics
Real estate isn't all contracts, closings and square footage. A few glimpses of the business at its thoroughly human margins:
It'll take time to see effect of new mortgage rules
New regulations governing home loans take effect Jan. 10, but it's likely to take a few months to see how much they really alter a...
FHA lowering loan limits in Chicago area
The Federal Housing Administration is ending the year in much the same way it started, announcing steps to lessen consumers' use of FHA-...
Look before you leap into a time-share contract
Q: I have given some thought to the time-share thing — and yes we had one and paid money to get rid of it.
Latest color trends put experts in blue mood
Got a hankering to paint the kitchen? The folks out there who track America's color preferences think there's a good chance you'll slather...
Female owners of homebuilding companies remain a rarity
Homebuilder Carmin Awadzi's client had a request. She wanted to include a basement room for rough-and-tumble play in her new home. Her...
Old Town is most-searched U.S. ZIP code on Realtor.com
One North Side neighborhood is one of the nation’s most in-demand spots to live, according to Realtor.com.
Ways to get security deposit back from landlord
Q: My daughter and a friend put down a deposit on an apartment they rented. Their lease expired in July, and they were to receive their...
What it takes to buy a home in 25 cities
Let's say you earn about $22,000 a year. Can you afford to buy a house? In Cleveland, you can. Bring down a whopping $25,000 annually in...
Understanding responsibilities of a life estate tenant
Q: I am writing in regards to a question posed to you regarding a grandson buying his grandmother's house while she continues to live there,...
Critics seek more changes to revamped lending forms
New mortgage lending forms designed to make it easier to shop for a mortgage have been unveiled by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau,...
Buyers and renters find opportunities in tight market
Still sitting on the sidelines, waiting for the right time to buy or rent? Your patience might finally be rewarded. Despite the ups and...
Home seller hit with sticker shock after closing
Q: About a month ago, our son sold his home he had owned for nine years. Three years ago, he obtained a loan modification to lower his...
'Cabinologist' builds upon his love for the getaways
A cabin in the woods is probably the ultimate anti-McMansion. It is, at least, if your mindset mirrors that of Dale Mulfinger.
Tougher to find affordable housing in Chicago area
Housing affordability in the Chicago area just took its biggest quarterly tumble since early 2005.
Slices of Florida market heating up again
By some measures, Florida is a real estate petri dish. In the buildup to the housing bubble, homebuyers, by the tens of thousands, exhibited...
For the record, make sure property deed recorded
Q: Back in 1997, I bought a condominium from my mother for a nominal sum. At that time all the papers were sent to her attorney for...
Virtual staging adds electronic curb appeal to home listings
As Lenore Spinelli explains it, it's just a piece of the business plan she's been working on for the past 18 months, in the aftermath of the...
Listings take a starring turn
It's a video about a dog named Milo and his 30-something, urban-dwelling owner. Or is it?
The value of reading between the numbers
We're serving a real estate numbers buffet this week, from 2.5-person families to 11-foot-long secret rooms. To wit:
Skokie paving the way for a vibrant downtown
Three years ago, during the depths of the housing crisis, a Chicago-area homebuilder set his sights on Libertyville, marketing 26 homes that...
How to divide property in a divorce
When Rick Buchler and his wife split up two years ago, they decided she would remain in their house near Stockton, Calif., and he would...
Real estate sites raising the bar on house-hunting apps
Talk to a few techies at some of the leading online real estate sites, and it becomes pretty apparent fairly quickly that there is still a...
Home-related superstitions abound
From the blue porch ceiling to the missing 13th floor, home can be a superstitious place.
Agencies working to boost financial literacy
The DuPage Homeownership Center got its start more than 20 years ago to promote and preserve homeownership among first-time buyers and low-...
House hunting with kids in tow
After reviewing ground rules like "no touching other people's stuff," Greg and Khristie Kaplan took their three kids on spring house-hunting...
South Loop's neighborly atmosphere attracts couple
Although they were renters from Chicago's River North neighborhood, Bethany and Alden Van Solkema had not spent much time in the South...
5 ways to land the best mortgage
After riding a swift updraft earlier this year, mortgage rates have steadied at around 4.5 percent for a 30-year fixed loan.
Rental study shows young adults leaving nests
Attention, parents of boomerang children: Those young adult children of yours who returned home to the family roost — sometimes to the...
New app aims to improve landlord-tenant relationship
Renters most often seek help from the Metropolitan Tenants Organization when they have problems with a landlord.
Chicago area shows signs of gradual housing recovery
This could be the year when single-family housing starts reach 5,000 in the Chicago area.
Buyers pay a premium for homes near top schools
Homebuyers who have children or who are thinking of having children typically want to know about school districts and want to buy in the...
Why agents are jumping on Twitter bandwagon
At every real estate industry event I attend, inevitably there will be social media gurus present who intone about the importance of Twitter...
Buying vs. renting at 66
This may be a great time for you to buy a home but it also may be the right time for you to stay put and continue to rent.
Breaking up is hard to do with shared property
Q: I have a horrific situation not for the faint at heart. We are two brothers fighting worse than in a Spanish bullring. Animosity exists...
Modifying a house design to get the home you want
When Iraida and Francisco Carrazco were shopping for a town house, they were thrilled with discovering the Coventry model at Lexington...
Don't jump to get a sump-pump, chump
The list of good reasons to buy a home includes the desire to put down roots, the freedom to pick your own wallpaper or even the urge to...
You can still afford to buy a house
Despite a recent rise to above 4 percent, mortgage rates remain historically low. So if you need a mortgage, lock in the best rate you can...
Investors continue to buy up single family houses: Will this end well?
By Ilyce Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin
Cash in on your home
Even if you have no plans to sell or buy, you can cash in on your home. Rising home prices mean you have more equity and more options. You...
Real estate as retirement income
Is the real estate market a good investment for retirement? I haven't fielded that question in at least five years, but over the past six...
Thinking about buying a first home? Here are some questions to answer
My sister- and brother-in-law are newlyweds starting to look for their first home. They're not alone: Home sales jumped this fall to the...
Pulte experiment aims to see what buyers want
Recently, Pulte Homes built a ghost subdivision in a Chicago suburb. No, that's not quite right: The builder actually constructed it...
Sweetening an offer with love letter to seller
It's almost October, fewer properties are coming onto the market, and repeated efforts to purchase a home have been thwarted by higher bids.
