When you decide to buy a condominium, remember it’s a different process from buying a single-family home. There are a few things to keep in mind before buying a condominium in Chicago.

Buyers are attracted to condo living because of the convenience to area shopping, dining, and amenities. If a repair is needed, the building maintenance team handles it, not the unit owner. Not everyone wants to mow a backyard lawn every weekend or tend to unruly shrubbery, so condo living appeals to people with fast-paced busy lifestyles who want to live in downtown Chicago where all the dining, shopping, and nightlife are a few steps away. 

Keep a proactive outlook when selecting a unit. Think about how your family or living situation may change in the…

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When you think of buying a brand new home built the way you want it, you expect the process to be easy without obstacles like repairs and contingencies. However, there are things you should keep in mind when buying a new construction condominium in Chicago. This is a list of tips to help you get the most for your money and what to expect when you buy a new construction condominium in Chicago. 

Be Patient and Get Upgrade Costs in Writing

When you buy an existing home, you can expect to move into your home in a couple of months or sooner. However, new construction condos can take longer depending on how far along the developer is in the construction process.

Make sure the estimated completion date works for your schedule. Be prepared for…

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Market Watch

Home buyers should keep an eye on the ebb and flow of the 2019 real estate market and trends. The housing market of 2019 may be one of changing tides. Predicting them is almost impossible. Before starting a search for your next apartment, loft, co-op, penthouse, townhouse, or condominium in Chicago, it’s a good idea to get a sense of the forces that sway the market.

Realtor.com compiled some data about housing market predictions and determined that both buyers and sellers may face challenges in 2019. You can see the full Realtor.com Housing 2019 Forecast here.

Below, is a collection of highlights from the report and other sources about 2019 trends and forecasts for the U.S. real estate market, with special emphasis on Chicago properties.

More…

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Jamie Schachtel is a local Chicago interior designer who specializes in high rise décor. Her eye leans towards neutral colors with a mix-and-match of textures throughout a space. She believes each design should flow into the next area so that every room feels connected.    

When asked how accessorizing in a high rise is different from a freestanding home, Jamie replied, “In a high rise it’s all about the view. When decorating a new place I focus on the best approach to accentuate the stunning sights of Chicago.”

 

In Millennium Tower, on the 47th floor, Jamie, and her design partner, Danielle Yucht, did their magic. To allow the owners to eat up the hues of the city in the kitchen, she placed the dining room table in the corner where a person…

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One of the many things people appreciate about visiting Chicago or living here is the preservation of our history and pride in the city. This includes the architecture. Chicago has one of the most recognizable skylines in the world; beyond the impressive steel and glass, the city is home to many old-timey homes that reflect Chicago’s history.

A recent study indicates that many of the older homes in areas like Lincoln Park and Lakeview are being advertised as “tear down” specials. The listings suggest the price for the home is basically paying for the lot and not the home. This hints to the investor that the home isn’t worth restoring and if they bought the spot they could tear down the home in favor of creating a new and state-of-the-art home…

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Find out about what all the newest buildings in Chicago’s Near North neighborhoods have to offer and which building is the right fit for you!

River North: 2,022 new units
Gold Coast: 865 new units
Streeterville: 490 new units
Old Town: 129 new units

165 W Superior | River North

165 W Superior, also called Exhibit on Superior, is geared towards the artsy and creative. Featuring a clubhouse they call “Howie,” their website boasts, “You’ll find charging stations, work spaces and blazing fast Wi-Fi access.” The building also features a gym that includes your pick of cardio equipment, electronic boxing simulator, and sauna. Exhibit features other attributes common to the River North neighborhood including a 24 hour doorman, private balconies, and…

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One of the scariest parts about buying a home is figuring out the mortgage. Many prospective home buyers wait too long to start setting themselves up for the best mortgage rates and pay for it dearly when they can’t afford the home of their dreams or it gets purchased out from under them because they couldn’t get approval for a mortgage in time.

Looking at listings before getting your ducks in a row with a mortgage is ill-advised. As you begin to realize your dream of being a homeowner, before you even look at a single home, you need to figure out what your credit is, and what type of mortgage you may receive. This prevents you from getting your hopes up on a home you may not be able to afford within the timeline you want it. If you are aware of what…

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Loving Chicago in the winter is like loving someone when you first wake up: morning breath, messy hair, possibly drool. The point is, if you love Chicago in the winter, you really really love Chicago. The colder weather is most difficult for the adventurous and outdoorsy types who are starting to feel stir crazy. Despite the weather, Chicago still offers plenty of things to do that can quell even the most diehard nature-lovers angst.

1) Have you considered taking a bus tour? From the Prohibition Tour to the Chicago Pizza Tour, you’re traveling across Chicago, trying new cuisine and beers! Each tour features animated tour guides that are passionate about educating you on the history of Chicago and all it has to offer. You will travel through…

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Chicagoans are proud of their city. From the breathtaking skyline to its unique neighborhoods, Chicago is a sight to see. Chicago acts as a muse to artists across the globe, translating their inspiration into art. Below are ten renderings of Chicago enthused art that we love. Best of all, they are available for purchase for you to display in your home!

1) Why we love it: The skyline of Chicago is amazing, but Chicago itself is filled with a myriad of beautiful and historic buildings that sometimes don’t get the love they deserve. One of those structures is Marina City. Designed by Bertrand Goldberg, Marina City was the first in the United States to be constructed with tower cranes, when it was completed in 1964.

The design itself is simplistic and…

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The things one can research online these days are crazy! You can google your name and somehow find your senior graduation picture from high school. If that’s not scary enough, your applicants can search for items online to sham you into thinking they are in good standing. From a fake driver’s license to a fraudulent pay stub, beware that someone may be trying to bamboozle you.

How do you combat this? For one, try doing a little online research yourself. Google phrases like “Fake pay stub” and variations of it, and look through the images. This will help clue you into what fake ones may resemble. Aside from this, you can also request employee verification from an applicant, and contact the employer yourself. If you don’t want to put in all that…

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