It’s time for the mortgage issue! This means we get to touch on my favorite topic: money! That’s right, green, dough, moolah and dollar, dollar bills y’all! So grab your favorite mortgage broker or brokerette and cuddle up by the fire as I weave a tale of gossip.
Speaking of money, my good buddy Rupert Murdoch will deliver the keynote address at Connect NYC 2015. Rupie is actually going to be sending his private plane to pick me up, so give me a shout if you’d like a ride to the event.
Kathy Kalnes decided to move south for the winter, and will set up shop in Flosmoor. She is still with Coldwell Banker, but she will no longer be based in the city/Northbrook. And congrats to Guaranteed Rate for recently snagging three great mortgage masters: Larry Steinway, Eileen Anderson and Simon Stein.
A lot of folks in the industry were getting frisky about nine months ago, because folks keep on having babies. Mazel tov to Matt Dollinger and his wife on the birth of their baby girl, Danika. Same goes to Nicholas Apostal and his wife, who welcomed Eloise into the world this month. Dads, watch out for your little Capricorns!
Late January in the industry is sort of like late January in Hollywood. All the great films came out at the end of December, so by the end of January we’re stuck with releases like a live action Paddington (whoever thought it was a good idea to ruin my favorite childhood story should be punished). In real estate, everyone is recovering from the great holiday parties. But in non-holiday party news, Greg Nagel was called as a witness in the case of a teenager who snatched a phone off a table at a Wicker Park eatery. Greggy threw a rib at the guy, who was eventually caught. Since the robber was just 14, Greg wanted to sit on the stand to get him help rather than get him in trouble. In the end the kid got 50 hours of community service. Happy ending for everyone!
Ann Lurie’s home is starting the year by knocking $2.75 mil off the price tag. The mansion has been sitting on the market for two years now, and can currently belong to your client for $11 million. I thought about taking this listing way back when, but I was too busy with a similarly priced home out in the burbs. My place sold in about one month for the asking price of $18 million, so looks like I made the right decision.
Mortgage guys and girls! Need a new place to entertain clients in the Loop? Check out the new Virgin Hotel on Wabash, which is actually the first one of its kind in the country. Richie Branson asked me the best place to open his hotel, and of course I told him there is no city better than this one.
Birthdays! Kevin Van Eck and Kim Jarosz celebrated Jan. 20, and Michael Golden drank some Goldschläger on Jan. 21 in honor of his big day. Mike Opyd celebrated on Jan. 24, and Jon Millikin is having a party with Kevin Thornton on Jan. 26. Janie Coffey will drink some extra coffee on Jan. 27, while Joe Marrone will have a piece of pecan pie on Jan. 28.