By Kelly Molinari I often read articles about homeowners in foreclosure and I’m shocked by the way they’re portrayed. Typically, these homeowners are seen as over-reaching and irresponsible — and they’re ostensibly getting what they deserve. Naturally, sympathy is

At its Greenbuild Annual Conference & Expo today, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced the launch of the Green Building Information Gateway (GBIG) Pilot for Illinois. The new gateway offers Greenbuild conference attendees three new resources for use

By Craig Pratt Small businesses, such as many local Chicago area real estate brokerages, play a vital role in our economy and in our community as both employers and service providers.  While the economic environment continues to be challenging

by Michael Bauknecht The opportunities continue to grow in the global market of real estate. I have been fortunate to grow my list of trusted resources in other countries since I have been focusing on real estate and international

by Zipporah Porton One of the biggest incentives for homeownership right now is the subsequent tax deduction. However, a new reform might eliminate this opportunity. The National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, a bipartisan commission President Obama created

Veterans Day is an annual U.S. holiday for honoring our military veterans. The federal holiday is observed on Nov. 11 every year, and is also known as Armistice Day or Remembrance day throughout the world. The date is significant,

By Bill Coyne The fed has decided to make a move that they hope will spur a growth in an economy that, although has been growing, is not growing fast enough to take in the growing workforce of new

By Audra Hall I have really noticed how much real estate marketing has changed over the last few years. First of all, the ways to market new construction have changed dramatically. An old friend of mine is moving here

by Zipporah Porton Recently, AgentGenius did some digging into how much money NAR is really spending on political campaigns. With elections tomorrow, all of Chicagoland is in a buzz about voting choices. Some have already made a decision, while

By Steve Adams Communication drives nearly every part of every real estate transaction. Yet it seems like the more communication technologies you have available, the more difficult it becomes. Technology may set off the complexities, but handled correctly, it

By Karla Krengel When it comes to trends in cabinetry and kitchen design, believe it or not, they vary throughout the U.S., but from the city of Chicago to Chicago’s North Shore to Chicago’s Western burbs. Really? They could

By Sari Levy Luckily enough, I learned early in life that the more you give the more you get. Now before you think that I am talking about material things, let me explain. A smile or a few kind

By Casey Reagan Mobile – the New Frontier At the beginning of the last decade, we experienced a dramatic increase in consumers utilizing the Internet for property searches. The numbers went from nearly no one to almost everyone (90

By John Tuccillo This is a most dissatisfying economy. We are growing, but slowly. The numbers are in no way tracking the usual recovery from recession. Employment is stalled: positive job creation numbers that fall far short of what

By Jim Merrion Home sales activity in August suggests that the metro Chicago real estate market is healing after the sharp decline in sales recorded a month earlier and triggered largely by the expiration of the federal homebuyer tax

by Craig Witt I was talking to a well-respected Realtor in Michigan this past week and was asking her opinion on various issues. I was curious what was going on in her market with other offices and agents, and