The Krain Blog

June 2009 - Posts

• Your Support is Needed: Craig Kulaszewksi Memorial Fundraiser

  Jameson REALTOR® Beth Nelson Kulaszewski lost her husband, Craig, in May of a sudden heart attack. Craig was only 43 years old and leaves behind Beth and their and twin four-month-old babies, Beau and Reese. On Sunday, July 26, at 3 P.M., a fundraiser Read More... Posted Tuesday, June 30, 2009 3:57 PM by KRAIN - Residential and Commercial Real Estate | 0 Comments

• Illinois to Crack Down on Speeders in Construction Zones

  (source: Illinois Department of Transportation) C.A.R. reminds you to drive safely this summer, as drivers speeding in Illinois construction zones may be caught on camera and slapped with heavy fines—starting at $375. Five specially equipped vans Read More... Posted Tuesday, June 30, 2009 3:56 PM by KRAIN - Residential and Commercial Real Estate | 0 Comments

• New Programs Target Low-Income Buyers

  (source: REALTOR® Magazine Online) Under the federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program, many new state and local initiatives are expected to roll out in the next few weeks that will help middle- and low-income families buy foreclosed homes in hard-hit Read More... Posted Tuesday, June 30, 2009 3:56 PM by KRAIN - Residential and Commercial Real Estate | 0 Comments

• Two-flat Comeback

  (source: Chicago Tribune ) With prices and mortgage rates down, plus a run of foreclosures, the classic Chicago structure re-emerges as a good investment. Read More Read More... Posted Tuesday, June 30, 2009 3:55 PM by KRAIN - Residential and Commercial Real Estate | 0 Comments

• Will 'Echo Boomers' Save the Housing Market?

  A new report from Harvard University says that the children of the baby boomers who will be buying their first homes soon will drive a recovery in housing. Read more > Read More... Posted Friday, June 26, 2009 5:48 PM by KRAIN - Residential and Commercial Real Estate | 0 Comments

• Home-Sale Hassles of the Rich and Famous

  Celebrities are not immune to the challenges facing the housing market right now. Read more > Read More... Posted Friday, June 26, 2009 5:48 PM by KRAIN - Residential and Commercial Real Estate | 0 Comments

• Mortgage Applications Bounce Back

  Both purchases and refinances are going up as mortgage rates dropped slightly last week. Read more > Read More... Posted Friday, June 26, 2009 5:47 PM by KRAIN - Residential and Commercial Real Estate | 0 Comments

• More Signs of a Real Estate Turnaround

  Vallejo, Calif., where housing starts are up 440 percent compared to a year ago, leads the list of improving metros. Read more > Read More... Posted Friday, June 26, 2009 5:47 PM by KRAIN - Residential and Commercial Real Estate | 0 Comments

• Bank Gives Cities, States First Shot at REOs

  As part of a new HUD program, Bank of America is offering foreclosures to cities and states before putting them on the open market. Read more > Read More... Posted Friday, June 26, 2009 5:46 PM by KRAIN - Residential and Commercial Real Estate | 0 Comments

• Property Tax Info Is a Few Clicks Away

  Tax data from each state and many localities are centralized in a single online resource. Read more > Read More... Posted Friday, June 26, 2009 5:46 PM by KRAIN - Residential and Commercial Real Estate | 0 Comments

• Best Cities for Finding Opportunity

  Forbes magazine ranked the best cities for getting ahead by taking into account employment opportunities and entrepreneurship. Read more > Read More... Posted Friday, June 26, 2009 5:45 PM by KRAIN - Residential and Commercial Real Estate | 0 Comments

• Top Rising, Falling Housing Markets

  Local Market Monitor has identified areas where it says housing prices will rise and fall, respectively. Read more > Read More... Posted Friday, June 26, 2009 5:45 PM by KRAIN - Residential and Commercial Real Estate | 0 Comments

• Home Buyer Tax Credit Could Expand

  Among the proposals introduced in Congress include increasing the cap to $15,000 and extending the tax break into mid-2010. Read more > Read More... Posted Friday, June 26, 2009 5:44 PM by KRAIN - Residential and Commercial Real Estate | 0 Comments

• Green Music Fest

  Saturday & Sunday, August 15th & 16th, 2009 12-11pm in Eckhart Park 1330 W. Chicago Ave. www.greenmusicfestchicago.com Featuring Environmentally-Friendly Vendors, Services and Cutting Edge Music Chicago's West Town will receive a fresh green Read More... Posted Tuesday, June 23, 2009 1:37 PM by KRAIN - Residential and Commercial Real Estate | 0 Comments

• The Two Latest Signs Housing Is Recovering

  Is the market finally stabilizing? Here are two signs that analysts are pointing to. Read more > Read More... Posted Friday, June 05, 2009 11:55 AM by KRAIN - Residential and Commercial Real Estate | 0 Comments

• Should Home Buyers Lock in Rates?

  Financial writers weigh in on the debate if consumers should secure higher rates now or wait to see if the Federal Reserve lowers them again. Read more > Read More... Posted Friday, June 05, 2009 11:54 AM by KRAIN - Residential and Commercial Real Estate | 0 Comments

• 1 Million Foreclosures This Year

  A new foreclosure starts every 13 seconds, with a total of about 6,500 day, according to the Center for Responsible Lending. Read more > Read More... Posted Friday, June 05, 2009 11:54 AM by KRAIN - Residential and Commercial Real Estate | 0 Comments

• As Rates Rise, Fed Holds Steady

  Mortgage rates have pushed up to the highest rates since early February. Will the Fed intervene? Read more > Read More... Posted Friday, June 05, 2009 11:53 AM by KRAIN - Residential and Commercial Real Estate | 0 Comments

• Mortgage Rates Hit 25-Week High

  Rates for conventional mortgages have risen to their highest point of the year from record lows just a couple of months ago. Read more > Read More... Posted Friday, June 05, 2009 11:52 AM by KRAIN - Residential and Commercial Real Estate | 0 Comments

• Tax Credit Guidelines Available from HUD

  The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has made available on its Web site the mortgagee letter detailing the first-time homebuyer tax credit, as well as the IRS tax form. To better understand recent updates, access both documents here . Read More... Posted Tuesday, June 02, 2009 4:37 PM by KRAIN - Residential and Commercial Real Estate | 0 Comments

• Realtors: 'Pending Home' Sale Index Rises

  A forward looking indicator of existing home sales rose 6.7% in April from the previous month, according to the National Association of Realtors. NAR's Pending Home Sales Index hit 90.3 in April, up from 84.6 in March to notch its third consecutive Read More... Posted Tuesday, June 02, 2009 12:33 PM by KRAIN - Residential and Commercial Real Estate | 0 Comments