The Krain Blog

September 2009 - Posts

• August Illinois Home Sales Strong at the Entry Level

  Illinois Association of REALTORS released its August home sales report and statewide total home sales for August 2009 were 10,595, down 3.0 percent from the year before. In the Chicagoland PMSA area, however, year-over-year home sales were positive for Read More... Posted Wednesday, September 30, 2009 1:44 PM by KRAIN - Commercial and Residential Real Estate | 0 Comments

• 62 Days and Counting for First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit

  Remind your first-time buyers that time is of the essence if they want to take advantage of the federal tax credit worth up to $8,000. Buyers need to be moving now to find a home, secure financing and close the transaction before the November 30 deadline Read More... Posted Wednesday, September 30, 2009 1:43 PM by KRAIN - Commercial and Residential Real Estate | 0 Comments

• Chicago Single-Family-Home Sales Jump, but Condos Are Still Suffering (SOURCE: Tribune)

  Tell Congress: Extend and Expand the Homebuyer Tax Credit We have all seen first-hand the positive impact the first-time homebuyer tax credit is having on the real estate market recovery. As the expiration date for this successful program looms, we ALL Read More... Posted Friday, September 25, 2009 1:03 PM by KRAIN - Commercial and Residential Real Estate | 0 Comments

• Tax Assessment Increases Could Mean Rent Hikes (SOURCE: Sun-Times)

  Chicago apartment landlords said Wednesday they are being socked with tax assessment increases that will force them to hike rents in a tough economy. Several landlords cited particular buildings on the city's North Side where assessments have doubled Read More... Posted Friday, September 25, 2009 1:02 PM by KRAIN - Commercial and Residential Real Estate | 0 Comments

• Health Care Debate Continues as Congress Returns to DC (Source: NAR)

  As Congress returned to session this past week, health reform once again took center stage. President Barack Obama on Wednesday night outlined the components of his envisioned reforms in a joint session of Congress. Promising that he would not sign a Read More... Posted Monday, September 21, 2009 10:45 AM by KRAIN - Commercial and Residential Real Estate | 0 Comments

• IHDA Lowers Rate on the Home Start Program (SOURCE: IAR)

  Due to the changes in the market, IHDA is lowering the rate on the 30 year Home Start Loan to 5.25% effective Thursday September 10. Here is a link to the Home Start page on IHDA’s website. http://www.ihda.org/ViewPage.aspx?PageID=328 To check out Read More... Posted Monday, September 21, 2009 10:44 AM by KRAIN - Commercial and Residential Real Estate | 0 Comments

• Tell Congress: Extend and Expand the Homebuyer Tax Credit

  We have all seen first-hand the positive impact the first-time homebuyer tax credit is having on the real estate market recovery. As the expiration date for this successful program looms, we ALL need to make sure that Congress hears from us about the Read More... Posted Monday, September 21, 2009 10:43 AM by KRAIN - Commercial and Residential Real Estate | 0 Comments

• FTC Issues Ban on Pre-recorded Sales Calls (SOURCE: NAR)

  The Federal Trade Commission’s (“FTC”) rules banning prerecorded sales calls made without a consumer’s written consent took effect on September 1, 2009. Additionally, the charge for accessing the federal “Do Not Call” Read More... Posted Monday, September 21, 2009 10:43 AM by KRAIN - Commercial and Residential Real Estate | 0 Comments