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Chicago home sales skyrocket 50% in March

filed under: Buyers, Chicago home prices, Chicago home sales, First-time buyers, Foreclosures, Lincoln Square, Market conditions, Tax credits posted on April 29th, 2010

The home buyer’s tax credit — which expires tomorrow — has certainly helped light a fire under Chicago home buyers. Home sales shot up again in March compared to March 2009, making this the seventh month in a row of year-over-year gains.

In the city of Chicago, March total home sales (single-family and condos) rose 49.7% to 1,814 sales compared to 1,212 sales a year ago, according to the Illinois Association of Realtors. For the entire first quarter, home sales were also up considerably, by 41.6% citywide.

But prices have continues to slip. Chicago’s median home price in March was $209,000, a 4.6% drop compared to $219,000 last year.

Dr. Geoffrey J.D. Hewings, director of the Regional Economics Applications Laboratory (REAL) of the University of Illinois, pointed to the latest figures as evidence of an “upward trend.” He told the Realtor’s association that “there is increasing evidence that the housing market is stabilizing; in many parts of the country sales have increased but prices remain stubborn. In places where there have been increases, they are modest; there is no doubt that the downward pressure on prices can be traced to the volume of distressed properties on the market.”

Meanwhile, foreclosures have continued to climb across Chicago and the metropolitan region. Nearly 3,500 Chicago homes went through a court-ordered auction in the first quarter, and 95% of them were acquired by the bank, according to a story in today’s Chicago Tribune.

This flood of bank-owned homes, which I’m now seeing popping up even in trendy neighborhoods like Lakeview and Lincoln Park, is depressing home prices across the board. But at last, homes are finally changing hands again at a healthy pace, and some stability is returning to our Chicago market.

Written by Sue Fox // 1 Comment »

Closing a Chicago condo: A tale of two lenders

filed under: Buyers, FHA loans, First-time buyers, Lincoln Square posted on March 5th, 2010

This week, my sellers finally closed on the sale of their Lincoln Square condo. I say finally because in this case, unfortunately, the couple who was buying the condo ran into some trouble getting an FHA loan. Everything seemed fine when they made an offer in October, but their first lender — A&N Mortgage — could not get the deal done.

We even gave the buyers an extra month to try to secure their loan. But despite what appeared to be solid jobs, good credit and hard work on the part of their loan officer, the loan was ultimately denied. The property fell out of contract and my sellers had to put it back on the market in January.

But wait! These buyers (and their realtor) did not give up. The realtor referred them to another lender — Bank of America, this time — and somehow the BofA mortgage sales manager Tammy Hajjar managed to get their FHA loan approved and closed six weeks later. Same buyers, same jobs, same down payment, same property … but a totally different outcome.

The difference in mortgage lenders, Hajjar said later, is twofold: how thoroughly the lender assembles the loan file (the front end of the process) and the access she/he has to an underwriter (the back end). “There is no room for a lack of detail these days,” she said.  “You need someone who is thorough enough on the front side to really submit a good application and financial statements.”

At the same time, large banks like Bank of America, Chase, Wells Fargo and Citibank have in-house underwriters who work for them, so their mortgage lenders can quickly get questions answered. A broker like A&N Mortgage, Hajjar explained, has to “go through an extra step” of submitting the loan to an outside underwriter. That adds another level of interpretation to the loan file — and another place the process could potentially go awry.

This particular condo deal was a stark example of why it’s so important to choose an experienced lender with a track record of getting deals closed. It’s not all about getting the best interest rate (although, of course, this helps!) But many lenders offer comparable rates, and at the end of the day the interest rate is irrelevant if you can’t close the deal.

A good lender will patiently explain loan products and fees to prospective buyers and identify any red flags they see up front. Securing a loan entails crossing many little hurdles along the way, from the appraisal to underwriting, and an experienced lender will be able to navigate his/her way through them. One of the best ways to find a good lender is actually to ask your realtor, because realtors work with lenders all the time and after a while, most of us develop a go-to list of a couple great lenders that we know can get that loan closed.

I regularly refer buyers to a few good lenders I have worked with for years without a hitch. (I get nothing in return for the referral, by the way — except the knowledge that the loan is going to close.) Buyers should make sure their lender knows the business and has a solid record of closing deals, because it could mean the difference between scrapping the deal or moving into your new home.

Written by Sue Fox // 1 Comment »

Great 2-BR condo back on the market in Lincoln Square: 2250 W Argyle #1

filed under: Buyers, Lincoln Square posted on February 14th, 2010

This modern 2-bedroom, 2-bath condo was quickly snapped up by buyers when I listed it in the fall. It was only on the market for about three weeks before it went under contract. But the buyers had trouble getting their loan, and the deal eventually fell through.

Now this Lincoln Square condo, a duplex with two floors of living space, is back on the market. It’s a great unit with exposed brick, hardwood floors, a beautiful kitchen, lots of light and a family room downstairs. Because it’s an end unit, it’s especially quiet.

Located at 2250 W Argyle, it’s just blocks from Winnemac Park or the restaurants and boutiques of Andersonville and Lincoln Square. The 10-unit building is professionally managed and well-run, and there’s a beautiful backyard for relaxation. My sellers loved living here!

And if you’re a first-time buyer, there’s still time to take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit. This government perk is set to expire on April 30.

If you’re interested in seeing this property, or any other Lincoln Square condos, please give me a call at 773-816-1788. Thanks!

Written by Sue Fox // Please leave a comment.

Home prices slide in Lincoln Square

filed under: Buyers, Lincoln Square, Market conditions, Sellers posted on October 13th, 2009

Lincoln Square, one of the more desirable neighborhoods on the North Side, is now growing more affordable as well. Prices of single-family houses here have tumbled considerably in the last year, making the area a great buy for bargain-hunters.

In June 2008, for example, six houses sold in Lincoln Square, with a median price of $664,500. This June, eight houses found buyers, but the median price had fallen to $532,500 — a 20% drop in just a year.

I think part of the problem was the rash of small-time investors who started buying up old A-frame houses here in 2007 and 2008. Some were contractors, some were real estate agents, some were just starry-eyed dreamers, but they all shared a hope of fixing and flipping these houses for a tidy profit, particularly in the Bowmanville area north of Foster and west of Damen.

Now, unfortunately, Lincoln Square is speckled with lovely, newly-rehabbed houses that can’t find buyers. There’s 2130 W Summerdale, which has been on the market since March, for $645,900. There’s 2110 W Berwyn, also for sale since March, now listed at $650,000. Or 5324 N Leavitt, which has been on and off the market since 2007 and is now a short sale for $650,000. Or 5148 N Oakley, which has been on the market all year and is now priced at $539,900.

All of these homes have endured multiple price reductions of tens of thousands of dollars, sometimes even $100,000. And yet here it is, heading into our sluggish winter season, and they remain unsold.

Written by Sue Fox // 1 Comment »