General

A DOZEN MAINTENANCE ITEMS HOMEOWNERS OFTEN NEGLECT     Few things can compare to the feeling of being a homeowner. You have achieved a big part of the American Dream for yourself and your loved ones. But you want to keep that dream alive and well. So, along with the joys of home ownership come […]

        QUOTE OF THE WEEK “I used to be indecisive. Now I’m not quite sure.”—Tommy Cooper, Welsh comedian and magician     NATIONAL MARKET UPDATE   Spending on residential construction rebounded in February, up 1.3% from January’s weather-beaten building activities. Spending is now 1.6% ahead of a year ago, encouraging for the […]

  QUOTE OF THE WEEK “I want a pit crew…. I hate the procedure I currently have to go through when I have car problems.”—Dave Barry, American author and humor columnist   NATIONAL MARKET UPDATE New Home Sales gained in February, and are up 5.1% from a year ago. The median sales price is now […]

7 EMAIL CRIMES AND 7 WAYS TO STOP THEM  Our lives have moved online. The pandemic accelerated this shift, as shopping, socializing, and schooling passed onto the internet. This gave scammers way more opportunities to do their nefarious work—and email is one of their favorite channels. Here is the FBI’s list of the seven most […]

  QUOTE OF THE WEEK “I told my doctor I broke my arm in two places. He told me to keep out of those places.”—Rodney Dangerfield, American comedian, actor, screenwriter, and producer   NATIONAL MARKET UPDATE Sales of existing homes bumped up 4.2% in February, while inventory grew 5.1% over the prior month. The National […]

BUSINESS TIPS       INTENTIONAL CHANGES TO STREAMLINE YOUR WAY TO SUCCESS   Respected thought leaders say success is driven by the energy you bring to your work. But it’s the kind of energy you bring that’s important. Haste makes waste—cranking yourself up for work only costs you more time until you reach your […]

  QUOTE OF THE WEEK “I don’t try to describe the future. I try to prevent it.”—Ray Bradbury, celebrated American science fiction author   NATIONAL MARKET UPDATE The Mortgage Bankers Association reports purchase mortgage applications rose again, up 8% on the week. They added: “As we enter the spring homebuying season, the purchase index was […]

6 ways TO AVOID common HOMESELLER MISTAKES      When it comes time to list your home, you’ll no doubt have the same goal as virtually all home sellers. You’ll want to get the highest price for your home, within a reasonable timeframe, with the least amount of stress for all parties involved. When it […]

Here’s your monthly Chicago Housing Stats video, courtesy of The Jim Passi Team at Alameda Mortgage Corp. For all of your home financing needs in Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Georgia, Tennessee, or Florida, call The Jim Passi Team today at 847-899-1813! Follow our social media pages for more informational tools!

      QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Price is what you pay, value is what your get.”—Warren Buffett, American investor and philanthropist     NATIONAL MARKET UPDATE   The Mortgage Bankers Association reports purchase mortgage applications shot up 9% for the week. They see purchase activity, “ahead of last year’s pace…more green shoots as we […]