General

SOME IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT CREDIT SCORES     Your credit score, also known as your FICO Score, plays an important role when you apply for a mortgage. As a homebuyer, you should know that having a good credit score plays a key role in the purchase process. Lenders check your credit score to determine if […]

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “I hate housework. You make the beds, you do the dishes, and six months later, you have to start all over again.”—Joan Rivers, American comedian, writer, and television host   NATIONAL MARKET UPDATE Builders spent slightly less on residential construction in August, but overall spending was up annually by almost 3%, […]

7 ROUTINES TO MAKE YOUR DAYS MORE PRODUCTIVE Follow a Regular Sleep Schedule. Getting a good night’s sleep is the first step to being more productive and accomplishing more in the day. Experts say waking up at the same time each day supports healthier sleep. Do Some Morning Tasks the Night Before. There are lots […]

BUSINESS TIPS       3 KEYS TO EFFECTIVE LEAD GENERATION   Successful real estate people are all experts in lead generation. The good news is, it doesn’t take a lot of time to get good at lead generation. Decide that’s your goal, take the necessary actions, and you can start being more successful immediately. […]

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!

BUILDING EQUITY IN YOUR HOME COULD MAKE YOUR NEXT MOVE POSSIBLE     Are you a homeowner who wants to sell because you’d like to move up to accommodate an expanding family or downsize after the kids have moved out? Or are you looking for your first home or know someone who might be hesitant […]

QUOTE OF THE WEEK “Don’t talk about yourself; it will be done when you leave.”—Wilson Mizner, American playwright, raconteur, and entrepreneur   NATIONAL MARKET UPDATE After a June gain, the Pending Home Sales Index of signed contracts on existing homes slipped in July. But first-time buyers are returning to the market, as pending sales of […]

HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY MANAGE YOUR EMAIL INBOX Set aside time for checking emails. Make it once a day if you can. If you need to check twice a day, do it late morning and late afternoon. Give yourself a time limit, 15 or 20 minutes at most. Turn off notifications and close the email program […]

BUSINESS TIPS       3 STEPS TO GET BUSINESS IN ANY MARKET   Have you ever noticed there are some people in our industry who do relatively well every year, despite what the market conditions are? Some top producers even perform at a similar level regardless of what’s happening with the economy or with […]

RENT VS. BUY—DON’T MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD EQUITY     You may have seen reports that now it’s more affordable to rent than to buy a home. This can be true if you only look at the typical monthly payments in each case. But that comparison does not take into account the home equity […]