Category: real estate

6 Myths About Homebuying — Translated

Published on by loftuslawLeave a comment

I came across an interesting article on Yahoo about “Homebuying Myths” (click here to see the article).  The article has some interesting information, but there are some things that I think could be added to make the article more helpful.  Here is what I would add —

Myth 1 – You don’t need a 20% down payment to buy a home.

This is true.  In fact, most of my clients do not put down 20% of the purchase price when they buy a home.  FHA insured loans require only a 3.5% downpayment, and there are other loan products that require as little as 5% down.  However, when you borrow more than 80% of the purchase price, your lender will require that you pay for mortgage insurance.  The details vary, but I generally see payments in the neighborhood of $100 per month paid for about the first 10 years of the loan.  This is in addition to principal, interest and escrow items.  Although this should not necessarily deter you from buying a home, it is worth taking into consideration when determining how much to put down up front.

Myth 2 – Your credit score is good enough.

Another fair point.  I would add that one easy way to increase your credit score is to ask your credit card companies for a credit limit increase.  You may even be able to do it in a few minutes online.  By increasing your available credit, you reduce your credit usage as a percentage of the available credit.  This, in turn, should increase your credit score.  Just don’t go and use all that new credit!

Myth 3 – Loan pre-approval determines your price range.

This is an excellent point.  Lenders make money based on how much you borrow.  They don’t care that you won’t be able to take a vacation for the next 5 years, because your mortgage payment has you tapped out every month.  Reality check that monthly payment before you start looking at that 4 bedroom McMansion.

Myth 4 – Once I make the offer, the hard work is done.

I may be off base, but I don’t think people really believe this.  But if you were under that misconception, just know that the contract is only the beginning of a long process.  One great way to make the process easier is to have a great attorney at your side to guide you (Hint hint!).

Myth 5 – Your home purchase is non-negotiable.

Well, duh!  But let’s put this one in proper perspective.  Yes, everything is negotiable.  However, sellers aren’t dumb.  When you ask for closing costs to be paid, in the seller’s mind, it’s a deduction from the price offered.  There’s no free money, so the Seller will take that into account when they counter.  Some people will gross up the price in order to include a closing cost credit.  This is fine, but it is important to understand that you are really just wrapping the closing costs into the amount borrowed and paying interest on it over 30 years.  While that may work for you if you don’t have a lot of cash in your pocket to bring to closing, you’ll save interest in the long run by paying the costs up front.  Closing costs are a fact of life when you buy real estate.  The better strategy is to make sure your lender isn’t gouging you on their closing costs, regardless of who is paying them.

Myth 6 – You bought the perfect home.

Of course, there is no such thing as perfect.  The best way to prevent regret is to do try to avoid a case of “oneitis” once you zero in on a home to buy.  Believe me that there is always another property out there for you.  If you keep that in the back of your mind, it will be easier to make the decision cut loose from a home that is increasingly looking like a lemon.

What do you think?  Anything else to add?

As always, please do not hesitate to contact me at 773-632-8330 or patrick@loftus-law.com.  And finally, as always, I am honored by your referrals.  To learn more about my practice, please contact me!  And if you are looking to buy or sell property, I would love to set you up with one of my fantastic real estate brokers.

Federal Judge Dismisses Lawsuit Accusing Zillow of Conducting Appraisal Without License

Published on by loftuslawLeave a comment

This is a follow up to my post last week about some of the controversies surrounding the real estate website Zillow.  To bring yourself up to speed, click here…

Welcome back to the post!  At the time of publication a lawsuit was pending against Zillow accusing the website of violating Illinois law by conducting appraisals without a license.  The Plaintiff in the lawsuit sought an injunction stopping Zillow from publishing its Zestimates in Illinois, as well as unspecified compensatory and punitive damages.

In what could be called a big win for Zillow, Judge Amy St. Eve held today that Zillow is not violating Illinois law, because Zestimates fall into an exception in the Illinois Real Estate Appraiser Licensing Act (the Act).  The exception provides that non-licensees may “procure an automated valuation model” from publicly available data without obtaining an appraisal license.  Judge St. Eve found that development of Zestimates by Zillow are clearly the procurement of an automated valuation model.  As such, Zillow does not need to be licensed.

The Court’s holding is significant, there was a substantive determination that Zillow is not breaking the law.  Had the Court simply based its holding on a technicality, it would leave the door open for further attack.  As such, the ruling provides a significant precedent for Zillow to rely upon should it be sued again, or if the State of Illinois were to bring an action against Zillow to enforce the Act.

So, it looks like Zillow is, in fact, here to stay.  Moreover, Zillow continues to expand its offerings with its “Instant Offers” pilot program.  (Hat tip to Cleo Aquino of Superior Realty for the heads up on this.)  The program launched in May 2017 in the Las Vegas and Orlando markets and allows sellers to make their property available for cash offers from 15 select large private investors with closing in as little as one week.  The program will expand to Phoenix next month.  Whether Zillow will see success with the program is anyone’s guess (it looks a bit predatory to me, to be honest…), but it certainly looks like Zillow is looking to take a more active role in the market.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact me at 773-632-8330 or patrick@loftus-law.com.  And finally, as always, I am honored by your referrals.  To learn more about my practice, please contact me!  And if you are looking to buy or sell property, I would love to set you up with one of my fantastic real estate brokers.

Is Zillow Helpful or Harmful?

Published on by loftuslaw1 Comment

Zillow is a real estate listing website with a twist — each listing has an estimate of the value of the real estate, which Zillow calls a “Zestimate.”  That twist has been controversial among homeowners, especially when the Zestimate is lower than expected. In April of this year, a homeowner (and lawyer) in Glenview filed suit against Zillow alleging that the Zestimate for her property is unfairly low and prevented her from selling her property for the market value.  The case has since been dismissed, but another lawsuit filed shortly after remains pending in Federal Court, and the larger debate about Zestimates continues to swirl.

For its part, Zillow takes the position that a Zestimates is a “prediction of sales price” and is not a substitute for a professional appraisal.  According to Zillow, although Buyers and Sellers can use the Zestimate as a starting point, they should work with a licensed broker and appraiser to determine an accurate price for real estate.  Does Zillow unfairly downplay the potentially negative effects of publishing Zestimates?

The controversy poses some interesting questions.  For instance, is there anything inherently wrong with Zillow taking publicly available data and publishing its opinion as to the value of real estate?  My knee jerk reaction is that, like all Americans, Zillow has the right to publish its opinions.  However, right to publish an opinion is not absolute, and opinions about the value of real estate (i.e. a real estate appraisal) are regulated by the State of Illinois.  If a Zestimate is an appraisal, Zillow must be licensed (which it is not and has no intention of becoming licensed).

The Illinois Real Estate Appraiser Licensing Act of 2002 (225 ILCS 458/1-1, et seq.) is the relevant authority, and it defines an appraisal as “the act or process of developing an opinion on value,” and the Act requires a license to “develop a real estate appraisal.”  Seemingly, Zillow may have an issue, a Zestimate is an opinion on value, the development of which seems to require a license.  Zillow takes the position that it is not subject to the Act, because it is not performing opinions of value in exchange for money for a particular client like a traditional real estate appraiser.

Another question is whether there is any harm done to homeowners as a result of the publication of Zestimates.  In other words, are Zestimate actually hurting people?  This is a difficult question to answer.  Among real estate professionals, Zestimates are not considered to be reliable.  I am comfortable in saying that Zestimates have almost no effect valuations made by real estate brokers or appraisers.  The more difficult question to answer is what effect, if any, do Zestimates have on the general public.  To the extent that there are brokers involved in the transaction, probably not much.  As for those not working with brokers, I would be interested to hear your opinion, because I am too far inside the industry to know!

Perhaps there is room for compromise.  Perhaps there is a need for an appeal process whereby an owner could request a manual review of the valuation.  Zillow could allow for homeowners to voluntarily opt out of publishing valuation entirely.  Maybe new laws or regulations are needed to provide legitimacy and oversight for this relatively new aspect of the real estate market.

Interestingly, other sites, such as Redfin and Trulia, have joined Zillow in publishing opinions on the value of real estate.  Even the National Association of Realtors publishes value estimates at Realtor.com.  In other words, potentially inaccurate internet values are probably here to stay.  Buyers and sellers can avoid the possible pitfalls by working with an experienced broker, who will be able to sniff out bad information and give good advice.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact me at 773-632-8330 or patrick@loftus-law.com.  And finally, as always, I am honored by your referrals.  To learn more about my practice, please contact me!  And if you are looking to buy or sell property, I would love to set you up with one of my fantastic real estate brokers.

Condo Rental Caps – How The Board Can Prevent You From Renting Your Place

Published on by loftuslawLeave a comment

Most condo owners prefer that their neighbors are owner-occupants.  As a result, many condo boards enact rental restrictions or even outright ban rentals.  If validly done, the condo board can levy fines and file lawsuit to stop you from renting your unit.  Here is how to determine whether your board’s restrictions are enforceable.

Most buildings don’t start off with rental restrictions.  Developers want to cast the widest net possible for buyers, which means they want to be able to sell the new units to both owner-occupants and investors.  Rental restrictions tend to scare off investors.  As a result, rental restrictions tend to be enacted only after the condo board has been turned over to the unit owners.

On its face, rental restrictions seem counterintuitive.  Why would anyone voluntarily give up that right?  One reason is that it is a way to maintain unit values.  Most buyers cannot qualify for a purchase loan if a condo is less than 50% owner-occupied, which severely restricts the pool of potential buyers.  Property that is difficult to sell tends not to be particularly valuable.  In addition, renters tend to be less invested in the quality of a building long term and can be rather transient.  This can have the effect of lowering the quality of life for owner-occupants.

Restricting or banning rentals in a building is not a simple matter.  In order to be valid and enforceable, such a restriction requires an amendment to the condominium declaration.  Amending the declaration requires the vote of at least 2/3 of the ownership interests to pass.  Obtaining a super-majority in favor of a rental restriction can be quite a difficult task, and many initiatives to institute rental restrictions fail.  Interestingly, until recently, it was an open question whether a rental restriction could be enacted  by the board as a condominium rule rather than an amendment to the declaration.  About a year ago, the appellate court in Illinois made it clear that a rule without an amendment is not an enforceable rental restriction. Stobe v. 842-848 West Bradley Place Condo. Ass’n, 2016 IL App (1st) 141427.

The consequences of an enforceable rental restriction can be significant.  Renting a unit in violation of a restriction will probably at least get you fined.  Worse, the board will probably also sue you for possession of the unit or an injunction against renting it.  If your tenant is evicted, they will probably sue you for breach of contract.  The whole thing quickly becomes expensive and messy.  Before that happens, it is crucial to understand whether your association has a valid rental restriction, and what your rights are to rent your unit.  Before you buy a condominium that you intend to rent out, make sure you review the board’s rental policies before making a costly mistake.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact me at 773-632-8330 or patrick@loftus-law.com.  And finally, as always, I am honored by your referrals.  To learn more about my practice, please contact me!

 

Per Crain’s: South Works Site Has New Developer On Board

Published on by loftuslawLeave a comment

Vacant since 1992, the former U.S. Steel South Works site is set to be purchased by WElink and Barcelona Housing Systems.  Both companies specialize in environmentally friendly construction.

Thanks to Crain’s Chicago Business for reporting the story.  Any comments on how you think this news will affect economic development in South Shore neighborhood are appreciated!

In Defense of Real Estate Broker Commissions

Published on by loftuslawLeave a comment

I hear it all the time from home sellers.  “Why do Realtors make so much money?”  I’ve heard a few variants on the sentiment, ranging from the more diplomatic, “Realtors don’t seem to do much work to earn their commission,” to the more direct, “this commission is horse s**t!”   I submit to you, however, that Realtors more than earn every penny of their commissions.

My first point is quite simple — You don’t realize how much work a Realtor actually does.  If your Realtor friend goes for spa treatments every day, they are not closing deals — it’s that simple.  Prospecting and networking for clients takes a lot of time.  Once those clients are found, if they are buyers locating properties and setting up showings takes time and effort.  If they are sellers, preparing presentations to homeowners who may or may not list with you takes time and effort.  They prepare and present offers.  They negotiate.  They work with their clients all the way through to closing, often on a daily basis.  Realtors work weekends and holidays, because the rest of us aren’t available to look at property during normal working hours.  A successful Realtor is someone who works extremely hard.

The next point is also fairly easy to understand — Realtors are sales professionals, which means their compensation is tied to results, rather than the amount of time spent.  Let’s face it, most sales jobs are not salaried positions.  It’s all about value added.

A good agent adds value by using their expertise to help you find good properties in the right neighborhood at the right price.  Or if you are seller, they can pinpoint the right price so that the property will move quickly.  They use their experience in sales and negotiation tactics to the table to cut the best deal possible once you’ve started negotiating.  Once you are under contract, a good agent will make sure the appraiser has the right comps to do an accurate appraisal.   These are just examples of some of the numerous things that Realtors do that add real value to the process.

Not convinced?

My next point is a little more nuanced.  You might ask why we need real estate brokers at all (you might be a amused to know that one of the first Google autofills when you type ‘why do real estate agents’ is ‘exist’).  The answer to the question gets into the reason agents of all sorts exist in the first place.  For example, why do actors and athletes have agents negotiate their contracts?  Most of us have never needed someone else to negotiate the price of goods or our salary for us.  Part of the answer is that the more complicated and nuanced the negotiation, the better you will do having an expert negotiate with you.  And let me assure you, negotiating a 6 or 7 figure real estate transaction is as complicated and nuanced as it gets.

Take the example of NFL player Russell Okung, who defiantly announced in 2015 that he would enter free agency without an agent.  Of course, most of us know that athletes and entertainers regularly use agents to negotiate salaries and endorsements.  Okung proceeded to sign a five-year deal worth approximately $10.6 million per year with the Denver Broncos.  Not too bad, considering that he doesn’t owe a cut to an agent, which can be up to 3% ($318,000 per year in this instance)!  In fact, the amount he saved alone would put him in the top 3% of all earners in the US according to CNN Money.

Sadly, Okung only earned $8 million from that contract.  You see, NFL contracts are voidable by the team at any time.  The only money a player is guaranteed is the up front signing bonus, which is why you so frequently such large bonuses for players.  No agent would have let him jeopardize his future by signing such a risky contract.  Especially given the well know effects that playing in the NFL has on the human body and brain.  Okung essentially gave up millions to save $318K.

It is well accepted that athletes and artists who represent themselves tend to get emotionally involved.  It’s not easy to hear that you are not the best at your craft anymore or that you are not the box office draw you once were.  Likewise, home buyer and sellers tend to have difficulty keeping their emotions out of the mix.  It is not easy to hear that your kitchen is dated or the school district is sub-par.  Suffice to say, you do not want to end up making a Russell Okung-like mistake when selling or buying the most expensive thing you may ever own.  The best way to avoid such a mistake is by hiring a Realtor.

Finally, if you don’t buy some of my more squishy reasoning above, you will be happy to find out that the numbers support the fact that, in most cases Realtors add more value than they take away from a real estate transaction.  For example, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR) in 2015 the typical for sale by owner (FSBO) home sold for $185,000, while the typical agent assisted transaction had a sale price of $240,000.  Granted, this is a very general statistic, but it is striking, nonetheless.

Setting a listing price for your home is difficult to do objectively.  It is easy to fall into the trap of setting a high price just in case someone falls in love with the home and just has to over pay.  In 2015, 18% of FSBO sellers found setting the sale price to be the most difficult aspect of selling their home.  Overpriced homes sit on the market longer than necessary, which increases carrying costs and stress.  The longer a home is on the market, the less attractive it is to buyers who begin to wonder what must be wrong with it.  These sellers typically end up accepting lower prices in the long run, and a good agent won’t let you fall into that trap.

Likewise, it is easy for a buyer to fall into the trap of throwing a lowball offer out there to see if you can get the seller to bite.  A lowball offer is just going to piss off the seller, who will probably not engage in negotiations with someone who does not seem serious.  A good agent will steer you away from this tactical mistake that could cost you the home of your dreams.

This blog post is not long enough to be an exhaustive analysis of the value that Realtors add to real estate transactions or give all the reason they are worth it.  I don’t expect everyone to be moved to change their opinions on the matter.  However, I hope that I have given you some things to consider when thinking about Realtor commissions.  I maintain that real estate brokers earn every penny they make.  To be honest, they may suffer more from bad PR than anything else.  Sometimes they make it look a little too easy.  In this instance, looks are deceiving.  I will leave you with a final musing — if a real estate license is a license to print money, why aren’t you selling real estate?  Wouldn’t you like to have a job where you make too much money?

Why Chicago Landlords Should Not Take Security Deposits

Published on by loftuslawLeave a comment

I should first and foremost make it perfectly clear that the follow advice is geared specifically toward Chicago (and maybe also Evanston) residential landlords.  If you are a commercial landlord, or a residential landlord somewhere else in Illinois, feel free to scroll past this to another blog post, because it does not apply to you.

Now that I have the major disclaimer out of the way, let me tell you why it’s a bad idea to accept security deposits in Chicago.  The City of Chicago has a law on its books called the Chicago Residential Landlords and Tenants Ordinance (RLTO).  The RLTO imposes a number of fairly onerous requirements on landlords with respect to security deposits.  For example:

  • Security deposits must be held in a federally insured interest-bearing account and cannot be commingled with with the landlord’s assets.
  • The name and address of the bank where the deposit will be held must be disclosed  conspicuously in the lease.
  • Upon accepting the deposit the tenant must be given a written receipt with the name of the person receiving the deposit, the name of the landlord (if not the person receiving the deposit), the date, and a description of the dwelling unit.  The receipt must also be signed by the person receiving the deposit.
  • Interest must be paid to the tenant on all deposits held more than six months.  Interest is paid once a year at a rate established by the city comptroller.  The landlord is responsible for figuring out how much.
  • Any deductions from the deposit for repairs must be itemized in a written statement, accompanied by supporting invoices.  These documents must be given to the tenant within 30 days.

And the list is not exhaustive!  The consequences for violating any of these requirements are damages in an amount equal to the amount of the security deposit and payment of the tenant’s legal fees and costs!  And believe me, there are handful of attorneys here in Chicago, who are more than happy to build up a massive bill just to stick it to the landlord.  Can you imagine owning a 100 unit building and having to comply with all of these requirements for every deposit you receive?  You would never get anything else done.

Fortunately there is a solution called the non-refundable move-in fee.  Some savvy landlord figured out that if the up front payment by the tenant is not refundable, it is not a deposit.  The fee is typically $500-$1,000 for each move-in, and it is not given back to the tenant at the end of the lease term.  Now that it isn’t a deposit, you do not have to meet the requirements of the RLTO; at least with respect to security deposits.  Importantly, the Courts have endorsed this strategy.  In Steenes v. MAC Property Management, LLC, the Illinois First District Appellate Court held that a move in fee is not a security deposit under the RLTO, as long as the amount of the fee is considerably less than the monthly rent and it is not refundable. 2014 IL App (1st) 120719.

Let’s face it, the upside for having a security deposit is far outweighed by the potential liability faced for a violation.  Take my word for it, the Courts take the RLTO very seriously, and if you find yourself in this situation, it will be expensive.  It also makes sense from a business perspective.  Unless you don’t properly vet your tenants, most of them are not going to trash your place, regardless of whether or not you are holding a security deposit.  If you bank the move in fees, you’ll have money in your pocket to deal with the naughty tenants.  And you’ll never have to write a check to a tenant who has already stiffed you on rent (or their attorney).

I spend an inordinate amount of time writing on real estate transactions, so this one is for all of you landlords.  An eviction is a big deal for any landlord.  They are expensive.  Not only are you paying an attorney, but you also have to fund mortgage payments and other costs out of pocket until you can get rid of the bad egg and replace them with a paying tenant.  If you find yourself in this situation, I recommend acting quickly.  The eviction process can be lengthy, so the sooner you call me, the better.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact me at 773-632-8330 or patrick@loftus-law.com.  And finally, as always, I am honored by your referrals.  To learn more about my practice, please contact me!

Closing Costs Part 4 – Miscellaneous Charges

Published on by loftuslawLeave a comment

In the first three installments of my series on closing costs, I addressed real estate tax credits, title charges and lender costs.  This fourth, and final, last installment will address the last category of closing costs – everything else.  As you review your closing costs with your attorney at the closing table, it may feel like everyone is taking their pound of flesh from the transaction.  That is because it is essentially true.

Transfer Taxes

Whenever you buy or sell real estate, the government sticks its hand in your pocket.  The amount of the tax depends largely upon the location of the parcel.  The State of Illinois always gets $1 per $1,000 of the purchase price and the county gets half of that.  Municipalities have the authority to set their own individual taxes.  Some have none at all (eg. Palatine), and some are fairly hefty (eg. Chicago – $7.50 per $1,000 of the purchase price for the buyer and $3.00 per $1,000 of the purchase price for the seller!).  Unfortunately, in most instances these taxes are unavoidable.

Real Estate Broker Commissions

The brokers are paid from the Seller proceeds.  The amount they are paid is determined by the terms the listing agreement.  The brokers’ commission is usually 5% or 6% of the purchase price.  Regardless of the total commission, the listing broker gets a broker co-op commission of 2.5% of the purchase price paid by the listing broker from the total commission.

Recording Fees

The title company will record the deed and mortgage at the county recorder’s office to let the whole world know that you now own the property (and a mortgage on said property).  Of course, the buyer is expected to pay the recorder’s for this.  The cost is usually between $120 and $130 total.

Survey

If the property is a single-family, detached residence, the seller is required to provide the buyer and title company with a survey.  The cost of a survey is roughly $450.  If the property is a condominium, no survey is necessary.

Attorney Fee

Obviously, this is the most important cost of all!  It is crucial to have a good attorney (like me) to protect you when hundreds of thousands of dollars are at stake.  Attorneys, such as myself, who handle residential real estate transactions charge a flat fee paid at closing.  At the time of publication, LoftusLaw charges $500.  What a bargain!

Thus concludes my series on closing costs.  Your experience may vary, as each transaction is unique.  If you have questions about closing costs, or any other real estate matter, as always, you can contact me at patrick@loftus-law.com or 773-632-8330.  To see what my clients have to say about me, please visit me at avvo.com or on my Google + page.

Closing Costs Part 3 – Lender Charges

Published on by loftuslaw1 Comment

The third installment of my posts on closing costs focuses on charges you may incur at closing from your lender.  The vast majority of buyers do not have the cash to plunk down a few hundred thousand dollars to buy a home.  As a result, most real estate transactions involve a loan through a mortgage broker.  Not surprisingly, lenders do not work for free, and there are a number of costs you can expect to incur in connection with borrowing their money.

Unlike title charges and real estate tax credits, lender charges vary quite a bit depending on the lender and loan product you choose.  However, there are some charges and costs that you can generally expect to see on the closing statement.

Origination Fee

Lenders often charge an origination fee for a new loan.  Ostensibly, this is the charge for the work necessary to vet you as a borrower and process the loan.  This charge is typically in the range of $1,000, although it varies from lender to lender.

It is worth mentioning, that the lender is making much more than just the origination fee in terms of profit from originating the loan.  Mortgage brokers make the bulk of their money on something called the yield spread premium.  The yield spread premium is the difference between the interest rate at which the broker can borrow money from the end lender and the interest rate at which you borrow the money from the broker.  That may sound a little unfair; however, it is important to understand that, as a borrower, you do not have access to end lenders who provide the funds.  In addition, banks the fund loans from their own money do not offer better rates than mortgage brokers.

Appraisal Fee

Whenever you borrow money to be secured as collateral for repayment of the loan, the lender wants to know that the collateral has enough value to repay the lender if you cannot.  Fair enough.  As such, part of the loan process involves having an appraiser determine the value of the property.  Typically, this costs somewhere between $300 and $500.

Miscellanous Fees

There are several fees you may see on the settlement statement of a relatively small amount, which I typically characterize as “junk” fees.  For example, there may be a credit certification fee ($10-$100).  This is the fee from the service used by the lender to obtain transcripts of your tax returns from the IRS.  Sometimes you will see a flood certification fee (usually around $10).  The lender wants to see whether the property is in a FEMA flood zone, and determine whether to make you pay for flood insurance.  You may also see a fee for obtaining your credit report (between $10 and $50).

Prepaid Interest

When you make a mortgage payment, you pay interest for the preceding month.  As a new borrower, your first mortgage payment will not be due until the beginning of the second full month after the closing date.  This leaves interest for the month of closing unaccounted for in the loan payments.  Since interest accrues daily, it is customary to pay the interest for the remaining day in the month of closing at closing.  This is not exactly a loan charge, but it is something you will need to pay at closing.  The amount varies depending on the amount you borrow, the interest rate and the time of the month you close.

Impounds

In most cases, the lender will set up an escrow account for the borrower to handle payment of property taxes and insurance.  Every month, the borrower pays some money into the escrow, and when the bills are issued, they are paid from the funds in escrow.  At closing the borrower puts some money into the escrow to get it started.  As with prepaid interest, it is not a charge, insomuch as the money still belongs to the borrower and will be used to pay the borrower’s property tax and insurance bills.  The amount that goes into the escrow varies depending on the amount of the annual tax and insurance bills and the time of year the closing occurs.

As mentioned above, the lender costs can vary quite a bit depending on the lender and loan product.  Do not necessarily be concerned if your settlement statement has additional costs or is missing some of these charges.  What you should do to make sure you are not taken to the cleaners is to hire a good real estate attorney, like me, to make sure the charges are accurate!

If you have questions about real estate closings, or any other real estate matter, as always, you can contact me at patrick@loftus-law.com or 773-632-8330.  To see what my clients have to say about me, please visit me at avvo.com or on my Google + page.

3 Negotiaton Strategies Sellers Can Use To Walk Away From Closing With More Money

Published on by loftuslawLeave a comment

Once you receive a decent offer for your home, you and the potential buyer will probably make the price the main focus of your negotiations.  As important as the price is, it is not the only contract term that determines how much money the Seller will walk away with from the deal.  Because the Buyer will likely be so singularly focused on the price, you may be able to gain valuable concessions from the Buyer along the way without much argument.  Here are three strategies you can use increase your bottom line without making a change to the purchase price.

Tip #1 – Tax Credit Percentage

A frequently overlooked contact term that directly affects the seller’s bottom line is the real estate tax credit. In Illinois, owners of real estate always pay the prior year’s tax bill.  As a result, a seller gives the buyer a credit at closing for unbilled taxes.  The credit is typically 105%-110% (the Proration Rate) of the the last tax bill, prorated through the date of closing.  A savvy buyer’s agent will make the offer with a 110% (or more) Proration Rate.  Your counter-offer should modify the Proration Rate to 105%, thereby reducing the credit given to the buyer at closing and putting more money in your pocket.  For example, 5% of a $10,000 is $500.  As they say, that’s not nothin’.  (For a more in-depth discussion of real estate tax credits, click here.)

Tip #2 – “As Is”

Another way a seller can negotiate some value is to include an “as is” provision in the contract. Although the buyer will still be allowed to have their professional inspection, the buyer is precluded from requesting repairs or credits based on the insepctor’s report.  Let’s face it, regardless of how immaculately you have maintained your home; the inspector will find “issues” to include in his report.  He needs to justify his fee, after all.  Every transaction is unique; however, I generally see sellers giving anywhere from $250 to $2,000 in credits or repairs for sometimes dubious inspection items just to keep the transaction moving forward.  By making the sale “as is” you can maintain your bottom line by cutting off the buyer’s leverage to request costly repairs to the property or monetary concessions based on the inspection.  This strategy is particularly useful in a sellers market, which is the case currently.  (For a more detailed discussion of ‘As Is’ contract provisions, click here.)

Tip #3 – Hire the Right Attorney

Come on.  You saw this coming, didn’t you.  Simply stated, real estate transactions involving the exchange of hundreds of thousands of dollars are not simple matters. These bits of advice are but the tip of the iceberg in terms of what an experienced advocate brings to the table for you.  LoftusLaw is a firm with its primary focus on residential real estate transactions. Our mission is to provide clients with personal, hands-on service, so that each client feels like they understand every aspect of their transaction. Attorney Patrick Loftus has handled residential real estate transactions in the Chicagoland area for 13 years. He is a member of the Illinois Real Estate Lawyers Association. Experience and personal touch are what sets LoftusLaw apart from the rest.

As always, I welcome your comments and questions, and especially your referrrals!  I can be reached at patrick@loftus-law.com or 773-632-8330.  I look foward to hearing from you!