Things are getting interesting over at the Old Post Office again. As I wrote back on February 29, the City is moving to take control of the property to sell it to someone who will develop it. Mayor Emanuel’s plan received approval from the Community Development Commission. The City will now seek bids from developers, which are due by June 8, 2016. Meanwhile, the current owner, Bill Davies, claims that he is on the verge of sealing a deal with “a New York investor with ‘impeccable status and stature‘” to redevelop the property, and that the Mayor’s actions will jeopardize that plan. Evidently, Emanuel is not interested in promises made…
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What The Meaning of “As Is” Is
From time to time, I get a contract in the office where the property is being sold “as is.” Sellers rejoice when they accept an “as is” offer, because they feel secure knowing that the 18 year old roof and 15 year old furnace are not going to cost them during inspection. However, as Lee Corso is fond of saying, “Not so fast, my friend.” As simple a concept it seems to be, “as is” can be tricky. Experience suggests that, more often than not, “as is” buyers still make inspection request. Why do Buyers do it? What is the justification for it? How do we prepare our clients to…
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Get Your Real Estate Tax Assessment Appeals Ready!
You probably just received the first installment of your 2015 real estate tax bills, and once the panic over the upcoming second installment subsides, you want to know how to lower that bill. As I talked about a couple of weeks ago right here, some of the assessments went absolutely bananas for 2015, and you can expect the second installment of your tax bill to deliver a real sucker punch if you are not prepared. One way to combat the ever-increasing property tax bill is to appeal the assessment. Believe it or not, appealing your assessment can be relatively simple. Many people choose to use an attorney to…
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If It’s Not In Writing, It Doesn’t Exist
We have all heard the saying, but what does it mean for your clients? Let me illustrate by telling you the story of Antonio. After Antonio’s offer on a condo in Lake View was accepted, the seller offered to throw in the $1,500 gas grill on the balcony for no additional cost. At the time, the seller did not want the trouble of moving it. Both agents agreed over the phone to the arrangement, but they did not tell the attorneys, and nothing about the inclusion of the grill was put in writing. Antonio’s agent was familiar with his counterpart, and Antonio trusted that the seller’s agent had everything covered…
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Chicago Real Estate Agents – How To Deal With The 2015 Property Re-Assessment
The 2015 triennial re-assessment for City of Chicago property brings a huge increase to real estate assessments on the North and Northwest sides of the City. Although the median increase among the 184 city neighborhood areas is 10.4%, it would be a mistake to think that a 110% tax proration will provide a sufficient credit for all of your Buyers. Individually, the are some properties where the assessed value has increased nearly 50%! If you have clients who are buying or selling real estate on the North or Northwest Side, especially in East Village, Ukranian Village, Streeterville, River North, Gold Coast, Bucktown, Wicker Park, Lake View, Logan Square, Lincoln Square…
