All Entries in the "Economy" Category
Homeownership Reaches 15-Year Low
Homeownership in the U.S. has hit a 15-year low. During the first quarter of 2012, the homeownership rate in the U.S. fell to 65.4 percent, down from 66 percent for the past three quarters according to the Census Bureau. Homeownership hasn’t been this low since Bill Clinton was the Commander-in-Chief and the X-Files was still [...]
Live Below Your Means for a Happier Retirement
With the tragedy of so many living from paycheck to paycheck, it is time to realize that even in this turbulent economy, it is time to start seriously saving money and not just for big purchases. There is a lot of money that needs to go into retirement planning to have a safe and enjoyable [...]
After a Long Hiatus, Bidding Wars Make a Comeback
Something strange is happening across the national real estate market: Bidding wars. With all the sustained news of foreclosures, shorts sales, high rent and low home prices dominating the Chicago housing market, one would think the bad news would stick around like the city’s notoriously nasty winters. However, on a long enough timeline, things have [...]
Short Sales in Chicago on the Rise
Short sales made a huge leap in the Chicago real estate market at the beginning of the year. Lender Processing Services Inc., a Jacksonville, Fla.-based firm that provides extensive data for mortgage lenders, released data showing that short sales made up 20.1 percent of all sales in the Chicago area for January. So what exactly [...]
New HARP 2.0 Rules to Help Homeowners…Finally
As many Chicago homeowners know all too well, often when an organization tries to help others, the first attempts aren’t as successful as one would hope. Best intentions can get caught up in bureaucracy, bad guidelines and a million other stutter steps that hinder the intended outcome. As the trite saying goes, it’s time to [...]
