judyo's Blog: General Real Estate

Last month my husband and I joined my sister-in-law for her birthday trip where she rented a villa in Biot, France for 3 weeks (we went for the last week).  Not really knowing my France geography very well, it took a day or two to realize that where we were in the south of France was actually the French Riviera.  I just thought we'd be out in the country somewhere in the "south of France."

I love watching International House Hunters to see those European buyers (many from out of the country) and what they accept in some of these very old homes.  Many Europeans that want an historic home expect to find crumbling stone structures and relics of the past such as original stone wash basins found in one old property (for washing clothes). 

Some of the For…

There's a first time for everything.  I had a pre-approved conventional (10% down) buyer who had the best offer on a forclosed Oak Lawn home out of 8 offers.  She really wanted the home and was quite happy. 

As the financing process progressed, we needed to ask for an extension because the file was in underwriting for a very long time.  My buyer was no longer happy, even when I explained the ever-changing mortgage rules and regulations.  In fact, she blamed everything on the loan officer.

Thank goodness the buyer's attorney struck up a good rapport with the foreclosure seller's attorney since we needed an extension and it was granted without any fees.  Then the bad news hit.

The PMI company did not approve the financing because they had just changed…

Active Rain is currently giving away points (it was posted that 1000 points would be given for every hyper-local content post made - up to 7000 points - 1 post a day for the next 7 days).  I still post on AR (although I stopped paying attention to points a long time ago) and try to post on both REW and AR as much as I can (I have a list of all of my blogs and go down the list for each post to make sure they're evened out).  Sometimes it comes to once a week, sometimes less. 

I Wrote a Post That I Thought Followed the Recommendation

I posted about Orland Park Homes For Sale Under $200,000.  But I was told I should have dug deeper and posted about a more local and specific neighborhood or subdivision.  In my opinion, that was a niche in itself that would…

I'm saying that a lot lately.  It's sad watching the sellers' faces fall as I show them the reality of today's market.  Just yesterday I had to tell a senior woman whose family wants her to sell (because they fear for her safety in the town she lives in) that her house is probably worth around what she paid for it many, many years ago.  I could see the tears forming in her daughter's eyes and had to listen to the outrage of her son (not aimed at me personally, thank goodness).

The home owner had a mix of jubilance (she didn't want to move) and confusion on how the home she so lovingly cared for could be worth so little.  She lives in a town I don't work in much and only took it on because it was a referral from a friend.  This was a town that was always…

A highly respected tribe leader that had settled in Indiana was upset over a competing tribe member advertising his caves for sale.  He brought his grievance up with his local higher powers named MIBOR.

MIBOR wasn't sure how to interpret these ancient scrolls and they contacted the highest powers that be  called NAR.  Together, they reviewed these ancient scrolls to come to an agreed upon interpretation.

Even though the complaining tribe leader had signed an agreement of reciprocity, he did not understand what that meant.  He did not like sharing his wares with others.  He wanted to be the only tribe allowed to sell his inventory of caves.  Any cave buyers had to come directly to him to purchase his inventory.

Smoke Signals

You see, this…

I've had a seller for quite some time that finally got an offer on his Lockport townhouse for sale.  The original offer was within $10,000 of his new, lower list price.  Not bad in today's market.  But I couldn't get him to budge from his asking price.

After much chiding from the buyer's agent, I kept my cool and told him that my seller feels he can get full price, maybe not today, but soon.  The agent came back with an offer only $5,000 off list price.  My seller would still not budge.

My seller used to be a real estate agent

I have dealt with many ex-agents over the years and they know enough to be dangerous.  When I requested him to initial the area on the contract that states he was rejecting the offer, he got angry and told me that isn't…

My real estate partner meets a lot of people due to her bartending job in Orland Park, IL.  She met a guy a while back that was having a beer because his wife was shopping in the nearby Orland Park mall.  My partner, a friend I met in 6th grade, has a way with words and has no shame to admit she is a REALTOR and a bartender. 

She owned a couple of her own bars but sold her last one a couple years ago and went back into real estate.  Another REALTOR friend is part-owner of a popular restaurant/lounge and offered her a postion, which she gladly accepted.  She brings in the clients and I do most of the rest of the work.  She isn't computer literate but likes to sit open houses so we work well together.

So this guy actually calls us as his listing was about…

I have passed up more listings in the past year than I have the entire 26 years I've been in the business, and it's leaving me questioning if maybe I should take a break with my current listing system.  I just returned home from a listing presentation for an Oak Forest condominium for sale that was an expired listing but these sellers cannot afford to sell right now.

I get listing appointments from people finding my websites, referrals and past clients.  I also send out a postcard program to expireds and fsbos, although there aren't many fsbo's left in my area.  My websites are already up so unless I want to pay someone to help me create a landing page or something special for sellers, I can let my sites do the work they're already performing.

I'm…