Author: don debat

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DeBat: Uncle Sam’s housing stimulus applauded by buyers and Realtors

DeBat: Uncle Sam’s housing stimulus applauded by buyers and Realtors

Homeowners with roofs over their heads are applauding Congress’ passage of a housing stimulus bill as the most important legislation affecting real es [...]
DeBat: Summer brings great selection and prices, higher mortgage rates

DeBat: Summer brings great selection and prices, higher mortgage rates

The forecast for summer house-hunting in the Chicago area is pretty clear: The market has some of the best selection of well-priced, new and resale ho [...]
Foreign investors pulling Chicago condo market out of slump

Foreign investors pulling Chicago condo market out of slump

Foreign investment and financing dollars from countries such as Ireland, Germany, China and Kuwait may be the muscle that pulls Chicago’s new-construc [...]
Location the driving force behind home price gains

Location the driving force behind home price gains

Despite the gloomy national survey reports on falling property values that show lower home prices in 77 markets, prices of residences rose in 73 marke [...]

Outlook 2008: Affordable mortgages, strong rental and retail markets

The home front Looking forward into 2008, a group of veteran Chicago developers, brokers, lenders and investors see a gradual recovery coming for som [...]
In slower market, it pays to realize houses are more than money machines

In slower market, it pays to realize houses are more than money machines

City Homes The American dream of buying a single-family home once was all about enjoying family life – raising kids, baking apple pie or sitting by a [...]
Handful of downtown condo projects are silver lining in overcast housing market

Handful of downtown condo projects are silver lining in overcast housing market

City Homes It is likely that 2007 will go down in history as the year of gloom and doom in real estate, with headlines dominated by reports of fall [...]
Developer sells 80 condos in one hour using discounts, PDAs and Greek meal

Developer sells 80 condos in one hour using discounts, PDAs and Greek meal

City Homes Launching a development in today’s slower real estate market requires some creativity. To kick off sales at 200 North Dearborn Private R [...]
National housing slump continues, but interest rates stay at historic lows

National housing slump continues, but interest rates stay at historic lows

City Homes At the halfway point of 2007, experts are still trying to figure out if the nation’s housing slump is on its way to becoming a bust. Th [...]
Stock of unsold new units high downtown, but few completed condos are sitting empty

Stock of unsold new units high downtown, but few completed condos are sitting empty

City Homes Despite gloomy rumors of unsold condominium units sitting empty downtown, there currently are only 177 new-construction high-rise condos [...]
2016 Olympics development could change face of Chicago's game – 16-inch softball

2016 Olympics development could change face of Chicago's game – 16-inch softball

City Homes Chicago, a world-class city, is buzzing about the possibility of hosting the 2016 Olympics and the real estate development boom that wou [...]
An odd adjustment – housing market shaky despite good economy, mortgage rates

An odd adjustment – housing market shaky despite good economy, mortgage rates

City Homes Benchmark 30-year fixed-rate mortgages are holding steady near the 6 percent mark this spring, but the housing market is still shaky, leav [...]
Oversupplied condo market may squeeze investors when their "babies" are delivered

Oversupplied condo market may squeeze investors when their "babies" are delivered

City Homes Fewer than 300 new condominiums were completed and still on the market in downtown Chicago at the end of 2006, but the inventory of unso [...]
City homes

City homes

Lifestyle developments offer retail, spa amenities and woodsy retreats In the search for a dream condo or single-family home, buyers carefully weig [...]
City homes

City homes

Historically low interest rates may spur housing market in 2007Â The roller-coaster mortgage market likely will stay in the 6 to 6.5 percent range [...]
City Homes

City Homes

Careful staging, pricing lure buyers during winter months, slower market by Don DeBat If you are hoping to sell your home before the snow falls fo [...]
Chicago market defies housing bubble but ultra-luxury sales are slowing down

Chicago market defies housing bubble but ultra-luxury sales are slowing down

Reports of a "housing bubble" may have been greatly exaggerated in downtown Chicago compared with other housing markets nationwide, real estate expe [...]
Exotic mortgages are "time bombs" for moderate-income homebuyers

Exotic mortgages are "time bombs" for moderate-income homebuyers

With mortgage interest rates on the rise, it's becoming more of a financial struggle for cash-strapped Americans to step across the threshold of a n [...]
High-rises push south to Cermak Road as red-hot South Loop bursts its borders

High-rises push south to Cermak Road as red-hot South Loop bursts its borders

With a lakefront location and plenty of vacant land for residential high-rise development, Chicago's red-hot South Loop neighborhood is about to burs [...]
High-rise condominium boom fuels Manhattanization of downtown Chicago

High-rise condominium boom fuels Manhattanization of downtown Chicago

The Manhattanization of Chicago likely will accelerate in the second half of 2006 as a record number of new high-rise condominium projects moves from [...]
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