CheekyChicago

These days reading the paper or watching the news can make even the most positive of us go from interested to downright depressed in record time!  While I do not have the power to put the oil back in the pipeline or bring our war to an end, I can say without reservation that this is a time of opportunity.  That’s right, there are whopping, huge opportunities for every one of you to make positive changes in your lives that can benefit you right now and well into your future.  What is this life-changing fabulousness?  I am speaking – of course – of Real Estate!

Here is the deal in Chicago right now.  There are more great neighborhoods from which to choose in the Windy City than ever before!  Thanks to our pristine lakefront, far-thinking city government and lots of developers who had good financing and the sense to build in Chicago over the past ten years.  There is literally more choice out there than ever before.  In my experience, there exists a city neighborhood that works for every single one of us no matter what our marital status – view seeker or non-sports oriented or chill-eat-in or eat-out-outdoorsy or couch potato lifestyle might be.

There are also probably at least five different types of homes (see: High-Rise, Low-Rise, Garden Complex, Flat, Single Family Home, etc.) available in almost every Chicago neighborhood.  And, in case you haven’t already heard…there are more homes than people actually need right now.  This is “less good” for the people selling, but for you Cheekies looking for a new home to buy (or rent) prices could not be lower than at the present time!  It really is something to get excited about because there is nothing that can improve your lifestyle as significantly as owning (or renting) a nice home!

The immediate benefits to upgrading your domestic domain are obvious:  more room, a convenient commute, a swankier neighborhood, a view of the lake or the park or both.  Don’t even get me started about the number of bathrooms or upgraded kitchens or just the amount of light you get during the day!  I could literally wax on about natural light during a Chicago winter forever!

But there really are far reaching benefits to owning your own home that may not be so obvious.  For example, there is the fabulous boost your credit rating gets once you’ve qualified for a mortgage and closed on the new home.  And why not?  You’ve committed to paying back a loan over 30 years which shows you are a committed and mature part of the working economy.  You should get a perk for being your fabulous self!

And speaking of perks, how many times has your tax preparer (insert the appropriate noun here: sister, brother, boyfriend, father, accountant, you, whoever does your taxes) loudly observed that your income tax refund would be a lot bigger if you could write off the interest from a mortgage loan?  Well, you could do that if you had a mortgage!  And maybe the same person in your life has already commented that your investment portfolio is a little thin?  Well, real estate that you are going to live in and hold onto for at least three years is probably the best investment you can make right now!  That’s right; you would be doing a good thing for yourself immediately and in the long-run!  So what are you waiting for?  Get out there and be the buyer!

Please check back next week for Part 2 of It’s Buying Time! …Feel free to contact Phyllis at phyllis@cheekychicago.com.