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  • Renting a Chicago Apartment? Now’s the Right Time

    Posted by admin on April 28th, 2011 and filed under Chicago Apartments | No Comments »

    Apartment renters are usually renters for one of two reasons. Either the renter cannot yet afford the costs associated with a new home or he/she does not want the responsibility of home ownership. Either way, there are things that one must consider. While it is cheaper to stay in an apartment, many feel that money is just being thrown away rather than invested in a property with an eye towards ownership. Others will say that it is best not to move into a home that requires you to live beyond your financial means. They both have their anchor in reality While owning a home is the ultimate duty of some, it is imperative that the full budgetary impact be considered prior to signing any papers. Of course, there is the amount you will pay for the home monthly but there are property taxes, home repair, increased utilities, maintenance and up keep costs that need to be factored into any decision. Living in a home that is beyond your personal financial means proves to be a very frustrating experience, when bills are always coming due that you cant pay. Fees paid for apartment rentals dont provide equity but is great for a temporary place to stay without the hassles and expenses of home ownership. There are rare occasions where an apartment is a good long term fit. Though less stressful and less expensive to maintain, an apartment has its issues as well. If you have lived in an apartment for more than 2 years , you will identify with this

    Have you ever come hometo your apartment and find a notice on the door informing you that your current lease is nearing its end and by the way, your current apartment rent rate is going up by 0? Or maybe you have just been among the unfortunateones that finds himself or herself paying for services that you used to normally get for free, like trash pick up, and water service. Most apartments complexes see a lease about to run out and think now it is time to renegotiate the contract. They know that you are settled in and dont want to move. Raising the rent price and causing once free services to be directly paid by apartment renters is the norm once a lease runs out. Truth be told, services such as trash pick up were never free. They were simply included in the initial cost of renting the apartment. Requiring tenants to pay the fees now is nothing more than a justification for raising rental rates even further than the direct raise represented by the initial rental rate hike. It is part of the game that properties pay. Dont misunderstand me, I understand that apartment complexes are businesses and want to make a profit just like any other business. However, lets not fall for the required rate hike story every single time. The potential rate hike threat is also a tool used by apartment complexes to cause potential renters to sign longer leases to prevent a possible rent hike in the future. Add these rises in cost to the to the other rising costs of living such as gas prices and taxes and you have a perfect storm for relieving you of your money.

    My apartment complex has raised my rent three times in a row says LeAnne Cook. Im looking for another apartment complex to move to or I may buy my first home.

    When surveyed , eight out of ten renters say that they have had their rental rate raised by more than per month in the last year. Six out of ten were hit by more than a per month increase and five out of ten renters received a notice of an increase equal to or greater than 0 per month. To some, this may not seem like a lot of money but for others this can be a budget breaker.

    Fortunately, there are options for coping with rising rental prices.

    Renters are turning to the internet for a means to supplement their living cost budgets. The toolbar at Apartment Rent Toolbar dot com interfaces with TypoBounty.com and allows renters to earn extra cash online to pay for their rent and utilities. Its simplicity is what makes this service so attractive. Because it is a free tool there is no reason for renters to add an additional drain on the household budget. Thats why people are talking about this all over the web.

    The apartment renters that use the apartment rent toolbar are able to earn money for rent by pointing out errors that exist online. Now misspelled words, punctuation errors, even broken links on websites are worth two dollars or more each. There are trillions of website errors online and web surfers only have to point them out to the website owners to earn cash.

    This opportunity to earn money places options in the hands of apartment renters for paying rent, utilities and other living expenses without requiring them too much of their time.

    Welcome to chicago‘s most anticipated brand new rental community. Beautiful Chicago apartments, The Tides at Lakeshore East offers effortless living where the river meets the lake adjacent to Millennium Park. Visit us at www.RentNNP.com or call 312-540-0400 for more information today.
    Video Rating: 4 / 5

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    Chicago Home for Sale-Incredible Luxury in Lakeview

    Posted by admin on April 26th, 2011 and filed under Chicago Homes | 27 Comments »

    www.morechicagohomes.com Experience luxury Lakeview living in this gorgeous 1650 square feet condo with incredible, unobstructed city and Lake Michigan views from every room. In 2008, this unit had a complete gut and rehab down to the concrete columns. Walls were removed to create an open, high-end kitchen with breakfast bar, cherry cabinets, granite countertops, backsplash and stainless steel appliances. Solid cherry hardwood flooring in the living room, dining room, hallway and kitchen. Plush carpeted bedrooms will keep your feet cozy all year long. Design includes the finest details: crown and base moulding, floor-to-ceiling marble in the bathrooms, frameless glass shower door, huge custom closets throughout, and high end fixtures and faucets. Beyond the aesthetic appeal, you can feel secure with new electrical and plumbing in all areas of the unit. Never step outside to get your cars. The garage valet is only 0/month and includes a weekly wash. Your guests can park FREE during the day. The location is ideal for access to the Outer Drive or public transportation. Call for a tour and make this one-of-a-kind unit your own before someone else does. Chicago Homes For Sale Real Estate Chicago Condo chicago Loft Lincoln Park Ukrainian Village Roscoe Village Mayor Daley Lake Michigan View Chicago 2016 Lincoln Square Logan Square Eric Marcus ESM Realty Chicago Real Estate Chicago Homes Chicago Condos Roscoe Village Lakeview Lincoln Park Lincoln Square Ravenswood Gold Coast
    Video Rating: 4 / 5

    The link to download this house is over here: www.thesims3.com Requested by coolkit211, who asked for a 1950′s Chicago Townhouse for his Italian Family (which I accidentally disregarded), that consists of Mother, Father and teenage daughter. So apart from those details, I was asked to include a garage and basement (I don’t understand the need for them so the houses I’ve made that require a basement I left empty) and it needed to be small. My first reaction was that it was going to be a quick and easy job… how wrong I was. This house took 3 hours to complete!!! And nothing was extraordinarily hard either, time just flew past. I could’ve made it 2 floors instead of 3 if I managed the ground floor better (theres lots of empty space), but I’ve always wanted to do a 1st floor Kitchen/ Dining Room, so I crammed them, a bathroom and a family room all on the one floor. 2nd floor is really nice but I definitely get carried away with colour themes. I tried being different with the daughters room and threw in Blue instead of all pink. But I think the Black & White throughout the house turned out quite nice. Backyard was just thrown together and the “garage” is very basic. Okay this is my last house that I’m building for a bit. I don’t have much internet to upload 1GB worth of videos everyday… that, and I’m all creative-ed out… I need time to recharge. I’m thinking of building simple, small starter homes instead of expensive works of art when I come back. I need a change. So

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    Chicago Apartment Locating Service Gaining Status among Building Managers

    Posted by admin on April 20th, 2011 and filed under Chicago Apartments | No Comments »

    Chicago Apartment Locating Service Gaining Status among Building Managers










    Chicago, IL (PRWEB) May 15, 2008

    Apartment Savvy Chicago, a locating service for Chicago apartments, is becoming more popular among local building managers. A recent article in the Daily Herald explains how Apartment Savvy has expanded their service to help people rent Chicago apartments throughout the city’s neighborhoods. Landlords and management firms have been very responsive to the services they provide since the company’s founding just a few years ago.

    The way that Apartment Savvy Chicago works is simple. The clients who are looking for Chicago apartments pay nothing; the company makes their money by charging landlords and management firms a fee for each tenant they provide that is accepted. The prospective tenants have already been screened by Apartment Savvy, and the landlords or managers can decide if they went to rent to them or not.

    The service has clearly been working, as they are helping hundreds of people rent chicago Apartments on a monthly basis. In March of 2007, for example, they placed about 250 people in Chicago apartments. Michael Pottern and Justin Kling, the founders of Apartment Savvy Chicago, estimate that their sales have increased approximately 60 percent each year since they opened in 2004. With frequently updated listings that provide immediate foot traffic, more and more properties are becoming interested in working with them.

    Another reason the company has become so successful, according to Pottern and Kling, is the fact that Internet is increasingly being used by all sorts of consumers in search of goods and services, including Chicago apartments. For more information, call (773)348-8921 or visit http://www.apartmentsavvy.com.

    About Apartment Savvy Chicago:

    Founded in 2004, Apartment Savvy Chicago, LLC is the premier apartment locating service in Chicago, headquartered at 2835 North Clark on the border of the Lincoln Park and Lakeview neighborhoods. At no cost to the tenant, Apartment Savvy is dedicated to providing consumers the best housing options in Chicago. Apartment Savvy customizes each search to best fit the needs of the prospective tenant in the most efficient and stress-free manner. Experienced agents personally accompany and guide each Apartment Savvy customer to every location, free of charge. Whether it is a Loop loft, Gold Coast high-rise, Lincoln Park condo, Ravenswood walk-up, Lakeview apartment or any other housing choice, Apartment Savvy has the resources to find a perfect Chicago residence.

    Contact:

    Michael Pottern

    Michael @ apartmentsavvy.com

    Apartment Savvy

    2835 North Clark

    Chicago, IL 60657

    http://www.apartmentsavvy.com

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    Go Chicago? Card Means Unlimited Admission to More than 25 Chicago Tour and Chicago Travel Attractions

    Posted by admin on April 12th, 2011 and filed under Chicago | No Comments »

    Go chicagoÂ? Card Means Unlimited Admission to More than 25 Chicago Tour and Chicago Travel Attractions











    Boston, MA (PRWEB) June 28, 2005

    The Go Chicago Card is now on sale in Chicago by visiting http://www.GoChicagoCard.com . The card is the brainchild of Smart Destinations, the premier provider of all-inclusive attraction passes in top U.S. travel destinations. card holders have access to more than 25 destinations with express entry to many of them. The card also includes savings of up to 20% on shopping and dining.

    “The Go Chicago Card gives travelers the opportunity to move about the city freely and enjoy all of the things they want without having to reach for their wallet at each attraction. It’s like a theme park pass to the city,” said Cecilia Dahl, president of Smart Destinations.

    Dahl said the Go Chicago Card was designed to appeal to a variety of interests and ages. “Whether you want to see a top-tier museum, take a sightseeing tour, see one of the country’s top aquariums or simply enjoy Chicago’s great shops and restaurants, the Go Chicago Card has something for you.”

    Go Chicago Card visitors have unlimited admission to the city’s most well-known attractions, as well as “hidden gems,” including: Adler Planetarium, The Field Museum, Shedd Aquarium, The Notebaert Nature Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, The Art Institute of Chicago and much more.

    Visitors can purchase the Go Chicago Card online at http://www.GoChicagoCard.com or through any of Smart Destinations global distribution partners.

    About Smart Destinations

    Smart Destinations is the premier provider of unlimited admission attraction passes in major U.S. travel destinations. Smart Destinations’ Go Cards offer simplified access to dozens of attractions to individuals, couples and families, for one fixed “per day” price. The Go Guidebook is ready-to-travel and includes fun facts about a destination, access details, and important local numbers. Distributed through major travel services in 25 countries as well as on the Web, Smart Destinations’ Go Cards are the industry’s “trusted companion” for the best a city has to offer at an unbeatable price point. For more information on program participation, the company and its cards, visit http://www.GoCardUSA.com or call 617-671-1001.

    Media Contact:

    Kim Miller

    Tier One Partners

    617-610-0583

    tierpr@smartdestinations.com

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    Chicago Home Equity Loans

    Posted by admin on April 6th, 2011 and filed under Chicago Homes | No Comments »

    Chicago home equity loans are the type of loans where the borrower uses the equity in his Chicago home as collateral. You can lose the home and be forced to move out if you don’t repay the debt. Such loans are often used by families in need of financing help to make major home repairs, pay medical bills or college tuitions. Chicago home equity loans create a lien against the borrower’s house. Equity is the difference between how much the home is worth and how much you owe on the mortgage (or mortgages, if you have more than one on the property). Such loans require an excellent credit score and reasonable loan-to-value ratios. An individual can apply for an equity loan, no matter the type of home he has. It can be a condo, house, apartment, or townhouse.

    The maximum amount that you can borrow through a home equity loan depends on your credit score, monthly income, and the appraised value of the collateral, among others. It is possible to borrow up to 100% of the appraised value of the home. chicago home equity loans can be of two types, closed- and open-end. Closed-end home equity loans generally have fixed rates and can be amortized for periods usually up to 15 years. The open-end loans, also known as HELOC (home equity line of credit) loans, are at a variable interest rate, but here the borrower chooses when and how often to borrow against the equity of the property, with the lender setting an initial limit to the credit line.

    But when comparing the two, keep in mind that you cannot simply compare the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) for a loan with the APR for a home equity loan because the APRs are figured differently. The APR for a regular loan takes into account the interest rate charged plus points and other finance charges. The APR for a home equity line is based on the periodic interest rate alone. It does not include points or other charges.

    Here are the steps you should follow when considering a home equity loan in Chicago:

    1) Check your options – home equity loans are not the only method of financing. Remember, if you decide to get a home equity loan and can’t make the payments, the lender may foreclose and you would lose your home.

    2) Do the research – if you are keen on getting such a loan, then talk with several lenders, including at least one bank or credit union in your community. Compare their offers. Comparing loan plans can help you get a better deal. Beware of loan terms and conditions that may mean higher costs for you. Keep in mind the following parameters:
    -Can you afford the interest rate and monthly payments?
    -The period of the loan, or how long you have to pay it back
    -Check the penalties for late or missed payments

    3) Double check – think twice before signing the contract. Have an attorney review the loan papers and make sure the terms are the same ones you agreed on.

    Paul Gorney, #1 Salesperson out of 400 Agents, is Guest Real Estate Commentator on Fox Business News with Neil Cavuto. Paul is one the Top Salespeople in the Chicago Area over the last 16 Years.
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