Discount Chicago real estate broker: Lucid Realty

Check out how much these sellers saved when they used Lucid Realty to sell their homes - because that's what we do. www.LucidRealtyRebates.com

Shocking! The referendum was only supported by the people who wouldn't have to pay for it.

Bring Chicago Home: precinct-level results With more than 100,000 mail-in ballots outstanding, the fate of Bring Chicago Home is not yet known. See a breakdown of the votes that have been counted.

Check out Marco's latest listing in Pilsen - Fully renovated 7 unit investment property. 2104 S Washtenaw Ave - $1,125,000

2104 S Washtenaw Ave, Chicago, IL 60608 - Fully Renovated 7 Unit Investment Property In Pilsen - $1,125,000 2104 S Washtenaw Ave, Chicago, IL 60608; Fully Renovated 7 Unit Investment Property In Pilsen - $1,125,000

Who would have thought that there would be consequences to rent control?

Why NYC apartments could become a big problem for NYCB Investors have punished the stock of NYCB so far this month. To know why, it helps to understand the changing economics of a New York City staple: the rent-stabilized apartment building.

https://www.redfin.com/news/housing-survey-relocation-politics/

One-Third of Real Estate Agents Worked With Clients Who Relocated Due to Local Laws or Politics in 2023: Redfin Survey Local laws and politics have become increasingly important as the nation gets more politically divided, and homebuyers have more flexibility than they used to in choosing where to live.

Of course! You can't just legislate economics. Duh!

The high cost of creating affordable housing As Chicago's housing needs mount, affordable housing development gets bogged down by a costly combination of expenses.

No better way to start 2024 than with a great review from our client. Way to go Marco!

Mister T.'s review of Lucid Realty Marco created a high quality listing very quickly so we could get started before Thanksgiving and…

Thinking about selling your home? Here are some tips from Realtor.com.

7 Important Repairs to Make Before Selling A House

The most critical things to do to increase your home’s value before putting it on the market.

As a smart seller, you’ll want your home in tip-top shape — but you don’t want to eat into your profits by overspending on home improvements. You won’t be around to enjoy them anyway. The key is to focus on the most important repairs to make before selling a house to ensure every dollar you spend supports a higher asking price.

“Smaller and less expensive updates in combination with good staging will have a great return,” says Colorado Springs agent Susanna Haynie. But how do you know what things to do before putting your house on the market? Prioritize these updates — and consider letting the rest go.

#1 The Most Important Repair to Make Before Selling: Fix Damaged Flooring
Scratched-up wood flooring; ratty, outdated carpeting; and tired linoleum make your home feel sad. Buyers might take one step inside and scratch the property from their list. Want to know how to increase the value of your home? Install new flooring.

“Replace what’s worn out,” says Haynie. “Buyers don’t want to deal with replacing carpet, and giving an allowance is generally not attractive enough. Spring for new, neutral carpeting or flooring.”

If your home already has hardwood floors, refinishing does the job. Expect to spend about $3,400 on the project — and recoup 147% of the cost, according to the “National Association of REALTORS® Remodeling Impact Report.”

Consider swapping any old flooring for new hardwood. This project costs about $5,500, but you could recoup 118% of that at resale. If that’s not in the budget, any flooring update makes an enormous difference.

#2 Fix Water Stains
You’ve learned to live with the results of a long-fixed plumbing snafu, but for buyers, a water stain suggests there could be a dozen pesky problems hidden beneath the surface. That’s why this is one of the things to do before putting your house on the market.

“No buyer wants to buy a money pit,” says Haynie.

First, make sure the problem is fixed: Bring in a plumber to look for leaky piping or poor yard drainage if your basement is damp. Diverting rainwater from your foundation may cost as little as $800, and repairing a leaking pipe costs approximately $300.

As for the repair work, replacing a water-stained ceiling runs about $670, and drywall costs around $1.50 per square foot.

All are cheaper than a lost sale.

#3 Repair Torn Window Screens
So super inexpensive — and even DIY-able. You can purchase a window screen frame repair kit from a home improvement store for $10 to $15.

Considering the simplicity of this repair, making the fix is always worth it — and so are other small but highly visible issues. When you’re debating how to increase the value of your home, nix any small problems, snags, or ugly spots that might make buyers scrunch up their brows.

#4 Update Grout
Is your grout yellowing or cracked? Buyers will notice. New grout, on the other hand, can make old floors look like they came straight from the showroom.

“The best return-on-investment projects before selling a home involve making a home look like new,” says Malibu, Calif.-based agent Shelton Wilder. She recently sold a home above asking price after a complete re-grout.

This is another small fix with a big impact: Simple bathroom re-grouting may cost just $1 to $2 per square foot, increasing to $10 per square foot for more complicated jobs. And if you’re handy, you can save even more DIY-ing it.

#5 Resuscitate a Dying Lawn
Nothing says, “This one’s gonna take some work” like a brown, patchy, w**dy lawn.

Fixing the problem doesn’t cost a ton of money — and you’ll get it all back (and then some!) once you sell. Hiring a lawn care service to apply fertilizer and w**d control will cost about $375. Once you sell the home, that comparatively cheap fix could recoup $1,000. That’s an unbeatable 267% return on investment.

#6 Erase Pet Damage
Did your (sort of) darling kitten scratch your bedroom door? Fix the damage before listing your home. Otherwise, buyers may consider the scuffs a canary in the coal mine.

”If you have pet damage, buyers will [then] look for pet stains on the floor,” says Haynie.

Refinishing a door costs between $100 and $215 (or less, if you’re willing to DIY). Replacing pet-damaged carpeting or hardwood may be a bigger job than buffing out some scuffs — but it’s worth the cash.

#7 Revive an Outdated Kitchen
A full kitchen renovation is rarely worth it when it comes time to sell — even though buyers love a fresh look. “Kitchens are still one of the most important features for buyers,” says Haynie.

The problem is, this $45,000 upgrade isn’t something that buyers will pay you back for. Sellers recoup about 75% of a full-on kitchen renovation. If you’re updating the space just for your sale, focus on low-cost, high-impact projects instead.

“Updating the kitchen doesn’t need to be expensive,” says Wilder. “Painting wood cabinets, updating hardware, or installing new countertops or appliances could be enough.”

Setting up your home for selling success doesn’t have to be expensive. Focus on the most important repairs to make before selling a house by picking projects that do more than look pretty. Choose updates that get your home in selling shape and justify a higher asking price.

Marco didn't only sell this home in 2 days for more than $34,000 over the asking price, he also saved the sellers more than $12,100 in commission fees. GREAT JOB MARCO!!
Visit www.LucidRealty.com to see how Lucid can help you save when you sell or buy your home!

Illinois #1 outbound. North Carolina #2 inbound. Who would have thought?

2023 Migration Patterns Revealed As one of the nation's largest residential movers, Atlas Van Lines has unique internal data that can...

All Brick Architectural Gem With 3 Bedrooms In Western Springs - $657,550; 3916 Howard Ave, Western Springs, IL 60558;

All Brick Architectural Gem With 3 Bedrooms In Western Springs - $657,550 3916 Howard Ave, Western Springs, IL 60558; Check out the complete details here: https://lucidrealty.com/3916-howard-avenue-western-springs-il-60558/

Impeccably Maintained, Rarely Available, 3 Bedroom, 4 Bath End Unit Townhome At Lake Hinsdale Village; 67 Portwine Rd, Willowbrook, IL 60527 - $471,150

Check out the full details here: https://lucidrealty.com/67-portwine-road-willowbrook-il-60527/

Check out how much these sellers saved when they used Lucid Realty to sell their homes - because that's what we do. www.LucidRealtyRebates.com

Why on God's earth would use use expensive real estate to create affordable housing?

Inside new luxury apartment tower The Row in Fulton Market The 43-story building has a pool, gym, event spaces and a communal terrace with hammocks.

Destroying Chicago one tax at a time.

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson allies introduce real estate transfer tax plan The latest “Bring Chicago Home” measure, still facing opposition, offers a tiered tax rate system designed to hit the most expensive properties hardest.

Cook County is a big loser in this trend.

"Tax the rich, feed the poor
'Til there are no rich no more"

Tax Data Reveals Large Flight of High Earners from Major Cities During the Pandemic by Connor O'Brien Key Findings The exodus of workers and families from major U.S. cities during the first two years of the pandemic was exceeded by an even larger outflow of income. Newly-released IRS data shows taxable income (Adjusted Gross Income, or AGI) in large urban

Check out how much these sellers saved when they used Lucid Realty to sell their homes - because that's what we do. www.lucidrealty.com/services/low-commission-realtors/

Yet they want to launch a guaranteed income program.

County budget hole nearly doubles to $170 million from June estimate: ‘We didn’t have the hard figures on costs’ In June, county leaders said they expected to start the 2024 budget year with an $86 million gap.

Politician playbook: Ask voters if they want someone else to pay for solving their problems. What a surprise. 70% support getting the top 10% to solve homelessness.

Mayor Johnson's allies lay groundwork for 'mansion tax' referendum to aid Chicago's unhoused people Mayor Johnson is determined to put on the ballot a binding referendum that allows Chicago voters to decide whether to approve what the mayor calls his "mansion tax."

Check out how much these sellers saved when they used Lucid Realty to sell their homes - because that's what we do. www.lucidrealty.com/services/low-commission-realtors/

Check out the April market update for Addison.

Addison Real Estate Market Conditions - April 2023 - Lucid Realty Addison Real Estate Market Conditions - April 2023; Single family home market times have decreased more than 36% in April compared to last year.

This is how rent control works. The depressed rent hurts the value of the building so much that landlords have to bribe tenants to leave. Unfortunately, this is behind a paywall.

$55,000 to leave a rent-controlled apartment? Why these tenants say no thanks As the L.A. rental market soars out of reach for many working families, one community wants to hold on to its low-cost housing.

Well, this is not good but it's no surprise.

Johnson elevates transfer tax hike with appointments - The Real Deal Chicago Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson signaled a proposal he supports that would triple real estate transfer taxes on sales of $1 million or more is alive and well with additional appointments to his transition team on Thursday. They include affordable housing advocates, and one in particular who has....

Although Chicago area home price appreciation is slowing down it's doing better than most of the nation and we're rising in the rankings.

Case Shiller: Chicago Area Home Prices Outperforming Nation Although Chicago area home price appreciation is slowing down it's doing better than most of the nation and we're rising in the rankings.

Real estate experts surveyed by Pulsenomics have further cut their home price forecast but even that might be optimistic.

Another Cut In The Real Estate Expert Home Price Forecast Real estate experts surveyed by Pulsenomics have further cut their home price forecast but even that might be optimistic.

If you sold your Illinois home in 2022 you might easily miss claiming some of your property tax credit on your income tax return. Also, note that in this image created by artificial intelligence the robots don’t yet know that humans only have two arms.

Get Your Full Illinois Property Tax Credit When Selling A Home If you sold your Illinois home in 2022 you might easily miss claiming some of your property tax credit on your income tax return.

Although homes sales are much lower than the last 2 years the Chicago real estate market is now in line with pre-pandemic norms. And there is plenty of support for home prices.

Chicago Real Estate Market Update: Home Sales Back To Normal? Although homes sales are much lower than the last 2 years the Chicago real estate market is now in line with pre-pandemic norms

Home prices are falling across the country but the Chicago area is not hurting quite as much so we’re actually rising slightly in the rankings again. Oh…and that image was created by the Bing Image Creator

Case Shiller: Chicago Area Falls Less Behind As Home Prices Drop While home prices keep falling the Case Shiller Chicago index shows that the Chicago area is not quite as bad as the rest of the country.

Chicago foreclosure activity is clearly on a downward trajectory and already below any time prior to the pandemic

Chicago Foreclosure Activity: Lowest Level In 13 Months Chicago foreclosure activity is clearly on a downward trajectory and already below any time prior to the pandemic

Who woulda thought?

Examining the Unintended Consequences of Rent Control Policies in Cities Across America | National Apartment Association Examining the Unintended Consequences of Rent Control Policies in Cities Across America Image March 22, 2023 |Updated March 22, 2023 3 minute read From December 2022 to February 2023, the National Apartment Association (NAA) commissioned ndp | analytics to conduct interviews with housing providers a...