Asbestos has been banned in the United States since 1980 but for older homes that are often remodeled, it can still be a problem. This is not to say that if you live in a home built before 1980 that you should live in fear.  On the contrary, asbestos is perfectly find as long as it goes undisturbed. Once the fibers are airborne, though, that’s when exposure is possible and the risk of future lung ailments rises.

The major medical complication that can arise is a deadly lung cancer called mesothelioma. This can be a very bad thing because the mesothelioma life expectancy is often very short. It should be noted though that diagnosis can take very long and mesothelioma symptoms may not appear until 20 to even 50 years after exposure.

Hiring a licensed abatement contractor in your area in clearly the way to go before investing in major remodeling work. Professional home inspectors generally operate at a reasonable price and provide the peace of mind needed for healthy living.

The insulation alternatives to asbestos are plentiful,  effective and much better for the environment. This includes recycled building materials such as lcynene foam, cotton fiber and cellulose.  Cotton fiber foam in particular has proven to lower energy costs up to 25%.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, recently approved by congress, also has tax incentives for citizens opting for more ‘green’ materials. So not only can you save in the long run but you can also benefit quickly. Any remodeling done to a home shell is worth 30% of the installed cost, with only parts and not labor included in the price savings.

Problem Unique to Illinois

In Illinois asbestos in older homes and building is not the only problem to be aware of. The Johns-Manville Superfund Site is home to one million tons of asbestos waste in the form of wastewater sludge. Once in awhile this water is drained into Lake Michigan and water currents have carried asbestos fibers as far as Chicago’s Oak Street Beach.

Much of this asbestos settled on the bottom of the lake but dredging stirs it up and the fibers are washed on shore.  Some of this sediment has even been used to replenish beaches that needed sand. There are differences of opinion as to whether this truly is a health hazard to Illinois citizens but at the very least I think we can all agree it’s disgusting.

According to Illinois Dunesland Preservation Society President Paul Kakuris, "Waves wash fibers onto the beaches where sand releases asbestos during beach activities, exposing millions of unwitting victims to deadly asbestos fibers while corrupt public officials and polluters’ consultants rigged studies, using government funds." This particular group advices against relaxing at these beaches.

As always, awareness is the best prevention. Be aware of the potential threats and take preventative measures and you should be ok.

I caught a great "Buy Me" show on HGTV today that was shot in Chicago.  It was very interesting because one of the owners was a long-time veteran real estate agent that had her REALTOR son list the home. 

It was a very unique, custom styled 3-story and although the home owners seemed to acknowledge that they were looking for that special (needle-in-a-haystack) buyer, they were not cooperating with their son about staging the home and pricing it correctly.  And it kind of bothered me that as a real estate agent, the wife was one of the most difficult to convince.

She had a difficult time de-cluttering and kept items that her son tried to get her to store away.  And she wanted to try a very high price even after her son showed her comparables and tried explaining that they were wasting time at such a high price.  But she wouldn’t budge or acknowlege his factual data.  As a real estate agent, whether retired or active, in my opinion, she should have known better! 

The husband seemed to be more realistic - in the beginning.  The son told him that the price was too high and at one point the husband said that his wife needed to face reality.  Yet in the end, it was the husband that pulled the plug, although that was probably a planned television edit.

They admitted they were greedy

In the beginning of the show they stated that they were as greedy as any other buyer or seller out there.  Their reason for selling was to downsize and retire early.  But in order for that plan to work, they needed to get a certain amount of money for their home.  

After the de-cluttering

Since the agent was their son, he had to do some hands-on de-clutteirng for his parents.  It was a funny battle.  He was packing things while Mom was looking through old photos.  I felt sorry for him as he seemed to be doing everything right.

He held a broker’s open and the comments were too much stuff (after de-cluttering) and too high a price.  It’s like these comments went through one ear and out the other with these stubborn sellers.

And time went by

I believe it was on the market for around 4 months.  They held open houses and there were showings.  But buyers felt the place was outdated and would require too much money to fix it up, they felt it was overpriced, bedrooms were too small, it only had one bathroom, it had a weird floor plan, etc.  Bottom line, it was not priced correctly and the son knew it and simply could not convince his parents.

He was fired

They set up a cutesy scene where the son/agent goes for a visit to discuss lowering the price.  Prior to this scene the veteran agent/wife/mom actually admits they’re priced too high and states that they won’t sell until they reduce.  But then when son visits Dad is the one to drop the bomb that they are going to stay in the home and that his son is fired.  His son is shown alone where he states something about a house not selling if it’s priced too high.  

All in all, this was a tough one.  If your parents or any other family member wants to list their house you’re most likely not going to refer them to someone else.  In fact, when the son was first explaining to his parents what the house should be priced at and could see their displeasure, he reminded them that he’s their son and he’s telling them the truth.

But working with family and friends is something some of us would almost prefer to avoid.  It can cause bad feelings on both sides.  In this case, the son was working hard and getting nowhere.  These two were the kind of sellers an agent doesn’t want!  

I tried searching for the listing

I searched through the Chicago MLS to try to find this property but using different methods I could not find it.  I figured at some point it showed as an expired or canceled listing but maybe because of the notoriety created by the show they were able to remove it.  I thought it was a Chicago address but nothing came up.  Maybe the show alters some things like price and people’s names (all they showed was the first name of the listing agent son and the first names of the sellers).  It never showed the full house address and I have no idea what street it was on.

So I don’t know if they ever sold the property, but with the continuous market decline it would be worth less now than it was then and they weren’t happy about the price at that time.  That’s another thing that bothers me about this scenario.  They wanted to downsize as the property was too big for them.  But they had an unrealistic price in mind.  So instead of downsizing and probably saving money in the long-run, they stayed in the too large home because they couldn’t get their price.  That kind of thinking just doesn’t make sense to me.

But then I guess I’m not the typical seller.  As an experienced REALTOR, I price my property at the low end of the range.  I de-clutter and stage my properties to their best.  I am not emotional and treat it as a financial transaction and am realistic about the market.  When I want to sell I have made that decision and I’m not just trying it out like many sellers seem to do.

This is a great show for sellers to watch

This is a TV program I suggest sellers watch before and during the sale of their property.  Although I feel most of these shows are scripted and staged, it also seems to be pretty realistic.  It shows sellers upset with the lack of progress and it shows them blaming their agent when it’s easy to see that they’re being unrealistic.  It also shows how agents get frustrated with these sellers that won’t face facts.  Some of the homes sell, many don’t, so it’s not always a feel-good story with a happy ending.  It’s real real estate stories.

I don’t sell too much in the city of Chicago, but if you’re looking for Orland Park homes give Judy Orr a call at 708-536-8200 or fill out the Automated Home Finder Form to get listings sent directly to your e-mail.

It is not a law

It is an agreement between Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and New York’s Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.  Some banks have already been following the agreement although it was slated to go into action starting today (May 1, 2009).

Supposedly, it is trying to keep banks from turning to a shortlist of preferred appraisers and to use AMC’s (Appraisal Management Company) instead.  AMC’s are like middlemen for appraisers and charge each appraiser a fee to be part of their roster.

It has been suggested that this will cause buyers to pay more for an appraisal (to cover this middleman) yet the appraisers will be earning less (up to 50% is what I read) because that’s what the AMC’s are offering.  In other words, if you are an appraiser and want to continue to work and pay your bills and eat, you try to join up with these AMC’s or you will not have any further bank appraising jobs.

So who does this affect?

This will affect a buyer and seller involved in conventional mortgages, including home owners doing a refi.  It does not apply to FHA or VA financing.  Hmmm, maybe this will push buyers to FHA financing even if they can go conventional.

Of course, we have already stated how it will affect appraisers.  Many experienced appraisers are leaving the business because of this change.  Some are trying to get other appraisal business that does not involve banks (estate appraisals, divorce, bankruptcy, tax protests, etc.).

What are some key points?

• Buyers will have to pay for the appraisal up-front at the loan application.  In the past, many loan officers would do some advance work on a refinance to see if it was in the home owner’s best interest.  Now, the home owner has to pay for the appraisal upfront, not knowing if the property will appraise or not.  In today’s declining market, that will cost home owners money that will not help them at all.  Home buyers will be similarly affected.
• As stated above, banks will not select their own appraisers.  They will go to an AMC and have the appraiser selected through this middleman.
• The appraiser will no longer have any contact with the real estate agents involved in the transaction.  We wonder how that’s going to work, especially if we need to be there to get them into the property.
• Because many experienced appraisers are leaving the field because of this, AMC’s will be full of inexperienced appraisers taking on more work.  Really, does that sound good to get accurate appraisals?
• Because of experienced appraisers leaving, as mentioned above, there are less appraisers available for more work.  This is causing lag times in getting the appraisals.  I’m forseeing longer closing times having to be written on contracts.  Imagine a foreclosure sale where a buyer gets penalized (I’ve seen $100 a day) for every day needed to close after the agreed upon closing date.
• Again, because of less available appraisers, they are being asked to do appraisals in areas 2 hours away.  Once again, we are losing experienced local appraisers to less experienced appraisers that might never have stepped into a particular town, area or subdivision.  Accuracy?
• I’ve read about lack of communication between these AMC’s and the appraisers which could be one of the causes for slow appraisal times.
• This agreement also requires even more paperwork which adds an extra burden to appraisers working for less pay, again a reason for slower appraisal times.
• Someone on a blog comment mentioned that Andrew Cuomo used to be an owner of an AMC.  Hmmmmm.  Others speculate that this agreement came up betweeen Cuomo, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to circumvent further investigations into Fannie and Freddie.

My opinion

The above points were gathered from reading what others have posted.  Please do your own investigations and form your own opinion.  Feel free to share it with us.

I don’t blame experienced appraisers leaving the business, or moving out of the banking portion of it.  I realize we all need to deal with the financial mess we’re in, but how many of us wish to work harder for less money?  With this recession, most real estate agents are doing just that.  But that is a product of the recession we’re in, not because our industry is forcing new regulations on us - yet.  And, of course, this will affect us, too.  I love my job (I’ve been doing it for 26 years in other recessions and have seen many ups and downs).  But I’ve never witnessed anything like what is currently happening.

I can understand that some banks/mortgage brokers asked some appraisers to "make the appraisal work."  And some of that is what caused the overinflated prices we experienced in the past.  As a REALTOR with so many years of experience, I knew those prices could not last.  My jaw dropped as prices kept escalating and there was a buying frenzy.  Yes, there was a frenzy when prices were high, and now there is a real slowdown when prices (and interest rates) are low.

I have never tried to influence an appraiser.  I want them to do their job and do it correctly.  If a seller, whether it is mine or I am representing a buyer, is priced too high and the buyer agreed on that price, it is up to the bank to protect their investment.  I’m all for appraising a property at the correct price.  If a deal falls apart because of a correct appraisal, so be it.  Hopefully, the seller learned a lesson (and in some cases the agent had no idea, either).

But if we’re all going to be dealing with inexperienced and out-of-area appraisers, how is that helping anyone?  Some have written that an out-of-area appraiser gave a high price.  In my experience, I’ve had a few properties that I was told appraised out higher than the contract price.  But in every case it was $5,000 or less, not enough to hurt or benefit anyone unfairly.  Remember, the recorded sale price was what the property actually sold and closed for, not the appraised value.

What really hurts is a home worth, say $200,000 that appraises for $170,000 because of an inexperienced and/or an out-of-town appraiser.  This can cause a lot of problems.  It can steal away true seller equity, hurting the seller.  It can cause a buyer to not be able to get the financing on a home they loved, a home that should have appraised out.  It can hurt the relationship formed between a seller and or buyer and their real estate agent and loan officer (clients thinking that we should have known this would happen).  And it hurts the entire area by bringing prices down unfairly. 

I have read that there is a process to protest a low appraisal and I’ve got more studying to do to find out how that works.  I have tried educating my sellers about appraisal changes for some time - many don’t want to believe me.  

Unless I see ridiculous appraisals come out of this I will accept the new agreement.  My real worry is the extended appraisal time.  I heard of a sale where the appraisal took 40 days!  Imagine, you waited 40 days to get the appraisal and you find out the home did not appraise.  Negotiations begin, again.  Maybe the seller refuses to sell that low and takes the chance to start over again or takes the property off the market.

Now you have a buyer that had plans to move soon.  Maybe their lease is ending, or they wanted their children in their new school at the start of the next school season. 

What if the seller is contingent on sale (COS) or close (COC) on another property?  We might be seeing the worst domino effects happening than ever before, which will make less sellers accept any kind of contingent to sell or close.  With today’s market, less sellers are accepting COS but this might also affect COC, a contingency that was usually happily accepted.

Only time will tell whether these worst case scenarios will transpire.  From what I’ve read, it already is since some banks and mortgage brokers have been trying it out before May 1st.  

I currently have a very nice Oak Lawn home for sale that was difficult to comp out to begin with as there isn’t anything quite like it out there right now.  In fact, this could affect any listing on the market.  I read about a listing where the agent felt it was underpriced still not appraising!  And we thought our declining prices were due to short sales and foreclosures?  Add another factor and I don’t know when we’ll hit bottom. 

There is an online petition you can sign titled Request For Careful Consideration of HVCC.  Sign it if you feel some items need to re-evaluated before this is mandatory.  

We should not lose money on our home, although when figuring in the work we’ve done on it (remodeling bathrooms, putting in hardwood floors and some new windows), we’ll be lucky to break even.  But we don’t care.

The math is in our favor.  Even if we don’t see good appreciation on our home (that we purchased in 2003 - just before prices started to skyrocket) we will more than make up for it with our next purchase.  In fact, I’ve seen foreclosed properties that are larger than our home going for less money, just because it’s a foreclosure.

Aren’t short sale and foreclosure properties in bad condition?

Some distressed properties have been wiped out by their owners (who have sold everything down to the copper pipes).  I’m seeing more of that in the city of Chicago, not so much in the suburbs.  

Some of these properties are filthy with the remnants of the people that were forced to leave.  In some cases, just the process of foreclosure has caused problems with a home such as pipes bursting and not being fixed, causing mold.  But all of this can be cleaned and fixed, and in many cases it is well worth the effort.

I showed a foreclosed Oak Lawn condo for sale that was in great shape.  It needed some new carpeting and a little updating which is purely cosmetic.  But it was a steal and if my buyer wasn’t interested, I would have put a bid on it.

You do have to be realistic about your offer

In every foreclosure offer I’ve been involved with, it has been a multiple offer situation and the listing brokerage came back to each bidder and asked for their best and final offer.  I tell my clients what the property would be worth if it wasn’t a short sale (and considering they would fix it up).  We go over what similar properties have sold for and my client makes the decision on whether to increase their bid or stay put.  Most increase their bid.

In one case, we could see that the original owners purchased a property for $314,000.  It was on the market for $164,900!  My buyer had already lost out on a short sale property and put in a good bid over asking price.  They came back asking for our best and final offer.  She went even higher.  And she won the bid but still got a fantastic deal.  She wouldn’t have been able to afford to live in this town otherwise.

Bidding wars

When looking at foreclosures and/or short sales, some buyers think they’re going to get an even better deal than what is before them.  They think they can bid under the list price and still have a chance.  These prices are so deflated to begin with, unless the property is in such horrible shape that no one else will be interested, you can probably count on multiple offers coming in.

Many bid at asking price and still don’t win because someone else realizes what a great deal it already is and bids over.  And then there are those people who simply want to win.  They get caught up in a bidding frenzy and want to make sure they get this property.  

Of course, when going into a foreclosure purchase for investment purposes, you shouldn’t be tied emotionally to the property so you pay too much.  But a good agent will prevent that from happening. 

Most of the distressed properties currently on the market are priced well below market value.  Unfortunately, in some areas these properties are determining market value and are making it difficult for owners that are selling since values are plummeting because of these low priced, distressed sales.

Won’t these foreclosures be gone soon?

The government is trying to make it easier for homeowners to modify their mortgages and try to prevent foreclosure, but for many it is too late.  If a seller has lost their job they cannot qualify for a loan modification.  

I’ve been told there will be another wave of foreclosures before things start to turn and that is why I’m thinking of going out there again and trying to find a home that fits us better.  I love my current home and have thought of building on but unfortunately it’s cheaper to buy something else.

My husband and I are not afraid to remodel and fix a home up.  And if you can handle that then you could find a great deal for yourself.  You need to work with an agent that can guide you and you have to be prepared to offer more than list price.

If you’d like to work with someone who has experience in short sales and foreclosures call Judy Orr at 708-536-8200 or fill out the Home Finder Form.  You’ll receive new listings straight to your e-mail without having to do any of your own searches.  That way you won’t miss the great deals when they come on the market.  

The 2nd home showing was a whole different story.  I was told the seller would be home but did not expect what occurred.  I warned my buyers the seller would be home before we entered the house.  They were not happy with the information and she commented, "I thought sellers were supposed to leave during home showings."  I told her they should leave but we can’t force them to.

But this seller took it a step further.  He was our tour guide.

And buyers and their agent do not need a tour guide

This house was almost completely redone, and it was done nicely.  However, the seller talked and talked and talked some more.  To be polite, my buyers gave him more attention than they did the house.  He told them things my buyers could have cared less about, such as the wall that used to be out this far and was now only this far.  He kept telling us what was before and what he did to create the after.  My buyers did not care, at least not during the first viewing, what the house used to be like.  They only cared what it was like now.

I tried pulling them away from his lead but he just wouldn’t have it.  I wanted to pull him aside and ask him to allow me to show the home instead of him showing it.  I didn’t feel there was a correct time that wouldn’t have made him feel mad or embarrassed, so we let him "sell" us.  I could tell my buyers were uncomfortable and one of them even rolled her eyes at one point.

Fortunately, my buyers are very nice and didn’t completely hold things against this seller.  But they would have been so much more comfortable if he had left us alone.  

Buyers can tell pretty quickly if they’re interested in a home or not

No amount of explanation or history or showing every little thing by the seller will help sell a home if the buyers aren’t interested in it for whatever reason.  In fact, we went through another nice home that one of the buyers kept talking positive about but the other buyer said he just wasn’t feeling it.  That was not a house they will consider putting an offer on.

It doesn’t matter if an agent misses a small feature, the buyer most likely has already made their decision with or without knowing about certain amenities such as a brand new sump pump or some other item that might not have been mentioned.  A seller can do more damage trying to push every little thing than staying in the background.   

Sellers should not be home during a showing if they want their property to be sold

Buyers feel very uneasy when a seller is around.  They don’t want to seem too interested so they view the home more quickly.  They don’t take the time to stop and picture themselves and their furniture in the home when the seller is around.  They won’t speak candidly about their likes or dislikes.  They won’t ask me questions while we’re in the home and an emotional investment is less likely to occur unless the home is absolutely amazing.

In the case of the home with the seller as tour guide, the home was nice but it wasn’t amazing.  Add to that the discomfort the buyers felt, and this seller made his chances of selling worse.  I can barely remember the interior of the home as I was so angry that he wouldn’t leave us alone.

Let’s shed some light on the problem

Even on the first showing, an open house being held by the listing agent, I had to walk through the home and turn the lights on.  In fact, I had to ask "tour guide seller" to turn on the lights (so we could see what he was talking about).  I don’t expect a vacant home to have the lights on, but we saw one house (which is at the top of my buyer’s list) where the seller was not home but had all the lights turned on.  We weren’t sure if the home was professionally staged or this seller had impeccable taste and neatness.  We didn’t think anyone lived there until we saw clothes in the closets.  It wasn’t my favorite house of the day, but my buyers loved it.  And I believe part of it was the presentation.  It really is important!

Sellers, turn on all of the lights before you leave for showings.  Don’t make the agents have to look around for them.  Open the curtains or blinds and let the light in.  It really makes a difference.

And yet another problem that did not help to sell another home

We had 7 homes to view that day.  We were running towards the end of the scheduled showing hour.  I got a call that our 2nd to last showing could not be done as the agent had to leave to show a different property.  She left 5 minutes (so she said, I didn’t check the time of the call) before the end of our showing window.  And that was the problem, this agent had to be present for the showing.

I’m not sure why she had to be present, maybe there was a dog that knew her and she could handle, although that was never mentioned.  Some sellers insist their agent be present during all showings.  This is ridiculous and I would never take a listing with that as a requirement.  

I am a busy, full-time agent and wouldn’t always be available for every showing on a listing.  What that would mean is that I would have to turn down showings.  And turning buyers away does not help to sell a property.  They might never come back.

In fact, we drove by the home to view it from the outside.  Seeing the exterior, my buyers weren’t too anxious to reschedule a showing on this property.  It might have been very nice inside, but the outside wasn’t up to par with other homes I had shown them.  So by not allowing us inside, these sellers lost a showing.  Would seeing the inside have changed my buyer’s minds?  I don’t know and the sellers will never know.

Sellers should never expect their agents to have to be present for a showing.  Unless there’s a darn good reason, such as a dog that is not crated, sellers should use a lockbox if they can’t be home.  There are some areas where it is expected that every seller uses a lockbox and that’s just how it is.  Sellers in those areas don’t even question it.  They know that’s how it works in their area and if they want their house shown and sold they do what is expected.

It’s a tough market, people

I keep doing CMA’s for properties in areas/subdivisions that haven’t had a single sale in more than 6 months.  There aren’t any comparable listings since appraisers only look back 3-6 months in today’s market.  They will go out of an area or subdivision to find a similar home as a comp than go back more than 6 months.

In some areas/subdivisions the only properties that have sold are short sales and foreclosures, bringing the value of the area down.  Owner-owned homes not in short sale status can’t compete with the prices of the distressed properties around them.  Not only do they have to price their home right (low), but they better allow it to be shown at all times and not hinder the showings by following buyers around and saying too much.

Mortgages are more difficult to come by today.  Yes, there is the $8,000 tax credit for first-time buyers but those buyers still have to qualify.

This might sound like an angry post.  I am just shocked.  I’m not sure if these sellers’ agents just haven’t explained things to them or these sellers just don’t listen.  I’m trying to help all sellers in this depressed market.  Make it as easy and comfortable for buyers to view your property.  Leave the home or stay out of the way, don’t volunteer information unless you’re asked and make sure all lights are on and window coverings are open.  Of course, if you’re not priced correctly none of this will matter, but that’s a different story mentioned before here and here.

If you’re a seller that wants an experienced agent to help get your home sold and not just up for sale, give Judy Orr a call at 708-536-8200.  You can also fill out the Internet Market Analysis form to get your market value sent to you via e-mail.                

A possible short sale homeowner will be listing her Oak Lawn home with me soon.  She is hoping that we will be able to sell it without having to do a short sale but I am not optimistic about it (she needs more than the home is worth based on comparables and the home is located on a busy street, bringing it’s market value down even further).  She mentioned that the $8,000 tax credit will not really benefit her because her home is out of most first-time buyer’s affordability, needs and wants.

I told her that she might not get a first-time buyer for her home, but this credit will help her because a first-time buyer will purchase the property of her move-up buyers.  So it’s all a domino effect.  This tax credit will help both first-time buyers, first-time home sellers and move-up buyers and sellers.

Here are the easy-to-understand criteria for the $8,000 First-time Buyer Credit

1. A first-time buyer cannot have owned a home within the past 3 years.  In the case of a couple, neither one could have owned a property in the past 3 years.
2. The home must be your primary residence. 
3. The amount of the credit is up to $8,000 or 10% of the purchase price.  Although most properties in the southwest Chicago suburbs would cost $80,000 or more, with the amount of foreclosures and short sales, there are certainly properties under $80,000.  However, most of those properties need more work than the average first-time buyer would care to deal with, so most buyers in the area should qualify for the full $8,000 credit.
4. You do not have to pay the credit back unless you move before 3 years.  Remember, real estate should be considered a long-term investment.
5. There is an income cut-off:  individual buyers cannot earn more than $75,000 modified adjusted gross income, couples/joint purchasers cannot earn more than $150,000 modified adjusted gross income. 
6. This is for a property purchased from January 1st, 2009 through December 1st, 2009.
7. This is a credit taken from any taxes owed.  If you don’t owe any taxes or are getting a refund, the $8,000 would be paid to you. 
8. You can wait until you file your 2009 taxes to get the credit or you can amend your 2008 taxes - speak with your tax preparer if you have questions on the best time to file for this credit.

Now is a great time to buy if you’re a first-time buyer!

Imagine, I sell to first-time buyers every single year.  None of my first-time buyers last year or before had this exact same chance.  Never before have buyers had such an opportunity as this!  I wish I was a first-time buyer right now! 

Think about it:

• up to an $8,000 tax credit (most likely in our area)
• low interest rates (these might not stay low for much longer)
• low prices (again, we don’t know when prices will start going up)

If you want an experienced agent to help you with your first home purchase give Judy Orr a call at 708-536-8200 or contact her.  I have made lifetime clients of my first-time buyers because I help educate them and never push them to do anything they’re not comfortable with.

Don’t miss your dream home - get all and new listings in your price range sent directly to your e-mail - fill out the Home Buyers Form now. 

I love living in Oak Lawn and just last week I was able to walk to the Metra train station to get to a closing downtown.  Oak Lawn is the closest southwest suburb with only 2 Chicago stops before you reach Union Station.  It was very convenient and of course, I got a Starbucks chai tea for the ride.

If you’d like to start your home search in Oak Lawn or any other southwest suburb, just call Judy Orr at 708-536-8200 or use the Contact Form.  Or set up an automated search to get new listings sent directly to your e-mail.

As of today, there are 297 Orland Park condos and townhomes for sale (click the link to see them).  Prices range from under $100,000 up to just under $600,000.  There is also the page for single family homes for sale in Orland Park that was mentioned in the post just prior to this one.

You can spend hours going through the list of all Orland Park real estate available right now.  Have fun and when you get serious about buying property in Orland Park, be sure to fill out the Automated Home Finder Form and get new and updated listings sent directly to your e-mail. 

You can see the list of all Orland Park homes for sale without having to do a search.  In fact, the page breaks the search down to dollar amounts to fine tune the search for your needs.  However, you might want to include even more amenities into your search such as a certain amount of bedrooms or bathrooms.  Then you want to use the more advanced Orland Park real estate MLS search.

The page also gives information, statistics and links to websites of interest for this popular village.

If you’re ready to start searching for homes for sale in Orland Park call Judy Orr now at 708-536-8200 or use the Contact Form.