Domain Realty

Real estate in the news in April: Bathtubs and dining rooms are key, Midwest vacation homes and exclusion taxes

Survey says: Bathtubs and dining rooms are key for home buyers

“Despite reports of their imminent demise, free-standing bathtubs and formal dining rooms are much-desired features for people shopping for a new home — not that they’ll use either of them very often, but they just like the idea of having them around.”

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/home/sc-cons-0410-umberger-20140413,0,1352099.column

Is the affordable studio condo a thing of the past?

“The reality is, typically when a deal is too good to be true, it usually is,” said Robert Richmond, the director of sales for Apartment Finders. “And that’s more true in the Chicago rental market than ever.”

http://www.redeyechicago.com/news/local/redeye-studio-apartments-in-chicago-getting-expensive-20140413,0,5287428.story#ECTl5Q77IjBvgBoy.99

It’s a buyer’s market for Midwest vacation homes

Sales of new and existing vacation homes rose almost 30 percent last year, to an estimated 717,000 properties, according to the National Association of Realtors.

On a volume basis, sales activity remained about a third below its 2006 level. But at the same time, vacation homes accounted for 13 percent of all home sales, the best showing since 2006. A strong stock market has helped fuel vacation home sales.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/realestate/ct-mre-0413-podmolik-homefront-20140413,0,2986975.column

Former Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano sells west Lakeview home

http://t.co/NxkEILOqbq

Q&A: What to do when your lender sells your mortgage, avoiding exclusion taxes and the definition of “fee simple”

http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/realestate/sc-cons-0403-housing-counsel-20140404,0,57401.column

Mortgage delinquencies in Illinois fell 27 percent last year

One-third of those past due on home loans were at least one year delinquent.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/realestate/chi-illinois-mortgage-delinquencies-fall-27-in-2013-20140402,0,2934115.story

Photo source: AkerbyMaxx