Columns

You placed your home on the market and a potential buyer has given you an offer, or in some cases you have received multiple offers on your home. Once that happens, will you know which one is actually the best offer? Many people are under the assumption that the highest price is the best offer, but that may not always be the case. The answer to the question, “Should I accept or should I reject?” can be found in the sales contract, which contains all the particulars regarding the sale of your home. Let’s begin with the contingencies; a contingency …

Prior to the financial crisis in 2008, I would sometimes hear the phrase “If you can fog a mirror, you can get a mortgage,” meaning that if you were breathing, you would be approved. While that’s not true, there were a lot of people who shouldn’t have gotten a mortgage prior to 2008, when underwriting guidelines were most flexible. After the financial crisis, mortgage underwriting guidelines did a complete 180. They went from the easiest to the hardest that I had ever seen in my 28-year career. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had experienced almost $170 billion in losses and …

The way we look at things is influenced by the way we were brought up. That may be why we miss the good old days of Roseland where we were full of maybes that our parents and our surroundings instilled in us. Looking back on our lives we can find “maybes” regarding the paths we’ve chosen in life or those we’ve chosen for lifelong love. The more serious “may be” concerns itself with the Roseland we remember and love. Things may be different in Roseland but our memories are solid with no “maybe” about it. With Easter just past, every …

When an Italian wants to describe what he is thinking about, he must use the verb pensare, and this is the verb that will be the topic of our blog today. Pensare works a bit differently from the “typical” Italian verb with an -are ending. When using the verb pensare to express a thought one person or a group has for themselves, pensare must be followed by the prepositions “di” or “a.” “Pensare di” is used when the phrase to follow starts with a verb, which will be in the infinitive form (to see, to start, etc.). “Pensare a” is used when the phrase to follow describes a thought …

The snow is melting, temperatures are on the rise and the real estate buying season is kicking into high gear! It’s time to lace up our athletic shoes, get that Michael Jordan ice water flowing through our veins and take to the court! Talking real estate can be intimidating and frustrating, so let’s look to the world of sports for inspiration. My goal in this article is to “coach” you through the home buying process and help you develop the skills, strategies and confidence to dominate the game. Like any sport, buying a home requires dedication, time and preparation. I …

Throughout the many years that I’ve been writing this column, many questions have been asked about Roseland businesses, both in person and on social media such as Facebook or via email. Those questions have often centered on the businesses that were located on Michigan Avenue — fondly remembered as “The Ave.” The Kensington neighborhood, however, is often mentioned when there have been questions concerning specific businesses. Going back to the beginning of the 20th century, Kensington Avenue could well have been known as “The Ave” for the Italian-American community. The Michigan Avenue shopping area was primarily where the longstanding Dutch …

“Money makes the world go ’round,” or so they say. But in the world I live in, volunteerism is every bit as precious as cold, hard cash. At Fra Noi, we have Dan Serafini, a retired financial systems programmer who emailed me out of the blue one day with an offer of help. He came along just as Mary DeSanto was stepping down as our longtime mailing manager, and Dan now assembles our monthly renewal notices, with lunch as his only material reward. The Italian American Veterans Museum is run by an all-volunteer board that’s rich in both talent and …

The Italian verb piacere literally means “to be pleasing.” Italians use this verb when they want to show that they like something. It is how Italians say, “I like it!”  While Americans seem to “love” everything, the Italian response is more measured. In Italy, it’s important to be able to describe our likes and dislikes, and that’s where the verb piacere comes in handy. Piacere is a very important verb for travelers to Italy because there are so many places and things in Italy to like!  It should first be noted that piacere has an irregular conjugation. Also, because the verb piacere  is most …

I have spent a lot of time during the past few months trying to track down Cook County marriage records on Familysearch. I should have spent that time coming up with better ideas for Christmas presents! I was surprised how many couples in my file were born in Chicago and had their children in Chicago, with no marriage records to show for it. It didn’t make sense. Since Familysearch released the 1921-1941 Cook County marriages, I figured I would find everyone in that time period and that would be that. However, I was missing quite a few couples and I …

Just a few short months ago, the 30-year fixed rate broke above 5 percent. Unemployment has been at a 50-year low, the U.S. consumer has been spending like there’s no tomorrow and wage inflation was at the top of the Fed range. All these were indications that mortgage rates were going to continue to march higher, possibly into the mid 5s. Then came the government shutdown, the threat of 200 billion in tariffs on China, and a 10 percent correction in the market in December, and rates in January came back down to the mid 4s. Mortgage rates play a …