Feb. 26, 2006 - Great Stuff In the Twin Cities

I was looking for a place to leave a typically cool Gene Molloy type comment on Bonnie Erickson's Blog, but I could not find one. It's not because she doesn't have the kind of content I can sink my teeth into, on the contrary, she has some really great stuff. So good in fact, that I decided to just give you the link and let you see for yourself. She has an enrty on panhandlers that I am sure some of my Chicagoland readers can relate to.

You may have noticed that I have been pointing you to REALTORS® in other parts of the good old USA. That is just in case any of you are considering moving somewhere else. Due to my interaction on some groovy real estate listservs I am able to get insight from agents all over the United States and Canada. As of late, there are a lot of Real Estate Bloggers I've come in contact with as well. I pick the cream of the crop, the ones that I would use personally if I was relocating, and I pass them on to you. Just remember, should you happen to interact with any of them, tell them Gene sent you.

As always if you somehow got on my blogs mailing list and you find that to be repulsive just let me know and I  will delete you. On the other hand, if you read my blog and would like to be on the list so you will be sent new entries via e-mail, let me know that as well. You will be added.

Feb. 24, 2006 - Let's Visit Ohio

If the State of Ohio was a dart board and you wanted to throw a bulls eye you would have to aim at Columbus. If you don't believe me just look at a map. I have never physically been to Columbus, Ohio, however , through the miracle of the internet I have been able to visit Columbus on a regular basis and find out what's happening there. I know what is the best that Columbus and the surrounding area has to offer. That's because I have a "friend in the business" there, Maureen McCabe. She has a similar wit and wisdom to my own, probably attributable to our celtic ancestry. If you were ever thinking of moving to central Ohio she would be a fine REALTOR® to have looking out for you. Or maybe you are going to visit the area and need to know what's good in Columbus. Either way you should check out the Columbus Best Blog. Should you feel the need to contact her, tell her Gene sent you.

Feb. 23, 2006 - Four Paws Animal Foundation

When you see the category "Good Not For Profit Causes" you probably think I am going to talk about my real estate business right? Well wrong you are. As you can see by the date of my last entry I have been either lazy as all get out or I have been a very busy guy.

Busy guy is the correct answer. Business is booming. But enough about that.

I want to tell you about Arleen Braun, and Four Paws Animal Foundation. Four Paws operates a foster home network for kitten rescue and adoption. They provide spay/neuter financial assistance through a TNR (trap-neuter-release) program for stray felines. They certify family pets to be eligable to visit local nursing homes and hospitals. They provide limited financial assistance to families who need to enroll a family dog who exhibits behavioral problems in a basic training class. In other words they do a heck of a lot. And that means the could use a heck of a lot to do it with.

I try to donate what I can, when I can. A special thing that I do, because Arleen has mentioned my real estate business in her newsletters, is to donate part of the proceeds of any deal that I do where the client has said they heard about me through Four Paws to Four Paws. So now everyone who reads my blog knows the secret as well. Of course if you are not in the market to buy or sell some real property you can still send a check made out to Four Paws Animal Foundation to:

                                          Four Paws Animal Foundation

                                          PO Box 8260

                                          Bartlett, IL. 60103

As always, if you have found yourself on my blogs mailing list and you don't want be there, simple send me an e-mail and you will be removed.

Feb. 7, 2006 - Who's Looking Out For You?

When it comes to condominium living there's nothing to it right? Make sure the mortgage and the assessments are paid on time and that's the end of that. No more grass to cut or snow to shovel, the trash will magically disappear when you drop it down the chute and the common areas remain clean and updated all by themselves. Even if you have a problem, chances are you will bump into a board member you can dump it on. They don't mind, they asked for the job.

I suppose that in a well run condominum this would all appear to be true. A good Board of Directors is an important asset, but in order for them to look good they need the support and the input of an even better Management Company. A good management company knows the Illinois Condominium Property Act by heart. They have read and read again the Declaration and Bylaws that govern your association. They can quote your Rules and Regulations chapter and verse. They stay accessable. From experience, they can anticipate your every need before you even know you have one.

Having had to deal with many different management companies in the course of my real estate career, I can safely say I know a good one when I see one. Who might that be, you ask. That would be Summit Management Specialists, Inc.

Check them out and tell them Gene sent you.

Once again, if you find that being on my blogs e-mail list is a mistake, or an inconvenience just drop me an e-mail and you will be cheerfully removed.

Feb. 6, 2006 - Gene Hits The Big Time

Hey hey, my my, did you hear me on the radio? Yes indeed my faithful readers, I have had the good fortune to be on "My Kind Of Town", a talk radio show that airs live on WIND 560 on the AM dial on Saturday mornings at 9:00 AM. If you missed it, the show will be rebroadcast on Sunday, February 12th at 8:00 PM. For my readers that cannot tune into Chicago area radio, they can listen to the broadcast over the internet by going to http://www.560wind.com.

Although the show was about Des Plaines, I was able to talk briefly about all of my listings, including two which I have taken predated, which are not even in the MLS yet. Can your real estate agent do that for you?

The program is hosted by Bill McNamee, Julie Guy and Bill Randall, three of the finest talk show hosts I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. They are as professional as any I have ever heard, and what the surprising part of it is, is that this is not their day job. They are actually mortgage professionals. Yes indeed. You can check it out at http://www.PinnacleHomeMortgage.Com. While you are surfing their site check out Jay Cunningham, he is someone you should know as well. And don't forget to nominate your town for The My Kind Of Town Award.

On another subject, someone asked me about when the house that sold in fourteen days was going to close. I have no idea. That was not my listing.

 I just have not had the time to tend my blog lately. I have been trying to help buyers buy and sellers sell. I have a potential listing in Aurora, at 1913 Conway Lane. What I mean by that is that I have a listing agreement on that house, but I don't have a start date to begin marketing it yet. I took a predated listing on a nice two flat at 4225 N. Central Park in Chicago which actually starts tomorrow. The Conway Lane house is priced at $328,000 and the Chicago two flat is priced at $470,000. Add to that the fact that I have put in a little time looking at townhomes with a couple of folks and have had to arrange showings on my other five listings and you can see why I haven't been here lately.

As always, if you find you are receiving my blog entries via e-mail, it is because you either put yourself on my e-mail list or I put you there because you have asked a question or otherwise inspired something I have blogged about. I bring the blog to some peoples attention because I believe they may have a comment and I am sure we would all enjoy their opinions. If you get my entries by e-mail and you wish you didn't, just e-mail me and I will be glad to remove you from the list.