Chicagoland Home Buyer & Seller News & General Real Estate Information![]() Home | Profile | Archives | Blog Manager Recent PostsFour Ways the 2009 Economic Stimulus Plan Benefits Home Owners & BuyersForeclosure Fraud Video Judith Weiner's Home News - July 2009 Mortgage Rates Rate Lock Duration CategoriesJudith's Home NewsBuyer Information Seller Information Mortgage Information Favorite LinksMy WebsiteSearch the MLS Quick Right Price Analysis of Your Home About Judith WeinerPosted at ,About Judith Weiner
By Referral Only …is the heart of my business. I focus 100% of my time providing world-class service to my clients. As a result, my valued clients and friends refer their neighbors, business associates, family and others to me for my trusted advice on buying or selling homes. It is my desire to build a business based on strong, lasting relationships – starting with you!
I am a compassionate, caring and knowledgeable real estate consultant working in the Coldwell Banker office in Highland Park. For over 19 wonderful years, I have consistently and systematically served the Northern Chicagoland Communities. My extraordinary team of detailed oriented office staff & over 100 sales associates work out of our attractive offices in downtown Highland Park on Sheridan Road. My car and home office enable me to ably serve the vast Chicagoland area.
Real Estate transactions often become a complicated maze of numbers and negotiations. Successfully maneuvering through these challenges requires a creative professional who can navigate the way in order to minimize stress and maximize success for home sellers and buyers.
I have been a member of the Chicagoland community all my life. My husband and I raised our three sons in the suburbs and have been residents of Highland Park since 1979. I have been a full-time residential real estate consultant covering the Chicago Suburban marketplace since becoming a real estate consultant in 1987 and have an in-depth knowledge of the North Shore, Northwest and Far North Suburban communities.
I pride myself in maintaining close contact with my clients and delivering World Class Service as well as paying close attention to the details to avoid problems and to ensure that their home sale or purchase experience is a very positive one. I have earned a reputation for leading clients through the entire experience of buying or selling in a caring and professional way. All of my personal and professional goals have been oriented around the care of other people. My people skills and exceptional business management skills enable me to put people at ease and help them find not just a home, but the right home. By listening hard to my clients needs, including the unspoken, I help provide the alternatives that fit their criteria.
My unique, creative and active rather than passive marketing programs effectively sell homes for the best price in the most realistic time. I have developed outstanding negotiation skills and when I put together a contract, you can be assured of a successful closing. I am committed to a long-term career in real estate as evidenced by my belief in placing a premium on continuing education so that you the buyer or seller can be the beneficiary of the latest information, skills and the technological advances. Above and beyond the sales person’s license required to sell real estate in Illinois, I earned my Broker’s license in 1998.
I have my CRS (Certified Residential Specialist) designation, awarded by the National Association of REALTORS® to experienced REALTORS® who complete advanced training in listing and selling. Only 5% of the REALTORS® in the country have earned the right to be called CRS® but they are involved in 25% of all real estate transactions.
I was awarded Graduate, REALTOR® Institute (GRI) symbol from the National Association of REALTORS® after attending a specific, intensive series of a minimum of 90 hours of classroom instruction. The GRI symbol is the mark of a real estate professional that has made the commitment to provide a high level of professional services to you by securing a strong educational foundation.
I was awarded the ABR® (Accredited Buyer Representation) designation that is given to real estate practitioners by the Real Estate Buyer's Agent Council, Inc. (REBAC) of the National Association of REALTORS®. The ABR® designation, the benchmark of excellence in buyer agency service, demonstrates to my clients that I have taken steps to continue my education in the field of buyer representation and have proven experience and training in order to deliver ethical and professional service to real estate buyers.
I have achieved the e-PRO certification awarded to REALTORS® who have taken and passed an extensive online course to help real estate professionals thrive in the competitive world of online real estate from the National Association of REALTORS®. I received my RECS designation from the Real Estate Cyberspace Society. That certification designates REALTORS® who have proven their skills in electronic marketing techniques.
I have achieved Cendant Mobility Inventory and Marketing Specialist (CMIS & CMMS) certifications. The CMIS course covers tasks for safeguarding and selling a transferee’s vacant property after his/her move and how to meet client performance metrics. The CMMS course teaches how to best market the transferee’s old house, and to decrease administrative burdens, and also covers the Amended Sale Program and Broker Market Analysis. I have also achieved Cendant Mobility Buyer Specialist certification (CMBS). This CMBS course covers how to provide transferee buyers top-flight service.
Over the years I have received prestigious awards given to the top Coldwell Banker® real estate agents worldwide such as Coldwell Banker’s International President’s Circle, Coldwell Banker’s International President’s Elite and membership in Coldwell Banker’s prestigious International Diamond Society.
To provide excellence in service and support throughout the process of buying or selling, I have assembled a team of top professionals in lending, appraisal, title, inspection and relocation. I also have all the superior resources available that come with being a part of the Coldwell Banker network of real estate agents.
Whether your need is a first home, a growing family home, an investment property or a home for the retirement years, I know I will be an excellent guide and manager for each transaction. I look forward to the opportunity to be of service.
Four Ways the 2009 Economic Stimulus Plan Benefits Home Owners & BuyersPosted at ,Four Ways the 2009 Economic Stimulus Plan Benefits Home Owners and Buyers There are four primary sections of the 2009 economic stimulus plan that could be very beneficial if you own or are buying a home. Benefit #1 - Expansion of Home Improvement Tax Credit Benefit #2 - Expansion of First-time Home Buyer Tax Credit Benefit #3 - Higher Reverse Mortgage Loan Limits Benefit #4 - $729,750 FHA and Conforming Loan Limits Restored in High Cost Areas
{ Permanent Link }
View more entries tagged with: Home Buyers Home Owners Information And Real Estate Info Foreclosure Fraud VideoPosted at ,
View this Freddy Mac video to get the low down on Foreclosure Scams. Judith Weiner's Home News - July 2009Posted at ,Judith Weiner's Home News July 2009 What Are You Listening For? Two friends were in downtown Manhattan, walking near Times Square, during the noon lunch hour. The streets were filled with people, cars were honking their horns, taxicabs were squealing around corners, sirens were wailing, and the sounds of the city were almost deafening. Suddenly, one of the friends said, "I hear a cricket." "What?" his friend laughed. "You must be crazy. You couldn't possibly hear a cricket in all of this noise!" "No, I'm sure of it," the first friend said, "I heard a cricket." He listened carefully for a moment, and then walked across the street to a big cement planter where some shrubs were growing. He looked into the bushes, beneath the branches, and sure enough, he located a small cricket. His friend was utterly amazed. "That's incredible - you must have superhuman ears!" "No," said the first friend. "It all depends on what you're listening for. And that depends on what's really important to you. Here, let me show you." He reached into his pocket, pulled out a few coins, and discreetly dropped them on the sidewalk. And then, even with the noise of the crowded street still blaring, they noticed every head within 20 feet turn and look to see if the money that tinkled on the pavement was theirs. "See what I mean? It all depends on what's important to you." Did you just hear a cricket? Can You "Think" Your Way To Fitness? If you're out of shape and want to do something about it, a new study in the Journal of Applied Behavioral Research has found that how you think about your health is key to a healthy lifestyle. The study looked at people who said they either didn't exercise, or exercised inconsistently. The researchers asked some of the participants to list "reasons" why they should increase their levels of exercise and cardiovascular fitness. Other participants were asked to list "actions" they could take to increase their exercise and fitness, like joining a gym or working out with someone they knew. The researchers found that after eight weeks, the participants who were asked to think of actions increased their exercise, while those who were asked to merely list reasons to exercise made no improvement. Motivating yourself to better health may be easier, say the researchers, if you think of what you could be doing rather than why you should be doing it. How To Handle Anger We all get angry. Sometimes justifiably, other times irrationally. Regardless of the situation, there are some things we can do to prevent our anger from escalating into unconstructive thinking and behavior. The American Psychological Association offers these tactics for controlling anger: Change the way you think. If your inner thoughts are filled with cursing or grisly scenarios, you might be overly dramatic about the situation. When this happens, instead of thinking, "This is the last straw - everything is awful!" it might help to tell yourself, "I am frustrated, and that's understandable considering the circumstances. But it's not the end of the world. Staying angry is not going to fix this." Try to get a more balanced perspective. The world is not out to get you, though it may feel like it in this case. Ask yourself what it is that you want. The answers might be fairness, appreciation, agreement, another person's willingness to do things your way. Remind yourself that everyone wants these things; everyone is hurt and disappointed not to get them. Ask yourself if you're being too demanding - because angry people tend to demand things, and when their demands are not met, they tend to get even angrier. Remember that not every problem has a solution. Sometimes things are just hard, and trying to come up with a solution when there really isn't one will only add to your frustration. Instead, you'll be better off determining what the problem is, then facing it and figuring out how to handle it. Don't jump to conclusions. When you're angry, your conclusions can be off-base. Slow down and think carefully about what you want to say. Try to avoid becoming defensive and fighting back. Defuse your anger with humor. Humor can help you confront your problem constructively. If you feel like calling someone a name, for instance, try to visualize what you're calling that person - literally. Sometimes it can make you laugh and break the tension. Change your surroundings. Give yourself a break. If something is really driving you crazy, and you can avoid the situation, then you'll be doing yourself a favor if you give yourself some downtime. If your child's room is a mess and it's getting on your nerves, close the door and don't look at it. If a cubicle mate is trying your patience, find a reason to go to another department or do some of your work elsewhere in the office. Quick Canadian Quiz In honor of July 1, Canada Day, can you name Canada's 10 provinces and three territories? Provinces: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan; territories: Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon. Do Kids' Drinks Contain Caffeine? Just because a child doesn't drink cola doesn't mean what he or she drinks is caffeine-free. While coffee is the leading source of caffeine intake among adults, soft drinks are the largest source of caffeine intake for children. Seventy percent of all soft drinks contain caffeine. Though most people are aware that cola contains caffeine, consumers are less aware that a number of non-cola beverages - including root beer, orange and cream sodas, and lemon-lime drinks - contain caffeine amounts similar to those found in cola. In North America, it's estimated that 80 to 90 percent of adults and children habitually consume caffeine. Culture And The American Tourist A tour bus full of Americans arrives at Runnymede, England. They gather around the tour guide who says, "This is the spot where the barons forced King John to sign the Magna Carta." A man pushes his way to the front of the crowd and asks, "When did that happen?" "1215," the guide answers. The man looks at his watch and says, "Shoot! Just missed it by half an hour." Side-Impact Airbags Save Lives About one-third of vehicle occupant deaths occur during side-impact collisions, but side airbags that protect the head and chest greatly reduce these deaths, say researchers at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Side airbags that protect drivers' heads alone are reducing deaths by 37 percent - even in cars struck by SUVs and trucks. Airbags that protect only the chest and abdomen are reducing deaths by 26 percent. What's Your Learning Style? Long after we've received our formal education, our learning style continues to affect our lives. It colors how we process information: during a meeting, while out with friends, when watching the news on TV. And it colors your interactions with your supervisor. If you're given verbal instructions on a new process, for instance, is it easy for you to remember them? Are you able to successfully apply them? Or are your chances of success better if the instructions are written out? Or if someone shows you how to do it rather than tells you how? Each example above is a learning style, and the one you prefer is usually the one you have the most success with. Knowing your learning style can help you in any listening situation - at the doctor's office, in a music lesson, and on the job. If you're not sure what your learning style is, visit one of these Web sites and take the free online assessment test. It will help you understand how big a part your learning style plays in your life: · www.learning-styles-online.com · www.chaminade.org/inspire/learnstl.htm Share your results with all the people with whom you have important work relationships. By taking advantage of your learning style at work, you will be able to prevent misunderstandings and mistakes, speed up your productivity, and reinforce the confidence you need to be successful. What Is it? It's free, but it's priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keep it, but you can spend it. Once you've lost it, you can never get it back. What is it? Time. Three Thoughts For Independence Day July 4 is U.S. Independence Day, and here are thoughts from three U.S. Presidents from three different centuries: How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy! - Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) …That this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from this earth. - Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and success of liberty. - John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) Understanding Your Credit Score Your credit rating may not determine your ultimate destiny, but it's important in many ways. How do those credit agencies like Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion figure your score? A New York Times article breaks the numbers down: Payment history. This is the biggest component, looking at whether you pay your bills on time to any organization that reports information to a credit bureau. This can include medical bills, parking tickets, even library fines. Outstanding loans. How much money do you owe the bank, or any other creditor? Is it a large percentage of the total loan or credit available? For example, maxing out your credit cards will bring your score down. Credit history. This component looks at how old your accounts are and how much activity they've seen. Longstanding accounts that you've paid off consistently have a more positive impact on your rating. New accounts. Applying for lots of new credit cards can look as if you're having trouble paying your current bills and can trigger a drop in your numbers. Type of credit. This accounts for about 10 percent of your score. Agencies look at how well you manage installment debt, like a mortgage, and also revolving debt, like your credit card payments. Paying off the balance regularly is better for your score than just making the minimum payment. Don't Depend On Email Communication is more than words, as emotional intelligence expert Dan Goleman illustrated in a New York Times column. Goleman was negotiating via email with a publisher whom he had met face-to-face only once. Goleman thought the details were working out just fine, and was surprised when one day the publisher sent him a note: "It's difficult to have this conversation by email. I sound strident, and you sound exasperated." Exasperated? Goleman had no idea he was coming across that way. A quick phone call cleared everything up, and it taught him a valuable lesson: Sometimes we need the full range of information that can come only from looking someone in the eyes or hearing the sound of his or her voice. Why Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone? The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start to search for different ways or truer answers. - M. Scott Peck Cultivating Creativity Advertising genius Alex Osborn integrated creativity with everything he did - every day. Considered the "father of brainstorming" (a term he helped coin in 1939), Osborn devoted his life to promoting and teaching creative thinking. And the fiercest enemy of creativity, he believed, was criticism: "Creativity is so delicate a flower that praise tends to make it bloom, while discouragement often nips it in the bud. Any of us will put out more and better ideas if our efforts are appreciated." It's Summer: Hot Dog! The history of the hot dog stretches all the way back to the 9th century B.C. when sausage was mentioned in Homer's Odyssey, according to the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council. But honest-to-goodness frankfurters didn't roll around till the late 1600s in Germany. Some believe that the sausages were first called "dachshunds" or "little dogs" because they resembled the shape of a dachshund. Today we know them as hot dogs, and this year we'll eat enough of them at major league ballparks to stretch from RFK Stadium in Washington, DC to AT&T Park in San Francisco. If that doesn't impress you, on Independence Day Americans will eat enough hot dogs to stretch from DC to L.A. five times over. And from Memorial Day to Labor Day - considered "hot dog season" by hot dog enthusiasts - Americans will consume 818 hot dogs every second! Walk A Mile In Their Shoes Is there someone in your life who just naturally seems to irritate you? Do you sometimes say, "I can't stand Joe (or Ann or Uncle Michael)? He's so arrogant (or lazy or nosy)!" If so, you're probably no different from the majority of people in the world. What can be dangerous about this, though, is that such feelings can lead to destructive and unproductive behavior - especially when your assessment of the "Joes" in your life has no factual basis. One of the best ways to befriend an "enemy" is to look at the world from his or her perspective. You may discover that there's a reasonable explanation for the behavior that drives you crazy. Once you understand where the other person is coming from, it's easier to find common ground. Quotes Horse sense is what keeps horses from betting on what people will do. - Author Unknown
- George Clason
- Zig Ziglar
5 Real Estate Myths For Buyers
Myth #1: The loner the house is on the market, the more you can negotiate. When buyers ask, "How long has this property been on the market?" they think "six months" means they can negotiate the price down. It more often means the seller is stubbornly holding on to their price. Myth #2: The sellers today are desperate Most aren't. Always ask why the sellers are selling. It's the key to finding how motivated and anxious they are. (I'm being transferred to Dallas) is a very different answer than (We'd like to find something bigger.) The first homeowner is hot to trot. Myth #3: You can't buy a home today with less than 20 percent down. FHA loans require only 3.5% down, and you can even ask the seller to pay the closing costs. Myth #4: You need good credit to get a good loan. Myth #5: You shouldn't buy before prices have bottomed. You can't sharp shoot the real estate market. Once you identify the "bottom," prices have already moved up. Source: Barbara Corcoran (BarbaraCorcoran.com) Rate Lock DurationPosted at ,Rate Lock Duration
Lock durations can vary for mortgage financing, but most lenders lock in the interest rate for 60 days from the date the loan application is submitted. As long as the loan is closed within that lock-in period, the lender honors the agreed upon interest rate.
Some consumers are misled by advertising that quotes unrealistically low rates based on 15- or 30-day lock durations. This is called 'short-pricing.' The lender basically knows the borrower doesn't have time to meet their conditions and have all the necessary paperwork in order within that brief time period. As a result, the lender is not obligated to honor the low rate that was listed in their advertising. For simple refinance transactions, a 45-day lock-in period is more realistic. For purchase transactions, which are typically much more complex, you're much safer going with a 60-day lock, even though the interest rate might be a little higher than the rate you see quoted on billboards and the Internet. Borrowers should make sure they have a written rate lock agreement, and allow themselves a reasonable amount of time to close their loan. I prefer to lock in all my clients as soon as their application is filed, rather than gamble with predicting short-term interest rate movement. My team and I focus more on assisting clients with long-term goals and management of their mortgage debt to secure a strong financial future. Greg Schneider
V.P. Residential Lending PHH Home Loans Phone: (847)686-0158 Fax: (847)686-0158 gxschneider@cbburnet.com http://www.GregSchneiderOnline.com The Truth About AppraisalsPosted at ,The Truth About Appraisals
Greg Schneider Choosing a Fixed Rate LoanPosted at ,
What Is a Prepayment Penalty?Posted at ,What Is a Prepayment Penalty?
What Is "Seller Rent-Back"?Posted at ,What Is "Seller Rent-Back"?
Ways to improve a Credit ScorePosted at ,Ways to Improve a Credit Score
High Credit Score = Low Mortgage RatePosted at ,High Credit Score = Low Mortgage Rate
The Home Equity Line of CreditPosted at ,The Home Equity Line of Credit
Preparing Your House for the MarketPosted at ,Preparing Your House for the Market
Dealing with Debt After RetirementPosted at ,Dealing with Debt After Retirement
Rate Lock DurationPosted at ,Rate Lock Duration
The Difference Between Pre-Qualification and Pre-ApprovalPosted at ,The Difference Between Pre-Qualification and Pre-Approval
{ Permanent Link }
View more entries tagged with: The Difference Between Prequalification And Preapproval What Constitutes Closing Costs?Posted at 12:51 PM, Jan. 20, 2007What Constitutes Closing Costs?
PMI deductible for many homeownersPosted at 12:49 PM, Jan. 20, 2007New tax law tweaks home-buying mathBush signs legislation that makes PMI deductible for many homeowners.NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- A $40 billion tax bill signed into law Wednesday by President Bush extends several popular tax breaks and introduces a new one - tax-deductibility of private mortgage insurance (PMI). Only homeowners with adjusted gross income less than $110,000 and who itemize their deductions will be eligible to reap the benefit. But for those buyers, it will change the math of buying a house with a low or no down payment. "I love it," says mortgage broker Bob Moulton of Americana Mortgage Group, "Even though it's limited in who can qualify, it helps people get into a home." Most lenders require buyers putting less than 20 percent down to purchase PMI because borrowers are more likely to walk away from a mortgage when they have less of their own money invested in the property. Lenders use PMI to protect themselves against that risk. The alternative to PMI is an equity loan "piggybacked" on top of the first mortgage. According to Moulton, extremely low interest rates on home equity loans (HELs) and lines of credit (HELOCs) encouraged buyers to use piggybacks instead of PMI the past several years. In addition, equity loan interest is tax deductible. With that advantage and the low rates, piggybacks became far cheaper than PMI. That situation has reversed because equity loans are based on the prime rate, which has climbed from about 4 percent to 8.25 percent. Today, according to Moulton, on a $225,000 home, the piggybacked portion of the loan would cost about $4,000 a year while the PMI payment would come to about $3,000 - or less - depending on the borrower's credit score. The tax deduction on the equity loan would be about $1,600 for a borrower near the upper income limit. With the new law, the PMI tax break would be about $1,200. That means choosing PMI would cost $1,800 compared with $2,400 for the piggyback loan, an $800 savings. "It's tough to justify going for a piggyback now," says Moulton. How Adjustable Rate Mortgages WorkPosted at ,How Adjustable Rate Mortgages Work
What Is Title Insurance?Posted at ,What Is Title Insurance?
What is Negative Amortization?Posted at ,What is Negative Amortization?
The ABC's of Radon in IllinoisPosted at ,The ABC’s of Radon in Illinois Test your home for radon today. Radon, an indoor air pollutant, is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas. Radon comes from naturally occurring uranium in the soil. The only way to tell how much radon you have in your house is to TEST. BE AWARE
The USEPA estimates that approximately 13% of lung cancer deaths are radon related. The remaining 87% of lung cancer deaths are related to smoking. The USEPA has also concluded that smokers are at higher risk from radon. The USEPA recommends that indoor radon levels be below 4 picocuries per liter of air. Most radon enters a home because of air pressure and temperature differences between the home and the outside air. When air is vented from buildings by natural or powered ventilation, radon and other soil gases are drawn in from the surrounding soil through openings between the house and the soil. Elevated radon levels have been found throughout Where Do You Obtain Kits? • Kits may be available at your county health department, local extension office, hardware store, or home improvement store. • Call the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA)-Division of Nuclear Safety Radon Program at 1-800-325-1245 for a list of laboratories that sell radon kits, or visit our website at www.state.il.us/iema. • IEMA also has a list of measurement professionals who can test for you. For consumer protection, the Radon Industry Licensing Act (RILA) requires measurement professionals who test for radon and mitigation professionals who reduce radon in structures to be licensed by IEMA. If your home has elevated radon, IEMA has a list of licensed radon reduction contractors (mitigators) who can fix your radon problem. IEMA recommends hiring a licensed mitigator because they have the proper equipment, specialized training and technical skills needed. Using a professional can offer peace of mind. Don’t let radon be a problem in your house. Where Do You Get Information About Radon? Courtesy of: The Illinois Emergency Management Agency-Division of Nuclear Safety Radon Program, 1035 Outer Park Drive, Springfield, Illinois 62704, Radon Information Line:1-800-325-1245 and at www.state.il.us/iema
{ Last Page } { Next Page } |
View more entries tagged with: Resume Of Judith Weiner