Local Broker Receives Certified Negotiations Expert Designation

Posted on October 2, 2014 by Kyle Chang

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: KYLE CHANG
MEDIA@LOFTSNHOMES.COM

LOCAL REAL ESTATE MANAGING BROKER KYLE K CHANG RECEIVES
“CERTIFIED NEGOTIATION EXPERT (CNE®)” DESIGNATION

Professional negotiation skills are necessary for all real estate agents
in helping home buyers and sellers, especially in the current market

Chicago, Illinois USA, September 29, 2014 – Kyle K. Chang, Managing Broker, Realtor, ABR, GRI, SRS of C&C Realty Group, Inc www.LoftsNHomes.com has been awarded the Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) designation from the Real Estate Negotiation Institute (RENI). The CNE is earned by real estate professionals after successfully completing formal negotiation training over two days. Agents who receive this certification are among the top agents in the country in negotiation skills. With professional negotiation skills, agents are able to help clients obtain better results in the sale or purchase of their home. CNE agents have a higher skill level which enables them to 1) communicate more effectively to uncover desired information, 2) help clients understand their options, 3) work collaboratively with others, and 4) resolve deadlocks. CNE agents have a thorough understanding of how to negotiate effectively to help achieve their client’s goals.

Kyle K. Chang, Managing Broker, Realtor, ABR, CNE, GRI, SRS
C&C Realty Group, Inc.
www.LoftsNHomes.com

About Kyle K. Chang, Managing Broker, Realtor, ABR, CNE, GRI, SRS

Kyle has been involved in real estate, starting with personal property management and income properties since moving to the Chicago area in 1996. A graduate of California Polytechnic University in Pomona, CA, he obtained his B.S. in Management with minors in Business Administration and Marketing. He has worked in a variety of industries that has helped developed his entrepreneur skills with such companies as Hyatt Hotels, Sears & Roebuck and McDonald’s Corporation, Wheels, Inc. just to name a few.

Kyle first obtained his Illinois Broker’s license in 2002 and worked for a local firm in the Lakeview neighborhood. Prior to coming on board as the managing broker for C&C Realty Group, Inc – LoftsNHomes.com in 2003, Mr. Chang ran the Chicago operations for a Financial Services firm based in Massachusetts and in a variety of technology & training positions for a Chicago based fleet vehicle leasing firm. He is also an expert marketing and operational consultant for the Retail and Hospitality Industries since 1996 and a contractor to work high level sporting events such as the Super Bowl and Olympics.

About C&C Realty Group, Inc. www.LoftsNHomes.com

C&C Realty Group, Inc. www.LoftsNHomes.com is a full service boutique brokerage with our main office located in the West Loop neighborhood of Chicago. Our brokerages handle transactions involving residential, commercial and property management areas of real estate. We represent buyers, sellers tenants and property owners. We use the latest technology to market our client’s property and to electronically transact and store property information and client data securely. We offer our brokers continuous training throughout each year. The firm was founded in 2003 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. For more information, please visit www.LoftsNHomes.com

Logo Certified Negotiations Expert

About the Real Estate Institute:
The Real Estate Negotiation Institute is the leading negotiation training and coaching company in the real estate industry. Collectively, the Real Estate Negotiation Institute’s instructors have over 300 years of real estate and negotiation experience. Tom Hayman, the CEO and Co-Founder of the Real Estate Negotiation Institute, asserts: “Any Buyer or Seller who hires a CNE agent can feel confident they have one of the best trained negotiators in real estate. They should achieve superior results and have better resolution of all issues when represented by a CNE agent.”

For more information visit www.theRENI.com.

Chicago Area Market Update – September, 2014

Posted on September 29, 2014 by Kyle Chang

Some great news for the economy and housing was published today regarding the local Chicago surrounding suburbs of Chicago that the local MLS MREDLLC.com services and maintains the data. What this suggest is that for seller’s who previously were not able to sell due to low prices, it might be time to re-consider. With the low interest rates expected to sustain in the short term (next 6 to 18 months) by the Fed., it is likely that the trend of multiple buyer offer for sales is also likely to sustain in popular neighborhoods. Keep in mind that this latest update does not necessarily apply directly to your specific property and / or local neighborhood. It is best in those situations to contact a real estate broker (like me) who is familiar with the properties that is more specific to your situation.

Source: MREDLLC.com September 29, 2014

“Most local markets continue to recover from a soft patch earlier this year. The macro trend is still positive; the micro trend involves more moderate pinching up and down the month-to-month timeline. This is not uncommon in a balanced market, but it’s been so long since we’ve seen one that we’re watching it with perhaps too much trepidation. Metrics to watch include inventory and prices, but also days on market, months’ supply and percent of list price received at sale. Declines in pending and closed sales activity may reflect strong decreases at lower price points and may not indicate softening demand.

New Listings in Chicagoland were up 4.6 percent for detached homes and 1.1 percent for attached properties. Listings Under Contract increased 4.6 percent for detached homes and 3.1 percent for attached properties.

The Median Sales Price was up 8.1 percent to $219,900 for detached homes and 9.3 percent to $177,000 for attached properties. Months Supply of Inventory increased 4.4 percent for detached units but was down 4.4 percent for attached units.

Sustained job growth, lower mortgage rates and a slow rise in the number of homes for sale appear to have unleashed at least some pent-up demand. Since housing demand relies heavily on an economy churning out good jobs, it’s encouraging to see second quarter GDP growth revised upwards to a 4.2 percent annualized rate and stronger-than-expected job growth in recent months. Further improvements are still needed by way of wage growth and consumer confidence but recovery continues.”

Hints To Keep Plumbing In Working Order During Winter

Posted on January 12, 2014 by Kyle Chang

When temperatures drop to freezing lows, plumbing problems are very common. There are many things that homeowners can do to prevent these problems that have the potential to cause severe damage to your home. Rescue Rooter® has provided the following tips to keep homeowners and their families throughout the nation and warm as freezing temperatures take over.

Avoid frozen pipes. Watch your water pressure this time of year because the first sign of a frozen pipe is restricted water flow. If you notice this, be sure to act quickly and call a professional.

Let cold water trickle from your faucets, slightly smaller than a pencil’s width, during the evening when the temperature is the coldest. This helps prevent freezing as moving water does not freeze.

Garden hoses can cause major damage if not disconnected. During cold snaps, if a garden hose is left connected, ice will form and pressure will build up in the water lines inside your home. Once this occurs, a water line leak or break is common. This can cause severe damage to the home. Disconnect garden hoses and drain outdoor pipes to prevent damage during the winter.
After disconnecting hoses, you should install an exterior, insulated faucet jacket. This will protect your outdoor faucets, as well as the connecting lines running into the home, from freezing temperatures. Also, be sure to utilize the shut-off valves located inside your home to drain water from pipes leading to outdoor hose bibs. These valves can typically be found under sinks, in crawl spaces or basements, near your water heater or your meter, but every home is different and some homes may not be equipped with these valves.

Circulating warm air helps keep pipes in the walls from freezing. Keep your house temperature above 55 degrees to prevent pipes from freezing and open cabinet doors under sinks and faucets and near exterior walls to help circulate warm air and keep pipes warmer.

Close crawl space vents and garage doors, especially if your water heater is in the garage.

Check to be sure that snow is not restricting your water drainage. Watch the area around your sump pump discharge line used to avoid flooding indoors, as this line drains from a basement to an outside area. If the drainage area is blocked by snow or flowing into a puddle, freezing could occur as well as water backing-up into the house.

If you do find leaks, even if it’s a small one, try to find the soure and remedy it as soon as possible. Call a plumber if necessary as the small leaks can end up causing big, costly damages if left un-remedied for a period of time.

Snow Days – Winter Parking Ban

Posted on January 2, 2014 by Kyle Chang

El Trains (Elevated Trains) which are running overhead and underground as a Subway in certain parts of the City.

Hopefully, everyone had a great New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day celebration and are excited about 2014!

In the Chicago area, we have had the biggest accumulation of snow for the season so far putting down at least 8 inches of snow on the ground and we are expected to have snow all day today. This is a great time to remind folks and new comers to the Chicago land area of the Winter Parking Ban that’s in effect when 2 or more inches of snow is on the ground.

This parking ban is around most neighborhoods within the City of Chicago limits to allow the city crews access to major streets and to be able to clear the snow from the streets in a timely manner.

Violation of this could result in a parking violation to be issued (at least a $60-100 ticket) and possibly the towing or your vehicle and storage an impound lot which could result in a couple of hundreds out of your pocket.Video Jan 02, 8 36 01 AM

We recommend that you find a paid parking lot to park your vehicle in the City in order to avoid these fines and fees and consider taking public transit which might also save you some aggravation on the roads.

Visibility, January 2, 2014

Normal Snow Day Visibility

Chicago Offers Tree Recycling

Posted on December 29, 2013 by Kyle Chang

The official City Christmas Tree at Daley Plaza with Chriskindle Market

So now that the Christmas Holiday has passed, what do you do with that fresh tree that you bought just to celebrate the Season? How about recycling it at one of the City Park District locations for FREE?? Okay, you may have already paid for it in the property taxes or city sales tax throughout the year.

Trees can be dropped off for recycling at the following locations between January 4-18th

Bessemer Park, 8930 S. Muskegon Ave.
Clark Park, 3400 N. Rockwell St.
Forestry Site, 900 E. 103rd St.
Garfield Park, 100 N. Central Park Ave.
Grant Park, 900 S. Columbus Dr.
Humboldt Park Boathouse, 1369 N. Sacramento Ave.
Jackson Park, 6300 S. Cornell Ave.
Kennedy Park, 2427 W. 113th St.
Kelvyn Park, 4438 W. Wrightwood Ave.
Lake Meadows Park, 3117 S. Rhodes Ave.
Lincoln Park, Cannon Dr. at Fullerton Ave. (Parking lot east of Cannon Dr.)
Margate Park, 4921 N. Marine Dr.
Marquette Park, 6700 S. Kedzie Ave.
McKinley Park, 2210 W. Pershing Rd.
Mt. Greenwood Park, 3721 W. 111th St.
North Park Village, 5801 N. Pulaski Rd.
Norwood Park, 5801 N. Natoma Ave.
Portage Park, 4100 N. Long Ave.
Riis Park, 6201 W. Wrightwood Ave.
Rowan Park, 11546 S. Avenue L
Sheridan Park, 910 S. Aberdeen St.
Warren Park, 6601 N. Western Ave.
Wentworth Park, 5701 S. Narragansett Ave.

You just need to remove the decorations in order for them to accept your recycled tree.

The holiday tree on the plaza shared by The Tribune Company and NBC Tower

Public Transit For Visitors

Posted on December 27, 2013 by Kyle Chang

El Trains (Elevated Trains) which are running overhead and underground as a Subway in certain parts of the City.

Chicago is a major city with a great transportation infrastructure. Most of the folks who relocate to Chicago in living in some of the more popular downtown neighborhoods like the West Loop, South Loop, River East, River North, LakeView or Lincoln Park usually abandon their cars after the first year because there is ample and affordable public transportation across the City. Even folks who live in other neighborhood will opt for the public transit system and let their car (if they own one) sit on the street or garage.

Unlike many other urban cities, the public transit system in Chicago is only $2.25 per ride regardless of distance. There are a lot of FREE transfer stations across the city to move between EL Train lines (Elevated Trains / Subway) or sometimes between a bus and a rail line. If a transfer fee is charged, it’s typically 25 cents for the transfer (up to two transfers within a two hour period).

Visitors to Chicago can also opt for the 1 day, 3 day or 7 day unlimited rides visitor’s passes that you can purchase at kiosks located at Chicago O’Hare and Midway International Airports, or at the visitor’s centers at the Chicago Cultural Center or Water Tower locations. Reduced fares are offered to students and qualified persons. Local Chicago’s who rely solely on the public transit system also receive discounts for unlimited rides at only $100 per month.

The Public Transit System is called the CTA (Chicago Transit Authority) and PACE for the suburban public systems which all operate on the same fare system and utilize the same fare cards. Commuter Trains are part of the METRA system and they operate on different fees and fare card system, but we’ll talk more about METRA and other affordable transportation options in another blog post.

The public transit system is a great way to move around town whether you are a local, transplant or a visitor to Chicago. Their schedules are available via phone, text message, Google Maps or one of the applications on your smartphone that support transit directions.

WEBSITES:
Chicago Transit Authority (CTA Buses and EL Trains) www.TransitChicago.com
PACE (Suburban Buses) www.PaceBus.com
METRA (Commuter Trains) www.MetraRail.com

Getting some culture around town for FREE!

Posted on December 17, 2013 by Kyle Chang

Not everything you do in the big city is expensive. The locals have their own ways to get around and find things to do that are low cost and some really neat things to do for free. One such place is the Cultural Center which has a visitor”s center that will provide you free access to attractions around down, get a visitor’s transit pass to save some money. At the Cultural Center, there is also an art gallery on the first floor that has rotating exhibits from local artists. The architecture in the cultural center itself is also amazing and you can just soak up the history while taking a coffee or snack break in the common area offering free WiFi Internet access. the various ball rooms also plays host to various city functions and public meetings.

The Chicago Cultural Center was originally constructed in 1897 as the Central Library of Chicago. As the city’s population increased over the last century, the central library was relocated to Van Buren. The country’s top architects and craftsmen used the most sumptuous materials, such as rare imported marbles, polished brass, fine hardwoods, and mosaics of Favrile glass, mother-of-pearl and colored stone, to create an architectural showplace. Located on the south side of the building, the world’s largest stained glass Tiffany dome ― 38 feet in diameter with some 30,000 pieces of glass ― was restored to its original splendor in 2008. On the north side of the building is a 40-foot-diameter dome with some 50,000 pieces of glass in an intricate Renaissance pattern, designed by Healy & Millet.

Driving Directions

From The North:
If traveling from the North on the Kennedy Expressway or Edens Expressway (Interstate 90/94), exit at Monroe Street and drive East to Michigan Avenue.

If driving on the Outer Drive (North Lake Shore Drive/Highway 41), exit at Randolph Street and drive West to Michigan Avenue.

From The South:
If traveling from the South on the Dan Ryan Expressway (Interstates 90/94), exit at Congress Parkway and drive East to Michigan Avenue and then North to Washington Street. If driving on Lake Shore Drive (Highway 41), exit at Randolph Street and drive West to Michigan Avenue.

From The East:
If traveling from the East on the Indiana Toll Road (Interstate 90), take the Chicago Skyway to the Stony Island exit, follow Highway 41 (Lake Shore Drive) to downtown Chicago, exit at Randolph Street and drive West to Michigan Avenue.

If coming in from the East on Interstate 90/94, continue on the Dan Ryan Expressway, exit at Congress Parkway, drive East to Michigan Avenue and then North to Washington Street.

From The West:
If traveling from the West on the Eisenhower Expressway (Interstate 290), which becomes Congress Parkway, drive East to Michigan Avenue, and then turn North (left) to Washington Street.

Parking

Convenient parking is located in the Millennium Park Garage, Grant Park North, Grant Park South and East Monroe Garages. For more information or directions for any of these parking garages, visit www.millenniumgarages.com or call 312.616.0600.

Public Transportation

Both Chicago Transit Authority buses and trains, and Metra’s commuter rail lines stop conveniently near the Cultural Center. For detailed travel information visit www.transitchicago.com or call the Travel Information Center at 1-888-YOUR-CTA or 1-888-CTA-TTY1 (TTY).

Holiday Spirit in Chicago

Posted on December 16, 2013 by Kyle Chang

One of the neat things about living in a large urban city like Chicago is that the city and businesses helps put people in the holiday spirit with holiday decorations. While the trees may be missing it’s foliage in the colder winter months, they are often draped with holiday lights. Many businesses will also put up their own version of the Christmas tree adorned with different lights. The city has its own official Christmas tree that is usually chosen from a suburban family, chopped and trucked in for installation at Daley Plaza where the Picasso Statue resides and the Christkindle Market happens during the holiday.

Street Scape along the Magnificent Mile (Michigan Avenue) with the infamous Water Tower in the background.

Christmas tree at the Cultural Center which is used for city offices, art gallery and visitor’s center.

Holiday tree outside of the legondary Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs baseball team

Colorful trees at the base of the Skydesk for Willis Tower. Chicagoans still call it the Sear’s Tower.

The official City Christmas Tree at Daley Plaza with Chriskindle Market

Trumpets and Holiday Story Windows outsides of Macy’s on State. Chicagoans still call it Marshall Fields

Trees at the ice skating rink at Millenium Park.

The holiday tree on the plaza shared by The Tribune Company and NBC Tower

Saving for a down payment to buy

Posted on December 13, 2013 by Kyle Chang

There are some great deals out in the market for first time loft/home buyers or event folks who would like to upgrade their residence and/or get into a better neighborhood. But on thing gets in the way for the first time home buyer(s) — that is having enough saved for a down payment.

A savings and down payment is important because most residential lenders are looking for “Stated Loans” where you provide your income supporting documentation, the W2 or pay stubs from work (typically past two months worth) or your 1099’s and past tax filings (typically past two years). The underwriters want to make sure that you can 1) Afford the loan and have enough cushion to avoid default and/or foreclosure and; 2) Make sure that that the income stated on your income is accurate and that it meets their debt-to-income ration qualifications.

Here are some simple ways that will help you save:
1) Take Public transit – it’s fairly east to do in most Chicago neighborhoods and you can be on the monthly flat fee plan. Some employers can also pay for this through payroll deduction so you get to pay for it with pre-tax dollars. Some employers also subsidize it. Not owing a car can save you about $6,000 per year if you figure $500 per month for car payments, insurance and parking for the average car owner.
2) Reduce eating out and buying coffee from Starbucks or Dunkin Doughnuts. On average most folks spent $5-15 per day just on the coffee purchases and for eating lunch out (another $10-15 per day average). That’s at least $100 a week if you pack your own lunch or at least $50 a week if you eat out only half the week.
3) Reduce your alcohol intake – It’s good for your health and vital organs long term, but it also saves you a lot of money. If you go out with clients or other co-workers frequently, you can also just reduce the amount of drinking (at least the ones you pay for on your own). An average night out for me is at least $25 one a week which would provide a $1,300 savings a year. And not drinking as much also avoids those late night post drinking food cravings so that’s additional $$ that you are saving. You can also choose to reduce the amount going out you do to every two weeks or once a month if you are really on the savings track — think of all the new furniture you can afford with the savings.
4) Have a change cup or bucket – I use only dollar bills when I use cash for purchases and put the change in my cups and take them into the bank every month or two. This has allowed me to put at least $100-200 in savings per month and you’d be surprise with how quickly they add up.

These few savings will yield a $12,500 savings for down payment just within a one year (12 month period). This is equivalent to a 10% down payment on a house purchased at $125,000 range. Of a 3% down payment on a loft/home that’s around $415,000. Yes, there are still 3% and 5% down payment loans out there for first time home buyer(s) and if you have a FICO credit score of 700 or above.

Let me know your comments and thoughts or other examples that you have to save money on a regular baiss.

Kyle in Chicago

Real Estate, Technology, All things Chicago.

Category Archives: First Time Buyers