Chicago REALTORS® Blog & News

Welcome to the Chicago Association of REALTORS® blog and news hub. Explore magazine articles, industry updates and more. You can filter by category or tag based on your interests.

Three Premier Skill Building Courses Next Week

Join us next week for a series of unique skill-building courses being held March 16-19. All three courses are being taught by special guest instructor Chip Meyers. Each class is […]

New Affordable Home Loan Launches

A new statewide home loan has launched to make homeownership more affordable for first-time and repeat buyers. The new @HomeIllinois product offers the following: • A 30-year fixed-rate, affordable loan […]

March Speaking Points

C.A.R. speaking points help prepare you to answer questions about Chicago’s real estate industry and project confidence and consistency as a voice for Chicago REALTORS®. If you would like to […]

Net Neutrality a Victory for REALTORS®

National Association of REALTORS® President Chris Polychron voiced support for new open Internet rules the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved on Thursday, Feb. 26: “REALTORS® welcome the passage of the […]

Mortgage Applications Rise

Mortgage applications increased 5 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending Feb. 20, the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) said. The slight jump from the previous week came […]

Refinancing Opportunities for FHA Borrowers

An estimated 2.4 million borrowers with Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loans can lower their mortgage costs by refinancing. This is a result of the FHA reducing its insurance premiums in […]

Millennials Favor Mortgage over Marriage

Some millennials say they would rather afford to buy a home than spend money on a wedding or honeymoon. A Redfin survey found 38 percent of American millennials (aged 18-34) […]

Tax Tips for Homeowners

Homeownership carries many tax benefits, so be sure you’re taking advantage of these strategies at tax time: Mortgage Interest Deduction Interest you pay on a mortgage of up to $1 […]

IDFPR Distributes Renewal Postcards

Managing broker renewal postcards will go out the week of Feb. 9 from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR). Postcards are white this year, and managing brokers […]

1.2M Cook County Homes Qualify for Down Payment Assistance

More than 68 million single-family and condo households would qualify for a down payment program available in the county where they are located, found a new study by Down Payment […]

How Home Staging Makes a Difference

Taking steps to stage a home can make a difference in how a buyer values it, according to the National Association of REALTORS® 2015 Profile of Home Staging. Here are […]