I gained experience as a real estate investor, and marketer when I moved back to Bronzeville in 1988. My husband and I liked taking houses apart and making them new again. Our goal was to provide upscale housing in a hopefully revitalizing neighborhood. We were never disappointed. So finding houses for other people that work for their lifestyle came naturally. I am still committed to helping build a unique community, that serves the needs of the residents. And it truly is my pleasure to assist my clients in finding a home that is literally near and dear to their hearts.
I attended Lindblom Tech High School, and University of Ill at Urbana and Chicago Campus. I picked up a gaggle of girlfriends in between Dorothy, Betty, Ellen, and the two Carolyn's. Our friendship has endured and we still go out to lunch and and an occasional play and that's just great. Initially I earned my experience in research, evaluation and skilled negotiation from 25 years in the Commercial General Liability Sector.
I realize that the quality of my performance will translate to your bottom line. Therefore, you can expect I will do pricing research on comparable properties to determine a b est offering price and terms, keep you informed, coordinate the transaction, and aggressively represent your interests in a negotiation and maintain the time line to close on time . In short, I will take care of the myriad of details involved in the increasingly complex world of a real estate transactions on your behalf. When you engage me to work you can expect me to use creative problem solving skills, and absolute honestly and devotion to you and your real estate needs. Most importantly, I will not sell your interest out for a commission.
Charges for my services, experience, time, and expenses are carried forward on a contingency basis to be paid at closing. In addition this is virtually a 24-hour a day, all-consuming business, and it requires agents to be "on call," even on weekends and holidays. I am only willing to invest in a transaction with a buyer, or seller who I believe is serious and loyal. It is fine to search ads and do drive-bys if you want, but if you do, don't call the other agent, call your agent! If you see a "For Sale by Owner," that you would like to see, call your agent! I promise to devote my time and effort to get you the best result.
Recognized Expertise- Crain Communications
Vintage takes a new sheen
By Ed Avis
April 24, 2006
When Olusola Akintunde went condo shopping 18 months ago, he sought two things: spaciousness and a location near the University of Chicago, where he is assistant director of student activities.
Over six months Mr. Akintunde checked out nine condos. Most were new construction, and many were too small. Then he walked into a rehabbed vintage duplex condo in a six-unit building near 39th and Martin Luther King Drive in Bronzeville. The interior was thoroughly renovated, but what really won him over were the solid brick construction, wood floors and original marble bathroom.
"It hit me pretty quickly," he says. "It looked like something I could make a modern-vintage home with."
Modern-vintage?
"People are looking for classical-style buildings, but what they want on the inside is everything new," says Fran Lake-Black, a real estate agent with Granite Asset Management who focuses on neighborhoods south of 18th Street. "If someone tries to sell a vintage condo without updating it, it's not going to sell well."
For buyers in the new-construction-mad world, vintage no longer means petite closets and quirky bathrooms. The prevalence of new condos over the past five years has made most buyers expect new, fresh interiors……..
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©2006 by Crain Communications Inc.
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
"We miss you now that the hunt is over. Thank you for all yourhelp. You're the greatest"
Alicia
"Thanks for your patience, encouragement, guidance and knowledge. As a "parent" when your children are happy you are content."
Kathleen
“I got a good home for a good price. But, I really didn’t know how effective Fran was, or needed to be until the day before closing. When we went for the final inspection, the seller was not aware we were to close the following day, and she was not packed. She had not closed on the property she was buying. Her down payment was coming from the sale of the home I was buying. I don’t know how the her attorney thought he was going to solve this problem, but Fran came up with a solution that met everyone’s needs. We did go to close on time, the very next day.”
Ernestine
“I ended up getting much more house in a good area than I ever expected. .......... The property appraised consideralbly over that too! I walked in the door with equity.”
Joyce
"Our home had been on the market for 6 months with little activity when we decided to change agents. Fran came in and told us what to do to get our price without spending a ton of money in the process"
Eric and Janet
The Next Step -Call Me 773-285-6757
Finding Property
Once you know how much you can and want to invest, the next step is to find the properties available that most closely fit your needs. Sometimes the property you are seeking is available but not actively advertised in the market, and it will take some investigation by your agent to find all available products. Your agent will probably suggest that you make a list of "Most Important Features," and features that you can live without. This will help your agent focus on what's most important to you.
Selecting
Your job is to make the final selection of the right property for you. This is when excitement and emotion run high. Your real estate agent can assist you in the selection process by providing objective information about each property. Agents who are REALTORS® have access to a variety of informational resources. REALTORS® can provide local community information on utilities, zoning, schools, taxes, etc. There are two things you'll want to know. First, will the property provide the environment I want for a home or investment? Second, will the property have resale value when I am ready to sell?
Negotiating
There are a myriad of negotiating factors, including, but not limited to price, financing, terms, date of possession, and often the inclusion or exclusion of repairs and furnishings or equipment. The purchase agreement should also provide a period of time for you to complete appropriate inspections and investigations of the property before you are bound to complete the purchase. Your agent can advise you as to which investigations and inspections are recommended or required.
Due Diligence
Assist you in finding a qualified professional to complete the home inspection
Complete the evaluation of the property. Depending on the area and property, this could include inspections for termites, dry rot, asbestos, faulty structure, roof condition, septic tank and well tests, just to name a few.
You will also want to see a preliminary report on the title of the property. Title indicates ownership of property and can be mired in confusing status of past owners or rights of access. The title to most properties will have some limitations; for example, easements (access rights) for utilities. Your agent, title company or attorney can help you resolve issues that might cause problems at a later date.
Financing
Once you have the house you want "under contract," you'll have a specified time frame in which you must obtain the proper financing to purchase the home.