Real Estate
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Vents in crawl spaces can cause rot in floor framingDec 11, 2009 10:00 pm - Q. I live in a house that is about 40 years old in the Chicago area. The man who built it built seven or eight other houses on our street. Our house has a three-quarter ...
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Other area designers also take home awardsDec 11, 2009 10:00 pm - While two kitchen design firms in the Northwest and West suburbs captured the majority of the prizes in the recent Chicago Midwest "Design Visions" competition, four oth...
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There's something for everyone in Downers GroveDec 10, 2009 10:00 pm - With its thriving downtown, Downers Grove continues to preserve a charming, hometown character - a trademark for more than a century. "I grew up close to downtown, and w...
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Obama administration offers promising plan on short salesDec 10, 2009 10:00 pm - WASHINGTON - If you're in trouble on your mortgage and you can't get a loan modification, check out the Obama administration's new standardized short sale plan that's sc...
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When buying real estate, is an e-mailed offer legally binding?Dec 05, 2009 10:00 pm - Q. The buyer has agreed to my terms to a counter, but we only have talked via e-mail. I have not sent his Realtor the signed contract. Am I still obligated by law to go ...
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Get the proper treated lumber to fix border around patioDec 05, 2009 10:00 pm - Q. When we purchased our home 15 years ago, the patio had been poured in 4-by-4-foot concrete slabs with redwood in between the slabs. Over time, the wood between the bl...
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Owners upset when condo association cuts fountainDec 05, 2009 10:00 pm - Q. For the past seven years we have owned a condo on a golf course that we rent out to supplement our income. It is an older community built in the early 1970s, but stil...
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Your deposit is often considered a commitment to rent propertyDec 05, 2009 10:00 pm - Q. I've been renting a villa in Florida for the last couple of years with an oral agreement on the cost and length of time. This is not through an agent. I sent him a de...
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Many more Americans now eligible for 'homebuyers' tax creditDec 03, 2009 10:00 pm - A new law has extended the valuable tax-credit program for first-time buyers, while also creating a new break for soldiers and other longtime homeowners who weren't elig...
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IRS asks homebuyers to be patient in filing claim for their tax creditDec 03, 2009 10:00 pm - WASHINGTON - If you're thinking about applying for the new $6,500 homebuyer federal tax credit or the extended $8,000 version for first-time buyers, here's some news: Th...