HOUSING NEWS

"The "The Home Front," a consumer-oriented real estate column syndicated by DeBat Media News Service, unravels the complexities of home buying, mortgage shopping, homeownership, urban development, renovation and remodeling with a Midwest point of view. It is published in more than 50 Chicago-area newspapers--including The Pioneer Press and Real Estate Profile's "New Homes" Sections.--with a total circulation of more than 250,000.

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Monday, August 25, 2008
CONTRACT CANCELLATIONS ARE LATEST ISSUE WORRYING CONDO DEVELOPE

Monday, August 18, 2008
BORROWERS TAKE PASS ON ADJUSTABLES AND LOCK IN ON FIXED-RATE LOANS

Monday, August 11, 2008
UNCLE SAM’S HOUSING STIMULAS APPLAUDED BY HOME BUYERS AND REALTORS

Monday, August 04, 2008
UNCLE SAM’S HOUSING BAILOUT TO AID CASH-STRAPPED HOMEOWNERS

Monday, July 28, 2008
WILL TOMORROW’S HOUSING MARKET BE STRONGER THAN THE GLOOMY 1980S?

Monday, July 21, 2008
BUYER’S MARKET COULD BE A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR FIRST HOME PURCHASE

Monday, July 14, 2008
COOK COUNTY BORROWERS NOW PROTECTED AGAINST FUTURE HOME-LOAN FRAUD

Monday, July 07, 2008
BARGAINS ABOUND WITH CHICAGO CONDOMINIUM MARKET IN ‘PAUSE MODE’

Monday, June 30, 2008
DEMAND FOR SMALLER NEW HOMES EXPANDS DURING REAL ESTATE’S HARD TIMES

Monday, June 23, 2008
SUMMER HOME-BUYING OUTLOOK—GREAT SELECTION, HIGHER MORTGAGE RATES

Monday, June 16, 2008
NOW’S THE TIME TO GO BARGAIN HUNTING IN CHICAGO’S NEW-HOME MARKET

Monday, June 09, 2008
DEATH AND TAXES ARE TWO CONSTANTS IN THE UNIVERSE OF MAN

Monday, June 02, 2008
IS AMERICAN HOMEOWNER’S LOVE AFFAIR WITH ADJUSTABLE-RATE LOANS OVER?

Monday, May 26, 2008
HOME-LOAN RATES UNDER 6 PERCENT UNDERSCORES BRIGHTER SIDE OF MARKET

Monday, May 19, 2008
HOW HOME-SHOPPING OPTIONS HAVE EXPANDED IN THE HIGH-TECH ERA

Monday, May 12, 2008
FOREIGN INVESTMENT MUSCLE PULLING CHICAGO CONDO MARKET OUT OF SLUMP

Monday, May 05, 2008
OUTLOOK FOR LOWER MORTGAGE RATES MAY TURN TIRE KICKERS INTO BUYERS

Monday, April 28, 2008
CHICAGO’S HOUSING MARKET IS FULL OF OPPORTUNITY FOR SMART SHOPPERS

Monday, April 21, 2008
AS FORECLOSURES RISE AMERICAN HOMEOWNERS ASK: IS HELP IS ON THE WAY?

Monday, April 14, 2008
LOCATION THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND CITY CONDO AND HOME PRICE GAINS

Monday, April 07, 2008
CHICAGO’S CONDOMINIUM MARKET SHOWING SIGNS OF LIFE THIS SPRING

Monday, March 31, 2008
AFFORDABLE PRICES AND LOW INTEREST RATES ON HORIZON FOR SPRING

Monday, March 24, 2008
WHAT’S YOUR SCORE? REPAIR CREDIT RATING NOW BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE

Monday, March 17, 2008
WILL UNCLE SAM COME TO THE RESCUE OF THE BATTERED HOUSING INDUSTRY?

Monday, March 10, 2008
AMERICA’S HOME VALUES ARE FLAT, BUT CHICAGO IS DOING BETTER

Monday, March 03, 2008
FROZEN WITH FEAR,’DOWNTOWN CHICAGO CONDO SHOPPERS ARE WAITING

Monday, February 25, 2008
DEATH OF HOUSING MARKET MAY BE EXAGGERATED—RESALE VALUES UP IN 2007

Monday, February 18, 2008
IS IT TIME TO OVERHAUL COOK COUNTY’S ANTIQUATED PROPERTY TAX SYSTEM?

Monday, February 11, 2008
40-PERCENT HIKE IN CHICAGO REAL ESTATE TRANSFER TAX A KNOCKOUT

Monday, February 04, 2008
MORTGAGE RATES IGNORE FED-RATE REDUCTION AND MOVE UPWARD AGAIN

Monday, January 28, 2008
FED REDUCTION DROPS MORTGAGE RATES TO LOWEST LEVEL SINCE 2004

Monday, January 21, 2008
ARM-MORTGAGE SHIFT—DISCOUNTS VANISH AS LENDERS TIGHTEN REQUIREMENTS

Monday, January 14, 2008
OUTLOOK 2008: AFFORDABLE MORTGAGES, STRONG RETAIL AND RENTAL MARKETS

Monday, January 07, 2008
CHICAGO’S USED-HOME PRICES RISE MODESTLY, BUCKING A NATIONAL TREND

Monday, December 31, 2007
IS RECESSION INEVITABLE? WILL AMERICAN HOMEOWNERS DODGE THE BULLET?

Monday, December 24, 2007
FED’S PROPOSED RULES CRACK DOWN ON UNSCRUPULOUS HOME LENDERS

Monday, December 17, 2007
THIRD FED-RATE CUT SHINES A RAY OF HOPE ON HOUSING’S CLOUD

Monday, December 10, 2007
HOLIDAY GIFT: OUTLOOK BRIGHTENS FOR LOWER HOME-LOAN RATES IN 2008

Monday, December 03, 2007
RESALE-HOME VALUES INCHING AHEAD; HOUSING MARKET MAY BE REBOUNDING

Monday, November 26, 2007
AMERICAN HOMEOWNERS ARE ON A ROLLER-COASTER RIDE AS 2007 ENDS

Monday, November 19, 2007
AMERICA’S HOUSING DOWNTURN IS PUTTING A PINCH ON REFINANCE DOLLARS

Monday, November 12, 2007
DESPITE GLOOM, SOME RAYS OF SUNSHINE EXIST IN CHICAGO HOUSING MARKET

Monday, November 05, 2007
NEW HOME AND CONDOMINIUM BUYERS CAN GO SHOPPING ON CABLE AND TV

Monday, October 29, 2007
CHICAGO-AREA EXISTING HOME PRICES PERK UP DESPITE SLOW SALES

Monday, October 22, 2007
UNCLE SAM’S FHA LOANS MAY BE KEY TO SUB-PRIME MORTGAGE BAIL OUT

Monday, October 08, 2007
IS THE AMERICAN HOME MORE THAN A MONEY MACHINE WITH TAX ADVANTAGES?

Monday, October 01, 2007
CHICAGO-AREA RESALE HOME PRICES RISING AGAIN, DESPITE NATIONAL TREND

Monday, September 24, 2007
OUTLOOK BRIGHTENS FOR HOME-LOAN RATES FOLLOWING FED-RATE REDUCTION

Monday, September 17, 2007
HOME-LOAN RATES EASING JUST IN TIME FOR AUTUMN REFINANCE SEASON

Monday, September 10, 2007
BRIGHT SPOTS EXIST IN CHICAGO DESPITE THE GLOOM IN REAL ESTATE

Monday, September 03, 2007
DOWNTOWN LUXURY APARTMENT RENTS LIKELY WILL RISE 7-PERCENT IN 2007

Monday, August 27, 2007
CONDO GLUT: 7,700 UNSOLD NEW UNITS ON THE MARKET DOWNTOWN

Monday, August 20, 2007
INNOVATIVE REAL ESTATE INCENTIVES FROM HOMEPERKS TO BOOST MARKET

Monday, August 13, 2007
CHICAGO HOMEOWNERS JUST PAWNS IN THE TAX-CAP CHESS GAME

Monday, August 06, 2007
HOUSING SLUMP COULD SPARK REAL ESTATE TAX INCREASES IN CHICAGO

Monday, July 30, 2007
HOUSING BARGAINS ARE WIDESPREAD; EXPERTS SEE NO REBOUND UNTIL 2009

Monday, July 23, 2007
80 CONDOMINIUMS SOLD IN ONE HOUR VIA COMPUTER AT 200 N. DEARBORN

Monday, July 16, 2007
ECONOMIC OUTLOOK: HOME-PRICE APPRECIATION FLAT NATIONWIDE IN 2007

Monday, July 09, 2007
HOUSING SLUMP CONTINUES, BUT INTEREST RATES STILL NEAR THE BOTTOM

Monday, July 02, 2007
FORECAST: ONE MILLION SUB-PRIME HOME-LOAN FORCLOSURES IN 2007

Monday, June 25, 2007
IS RENTING BETTER THAN BUYING WITH MORTGAGE RATES ON THE RISE?

Monday, June 18, 2007
BUILDERS OFFER DEALS AS 30-YEAR MORTGAGE RATES APPROACH 6.75 PERCENT

Monday, June 11, 2007
2007 IS SHAPING UP AS THE BEST HOME-BUYING MARKET SINCE 1993

Monday, June 04, 2007
7% SOLUTION WOULD SOFTEN COOK COUNTY HOMEOWNERS’ TAX BITE

Monday, May 28, 2007
MORTGAGE PEOPLE BATTLING OVER SUB-PRIME HOME LOAN CRISIS

Monday, May 21, 2007
MONDO CONDO: DOWNTOWN INVENTORY STANDS AT 7,416 UNSOLD NEW UNITS

Monday, May 14, 2007
HOUSING MARKET SLOWDOWN WILL PUT A SQUEEZE ON PERSONAL WEALTH

Monday, May 07, 2007
IS A TURNAROUND IN SIGHT? HOUSING’S CRYSTAL BALL IS CLOUDY

Monday, April 30, 2007
2016 OLYMPIC DEVELOPMENTS COULD CHANGE THE FACE OF CHICAGO’S GAME

Monday, April 23, 2007
SUB-PRIME HOME LOAN CRISIS SPARKS A $20-BILLION BAIL OUT

Monday, April 16, 2007
HOMEOWNER ALERT: EXISTING HOME RESALE VALUES ON SKIDS IN AMERICA

Monday, April 09, 2007
REALTOR REPORT: RESALE HOME PRICES INCH AHEAD IN THE CHICAGO AREA

Monday, April 02, 2007
WITH HOME ENERGY COSTS SOARING, IS IT TIME FOR A LIFESTYLE CHANGE?

Monday, March 26, 2007
ECONOMIC OUTLOOK MAKES 2007 HOUSING CYCLE A DIFFERENT BALLGAME

Monday, March 19, 2007
$1-MILLION HOMES NOW FOUND IN A DOZEN ELITE CHICAGO NEIGHBORHOODS

Monday, March 12, 2007
PRICES SOFT, BUT HOME-LOAN RATES HOLDING IN THE LOW 6-PERCENT RANGE

Monday, March 05, 2007
MORE THAN 7,100 NEW DOWNTOWN CONDOMINIUMS HIT MARKET IN 2006

Monday, February 26, 2007
CONDO SPECULATORS MAY FEEL SQUEEZED WHEN THEIR ‘BABY’ IS DELIVERED

Monday, February 19, 2007
HOUSING RECOVERY ON RADAR FOR 2007 WITH BUYERS’ MARKET IN FULL SWING

Monday, February 12, 2007
CHICAGO HOMEOWNERS WITH HEFTY REASSESSMENT BRACE FOR TAX BITE

Monday, February 05, 2007
WHAT DO CONDOMINIUM AND HOME BUYERS REALLY WANT? A LIFESTYLE

Monday, January 29, 2007
HOME BUYERS’ MARKET SPARKS HOT HOUSING DEALS FOR EARLY 2007

Monday, January 22, 2007
HOME AND CONDO BUYERS NEED TO READ THE FINE PRINT OF THE DEAL

Monday, January 15, 2007
2007 FORECAST: HOME LOAN RATES TO HOLD BELOW 6.5 PERCENT

Monday, January 08, 2007
LENDERS ENTICING BORROWERS WITH DISCOUNTED ADJUSTABLE-RATE LOANS

Monday, January 01, 2007
DESPITE SLOWDOWN HOMES IN SOME CITY NEIGHBORHOODS SELLING WELL

Monday, December 25, 2006
DREAMY EXPECTATIONS KEEP POTENTIAL HOME BUYERS RENTING APARTMENTS

Monday, December 18, 2006
6-PERCENT MORTGAGE RATES A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR HOME BUYERS

Monday, December 11, 2006
THE NATION’S HOUSING MARKET SKID MAY BE ENDING AS PRICES STABILIZE

Monday, December 04, 2006
6,500 NEW CONDO UNITS PLANNED IN DOWNTOWN CHICAGO FOR 2006

Monday, November 27, 2006
OUTLOOK 2007: IS AN ‘AFFORDABILITY CRISIS’ ON THE HORIZON?

Monday, November 20, 2006
REALTORS SAY IT’S THE BEST OF TIMES FOR NATION’S HOUSING MARKET

Monday, November 13, 2006
2007 OUTLOOK: FIXED MORTGAGE RATES EXPECTED TO HOLD NEAR 6.5 PERCENT

Monday, November 06, 2006
PRICES OF EXISTING HOMES STABILIZING AS MORTGAGE RATES REMAIN LOW

Monday, October 30, 2006
BORROWERS BEWARE: HERE’S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU CAN’T PAY YOUR LOAN

Monday, October 23, 2006
NOW’S THE TIME TO REFINANCE THAT EXOTIC ADJUSTABLE-RATE MORTGAGE

Monday, October 16, 2006
ECONOMIC FUNDAMENTALS SHOULD PREVENT ‘CRASH LANDING’ IN HOUSING

Monday, October 09, 2006
PRICING, TIMING, STAGING KEY WHEN SELLING A HOME IN FROSTY WEATHER

Monday, October 02, 2006
EXISTING HOME AND CONDO PRICE-GAINS SOFTENING AS MORTGAGE RATES EASE

Monday, September 25, 2006
IS IT DOOM AND GLOOM OR BOOM FOR THE NATION’S CONDO MARKET?

Monday, September 25, 2006
IS IT DOOM AND GLOOM OR BOOM FOR THE NATION’S CONDO MARKET?

Monday, September 18, 2006
EXPERTS FORECAST COOL HOUSING MARKET FOR BALANCE OF 2006

Monday, September 11, 2006
WHERE YOUR REAL ESTATE TAX DOLLARS GO IF YOU LIVE IN A TIF DISTRICT

Monday, September 04, 2006
HOMEOWNERS ACROSS THE NATION FEELING THE BITE OF REAL ESTATE TAXES

Monday, August 28, 2006
HOME AND CONDO PRICES CONTINUE TO APPRECIATE AS RATES EASE

Monday, August 21, 2006
CHICAGO AVOIDS THE ‘BUBBLE’ AS NEW-CONDO SALES REMAIN STRONG

Monday, August 14, 2006
DIP IN HOME LOAN RATES GIVES BORROWERS ONE LAST CHANCE TO REFINANCE

Monday, August 07, 2006
EXOTIC MORTGAGES ARE A ‘TIME BOMB’ FOR MODERATE-INCOME HOME BUYERS

Monday, July 31, 2006
HOME-LOAN RATES CREEP HIGHER, BUT PRICES CONTINUE TO APPRECIATE

Monday, July 24, 2006
THE ‘CAREFREE’ CONDOMINIUM LIFESTYLE NEEDS GOOD MANAGEMENT

Monday, July 17, 2006
MORTGAGE INTEREST RATES LIKELY HEADED TO THE 7-PERCENT PLATEAU

Monday, July 10, 2006
REAL ESTATE TAX REASSESSMENT BITE IS HEFTY IN CHICAGO IN 2006

Monday, July 03, 2006
HOME PRICES KEEP CHUGGING AHEAD DESPITE HIGHER MORTGAGE RATES

Thursday, June 22, 2006
THE RED HOT SOUTH LOOP NEIGHBORHOOD IS CHICAGO’S DOWNTOWN BOOMTOWN

Monday, June 19, 2006
BUYER’S MARKET TO SEE 30-YEAR HOME-LOAN RATES OF 6.8 PERCENT IN 2007

Monday, June 12, 2006
HIGHER MORTGAGE RATES ARE PUTTING BRAKES ON HOME-PRICE APPRECATION

Monday, June 05, 2006
NEW-CONSTRUCTION CONDOS CONTINUE TO FUEL MANHATTANIZATION OF CHICAGO

Monday, May 29, 2006
HOME AND CONDO RESALE PRICES CONTINUE TO RISE IN THE CHICAGO AREA

Monday, May 22, 2006
HOUSING MARKET’S SUCCESS MAY BE ONE OF THE SPARKS FUELING INFLATION

Monday, May 15, 2006
FENCE-SITTING HOME BUYERS MAY GET SQUEEZED AS FED HIKES RATES

Monday, May 08, 2006
RATE-CREEP PUTS SQUEEZE ON HOMEOWNERS’ EQUIY LINES OF CREDIT

Monday, May 01, 2006
HOME AND CONDO VALUES CONTINUE TO APPRECIATE IN A CLOUDY ECONOMY

Monday, April 24, 2006
HOMEOWNERS AND BUSINESS INTERESTS LOCK HORNS OVER ASSESSMENT FREEZE

Monday, April 17, 2006
MORTGAGES CREEP HIGHER, BUT LOANS WILL AVERAGE 6.5 PERCENT IN 2006

Monday, April 10, 2006
MANY TOWNHOME CHOICES AVAILABLE IN CHICAGO’S NEW-HOME MARKET

Monday, April 03, 2006
HOME BUYERS MAY GET JITTERS AS FED HIKES RATES FOR 15TH TIME

Monday, March 27, 2006
TIPS FOR SPRING APARTMENT HUNTING WITH RENT HIKES LOOMING

Monday, March 20, 2006
HIP TELEVISION SHOW WAKES UP HOUSE HUNTERS FOR SPRING HOME SHOPPING

Monday, March 13, 2006
HIGHER HOME-LOAN RATES, SLOWER HOUSING MARKET ON THE HORIZON

Monday, March 06, 2006
CHICAGO-AREA MEDIAN HOME RESALE PRICES JUMP 11.4 PERCENT IN 2005

Monday, February 27, 2006
PRE-SPRING DIP IN MORTGAGE RATES BOOSTS HOME BUYING OPPORTUNITY

Monday, February 20, 2006
HEAVY COMPETITION FORECAST FOR ULTRA-LUXURY DOWNTOWN CONDOS IN 2006

Monday, February 13, 2006
CHICAGO HAS SOME OF THE BEST AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE NATION

Monday, February 06, 2006
HOME BUYERS SHOULD BEWARE AS FED HIKES RATES FOR 14TH TIME

Monday, January 30, 2006
OUTLOOK 2006: RATES WILL RISE, HOUSING MARKET MAY SLOW A BIT

Monday, January 23, 2006
CITY HOUSING MARKET TO EXPAND IN HOT EMERGING NEIGHBORHOODS

Monday, January 16, 2006
FORECAST 2006: IS AMERICA’S HOUSING ‘JOY RIDE’ COMING TO AN END?

Monday, January 09, 2006
LOFT CONDOMINIUMS ARE BECOMING A VANISHING SPECIES DOWNTOWN

Monday, January 02, 2006
SEEK A RATE-LOCK WHEN PLANNING TO BUY A NEW HOME OR CONDO IN 2006


Don DeBat, media consultant, real estate columnist, author and housing advocate, is the former award-winning managing editor of real estate for the Chicago Sun-Times. DeBat has written about trends in housing, mortgage finance and business for three decades.

E-mail: debatnet@aol.com

 

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