Chitownproperty

A quick rundown of this weekend’s real estate news sections:

• An overview of the International Builders Show by the Sun-Times focuses on building materials and home fixtures to be featured by home builders in the coming years.
• Several new high rises in the city take advantage of their proximity to Millennium Park, including the fabulous Heritage.
• There are a million large-scale residential remodeling projects undertaken each year, but buyers getting ready to take the plunge on a fixer-upper should know how much the repair job will cost, what home values the community will support, and most importantly, whether they can handle living in the middle of a mess.
• Owning investment property can afford significant tax benefits, in addition to the usual gains from appreciation and rental income.
• Buying a home near a major street may have its drawbacks, with the added congestion and noise, but you can usually get a lot more house for your money.
• Football may have nothing to do with buying a home, but Super Bowl weekend usually marks the kickoff of the annual buying season.
• The government encourages home ownership through tax incentives like the ability to deduct mortgage interest, but did you know they also provide loans for down payments?