Chitownproperty

New home builders have started accommodating today’s buyers demanding more living space by adding “bonus rooms,” extra footage in unexpected places like attics, finished basements, sunrooms off of kitchens, and bay window sit-outs. Existing home owners have also found creative ways to add space in the front of garages and by organizing laundry and [...]

The Tribune offers a couple of articles about getting your house in tip-top shape, one if you want to hire someone else to do it, and one if you’re doing it yourself.

Chicago condo buildings come in two flavors: eight-floor loft or vintage low-rises with large rooms and plenty of architectural details, or towering full-service high-rises with luxury amenitites and a view. The type of building you like says a lot about your lifestyle.

Most condominium owners are pleased with their relationship with the association board and its management of their building, according to a new national survey by the Community Associations Institute. Of 800 people polled, more than 70 percent reported their living experience as good or very good, and that while living by condo rules can be [...]

The Sun-Times offers these tips for keeping your home safe during the holiday season. Some of them fall under the “Well duh” category, like blowing out candles before you go to bed, but it’s full of good reminders for taking care of your tree and holiday decorations.

Just about every condo association board deals with complaints from members. The most likely source of discontent is financial issues, from rising assessments to special fees. But a lot of the friction inherent in the relationship between condo boards and their constituents comes from the owners’ perceptions of community life.

Cooling house prices mean that Americans have to readjust their beliefs about the reality of ownership: it can still make you wealthy, but slowly.

Got a noisy cricket keeping you up at night? The Sun-Times says before you go to bed leave a few damp washcloths around your sinks and on the floor near where you think he’s hiding, and you’ll your univited guest sleeping there in the morning.

The receding floodwaters in New Orleans have revealed more problems for those whose homes weren’t destroyed: mold. But your home doesn’t have to be flooded to develop a mold problem. Even the smallest amount of moisture can allow mold spores to take hold. CNN/Money offers five tips for combating mold:

Use your [...]

Homeowners with a taste for the cutting edge are creating “smart homes” with computerized climate controls, lighting, security systems, and networked appliances.

We move our clocks back on October 30, and this is also a good time to check your smoke detector batteries.

Dressing up your front door is becoming a popular way to add curb appeal.

Your home should be insured for its replacement cost, not market value. This frees up cash for you to take out additional disaster insurance and make more costly repairs.