Real Estate

Last week, we explored recent Illinois legislative, judicial and executive developments affecting condominium associations. Today, we take a look at more developments.

Sometimes, when landlord Leigh Robinson has tenants who are late with the rent, he might send them a cartoon — a gentle jab to remind them to pay up. If that method fails, or if the tenants are complete deadbeats, he might bribe them to move out.

Skokie resident Jean Mulqueen says she never imagined she would be a widow at age 45, scrambling to make ends meet and attempting to pay a monthly mortgage with her income as a medical billing clerk.

When Frank Trocchio moved in early July, he traded a one-bedroom apartment for a 600-square-foot studio at the new OneEleven high-rise in the Loop. Although Trocchio pays the same amount for 400 fewer square feet of living space, he couldn't be happier.

By Ilyce Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin

By Ilyce Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin

By Ilyce Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin

Second-quarter single-family home prices rose more in suburban Cook County than in the city of Chicago, the first time that has happened since early 2013 and possibly a sign that the market's recovery outside ZIP codes that start with 606 is underway.

Q: My red maple was almost completely yellow at the end of August. What is wrong with the tree, and is there something that I can do to improve its health?

Q: I have a home worth $850,000. My first mortgage is $650,000, and my second mortgage is about $160,000. The home was once worth $1.2 million. Unfortunately, I am unable to refinance because the appraised value is not there.

Initial foreclosure filings during the first half of the year were at their lowest level in the Chicago area since 2007, new data shows, but getting homes through the process and out on the other side continues to slow the local housing market's recovery in some communities more than...

The Federal Trade Commission has asked Zillow Inc. and Trulia Inc. to provide more information about Zillow's proposed acquisition of its main rival.

By Ilyce Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin

By Ilyce Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin

By Ilyce Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin

Former Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox outfielder Kosuke Fukudome, who now plays baseball in his native Japan, has listed his three-bedroom condominium unit in a Streeterville high-rise for $1.5 million.

Shaaron Delsohn wears two hats. On some days, she's a divorce mediator, a third party who helps soon-to-be divorced couples work out agreements over children, finances and the nearly inevitable issue of what's going to happen with the house.

Q: I collect and manage the rental of a condominium unit on behalf of my daughter, who lives in another state. The renter just up and left, abandoned her car in the parking lot, discarded items left in the basement cubicle, and changed all unit locks so I cannot access. She has not responded...

The Community Association Manager Licensing and Disciplinary Act is undergoing its first major revision.

There have been quite a few Illinois legislative, judicial and executive developments affecting condominium associations recently. Part one is below, and next week's column will cover additional developments.

Back in 1930, artist Ray Boynton built a small redwood-clad cabin in the Berkeley hills, situating it with a northern exposure to receive indirect daylight perhaps perfect for an artist's studio but a snub to the property's eye-boggling views of the bay, San Francisco, the Golden Gate...

Former Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith, who now is the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has listed his 13-room brick house in Lake Forest for $1.999 million.

The waning days of summer are a good time to make sure your home isn't putting out a welcome mat for insect invaders.

By Ilyce Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin

By Ilyce Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin

By Ilyce Glink and Samuel J. Tamkin

Home prices gains slowed in the Chicago area and in most of the nation in June, and for the first time since February 2008, 20 cities showed lower annual rate of improvement than the previous month, according to a widely watched housing market barometer.

First impressions are everything, and the first thing you notice at the 73 East Lake rental building in Chicago is a striking mosaic video wall that sets the tone for the glass tower.

There's a lot to consider when choosing a color scheme for a child's bedroom. How does your kid feel about it? How do you feel about it? Are both of you going to love it in three months, much less three years? If you can't reach a compromise, soon you'll be seeing red...

Q: An owner in our town house association planted a tree next to her unit about 10 years ago. There is no record of board approval for the planting, nor is there any documentation stating that the owner is responsible for the maintenance, repair or replacement of the tree. The tree has died...

Q: Your advice was right on when you cautioned readers not to buy a house that did not have permits or a certificate of occupancy. Another important consideration in demanding to see the building, electrical and any other permit is that in the event of a fire or loss, an insurance carrier...

What if you were buying a home and were advised the furnace was operating on borrowed time? Or perhaps the kitchen appliances look as if they were manufactured during the Nixon administration.

DEAR TIM: I purchased a used teak outdoor table from Craigslist. It was a great deal, but it needs some tender loving care. How do I clean it? Should I just pressure wash it? After cleaning it, how should I protect it, or can I just let it weather to a natural color? I want the wood table to...