the wasserblawg

By Michael Wasserman Whew. Real estate buyers, sellers and professionals all exhaled with relief last Friday. After lobbying from the mortgage industry, the Treasury Department has deemed Internal Revenue Service clerks (who process lending forms) as "essential" employees. Which means they can get back to work. Whether you think records clerks are essential or not, at least the government shut down won’t delay loan approvals or closings. Learn more: ‘Could you make these guys essential?’: Mortgage industry gets shutdown relief after appeal to senior Treasury officials Mortgage industry gets shutdown relief after appeal to senior Treasury officials

By Michael H. Wasserman Chicago is an ever-changing demographic kaleidoscope. Ethnic migrations, land-use transformations, and varying degrees of economic prosperity all stir the real estate pot and eventually touch every corner of the city. Chicago real estate investors are always looking for up-and-coming neighborhoods. So, how does a home buyer or real estate investor know where to find the best opportunities for property appreciation in Chicago? Three recent articles offer some perspective and guidance. 1. Gary Lucid offered a great spin on DePaul University’s recent study of resident displacement caused by gentrification (“housing affordability pressure”). Can tracking the outflow of poorer residents due to gentrification predict areas likely to appreciate? Cool interactive maps too boot! 2. An unexpected (by me anyway) WTTW review of a Northwestern University study about Divvy bike rentals. It seems that locals in Humboldt Park and other neighborhoods negatively ass