the wasserblawg

By Michael H. Wasserman You may have heard that Chicago just made  the CityKey ID available to its residents . If you haven’t, CityKey is the city’s first municipal ID card that makes city life more convenient, less expensive and, in some cases, more secure. But is it good for Chicago? 

By Michael H. Wasserman The HRRA helps keep messy contractors out of your dream kitchen.  Image . Before you queue the scary music (or sign on the dotted line), know your rights—and the limitations—provided under the Illinois Home Repair and Remodeling Act  (HRRA).

Hurry, Cook County tax bills are due March 1 "'Tis impossible to be sure of anything but death and taxes." Christopher Bullock's infamous quote still rings true, some 300 years later. Cook County's 2017 First Installment property tax bills are due March 1st. Surrounding counties will be due soon enough too. Thankfully, while none of us can avoid death, there are a few ways to save money on property taxes...which might make living a little sweeter.

Remember to empty and rinse every item. Image from Recycle By City. By Michael Wasserman As many of my clients are new to Chicago, I’m often asked about recycling, typically as we sit around the closing table finalizing purchases. And, since there are updated rules and schedules, I thought I’d jot down a quick overview and links to Chicago’s nifty recycling guide. Plus a cool quiz .

Set aside any discussion of climate change for a moment. It’s winter. It’s Chicago. It snows. As a homeowner, you owe it to your friends, family, neighbors and delivery people to keep the sidewalks free of snow and ice.

By Michael H. Wasserman Paying property tax bills before the end of the 2017 may help some owners save on their federal income tax liabilities. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has been called the most sweeping tax reform bill in decades. Like it or not, tax reform is coming. Others might wring their hands with glee or with worry. We are already working on ways to minimize the pain this reform might cause.  One aspect of the pending tax reform plan presents a clear challenge for most Chicagoland home owners, the elimination of deductions for State and Local Taxes (SALT). The house and senate plans both limit deductibility to $10,000. Once the tax reform is signed into law, we will pay federal income taxes on the money we use to pay our local taxes exceeding that $10,000 threshold. Some homeowners who have the foresight (and lets face it, the savings) to act swiftly may want to pre-pay their first installment 2017 property tax bills this year before the tax laws kick in, so...

O ne hundred reviews ago, our firm didn’t take Yelp seriously. We knew word of mouth was important, and that Yelp was an easy way for people to leave reviews about pizza joints, taverns and such. But then Yelp grew. As did our reviews. And they were mostly good.