the wasserblawg

By Michael H. Wasserman  City of Chicago homeowners should be on the lookout for newly proposed assessed valuations from the Cook County Assessor’s office. A property’s assessed valuation has a direct relationship to the amount of upcoming property tax bills. Savvy property owners (including readers of this blog) know that they can—and should—fight back by appealing those assessment notices. Here's how. What’s more American than appealing your property taxes? 

By Michael Wasserman In 2017, the FBI reported that wire transfer fraud was up 480% in real estate transactions. It’s a frightening number. Yet more and more, I’ve heard that real estate lawyers won’t discuss transfer instructions with clients—that they leave it to the title company to avoid the responsibility and liability. What?!

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.