Put my knowledge, experience and expertise to work for you!

Brian Kennedy - Licensed Realtor

Additional Specialties in Marketing Short Sale and Pre-Foreclosure Listings.

Headshot photo courtesy of Alain Milotti, Photographer
(847) 772-5246
Visit Me On FaceBook

Brian Kennedy
RE/MAX NorthCoast
Direct: (773) 353-1444
E-Fax: (773) 353-1444
Email: Brian@CallMyAgentBrian.com
Millions of Dollars
Transacted Annually

I Believe in Equal Opportunity Housing!

5 Important Things to Know About Me
1. 90% of my business comes from repeat customers and referrals from satisfied clients.
2. I offer additional specialties in marketing short sale and "in jeopardy" properties.
3. My services are free to home buyers and people looking to occupy rental property.
4. Buying or selling, I can help you save 10% - 25% off your closing costs immediately.
5. Most of my buying clients get cash back at closing.

COMING SOON!
We Will be Taking Over
Two Exciting Condo Conversion Projects in Rogers Park

7650 - 7656 N. Greenview Avenue
&
1507 - 1511 W. Jonquil Terrace

Featured Listings

Every listing I take is syndicated to Realtor.com and 24 other search engines automatically.
Click on the "More Information" link in each listing to view the Realtor.com posting.
To schedule a viewing appointment, please call (773) 353-1444 or click on the "Request a Showing" link.
Please allow 30 minutes for me to confirm your appointment requests.

Featured Properties

Open House Events

No open house events are planned for the weekend of July 4-5.

Please call (773) 353-1444 to schedule a viewing and I will try to accomodate

Happy 4th of July!

Neighborhood Housing Market Snapshots

There is nothing more valuable than information when you are deciding to buy or sell a piece of property. The Chicago Tribune has been collecting valuable housing sales data information for years and has prepared a simple, year-after-year analysis of median home prices by Chicago neighborhood. The links below represent my primary selling areas starting in Evanston then running South, along the waterfront, to The Loop. For a more in-depth analysis of block-by-block sales trends, please contact me and I can provide you more specific market data.

Evanston Housing Market Snapshot

Rogers Park Housing Market Snapshot

Edgewater Housing Market Snapshot

Uptown Housing Market Snapshot

Lincoln Square Housing Market Snapshot

Logan Square Housing Market Snapshot

East Lakeview, Wrigleyville, North Halsted Housing Market Snapshot

Lincoln Park Housing Market Snapshot

Near North and Gold Coast Housing Market Snapshot

The Loop Housing Market Snapshot

Need to Know

Buying a property listed as Short Sale, Bank Approval Required, Pre-Foreclosure or Foreclosure presents an excellent opportunity to make a deal if you have the benefit of time. Closing timelines vary by sellers lender and can take from 60-120 days to go from contract to closing. Contact me for more insightful information about buying these kinds of properties and what to expect after your offer is signed then sent to the bank for review.

Proposed Legislation May DOUBLE the 2009 Homebuyer Tax Credit and Extend Its Reach
Here is a great article from USA Today about proposed legislation, sponsored by Chris Dodd (D) to expand the eligibility, duration and maximum cap on the current housing tax credit. read more...

FHA Spot Approvals are Being Halted October 1, 2009
In a decision by the Department of Housing, FHA spot approval for non-FHA approved condominium buildings are being halted as of October 1, 2009. This means that a home buyer looking to buy a condo unit in a non-FHA development on or after October 1, 2009 will loose their ability to secure financing approval under this clause of the law. The attached document is the actual letter produced by the HUD advising of such. read more...

Tax Credit Can Now Be Used to Pay Buyers Closing Costs
That's right. In a landmark decision, the government has passed legislation that allows the "up to" $8000.00 first-time home-buyer tax credit to be used to cover buyers closing costs during a purchase. There are specific guidelines about this policy which every first-time home-buyer should know. Follow the link to a great article from the National Association of Realtors. read more...

Tax Credit Q&A Information is Free from the IRS
The IRS has added a separate section to their website for people seeking answers about the how's of obtaining, applying and repaying the 2009 housing tax credit. Follow this link to go to the IRS's website. read more...

IRS Releases Guidelines on Claiming the Buyers Tax Credit
The IRS has added a set of guideline documents to their public website defining how to include the 2009 buyer tax credit on your income tax return for homes purchased in 2008 and 2009. Follow the link for more information. read more...

How the Changes in Credit Card Legislation Work
This is a great article from the New York times about how the changes in credit card legislation are going to affect the millions of Americans who carry a balance on their cards from month-to-month. The article goes on to describe how the predatory lending practices of many banks are being reined in to protect the public. read more...

Updated HUD Lists of FHA Approved Condominium/Townhome Developments
Many, many people are obtaining FHA loans to finance buying property. It's an attractive loan program for first-time home-buyers because you can buy approved property with just 3.5% down. Where most single family homes automatically qualify for FHA loans, condominiums and townhomes have to meet specific requirements. The ending link takes you to a search page for Chicago condominium/townhome communities who have gone through the FHA loan approval process and can accept FHA loans. If you don't find the property you are looking for on the list, please contact me and I will find out if the building can qualify for "spot approval" - another form of FHA qualification. read more...

Featured Properties

Open House Events

Neighborhood Housing Market Snapshots

Need to Know