Chicago Luxe Group

10/18/2026

Two condos. Same asking price. Different monthly cost.

Before you choose between two condos, compare what ownership will actually require each month:
• Property taxes and applicable exemptions
• A unit-owner insurance quote
• Association dues—and what they include
• Utilities, maintenance and repairs
• Any known special-assessment payments

A low association fee is only one part of the picture. Compare included services and the building’s financial documents, too.

Our hypothetical example shows a $400 monthly difference in mortgage principal and interest, taxes, insurance and dues: $4,800 over a year. Both examples use the same $500,000 price, 20% down, $400,000 loan and hypothetical 6.50% fixed rate over 30 years. P&I is rounded from $2,528.27. Assumes no mortgage insurance. This is an illustration, not a current rate or loan quote. The illustrated subtotal excludes utilities, upkeep, special assessments and closing costs; actual costs vary.

Save this checklist for your next showing. Planning a move in Chicago or the North Shore? Call or text Mike: 872-246-7666.
Michael DiGiovanni | Chicago Luxe Group | powered by Real Broker, LLC
Equal Housing Opportunity

10/18/2026

Two condos. Same asking price. Different monthly cost.

Before you choose between two condos, compare what ownership will actually require each month:
• Property taxes and applicable exemptions
• A unit-owner insurance quote
• Association dues—and what they include
• Utilities, maintenance and repairs
• Any known special-assessment payments

A low association fee is only one part of the picture. Compare included services and the building’s financial documents, too.

Our hypothetical example shows a $400 monthly difference in mortgage principal and interest, taxes, insurance and dues: $4,800 over a year. Both examples use the same $500,000 price, 20% down, $400,000 loan and hypothetical 6.50% fixed rate over 30 years. P&I is rounded from $2,528.27. Assumes no mortgage insurance. This is an illustration, not a current rate or loan quote. The illustrated subtotal excludes utilities, upkeep, special assessments and closing costs; actual costs vary.

Save this checklist for your next showing. Planning a move in Chicago or the North Shore? Call or text Mike: 872-246-7666.
Michael DiGiovanni | Chicago Luxe Group | powered by Real Broker, LLC
Equal Housing Opportunity

10/14/2026

Buying a Chicago condo? Look beyond the finishes.

Before you commit, ask about the building’s finances—not just the unit’s monthly assessment. How many owners are behind? How much is owed? Are any units in foreclosure? Does the unit you’re buying have an unpaid balance?

Then review reserves, special assessments, major repairs, insurance, litigation, rental restrictions and the building’s eligibility for your loan.

Save this 24-question checklist and bring it to your attorney and lender. A beautiful unit deserves a well-informed decision.

Planning a move in Chicago or the North Shore? Call or text Mike: 872-246-7666.

Michael DiGiovanni
Chicago Luxe Group | powered by Real Broker, LLC
Equal Housing Opportunity

Educational checklist; your attorney, lender and insurance professional can help apply the answers to your purchase.

10/14/2026

Buying a Chicago condo? Look beyond the finishes.

Before you commit, ask about the building’s finances—not just the unit’s monthly assessment. How many owners are behind? How much is owed? Are any units in foreclosure? Does the unit you’re buying have an unpaid balance?

Then review reserves, special assessments, major repairs, insurance, litigation, rental restrictions and the building’s eligibility for your loan.

Save this 24-question checklist and bring it to your attorney and lender. A beautiful unit deserves a well-informed decision.

Planning a move in Chicago or the North Shore? Call or text Mike: 872-246-7666.

Michael DiGiovanni
Chicago Luxe Group | powered by Real Broker, LLC
Equal Housing Opportunity

Educational checklist; your attorney, lender and insurance professional can help apply the answers to your purchase.

10/10/2026

Don’t wait for the first freeze. Save these five checks and start with your outdoor hoses today.

Sarah, my AI assistant, walks through five checks to make before the first freeze.

1. Disconnect, drain and store outdoor hoses. Winterize outdoor lines for your system.
2. Clear gutters and direct runoff away from the foundation.
3. Protect exposed water pipes in unheated spaces with suitable insulation.
4. Test carbon monoxide alarms monthly.
5. Away in cold weather? Keep the heat on, no lower than 55°F, as the Red Cross recommends.

Save this Reel for your next weekend at home—and send it to a homeowner who could use the reminder.

Planning a move in Chicago or the North Shore? Call or text Mike: 872-246-7666.

Michael DiGiovanni
Chicago Luxe Group | powered by Real Broker, LLC
Equal Housing Opportunity

Sources: American Red Cross, NFPA and University of Minnesota Extension. Follow the instructions for your home’s equipment.
Sarah is my AI assistant; the home visuals are AI-generated illustrations.

10/10/2026

Don’t wait for the first freeze. Save these five checks and start with your outdoor hoses today.

Swipe through, save the checklist, and tackle the items that apply to your home.

1. Disconnect, drain and store outdoor hoses. Winterize outdoor lines for your system.
2. Clear gutters and direct runoff away from the foundation.
3. Protect exposed water pipes in unheated spaces with suitable insulation.
4. Test carbon monoxide alarms monthly.
5. Away in cold weather? Keep the heat on, no lower than 55°F, as the Red Cross recommends.

Planning a move in Chicago or the North Shore? Call or text Mike: 872-246-7666.

Michael DiGiovanni
Chicago Luxe Group | powered by Real Broker, LLC
Equal Housing Opportunity

Sources: American Red Cross, NFPA and University of Minnesota Extension. Follow the instructions for your home’s equipment.
Home visuals are AI-generated illustrations.

10/10/2026

10/07/2026

Inherited a house? Put down the trash bags.

The first instinct is to clean it out. In Illinois, that can wait. The paperwork can't.

Watch for what to do first, in order:
01 Secure it. Locks, heat, mail. Tell the insurer the home is empty, because policies can limit coverage for vacant homes.
02 Find the will and the deed. Whoever holds the original will must file it with the circuit court clerk immediately after the death.
03 Learn the path. Joint tenancy or a transfer on death instrument recorded before death can pass a home outside probate. A home only in the late owner's name usually needs probate or another court or title process.
04 Keep the bills paid. Cook County property taxes, the mortgage, insurance and utilities keep coming. Ask the loan servicer to confirm you as a successor in interest.
05 Talk to a CPA before you sell. Federal tax basis is generally the value on the date of death.
06 Then decide: keep, rent or sell, with every heir aligned in writing.

Good to know: the Illinois small estate affidavit covers personal property up to $150,000 for deaths on or after Aug. 15, 2025. It is not a tool for transferring the house.

Watch, then save this for someone who needs it.

Inherited a home in Chicago or the suburbs? Call or text Mike at 872-246-7666 for a no pressure value check and a clear next step.

Not legal or tax advice. Talk to an Illinois attorney and a CPA about your situation. Sources: Illinois Probate Act, Cook County Clerk, Assessor and Treasurer, CFPB, IRS.
Chicago Luxe Group | powered by Real Broker, LLC. Equal Housing Opportunity.

10/07/2026

Inherited a house? Put down the trash bags.

The first instinct is to clean it out. In Illinois, that can wait. The paperwork can't.

Do this first, in order:
01 Secure it. Locks, heat, mail. Tell the insurer the home is empty, because policies can limit coverage for vacant homes.
02 Find the will and the deed. Whoever holds the original will must file it with the circuit court clerk immediately after the death.
03 Learn the path. Joint tenancy or a transfer on death instrument recorded before death can pass a home outside probate. A home only in the late owner's name usually needs probate or another court or title process.
04 Keep the bills paid. Cook County property taxes, the mortgage, insurance and utilities keep coming. Ask the loan servicer to confirm you as a successor in interest.
05 Talk to a CPA before you sell. Federal tax basis is generally the value on the date of death.
06 Then decide: keep, rent or sell, with every heir aligned in writing.

Good to know: the Illinois small estate affidavit covers personal property up to $150,000 for deaths on or after Aug. 15, 2025. It is not a tool for transferring the house.

Save this for someone who needs it.

Inherited a home in Chicago or the suburbs? Call or text Mike at 872-246-7666 for a no pressure value check and a clear next step.

Not legal or tax advice. Talk to an Illinois attorney and a CPA about your situation. Sources: Illinois Probate Act, Cook County Clerk, Assessor and Treasurer, CFPB, IRS.
Chicago Luxe Group | powered by Real Broker, LLC. Equal Housing Opportunity.

10/06/2026

Housing snapshot from HousingWire (Oct 3, 2026).

Purchase apps are down 14% year over year as rates climb above 7.5%. The speed of the rate move matters. National looks soft. Local still decides.

DM MARKET for a ZIP read.

Rates ~6.64% to ~7.57% since mid-July
Purchase apps: -14% YoY / -4% WoW
Weekly pending: 57,724 vs 64,232 last year
Active inventory: 902,112 vs 863,972
Price cuts: 42.83% of listings (up from 41.6%)

Chicago Luxe Group | powered by Real Broker, LLC. Equal Housing Opportunity.