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Buyers      How to get FREE BUYER'S AGENCY Do you know your rights? Are you represented? Get a Complimentary Open House Visitors Pass, Free Family Cultural Outings and Events

Relocation   Search School districts, Hinsdale, Naperville, Elmhurst, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, LaGrange websites, cost of living comparison, relocation/ expat assistance, free relocation package

Sellers   Marketing presentation, prepare your home, contact us for a free market analysis, advertise here

Vacation Homes   Carribean, USA, Canada, How to buy a home on vacation

Commercial and Investment Properties - Are you thinking about taking the plunge into investment property or do you already have commercial or multi-family residential already?  Do you understand the concepts of return on equity (ROE) and how increasing value over time leads to lower ROE?  There are strategies including the use of 1031 Exchange, also known as a Starker exchange which can allow you to defer taxes on gains from properties you are considering selling and thereby deploy your equity gains to leverage your investment to bigger and bigger properties even leading to institutional grade properties such as office buildings, strip plazas, sotrage facilities, industrial buildings and more.  I can assist you with the analysis and strategy for investment properties.  MBA - University of Toronto, BBA - Finance and BBA Marketing - University of Cincinnati.

International   Becoming an expat?  Foreign languages, global locations, international schools

A Moving Experience

What do you need to relocate, repatriate, or invest, today? Relocation can be a complicated experience with challenges that the family hasn't yet faced. If the relocation is within a school district, the children and working parents are less affected but the organisational requirements remain the same. A stay-at-home spouse may still find him/ herself disoriented by the loss of the neighbourhood network. A good rule of thumb is that the further away from the familiar the relocation takes a family, the more preparation will be required to confront the emotional issues involved. Let a competant real estate agent handle as many aspects of the home sale as possible to free your mind and emotional energy for the most important parts- where you are irreplaceable- the time with your family. In his book, "Dig Your Well Before You're Thirsty", Harvey MacKay places a real estate agent, in particular a buyer's agent, as the number one individual in your personal and professional network.

Selling and purchasing a home is complex. The first decisions are financial and our contacts can help.  Bankers and mortgage brokers work with us extensively to help in the process of pre-approval, pre-qualification, equity line of credit and bridge financing in the case that the buying and selling do not happen simultaneously. Additionally, our bankers understand financing of vacation homes, investment properties in the US, and homes for internationals repatriating to the US-particularily if they have a foreign credit history. For our specially selected Caribbean investments, title is guaranteed by the British Crown and local bankers do review assets and employment in the US when making financing decisions.

When the real estate financial ground work has been laid, choice and timing are the next steps. How do you choose your next home? We can help you talk through your list of priorities and pride ourselves on our ability to listen to our clients. Do you love to entertain, garden,play games? Are you looking for cottage living after a full staff in Singapore? Have you missed a large yard and the possibility to walk to school while in Europe? Did you love the feel of a New England town or a cosy German village? Are you ready for something more urban and exciting? Do you feel relaxed when you come home to the manicured lawns of a  well-planned subdivision? Is convenience or train access important? Where do you have to commute? Last, but absolutely not least, is the school district. Many articles have been written indicating that the quality of the school district is the single biggest indicator of the value of real estate in the area. Not to mention that it is crucial for your children and their ability to adapt to the new enviornment.

Our philosophy in choosing a primary residence has been to start with the school district, then evauate lifestyle choices and finally specific home details. Basic criteria such as number of bedrooms will not vary but the housing choices can be broad even within our area of the Western suburbs of Chicago. When you relocate between states or internationally, housing choices and sale conditions vary dramatically. Global transfers usually involve rentals, which can be even more limiting. It is best to approach the situation with a flexible attitude- the further you move, the more flexible you have to be...remember-this too shall pass.

Steven and I have chosen to align ourselves with Re/Max because of their global footprint,in addition the the extensive national network. This gives us the opportunity to provide our clients door-to-door service. Of course, we can help you buy and sell real estate in Hinsdale, Naperville, Elmhurst, Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Glenbard, Downer's Grove, Oak Brook, Western Springs, Riverside,  Chicago, Oak Park, and Brookfield. However, we have vetted partners all over the world-Toronto, Turks and Caicos, Tuscany to name a few.International relocations and repatriation are familiar to us and we still have many friends and family members on overseas assignments. Click here for tips on global relocations. Expats and ex-expats are our friends!

Timing will be a critical indicator for establishing the timeline ( email me for intelligent moving tips from a person who has lived in 3 countries and moved 25 times)of steps required to get the family from here to there effectively and with a minimum of stress.If you are moving to another house that better fits your lifestyle but remaining in the shool district, try to schedule the closing dates to reduce the amount of overlap, thereby minimizing the amount of time you are paying two mortgages.Bridge loans are noone's optimum financing arrangement. Early packing, sorting and even placing off-season items in storage will help-this is the time to donate as many unused items as possible- sort through those saved pieces of children's artwork and homework, scan old reciepts and archived financial information into your compuer, reduce the old baking items and holiday decorations. If you must close early, consider a vacation. The time before and after a move is busier than ever- a relaxing time on a beach or at a cottage between closings can really reduce the stress and increase family bonding time.

Hopefully, we have been able to help you purchase that second, vacation home or investment property. This will be a good place to unwind during the move or between overseas assignments. I have also known families who have chosen to remain invested in a cottage or condminium property in Canada, Colorado or Florida in order to both stay invested in the ever-increasing US real estate market while abroad, and maintain a family tradition by returning there in the summers. Everyone misses home but staying with relatives or friends isn't always an ideal answer. A vacation home or cottage gives the children continued contact with their home country and language, while providing a savings vehicle for college. Yes, that very same cottage or vacation home can eventually be sold to cover college tuition. What a remarkable triple advantage- a place for the family to bond, a tax deduction and a savings vehicle- which stock, bond or insurance can offer you that? With our partners in every conceivable location (Muskoka, anyone?), we can help you find that cottage or vacation home within driving distance from Chicago or a plane ride from London.

Finally, a word about investment and commercial properties. Once  you have determined you are ready to own a piece of investment property, you need to decide your tolerence for risk and complexity. This is not something you decide in a vacuum but through consultation with us. We believe in a mix of real estate investments locally and internationally. We have been successful investing in emerging real estate markets even a distance away- that is what closing in escrow and property managers are for. When you comfortable with the cap rates and percieve an undervalued property-you can make your money on the buy side regardless of location-you simply need a savvy pair of eyes to scout these locations for you-that is where we come in. Seller's disclosure laws protect investors, too. We know which questions to ask.

Overseas investment allows for wealth preservation and should be part of every professionals wealth management strategy. How to contain the risk? We have access to investment opportunities in hot international markets where assets can be protected, title is guaranteed by the British Crown, and there is always the option to chose your investment to be a vacation home. Contact us today about these possibilities.

The Only Place for International and Second Homes

realtor, real estate, real estate investment,home buying, real estate agent, home for sale, selling home, new home

Hinsdale homes, Hinsdale condos, Hinsdale luxury homes, hinsdale distinctive properties, Oakbrook homes are all available through our website propertysiteonline.com or by calling steve wagner at 630-433-6646 

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