I'm moving to Chicago.  Where should I consider living and can you tell me about various Chicago neighborhoods, the Lakefront and Suburbs?
Many clients are faced with this question. Communities, lifestyles and work commutes are often key variables of selecting where to live. Some clients prefer living in the Heart of Chicago or in various Suburbs, others enjoy the lakefront, its beaches, boating, sports and the various diverse neighborhoods that make up Chicagoland.  At Re/Max Edge Rainbow Realty we assist you in making an informed decision on various areas and communities where your lifestyle, commute times, pets, schools, public transportation, etc. will work best for you.

I'm not sure what monthly mortgage payment I can afford, let alone the amount to estimate for taxes of different towns, counties, etc.?
Getting a no cost mortgage pre-approval is essential. If you're purchasing a condo, townhouse or any type of other property that has a monthly association fee, that amount, along with taxes, will be factored into your mortgage pre-approval. Call for a Mortgage Lender referral who will pre-approve you at no charge.

Which Real Estate Agent should I choose? What makes RE/MAX EDGE Rainbow Realty so successful when working with Buyers, Sellers, Investors and Developers?
Listening to our clients is key and you'll receive experience, support and expert resources! At RE/MAX EDGE Rainbow Realty, we're your REALTOR®, loyal and dedicated to serving you, our client. We maintain current memberships for Illinois and National Realtor® Associations and the Chicago Association of Realtors®. Membership in these 3 Associations all require strict adherence to a Code of Ethics and mandatory continuing education that all members must strictly abide by.

When contacting us, we'll assess your specific real estate needs, time frame, goals, answer your questions, and get you started in the right direction.
 

I'm working with other Real Estate Agents. Would you help me too? Please advise!
When a client is ready to purchase a home, I recommend strongly that you interview and work with ONLY ONE EXPERIENCED REALTOR®. You deserve 100% dedication and loyalty from your Real Estate Agent. Unfortunately, when a client states they are working with several agents, we must step back and review your situation. Why work with several agents that all know you are not dedicated to anyone of them 100%?  Perhaps you feel that you'll not be represented fairly or will not be shown all available listings when working with only one agent?  We've worked in 7 counties of Chicago, along our Lakefront and Suburbs and will work together with you as a team, One-on-One, to get the job done for you.
 

How much will RE/MAX EDGE charge me to find a home?
Zero! When you're ready to start your home search, please be assured that when working with Rainbow Realty of RE/MAX EDGE, you will not be charged for our services as your Buyer's Agent. Since we will find your home through several resources, including the Multiple Listing Service of Northern Illinois, (which has access to properties listed in 8 counties of Illinois, including Chicago) the Seller's Listing Office will pay our office at the close of your transaction.

No, we do not ask you for a retainer fee, Buyer's Agent Representation fee or locating fee when you are purchasing real estate with us. No hidden fees or fine print, period!

How much does RE/MAX EDGE charge to sell my home?
When we meet to discuss, we'll discuss marketing strategies, sales price, competing properties, showings, advertising, your individual commission, etc.  We do not have a "Standard Across the Board" set commission fees which are illegal and in violation of Federal and Antitrust laws.

For listings, over inflating the list price to obtain the listing only results in your home lingering on the market unsold. Discount brokers charge a low percentage or even a flat fee and only post your home in the Multiple Listing Service and do nothing else. You schedule showings, hold open houses, meet with strangers, and pay for all of your advertising.  Listing with RE/MAX Edge, we provide all these services and more for our clients. We earn our commissions to make you a profit with experience and expertise.

All of our commissions are flexible and individually tailored to your particular property sale. Commissions are based on many factors, the current real estate market, the area where your home is located, how many other homes are competing against yours, etc.  All these variable factors will determine our commission agreement with you.
When considering which company to use to market and sell your home, remember, RE/MAX is a National & International Real Estate Company (ranked as the worlds #1 real estate company and #1 in Chicagoland since 1989) that does not charge any "junk" fees to our Sellers.  No listing fees, marketing fees, advertising fee, etc.

With RE/MAX EDGE, we provide you with experience, professionalism, full service representation, cutting edge technology combined with outstanding advertising and expert marketing plans to gain the highest and quickest sales price for you!  For starters, your listing with us gains instant exposure locally and across the world, placement on our RE/MAX Local, National & International Listing Websites, Chicago Tribune, Multiple Listing Service of Northern Illinois and more!  That's exposure and full service to achieve a maximum sales price and profit for your property!

For your Complimentary Home, Condo or Investment Market Value Analysis, "Click Here!"
 

I'm not happy working with this other Real Estate Agent and I feel I'm being pushed into a higher price bracket? Please help me!
When you work with us, you'll preview on-line listings and then see all properties available that suits your needs that you want to see. If you are looking for a 3 Bedroom, 2 Bath home and are pre-approved up to $450,000, you will see all homes listed and available for $450,000 and under. Not $500,000+. Current listings are discussed and sent privately to our clients via an interactive website, e-mail, fax or hand delivery, complete with pictures, full listing details and virtual tours. Call to discuss your situation "in the strictest of confidence" and we'll assist you when you're not 100% satisfied with your current agent!

I'm looking to rent a home or apartment. Can you assist me?
I'm often asked about short and long term rentals. If you're looking to rent in Chicago, contact Diana Sanchez, our Re/Max Edge Rental Specialist, e-mail her directly at artemisd66@yahoo.com. Diana will use her expertise to find a rental for you that you will love to call home!

When is the best time to list my home?
Now!  Now is the time to call for my "Advanced Marketing and Listing Strategies" before you list your home.  You can sell your home in today's market and economy without giving it away, which is what some agents are doing to sellers now.  Don't fall into their "list high price" and then they badger you to keep lowering your price as you continue to lose buyers while other agents bypass showing your property due to your excessive "days on market" time which shows in our Multiple Listing Service.  There's always a demand for homes, condos, etc. that are priced competitively and marketed effectively to get the buyers to look and buy your property at your price!

In short, whether you are planning on buying or selling, contact us directly anytime of the year to discuss where the real estate market is currently performing.

I'm looking at listings on the Internet, Real Estate Publications, For Sale Signs, etc.  Why are some ads or listings not given to me for review, or the ads omit towns and or prices?
When looking for properties on the internet using various property web sites, a percentage are under contract or have already sold.  Many companies and agents place ads to "lure you in like a fish on a hook" to get you interested in a property that you saw for sale, yet is not available to purchase. My clients know that when I give them properties to review that they're currently active.  Nothing is more frustrating for our client when they saw an ad, for sale sign or an internet listing and after I check its "real time" status it's not available to purchase. Once a property is listed it's sent and uploaded to many real estate web sites.  The listing remains on these web sites until the listing agent closes it on the Multiple Listing Service and then it is downloaded and purged off real estate web sites that clients research on.  Real estate websites do not offer "contract pending" or "under contract" status, only our membership through the Multiple Listing Service does.  Surfing real estate websites is a great way to become familiar with property and prices in various areas, but are not accurate as far as availability.
Also, beware of some real estate company web sites that have listings that sound too good to be true. Either they are under contract, sold and or closed and these companies only want your phone call inquiring about them to try and switch you to another property.  Rainbow Realty only shows you properties that you can buy today!

We encourage our clients to ask questions! Profit from the experience that RE/MAX EDGE Rainbow Realty will make in your home buying or selling process for results that bring success!