Showing posts with label Robert Jarvis Signature Properties. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Robert Jarvis Signature Properties. Show all posts

Monday, March 7, 2011

Facebook Fan Page is UP and RUNNING! Complete with FREE Stuff!


Check it out! Free Sales Data on over 85 suburban citys around Chicagoland and all the neighborhoods of Chicago, including Maps and Boundries and 10 Year Sales Data!

If selecting the image doesn't work for you, simlpy copy this link into your browser:
http://www.facebook.com/Robert.Jarvis.Signature.Properties.AnOpenHome?v=app_6009294086

You can like it (or love it) on Facebook or bookmark http://data.anopenhome.com/ to be sure always have the most recent information.

Thursday, October 14, 2010

History of Robert Jarvis

If you think long and hard enough, there’s always a history or reason for anything that is substantial in your life.

Recently, a friend of mine stated that “branding my websites and letterheads and emails with my signature was really cool”.

I hadn’t put much thought into it after all these years, until just this week. I can remember the exact year and situation it all started.

Back in the 1980’s, I hadn’t had a ton of friends, although the friends I did have were great friends. We were all learning and discovering ourselves and becoming the admiral people we are today.

During those adolescent years, I wasn’t the model teenager either.

I didn’t study much. I didn’t lead the pack and I didn’t always follow the rules.

I was usually was looking for excuses to get out Mrs. Zappula’s homeroom, Mrs. Millette’s literature class, Mr. Dynes history class, or Mr. Szpilla’s math class. (My earliest of friends might remember the Jeep and how we DID get out of these classes)

I put a lot of effort one day into mastering both of my parents’ signatures. That year back in the 1980’s, I could put my mothers or fathers signature on anything that was school related – including report cards and dismissal notes. (This of course ended up in another story which could NOT be called “The history of Robert Jarvis”)

I also discovered that part of growing up, was becoming who we are today and what we wanted to become. For me, I identified with my fathers signature.

His signature was unique and legible. To me, it also looked powerful and confident. It was easily recognized and it was something for me to aspire to be. When I looked that signature, I knew the man behind it was honest, hard-working, open to listening to others and he made friends with anyone who came his way.

Almost overnight, I started signing everything from Birthday Cards and Christmas Cards to school papers exactly like my dad. It stuck. It was part of me forever. It is who I am today.

So, what’s behind my signature? It’s someone who meant (and still means) a whole lot and tons to me. It’s a remembrance of how I looked up to my Dad at a very impressionable young age.

Over my more recent years, when I would sign on a training document, or a lease/contract, or contingency release, I still think of my signature as one of the many things that my Dad has given me. Even though I don't think of "why" very often, I have NEVER forgotten "where" or "who" that signature came from.

It’s a signature that I am proud of and I stand behind my signature as if it were my fathers. I am Robert T. Jarvis Jr.

Robert Jarvis






robertjarvis@anopenhome.com
773-572-2362
http://www.anopenhome.com/

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

I hit the streets this weekend and had a BLAST doing it!

This weekend, I took to the streets to meet people and I met some really cool people. Some kids were willing to play and take a survey from me, and some just didn’t care.

At first I was asking if they would participate in survey, and about 15-20 rejections later, I asked “Why” and the responses were mostly, I’m not interested in politics. I changed my strategy and started introducing myself as a real estate agent and I have couple questions about the real estate market… and quickly I got through 49 participants.

Here were my questions and responses….

What neighborhood do you live in?

Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Rogers Park, South Suburbs, Beverly, Berwyn, Bridgeport, South Loop, West Loop, Gold Coast, Near North.
* I was surprised at the vast area's being represented while I was walking through Lakeview! Very diverse!




Are you a renter or owner?


I wasn't too surprised to see 3 times as many renters.











When I am showing properties in YOUR neighborhood, what are some of the highlights I should make sure I point out? (In other words, what is it about your neighborhood that you love?)




I wasn't surprised that while in Lakeview the top response was "Parks and Recreation" followed by transportation, food, shops and amenities...

Great schools was a surprise, and very happy to hear diversity and culture!



Who do you know that is planning on buying in todays market?




I wasn't surprised here either, but pretty dissapointed. Most people didn't know anyone. I sort of get it, but I still think this is the best opportunity to buy... if you can...






If you could move anywhere right now, where would you go?




No one choose a location with more snow or wind... Good news is that most people were either happy in their location or would stay but upgrade to larger places! And NAR says the population want to downsize!




What resources are you using to stay knowledgeable on the real estate market?




1. I can't stand what the media says. and 2. Why would you use local listing services when 80% of the listings wont/cant sell?

and 3. Ignoring the proplem doesn't make it go away...





Well, thats my survey, I found it interesting, fun, and found 2 future buyers! Thank you to EVERYONE who played this weekend! I had a blast chatting with you and look forward to seeing you at the closing table one day!

Robert Jarvis
www.AnOpenHome.com
773-572-2362
RobertJarvis@AnOpenHome.com

Thursday, August 12, 2010

How much is your home worth?

I've been working hard on watching (learning and studying) the market and WOW is it LOCAL! By local, I mean each neighborhood is slightly different. To add validity to my studies, a fellow realtor, Phil Byers, intorduced to me a new method to prove the market position. Here's how it works:

Through public records, anyone can locate the original purchase price and year (month) purchased. So go find one.... I'll wait... Good, now that you have that information, go to http://www.standardandpoors.com/indices/sp-case-shiller-home-price-indices/en/us/?indexId=spusa-cashpidff--p-us---- to locate the S&P index for your current year AND the year purchased... OK, got them? Let's go...

Now divide the year purchased by the current year (or month - remember to be consistant) and mulitply that percentage by the original purchase price. That is your estimated value. You may have to some adjustments if there have been improvements or such, but thats a start.

Next, lets get more local... pull up the median (not average!) of the local area, the neighborhood or city for the year purchased and the current year. Do the same division and multiply the second index by the purchase price.

Lastly, get real neighborly, and pull up just the 1 sq. mile or 2 sq. mile median home prices of the two years (year purchased and current year) and perform your magic!

You should have 3 varied numbers which are estimated home values! It's amazing how close they are to your actual selling price. Try it out. If you have questions, contact me! If you are having difficulty find this information or aren't that great at statistics, give me a shout out. I would love to help you in this market!

Robert Jarvis
Robert Jarvis Signature Properties
Keller Williams







Direct: 773-572-2362
Text: 773-852-7759
Email: RobertJarvis@AnOpenHome.com
Website: www.AnOpenHome.com

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Chicago Area Rentals

Did you know that I have access to 1,000’s of rentals in Chicago? Actually, right now, the north and west side of Chicago alone has over 2,000 active rentals looking for you!

NOTE: Please visit the "original post" below to get your local neighborhood rental prices!


The process is quite similar to buying a home, but it is usually fast. I do the homework; you get to help in deciding the location, the properties, the amenities and more…

Start your own rental search at http://www.anopenhome.com/ and if you want to save your search so you can be updated as new rentals come on the market, you can create an account!

Thank you!
Robert Jarvis









Keller Williams Realty® - West Loop
Direct: 773-572-2362
Text: 773-852-7759
RobertJarvis@AnOpenHome.com

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Bill Gassett reports "A Guide to Short Sale Facts & Myths"

I found this blog post to be completely informative and think all buyers and sellers facing today's short sales should look at this. After your done reading and would like to search for short sales in IL, please use this link from www.AnOpenHome.com



Via Bill Gassett Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate (RE/MAX Executive Realty):

Understanding Short Sale Transactions A Guide to Short Sale Facts & Myths


A short sale unfortunately has become a common buzz word in the Real Estate industry. For those that have been hearing the term "short sale" and don't quite understand what it means, a short sale is a legal lender approved solution designed to assist a home owners who is financially strapped to get out from under their mortgage debt.


A short sale is negotiated through the mortgage holder of an owners home where by the mortgage holder agrees to take less than what home owner owes on the property.


A quick example of a short sale would be if a home owner owes $400,000 on their current mortgage and their home is only worth $350,000. The lender in this example would agree to take a short fall of $50,000 at closing.


In some cases the mortgage holder may completely wipe out the debt and the home owner does not have to repay the 50,000. Many lenders may require a seller to sign a note and repay the debt over a certain amount of time. Typically the debt will be reduced and the owner may receive favorable repayment terms of the short fall.


There is quite a bit to know about short sales from both a buyer's and seller's perspective. I have been successfully been completing Massachusetts short sales over the last three years. In fact (knock on wood) I have never had a short sale that did not get approved! Successfully completing a short sale is about understanding the process.


Many consumers make extremely poor choices by working with Real Estate agents that don’t have a lick of experience with getting short sales approved. Picking a good short sale Realtor is critical to your success.


The following is a number of specific topics about short sale transactions that you would want to be aware of if you are planning to either buy or sell one of these types of distressed properties.

Stop making mortgage payments during a short sale? ~ Whether or not a home owner should continue to make mortgage payments is a common question that many sellers want to know when considering a short sale. The most common answer to this question is YES, however it really depends on the lender! Click the link to understand all the considerations.

Picking the right short sale Realtor ~ Picking a Realtor to work with in a short sale is very different than a traditional transaction. You want to work with an agent that has experience successfully closing this type of transaction. Remember as a seller you could potentially be facing a foreclosure. There are many mistakes that are made by agents handling short sales. Don't get caught with your pants down!

Questions to ask a short sale listing agent ~ If you are thinking about buying a short sale there are some specific questions you can ask the listing agent to determine the probability that the short sale will be approved or not. These short sale questions will also help determine if the Realtor handling the short sale knows what they are doing!

Acceptable hardships for a short sale ~ On many occasions when doing a short sale the lender is going to require some kind of hardship on the part of the seller. Short sale hardships however, have become less rigid recently and some lenders are becoming more concerned strictkly on whether the short sale would benefit them more than a foreclosure sale.

Short sale tax consequences ~ Understanding the tax consequences in a short sale is one of the most important considerations for a home seller. Whether the short sale home was a primary residence or an investment property can have different tax implications.

Getting short sale debt released ~ Getting the debt released on a short sale is obviously a very big deal. Many Realtors that are working with short sales don't have any knowledge of how to get the debt released. A seller needs to pay particular attention to this detail as you can expect to be hearing from a collection agency without it!

When to do a short sale home inspection ~ This topic is important to understand from both a buyer's and seller's perspective. A home inspection should be done before short sale approval and NOT after. Read the article to understand why it benefits both the buyer and seller to do so.

Strategic default vs short sale ~ There are many home owners who are deciding just to walk away from their homes. Fannie Mae has started to crack down on this practice and is now penalizing borrowers from getting a mortgage for up to seven years! A perfect alternative to a strategic default is a short sale.

These articles were published on my Massachusetts Real Estate blog where I talk about numerous topics that are important to consumers who may be thinking about buying or selling Real Estate.

I am successfully completing short sales through out the Metrowest Massachusetts area. So far, knock on wood, I have a 100% success rate for short sale approval! If you need to complete a Massachusetts short sale please feel free to get in touch.

If you are outside of the Metrowest Massachusetts area and need to do a short sale please give me a call or email and I would be happy to refer you to a Realtor in your location that handles short sales and knows what they are doing! I have referred short sales to other Realtors all around the country.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on understanding short sale transactions was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356.

Have a home to sell in Metrowest Mass? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!

For Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate and homes see Massachusetts Real Estate. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service short sales in the following towns in and around Metrowest Massachusetts: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Northboro, Shrewsbury, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, Franklin, Framingham and Douglas MA.

Click here to view Bill Gassett's Real Estate profile.

SUBSCRIBE TO MY METROWEST HOMES BLOG via email.

Building lasting relationships by helping people move in and out of Metrowest Massachusetts for the last 24 years.

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Robert Jarvis Signature Properties



When selecting a Realtor, select a friend who you trust - someone who will give you all the facts you need to make the right decision. I promise to always remember my job IS that important!

Robert Jarvis







mailto:robertjarvis@anopenhome.com

Website: www.AnOpenHome.com

Direct: 773-572-2362
Text: 773-852-7759

Mission Statment

To create long lasting relationships and trust through knowledge, integrity and commitment.

To understand how important my job is in the lives of others and to continuously ‘awe’ them with my customer service.

To ensure success to every family who entrusts me with their real estate by making the most of their hard earned equity.

To treat your investments as if they were my own because your home is where you build your lives.

To always remember that my job IS that important!

Saturday, July 24, 2010

525 Hawthorne Place Condo's

Be sure to visit http://525Hawthorne.AnOpenHome.com for updated content!


Unit 408 at 525 Hawthorne Place FOR SALE! MLS # 07426800








Built in 1969 as a rental property, Hawthorne Place converted to condo's between 2002 and 2005. There are 30 stories and 232 condominiums.

The building has two main elevators and one freight elevator. There are 2 on-site laundry facilities (2nd to open in August 2010), and exercise room, sundeck, pool, bike room, on site dry cleaners, vending machines, ATM machine, 24 hour security, on-site management office and maintenance and Parking Garage with 145 spaces.

In 2007, the building had under gone a $1.4 million to update the facade, window repairs and modernization of the elevators which did result in a 60 month special assessment.

In 2009 / 2010, the building undertook another multi-million dollar update of the heating, air conditioning and ventilation systems resulting in $100,000's of annual savings. This did not result in a special assessment to the owners.

Contact me for more information!

Robert Jarvis







RobertJarvis@AnOpenHome.com
http://www.anopenhome.com/





Friday, July 16, 2010

Open House / 739 Cornelia Unit N1



** OPEN HOUSE for RENT **

SATURDAY JULY 17th 12 NOON to 2 PM
SUNDAY JULY 18th 3 PM to 5 PM
NO REASON TO MISS OUT!
AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY

Vintage, low rise, 3 story brick building, 38 units,
737-747 W. Cornelia, Chicago, Ill., 60657(MAP)

2 Bedroom / 1 Bathroom Plus Den (Fully Heated Four Season Sunroom) Fully Updated and Available for RENT Immediately!
First Floor Unit / Parking Available Close By!
Available Furnished - 6 Month Lease - 12 Month Lease

Central Air / Washer Dryer In-Unit / Pet Friendly
Security Doors / Intercom / Four Seasons Sunroom or Den
STOP BY AND SEE IF THIS UNIT IS RIGHT FOR YOU!
AVAILABLE TODAY - MOVE IN ASAP!
MLS ID: 07444108

Stop by for a no hassle tour of the property and
ask about getting no hassle rental lists, over 2,000 throughout Chicago!

Visit www.AnOpenHome.com for more Details or access to Open Houses through out Chicagoland!

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

I just received a $25 Visa Card!


I just received a $25 Visa card for taking an online survey that was emailed to me and then suggesting to Fannie Mae a home-buying program that would buy down your interest rate for two years and that money would be put in an account for you to use however you wanted at the end of the two years!

Question: Would this program interest you or your buyers in buying a bank-owned property today?

I only ask because they were suggesting in the survey stuff like: inspection credits to take at closing, buy down rates for next two years, including pre-inspections for the buyer, and appliance reimbursements...

I know there are many home-buying incentives (many of which I am trying to learn), but it seemed to bother me a little when I saw "buy down your interest rate" and when I read between the lines, at the end of two years, the interest rate would hike back up. I feel that if a buyer where to become accustomed to a specific monthly payment for two years, then at the end, the monthly payment would raise to the predetermined figure, isn't that just slightly close to predatory?

Saturday, July 3, 2010

2645 W 98TH Street, Evergreen Park 60805

If the 30+ photo's in this photoblog do not display, click on the title bar and the slide show will begin! Let me know if you have any problem!

thanks, Rob...





Contact: Robert Jarvis - Keller Williams Realty
Call or Text: 773-852-7759
Website: http://www.anopenhome.com/

Newer! BEAUTIFUL OPEN 3 BEDROOM / 2 BATH MULTI LEVEL DREAM HOME READY FOR YOUR ARRIVAL!
1990 CONSTRUCTION, GORGEOUS SUN SOAKED EAT IN KITCHEN WITH SKY LIGHT, GLEAMING HARDWOOD FLOORS THROUGH OUT.
SPLIT LEVEL W/ ROOM FOR OFFICE, SEPARATE FAMILY ROOM OR KIDS PLAY SPACE, LARGE SUB BASEMENT TO EXPAND.
GENEROUS 2.5 CAR GARAGE W / EXTRA (3RD) SPACE FOR GUESTS.
GREAT SCHOOLS AND GREAT HOME.


2008 Taxes: $4,712

Master Bedroom: 14X11
2nd Bedroom: 14X9
3rd Bedroom: 10X10

Living Room: 16X12
Dining Room: 9X9
Kitchen: 14X10
Family Room: 21X12
Office: 10X10