All Forum Posts by: Jennie Berger

We have worked with Chicago Title on multiple transactions and decided it was finally time to switch companies (LOL). I literally cringe every time I send our sworn statements over because I know--no matter how pristine my paperwork is--it's never good enough. We have been able to avoid giving them every single receipt  from the GC as long as all the lienwaiver paperwork 'added up' and made complete sense to them. I, of course, had to submit our receipts for large items we purchased, like tile & flooring, vanities, appliances, etc. However the GC never had to do that as long as he provided a lienwaiver for materials as well as labor. 

Am I correct to assume that you have been collecting partial LWs along the way, with each payment to your GC? As wonderful as your GC may be, most are NOT organized and do NOT have time for paperwork. (We are GCs as well, so no offense to those who ARE well put-together and have assistants to help with the office stuff ;) That's why we pay in milestones, little by little along the way, and with each payment we obtain the necessary LWs so we aren't scrambling for anything at the end.

We are giving Greater IL Title a chance this time around. I've been told (by one of our lenders for an upcoming construction loan) that they are much more 'construction & contractor' friendly. Time will tell. :D

Sorry to report this--it's a hassle no matter which way you slice it. And of course, it goes without saying, keep every single receipt you get along the way (next time) so you don't have to chase anything down. 

Good luck!

Thanks @Tom Shallcross. You rock. :D

@Tom Shallcross & @Jonathan Klemm Can y'all just use that cert on specific projects? Or do you just keep it and use it since you have done work in those areas and plan to do more...?

EDIT: Here is a map LOL. Just found it. https://www.chicago.gov/conten...

Does anyone have a link to a map that shows specifically which parts of certain wards are included in the pilot program? I see from a non-clear map online that part of Ward 1 is included, but I have no idea which 'part.' I tried calling the Alderman's office and they didn't answer. Any help here would be appreciated. Thanks!

Hello Chicago Friends-

In doing my own due diligence (which involves calling the city ;) I have not gotten a totally clear answer as to whether or not we would qualify for tax exemption with regards to the building materials we purchase. Our current GC has one but he got it a long time ago. I'm sure rules and stipulations have changed. Can anyone shed some light on this? I understand these 3 categories below exist but am not sure if we fit into one of the 6 zones or not. (Their online maps are kind of cryptic. At least the ones I found on their website are...) 

1. 6 Enterprise Zones - city specific

2. River Edge Redevelopment Areas 

3. High Impact Business Area 

From Publication 139
"Contractors, sub-contractors, and other entities participating in a real estate
construction, rehabilitation, or renovation project in an Enterprise Zone or a River
Edge Redevelopment Zone – or for a state-certified High Impact Business – may
purchase qualified building materials for the project exempt from sales tax."

Thanks for any help!

Hey Matthew! 

I'll second what @John Warren wrote above and add my 2 cents. Take this with a grain of salt because we do medium-end flips on the NW side of Chicago (ARVs = 600k-950k). That being said, I am still very budget conscious (raised a good Jewish girl & frugal LOL) and absolutely love the creative aspect of designing homes. I usually search for hot things on Pinterest, Houzz, and other designer's IG pages. Then pick the ones I like, put my own spin on it, and match those options to the budget friendly versions.

Some of my favorites that I believe will appeal to the majority of buyers AND not break the bank are as follows:

Kitchen- white shaker cabinets, or two-toned (as John mentioned). Sounds like it might be a smaller kitchen, so if you don't have an island or peninsula, then I'd stick to a single color for cabinets. Backsplash- you could run the quartz countertop up the back a tad, or use something simple like a 3 x 6 subway tile, maybe in a different color (if your cabinets are white), and/or a herringbone pattern. The change of pattern will really pop and only cost you some extra time.

Hardware - Black matte is still hot. Chrome is classic and IMO will never die. But black matte just gives the impression of 'luxury' to most people viewing it and costs virtually the same as chrome and brushed nickel (which I cannot stand persoally). Simple ways to elevate the hardware are to use knobs for the doors and nice modern pulls for the drawers. The little mix-match of hardware costs nothing extra and just shows you are more creative than the average rehabber.

Countertops - quartz. So many options available. Beautiful neutral options are Calacatta Laza, Calacatta Gold, or Statuario. All are white (bright or warm white) and have either subtle grey and/or greige/pale brown veining. 

Plumbing Fixtures - black matte to match your hardware. Pull down, high arc faucets are still very popular. Amazon has a plethora of black matte stuff. 

*Note- the nice thing about black matte is it is super easy to match. If you choose chrome or nickel (or brass/gold), matching shades and tones can get challenging. I'd stick with black matte throughout the entire place if you can swing it.

Bathroom - Furniture style vanities are nice with soft close drawers and doors. They're a little bit more than el cheapo vanities but that soft close makes a huge difference. White is always a great color OR very popular these days is a natural oak color vanity. Distressed, textured, reclaimed appearance vanities. Anything that looks natural basically, like you would find it in nature. :) (**Note: I love floating vanities in powder rooms. However for the main bathroom(s) I feel they lack the storage space I desire, so I'd use a full size vanity unless you have a lot of extra storage throughout, closets, cabinets, cubbies, shelves, etc.)

Tile: Subway tile is still in, but perhaps try using a larger option, like a 4 x 16 tile. I used this in one of our recent properties in the 'kids' bathroom and it looked a little more unique than traditional 3 x 6. I also recommend hexagon flooring. I used a semi-polished white hex floor (8 x 8 or 11 x 13) in the master, and a green matte hex floor in the kids bathroom for a pop of color. Hexagon flooring is still very popular and affordable. (*If you're looking to go a little bolder, something like the Adessi Kavala Matte White Hex tile is a super cool option for a bathroom floor or accent wall in the shower or tub area.

Floors: Do you have wood floors? If so, sand and refinish. Stain them a nice, light, neutral color. And if possible, keep the finish matte, not shiny. Dark, shiny floors are old hat these days. People want light and bright and inviting. If no wood, then an LVT is a nice affordable option (I'm sure you know since you have other rentals). Floor & Decor has incredible options at all price levels. Again, go lighter.

Paint: Grey is nice but I'm leaning more towards Earth tones. I've seen a lot of pale, pale browns, neutrals, light beiges, light taupes and pewters, etc. And of course, white. You can never go wrong with white because it's a blank slate. We recently did the following in our house: Benjamin Moore 'Dove White' on the walls (satin or eggshell finish), trim (semi gloss finish), doors (semi gloss finish), and ceiling (flat finish). Yes, we used the SAME white for the entire interior of the house and it looks INCREDIBLE. And guess what? It MATCHES perfectly because it's the same color with different finishes! :D We used BM 'Simply White' and 'Pale Oak' on the exterior of the house.  

Light fixtures: Don't know the style you're going for, but modern original, boho modern, farmhouse, industrial farmhouse, mid-century modern, and modern farmhouse are all very popular styles that will appeal to a large buying pool.

If you want to see some of what I've referenced above, feel free to look up our property online. If you DM me I will give you the address. We just went live yesterday and there are more than 50 pictures available. If you'd like any referrals for vendors or suppliers for good pricing, let me know. I shop a lot online :) 

Hope this helps!

Duane- you bring up some really strong points. I totally agree--we do our own due diligence and come up with our own estimates. IMHO, however, it still doesn't hurt to have an idea of the wholesalers estimate as well for a couple of reasons.

1. Sometimes, it's long distance, and/or the investor is unable to see the house in real life.

2. It always helps to have another set of eyes. The more capable the wholesaler--the more well rounded they are and the more informed--the more likely I am to trust their judgment and to want to buy from him/her in the future. 

This being said, I'd rather the wholesaler tell me they have no clue what the repairs are than give me a whackadoodle price along with an unrealistic ARV they pulled out of thin air.