John D Ambrogio

Please take a look at my industry colleague Chip Wagner’s recent blog post.

His blog offers a different take on the data released recently by NAR. As Chip says “I hope you will read it and find a silver lining in the news of the day.  Things aren’t great out there, but today’s news casts a big shadow over what has been an improving year. ”
 
 Here’s to optimism!

John D Ambrogio

From our industry colleague, Bob Carbonelle, RMR Move Management….

I have worked in and around the moving industry for close to forty years. The first half of my
career I was a mover – working in all manners of operations on moves and in warehouses.
Twenty years ago I founded Relocation Management Resources, a move management company
that orchestrates, manages, and audits moves for corporations, real estate companies, and
personal households. My extensive industry experience has exposed me to the good, the bad,
and the bizarre of moves, movers and customers.

As a move management company, we empathize with our client’s situation and endeavor to
eliminate stress by providing an organized, skilled, efficient move. However, even the most
flawlessly executed moves exert enormous pressures on individuals and families as their
lives are uprooted. Moving is fundamentally uncomfortable, exhausting, and stressful. These
pressures are only intensified during the summer months when contending with tight schedules
and summer heat. Sometimes we become so consumed with the pressures, finances, and timing
of our relocation needs that we forget we can impact the quality of service with a little kindness
and compassion for those laboring for us.

Consider this a peak season reminder that the success of your move is contingent on the
capabilities and willingness of your driver and crew to labor in the heat and humidity while
packing, carrying, loading, driving, and delivering your household goods. As you personally deal
with moving stress, I implore you to empathize for the movers laboring to execute your move.

A few words of advice to impact the quality and success of your move in the heat of the summer
months:

1 . Be courteous. Practice mutual respect for your movers and they in turn will treat you,
your family, and your belongings with extra consideration and care.
2 . Provide cold drinks and napkins. Laboring in 90-degree heat and humidity is physically
draining on even the toughest of movers. Ensuring that your crew is hydrated with water,
Gatorade, or sodas will lead to a better quality of service.
3 . Show some style and spring for lunch! Surprising your crew with a few pizzas or
sandwiches will reinvigorate them to complete your job on time and on budget.
4 . Designate a bathroom for your moving crew to use and provide soap and paper towels
for them to wash up.
5 . Empower your moving crew to complete their job and defer to the mover’s experience.
Unless you yourself have experience navigating a large couch through a tight doorframe,
trust the mover’s judgment. There are only so many creative solutions to bend the laws
of physics. They have seen it all.

I still remember moves where clients treated me as a valued partner versus an indentured laborer. A
positive, respectful attitude goes a long way to extract the best quality service from your movers.
Whether you are moving into a luxury home or a third floor apartment, remember that you can
greatly impact your service and delivery with a very small effort.

John D Ambrogio

My colleague, Elizabeth Soley, brought this information to my attention.  Elizabeth owns Jacob Street Partners, an insurance broker to provide affordable options for foreign nationals working outside of their home country.  Feel free to contact Elizabeth at Elizabeth.soley@jacobstreet.com.

 According to a recent Apartments.com survey of 1,400 apartment hunters around the nation, 67 percent of respondents do not have renters’ insurance — up from 58 percent in 2007. For as little as $200 a year these residents could have had their belongs replaced with little money out of pocket. Unfortunately most of those residents did not have proper insurance coverage and lost all or most of their belongings.

Elizabeth Soley, Jacob Street Partners

John D Ambrogio

My friend and colleague, Paul Soley, is responsible for Real Estate Services operations in NY for Dwellworks. He recently shared these comments:

Richard Florida, author of Who’s Your City?, offers an intriguing list of the *20 fastest growing job markets  in the U.S. over the next 10 years. Migration, a subject near and dear to the heart of the relocation professional, follows jobs.

In “Who’s Your City?,” subtitled “How The Creative Economy Is Making Where To Live The Most Important Decision Of Your Life,” Florida takes aim at dispelling the myth of the Flat World by arguing that the most talented, creative and educated people “cluster” in mega regions around the world making the notion of place critical for economic and personal success. It is a fascinating and must read for anyone in the relocation industry. 

I gave it a read - and hope you do too!

Paul Soley, Dwellworks

John D Ambrogio

 He further was quotes as saying “I was appalled.  The feeling that my entire family has, it’s hard to describe. You’re talking about 2010. I don’t know if people realize it, but we elected an African-American president, so it’s not asking too much to be able to live where we want to live.”
 

John D Ambrogio

Personally, I’m way too old for Lollapalooza.  But if you’re into that sort of thing…..it’s a great day for it.

But for a mature (i.e. gray haired) guy with a checkered shirt, whose cd collection skews toward Sinatra, Prima and Martin, please grab the kids and some chianti in a wicker covered bottle and head over to one of Chicago’s oldest and coolest neighborhoods - Little Italy / Taylor Street - for Italian Fest!    

This is a great neighborhood.  And authentic!  My grandfather owned a shop right on Taylor in the 1920 when it was truly the gateway for Italian immigrants to “the city that works.”  In fact, I still may have his alarm system (that would be his single shot shotgun that was kept under the counter!). 

Some of Chicago’s best loved restaurants, including RoSal’s, Pompeii Bakery and of course, Mario’s Italian Lemonade stand, sit on famous Taylor Street.  So come on by, hear some great italian music, and help yourself to a nice italian ice.

Oh, and when “pa” had his store there, the premier real estate company in Chicago was a nice family owned shop run by the Baird family - Baird & Warner has been selling real estate since 1855….

John D

John D Ambrogio

From our dear Maija - For me Wrigleyville equaled sports —  but then I actually got to know the neighborhood. We all know the Wrigley Field, home for the Cubs, but I’m happy to say Wrigleyville is so much more than just that.

Only about 15 minute drive north from the Loop and you’ll reach the Wrigleyville’s restaurant repertory that is out of this world. It includes virtually everything from ”the basic international cuisine” such as Italian, Spanish and Thai food (Cozy Noodle & Rice, definitely worth of a try) to more extreme and unusual choices like Ethiopian cuisine. Pretty diverse, right? In addition to the area’s culinary reputation it is also a neighborhood known for its live music (you might want to try Metro on N Clark St). Walking down the streets of Wrigleyville is an excellent place to hear both indie and jazz – and everything in between. Wrigleyville is not too known for its shopportunities but if you’re looking for something to wear at the game (i.e. anything that says Cubs) it’s the top place to shop.

Due to the large variety of Wrigleyville’s activities (theatres, sports, beaches, clubs…), it’s a place favored by young professionals, many of them with families. The residential area in Wrigleyville reminds me quite a bit of its southern neighbor Lakeview’s housing; pretty tree-lined streets filled with cozy townhouses close to parks and a walking distance to beaches.

Wrigleyville has a huge number of clubs and bars (esp. sport ones) which are packed especially if there’s a big game going. Bars around Wrigley Field are a known place to hang out pre- and post games… If you are looking to experience the real Wrigleyville and its festive repute, hit the bar by Wrigley Field (for example The Cubby Bear) on a game night and feel the spirit.

John D Ambrogio

….Don’t you just love Tony B.?

This week kicks off a promising real estate/tech conference in sunny (?) San Francisco - Inman’s “Real Estate Connect.”  As they say, “the hottest trends have everything to do with real estate.”  That’s good news for Chicago real estate and transferees, because the better equiped your agent is, the better chance of them helping you buy or sell in Chicago quicker and on the most favorable terms.

Real Estate and tech professionals from around the globe will be converging - With an “A” list of speakers including a return appearance by the famous yet humble Craig Newmark, “customer service rep and founder” of the game changing Craig’s List website (www.craigslist.com).   On that note, a seemingly low tech promotion like Craig’s list is one of the most important vehicles to consumer access to your listing.  Believe it or not, it regularly trumps most companies’ paid efforts. 

THAT’s the power of the internet!

John D Ambrogio

A recent article on IndustryGab.com had an amazing article on staging!  It brought up a number of points that you should consider when staging luxury real estate in Chicago.

For instance, it makes the comment “poor stagers believe life is unfair, while rich stagers feel life is what you make it.” It goes on to point out that the “poor” way to look at it holds a feeling of entitlement (I paid a million for this house and I NEED to get a million out of it), while the “rich” way is to look at the market TODAY, and use tools like staging to maximize your chances of getting the highest price in the shortest amount of time in TODAY’S market. By improving the appearance of their real estate they’re becoming “market makers;” by pushing the image of their home higher in the minds of potential buyers. 

The article goes on to propose that one’s unconscious beliefs about money and their ability to have it may be at the root of why some people fail and some thrive. Maybe a little deep for an article on staging. Nonetheless, it’s an interesting read, and a great article to review before staging your  Chicago Luxury real estate!