Must have tools for rehab

How to best stock your home for all projects

Home improvements of any size, shape or complexity all have one thing in common: they need tools. If all you have in your home is a broken screwdriver, a hammer without a handle, and one wrench you hope will happen to fit whatever bolt you encounter, you need some help.

The following is a basic set of tools that no homeowner should be without. When outfitting your toolbox, buy only quality tools, even if you have to collect them a few at a time. Low-end tools are inaccurate, frustrating to use, and often unsafe, while good tools are a joy to use and an investment that will last you a lifetime.

Hammer: A 16-ounce hammer with a curved claw and a smooth, slightly crowned (convex) face will work for most of your repairs. Wood, metal, or fiberglass handles are all fine - just look for one that feels comfortable in your hand and has a solid point of attachment between the head and the handle.

Screwdrivers: Purchase a full set of screwdrivers with hardened tips, including standard and Phillips heads in three sizes of each. Again, look for a non-slip grip that is comfortable in your hand. A handy and less expensive alternative is the 4-in-1, which has the two most commonly uses sizes of both standard and Phillips screwdrivers, all of which interchange in one common handle.

Tape measure: A 16-foot or 25-foot retractable steel tape measure with a locking mechanism will work for just about every measuring task you're likely to encounter. For use in the shop or garage, a 10-foot tape is a little less bulky.

Adjustable wrenches: A set of three good quality adjustable wrenches – small, medium and large – will fit a very wide range of nuts and bolts and should be all you'll ever need. Check for a comfortable handle and smooth operation of the adjustment knob.

Flashlight: Flashlights are indispensable. To ensure that it's operational when you need it, look for one with a heavy-duty metal case that is powered by three or four D-cell batteries.

Utility knife: Get a metal utility knife with retractable, replaceable blades, along with a pack of heavy-duty blades.

Putty knives: The well-equipped toolbox will have three putty knives—one with a stiff 1½- or 2-inch-wide blade for scraping, one of the same width but with a flexible blade for puttying and patching, and a 6-inch-wide drywall taping knife, which can be used for larger patching, light scraping, and as a painting guide.

Paint brushes: Acquire a set of two or three good quality paintbrushes that are rated for use with all paints. For most people, the most commonly used sizes are 1½-inch, 2½-inch, and 3-inch.

Pry bar: You'll need a medium length pry bar that is flat on one end and curved at a 90-degree angle at the other. You should also consider adding a smaller version, which is perfect for small moldings, and a large, heavy-duty version for those big tear-out chores.

Pliers: Get a pair of standard 7-inch or 8-inch slip-joint pliers, and a pair of diagonal-cutting pliers. Look for a comfortable grip, easy operation of the handles, and a slip mechanism that stays in place after it's moved.

A saw: You will need something to cut wood, and what you get is usually more a matter of budget. At the very least, invest in a good quality crosscut handsaw with a wooden handle (plastic handles are uncomfortable and break too easily). A more versatile choice is a medium- or heavy-duty 7¼-inch electric circular saw.

Level: A two-foot long wood or aluminum level (not plastic) is the minimum necessary for most homeowner projects. You can add a four-foot one when money permits.

Caulking gun: You should have a caulking gun that fits standard caulking tubes.

Extension cord: At a minimum, you should have a 25-foot grounded extension cord with 14-guage wires. Larger tools may require heavier cords, so be sure and check the tool manufacturer's recommendations for specifics.

Cordless drill/driver: Once a luxury item, increases in battery power and decreases in cost have made this one of the most useful tools in your arsenal. Look for a complete kit that includes the drill, an extra battery, a battery charger, and a case. The drill's power is dictated by the voltage of the battery, which ranges from around 7 volts to a hefty 24 volts. A 9.6-volt unit is the minimum size that's worth considering – lack of power on the smaller models is simply too frustrating to work with - with the 14.4- or even the 18-volt models being a worthwhile step up.

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TRUMP

Trump kicks off construction process of 90-story Chicago tower

Donald Trump and his famous apprentice kicked off the demolition of the former Chicago Sun-Times building Thursday, where Trump plans to build a glitzy 90-story condominium and hotel tower with units starting at $636,000 — for a 696-square-foot studio.

The Donald waved to an enthusiastic crowd, shook hands and signed autographs as he arrived to watch a backhoe rip into the entrance of the squat, barge-like building on the Chicago River. He continued to wave like a politician through an open window of his limousine as he left about 30 minutes later.

Trump talked about how great Mayor Richard Daley is, how great Trump's architect on the project is, and how Chicago is a "truly great" city that's about to become "a little bit greater with this building."

As he has done in the past, Trump trumpeted the planned Trump International Hotel & Tower, saying it has created a buzz that other construction projects can't match. Where else, he wondered, has anyone ever sold $500 million worth of units even before a site was cleared of the previous building.

"Does this happen when other developers come to Chicago?" Trump asked the crowd.

"No," several people shouted.

Part of Thursday's buzz was the result of Bill Rancic, the Chicagoan selected by Trump on the television show "The Apprentice," who appeared with his boss.

Rancic, who chose the Chicago project to "manage," said his role will actually be closer to that of an assistant. "I'm one of the owner's representatives here," he said. "As the owner's representative, you're the eyes and ears for Donald Trump."

Trump would not talk about the financing of the building or comment on a report in the Chicago Tribune that he had secured $160 million from investors and a $650 million construction loan from Deutche Bank.

"Obviously we're doing very well or ... we wouldn't be ripping down the building," Trump said.

Trump, whose plans originally called for a 150-story high-rise that would have made it the tallest in the world, dismissed any skepticism about whether he could pull the project off.

"This building is going to be something very special," he promised of the structure, which is to include 461 luxury homes, 227 hotel guest rooms and suites, 90,000 square feet of boutique shopping, a 60,000-square foot health club, two ballrooms and a 1.2-acre park and riverwalk.

Others have their doubts.

J. Paul Beitler, a major Chicago developer, said there is skepticism in the development community about how much interest there really is in the building in which units are for sale for anywhere from $636,000 to more than $25 million.

"No one in Chicago seems to have any personal friends or acquaintances in Chicago who have purchased a unit in the building," he said.

He also said that while the prices Trump is asking might not raise an eyebrow in New York, they may be too rich for the blood of Chicagoans.

Tere Proctor, the director of sales for the project, said about 75 percent of the units are sold, the bulk of those to people in the Chicago area.

Copyright © 2004, The Associated Press

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Garfield Park

City planners are looking for a retail or a mixed-use retail and residential developer to build on the long vacant, northeast corner of Madison Street and Kedzie Avenue in the East Garfield Park neighborhood.

The Chicago Department of Planning and Development last week issued a request for development proposals for the site.

Heavy pedestrian traffic passes the city-owned parcel, which is a mile west of the United Center, two blocks east of the Garfield Park Conservatory, and near the CTA's Green Line station at Lake Street and Kedzie.

"It is a great opportunity for pedestrian-oriented development," said Kimberly Cook, the West Side project manager at the Chicago Department of Planning and Development.

Vacant since the 1970s, according to Cook, the 38,138-square-foot site at 3130-48 W. Madison is in an area where new housing started going up a decade ago. Now housing developments are multiplying throughout the area.

"There has been great interest in the site and in the area. Private developers are coming to the area to buy land, are building condos, and the housing market has been beefed up considerably. Projects that are either planned or under construction will add another 1,500 residential units to the area in the next two years," Cook said in a telephone interview.

"The land's value is a testament of its own," Cook said of the site's $950,000 appraised value. "That comes to $25 a square foot in an area that five years ago was appraised at $10 a square foot," Cook said.

Several retailers have approached the city concerning the site, according to Cook. "To be fair, we had to put out this request for proposals to give everyone a chance to make their offer," she said.

"Our primary consideration is for a grocery store," Cook said, adding that city officials are also particularly interested in adding a drugstore, restaurant, bank branch and/or a convenience store to the area.

City officials will not consider development proposals for retail services such as payday loan facilities, pawn shops, gas stations or auto repair facilities.

Even though city officials are eager to see proposals for retail projects, Planning Department staff will consider proposals for a multi-tenant retail center offering at least one of the desired services. "We will also consider proposals for developments that will build retail at the ground level and residential units on the upper floors," Cook said.

Though Planning Department officials are encouraging developers to offer at least the appraised $950,000 price for the land, Cook stresses that the $950,000 figure is not a minimum required bid.

"We don't want to discourage anyone, but it is a competitive bid so [developers] should put their best bid forward," Cook said.

Because the development site is within the Midwest tax increment financing (TIF) district, and within Enterprise Zone 4, the selected developer may qualify for a city subsidy.

Developers may attend a pre-submittal conference at City Hall on Nov. 10. All proposals are due to the Planning Department by Jan. 18.THE CITY

Copyright © 2004, Chicago Tribune

Capital Gains Info

IRS Finalizes Capital Gains Regs

There have just been some important final clarifications to the rules about capital gains on profits from the sale of a house, especially if you keep the house for less than two years.

Congress made the basic streamlined tax code changes back in 1997 and 1998. But, the IRS has just gotten around to issuing the final regulations that tell early sellers how much – if any - of their profits they can shelter from the federal capital gains taxation.

Here’s how it goes…

Basically, the new regulations deal with exceptions to the $500,000 and $250,000 tax-free exclusion provisions of the 1997 and 1998 statutes.

Those laws allow married, joint-filing home sellers to pocket up to $500,000 in sale profits ($250,000 for single filers) tax-free, provided that they owned and used the house as their principal residence for an aggregate two years out of the five years preceding the sale of the property.

They also provide exceptions for certain homeowners who, for reasons of health, employment change or "unforeseen circumstances," sell their homes before they were able to meet the two-year minimum holding standard. Qualified home sellers will get a "reduced maximum" capital gains tax exclusion, based on the amount of time they owned and used the house.

So, for example, a couple who bought a house and had to sell it just 18 months later because of an unexpected employment transfer could be entitled to take up to three-quarters of the maximum $500,000 tax-free exclusion. A single owner who had to sell after a year of ownership because of an incapacitating, unexpected illness might qualify for half of the standard $250,000 maximum.

What exactly are "unforeseen circumstances"? For starters, you can’t claim that you experienced an "unforeseen circumstance" in the event you win the lottery and have developed an overwhelming desire to own a bigger, better house. Sorry.

What does qualify as circumstances "that the taxpayer could not reasonably have anticipated" at the time of purchasing the house includes:

• A change in employment status that results in the owner's inability to pay housing costs and reasonable basic living expenses for the household.

• The "involuntary conversion" of your home; for example, when the state government requires you to sell your house to make way for a highway.

• Natural or man-made disasters or acts of war or terror that damage the residence.

• The death of the homeowner, a spouse, co-owner or other person whose principal place of residence is the house that was sold.

• A loss of employment triggering eligibility for unemployment compensation.

• Divorce or legal separation.

• Multiple births resulting from the same pregnancy.

Halloween in Chicago

Courtesy City of Chicago

Paint The Town Orange At The
8th Annual Chicagoween
Tis’ the season to paint the town orange with Chicago’s October celebration, Chicagoween. Throughout the city, boo-tification takes place and most especially in the Haunted Village, located at Pumpkin Plaza, October 15-31, 2004.
The city’s civic center plaza known the rest of the year as Daley Plaza (Washington and Dearborn streets) hosts the Haunted Village and is transformed into Pumpkin Plaza, with pumpkin decorating, spooky storytellers, trick-or-treating and more to thrill and chill. Each day there are performances from the high flying aerial entertainers, Midnight Circus: 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. Thursday through Sunday includes evening shows scheduled at 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Free tickets to the Paramount Pictures movie titled Lemony Snicket’s: A Series of Unfortunate Events (opening in December) will be given away following the Midnight Circus performances. Tickets can also be received as prizes for the costume contest at the State Street Halloween Happening Parade.
Kids can join in the on the fun by marching in costume as part of The State Street Halloween Happening Parade on Saturday, October 23. The parade steps off at Noon at the corner of State and Randolph streets. Following the parade, kids can enjoy trick-or-treating, a performance by Midnight Circus and a costume contest—all at Pumpkin (Daley) Plaza.
Free pumpkin decorating is offered Saturdays and Sundays (except for parade day, Saturday, October 23) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. (or while supplies last) and spooky storytelling runs Thursday through Sunday at 4 p.m. and 6:15 p.m.
A pirate siege invades the CTA as large-scale pirate puppets from Quest Theater Ensemble set sail aboard a CTA elevated train performing some of the most terrifying stories known to man! Tickets are free and on a first come, first served basis the day of the show only at the Visitor's Center inside the Cultural Center, 77 E. Randolph St. There is a 4 ticket maximum per person. The Haunted 'L' runs October 21-23 and 28-30 on Thursday and Friday evenings and Saturday during the day. The Haunted 'L' is presented in conjunction with the Chicago Office of Tourism.
Chicagoween is presented by the Mayor's Office of Special Events, along with other generous sponsors including WLIT 93.9 FM, the Chicago Tribune, Ford Division and the Chicago Transit Authority and the State of Illinois.

Irish Win again!

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Eleven months ago, Notre Dame beat Stanford by 50 points in Palo Alto, Calif. Saturday's game bore little resemblance to that romp.

This time around, the Irish had to muster all of their intensity to defeat a much-improved Cardinal team 23-15 at Notre Dame Stadium.

How much better?

"So much better. They are so much better," Irish defensive coordinator Kent Baer said. "The quarterback has made them better. The receivers are better. The offensive line ... they were pretty effective."

He could have said the same about Notre Dame's defense.

Stanford's chances came early and often. But instead of claiming the jackpot, the Cardinal (3-2) was forced by the Irish defense to settle for small change, two field goals on two first-quarter first-and-goal situations.

"As a defense you never want to let people put points on the board, but we'll take three over seven any day," linebacker Derek Curry said.

On its first possession, Stanford capitalized on excellent starting field position—its own 47-yard line. Its nine-play, 42-yard drive was capped by Michael Sgroi's 27-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead.

On its next possession, the Cardinal offense moved the ball 75 yards before giving way to Sgroi, whose 20-yard field goal made it 6-0.

"The difference may have been not putting the ball in the end zone in the first half," flanker Evan Moore said. "If we go up 14-0 on the road, that's a whole different game."

Instead, the Cardinal went into the locker room nursing a 6-3 lead.

Notre Dame (4-2) came out ready to wrest the advantage away.

Stanford took the opening drive of the second half 60 yards, setting up Sgroi for his third field goal.

On the ensuing possession, Notre Dame survived a fumble, a flag and a fourth-and-goal as Ryan Grant capped the team's longest scoring drive of the season—6 minutes 27 seconds—with a 1-yard TD run for a 10-9 lead.

The advantage was short-lived. The Cardinal drove 80 yards in the next nine plays to retake the lead 15-10. In doing so, however, the Cardinal also ignited the passions of the Irish defense.

"Anytime somebody takes the ball and drives down the field, you get fired up," Curry said.

The Irish also followed up, matching the emotion with execution. On Stanford's next possession, Notre Dame's defense held it to one series of downs.

Then Stanford punter Jay Ottovegio fumbled the snap with Irish linebacker Corey Mays swooping in to prevent the kicker from running with the ball. "I just looked up and saw the opportunity to make a big play," said Mays, a former star at Morgan Park High School.

Grant did the same several times over on the ensuing drive, accounting for 26 of Notre Dame's 27 yards, including the final 3 into the end zone for a 16-15 Notre Dame lead three minutes into the fourth quarter.

The Irish added an insurance touchdown almost eight minutes later.

"It was a barn-burner," Irish coach Tyrone Willingham said. "We weren't trying to burn down the barn. It was hard for me because I didn't think we were playing the way I know we can."

Grant, sidelined for the last two games with a sore left hamstring, finished with 67 rushing yards, the same as the entire Cardinal offense combined. Darius Walker led the Irish with 82 yards on 20 carries.

Brady Quinn, who threw for 432 yards the week before against Purdue, was 11 of 24 for only 173 yards.

That, however, was scant consolation for Stanford coach Buddy Teevens.

"We had our opportunities to stop [Quinn]," Teevens said above the faint strains of the Irish celebration. But, "a loss is a loss, any way you put it."

Animal Control

Animal Control
2741 South Western Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60608
Telephone:
(312) 747-1406
Facsimile:
(312) 747-1409
TDD:
(312) 744-2956

The Animal Care and Control Commission receives 60,000 to 65,000 calls a year from the general public, half of which will be for service and the other half for general information ("I lost my dog what should I do?" "I can't find my cat where should I go?"). An additional 10,000 calls involve animal complaints, of which 5,000 are bite cases to be processed by the Commission.

Approximately 37,000 calls relate to stray and dangerous animals, of which 30,000 will necessitate retrieval and impoundment. The telephone calls requiring service come through the computerized Mayor's Office of Inquiry and Information service request system directly to the dispatcher; calls then are prioritized.

The highest-priority calls involve injured animals on the public way, vicious dogs on the public way or requests for assistance from the Chicago Police Department.

Finding an agent!

Find an agent who can target your house's selling price

The couple, both prize-winning writers, had long aspired to buy a house in a faraway state where three of their four grown children lived.

Their patient search paid off when they found a Mediterranean-style utopia with a multitude of windows and a majestic view. They embarked on a no-holds-barred quest to buy the place.

To compete with other bidders, they would first need to orchestrate the sale of their redwood contemporary house, where they'd lived for 27 years.

They were confident about its price potential. Though the house was somewhat dated, it was surrounded by a 2-acre parcel that virtually adjoined a cluster of "mega-mansions," as the locals called the customized homes nearby. Another asset: It was adjacent to a leafy nature preserve.

Before listing their house, the sellers called in five agents. All were optimistic about the sale, assuming that the dated redwood house would be torn down and that another customized mega-mansion would be built in its place. They were convinced that the couple's unique parcel would command strong interest from buyers.

Still, the couple faced a quandary. The agents all recommended divergent listing prices for their unusual property. Indeed, the highest proposed listing price was nearly double the lowest. Who were they to believe?

"In this scenario, setting the right list price was especially crucial for the sellers. If the price had been unrealistically low, they would have been short on the proceeds they needed to transition to their dream home," says Joan McLellan Tayler, a former realty company owner who advised the sellers on how to proceed.

Tayler urged them to avoid rushing to judgment, making sure they selected an agent with the knowledge and background to prepare an expert pricing analysis. They followed the listing agent's guidance. And, in the wake of their successful sale--which resulted in higher proceeds than they expected--they're now packing boxes for the move to their dream home.

For all home sellers, but especially those who can't make the move they want unless they gain the highest possible market value for their home, pricing is crucial. Here are several pointers on finding an agent to zero in on the correct value of your home:

- Look for a listing agent who tracks local real estate trends closely. "Most agents have a strong sense of ethics. They're not going to recommend that you price your property too high just to flatter you into hiring them or too low just to make a quick sale," says Robert Irwin, author of "Home Seller's Checklist," a McGraw-Hill book.

How can you tell if agents you're considering for the job are attuned to the market? One test of good candidates is their ability to cite basic statistics about neighborhood sales trends without resorting to computer research.

Also, Irwin says an agent should be able to cite figures on the average number of days it currently takes for homes to sell in your area, relative to previous months.

To find an expert agent, search for someone who is very active in selling your type of property in your area and who tours new listings as they come on the market. Eliminate any agent who hasn't sold homes in your neighborhood during the last six months to 12 months, Irwin says.

- Find a listing agent willing to put his pricing perspective on paper. "The price evaluation should absolutely come in writing," says Tayler, a real estate author. The agent's recommendation should arrive soon after you've interviewed the candidate for the listing agent's job. And it should also include print-outs on comparable recent sales, as well as a offering prices for nearby homes still on the market.

But thorough agents won't stop there. They'll also provide a written interpretation of how they've used the comparable sales to come up with their conclusions, Tayler says.

- Consider obtaining advice from your listing agent's broker. Suppose you're close to hiring one of several agents on your list. His estimate of your property's worth seems well-grounded. Still, given the stakes involved, you shouldn't hesitate to seek a second opinion from the agent's own broker.

You'll feel reassured if the broker comes up with the same pricing recommendation as your would-be agent. You'll have had a reliable second opinion at no extra charge.

- Contemplate an appraiser in particularly unusual situations. "Most appraisers don't make commissions off the sale of houses. So they tend to be very objective," Irwin says.

Copyright © 2004, Chicago Tribune

www.GreatChicagoRealEstate.com