Fausett Law Logog

Attorneys At Law

Attorneys practicing in and around the Chicagoland area. Experienced in the practice areas of Real Estate Law, Mortgage Foreclosure Defense Litigation, Business Law, & Estate Law.

Attorneys At Law - Attorneys practicing in and around the Chicagoland area. Experienced in the practice areas of Real Estate Law, Mortgage Foreclosure Defense Litigation, Business Law, & Estate Law.

Illinois Underwater Homes Trap Homeowners in Place

DuPage County Property

Illinois home values in some areas have never fully recovered from the real estate market crash, trapping some homeowners in houses that they are ready to move out of.

 

Trapped in their underwater mortgages

For example, Steinar Andersen of Huntley Illinois is ready to move out of the state. He is a disabled veteran who cannot work because of service-related injury who still owes $187,000 in principle on his home.

“We really should be living in Arizona as it is more “disability friendly” and the property taxes are much less,” he said. He can’t though because he is so far underwater on his home loan.

Another example is Collen Percy and her recently retired husband, currently living in Plainfield.

“We’re stuck,” she said. “We would love to sell and go live in a smaller home so we don’t have the upkeep and tax burden.”

Unfortunately, they are $85,000 underwater on their suburban Plainfield home. They’re concerned that rising property taxes are further eroding their home’s value, pushing the opportunity to sell even further into the future.

Related: High Property Taxes Sending Illinois Homeowners Towards a Cliff 

 

Illinois has the highest rate of underwater homes

Edge of CliffA study of negative equity by real estate site Zillow found that nationwide, less than 10% of homeowners have negative equity in their homes.

In Illinois however, 16.4 percent of homeowners owe more on their mortgage than their home is valued at. Nationally, only the State of Louisiana had a higher rate.

In Chicago, the negative equity rate is at 20%, overtaking Las Vegas as the city with the highest negative equity rate in the nation.

 

Difficulty selling

The combination of negative equity and high property taxes can mean homeowners who want to relocate can’t actually sell their homes.

“It makes it difficult to move for a new job opportunity to relocate elsewhere,” Zillow economist Sarah Mikhitarian said.

The high property tax rates in Illinois serve to help slow or decrease the value of homes.

Related: Illinois Has Second Highest Property Taxes in Nation

Home prices in Illinois, while up since 2013, are still down 10 percent compared with the market peak in 2006, according to data from the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

Illinoisans need reforms to make owning a home more affordable, and staying in or moving to the Land of Lincoln more attractive.

 

 

You may call The Law Offices of Lora Matthews Fausett P.C. with your questions:  630.858.0090


* Advertising Material: To the extent that the information in this post is interpreted as attorney advertising in accordance with the Illinois Rules of Professional Conduct or within the meaning of state bar rules from all other localities, this statement is made pursuant to those rules.

Specialties: Specialization claims are prohibited by Illinois Supreme Court Rules and we do not claim to be specialists. The content of this e-mail is organized and presented for the sole purpose of general information. None of the included content should be construed as legal advice. Viewing this e-mail or e-mailing the account holder does not create an attorney-client relationship. NOTICE: This page may be considered advertising material.


 

The Law Offices of Lora Fausett P.C. provides real estate law services including loan modificationsbuying and selling legal assistanceshort sales and deeds in lieumortgage foreclosure defense, and more.

Located in Glen Ellyn, Illinois and serving clients in DuPageCookKane, Will, and Kendall Counties.

For Information Call 630-858-0090