Chicago is one of the world's largest and most diverse cities. The "city of big shoulders" offers something for everyone, from blues to baseball, art to architecture. Chicago is famous for its unique deep dish pizza, hot dogs and ethnic foods, as well as its own legendary jazz and blues sound. But in addition to its theaters, comedy clubs, world-class museums and sports, Chicago also is a major player in business. Chicago is home to the World Trade Center Chicago and the Chicago Board of Trade, the Mercantile Exchange, the Board of Options Exchange and the Chicago Stock Market. Chicago offers world-class shopping including Macy's, Bloomingdale’s, Tiffany's, Saks Fifth Avenue, American Girl Place and others.

Chicago is a convention mecca, annually hosting many of the nation’s largest conferences and trade shows. The city features the famed Art Institute of Chicago, Adler Planetarium, Field Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Science and Industry, and the John G. Shedd Aquarium. Music lovers can enjoy the Chicago Blues Festival, the Grant Park Music Festival, Jazz Fest, Gospel Fest and Country Music Fest. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Lyric Opera and Ravinia Festival draw thousands of visitors each season. Theater enthusiasts can choose from the new theater district, including the world-renowned Second City, Steppenwolf and the Goodman.

Those who enjoy sports enjoy Chicago. From the sentimental favorite Chicago Cubs and historic Wrigley Field, to the 2005 Champion White Sox; the Chicago Bulls, Blackhawks, and Chicago Bears; Sportsmen's Park, Hawthorne, Maywood, and the Chicagoland Speedway, Chicago offers the best in professional sports and an enthusiastic and well-versed community of fans.

Getting around in Chicago is easy. The world's second busiest airport, O'Hare International, as well as Midway Airport, provide flights from every destination imaginable. Amtrak and the Metra commuter system provide rail passenger service, while the Chicago Transit Authority's buses and elevated/subway trains whisk people around the city. Suburban communities are served by PACE buses.

Sightseers can enjoy 29 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, breathtaking architecture that includes the Sears Tower, Frank Lloyd Wright's home and studio, Brookfield Zoo, riverboat gaming establishments, and more than 5,000 restaurants and first-class hotels to make any stay in the Chicago area a memorable one.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009:  Homebuyer Tax Credit.  Hoping to help stimulate today’s economy, the homebuyer tax credit is one of 10 key provisions of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act signed by President Obama into law on Feb. 17, 2009. The bill provides for a $8,000 tax credit that would be available to first-time home buyers for the purchase of a principal residence on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009. The credit does not require repayment. Most of the mechanics of the credit will be the same as under the 2008 rules: the credit will be claimed on a tax return to reduce the purchaser's income tax liability. If any credit amount remains unused, then the unused amount will be refunded as a check to the purchaser. To learn more about this credit, visit Realtor.org, and click on Government Affairs or click here.  There you will find all the details including a Q & A and a chart highlighting the major modifications to this tax credit. 

New radon law applies to residential sales of one- to four-unit properties. The Illinois Radon Awareness Act aims to raise awareness about radon and requires the seller of a residential property to provide the buyer with two documents: 1) a "Disclosure of Information on Radon Hazards" and 2) a pamphlet on radon testing guidelines from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. Nothing in the Act requires a seller to test for radon. 

  There’s a new state law requiring the installation of carbon monoxide detectors in your home. The law, effective January 1, 2007, requires that every dwelling unit in Illinois be equipped with at least one carbon monoxide alarm within 15 feet of every room used for sleeping purposes. What do you need to know?

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