Category: Real Estate

Making a rental feel like home

I’ll just tell you straight up since you didn’t ask: I’m not thrilled about being a renter again. This was kind of an abrupt move from Chicago, so we figured we’d lease at first to get the lay of the land and then eventually buy when we settle ourselves. But wait. What I totally forgot about... Read more »
By Jenna Karvunidis,
January 23, 2015 at 1:17 pm • 

I should be excited to leave FRIGID HELLHOLE CHICAGO. But I'm not.

I don’t have to tell you what cold feels like. You know. The acid burn of 3 degrees. Vertical wind punching you in the face. We’re all in this together. The difference between you and me is I’m moving. On Tuesday. To L.A. My realtor called the other night and said, “it’s 70 degrees right... Read more »
By Jenna Karvunidis,
January 11, 2015 at 8:08 am • 

This plan has no guarantee - I'm doing it anyway

You know how when something bad happens to you, like a log falls on your head or you lose your Starbucks card and everyone is like, “it’s for the best!” and “something better is just around the corner!” and you’re like, um, but what about now? Like, right now, when my husband is out of... Read more »
By Jenna Karvunidis,
December 10, 2014 at 11:22 pm • 
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5 (selfish) reasons you want diversity in your school

Our family is a herd of nomads. Our kindergartner has been enrolled in four very different Chicago-area schools. She insists she loves spreading herself around like Bobby Brown, *not her words, and we’re about to be on our third house in seven years of marriage. The school we’re in now is good and we’re (probably?)... Read more »
By Jenna Karvunidis,
November 8, 2014 at 11:20 am • 

This is why people hate realtors

My husband bought a bar for our house. Like, he bought a huge, actual bar complete with cushy barstools and two guys named Norm and Cliff to occupy our family room. The bar was supposed to replace the eye sore of little tables he set up for himself in the living room, but instead, he... Read more »
By Jenna Karvunidis,
October 22, 2014 at 9:52 am • 

The mushy side of being a landlord

Guys, I got a new job: Landlady. I thought I had this house sold a hundred times, but naw, in the end we had a few surprises and it came down to getting a renter. At first I kind of panicked about the situation. Will I have to field calls about party noises? What will... Read more »
By Jenna Karvunidis,
October 7, 2012 at 8:26 am • 
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Why are people such jerks about the suburbs?

If you were talking to someone who had decided to move to say, Milwaukee would you say to their face, “I can’t stand Milwaukee! I’d NEVER move to Milwaukee. Milwaukee sucks. I can jog in Chicago”. (Because you can’t jog just anywhere.) Why, then, is everyone being a jerk to me about us moving to... Read more »
By Jenna Karvunidis,
September 25, 2012 at 8:07 pm • 

We're all a little sick. Me? I advance plan.

With our house on the market we’ve been window shopping for our next (and possibly final!) home. When I look at a piece of real estate, I try to picture how a house will work when our kids get older. Soon they’ll need their own bathroom – two sinks or one? Wouldn’t it be cool... Read more »
By Jenna Karvunidis,
August 8, 2012 at 12:18 pm • 

OMG. The buyers saw my thong.

“You’re not supposed to show your panties!” Bee wisely declares and shoves a nutella-covered bite of banana in her tiny mouth. No mom, you’re not. Quick! What’s the worst-case-scenario you can think of when your house is on the market? I mean besides a stark realization of the economy? An agent walking in the house... Read more »
By Jenna Karvunidis,
August 4, 2012 at 5:18 pm • 
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Real estate showings are creepy.

How do people deal with selling their houses? We’ve been on the market a whole two days and already there are eight showings scheduled. Not only is it face-clawingly annoying to have the place clean all the time (I am not naturally a tidy lady) but knowing people have been in my house is creeping... Read more »
By Jenna Karvunidis,
July 25, 2012 at 11:08 am •