iamshack

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Apr 19, 2013 -> 11:33 AM) The younger kid appears to have been fairly popular. The older had a US girlfriend. I was paraphrasing the uncle's explanation of their motive.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Apr 19, 2013 -> 11:24 AM) I'm still trying to come up with a motive here. Come on...the motive is they're losers.

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Apr 19, 2013 -> 10:51 AM) Any updates today for you guys? We're still waiting on an answer to our offer...and looking frantically for other options...

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 18, 2013 -> 01:03 PM) None of them are major league ready, and none of them are pitchers. The Rays are pretty pitching-rich already, aren't they? I don't know that they have to get a ton of highly-rated pitching back, if the offensive pieces they got were solid enough.

QUOTE (bigruss22 @ Apr 18, 2013 -> 09:32 AM) So how long do you have to find a new place if the inspection goes ok? We can stay in my place til about Memorial Day...so that means we have to get an offer accepted like yesterday if we are going to get something closed by then... We put in an offer in on something just now...it is a home we saw the first day we went out looking...neither of us particularly care for the style of the home, but it is in a great neighborhood, has a great yard, a great pool, etc...we'd have to knock a bunch of walls down and open it up quite a bit, but if we got it for the right price, it would be doable. And I think if we did open it up a lot and do some nice things with the decor, it would be worth quite a bit more...it is a lot of house on a big lot in a great area with a pool...those homes usually do well in our market.

The inspection on my home should be finishing up as I type this...to be honest, I don't even know if I would care if something went drastically wrong at this point in the process... Edit: Well, not drastically wrong! What I mean is I don't know if I would be upset if they found something stupid that made them afraid to buy.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Apr 18, 2013 -> 07:37 AM) The townhouse I have an offer on has a basement, and a somewhat leaky one at that. I'm kind of hoping he gets water in it today and gives up. I was going to gut it anyway. Haha When does he have to respond to your offer by?

QUOTE (witesoxfan @ Apr 17, 2013 -> 02:33 PM) This is an opinion, thus it is not the correct sentiment to hold. Name one thing, ANYTHING, about a baseball player that you want to know and I can, with little doubt in my mind, find both: 1) a number that is derived from that quality 2) find a number rooted in sabermetrics that better defines that original number The biggest area of debate at this point is amongst fielding numbers, but no matter what you want to use - fielding percentage, errors, defensive runs save, ultimate zone rating, or fan evalutions - we are trying to come up with some sort of way to come up to generally accepted opinions about a players defensive skill sets. Numbers without context mean nothing, but numbers with context mean everything. ? How can you make that statement? Have you ever even been in a locker room? Have you ever been a manager of anything? There are always folks that contribute things to the whole that is difficult to quantify. Do you remember Jack Haley?

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Apr 17, 2013 -> 01:15 PM) http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/b...0,3778883.story I don't really understand this part: So you have to go to the doctor 2 times instead of 1? Seems kind of silly. I think that is so the patients can't find out who the good weed doctors are and just go to them..

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Apr 17, 2013 -> 10:56 AM) In Hinsdale enjoy your property taxes. That to me seems like a place to move when you're 40-45 with a few kids about ready to go to middle school or high school, not somewhere to start a family. Otherwise you're spending a lot of money on schools that you don't use. La Grange is a great town. We moved there mainly because our friends from college grew up there. My wife and I both grew up down "south" (central/western Illinois) in small towns so we didn't know much about any of the neighborhoods/suburbs in the Chicago area. But the schools are great (from what we read, our first kid is only 10 months old. But my wife really did research and found it to be one of the better school districts in the state, especially for the relative cost) and the home prices range from your multi-million dollar mansions to your 250-350k ranches/georgians. For each town you go west (Western Springs, Hinsdale) expect your property taxes and home prices to go up as well. The best part of La Grange is the downtown area. Tons of high quality restaurants and shops. And the commute is great. There are a couple of express trains in the morning that get you into Union Station under 25 minutes. Same on the commute home. If you can find a place within walking distance obviously that's great, but you can also get parking permits for like $25 and no wait list (other communities like Hinsdale or Downers Grove have wait lists that take several years to get). And it's definitely a family-oriented town. With one or two exceptions, everyone in my neighborhood is probably 30-45 with a couple of kids. My parents still complain about the property taxes in Hinsdale to this day, some 20 years after they moved from there... I think you are spot-on about LaGrange.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Apr 17, 2013 -> 11:00 AM) Most of the western burbs along the BNSF will require a drive/park to take the train unless you can spend 6-700k+. Those homes within 5-10 minutes walks are obviously very desirable. I'm sure that's the case in all the suburbs though as a general rule. Another place to check out is Riverside. My buddy and his wife just got an awesome cap cod on a short sale there. Bought it for like $175k with comparables in the 3-400's. It needs a lot of work, but they'll make a nice chunk of change when they get it fixed up and sell it. I read the other day that Riverside is actually like the first "master planned" community in the United States...back in 1880, I believe.

QUOTE (IlliniKrush @ Apr 17, 2013 -> 10:32 AM) Love that this is turning into a real estate thread. I'll play. Wife and I are going to rent in the city for another year (maybe Rock's place?) before buying a house. She's obsessed with quality of schools in whatever suburb we move to. As such, she's really intent on moving to a Hinsdale area (she also grew up there, which I think is a huge part of it). Jenks is looks like you're in La Grange, she threw that out there as well, and Clarendon Hills. Even Elmhurst maybe? Jenks let me know your thoughts on houses and prices there (and schools). For whatever reason she's against northern suburbs. I'm trying to come up with suburbs with a mix of location (commute on train to city) and good school districts (maybe mix in some NW burbs). Obviously houses in Hinsdale are $$$$$ so we'd have to buy something older and try to do a renovation. Part of me thinks that could work well, part of me watches HGTV shows and sees what can go wrong and how the money going out seemingly never comes to an end and you end up way over your budget. Also trying to figure out if we can make this "the" house and hopefully never move, or leave it open to moving down the road. Just not sure how exactly to play this one moving forward. I lived in Hinsdale from the age of about 13 til I was 18. Didn't appreciate it then as I would now...when we moved in 1995, I remember everything old was getting knocked down for the land value...I am assuming there really isn't much there that is ripe for a reno? In that general area, there is Western Springs, Oakbrook, Clarendon Hills, Lagrange and Lagrange Park, Downers Grove, Burr Ridge, Westmont, Elmhurst, etc...all are pretty decent western suburbs, and a fairly quick commute...I haven't seen the prices in those areas much though. I assume they are pretty strong. One northern suburb I would LOVE if I moved back to the Chicago area is Riverwoods...lots of awesome properties up there.

QUOTE (bmags @ Apr 17, 2013 -> 09:57 AM) Seems this has turned into a real estate thread. We've been following the market for houses pretty intensely past year. Ultimately, our end point will be Oak Park, but for now, we cannot afford a house there plus the property taxes, and we still would prefer living closer to the city. Recently we've been scouring for neighborhoods where we could find a SFH at our price. This past weekend, after checking out portage park and other neighborhoods, we think we are gonna continue renting and saving what we can. While nice, they are not close enough to the city for me, and I don't think we'll end up staying for more than 4-5 years, and I do not want to deal with price volatility on a timeline that short. This approach makes me a little nervous because in specific neighborhoods, prices have gained healthily. But I don't think either of us want to reach on price prematurely. Yeah, feel free to run with the real estate discussion...i don't think mcm is going to drive much conversation in this forum It's tough, because you feel as though you might pay more down the road if you don't find something decent now...but too many people took that strategy 6-7 years ago and got killed for it. Best thing to do probably is stay where you are unless you really find something you like, at a fair price. Otherwise, you open yourself up to a lot of volatility right now. People out here are starting to go nuts, listing their properties at 2006 prices, trying to get everything they lost back during one little bubble...

From what I understand, the seller used to make large decisions with the help of a close friend/family member who passed away recently. I believe it may have been her sister, who passed away last year. Since then, she has been struggling with major decisions and has for whatever reason begun listening to the advice of this guy who claims to be her "business manager." I met him when we went and viewed the property again a few weeks ago, and I initially mistook him for a landscaper or handyman. He certainly did not look like someone who was adept at handling the finances of a complicated estate. I truly do believe he is a hanger-on that is hoping to get into the good graces of an elderly wealthy woman and reap the benefits when she passes away. It seems that everyone is telling her this was a good offer and yet he has her convinced not to sell. The fact that they didn't even counter makes me believe he is just trying to prohibit her from selling it before she passes away. He told us if we bought the property that we would have to work out a deal so that he could continue to enjoy the figs from a large old fig tree on the property. I really have no doubt he is gunning for the property himself.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Apr 16, 2013 -> 03:17 PM) Never. I'm letting them sweat it out tonight and then proposing my walk away price. Hopefully tomorrow ill either have a place under contract or ill be looking at open houses. Good luck, Rock! I hope you have better luck than we did...seller just flat-out rejected our offer. No counter even. And this was the exact offer their listing agent practically begged us to come back and make...which is what I sold my house for...in the end, their agent just told us something that was inaccurate and we relied upon it. I am not happy. Despite that, I wrote a letter to the listing agent yesterday and asked her to pass my thoughts on to the seller. She forwarded the letter I wrote, along with her own note, to the seller, saying we are super people and someone she would be lucky to call her neighbors (the property is her guesthouse located adjacent to her mansion). She asked me to give her another day or so, but I have no expectations that anything will change. She did say that the seller was not against accepting our offer; it was the business manager that is influencing her not to sell it to us. I wouldn't be shocked if this slimeball is waiting for her to die and hoping she leaves the property to him in her will. So now the pressure is on. Have to find a home. Soon.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Apr 16, 2013 -> 09:58 AM) Exactly what my instincts are telling me. If the other offer was so good why didnt you just take it? I'll play the game but not for long. I don't get caught up in what others are supposedly offering. Offer what you think is a fair price in your market. Unless you absolutely HAVE to have the house, stick to your guns...and if you really want it, don't lose it for 10% or less than what you think it is worth.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Apr 16, 2013 -> 10:14 AM) Viciedo's trying to change to the leg kick timing device...but he's falling into the habit of not using it consistently, so he's getting in between, which is slowing down his bat and making him vulnerable to fastballs inside and anything over 90 MPH. However, I am glad that we can label a 23 or 24 year old a bust...because we can also label all of our young outfield prospects future busts too, since hitters never ever make adjustments over time. We have one young hitter under 25 and cost-controlled for the near future and we want to dump him...the only one capable of hitting 30+ homers at a ballpark that plays smaller than most. So our solution is Gillaspie, Carlos Sanchez, Jeff Keppinger, Alejandro DeAza and Kennyn Walker? Gimenez and Phegley? Most are already giving up on Tyler Flowers, and he was expected to provide 20+ homers, even if he was going to strike out 150-200 times. Beckham...he's on his 5th major league season, and some were still not ready to label him a complete bust. WHO IS GOING TO HIT HOMERS FOR THE WHITE SOX in 2014 and 2015? Dan Wilkins? We've pretty much already acknowledged we won't get AJ's 2012 numbers again....Dunn's 2012 numbers....Konerko will more than likely be gone after this season because what's the point of rebuilding around him and you can't give him a contract that cuts his salary significantly without insulting a Sox legend...so they're in an incredibly tough position. I agree...I mean there isn't much to gain by trading these young players right now anyways...you may be able to move some of the vets if they are desired by other clubs if things look bad at the break...but we can't possibly know these things now...this team is in a funk, but it's getting a lot of attention because it is coming right at the beginning of the season. This team is better than this, especially if Alex is going to hit this way again this year.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Apr 16, 2013 -> 09:15 AM) They lowered it quite a bit and "wanted to come back to me first". Is it anywhere in the ballpark of where you wanted to be?

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Apr 16, 2013 -> 09:03 AM) I was assuming that they lowered the price. Ahh...sorry, I am on pins and needles today...

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Apr 16, 2013 -> 08:53 AM) So of course the seller got an "offer" at the open house. However they came back to me and dropped their counter. Weird. What do you mean they dropped their counter? You mean they rescinded it?

QUOTE (pittshoganerkoff @ Apr 16, 2013 -> 08:21 AM) And it's premature to say he's a bust. I agree that he isn't a bust...but I think at this point, and for the last few years even, he is what he is...a maddeningly frustrating hitter that will never be much more than a .250 hitter that doesn't walk, and will hit 25-30 home runs a year. Hard for me to call that a bust, but hard for me to see him ever becoming any more than that.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Apr 16, 2013 -> 08:16 AM) For once, I'm going to agree with marty. The one thing he needed to work on this offseason was improving his approach. He's completely failed to do that so far. People are getting him out on balls he should be crushing because he can't square anything up, every swing seems defensive while he's down in the count. Hey! Good to see you coming around to the reality of the situation...

Well, my house is under contract...there is no turning back now... Still waiting on the offer to the senile old lady whose house we are trying to buy...hoping to hear today...can't believe my fate lies in her hands...

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 15, 2013 -> 02:13 PM) Even so, would you be willing to chance it right now? And can you imagine the guy that says "But this was debunked on mythbusters!"

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Apr 15, 2013 -> 01:16 PM) With as much blood as was shown on the street, I would be shocked if the death toll didn't climb a lot in the near term. God I hope I am wrong. That one birds-eye photo was like a scene out of The Walking Dead...what a disaster.