O'Reilly helps buyer find home where the heart is
Finding the right home for the right buyer is the task of every Realtor.
The good ones listen to what their clients need and try to provide it. The great ones go beyond expectations and, with a little luck, help the buyer find the place their hearts can call home.
Karen Naess | For The Courier-News
RE/MAX Horizon Realtor Kathy O'Reilly was able to aid her client in doing just that in a recent transaction that helped Joel Lopez purchase the residence his grandparents had called home for 47 years and make it his own.
Using the many resources available to agents at RE/MAX, O'Reilly said she had e-mailed Lopez several listings in his price range when he telephoned her saying he had to see a home listed on Watch Street in Elgin.
"She sent me over 60 houses to review in my price range," Lopez said. "When I saw my grandmother's house ... I called (O'Reilly) because I knew I had to see inside it."
Although she didn't know why at the time, O'Reilly said it was obvious to her that Lopez had been in the home before. When she noticed a brass plate mounted inside the home was inscribed with Lopez's full name, also the name of his grandfather, she told him, "We have to get you into this house."
"My goal has always been to get out of my parents' house at a young age," the 23-year-old warehouse employee said of his reasons for wanting to buy a home. "When I started looking for an apartment, my dad suggested that in this economy, maybe I should consider buying a place."
O'Reilly worked with Lopez's lender, Nidia DelGado of First Federal in Elgin, who had Lopez prequalified for a loan and helped him apply for federal stimulus money for a first-time home buyer. Because he qualified, he will receive a tax credit for 10 percent of the home's value on his income taxes next year.
O'Reilly was so pleased with the serendipity of the situation that she had local artist Jim Nicoletti prepare a pencil sketch of the home and presented it to Lopez in June.
"This is my niche," O'Reilly said. "I really enjoy working with first-time buyers. This story with Joel makes me love the job."
For more information about how O'Reilly can help you realize your home ownership dreams, call her at 847-494-2507.
