If you have never purchased a home or it has been years since you bought one; here are some easy to remember tips for you.

1. Get a copy of the Buyer’s Agency Agreement with the agent to review before you sign it, take it home, and read it.  Never sign up for a long term Buyer’s Agency with anyone, do it for 30 days at a time.  (That way, if they turn out not to be helpful, you can wait out the time period and find someone else).  Make sure there is no carry over period.
2. Get a copy of the blank sales contracts your agent uses. Read it, and have questions for your agent.  You should always make your offers contingent upon inspections, appraisal, financing and clear termite letters.  Also, it is important to note the timetables you have to complete your inspections, lender approval letters, replies to seller, home warranty paid by seller and closing dates.  It is very helpful to write down the drop dead dates to respond by so that you don’t lose your home or run the risk of losing your earnest money or worst.
3. Make sure the Agent you are using is knowledgeable about the area and type of home you want to purchase.  Knowledge is power, it is never good if you know more about the area than your agent.
4. How does the Agent Communicate with you?  Usually Millennial age agents love to text and email for feedback and follow up.  If you are older and uncomfortable with that, make sure you let the agent know how you prefer to be communicated with. Communicating efficiently is important so that your home purchase goes smoothly. (Another reason for short term Buyer’s Agency, if you can’t communicate with your agent, need I say more?)
5. If you go to open houses make sure you have your agents card with you.  It is a curtesy to the listing agent to know who is working with you so if you like the home and your agent calls them back to show again, they know it is you who came to their open house.
6. Always identity to listing agents who your buyer’s agent is if you are calling to ask questions about a home.  It really is better if you leave this up to your agent, but if you absolutely must ask the listing agent a question before you put in an offer, make sure you identify who your agent is.  Everyone will appreciate it.
7. If you don’t know any closing agents, normally your agent will recommend one to you.  If you want to be proactive on this, ask your lender who they prefer and ask your  agent who they like.  If you can find a closing attorney they both like, then your closing can be smoother.  You might also have your agent check who the seller’s agent  is using to close. If that is someone your agent likes and your lender likes, that is even better. Most agents have four or five attorneys or closing companies they really like.  (If you really want to be safe, check out their BBB rating too.)
8. The new closing regulations require that you review the closing breakdown statement up to and all forms to be ready three days before closing.  Any funds you bring to closing is in the form of a cashier’s check or wire transfer to the attorneys account.

Last Minute things to remember.  Don’t borrow any money while you are getting a mortgage loan. This could cause you to be turned down at the last minute.  Make sure you get the utility company names for your new home and call in your transfers early so you don’t have to pay a reconnect fee.  Ask questions before you close; once you close it is harder to get questions answered and issues resolved.   If you get a Home Warranty make sure your agent gives you a link to the warranty company.  (Read what it covers.)Most Sellers will pay for a home warranty if you ask them to. My advice is make sure you warranty has a codes clause in it that simply says if the repair item wasn’t installed to codes they will fix it anyway. This is usally an additional cost but well worth it.

The Chicago blues is a form of blues music indigenous to Chicago, Illinois. Chicago blues is a type of urban blues. Urban blues evolved from classic blues following the Great Migration of black people from the southern United States to the industrial cities of the north, such as Chicago.^[1] Chicago blues is based around the sound of the electric guitar and the harmonica, with the harmonica played through a PA system or guitar amplifier.

Urban blues started in Chicago and St. Louis, as music created by part-time musicians playing as street musicians, at rent parties, and other events in the black community. For example, bottleneck guitarist Kokomo Arnold was a steelworker and had a moonshine business that was far more profitable than his music.^[2]

One of the most important early incubators for Chicago blues was the open air-market on Maxwell Street, one of the largest open-air markets in the nation. Residents of the black community would frequent it to buy and sell just about anything. It was a natural location for blues musicians to perform. The standard path for blues musicians was to start out as street musicians and at house parties and eventually make their way to blues clubs. The first blues clubs in Chicago were mostly in predominantly black neighborhoods on the South Side, with a few in the smaller black neighborhoods on the West Side. One of the most famous was Ruby Lee Gatewood’s Tavern, known by patrons as “The Gates”. During the 1930s virtually every big-name artist played there.^[3]

What drove the blues to international influence was the promotion of record companies such as Paramount Records, RCA Victor, and Columbia Records.^[4] Through such record companies Chicago blues became a commercial enterprise. The new style of music eventually reached Europe and the United Kingdom. In the 1960s, young British musicians were highly influenced by Chicago blues resulting in the British blues movement. (From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Here are some of my favorites!

1. Billy Flynn – Blues Crawled in My Bed
2. James Cotton – Dealing With The Devil
3. Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon and Billie Stepney – Five Long Years
4. Jimmy Dawkins – Back Street Blues
5. Alberta Adams and RJ’s Blues – Remember Me
6. Alberta Adams and RJ’s Blues – He May Be Your Man
7. Linsey Alexander – Bad Man
8. Linsey Alexander – Booze and Blues
9. Linsey Alexander – Going Up On The Roof
10. Luther Allison – Blues With A Feeling
11. BarrelHouse Chuck – Blues For Pinetop Perkins
12. BarrelHouse Chuck and Kim Wilson’s Blues Allstairs – SHe’s Got  A Thing Going On
13. Carey Bell – Carey Bell’s Blues Harp
14. Carey Bell – I’m Ready
15. Big Mama Thornton, Eddie Boyd, Buddy Guy, Jimmie Lee Robinson & Fred Below – Hound Dog
16. Buddy Guy, Jimmie Lee Robinson & Fred Below – First Time I Met The Blues
17. Mike Bloomfield – I’ve Got My Mojo Working
18. Mike BloomField & Paul Butterfield – Born in Chicago
19. Eddie Boyd – Blues For My Baby
20. Billy Branch & Sons Of The Blues – As The Years go Passing By
21. Billy Branch Feat Lurrie Bell & The Sons of The Blues – Help Me
22. John Brim – Can’t Hold Out Much Longer
23. John Brim – Lonesome Man Blues
24. Lonnie Brooks – Voodoo Daddy
25. Lonnie Brooks – Sweet Home Chicago
26. Big Bill Broonzy – I Know She Will
27. Big Bill Broonzy – Willie Mae Blues
28. Wild Child Butler & Howlin’ Wolf Band – Spoonful George
29. Muddy Waters – Hoochie Coochie Man
30. Eddie C. Campbell – Still A Fool
31. Eddie C. Campbell & Lurrie Bell – All My Life

Detroit blues is blues played by musicians residing in and around Detroit, Michigan, particularly in the 1940s and 1950s. Detroit blues originated when Delta blues performers migrated north from the Mississippi Delta andMemphis, Tennessee, to work in industrial plants in Detroit in the 1920s and 1930s. Typical Detroit blues is similar in style to Chicago blues. Its sound is distinguished from Delta blues by the use of electric amplified instruments and more varied instrumentation, including the bass guitar and piano.

The only Detroit blues performer to achieve national fame was John Lee Hooker, as record companies and promoters have tended to ignore the Detroit scene in favor of the larger, more influential Chicago blues. The Detroit scene was centered on the Black Bottom neighborhood. (From WIkipedia Detroit Blues   & History section of Detroit Blues Society website )

When I do my Detroit Blues sets I love the fullness of the music..

1. Johnnie Bassett –  Cadillac Blues
2. Johnnie Bassett – Cadillac Baby
3. Johnnie Bassett – Motor City Blues
4. Johnnie Bassett – If The Shoe Was On The Other Foot
5. Johnnie Bassett – I’m Gonna Do What I’m Gonna Do
6. John Lee Hooker – 713 Blue
7. John Lee Hooker  – Ain’t No Big Thing Baby
8. John Lee Hooker – Can’t You See What You’re Doin to me
9. John Lee Hooker – Early One Morning
10. John Lee Hooker – I’m Bad Like Jesse James
11. John Lee Hooker – Boogie Chillun
12. The Butler Twins – I’m Ain’t Got Nobody To Tell My Troubles To
13. The Butler Twins –  Hey Baby Don’t you Know Your Daddy Loves you so
14. Thornetta Davis and Brett Luca – Send Me To The Electric Chair
15. Eddie Burns – Jail Time
16. Eddie Burns – Orange Driver
17. Robert Penn Blues Band – Heed My Warning
18. Robert Penn Blues Band – Let’s Have Some Fun
19. Doctor Ross – Come Back Baby
20. Doctor Ross – Deep Down In The Ground
21. Doctor Ross & His Jump and Jive Boys – Country Clown
22. Doctor Ross & His Jump and Jive Boys – Shakem on Down
23. Harmonica Shah – Blues For Ford Chrysler & GM
24. Harmonica Shah – Don’t You Feel Like A Dog Covered In Fleas
25. Harmonica Shah – Stranded in Detroit
26. Little Sonny – Hot Potato
27. Willie D. Warren – Killing Floor
28. Joe Weaver and RJ Rhythm Rockers – It Hurt so Bad