TEAL for TOES ... SALON  EVANIA  and  Edible  Arrangements/Frankfort efforts Benefit The Cancer Support Center during the Month of September                   All during the month of September,  TEAL for TOES   is taking place at  SALON  EVANIA,  located at  13 Old Frankfort Way  in Frankfort.      Paint your toes and/or nails TEAL  and make a small,  $5 Donation  and you will receive an empty box, good for a  FREE  6-count gourmet, chocolate-covered fruit assortment when you visit  Edible  Arrangements/Frankfort,  located at  590 Bankview Drive.        SALON  EVANIA  is offering 10% of their salon service proceeds on September 22nd ... and 10% of all proceeds from TEAL manicures and pedicures provided during the entire month of September to  The Cancer Support Center.        Edible... 08/31/2012

Making sound investments in your home can improve the "bottom line" when the time comes to sell your home. The trick is, knowing what to improve. Making home improvements prior to listing it is a common practice. However, improvements should be selected carefully if the primary goal is to increase the profitability of your property. Return on Investment is a phrase that quantifies how much an investment returns compared to what you spent on the investment. For example, if a homeowner remodels a kitchen, and the home sells for a higher price (after covering the remodel costs), then they achieved a positive return on investment. If the property sells quicker because the new kitchen makes the property more attractive, additional benefits may be realized with the elimination of additional m... 08/28/2012

Associated Press writers Jennifer C. Kerr, Seth Borenstein and Hope Yen, and Deputy Director of Polling Jennifer Agiesta contributed to this report form WASHINGTON (AP) today declaring — We're heavier in pounds and hotter by degrees than Americans of old. We're starting to snub our noses at distant suburbs after generations of burbs in our blood. Our roads and bridges are kind of a mess. There are many more poor, and that's almost sure to get worse. The oddly American obsession with picking up and moving on — "this spectacle of so many lucky men restless in the midst of abundance," as Alexis de Tocqueville noted nearly 200 years ago — has given way to the un-American activity of going nowhere. But check back tomorrow. Such swirling changes are not fodder for a State of the Union speech,... 08/25/2012

THE PROSPECTS FOR HOUSEHOLD GROWTH The joint center for housing studies at Harvard University reports Given that the number of new homes added in 2002–11 was lower than in any other ten-year period since the early 1970s, it is difficult to argue that overbuilding is dragging down the housing market. Instead, the excess housing supply largely reflects the sharp slowdown in average annual household growth in 2007–11 to just 568,000—less than half the pace in the first half of the 2000s or even the 1.15 million averaged in the late 1990s       are responsible for this drop: a decline in the rate at which individuals (particularly those under age 35) form independent households, and a sharp drop in immigration. While a variety of forces contributed to these trends, the severity of  the eco... 08/10/2012

CONTINUING SLIDE IN HOMEOWNERSHIP The joint center of housing studies at Harvard University reports Declines in the national homeownership rate accelerated in 2011 as increasing numbers of households opted—or were forced by foreclosure—to rent. The national homeownership rate dipped to 66.1 percent, down 0.7 percentage point from a year earlier and 2.9 percentage points from the 2004 peak. Despite the drop in rates for all age groups under 65, however, the overall rate stands well above the 64 percent prevailing in the 1980s and first half of the 1990s. Indeed, the national rate remains relatively strong both because the ranks of households with heads aged 65 and over are growing and because homeownership rates among this age group are near record highs    While rates for younger house... 08/10/2012

SIGNS OF RECOVERY IN THE FOR-SALE MARKET The joint center for housing study at Harvard University reports The for-sale housing market remained depressed for much of 2011. House prices in most areas continued to slide, sales were lackluster, and single-family construction hit a record low. But as the year ended, steadier job growth and improving consumer confidence boosted sales of both new and existing homes     With demand reviving and inventories of homes for sale depleted, home prices may well find a bottom this year. Moreover, stronger sales should pave the way for a pickup in single-family construction over the course of 2012. Nevertheless, a number of conditions may keep the recovery in the owner-occupied market relatively subdued. The backlog of  roughly two million loans in for... 08/10/2012

June home sales in Illinois up 18.0 percent from a year ago; Median prices also post year-over-year increases SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Home sales surged 18 percent over previous year levels, with data released today by the Illinois Association of REALTORS® showing signs that the state’s housing market is strengthening. Statewide home sales (including single-family homes and condominiums) in June 2012 totaled 13,111 homes sold, up 18.0 percent from 11,108 home sales in June 2011. This was the best June performance since 2010 when 13,144 homes were sold in Illinois. The statewide median price in June was $155,000, up 3.3 percent from June 2011 when the median price was $150,000. This was the fourth straight month of median price increases in Illinois, and marked a $32,650 jump in median prices... 08/10/2012

When a Homeowner calls me and ask me to stop by to list their home as a Short-sale, the one thing I already know before they have made the call to me is, it has taken courage to get to the point of deciding it is time to release the home for now and move on with their lives.  My assignment becomes to help them understand how much more courage is required of them. Before I meet in person with a potential Seller Client, I ask them to contact their Lender and inquire all of their options for being released of the mortgage obligation.  The reason I do this is because I want them to get familiar with all the routes out of their present financial hardship.  I ask them to also consult with a Bankruptcy Attorney, so they understand how selling their home could be effected by the decisions they ... 08/09/2012

E. Scott Reckard explains the typical rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage tumbled below 3.5% for the first time this week, Freddie Mac said -- the latest record low in a trend that has fired up refinancings but done little to ignite housing demand. Freddie Mac's weekly survey of what lenders are offering to rock-solid borrowers showed the 30-year rate at an average of 3.49%, down from 3.53% last week. The 15-year fixed loan fell from 2.83% to 2.8%. Borrowers would have paid 0.7% of the loan amount in lender fees and points to obtain the rates, according to Freddie Mac. The survey underscores the success of the Federal Reserve in pushing down interest rates to support a sputtering economy that shows few signs of inflation. In late July 2010 and 2011 the typical 30-year rate in the Freddie M... 08/02/2012

  Picture Your Property Selling: Two Ways to Use a Camera to Sell Your Home Making a Picture Perfect First Impression Smart sellers know that presenting a home for sale means putting it in the best shape ever. Of course, all that work deserves to be shown to the best advantage - both in "real life" and in each and every view of your home. Often, this first impression comes from photographs. Putting your home on the market without a photo is essentially not putting your home on the market at all. People want to peek before taking the time to view. Newspaper advertising, online listings, take-sheets - each contain photographs designed to draw potential buyers to come walk through the home and to experience your property with a view towards ownership. Often photographs are what people keep... 07/30/2012

5 Fast Paced Market Tips for Buyers   When prices and interest rates fall, new buyers are itching to take advantage of them and get into a new home.  But what happens when buyers find there is little available to them?  That's right: bidding wars and multiple offers.When real estate is moving fast, it can pay off big to understand how to move quickly, and take advantage of opportunities that others miss out on.  In real estate, the early bird doesn't get the worm, the early bird gets the home.  Making a big decision in a fast paced market doesn't have to be high pressure.  If you go into your purchase prepared, you'll be in great shape to make that offer when the right home comes available.  Here are the best techniques to make sure you're able to beat out everyone else.1)  Get a Savvy ... 06/28/2012

How to Pass a Home Inspection: Solve Problems First       Richard M Hartian reminds us One of the biggest roadblocks standing between you and the successful sale of your home could be the home inspection. Don’t lie awake nights worrying about what the inspector might find. Instead, conduct your own inspection, with the help of experts if you need them, and pass the inspection with flying colors. Here are some potential problem areas to investigate:   Wipe out mold and mildew Terminate the termites Climb up higher Wash up The devil in the details Wipe out mold and mildewToxic mold has gone high profile in recent years. So mold and mildew stains and odors can scare buyers away on sight. Chances are you won’t even get a reasonable offer if mold and mildew are suspected. Not all mold is tox... 06/05/2012

Fight For Your Clients By Megan Oster http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oa0yUrCkEzs In real estate, the modern definition of customer service means getting in the trenches with clients. Think you provide your clients with superb customer service? Dale Taylor, a broker with RE/MAX All Properties in New Lenox, literally cleaned up feces for a client. The tenant to whom the client had been renting had, without the client’s knowledge, been breeding dogs in the basement of the property – without disposing of their fecal matter. Hoping to list the home for sale, the client invited Taylor to the property – then burst into tears upon discovering the condition of the basement. Taylor leapt to her rescue without a moment’s hesitation. “Sometimes, in order to provide excellent customer service, you h... 05/22/2012

The charts and table below will show real estate market trends for single family Frankfort homes from February 2011 through February 2012.  The chart below shows the number of listings for each month over the past year.  As you can see, listings peaked in March and May of last year and have declined with a small uptick in 2012. Anyone can list their home for sale, so the next graph shows how many actually sold and closed.  The peak month was August, which means that the contracts were accepted generally anywhere from May through July.  It has been downhill since but looks like a slight upswing in February 2012. The next graph shows average list prices for the time period.  There are a couple peaks and valleys but for the most part it has stayed pretty even. The next chart shows what buy... 03/25/2012

There are home buying mistakes that every buyer should avoid, mainly because of the extent of their impact on the buyer. For first time home buyers, it is even more important to be aware of the common errors committed by home buyers so that their first foray into homeownership will be a memorable one – for all the right reasons. The good news is that it is quite easy to avoid these mistakes, as long as the buyer remains open-minded and willing to listen to me. To be a happier home shopper and, eventually, a content homeowner, here are some things you should never do. 1. Favoring looks over function. As a first time home buyer, it is to be expected that you will have a picture in your mind of what your house should look like. It is fine, as long as you can afford it. However, even if you... 03/22/2012

What You Can and Can't Deduct When You Work From Home Working from home can offer many advantages including tax deductions. Just take care what you try to write off for your home office on your return says Donna Fuscaldo. Passing the IRS litmus test To meet IRS guidelines, your home office must be your principal place of business, or the place you see clients in the normal course of business. Parts of your home you use to store products or equipment for your business also count. That doesn't mean that all your work has to be done from home. If you're an outside salesperson, you probably spend most of your work time elsewhere. But if you do you billing and return customer calls primarily from your home, your home office should qualify.You can also qualify for the deduction if your employ... 03/22/2012

6 Home Deduction Traps and How to Avoid Them Get an “A” on your Schedule A Form: Dodge these tax deduction pitfalls to save time, money, and an IRS investigation says Barbara Eisner Bayer. Trap #1: Line 6 - real estate taxes Your monthly mortgage payment often includes money for a tax escrow, from which the lender pays your local real estate taxes.The money you send the bank may be more than what the bank pays for your taxes, says Julian Block, a tax attorney and author of Julian Block’s Home Seller’s Guide to Tax Savings. That will lead you to putting the wrong number on Schedule A.Example: Your monthly payment to the lender: $2,000 for mortgage + $500 escrow for taxes Your annual property tax bill: $5,500 Now do the math: Your bank received $6,000 for real estate taxes, but only paid ... 03/22/2012

10 Easy Mistakes Home Owners Make on Their Taxes Don’t rouse the IRS or pay more taxes than necessary — know the score on each home tax deduction and credit says G.M. Filisko. Sin #1: Deducting the wrong year for property taxes You take a tax deduction for property taxes in the year you (or the holder of your escrow account) actually paid them. Some taxing authorities work a year behind — that is, you’re not billed for 2011 property taxes until 2012. But that’s irrelevant to the feds. Enter on your federal forms whatever amount you actually paid in 2011, no matter what the date is on your tax bill. Dave Hampton, CPA, tax manager at the Cincinnati accounting firm of Burke & Schindler, has seen home owners confuse payments for different years and claim the incorrect amount. Sin #2: Confus... 03/22/2012

It’s often hard to know if the person you are about to work with is credible and knows what they are doing says Richard Hartian.  Without question, a good loan officer is the most important person who will work on your loan, and on your behalf.  A good loan officer knows what the underwriting (the person that approves or denies your loan) knows, which means right from the beginning they can guide you in the right direction. As an 18 year veteran of writing loans, I’ve had the opportunity to see and work with many different types of loan officers; by far the good ones stand out and, for the most part, do the same things…Here is what to look for: A full time loan officer with no other job – Part timers are just that; they know only parts of the process, are not able to stay on top of the ... 03/21/2012

Have we hit the bottom in the housing market Richard Hartian ask? The U.S. housing market was in a major boom cycle for almost 20 years, beginning in the late 1980s and lasting until 2007. However, the residential real estate industry has been in a major slump since late 2007, and has been buffeted by macroeconomic events as well as the inevitable “bust” that follows a two-decade-long booming market. The financial crisis that unfolded in 2008 and 2009 was directly related to the mortgage-backed derivative markets plummeting in value when it became clear that many millions of homeowners would eventually default on their loans. The financial crisis and uncertainty over the very stability of the financial system led lenders to begin drastically tightening their standards, which just tighte... 03/21/2012