A Contract for Deed allows a buyer to purchase a home at a negotiated price from a seller with a small down payment. A banking institution will then treat this as a refinance after at least 12 months or more of timely payments made through a third party (checking account) to the seller. This offers the buyer time to build equity in the home, make any necessary home repairs for fixed rate secondary market loans, and time to repair any credit problems prior to bank financing.  The big secret is that banks then treat the contract as a refinance with equity built into the home.   It is a win win scenario. Buyer Benefits: allows monthly buildup of equity allows the buyer time to repair credit for bank financing Seller Benefits: home is sold faster during a slow market the home is usually s... 06/10/2008

Sterling,  Rock Falls and Dixon, Illinois Market Survey Report  Real Estate Survey of Whiteside and Lee County Town Real Estate for SaleWeek of January 8, 2008 - January 15, 2008      CITYNew and Back on Market2008  /  2007 Went To Pending2008  / 2007Went to Expired2008 / 2007Went to Closed2008 / 2007Sterling16/114 / 27 / 82 / 5Rock Falls13 / 134 / 6 4 / 62 / 4Dixon16 / 62 / 6 10 / 132 / 2  This chart shows the total sales volume for the second week of January 2008 as compared to the same time in 2007. Year to date graph will follow. The market data for real estate and homes for sale in Sterling, Rock Falls and Dixon was pulled from the Sauk Valley Association of Realtors as of a 5:30 P.M. download and all information is believed to be accurate but not warranted.   As you can see there ... 01/16/2008

NEW LAWS REGARDING REAL ESTATE In 2008 for State of Illinois  Hello all Sterling Illinois Homes buyers and sellers.  If you own a home and are planning to sell,  or are buying a home in Illinois a recent change to Illinois law is of importance to you. Effective January 1, 2008, all sellers of residential property in Illinois must provide buyers with a completed Radon Disclosure Form. This form is much like the lead base form and provides for the seller to inform any potential buyer of any known information about the presence of radon in a home. This act is known as the Illinois Radon Awareness Act.  Much of what is here is pretty scientific. In order to save time I have given you the quick version of this law as well as RADON. I have included links to the important details throughout th... 01/01/2008

Sterling Illinois Homes and Inspections  What can you expect from a professional home inspection? So you have decided to make that offer and the seller has accepted. You have decided to have a home inspection. Now what? Well, if the home is in Illinois state law mandates that the inspector must be licensed. Your Sterling, Illinois Realtor  will be able to provide you with a list of home inspectors. It is best to speak with several so that you can get an idea of costs and their level of expertise.   The job of the home inspector that you hire is to look over all the major parts of the home that you and your agent may not have been able to see or get to and to write a report of the findings. It makes sense for you to attend the inspection so you don't have to try to decipher the report. T... 12/30/2007