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365 Naperville – #153 – 9/11 Memorials

 365 Naperville  No Responses »
Sep 092011
 

Naperville 9/11365 Things to Do In Naperville – #153 – 9/11 Memorials

There are several events planned in Naperville for this Sunday, September 11, 2011 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on our nation. What are your plans for this solemn occasion? I understand that even the Chicago Bears will pay tribute  to those who lost their lives that day, prior to kicking off the 2011 season. Below are the events we are aware of. If you know of additional ones, feel free to share the details or links.

City of Naperville and Naperville Exchange Club

  • Where: The Commander Dan Shanower Memorial, located between the DuPage River and the Naperville Municipal Center in downtown Naperville
  • When: Sunday September 11, 2011. The Millenium Carillon will toll at 12:30pm. The Naperville Municipal Band will perform starting @ 12:45pm, and presentations will begin at 1:00pm. U.S. Navy Rear Admiral Richard Porterfield who served as Commander Shanower’s superior officer will deliver the keynote address.
For a detailed description of the Shanower Memorial, information about Commander Dan Shanower, and Mayor George Pradel’s thoughts, visit the Naperville City page.

 

North Central College

Naperville’s “9/11 Community Event: Remember, Release, Renew” invites people to come together to remember and honor those lost on Sept. 11, 2001 and to build a “community of compassion.”

The event will begin at 4 p.m. in North Central College’s Wentz Concert Hall at the Fine Arts Center, 171 E. Chicago Ave.

The 9/11 Community Event will consist of three segments, and everyone is invited to participate in any or all of them. Beginning at 4 p.m., a participatory art project in the foyer of Wentz Concert Hall will include various hands-on activities designed for the entire family. Participants will have the opportunity to read and sign the Charter for Compassion, where each individual will affirm a commitment to treat all others as we wish to be treated.

At 5 p.m. the event moves inside Wentz Concert Hall. Representatives from numerous Naperville-area Christian, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, and other spiritual and philosophic traditions will present readings, music and a time for meditation and reflection.

The event will culminate with a short procession at 6 p.m. to the Naperville Riverwalk. Artwork created earlier in the event will be carried and displayed.

The event is planned by the One Naperville Project and the Naperville Interfaith Leadership Association. For more information, visit onenaperville.org to learn more.

However you choose to, commemorate the day, because Freedom isn’t Free.

Freedom Isn't Free Bench

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Illinois Housing Market Forecast, Part 2

 Buyers Information, Sellers Information  2 Responses »
Sep 022011
 

Illinois Housing Market Forecast for the Second Half of 2011 −

Two-part video series with University of Illinois economist Dr. Geoffrey J.D. Hewings, from Illinois Association of Realtors.

Want to discuss this in greater detail or explore your particular housing situation? Just EMAIL TONY or give me a call at 630-542-7732.

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Illinois Housing Market Forecast

 Around Naperville, Buyers Information, Sellers Information  4 Responses »
Sep 012011
 

Illinois Housing Market Forecast for the Second Half of 2011 −

Two-part video series with University of Illinois economist Dr. Geoffrey J.D. Hewings, from Illinois Association of Realtors.

Want to discuss this in greater detail or explore your particular housing situation? Just EMAIL TONY or give me a call at 630-542-7732.

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365 Naperville – #152 – Last Fling Parking

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Aug 312011
 

Naperville Last FlingNaperville Jaycee’s Last Fling is this weekend

It’s here again! The Last Fling starts this Friday at 5:00pm and runs through Monday at 6:00pm. Located in downtown Naperville and centered around the Riverwalk area, the Last Fling provides something for everyone. How to get there and where to park? Good questions! See below for details.

“Accessible Parking & Special Arrangements

Accessible parking on-site will be available at the Rotary Hill parking lot next to Aurora Ave and in the lower level of the Municipal Building located at 400 S. Eagle Street (entrance off of Webster Street). Off-site accessible parking is also available at All Saints Academy located at 1155 Aurora Ave.  Accessible shuttle bus service is available at this location approximately every 30 minutes. There is one accessible spot for wheelchairs per bus.

For individuals who need special accommodations, please make arrangements 72 hoursprior to the event by contacting the Last Fling planning committee at (630) 961-4143 or by e-mail at general@lastfling.org. When on-site and you need assistance, please go to the Last Fling security trailer located at the Rotary Hill parking lot next to Aurora Ave or see a Naperville Jaycee, Police, Fire, Park Police, Park District or City Employee for assistance.

Reserved seating will be available for people with disabilities and one companion. Seating is on a first come first serve basis and there will be three locations (one located near the stage on the west side of Rotary Hill, one in the middle of Rotary Hill, and one toward the top of Rotary Hill).

The accessible entrance/exit on the Rotary Hill will be the emergency exit located along the east side of the Rotary Hill, near the Jaycee Rooster Beer tent.

For a map detailing where the accessible parking and the shuttle bus service will be for the Last Fling, please click here.

Shuttle Bus Information

Shuttle service will run between the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Naperville train station, North Central College, All Saints Catholic Academy and the heart of the Last Fling (drop off and pick-up points are at the corner of Eagle Street and Aurora Ave). FREE parking is available at all of the above locations.  To view a map and picture of these locations, please click on the location below:

The service is FREE and the hours of operation are as follows: Friday 6-11 p.m., Saturday & Sunday 4-11 p.m. and Monday 1-6 p.m.. Shuttle run approximately every 30 minutes.”

The above information comes from The Last Fling.

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365 Naperville – #151 – Where Do You Donate Books?

 365 Naperville  No Responses »
Aug 182011
 

I confess: I am a reader. Always have been always will be. Books, mags, cereal boxes, signs, blogs, instructions (sometimes). From Scientific American to fantasy series. Growing up I used to get yelled at by my parents for reading in bed, under the covers, with a flashlight. No Dad, I did not ruin my eyes (the readers are just a sign of age). And now I can rean in bed with an electronic reader.

One of the outgrowths of being a voracious reader is collecting books. Some I share, some I give to friends, others just accumulate. In stacks, on bookshelves, in crates and boxes. And they gather dust.  There used to be book exchanges where you could go and sell what you brought in for a credit to be used to purchase from inventory. Can’t seem to find one of those around. Local libraries are getting more particular about what titles they want to accept, if any.

I am in a de-cluttering mode and decided to find out who or what is out there that will accept book donations. Here are several organizations that I found:

Open-Books.org located in Chicago has drop off points, or can arrange for pickup. According to their page, they are “Open Books is an award-winning nonprofit social venture that operates an extraordinary bookstore, provides community programs, and mobilizes passionate volunteers to promote literacy in Chicago and beyond.”

Books 4 Cause states “Books4Cause runs book drives and book donation campaigns which help fund and support various initiatives locally, nationally, and around the world. Since we began arranging book donation drives in early 2006, we have raised thousands of dollars for our non-profit partners and salvaged tens of thousands of books that were headed for landfills. We are expanding our focus to support additional causes and continue to help those in need. Most of our donated books are sent to Africa with the assistance of our non-profit partner Human Service Resources, Inc (HSRI). HSRI runs the Good Books for Africa program distributing books to children in classrooms and libraries in Ghana and elsewhere in Africa.”

Operation Paperback is a non-profit organization incorporated in the State of Pennsylvania that collects gently used books nationwide and sends them to American troops deployed overseas. Since 1999, we have shipped over 1.3 million books to locations around the globe. They have a voluntary ship direct program that you can check out.

Do you know of any other options? If you do, please leave the information in a comment so others can take advantage of the resources. Thanks and good reading!

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Selling Your Home by Owner?

 Buyers Information, Sellers Information  No Responses »
Aug 092011
 

The following article is reposted here with permission of The KCM Crew. In our opinion, it points to a major value Realtor’s bring to the transaction: Market knowledge. Think the 6% commission was worth the additional $150,000 received? Hmmm…

FSBO a No Go!

by THE KCM CREW on AUGUST 9, 2011

This blog prides itself on the quality of real estate information we deliver each and every day. We try to gather empirical evidence to validate the positions we take. We do not use just an anecdotal story to make a point. We also do not get caught up in the sensationalism of the moment. However, today will be different.

We can’t resist commenting on the story which recently appeared in the Wall Street Journal regarding Colby Sambrotto, the founder and former CEO of ForSaleByOwner.com. It seems the founding father and lifelong evangelist of the concept of selling your home without a real estate agent was forced to hire a broker to sell his home after failing at what he preaches others should do.

After failing to sell his NYC apartment on his own as a For Sale By Owner (FSBO), Sambrotto hired a broker and paid a 6% commission in order to get the job done. His personal experience helps refute some of the myths Sambrotto has been espousing for over a decade. Let’s look at two of those myths:

Myth #1 – You Will Pocket More Money Selling on Your Own

Most FSBO sites say you can save the commission by selling on your own. What happened in Sambrotto’s sale?

From the WSJ article:

“The broker, Jesse Buckler, said he told Mr. Sambrotto the apartment in the Lion’s Head building on West 19th Street near Sixth Avenue was priced too low and wasn’t drawing the right buyers.

By May, it went into contract, he said, after attracting multiple offers. It closed in the last few days for $150,000 more than the original asking price.”

Myth #2 – The Internet Alone Can Sell Your Home

Many have said that, with the introduction of home search on the internet, hiring an agent is no longer a necessity. What happened to the FSBO guru when he attempted to only depend on the internet?

From the WSJ article:

“Looking to move his family to the suburbs, [Mr. Sambrotto] said he carefully staged his apartment for sale himself, and put it on the market. But after using a mix of websites to publicize his apartment, he said he had only ‘middling success’ and switched to a broker because many buyers were so reliant on brokers.”

Bottom Line

There is a reason the real estate industry has been around for centuries: it performs a valuable service.

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Naperville Home Sales Report – July 2011

 Naperville Market Statistics  No Responses »
Aug 082011
 

Naperville Single Family Home Sales Report July 2011

We are finally seeing it – the end of effect of the homebuyer tax credit.  According to Dr. Geoffrey J.D. Hewings, director of the Regional Economics Applications Laboratory (REAL) of the University of Illinois, “The forecasts indicate that the housing market will reach its 2011 annual peak in July. Comparing the housing market in 2011 with 2010, the sales volume in the third quarter of 2011 is expected to surpass the third quarter of 2010 by 30 percent. This means the effect of the homebuyer tax credit will finally fade out in Illinois starting July 2011; some of the increase in the annual sales can be attributed to the significant decline that took place in 2010 when the effect of the withdrawal of the housing credit resulted in a sharp drop in housing sales for several months in a row.”  The above quotation is taken from last months housing report from the Illinois Association of Realtors and predicted an increase in activity for 2011. And, here are the numbers*…

Non – Bank Owned July 10 July 11 Change
Sold 95 115 21.1%
Under Contract 92 110 19.6%
For Sale 1,143 1,055 -7.7%
Months Supply – Sold 9.6 7.1 -26.0%
Median Pricing
Sold 453,000 388,000 -14.3%
Under Contract 442,400 393,750 -11.0%
For Sale 450,000 445,000 -1.1%

*Source of above – MRED – Midwest Real Estate Data through July 2011.

As you can see,  Homes Sold increased by 21% to 115 units: Under Contract jumped to 110 units, an increase of 19.6%. Units Sold dropped by almost 8%. Inventory levels continue to come down, almost to a balanced market point (6 months inventory is considered a balanced market). That is the good news.

On the flip side, we are continuing to see downward pressure on pricing. Median Sold prices dropped 14.3% from the same period a year ago to $388,000. Meanwhile, Median For Sale prices remained about the same at $445,000. What this points to, in our opinion, is seller expectations of value are still higher than the market realities.

90-day stats for Single Family properties in
NAPERVILLE, IL as of May 11, 2012
Median List Price:$444,858Average List Price:$541,573
Total Inventory:787Price per Square Foot:$157
Average Home Size:2,994Median Lot Size:11,323
Average # Beds:4.01Average # Baths:3.23
Homes Absorbed:35Newly Listed:54
Days on Market:216Average Age:24

The above statistics are for single family homes in Naperville, non-bank owned. The same information is available for Lisle, Aurora, Plainfield and Oswego. Give us a call at 630-718-2305 or drop us an email with your request. Additionally, you may have reports emailed directly to you for the zip code area you want to explore.

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365 Naperville #150 – Electronics Recycling

 365 Naperville  2 Responses »
Aug 032011
 

365 Naperville – Recycle Those Electronics While You Can

Did you know that beginning January 1, 2012 there will be a landfill ban for many electronic devices including computers, monitors, printers, and televisions? Maybe that means it’s a good time to take advantage of an Electronics Recycling Program offered by the City of Aurora. Eligible items include the following:

MP3 players Cameras
Camcorders Televisions
DVD Players VCR’s
Stereos Video game consoles
Telephones Cell phones
Answering machines PDS’s
Laptops Computers
Monitors Printers
Fax machines Scanners
Comp accessories-mouse, keyboard, modem Servers
Network Equip Microwave

Large appliances and smaller appliances including coffee makers and toasters, and hazardous waste materials will not be accepted. Residents are required to unload their own electronics from their vehicles at the collection sites.

Hours of operation are 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. Dates and Locations are as follows:

Customer Service Center Central Garage
3770 McCoy, Aurora 720 N Broadway, Aurora
August 20 August 6
September 24 September 10
October 22 October 8
November 19 November 5
December 17 December 3
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365 Naperville – #149 – Back to School Supply Drive

 365 Naperville  No Responses »
Aug 012011
 

365 Naperville – Equipping our School Children for Success

Help! Supplies are needed to help Naperville school children have what they need when they return to school this month.  Collection points include Naperville Park District facilities, DuPage Children’s Museum and various points around town. See below for needed items.

If you have questions on this program, please contact Jason Altenbern, District 204, 630.375.3017.

Pens Crayons – box of 24
Pencils – Regular, colored, mechanical Glue Sticks
Pencil eraser toppers or other erasers Scissors – metal
Highlighters Compasses
Dry erase markers Protractors
Low or odorless EXPO markers Standard/Metric rulers
3×5 index cards Backbacks, new or gently used
Notebook paper Zip-lock bags – quart & gallon size
Notebook page dividers Post its or tabs for making notes w/out writing in books
2-pocket, 3 ring paper or plastic folders Art smocks
Wide rules spiral/subject notebooks 8 1/2×11 Supply box 8x5x2
Folders Clorox/Lysol wipes
1-4gb flash drives Gym Shoes
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Naperville Home Sales Activity Report June 2011

 Naperville Market Statistics  No Responses »
Jul 212011
 

Naperville Foreclosure Report – June 2011

The foreclosure market in Naperville, especially for single family homes, continues to be tight. While we continue to hear reports of large numbers of new properties coming to the market, as of yet we are not seeing it, at least hear in Naperville.

In comparison to June 2010, activity is increasing with a smaller inventory base to chose from. Solds increased year over year by 25% – from 12 to 15. Under Contract doubled from 10 to 20. And properties For Sale dropped 19% from 152 to 123.

Here is a quick look at the numbers:

Measure Jun 10 Jun 11 Change
Sold 12 15 -25.0%
Under Contract 10 20 100.%
For Sale 152 123 -19.1%
Months Supply 12.9 4.1 -68.2%

You can see that we have had a dramatic reduction in Months Supply of Inventory. A year ago it was almost 13 months. June 2011 it was down to 4.1 months. A balanced market, favoring neither buyer or sellers is considered to be six months. At the current rate, the market has tilted towards the banks. Properties they are bringing on the market are priced to sell and are moving quickly.

If you are an investor or buyer looking for a foreclosed home in Naperville, be prepared to act quickly. These properties are not staying on the market long.

If you want more detailed information or would like to discuss opportunities, please give me a call @ 630.542.7732. Want to see what is available in the foreclosure market? Sign up for our FREE Foreclosure Report.

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