Our Short Sale Specialists Can Help You Achieve a Fresh StartHaving difficulty making your mortgage payments?Do you want lenders stop calling?Do you want to dispose your debt?Your mortgage adjusts soon and you cannot afford paying the new rate?Want to sell your house but there is not enough equity?Do you want a fresh start?Regardless of your circumstances, we have powerful solutions available.  John Hruska is part of the the leading SHORT SALE REAL ESTATE TEAM in Northern Illinois. 05/07/2008

Set your goals quickly, and adjust them later if you've aimed too high or too low. Many of the goals that have the greatest positive influence on our lives are those we set in unfamiliar territory.____________________________________________________________________________________________________________"If you have not consciously made the decision to be rich, excellent, and healthy, then you have unconsciously made the decision to be poor, mediocre, and unhealthy." - Wallace D. Wattles: Was a self-help author____________________________________________________________________________________________________________There is no excellence uncoupled with difficulty. Ovid____________________________________________________________________________________________________________"The meetin... 05/07/2008

Definition of a Short Sale:  The amount owed on a property is greater than the actual value and the lender agrees to forgive the difference to avoid foreclosure. For all the homeowners who are upside down and can no longer make their mortgage payment, until now the only option was, well, letting the lender foreclose.  The reason homeowners are in this situation is:1. Unexpected hardship -  Job loss, change in income, increased debt, family emergencies, etc.2.  Creative mortgage financing -  ARM and/or payment adjustment, deferred interest program (option ARM), 100% financing, purchase money, subprime mortgage, 40/50 year mortgages, etc.3.  Market conditions -  Values decreasing, no equity, speculators, flippersForeclosure is not a good option since it can adversely affect your credit re... 05/05/2008

This weekend I had some time to walk around in Dowtown, Oswego and I stopped by the war memorial just outside the Oswego Public Library.  Although I had passed by the memorial many times, I had never stoped to read the plaques and discover this unique Oswego Landmark.  The War meorial has a granite pillar memorializing each branch of the service and and an eternal flame burning above them.  To the side there is a brick pathway "Veterans Memorial Walkway" that leads across the railroad tracks and down to the river.   As you walk down the pathway, there is a plaque commemorating each war the United States has fought and how many soldiers died in each war.  From the Spanish-American War to the war in Iraq - every conflict is included.  I found it a very educational experience.  When you st... 05/04/2008

ARBOR GATE, OSWEGO ARBOR GATE - SALES FOR APRIL, 2008 Arbor Gate in Oswego is located just south of Oswego Highschool, off Rt. 71.  Built by Centex & Montalbano homes it contains 215 single family homes.  As of today, only 2 homes have sold in Arbor Gate in the first four months of 2008.   During the same period last year - 3 homes sold.  With such few homes to compare - it's hard to get an accurate view of pricing. Homes sold this year are selling in the $260k - $270k range, while last year they sold between $260k - $320k. ARBOR GATE - CURRENT LISTINGSCurrently there are 3 homes available for sale in Arbor Gate, Oswego ranging from $275k-$293k with an average market time of 81 days.  If you would like to learn morea bout ArborGate - visit ArborGate.info Bo Buchanan, Kettley Realtors 58... 05/04/2008

Village Offices to Move Village of Oswego Offices Move to New Village HallOn Friday, May 2nd, the following Village of Oswego offices will be relocating to our new Village Hall: Administration, Building and Zoning, Clerk's Office, Community Development, Community Relations, Finance, Human Resources, Public Works, and the Village President and Board of Trustees. The address of the new Village Hall is 100 Parkers Mill, Oswego, IL 60543. These offices will work on limited availability during that day. Please note the Oswego Police Department will not be affected by this move and will be open for residents. For more information, please call 630-554-3618. 05/03/2008

"Your chances of success are directly proportional to the degree of pleasure you derive from what you do." -- Michael Korda____________________________________________________________________________________________________________Always ask yourself what steps a leader would take, and then take them. -Brian Koslow____________________________________________________________________________________________________________Quote of the Day "The best way to predict your future is to create it." -- Stephen Covey____________________________________________________________________________________________________________"Never fear shadows. They simply mean there's a light shining somewhere nearby." - Ruth Renkel___________________________________________________________________________________... 05/03/2008

Hometown, Oswego is located just west of the river in Downtown Oswego and next to the new Oswego Village Hall.  For the second month in a row there were no sales recorded in Hometown.  Since the beginning of 2008 - 4 homes have sold. This same time last year - 6 homes were sold between Jan & Feb, 2007 with 2 of those sales closing in April, 2007.  Currently, there are 8 homes for sale in Hometown, Oswego.HOMETOWN, OSWEGO - CURRENT LISTINGSDetached SingleBedrooms# ActiveAvg. LPAvg. MTAll8$221,6501012 or Less2$173,7505636$237,617116Market Time is significantly longer this year than it was last year with prices significantly lower.  Bo Buchanan, Kettley Realtors 58 Chicago Rd, Oswego IL. 60543  (630) 846-4663IllinoisHouseHunter.com|OswegoHouseHunter.com|MontgomeryHouseHunter.com|YorkvilleH... 05/02/2008

Oswego, Illinois SOLD April 2008 Real Estate Market statistics for Oswego, Illinois April, 2008.  2 separate categories are included - Single Family homes (Detached Single), Condos & Townhomes (Attached Single).If you would like a more detailed report of your specific neighborhood please don't hesitate to contact me.  OSWEGO SOLD - APRIL 2008 Detached SingleBedrooms# Sold% SoldAvg LP (Sold)Avg SPSP:LP RatioAvg MT (Sold)Avg LP (Unsold)% ExpdAll14100%$275,075$263,99896%143$00%33100%$221,683$216,50098%116 0%411100%$289,637$276,95296%150 0%Attached SingleBedrooms# Sold% SoldAvg LP (Sold)Avg SPSP:LP RatioAvg MT (Sold)Avg LP (Unsold)% ExpdAll9100%$206,995$199,25896%251$00%2 or Less2100%$108,950$103,75095%334 0%37100%$235,008$226,54696%227 0% Bo Buchanan, Kettley Realtors 58 Chicago Rd, Oswego... 04/30/2008

ANNUAL OSWEGO COMMUNITY GARAGE SALEFriday, May 16thSaturday, May 17th Oswego will be having it's annual community garage sale in a few weeks - Friday May 16th & Saturday May 17th.  The garage sale is sponsored by the the Environmentally Conscious Oswego Commission.  You can sign up for the garage sale at the Oswego Village Hall.  In order to be included in the advertising in the Oswego Ledger Sentinel & the Prairie Times, you must sign up by May 9th and pay the $10.00 advertising fee.  Once you sign up - you will receive a garage sale sign that needs to be returned when the sale is over.  For more information, call Lisa Dicke at 630-554-3622  Bo Buchanan, Kettley Realtors 58 Chicago Rd, Oswego IL. 60543  (630) 846-4663IllinoisHouseHunter.com|OswegoHouseHunter.com|MontgomeryHouseHunter.c... 04/30/2008

Two new properties coming up for sale.  These are foreclosures being offered by Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac.  They are not yet listed but I get notified before they come on the market.  Contact me for more details: Harbor Drive, Oswego Illinos.  4 Bedroom, 4 bathroom.  Not yet priced. Cascade Ridge Drive, Plainfield Illinois 3 Bedroom, 2.5 bathroom.  Not yet priced   For a property that is not yet priced, I would help you pull comparable property sales and determine what the value is. Bo Buchanan, Kettley Realtors 58 Chicago Rd, Oswego IL. 60543  (630) 846-4663IllinoisHouseHunter.com|OswegoHouseHunter.com|MontgomeryHouseHunter.com|YorkvilleHouseHunter.com  04/18/2008

If you've ever listed your home for sale or looked at a home for sale, you've seen a lock box on the front door. A lock box contains a key to your home that will allow Realtors to show your home to prospective buyers. Every now and then I run into someone who just doesn't want a lock box on the front door and I have to explain exactly how important it is. During prospective showings, it is always best if the seller isn't home. Buyers have a hard time being honest with each other and the Realtor when they know the homeowner might be able to hear the conversation. Even if the homeowner leaves when you get there - it immediatley reinforces the idea that "we are looking at someone elses house" rather than "We are looking at our potential house". This is the same reason we as Realtors often ... 04/18/2008

"Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." -- Henry David Thoreau____________________________________________________________________________________________________________Daily Thought: Be open to your dreams, people. Embrace that distant shore. Because our mortal journey is over all too soon. -- David Assael, Northern Exposure____________________________________________________________________________________________________________Unless you are able to overlook idle gossip you will always be busy with unnecessary trouble.____________________________________________________________________________________________________________"You control your life by controlling your time." -- Conrad Hilton___________________________________________________... 04/07/2008

To please people is a great step towards persuading them. -- Lord Chesterfield____________________________________________________________________________________________________________"In the long run you hit what you aim at. Therefore, though you should fail immediately, you had better aim at something high." -- Henry David Thoreau____________________________________________________________________________________________________________"Most misfortunes are the results of misused time." -- Napoleon Hill____________________________________________________________________________________________________________"I know the price of success: dedication, hard work and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen." ----Frank Lloyd Wright____________________________________... 03/01/2008

Oswego, Illinois is a great town along the Fox River in Kendall County - just southwest of Aurora. Until recently it was considered a small village and has since been transformed into one of the fastest growing communities in the state.  Kendall County was considered the second fastest growing Counties in the nation. Oswego is quickly earning recognition of their excellent school system (District 308).  Throughout the community there are wonderful parks and recreation facilities that create a climate which attracts families. The Village of Oswego launched a project to enhance and restore the historic downtown district which included streetscape improvements such as brick pavers, sidewalks, landscaping and decorative streetlights and benches. Hudson Crossing Park is located along the Fox... 01/06/2008

Ingredients 1/2 cup mixed berries of your choice 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt 1/4 cup cornflakes or Cheerios from the bottom of the boxPreparation  In a small serving glass, layer the ingredients beginning with the berries, yogurt, cornflakes or Cheerios and repeat another two times to finish with the Cheerios or cornflakes on top. 12/01/2007

"The most important things to say are those which often I did not think necessary for me to say -- because they were too obvious." - André Gide, The Journals of André Gide____________________________________________________________________________________________________________"I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have." - Abraham Lincoln____________________________________________________________________________________________________________"Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision." -- Peter F. Drucker, business strategist____________________________________________________________________________________________________________"Let not your mind run on what you... 12/01/2007

Long-range purposes keep you from being frustrated by short-term failures._____________________________________________________________________________________________The poor man is not he who is without a cent, but he who is without a dream. Harry Kempe_____________________________________________________________________________________________Daily Thought: I pay no attention whatever to anybody's praise or blame. I simply follow my own feelings. -- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart_____________________________________________________________________________________________A man who gets treed by a lion but enjoys the scenery is an optimist._____________________________________________________________________________________________"You can't dig a new well by digging the same hole deeper." --... 11/30/2007

Well I hope all of the fellow active rainers had an enjoyable holiday.  The question I was wondering is how will you all spend your day after.  I can't belive these stores that are opening at 4:00am.  I remember last year when I thought 6:00am was too early.  Could anyone need a gift or a deal that bad???  I was guilt of being an early morning shopper 4 years ago when I went out to purchase a laptop computer.  I think after looking back, I didn't really save any money.  I saw the same system weeks later for the same amount of money.Others may feel they ate too much and want to get an early morning workout in their day.  My brother in law,  reminded me that this is on our Friday morning list of things to do.However you plan to spend the day, Enjoy !  Be safe with the shopping madness and... 11/22/2007

Traditional celebrationThanksgiving meals are traditionally family events where certain kinds of food are served. As is evidenced by the tremendous level of travel, significant effort is made by family members to gather for the Thanksgiving celebration. Family participation is notably inclusive ranging from the very youngest to the most senior. First and foremost, turkey is the featured item in most Thanksgiving feasts (so much so that Thanksgiving is sometimes facetiously referred to as "Turkey Day"). Stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, corn, turnips, rolls, pecan pie, and pumpkin pie are commonly associated with Thanksgiving dinner. Often guests bring food items or help with cooking in the kitchen as part of a communal meal.There is very little comme... 11/21/2007