The age-old observation that "you never get a second chance to make a first impression" certainly applies when it comes to attracting buyers to a for-sale home. Making a good first impression can mean the difference between receiving serious offers for your home or being subjected to months of lookie-loos dropping by but never buying. How can you ensure that your home will make the best impression possible? Here are six tips for savvy home sellers: 1. Focus on curb appeal. The outside of your house can be the source of a very good first impression. Keep the grass well-watered and mowed. Have your trees trimmed. Cut back overgrowth. Plant some blooming flowers. Store toys, bicycles, roller-skates, gardening equipment and the like out of sight. Have at least the front of your house and th... 01/16/2007

Meeting With RealtorsSo you've decided to sell your home and have a fairly good idea of what you think it is worth. Being a sensible home seller, you schedule appointments with three local listing agents who've been hanging stuff on your front doorknob for years. Each Realtor comes prepared with a "Competitive Market Analysis" on fancy paper and they each recommend a specific sales price.Amazingly, a couple of the Realtors have come up with prices that are lower than you expected. Although they back up their recommendations with recent sales data of similar homes, you remain convinced your house is worth more. When you interview the third agent's figures, they are much more in line with your own anticipated value, or maybe even higher. Suddenly, you are a happy and excited home seller, ... 01/15/2007

The trade deficit for November declined by 1% to $58.2 billion, the lowest level since July 2005, the Commerce Department said January 10. Despite the improvement, the total 2006 trade deficit is on pace to reach $765.4 billion (December's trade numbers must still be tallied), compared to $716.7 billion in 2005. Led by robust holiday shopping, retail sales increased 0.9% in December, the strongest showing since a 1.4% increase in July. For 2006, retail sales rose by 6%, a solid showing, but down from a 6.9% increase in 2005. Despite improving retail sales, U.S. wholesale inventories leapt by 1.3% in November, triple the 0.4% rate of increase predicted by analysts. A broad-based accumulation of stockpiles ranging from cars to farm products to petroleum helped fuel the increase.Following ... 01/15/2007

Oswego Real Estate Real estate in Oswego is centered on three main areas - the Boulder Hill area, the downtown area along the Fox River and farther east near the intersection of Douglas Road and Wolf's Crossing. The Boulder Hill area features nearly 4,000 homes and is shared by the three communities of Aurora, Oswego and Montgomery. Homes in this area started being built in the 1950's and new homes continue to be added to this day. Real estate in the downtown section of Oswego along the Fox River features many older homes dating back to the turn-of-the-century. Due to the separate periods of development this community has seen, there is a wide range of homes available to home buyers searching for real estate in Oswego.Oswego, Illinois HistoryOswego Illinois is another "river city" found... 01/10/2007

 For homeowners, water can be a quiet villain. This seemingly innocuous element can harm your house gradually over time or in sudden disastrous events. A home that is water damaged can be a health hazard to its occupants and is very often expensive to repair. Common Causes of Water and Moisture DamageWater damage can be grouped into two general sources: 1) leaks of external water through the home's exterior and 2) moisture accumulation from internal sources. Below are some of the most frequent causes of moisture damage: Roof/Flashing Needs Repair - Worn or broken roofing material can expose your home to moisture intrusion and damage. Most leaks occur around joints and intersections of roof surfaces. Gutter/Downspout Problems - Clogged gutters or downspouts can create water overflows tha... 01/06/2007

The vast majority of sellers list their home with a real estate agent, but some individuals choose to go through the selling process on their own. Selling a home "For Sale By Owner", while entirely possible, does come with a list of hurdles and some significant risks. Un-represented sellers are motivated to save the cost of the agent's commission. In many cases, however, selling without assistance can result in a lower closing price that negates such gains. In a survey of more than 7,800 buyers and sellers from around the country, the 2005 National Association of Realtors® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers showed that the median price for homes sold directly by the owner was 16 percent lower than homes sold with the assistance of a real estate professional. FSBO vs. Direct SalesIn 2005... 01/06/2007

I am brand new to the blogging world so bear with me.......Over the holidays my family and I had a nice relaxing break from the everyday life, you need to do this now and then. But over the course of the break, my mind would wonder over my past year in Real Estate and bring wonder of what was to come for the new year. I thought about the typical "New Years Resolutions", lose weight, quit smoking, get organized! Fortunatly for me, only a few of the typical resolutions could apply. What could I improve on that would help me in my day to day life, which in turn would bring a better new year in the Real Estate world.....get organized! I am sure I am not alone when it comes to this subject! Last year proved a busy year for my business, and my personal life. With a very active family, and a c... 01/03/2007

So you've decided to sell your home and have a fairly good idea of what you think it is worth. Being a sensible home seller, you schedule appointments with three local listing agents who've been hanging stuff on your front doorknob for years. Each Realtor comes prepared with a "Competitive Market Analysis" on fancy paper and they each recommend a specific sales price.Amazingly, a couple of the Realtors have come up with prices that are lower than you expected. Although they back up their recommendations with recent sales data of similar homes, you remain convinced your house is worth more. When you interview the third agent's figures, they are much more in line with your own anticipated value, or maybe even higher. Suddenly, you are a happy and excited home seller, already counting the ... 12/19/2006

The Fed has just announced they have decided to remain in a "paused" mode and will NOT be making any changes to the Fed Funds Rate at this time. But as expected - Fed President Jeffrey Lacker still disagreed with the vote, and said another .25% hike was needed.Because the Fed Funds Rate influences many Adjustable Rate loans, as well as being tied to the Prime Rate - the Fed's decisions can impact you greatly, especially if you are one of the millions of Americans who have an Adjustable Rate Mortgage, Home Equity Line of Credit, credit cards, or any one of the other debts impacted by the Fed Funds Rate or Prime. So for now, a continued "pause" is good news.The Fed's main charge is to control inflation - not just for us, but for our future generations as well. And although inflation remai... 12/19/2006

The Village of Oswego was a sleepy little farming community along the Fox River not so long ago. These days housing developments are the crop growing from those farms. The downtown area is small and quaint, but is starting to wake to it's own natural charm of being a river city. As the developments have come, so have the amenities that come with the growth. Restaurants, shops and more... The potential extension of the Metra commuter line to Orchard Road on the west end of town has fueled growth there.The overall real estate market in Oswego is sluggish just as it is elsewhere. Inventory has picked up as new developments have come to town creating some excellent opportunities for buyers. However, the months supply of inventory (MSI) in November of 2006 is actually down from the same time... 12/14/2006

Ever been faced with this dilemma when out shopping? You walk up to the register to pay for an item that costs $8. The cashier rings it up, and when you reach into your wallet to pull out a credit card to pay, the cashier explains that the "store policy" requires a minimum purchase of $25 when paying with a credit card. Frustrated and embarrassed, you realize that you are short on cash, do not have a checkbook, and are forced to either pass on the item or make a mad dash to the closest ATM, pull out the cash, and maybe even get hit with a service charge for using the ATM.But did you know that retailers cannot require a minimum charge for merchandise? Here is the scoop.Many of us think that when a retailer refuses to accept a credit card for a small purchase, it is the credit card compan... 12/11/2006

Probably the big news in the December 2006 Economic Outlook published by Freddie Mac's Office of the Chief Economist last Friday was that the office has finally changed its interest rate projection for the year.The monthly forecast since late last year has clung to a projection that the 30-year mortgage rate would average 6.5 percent for the year. This number went up to 6.6 for a few months in late summer when rates did rise steadily but only now, with recent rates off of July highs by 69 basis points has Freddie revised its projection to 6.3 percent for the 4th Quarter and 6.4 percent for the year. The average rate for 2007 is projected at 6.3 percent which is a substantial improvement over the 6.7 average forecast earlier in the year.The main thrust of the December Outlook, however, w... 12/11/2006

One of the country's top housing economists has come out with a new forecast and timeline for the market over the coming months - and it's got some great insights for anybody interested in real estate.Dr. David Seiders, chief economist for the National Association of Home Builders, says that housing starts are now down by about 20 percent from levels a year ago - but that should be no surprise.After all, he says, after years of record housing production, the market had to cool off, "We are in the midst of an inevitable adjustment following boom years when housing market activity soared to unsustainable levels. The market that emerges from the current correction will display good balance between supply and demand, and move to a sustainable trend based on solid underlying fundamentals."Ho... 12/07/2006

A Time for Yellow FlagsNovember 28, 2006Figures from the National Association of Realtors show that the market has done fairly well. Of 148 metro areas, 102 showed year-to-year price gains, 45 were down and one was unchanged.Twenty-one metro markets actually showed doubled digit price increases. Overall, prices nationwide dipped 1.2 percent to $224,900 from $227,600 a year earlier. As to sales, they're down 12.7 percent when compared to the third quarter of 2005, but 2005 was an amazing year. As things now stand, the country will sell better than 6.25 million homes this year, one of the best years on record.As good as the quarterly figures look -- and despite some softness they look very good in the context of the past decade -- they do not tell the whole story.While unit sales are easy... 12/07/2006

Be careful of odors in your home. If your family room smells stuffy and stale, or if your cat or dog has left a distinctive odor in the hallway, take action by eliminating the source of the odor rather than merely treating the effects. Smells have a powerful effect on the way people react to a house, and no amount of room freshener or vanilla on the light bulbs can mask a serious odor problem. In fact, such remedies may draw attention to the problem. We have seen homes with an odor problem languish unsold on the market for months or sell for significantly less than comparable homes in the neighborhood. 12/07/2006

In many ways New Year's Eve is the procrastinator's holiday, as the hectic pace and distractions of December can easily push New Year's plans out of mind. Those that wait are often left with a choice between hastily crafted plans or no real New Year's celebration at all. Here are some unique ways to usher in 2007 on short notice:  A Quiet Getaway - Often New Year's plans center on places where "everything is happening" - why not take the exact opposite approach? Some out-of the way tourist areas that are crowded in the summer may have affordable off-season rates and availability on short notice during the winter months. A calm weekend at a cozy bed and breakfast can serve as relaxing coda to a long year. This is especially suited for those who want to spend a romantic New Year's with th... 12/06/2006

Gloomy weather, icy roadways, and crowded airports aren't likely to prevent thousands of Americans from traveling this winter. The fact that Christmas and New Year's fall on Mondays this year may help spread out the "heavy" travel days, but overall the volume of travelers is expected to reach or exceed record volumes as it has during each of the past two holiday seasons. Here are some tips and reminders for winter travel: Drain water from outdoor hoses and faucets before leaving home, and make sure outdoor faucets are covered with insulating material. Make sure all interior pipes in unheated areas are properly insulated. For long trips away from home, leave a set of keys with a friend or neighbor who can check in on your home. Pets should be kept indoors during cold winter months. Board... 12/06/2006

Standard phishing scams use e-mail to direct potential victims to phony Web pages to steal their identities. Phone phishing scams work a little differently:Instead of being directed to a Web page, you could be prompted by e-mail to call a customer support number.On the other end of the phone line, a person or an audio response unit waits to take your account number, personal identification number, password, or other valuable personal data. The person on the other end of the phone line might claim that your account will be closed or other problems could occur if you don't respond. Perpetrators often use payphones, stolen cellular phone numbers, or hacked accounts. This scam might also take advantage of fax or VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) numbers.Tips to help avoid phone phishing s... 12/05/2006

You've been programming too long whenWhen you are counting objects, you go "0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,A,B,C,D...".When asked about a bus schedule, you wonder if it is 16 or 32 bits.When your wife says "If you don't turn off that darn machine and come to bed,then I am going to divorce you!", and you chastise her for for omitting the else clause.When you are reading a book and look for the space bar to get to the next page.When you look for your car keys using: "grep keys /dev/pockets"When after fooling around all day with routers etc, you pick up the phone and start dialing an IP number.When you get in the elevator and double-press the button for the floor you want.When not only do you check your email more often than your paper mail, but you remember your {network address} faster than your po... 12/05/2006

The shopping season is now in full swing. And whether you bought electronics or clothes or toys this weekend...or just stayed home and enjoyed football and leftovers...retailers everywhere enjoyed a long day of consumer spending on Black Friday, the busiest shopping day of the year. And did you know the actual celebration date of Thanksgiving has some shopping trivia in its history? Here's an interesting tidbit to bring to your next holiday gathering.Abraham Lincoln gave his Thanksgiving Proclamation in 1863, and stated that the last Thursday in November would be the national day of Thanksgiving - but then in 1939, during the Great Depression, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt switched Lincoln's chosen date of the last Thursday of November to the second-to-last Thursday of November, p... 12/04/2006