If you live in Planfield or if you are thinking about making this great city your home, you might want to keep up-to-date on what's going on in the real estate market.  Are you looking for current information?  Are you looking to sell your home and can't decide whether this is the right time for you and your family? Have you thought about purchasing a home but need more information?  Then this is the site for you! You will find helpful statistics that will open your eyes to the reality of what's sold and what is selling.I have included some great information on what has sold and the price ranges, days on market, month to month comparisons, and year ending comparisons. This information does not target individual subdivisions but is meant to be an overall view of the Plainfield market.So,... 05/17/2012

    I May Not Be Yoda, but I'm Darn Close!           Yesterday, I was reading yet another blog about the low interest rates presently available to  home buyers seeking mortgage financing.         Seems another new historic low was announced. Something not quite so noteworthy anymore, as we all have grown used to hearing about how the rates have dipped, dipped, and dipped again.           And therein lies my big worry, both as a  mortgage lender  and as a parent.   I think buyers have grown quite weary and fairly complacent.       Low interest rates, such as we are seeing presently, should be news that sends home buyers  all giddy (those currently seeking homes and potential buyers alike) .  They should be doing a happy-dance.         But although rates remain a topic of interest for mor... 05/08/2012

If you are looking for authentic mexican food in the Plainfield area, come to Front Street Cantina located at 15120 South Des Plaines Street downtown Plainfield. Lunch specials range from $6.75 to $7.50 while the dinner menu offers everything from Carne Asada to Pedro Pollo to Chile Relleno. Kids can enoy a taco or burrito of even a hot dog or hamburger. The bar offers a range of beer, cocktails and the best margaritas! Go to http://www.frontstreetcantina.com for hours and more information! 04/27/2012

Wine & Cheese by Two Cute Chicks (TCC) in Plainfield has been located downtown Plainfield since the summer of 2004.  I've never been inside and always thought "I should go there sometime and check it out" but never have. Until last night. My friend Kim texted me and said she was going to TCC's for a salad and a trio of wines and wanted to know if I wanted to join her. It was 8:30 which is late for me:) But I thought it would be fun. I'm SO glad I went. The food is incredible and we even tested a few different kinds of wine. The trio of sweet wines were incredible and I ended up buying TWO of the 3 wines! TCC is a fine wine and artisan cheese shop, wine bar and cafe! Located at 24104 W. Lockport Street downtown Plainfield, IL.  http://wcbytcc.com for hours and additional information!   04/27/2012

Village of Plainfield, IL Offers a New Program to its Residents and Businesses That Helps Save Money and Conserve Energy            Are you are resident of the Village of Plainfield, IL?  Own/Run a business within the Village of Plainfield?        Lucky you!        Why?  Because the Village of Plainfield, IL has begun an energy-savings initiative that partners them with  CUB Energy Saver  ... our nation's first website that tracks utility company ComEd's billing savings.  And who doesn't LOVE to save money??        Plainfield residents are now able to track their energy usage through the   CUB Energy Saver website.         It's FREE to  sign-up!   CUB Energy Saver links directly to your ComEd bill and then makes personalized money-saving suggestions that will help take a big bite out o... 04/26/2012

If you live in Lisle or if you are thinking about making this great city your home, you might want to keep up-to-date on what's going on in the real estate market.  Are you looking for current information?  Are you looking to sell your home and can't decide whether this is the right time for you and your family? Have you thought about purchasing a home but need more information?  Then this is the site for you! You will find helpful statistics that will open your eyes to the reality of what's sold and what is selling.I have included some great information on what has sold and the price ranges, days on market, month to month comparisons, and year ending comparisons. This information does not target individual subdivisions but is meant to be an overall view of the Lisle market.So, grab you... 04/12/2012

A few days ago I received an email from one of my neighbor's children who is a kindergartener at Freedom Elementary School in Plainfield.  He is participating in "Hoops for Heart" through the American Medical Association to raise money to help save kids'(and adult) lives.  In doing some research I found that this campaign is widespread through Plainfield School District 202.  What a terrific way to gain community awareness! Each day you hear about more and more school age children who unbeknownst to them or their families have developed a heart condition without any so-called symptoms.  While diet plays a role in our overall health, scientists are researching how genetics and heart defects at birth intertwine.  This campaign is a great way for children to get involved in community proje... 03/29/2012

Celebrate Spring with a freshly baked treat, decorate a cookie with your family. Saturday, March 31st 2012 from 4:00pm - 6:00pm. Located at 2360 S. Route 59 in Plainfield.  FREE! For a limited time only, from March 26th - April 8th, Panera Bread will donate 10 cents for every Easter Egg Cookie sold to Make-A-Wish Foundation of Illinois. Go to http://www.panera-chicago.com for more information or call 815-609-3807 03/27/2012

Egg’straordinary Join us to celebrate Spring!! Have Breakfast and Lunch with the Easter Bunny and then “Hop The Bunny Trail” which will end up at the Plainfield Fire Station located on Des Plaines. Children will pick up a Passport at any participating business and travel the Bunny Hop Trail and get their Passport stamped. Children will be also searching for the Golden Egg! We have Breakfast with the Easter Bunny, Lunch with the Easter Bunny, Coloring Contest, Jumpy (weather permitting) or Face Painting! To pick up your eggs filled with candy go to the Plainfield Fire Station! Date: Saturday, April 7th Time: 8:00am – 5:00pm & Later Location: Downtown Plainfield 03/27/2012

The Plainfield Area Chamber of Commerce Business Expo allows participants to showcase their business to hundreds of people while visitors have the opportunity to learn about the local business community. Date: Saturday, March 31, 2012 from 9:00am - 2:00pm Location: Plainfield High School - Central Campus Field House, 24120 W. Fort Beggs Drive Plainfield Area Chamber of Commerce, (815) 436-4431, www.plainfieldchamber.com 03/27/2012

On March 31st, 2012 from 10:00-11:30am at Van Horn Woods West, on Lily Cache Road, north of Caton Farm Road... Join us for a snack, craft and Egg Hunt with the Bunny! Make sure you remember your basket to hunt for colorful eggs that the bunny has “hidden”. Some of the hidden eggs have a surprise in them, so make sure to check each egg before you leave! Parents, bring your camera as the Easter Bunny will pose with your child. All children must be accompanied by an adult. MUST pre-register to participate. No on-site registration will be allowed. Event will be held rain or shine. Please plan to arrive prior to your child’s egg hunt time as they will only be allowed to participate in their age-appropriate time slot. Registration deadline is Friday, Mar. 23. R $5/NR $7.50.  Go to www.plainfi... 03/19/2012

March 30, 2012 8:00-9:-00pm at Van Horn Woods West, on Lily Cache Road, north of Caton Farm Road. Bring your flashlight to Van Horn Woods for our 4th Annual Flashlight Egg Hunt! Kids will have the opportunity to hunt for eggs filled with prizes, gift certificates and candy! MUST pre-register to participate. No on-site registration will be allowed. Event will be held rain or shine. Please plan to arrive prior to your child’s egg hunt time as they will only be allowed to participate in their age-appropriate time slot. Program #36404A1 8 pm 7-9; Program #36404B1 8:30 pm 10-12. Registration deadline date is Friday, Mar. 23. R $5/NR $7.50. Go to www.plainfieldparkdistrict.com 03/19/2012

If you live in Plainfield or if you are thinking about making this great city your home, you might want to keep up-to-date on what's going on in the real estate market.  Are you looking for current information?  Are you looking to sell your home and can't decide whether this is the right time for you and your family? Have you thought about purchasing a home but need more information?  Then this is the site for you! You will find helpful statistics that will open your eyes to the reality of what's sold and what is selling.I have included some great information on what has sold and the price ranges, days on market, month to month comparisons, and year ending comparisons. This information does not target individual subdivisions but is meant to be an overall view of the Plainfield market.So... 03/15/2012

            Bring on the bagpipes! When the Irish dancers come stepping up Lockport Street, you know spring is here at last. Our own old-fashioned St. Patrick’s Day celebration will soon be here. The 10th annual Plainfield Hometown Irish Parade is set to step off at 1 p.m. Sunday, March 11, and we want you there! With special thanks to our returning primary sponsor Fox’s Restaurant and Pub. The Village Preservation Association and MainStreet Plainfield invite you and your loved ones to come out for the 2012 edition of this fabulously fun event. This year, music will be more abundant than ever, with four bagpipe bands lined up to march in the parade, along with other musical ensembles and the always crowd-pleasing Keigher Irish Dancers. Making its way through some of the historic neighb... 03/04/2012

Two months after it suddenly closed, HopScotch & Vine is back with new owners, a new menu and new hours. The goal is to create a "neighborhood place with a city feel," Vaughn said, and to come up with menu items you can't find in downtown Plainfield or elsewhere in the village. To that end, she and husband Mike have developed a menu with their chef, Trinidad Z, featuring such specialities as stuffed burgers, five types of loaded baked potatoes and, coming soon, fondue, Vaughn said. They have also opened a small store to sell wine and cheeses to go, she said, and they will be open for both lunch and dinner. Their hours are 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 11:30 a.m. to midnight Thursday through Saturday, and 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday. Vaughn acknowledges the size of the res... 03/04/2012

If you are craving a mouth watering vanilla cupcake or a strawberry filled cake or need a fun idea for a birthday cake, contact Cathy's Sweet Creations! Located in historic downtown Plainfield and established in the summer of 2005, Cathy's is known for creative specialty cakes - weddings, birthdays.... From their Atomic Cake (a layer of chocolate cake topped with yummy fudge, a layer of fresh bananas and then bavarian cream to cover those bananas and then more cake. A SECOND banana cake is added with fresh strawberry preserves and a gob of whip cream. And for the top layer, their fabulous yellow cake and the gobs of whip cream icing!) to custom sugar cookes to cookie cakes.... YOU WILL LOVE IT! 24042 West Lockport Road in Plainfield. 815-577-9660 Tues-Fri - 8am-5pm; Sat - 7am-4pm; Sun b... 03/01/2012

Built in 1981, the Ottawa Street Pool is located across from the Recreation / Administration Center near downtown Plainfield. The 200,000 gallon L-shaped outdoor pool is equipped with high and low diving boards and contains lap lanes. The facility also has deck chairs for sun-bathing, a 3,000 gallon enclosed tot wading pool, a ship-shaped children's play area, an eating area so patrons can bring their own coolers (no glass containers or alcohol are allowed), and men's and women's locker rooms. The Park District offers group and private swim lessons, as well as other classes and special events at the pool. The pool is also available for parties and private rentals.Hours of Operation:2012 Season: Saturday, May 26 – Sunday, Aug. 19 Afternoon Swim: Monday - Friday: 1-4:30 pmEvening Swim: Mo... 03/01/2012

Springbank Aquatic Center— luxury meets paradise Designed exclusively for the residents of Springbank, the sparkling 9-acre Aquatic Center offers a paradise of summer joys! For little ones, hours of fun await on the spray play area, sand play area, and zero depth pool. Experienced swimmers will love the large lap pool and water slides. For more fun and fitness as well, there are beautifully designed bocce ball and sand volleyball courts ready for use! For membership information, contact Megan Knollman at Property Specialists, Inc. at 847-806-6121 or by email to mknollman@psimanagement.net. 03/01/2012

One of Plainfield’s largest unfinished subdivisions, stuck in foreclosure limbo with only 98 of 1,880 homes built, has a new owner. Avanti Properties Group, partnering with Ocean Atlantic Management, has closed on a deal to purchase the 950-acre Springbank development, located on Drauden Road north of Caton Farm Road, from MAF Developments Inc. Avanti had announced plans to buy the subdivision in July, and requested Plainfield Village Board approval to amend the development’s original annexation agreement, site plan and zoning so it could increase the number of town houses and add an apartment complex and a 20-acre commercial site. When trustees balked, the company backed off the request but stayed mum on whether the purchase would proceed. Village Planner Michael Garrigan called the sa... 02/29/2012

Why do foreclosures use such LOUSY pictures? A client contacted me the other day, wanting to see some homes in Plainfield, Illinois.  Given her price range, many of the homes she selected were foreclosures... As I flipped through the pictures of the homes she picked, I was disappointed at what I saw...   -What is this?  The cameraman couldn't even pick up the blinds? -Tempting... ?  Wall paper.  Peeling wall paper.  Seat up...   Are you kidding me? Although these pictures are a bit extreme, they are not out of the norm.  Bad angles and horrible lighting are so common with foreclosures, I wonder... Why aren't these agents even trying? Ken   02/26/2012