A new football season is upon us!  Starting right now!  Is anyone else as excited as I am or do you just not care?  For me, after the Super Bowl...it's empty with no sports until the football season begins.  My Green Bay Packers are poised for change, and hopefully for the better.  Your team may be up for the same. I did get 2 contracts last night, but I'm more excited about today's football than I am about the contracts.  I'm really, really really excited about the contracts, but all that much more for the football!!!!!  09/08/2013

I had three contact referrals to give to realtors over the weekend.  As the weekend was busy I called and left voice mails, but I like to follow up with an e-mail.  I wanted to e-mail all three realtors to give them further information.  So....doing the natural thing a geeky guy like me would do, I googled each realtor from home looking for their e-mail address. A wierd thing happened.  I couldn't find an e-mail address anywhere.  All three realtors, all from separate real estate companies, only had a contact form.  I began to fill out the form, but there's a character limit....so I really couldn't elaborate on the referral much beyond..."call me." So....I randomly put in three other people to see if I could find their e-mail addresses on the web.  Nope, contact form, contact form, cont... 09/03/2013

It's pouring rain right now in the not so sunny Saint Charles today.  I have received 2 new contracts in the last 24 hours and I have about 5 other buyers heading out to look at properties this weekend.  It's a great time to be a first time home-buyer.  FHA is allowing more people to buy than ever before.  First time homebuyers can generally come in with less of a downpayment. Truthfully, conforming or conventional loans generally want 5% down. FHA loans only need 3.5% down. How cool is that? The entire downpayment for an FHA loan can be in the form of a gift. There are gift restrictions as to who can give you a gift, but generally, if you're related, you can help someone out by gifting them the entire downpayment and closing costs. Borrowers can put zero of their own money into the tra... 08/31/2013

FHA has just announced their BACK TO WORK PROGRAM.  If you lost your job and got bad credit as a result of the job loss, you could get back in the game with their new Back To Work Program.  The program has a few requirements. The credit dings need to be because of a documentable job loss.  This is heaven sent for many people; You can avoid the typical waiting periods for bankruptcies, short sales and foreclosures if they occurred because of the job loss; You have to be back at work; You have to complete counseling at least 30 days before going to applicaton   This is HUGE But for those who have lost their jobs.....and suffered credit harm as a result, this could be the news that you've been waiting for.  08/30/2013

  I think that this is THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT TIP to going from good to great.  And Most People NEVER Do It! If you want to truly go from good to great you need to schedule "On Time."  Todd Duncan is a fan of On Time, but I have rarely done it.  You see, we're so busy working in our business that we rarely work on our business.  So, I have a pile of documents and ideas that I accumulate that I consider to improve my business.  I don't stack mail and look for a time to go through e-mails.  I take my ideas and tell my office I'm out of town.  I tell my wife that I can't be reach.  I then go to a hotel lobby or a Starbucks or Panera and leave my cell phone in the car.  Once a month I work one entire afternoon at that location for three to four hours reading, considering, modifying and p... 08/27/2013

Homes For Sale in St Charles with a Main Floor Master Are you looking to downsize, or "right-size"? At a certain point in our life, we end up stuck in the wrong home. The kids grow older and move away to college, we retire and find ourselves spending more time at home.  That's when it hits us..."We're in the wrong house!".  We have far more square footage than we need, it's hard to keep up with, we have a lot of unused space, and we hate climbing the stairs at the end of every day. This is typically when we start looking to downsize, or "right-size".  We need a home that fits our new lifestyle.  One that may be a bit smaller, easier to manage and easier to manuever. A request we get all the time is for buyers wanting a home with a main floor master bedroom.  That's why we've saved you t... 08/27/2013

  In the table below lists all of the single family detached and single family attached homes currently on the market in St. Charles, IL The data lists available homes by price range with average time on market in each range.   Included in this list are many Foreclosures and Short Sales.   Should you have an interest in homes in a selected price range, send me your physical characteristics requirements. I will send complete details on those homes that meet your criteria.   Active Listings List Price Range # Listings Avg. Days on Mkt Less than $49,999 2 58 $50,000 - $99,999 1 847 $100,000 - $149,999 15 201 $150,000 - $199,999 34 181 $200,000 - $249,999 38 213 $250,000 - $299,999 38 112 $300,000 - $349,999 41 160 $350,000 - $399,999 41 144 $400,000 - $449,999 22 198 $450,000 - $499,999 2... 08/24/2013

Lincoln Park, St Charles Illinois Another great reason to call St Charles Home Lincoln Park in St Charles, Illinois is like our Central Park.  Located in the heart of downtown, this 1.6-acre park boasts a large playground to keep the kids busy having fun.  The Lincoln Park Gazebo, dedicated in 1988, and the adjacent plaza host Concerts in the Park throughout the summer months.  Visitors from all over the area, will be in Lincoln Park each autumn for the hugely popular Scarecrow Festival. Not only is this a great park featuring tons of amenities, it's location in downtown St Charles allows the fun to continue!  When you've worn yourself out on the playground, or recharged yourself with the abundant natural surroundings, you're just steps from shopping, dining, the Fox River and more! Sur... 08/22/2013

LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve, St Charles IL Another great reason to call St Charles home! Offering a high quality prairie, woodland and the meandering Ferson Creek, LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve in St Charles IL offers recreational activities year-round.  The Forest Preserve District's Environmental Education program is run out of the Creek Bend Nature Center in LeRoy Oakes.  You'll also find cultural sites such as the Durant House Museum and the Pioneer Sholes School. LeRoy Oakes is located at 37W370 Dean St in St Charles.  It is bordered by Randall Rd to the east and Route 64 to the south. The many features of the 40-acre LeRoy Oakes Forest Preserve in St Charles IL are; A true prairie relic Prairie restorations Flood plain forests Ferson Creek Oak woodlands Grassy fields Picnic shelters... 08/22/2013

Will the value of my home keep going up? Where will home prices be over the next five years? Last month, the Home Price Expectation Survey was released.  This is a quarterly report prepared by a nationwide panel of over 100 economists, real estate experts and investment and market strategists. The basic question they ask these professionals is, "Where do you think prices are going to be over the next five years?".  From the consumer standpoint, they answer the question, "Will the value of my home keep going up?". The nice thing about this report is that it takes both ends of the spectrum, bulls and bears, and everyone in between and meshes all their answers together, and then you get the average. So what we can see in the report is the normal appreciation (before any of the roller coast... 08/21/2013

There are a few common mistakes that I see borrower do all too often.  I see it time and time again.  Don't make the mistake that a lot of buyers make. DON'T BUY A CAR BEFORE GOING HOME SHOPPING  I can't tell you how many times that I see a new applicant come to me to buy a home.  They say "we're all set.  We just bought a car and now we're ready for a house.  The payment, whether it $200, $200, $400 or $500 per month can have a HUGE negative impact on your ability in two ways.  First, it's another inquiry into your credit which could drop your credit scores.  Secondly, that payment could greatly affect how much you qualify for.  DON'T BUY YOUR CAR until after you get your house! DON'T FIX YOUR CREDIT ON YOUR OWN Just this past week I had a new applicant who said that they had some "cre... 08/14/2013

Veteran's Loans - V.A. Loans are one awesome benefit to our Service Veteran's. Democrats, Republicans, Tea Partiers......strong in opinion and not a lot of love between them all.  They don't agree on much, but most support the men and women who served our country.  You might support the war, be opposed to the war, but few (there are some) are opposed to our Veterans.  Me, I'm honored to have them fight for my freedom.  Forget the politics, these guys and gals exposed themselves so that I can retain my freedoms. My father is a Vet, my grandfather was a vet.  I feel that they've received little in return.  The V.A. hospitals provide health care, but let's be honest, no one in their right mind would want to set foot in a V.A. hospital.  Well, besides pride and some other small tangible ben... 08/13/2013

I was gone.....adios!  Sayonara!  Out of here! 3 Weeks to create a bad habit. My internet was down for two months at home and so I was gone from Active Rain.  Even when it came back up, I was sooooooo gone! 1 year later I made a pledge to get back in the game.  Since returning three weeks ago.... three different purchase referrals.... all from the rain!  Even last week on vacation, I blogged.  Active Rain works.....and what the heck was I thinking? Thanks for not giving up on me.  I love being back! 08/11/2013

DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME   Credit is one of THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES IN getting a loan today. Time and time again, I'm called by a client who says "I PAY MY BILLS ON TIME, BUT MY PEOPLE SAY MY CREDIT STINKS.... Maybe I'll just pay off my credit cards today..... No, No, No, No Nooooooooooooo!!!!!! It just happened to me yesterday.....AGAIN!   Truthfully, there is more to a credit score than just making your payments on time or paying off your credit. In fact paying off all your credit today could be a bad move. Needless to say, I've broken this down so that the complexities of mortgage credit scoring can be understood by the consumer. I reference this a lot when consulting clients. With this information you can self-analyze your situation to make sure that you monitor your scores or rais... 08/09/2013

Fox Mill is an upscale subdivision on the west side of St Charles, Illinois.  With a large number of single family homes, there is a lot of market activity in the area. Current Inventory There are currently 19 homes for sale in Fox Mill.  The average list price is $585,551 and they have been on the market for an average of 194 days.  The largest concentration of homes are priced between $600,000 and $699,999. There are 10 homes in Fox Mill that are under contract.  The average list price of these homes is $492,360.  A good percentage of these homes are priced between $450,000 to $499,999. Sold Homes In the last 12 months, there have been 49 homes sold in Fox Mill.  The average sold home went for $490,843 and was on the market for 102 days.  The bulk of closed homes in Fox Mill were pric... 08/08/2013

Otter Creek Bend Wetland Park in St Charles, Illinois Just another of the hidden gems in the St Charles Park District system of parks. Located on the northwest side of St Charles, off of Crane Rd south of Silver Glen Rd is Otter Creek Bend Wetland Park. 69 acres of restored wetland offering interpretive signage, a 1-mile loop gravel walking trail system, bridge over Otter Creek, and stone overlook with gorgeous views. Created in 1994, this park offers some beautiful natural views, wildlife, ample parking, and restrooms. Next time you're on the west side, give it a try! More St Charles, IL Information & Demogrphics 08/05/2013

Yesterday I represented a friend in the purchase of his home.  He was buying the home cash.  We got to closing and went through the document in about 8 minutes.  We sat and waited over one half hour for the seller to show.  In the meantime, the seller's attorney says we have an issue with drainage where the draining is going into the sewer system, and it should be flowing into the sump pump.  "My client offers you $1,500".  ACCEPTED....we respond after a 10 minute private discussion. Ten minutes later the seller walks in.  He says "I'm not leaving this room with a dime less than $70,000.  You're screwing me, you know?  I won't have it.  I just won't.  If I walk out of title, the deals off the table and I'm keeping the house. What he didn't know is that he was well under $70,000 netting ... 08/02/2013

Reserve of St. Charles, St. Charles, Illinois Reserve Of St Charles Real Estate Statistics Average Home Size: 3836 Average Property Taxes: 8789 Homes Listed: 9 Homes Sold: 3 Average Number of Days To Sell: 135 The above statistics were compiled by St. Charles Realtors based on homes listed for sale in Reserve of St Charles, St Charles, Illinois between August 1st, 2012 and August 1st, 2013. Homes for sale in Reserve of St Charles Address Beds Total Baths Total Sqft Year Built List Price 4655 Foxgrove Drive 4 3.1 3716 U $521,900 4635 Foxgrove Drive 3 2 2828 U $491,900 4565 Foxgrove Drive 3 2 2610 U $479,900 Sold Real Estate in Reserve of St Charles - (May 3rd, 2013 - August 1st, 2013) Address Beds Total Baths Total Sold Price 4790 Grandfield Drive 6 5 $515,000 The data relating to real ... 08/01/2013

Pheasant Run Trails, Saint Charles, Illinois Pheasant Run Trails Real Estate Statistics Average Home Size: 1717 Average Property Taxes: 5011 Homes Listed: 38 Homes Sold: 13 Average Number of Days To Sell: 89 The above statistics were compiled by Team Bowers Realtors - Saint Charles based on homes listed for sale in Pheasant Run Trails, St Charles, Illinois between August 1st, 2012 and August 1st, 2013. Homes for sale in Pheasant Run Trails Address Beds Total Baths Total Sqft Year Built List Price 4023 Pheasant Court 2 2.1 1485 2000 $275,000 511 Pheasant Trail 2 2.1 1889 2004 $194,900 759 Pheasant Trail 3 2.1 1889 2000 $189,000 945 Pheasant Trail 3 2.1 1484 2003 $170,000 863 Pheasant Trail 2 2.1 1484 2004 $159,900 509 Pheasant Trail 3 2.2 1921 1998 $179,500 935 Pheasant Trail 2 3 1763 2... 08/01/2013

  WHAT THE HECK ARE BASIS POINTS? This is really easy.  When a lender charges one point to the borrower, it can also be called origination.  Even a discount point, the cost, equals one point or the origination.  What is it?  Plain and simple, one point is one percent of the mortgage amount and one point of the mortgage amount is equal to 100 basis points.  For example: 1 point = 1 percent of the loan amount or 100 basis points; .25 or a quarter point = a quarter percent of the loan amount or 25 basis points   WHAT DOES THE CONSUMER NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BASIS POINTS? Generally speaking every point that you pay a lender will buy the rate down .25%.  THAT'S .25% TO THE RATE.  For example, if the 30 year fixed that you are quoted today for a $300,000 loan is 4.5%, one point, or 100 basis poin... 07/31/2013