When Patsy went out to create her kingdom with her as the prince, queen, princess, chief, er Village President, it came with a lot of claims of grandeur and an utopian vision for all of the lemmings who would follow her over the cliff.   For years we've all watched as senior leadership spend taxpayer dollars asking really intelligent questions to it's constituents.  For example: Do we need warning sirens?  Campton is so big.  Perhaps 50 of them all over the area or just one that's loud enough to bring down center square. Do we want to keep the post office open?  So now Campton tells USPS what to do? Should the village negotiate on bahalf of consumers for electricity?  Let me say that I've negotiated leaving with something over 80% cheaper and much more permanent than anything that the v... 05/01/2013

Ten Things I Love about St. Charles, IL In the spirit of David Letterman, and because I'm just feeling good about life today, I thought I would share the Ten Things I Love about St. Charles.  Like Dave, we'll do the list in reverse order: 10.   The Schools.....Maybe this sounds like shameless boosterism from a former school board member, but the experience my daughters have had in CUSD 303 has been outstanding.  There are academic and extra-curricular opportunities here that either aren't available in smaller schools or ultra-competitive in larger ones.  Additionally, there are many private schooling opportunities for those looking for that type of experience. 9.   The Parks and Open Spaces....I grew up in Michigan where the outdoors was just taken for granted.  Because St. Charles is s... 04/27/2013

I am providing this video of Homes for Sale in Fox Mill as a brief snapshot of what's occuring in the neighborhood.  The video addresses closed sales, inventory levels, new listings and means sales prices.  For additional information regarding Fox Mill homes for sale feel free to contact me at 630-254-5004 or by email at snowling@starckrealtors.com.   04/20/2013

  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 Sale properties. Contact us for information on how we may assist you in seeing these properties.     Active Listings List Price Range # Listings Avg. Days on Mkt Less than $49,999 3 302 $50,000 - $99,999 7 207 $100,000 - $149,999 16 139 $150,000 - $199,999 38 272 $200,000 - $249,999 32 219 $250,000 - $299,999 43 158 $300,000 - $349,999 42 139 $350,000 - $399,999 27 152 $400,000 - $449,999 22 261 $450,000 - $499,999 29 316 $500,000 - $549,999 21 156 $550,000 - $599,999 20 379 $600,000 - $699,999 29 296 $70... 04/18/2013

There are many things that people should know about FHA loans.  They're great for a variety of reasons, but I'm going to give you my list of favorite reasons for considering and FHA mortgage.  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 transaction.  You know that with conventional loans no matter what the borrower needs to put 5% of the purchase p... 04/10/2013

  Before law school, I obtained a Master's Degree in Clinical Pscychology. I wanted to work with teens, but ended up working with the parents who just bitched about each other and really weren't invested in the real problem.  SAYANORA....I was out!  Screw this, I thought and went off to law school.  But then, in law school, prior to becoming a licensed attorney, I entered mortgaget lending.  During this journey, it became apparent That a successful real estate professional will play the role of a counselor or therapist at some point! If you really think about it, in order to climb the ladder of success you really need to Hear & Understand people. Those are both two completely different actions. Yes...they are actions. 1- Hearing is not thinking about what you're saying next. It's not ab... 04/04/2013

Firethorne Condominiums, St. Charles, Illinois About Firethorne Condominiums Firethorne Condominiums were built in the late 1980's. Firethorne Condominiums are located in St. Charles, Illinois north of Main Street and east of Randall Road. Average taxes in Firethorne Condominiums $0 Average association fees in Firethorne Condominiums $0 Average home size in Firethorne Condominiums 0 ft2 Average lot size in Firethorne Condominiums 0.00 acres Average year built in Firethorne Condominiums 0 Homes for sale in Firethorne Condominiums None Sales Summary for Firethorne Condominiums  (Apr 3, 2012 - Apr 3, 2013) # of Sales Average Days on Market Average List Average Sale Ratio% 2 150 $233,950 $225,000 96.2% Recent home sales in Firethorne Condominiums Address Beds Baths Sold 1340 Brook St. 2 2.... 04/03/2013

  In my perpetual quest to add value to you, FHA is increasing the annual MIP, effective April 1rs, 2013.  It's out there!  It's happened!  Not killer by any means, but it has happened.....so literally....buyer beware!!!! Pay particular note.  FHA is increasing the annual MIP by 5-10bps. Refer to the table below for an outline of the annual MIP changes for FHA Purchase, No Cash-out Refinance and Cash-out Refinance transactions. Changes are outlined in   FHA Purchase, No Cash-out and Cash-out Refinance Loan Term >15 Years   Base Loan Amount   LTV   Annual MIP Case # Assigned 6/11/2012-3/31/13   Annual MIP Case # assigned on or after   4/1/2013   < $625,500     < 95%     1.20%     1.30%       > 95%     1.25%     1.35%       > $625,500     < 95%     1.45%     1.50%       > 95%     1.50%   ... 04/02/2013

Yes....it's true....you can. Most people are so discouraged about their prospects after selling short. There are a few basic requirements: The new home has to be with an FHA mortgage; The current mortgage cannot have a late payment on it over the last 12 months; The current mortgage company cannot report a deficiency on the mortgage; and If the current loan is FHA, then there can be no FHA claim against the current loan You can't be selling short in order to take advantage of the current market conditions. I have done about 12 of these over the last 12 months. Most people aren't aware that this exists. What makes this so great is that if you, as a realtor, have a listing on a home that the borrower wants to sell short, then you may want to tell them to pay attention to the aformentioned... 03/28/2013

My Gift to You: One Day St. Charles Snow Day today! OK, who doesn't remember fondly snow days.  As awesome gifts.  OK, ok, maybe you native Southern Californians or Hawaiians, but for those of you who remember the business end of a snow shovel, aren't these days the best? Even now, when we have to manage "what will the kids do" and "this is pulling me away from work", isn't the concept of a "free" day awesome? I think about it the same way as I think about spending my lottery winnings. So whether you wear Hawaiian shirts and shorts to work or are struggling to shovel out, here's what I'm asking you to do.  Think about and then tell me if you had one day "free", couldn't work and didn't had a backed up "to-do" list, what would you do?  Why?  Who would you do it with? How would that feel?... 03/04/2013

A couple of years ago, I was fortunate enough to have a one on one session with Brian Buffini....not with a Buffini coach, but with Brian Buffini himself. He was pointed, kind, humble, gracious and knowledgable. How I was blessed to recieve this is another story itself for another post. We talked about this, spoke about that, but he gave me some great guidance.....Specifically, he said one thing that resonates with me to this date. He said to me: "I am only the hammer, when the hammer starts acting like its the carpenter, the carpenter will put the hammer down and pick up a new hammer. He continued...I've been humbled twice before. There won't be a third time." There is an analogy to real estate. Real Estate Professionals should be the Hammer used by the client. Often times, they're not... 03/04/2013

St. Charles Il Foreclosures   The video above is a review of foreclosures in St. Charles by Scott Nowling, www.scottnowling.com, of Prudential Starck Realtors.  This review includes the number of foreclosures available, the number sold, pricing trends, and single family detached homes vs. townhome foreclosures. This video is helpful for those who want to purchase a foreclosure as a primary residence or for those interested in investing in foreclosures in St. Charles.  For a list of current foreclosures on the market, you can email me at snowling@starckrealtors.com.  03/03/2013

St. Charles Homes for Sale: February 2013 Market Report The following St. Charles Homes for sale data set compares the three-month period of December 2011-February 2012 vs. December 2012-February 2013 in St. Charles, IL: Comparing the current quarter to the same quarter last year creates a big enough data set to be meaningful and discounts the seasonal impact of the real estate market or single month data distortions. The "sold" volume increased sharply (+51%) versus the same quarter last year, with a reduced (-23%) level of inventory.  While new listings actually increased versus in the previous year by 6%, a robust sales season throughout the fall cleared much of the available inventory in St. Charles so despite a slight uptick in listings versus the year earlier, there are still fewe... 03/01/2013

The Chicago Home Show is headed to the Kane County Fairgrounds March 16 & 17th from 10am-5pm.  Admission and parking is free. The County Fairgrounds are located at the northwest corner of Randall Road and Route 38.   What You’ll See: Find everything for your home, office, and commercial property: Heating & Cooling, Custom Carpentry, Design & Build Services, Doors & Windows, Roofing, Gutters & Covers, Siding, Kitchens, Stone Countertops, Cabinetry &Refacing, Bathrooms, Concrete Resurfacing, Cooking Demos, Cookware, Hot Tubs, Duct Cleaning, Tankless Water Heaters, Home Security, Insurance & Financial Services, Bamboo & Wood, Flooring, BasementWaterproofing, Chiropractic Services, Home Decor,Painters, Decorators, Basement Remodeling, Generators & Back-up Sumps, Closet & Garage Storage Syst... 02/23/2013

The Baker Hotel has dominated the streetscape of St. Charles, IL for some time.  This view is looking west on Main Street at the corner of 3rd Avenue.  The municipal building, which is cut off in the current picture but would be to the right, has been the other historic change to the look and feel to the center of town. 02/23/2013

  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 Sale properties. Contact us for information on how we may assist you in seeing these properties.   Active Listings List Price Range # Listings Avg. Days on Mkt Less than $49,999 2 178 $50,000 - $99,999 8 342 $100,000 - $149,999 21 308 $150,000 - $199,999 44 265 $200,000 - $249,999 39 228 $250,000 - $299,999 28 176 $300,000 - $349,999 42 194 $350,000 - $399,999 32 207 $400,000 - $449,999 23 213 $450,000 - $499,999 34 291 $500,000 - $549,999 19 171 $550,000 - $599,999 10 606 $600,000 - $699,999 30 287 $70... 02/21/2013

I love going to church.  I go almost daily for a weekend mass or just for hanging around a bit in prayer at adoration.  But Sundays are pretty much a mandatory thing in our family.  When I joined Active Rain, my youngest was just a newbie floating around the Bettag household.  Now, this little kindergartner is an over the top angel....just like her mother.  Here she is looking her best with her Sunday best. 02/17/2013

  This is a view of St. Charles in the evening looking south along the Fox River.  The large lit building on the left is the municipal building which in the evening looks far better than it does during the day.  The bridge is IL-64 crossing the river (or Main Street).  Just to the right (off of the photo) is the Baker Hotel.           02/17/2013

Lease-Options in St. Charles, Il   Homes for sale with lease-options in St. Charles are a rarity.  There are currently only 14 single-family homes for rent in the St. Charles marketplace.  Of those single family homes, only two offer the option for a lease with the option to purchase. So what is a family here in St. Charles to do if they want to lease a home with the option to purchase and want more choices? I’m very excited about one solution that has recently become available because of the quality of the D303 school system.  A corporate investor is looking to enter into communities with high schools in the top half of the state to provide a funding solution for people looking to utilize a lease-option. The concept is simple.  The person who wants to lease with an option to purchase a... 02/16/2013

Before I Die I Want To......... As a Realtor in St. Charles, IL, I'm always interested in strengthening my community.  This fall I saw this clip from a Ted Conference with Candy Chang.  In it she poignantly explains how she came to create a wall that asked people to participate in helping her through her grieving process by answering the question:  "Before I Die, I want to_____________________." I thought this was a tremendous idea and built my own cube based on her design for my community here in St. Charles, IL. This is a picture of my sister, my wife and my mother at the end of the cube I built along with a friend.  We had literally hundreds of people share their hopes and dreams and aspirations by writing on the wall. I created a Facebook page where you can see most of their thought... 02/11/2013