Looking for a new home in Swansea IL There are currently 115 Active listings in Swansea IL from which to choose from: Status - A TOT LP: $4,890,803 HI: $439,000 LO: $151,000 MEDIAN: $199,900 AVG: $232,895 AVG DM/CDM: 125/133   Property Type - N TOT LP: $4,890,803 HI: $439,000 LO: $151,000 MEDIAN: $199,900 AVG: $232,895 AVG DM/CDM: 125/133   Grand Total: TOT LP: $23,557,403 HI: $514,900 LO: $15,500 MEDIAN: $181,600 AVG: $204,847 AVG DM/CDM: 111/130   Displaying matches 1 through 115 of 115 The median listing price of the homes for sale in Swansea is $181,600 and the average listing price is $204,847. These homes have been on the market for an average of 111 days and 130 days continous days on the market. If you are searching for homes for sale near Scott AFB and considering a home in Swa... 07/19/2010

Swansea Illinois Homes for Sale Market Report On June 4, 2010 there was 117 active home for sale in Swansea, IL. Status - A TOT LP: $4,436,111 HI: $439,000 LO: $149,000 MEDIAN: $199,900 AVG: $233,480 AVG DM/CDM: 94/110   Property Type - N TOT LP: $4,436,111 HI: $439,000 LO: $149,000 MEDIAN: $199,900 AVG: $233,480 AVG DM/CDM: 94/110   Grand Total: TOT LP: $23,490,961 HI: $514,900 LO: $15,500 MEDIAN: $180,560 AVG: $200,777 AVG DM/CDM: 110/126   Displaying matches 1 through 117 of 117 With a median list price of $180,560 and an average list price of $200,777 There are 23 homes that are currently "sale pending" or with a "continue to show" status. Status - K TOT LP: $433,000 HI: $433,000 LO: $433,000 MEDIAN: $433,000 AVG: $433,000 AVG DM/CDM: 960/960   Property Type - N TOT LP: $1,735,623 H... 06/04/2010

On the evening news the other night, an item from Pittburg, KS caught my eye.  What looked like a psychedelic 1,000 legger approached people on the street, which caused some to run and some to gawk.  It was performance artist Jimmy Kuehnle wearing an inflatable suit to challenge people's perceptions and make them think. As the artist puts it, "Our ways of thinking are very much in a routine and this is to break you out of your routine by walking the line between shocking and the absurd."  You recognize a tree as a tree or a truck as a truck but, the big orange creature defies categorization."Now," continues Kuehnle, "you're mind [is]vulnerable and new thoughts can happen.  You might remember that five minutes later, it might change what you're going to do tomorrow.  You never know, so t... 01/27/2010

I guess I wrote yesterday's blog about needing help navigating through a myriad of new housing provisions a bit too soon.  Today, FHA announced new rules that flesh out HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan's announcement in December that buyers would soon have to put more skin in the game. Some of the rules will require lenders to maintain more reserves and make responsible loans, while being more accountable for bad decisions in the past.  Lenders with sloppy underwriting practices could lose the ability to write FHA backed loans. Other part of the announcement more directly affect borrowers, will need to have better credit scores (580 or above) when their down payment is only 3.5%; those with lower credit scores will  may have to put 10% down.  In addition, the Mortgage Interest Payment (MIP) ... 01/20/2010

The past holiday season, at least five people I know got GPS units as gifts.  Either roads are more confusing these days or people are more confused when they get behind the wheel.  In any case, every recipient was delighted. This winter, real estate agents and potentials buyers as well could use GPS to make it through the pile of new government programs and regulations aimed at helping homeowners and stabilizing the housing market the last few months.  We have housing credits and new Good Faith Estimate (GFE) forms, plus a new policy that puts anti-flipping rules on hold and allows homeowners to quality for FHA financing when they buy homes from short term owners.  Private buyers can see view foreclosed homes 10 days before investors can. These new rules work together to make it easier... 01/19/2010

"The brain is a wonderful organ; it starts working the moment you get up in the morning and does not stop until you get into the office." Robert Frost The secret to success in real estate - and in life - is much closer than many of us realize: it is right inside our head. During my years of helping agents, I have found that separates  the successful from those who constantly yearn is attitude. And the good news is, by shifting your mindset, you can see dramatic results. For a fuller discussion of this topic, see Change Your Mindset and Thrive in Your Business This Year Make A Commitment: I will connect in abundance while having fun! Deadline: _________ 01/16/2010

Did You Know That January is a "Warm" Month? If you have  been digging out from recent snowfalls or are still recovering from cold spells throughout the country, this may be hard to believe. The warm and fuzzy feelings of the holidays are still lingering, and that makes January a fine time to call on prospects. Remember, sales are based on emotion. So don't forget the FORD script (talk to them about their Family, Occupation, Recreation and Dreams). Remember that people want their Realtors® to be professional at all times but they like the human touch too.  Nothing is as interesting to people as themselves and the things that concern them.  Few things are as obvious as feigned interest. So while you‘re listening to their response, don't check your phone, text another client, look off int... 01/13/2010

A couple weeks into the year, you may not have even implemented the New Year's Resolutions you made.  Or you may have already given up on a couple of them.   Why?  Maybe the goals weren't realistic, or maybe you just weren't ready to put them into practice yet.  If you know you need to lose 50 pounds, there may be compelling health reasons, but if you're not prepared to do or you don't have a plan for how to do it, you are more likely to put the diet off or go on and off it quickly. This is the perfect example of why your goals need to be SMART, which in this case are an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. This principle applies to your personal and professional life. To set realistic goals, use historical data in your area, and avoid comparing your goals... 01/12/2010

I knew something was up. A couple weeks ago, I commented on the  abrupt change in Target ads this Christmas.  The store has always presented itself as the place to go for trendy clothes and housewares at a reasonable price, but recently their ads downplayed style for savings. The "frugalistas" of the fall ads were replaced by the "apologetic-istas" of Christmas who were sorry they gave or got such nice gifts there.To be fair, there were other Target ads this holiday season, but the three I mentioned were the red flags that triggered my previous post.  It  turns out that the ads in the U.S. were intended to reflects people's concerns in late  2009.Target and Walmart have long battled for consumer dollars, but Target is viewed as having higher prices, while Walmart is viewed as being valu... 01/08/2010

At last! The nightmare of the first decade of the 21st century  is over! Aside from 9/11, the housing boom and bust, foreclosures, lean times for real estate agents marked the decade.  In addition to everything else, the decade didn't really even have a handy way to refer to the block of 10 years. After the 80's, 90's, we had 10 years starting in "0." What could we call these years?  The Zeros?  What a downer!  The Aughts?  No one aside from accountants has widely used that word since the beginning of the 20th century.  Now we are in the 10's and all is well.  The 10's roll off the tongue! So what will come of these promising 10's?  As we know from the last decade, many unforeseen things occurs that are outside our ability to control   In the middle of the decade, many saavy observers c... 01/04/2010

The next time someone tells you social media is a waste of time, here's yet more proof of how powerful it is...  Recently musician Dave Carroll checked his guitar on United Airlines.  They damaged the $3,500 instrument  and wanted to take no responsibility for the $1,200 damage - even though he and other witnesses saw airline employees tossing the guitar around.  After 9 months of emails and phone calls with United, he was told "tough luck."  He said he would post a video of his dilemma on You Tube.  Perhaps thinking that Dave would post some homemade video shot with  an unsteady hand, they said "Good luck with that one, pal." David produced a classy video  United Breaks Guitars that has spawned over 7 million hits, stories on CBS and CNN story, a sequel, several parodies, a personal st... 01/02/2010

A recent survey put homeownership as the Number10 on the list of 10 Hottest Resolutions for 2010.  The interest that Americans have in this is backed up by a Move.com survey that inquired about real estate resolutions people have for the year. The Move.com resolutions go like this. 1.   Start a home improvement project (37.7%)2.   Start saving money so you can purchase a new home (15.4%)3.   Fix my credit so I can buy a home next year (9.1%)4.   Become a first time home buyer (7.2%)5.   Refinance my mortgage or modify my loan (6.8%)6.   Learn more about local real estate condition in my community (5.5%)7.   Sell my home next year (5.2%)8.   Buy investment property (5%)9.   Talk to a lender about what I can afford for a new home (3.2%)10. Purchase a home to live in myself next year (2.2... 01/01/2010

It seems like only yesterday that people were obsessing about the world would crash on January 1, 2000. That didn't happen, and in fact, many spent the first half of the decade drinking the bottled water they stockpiled for the supposed impending disaster. With happened this decade was far more challenging than Y2K.  The events of 9/11/01 changed the landscape and the security Americans have always felt forever. Between 2003-2006, housing values soared to unprecedented levels yet opened homeownership to many through risky creative financing.  Within a couple years, the housing bubble burst and we have been recovering ever since.  For agents who have been in the business the entire decade, this has truly been an amazing time, the best to times and the worst of times.   Even newer agents ... 12/31/2009

For years, you could always tell a Target ad from the competition. There weren't contrived scenarios that told you you'd get a good deal shopping at Target.  Instead music and fast moving images were juxtaposed one against another, then the familiar red logo would appear. You felt you had just seen something clever, trendy, and effective.  You never came away from the ads knowing that lamps had been slashed to 2/$9.99, but you always felt that Target would give you both value and style for a reasonable price. This year, apparently the store decide that smart, trendy ads weren't enough, so their ad agency devised a series of ads to drive home the premise that you get more for your money at Target.  Just in case people thought they were watching ads for Saks, they put a variation of the ... 12/29/2009

Happy holidays to everyone!  We could say it in song  - but let's wait till the end!  Some agents have reported that the time right before Christmas was hectic, as the home buyer's tax credit proved more alluring than a pre-dawn sale at Target for some anxious buyers and sellers.  Perhaps this week will be a continuation. For others, this week between Christmas and New Year's may be a low key week, especially if you have decided to take a little time off in anticipation of a busy January.  Whether you are easing into the new year or running into it, it is important to assess the old year and plan for the new one. Especially if you you're busy and try to carefully use every minute, writing goals and taking time out for reflection and planning can seem like a waste of time but that assess... 12/27/2009

I shook my head as I read a recent Bloomberg news headline: Homebuyer Tax-Credit Extension Fails as Catalyst: Chart of Day that claimed the home buyer's tax credit extension did not result in an upward trend of stock  investors or homebuilders.  Both builders and Bloomberg economist expected to see an increase in the NAHB/Wells Fargo index but the numbers fell from 17 to 16 this month. Wells Fargo analyst Carl Reichardt is already claiming "The extension has not materially helped traffic or sales despite the program's expansion." His gloom and doom is misplaced.  Buyers and sellers are enthusiastic about the credit. This enthusiasm will translate into busy sales months after January 1st. By Bloomberg's own figures, housing starts are up 8.9%and building permit figures are up6.9% in Nove... 12/21/2009

O brother! Or to be seasonal, o bah humbug! Poor Santa has recently come under attack for being too fat, as well as "promoting obesity, reckless air travel and a general unhealthy lifestyle" according to an Australian doctor who was only partly joking.  Apparently, the busy man should park his sleigh at the end of each street, walk to the homes, and eschew cookies for carrots at each stop.  So what if he works non-stop most of the year managing elf workers and then distributes gifts worldwide in a 24 hour period?  Santa, who influences the behavior of children everywhere when it comes to whether they get toys, socks, or coal for Christmas should now be a model of healthy living too. Even before Christmas, he should reconsider whether it is healthy for him or his helpers in the mall thro... 12/20/2009

The holidays always brings out the comedians, but I was amused by a  comment someone left on Facebook.  The gist is: "Thanks for all those virtual gifts, the snowmen, the candy canes, the wrapped boxes, but I'll rather have some real gifts - some hundred dollar bills, some Wild Turkey, a few gift certificates, and a partridge stuffed with wild rice (no pear tree required. Here's my address - you can mail them to me." "Ha, ha" may be your first response, as was mine.  This comment reminds us though that with all the web ways of interacting with clients, there is still a time when the best way to reach out it to do it by phone or in person.  A virtual voice is nice (and may have better graphics) but often, you touch people in a more meaningful way with a kind word uttered over a cup of co... 12/17/2009

The holidays are a time that calls for great sensitivity on the part of agents.  For many sellers, even if they are under great pressure to sell, the last Christmas in the old house might be bittersweet.  Maybe they know that at the next major holiday, they will be in another city or maybe they know their family will no longer be together.  They know that they may occasionally see their current neighbors even if they've moved across town, but it won't the same. The desire to have one last holiday in the old place may push some sellers to take the home off the market during the holidays. If they have had the home on the market for any length of time, they are already sick of keeping the place in great shape so strangers can drop in at any time.  During the holidays when there's baking an... 12/12/2009

A couple weeks before the holidays - Christmas, Hannakuh, whatever you might celebrate - there is the tendency to slack off a bit.  There's parties to attend, shopping to do, - well, maybe you're even planning for a winter vacation. Despite the new tax credit, business is likely to be down bit, partly because of the holidays and for two other reasons.  People who wanted to apply for the old homeowner's credit slowed down their shopping when they thought they'd run out of time to get it.  Repeat buyers who qualify under the next credit have hardly made it through the "Ten Steps to Make Your House Sell" yet to get it ready for sale. That means there is a bit of time before clients are making a lot of demands on your time but that does not mean there is nothing to do.  Here's your "To-Do L... 12/09/2009