If you are considering selling or purchasing a new home in White Eagle in Naperville, IL, you're probably wondering what is happening to property values in this upscale, luxury Naperville golf club community. There are currently 37 active single family luxury homes available for sale ranging in price from $499,900 up to $1,350,00 with an average list price of $755,915.  The average market time for these White Eagle luxury homes is about 117 days. There are 9 active listings for attached single family homes available in White Eagle with an average list price of $326,478 and an average of 164 days on the market. In the last 6 months 15 single family homes have closed with an average list price of $631,947 and an average sold sale price of $594,116.  Homes are closing at about 94% of the a... 07/14/2008

White Eagle of Naperville was established in 1989 and built around the 27 hole Arnold Palmer Signature Golf Course as a country club community.  White Eagle is located just off of Rt. 59 and 87th Street across from the Stillwater Shopping Plaza, and spans 754 acres.  White Eagle's amenities include an 8,000 sq ft. community clubhouse, a zero depth community pool, 8 lighted tennis courts, ponds, walking trails, park, and security.  The striking and beautifully landscaped entrance and common areas are well groomed and maintained as part of the quarterly association fee of $225, which also includes use of all of the above mentioned amenities.  School aged residents of White Eagle attend the Indian Prarie district #204 schools which include White Eagle Elementary, Scullen Middle School, and... 07/14/2008

Don't you wanta know who has the lousy IndyMac foreclosure loans? I do. I'm betting that a lot of foreclosure homes will be put into a "waiting" period...and that the owners or squatters (seems like lots of vacant homes in Florida and Ca) will have a much longer "free" period. Now, I also think that we'll see mergers with the backing of the Fed. Washington Mutual, Citigroup and all those fearless lenders who are still around will be "asked" to merge to guarantee the safety of the markets. This is looking somewhat like 1990-1991 Long Term Capitol Mgmt fiasco, which also took many banks down with them. Seems like we never learn. Or are we (well bankers, lenders, title companies and maybe some real estate agents) too greedy? I think that I wrote many months ago that in my market the switch... 07/14/2008

07/13/2008

Every year, 4th of July weekend reminds me that summer fun is here and what better way to kick it off then with Naperville's Ribfest. An annual event for nearly 15 years that provides  food and musical enjoyment for all.   Ribfest runs from July 3rd - 6th and it's been voted the Best Festival in the Midwest. Including 17 world-class rib vendors; Desperado's BBQ 7 Rib Co, Fast Freddy's Electric BBQ Ribs, Sweet Baby Ray's Barbecue and Catering, Texas Outlaws BBQ, Pigfoot, Aussom Aussie, Butch's Smack Your Lips B-B-Q, Porky N Beans National BBQ Cooking Team, Rasta Joes BBQ, Sgt. Oink's Pit BBQ, Johnson's BBQ, Mojo's Ribshack, Smokin' Joe's Hog Wild Barbeque, Armadillo Rib and Que Company and Howling Coyote Southwest BBQ.       Two music stages provide rock-in entertainment , this year's li... 07/05/2008

I worked with a townhouse buyer last week...she's over 50...but not a senior. And as we viewed several properties I wondered about the "new" fashion in town homes in our area. In the past three years builders have been putting up townhomes which are above the garage. This means that you have to walk up a full flight of stairs. Now, I don't know about you, but I no longer have kids to carry in the groceries. I can't imagine dragging up several bags of groceries every week. In fact, as the laundry rooms are also on the bottom level, I can't imagine lugging up baskets of laundry either. What are these builders thinking? Or are they only building for young folks without knee problems? Seems like they're limiting the number of potential buyers. And, my buyer did buy a townhouse, but where yo... 06/29/2008

hello all. It is that time again.. It is Ribfest time.  As a member of the Naperville Exchange I hope you enjoy the festivities this year.  Remember that the proceeds go to many of the most needy organizations in the area.  It is all about the Kids. Have a great time and hope to see you there! 06/26/2008

Go Lisa! Our Illinois Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan is filing a lawsuit today against Countrywide Financial Corp. Madigan claims that the lender engaged in “unfair and deceptive” practices which enticed people to get those risky, adjustable mortgages back in the good old days of 2002 to 2006. You know, the mortgages that are now in foreclosure…or close to it. And, of course, Countrywide is not the only lender who gave away money. So many lenders have or will disappear within the next 18 months, that when the smoke clears the landscape will not be recognizable. Perhaps, we’ll go back to the old, old days of purchasing a home if we have 20% or more for a down payment. Perhaps, we will have to have a job and an income that makes the mortgage payment affordable. Imagine that we may have to have m... 06/25/2008

As many of you know, or are finding out, rentals have become a big part of our business. So, after doing all the work of finding a rental home for your clients; taking them thru the credit part; collecting certified funds and doing a final walk thru of the property...when do you think you should be paid? When you give the credit report? When you give the certified funds? When you turn over the keys? At possession? A month after possession?   Having just done a rental at the end of May, I'm still waiting to be paid! And, it just doesn't seem correct. When we go to a closing in Illinois we receive our commission. So, why should we have to wait on a rental? Our company is seriously thinking about setting up some consistent regulations regarding rentals. And, I just wish other companies wou... 06/25/2008

Eileen's Naperville Single Family Stats for June, 2008 Currently we see the following market statistics: ACTIVE NAPERVILLE SINGLE FAMILY LISTINGS Bedrooms #Active Avg LP Avg Market Time ALL 1391 674,942    193 DAYS 3 290     386,406    156 DAYS 4 893     667,603    192 DAYS 5+ 181 1,224,732   258 DAYS   SOLDS 417 HOMES SOLD  61 PER CENT OF MARKET SOLD  $464,003 AVERAGE SALES PRICE 94 DAYS ON MARKET So, about a third of listed single family homes have sold in the past six months. And, the biggest selling range is the four bedroom homes. Notice that prices have dropped by $7,000 in this category. Based upon the Case-Shiller housing monthly housing report, prices have dropped in all the top 20 metropolitan areas. Buyers with money (either 10% down payment or greater) can pick and choose fr... 06/25/2008

It's that time of year again - Ribfest in Naperville! This year Ted Nugent, Trace Adkins, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Foghat, REO Speedwagon are playing! Thursday, July 3, to Sunday, July 6 from noon to 10:00pm Admission is $10 per person and children 11 and under are free. You can buy discounted pre-sale admission tickets at the Naperville Park District and some Jewel grocery stores for $8 per ticket. Go to www.ribfest.net for more information! 06/16/2008

Now that the flowers are planted, the mulch is down and the weather has turned to "summer",  many families are looking to expand their living space.  A great place to extend living space is outdoors using natural materials to create family friendly outdoor spaces and outdoor entertaining areas.  These areas include paver or stone patios and walkways, outdoor grill/kitchen areas, outdoor lighting,  and the always popular fire pit.  These updates don't have to be expensive. You can always contact your favorite landscaper (contact me I can recommend a few) or  there are many reasonably priced fire pits as well as outdoor  lighting options available at your local home improvement store.  Wireless speakers and ipods add instant music for your outdoor listening pleasure. Food for thought as y... 06/15/2008

The table below lists all of the single family detached and single family attached homes currently on the market in Naperville, IL.  The data lists available homes by price range with average time on market in each range. 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. If you are contemplating a change in lifestyle, ie. a more luxurious home or the luxury of the amenities in a senior citizen development, I may be able to save you some money via discounts available to me.       Active Listings List Price Range # Listings Avg. Days on Mkt Less than $149,999 57 137 $150,000 - $199,999 165 171 $200,000 - $249,999 145 120 $250,000 - $299,999 103 113 $300,0... 06/13/2008

Obtain the Best Rates & Lowest Closing Costs When you are ready to purchase a home, it makes sense to negotiate from the strongest position possible. In a strong real estate market, sellers can be more selective in the final buyer they choose to negotiate with. In such a crazed seller's market, it's not uncommon for a home seller to receive multiple offers on their property. With that said; there are certain things you can do to make certain that your offer is the one Seller goes with. The vast majority of Purchaser's today go about the process entirely wrong, putting themselves at an overwhelming disadvantage! Let's look at this from the Sellers perspective for a moment. If you were the Seller and had multiple offers on your property, all things being equal, would you accept the one wi... 06/12/2008

    Someone from my networking group asked me that question last week. My first thought was, I am a Realtor you know that, but then it made me wonder how many more people are asking the same question.   However, I am going to answer from a different perspective. Rather than listing all the things I do for a seller client or buyer client, I would rather list all the roles I take on when hired by a client.         I am your Real Estate Advisor. I will give you advice on real estate matters, give you information, give you my recommendations and give you the facts.   I am your Problem Solver. You need to relocate to a different area, you have outgrown your current home, you need to sell a home for a family member or vice versa, you are relocating to the area and need to find a home. Whateve... 06/06/2008

If you are thinking to relocate to the Will County or DuPage County suburbs, please give me a call.  I've worked with a large number of relocations from throughout the United States. I can help you with locating the perfect home by setting you up on an MLS search based on your specific criteria. I will assist you to learn the areas in which you are wanting to buy. Visit my website at http://www.lanitacates.com/ or call me at 630-341-1545. I look forward to hearing from you! Naperville IL Real Estate, Naperville Illinois Real Estate, Homes for Sale Naperville IL 06/05/2008

Consumers are proving they can turn back time on identity theft by following a prescribed program of diligent document protection and criminal deterrence.A well-measured program of preventive steps can protect your identity from theft.ID theft-related fraud fell by 12 percent in 2007 and 300,000 fewer adults were victims, according to the latest from Javelin Strategy & Research, the longest-running ID theft study in the nation.At the top of the list of reasons for the decline is "greater consumer vigilance and awareness," according to the report.When someone steals your identity, you don't wander around aimlessly like some John or Jane Doe. Someone pilfers enough of your personal identifying information --name, address, Social Security Number, drivers license, credit and financial accou... 06/02/2008

Eileen's Naperville Single Family Stats for May, 2008 Once again the Case-Shiller monthly report shows that prices are down nationwide by as much as 20 percent in some markets, and inventory is up even more. Currently we see the following market statistics: ACTIVE NAPERVILLE SINGLE FAMILY LISTINGS Bedrooms #Active Avg LP Avg Market Time ALL   1363   673,873    186 DAYS  3       296   381,558    147 DAYS  4       860   675,863    190 DAYS  5+    180 1,194,897    236 DAYS   56%, or 361 homes, of all active MLS listings have sold in the past six months. Our prices are coming down as are days on market. Not by much, but every bit helps. However, did you notice that the average price is lower? (Take a look at my earlier monthly reports) Where are the buyers? If my experience is any indicator... 05/29/2008

You never know when you're going to see something that just shouts: Take a picture!   Most of you won't know what this car is, as they stopped building them, I think, in the 1940's...possibly the early 1950's.   This a WOODIE or WOODY...yup, this auto was manufactured with wood siding and trim. It carries its spare on the side...and we didn't see any glass for windows. And, there's even a running board. I suspect (I haven't Googled it) that that they had "issenglass" windows which they probably tied to the struts.   So, if only I had kept my Dad's Chevy ivory/gold Impala.   C Move UP to Naperville, Blog           05/26/2008

Naperville Home Sales Average List Price and Sale Prices by subdivision in the Naperville area. Single Family HomesSearch Previous Sales Subdivision Sales Avg. List Avg. Sale Ratio Andermann Acres 1 $599,999.00 $540,000.00 90 Ashbury 18 $518,840.00 $501,780.56 96.7 Ashwood Creek 3 $595,633.33 $562,166.67 94.4 Ashwood Park 4 $867,375.00 $848,442.25 97.8 Breckenridge Estates 3 $546,600.00 $537,000.00 98.2 Brighton Ridge 4 $509,925.00 $482,000.00 94.5 Brook Crossing 7 $329,366.00 $313,220.43 95.1 Brookdale 11 $409,390.91 $392,181.82 95.8 Brookwood Trace 3 $541,666.33 $533,333.33 98.5 Brush Hill 3 $376,600.00 $360,000.00 95.6 Campus Green 1 $299,900.00 $292,000.00 97.4 Cedar Glen 3 $302,466.67 $295,000.00 97.5 Century Farms 4 $724,474.75 $682,625.00 94.2 Charles Place 1 $639,900.00 $622,50... 05/21/2008