Try Storage! If lack of space for your belongings is an issue for you, off-site storage may be the right solution.  Renting storage space is a pretty simple process, especially when you plan ahead. Shop around to find the facility that best meets your needs such as storage size, price, accessibility and security. When shopping for a storage facility, you will need to know what size unit is required to hold your possessions. You also want to make sure that your items will be secure. Ask questions such as: Is there a guard on duty? Video surveillance? Alarms? In addition, don't assume that the facility, or your homeowner's or renters insurance, covers your belongings in case of theft or damage, so talk with your insurance provider. You also want to have reasonable access to your belonging... 03/09/2007

Think Spring, Think MaintenanceSpring is a season of renewal. So not surprisingly, real estate activity begins to swing into high gear. The weather is more cooperative and people want to get out of their cars.If you are considering putting your home on the market, now's a good time to do some pre-spring and spring maintenance to make sure your home is in top shape.  Walk Around the OutsideCheck for any damage caused by winter's cold weather. Look for sagging and loose gutters, window frames or siding. Is your roof missing any shingles, or is there any water damage under the eaves? Over the fall and winter, leaves, mud and debris may have accumulated in your gutters. Check your gutters for clogging and damage and schedule an appointment for cleaning. Walk around your yard as if you were ... 03/04/2007

The Romanesque DuPage County Courthouse Building has been a staple in Wheaton since it was dedicated on July 4, 1868.  This building was designed in 1896 by Miffler E. Bell and added to the National Register of Historic Place in 1978.  After being moved to a new facility in 1990, the building was sold to National Lewis University.  The property was sold again and is being restored and turned into a multi-family residential complex.The site is being developed by Airhart Construction as a high end condominium complex along with 50 Georgetown style row homes.  The Courthouse building will house 6 large residential condos.  The neighboring Statues Attorney's Office Building, originally built in 1938, will also be restored and used as a resident community center with meeting rooms, lounge, k... 03/02/2007

Winter in Wheaton - more fun than a person should be allowed to have!  Wheaton, with its strong reputation as a family-oriented community, has recently gained even more notoriety as it has been chosen as one of "50 Fabulous Places to Raise Your Family," in a book by Lee and Saralee Rosenberg.  Wheaton has also been named "the healthiest of Chicago's largest suburbs" in a recent survey evaluating the public health, safety and environment of several suburban communities.  Wheaton incorporated as a village in 1837 and became the DuPage County government seat in 1867.  03/01/2007

If you have never been to The Morton Arboretum, you need to put it on your immediate to do list.  The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Illinoisis is 1,700 acres of gardens, wetlands, lakes, walking trails, children’s maze, children’s garden, botanical library, restaurant, and picnic areas.The Morton Arboretum was established on December 14, 1922 by Mr. Joy Morton, owner of the Morton Salt Company.  His father, J. Sterling Morton was Secretary of Agriculture under President Grover Cleveland and initiated the first Arbor Day in Nebraska on April 10, 1872.           Morton Arboretum members can place early orders until April 6.  A huge “under the tent” sales for members will take place on the grounds on April 27 and 28.  Then, on April 29th, the sale will be open to the public.So take this oppor... 02/20/2007

The Stonehedge subdivision in Wheaton, Illinois is a very popular location.  It is know for its large homes and open floor plans.  The Stonehedge homes are located in the Southwest corner of Wheaton along Butterfield Road.  The subdivision was built by numerous builders in the early to mid 1980s. Brighton Park is located in the subdivision.  It has a large playground area, sandbox and open field for soccer games.  The park is under the care of the Wheaton Park District.  There is also the Seven Gables Park in an adjacent subdivision; just blocks away.  This 67 acre park has a pond, nature area, trails, football, baseball and soccer fields.  Three tennis courts and a basket ball court round out sports fun.  School age children will enjoy the large playground, sand area and concession sta... 02/16/2007

The Briarcliffe townhomes in Wheaton, Illinois is a very popular location in Wheaton.  They are known to be well built and spacious.  These are some of the best entry level homes in Wheaton.  The Briarcliffe townhomes are located in the Southeast corner of Wheaton divided by President Street.  The townhome subdivision was built by Weisman-Hughes Corporation in the early to mid 1970s. Briar Patch Park is located in the center of the Briarcliffe subdivision.  It has numerous baseball and softball diamonds, walking paths, tennis courts and a concession stand with bathrooms.  The park is under the care of the Wheaton Park District and is home to Wheaton Briarcliffe Youth Baseball and Softball teams. Depending on the location of the townhome, students in Briarcliffe are divided between Glen... 02/14/2007

The Briarcliffe subdivision in Wheaton, Illinois is a very popular location for well built homes at reasonable prices.  The Briarcliffe single family homes are located in the Southeast corner of Wheaton along Butterfield Road.  The subdivision was built by Weisman-Hughes builders in the early to mid 1970s. Briar Patch Park is located in the subdivision.  It has numerous baseball and softball diamonds, walking paths, tennis courts and a concession stand with bathrooms.  The park is under the care of the Wheaton Park District and is home to Wheaton Briarcliffe Youth Baseball and Softball teams. Depending on the location of the home, students in Briarcliffe are divided between Glen Ellyn School Districts 87 & 89 and Wheaton District 200.  The College of DuPage, a two year college, is also... 02/14/2007

The Wheaton Primary Elections for municipal offices will take place on February 27, 2007.  The primary election will narrow the field to 2 mayoral candidates and 4 city council candidates. There are four candidates looking to replace James Carr as Wheaton’s mayor.  They are: Alan Bolds, Michael Gresk, Tom Mouhelis, and Philip Suess. The Wheaton City Council has two seats opening up in May 2007.  Candidate for these two seats are Liz Corry, Todd Scalzo, John Prendiville, Jonathan Myers, and Bob Carlisle. Early voting will take place from February 5 to February 22, 2007.  There are 3 sites available in DuPage County for early voting. DuPage County Election CommissionNaperville Municipal CenterDowners Grove Village Hall Now, get informed and go out and vote!  02/12/2007

    The following table lists all available, no contract pendings, single family detached and single family attached homes for Wheaton, Dupage County Seat, Illinois. Information is broken into price point ranges with average time on market.The lowest, highest, median and aveage price are indicated at the end of the table. For information on homes available in a given price range, contact me at my blog, David's Blog, or web site.Active ListingsList Price Range# ListingsAvg. Days on MktLess than $149,99911143$150,000 - $199,99920129$200,000 - $249,99931103$250,000 - $299,99944143$300,000 - $349,99947136$350,000 - $399,99936135$400,000 - $449,99921137$450,000 - $499,99915134$500,000 - $549,99921147$550,000 - $599,99922172$600,000 - $699,99927156$700,000 - $799,99918202$800,000 - $899,99922... 02/11/2007

 Oh happy day!  The Wheaton Public Library will re-open on Monday, February 12 after 3 months of being closed for renovations.  This much anticipated re-opening will feature a larger and updated home to house Wheaton’s 350,000+ book collection.  The children’s department was expanded by almost twice as much and will include multiple rooms for special children’s events.  The original library was named after Wheaton resident John Quincy Adams' late wife in 1891.  It was renamed the Wheaton Public Library and the park to the West has taken on the name Adams Park in her honor.  The new renovation eliminated the street that divided the two landmarks and now a patio area will allow library goers to enjoy the park.  The Wheaton Library has made the top ten list of Hennen's American Public Libr... 02/11/2007

The Arrowhead subdivision is in the Southwest corner of Wheaton off of Butterfield Road between Orchard Road and Wiesbrook Road.  A majority of these homes were built between the late 1960s and 1970s and the size of the lots range from 1/3 to 1/2 acre.  Children living in Arrowhead can walk to both the Wiesbrook Elementary School and Wheaton Warrenville South High School in school district 200.  Across from the main subdivision entrance is Arrowhead Golf Club and the new clubhouse and banquet facility. January saw 2 home sales in ArrowheadBedrooms# SoldAvg LP (Sold)Avg SPAvg Market Time42$432,450$414,000227 There are currently 11 properties on the market in Arrowhead ranging in price from 374,900 to 597,000.  One of the new trending in Arrowhead is to purchase a home on a large plot of ... 02/06/2007

According to the Illinois Association of Realtors, national home sales were down 8.4%.  However, Danada North subdivision in Wheaton, Illinois defied the odds last year.  2006 saw the average home price rise by 8.4%.  In 2005 there were 9 homes sold with an average sale price of $485,056 and an average market time of 51 days.  2006 saw 10 home sales with an average sale price of $525,900 or 98% of asking price.  The average market time also went down to a mere 28 days.  This hot neighborhood location seemed to defy the 2006 market conditions of the rest of the nation. http://www.dupagedreamhomes.com/ 02/02/2007

As with all industries, real estate professionals have developed a lingo and acronyms to help them communicate with each other more easily. For the first-time homebuyer (and even some veterans), making sense of property listings can sometimes leave you feeling like you're deciphering the DaVinci Code.Let's take a look at a sample real estate listing:  2,500 sf on a c-d-s, 2BR, 2.5BA, CA, spac grt rm w/ wbfp, grmet kit, det garLooks a lot like alphabet soup. However, using this type of abbreviated property description saves valuable advertising space. Some abbreviations you'll probably encounter are:AC or A/C:  air conditioningBA:   bathroomBR:   bedroomCA:   central airC-D-S: cul de sacDET: detachedDK:  deckEIK:   eat-in kitchenF/FIN BSMT:   finished basementFDR:  formal dining roomFP: ... 02/01/2007

You can’t read the newspaper or watch the nightly news without hearing about the sluggish housing market.  But, keep in mind; they are talking about national numbers, not local ones.  For single family homes in Wheaton, the average sale price was $433,464 in 2006, up about 3.3% from 2005.  This is also higher than the Illinois state average which is only up 1.5% from 2005.The number of homes sold in 2006 is down about 25% from 2005.  There were 644 single family homes sold in 2005 and only 517 sold in 2006.If you would like to learn the appreciation of your specific neighborhood or a neighborhood you are interested in, please give us a call and we would be happy to run the numbers for you.Sherry Spengel sherry@spengelrealty.com 01/31/2007

This dignified neighborhood is in the heart of Wheaton.  It is located in the Southwest portion of town, surrounded by the best Wheaton has to offer.  To the South is Seven Gables Park; a 66 acre retreat with walking paths, ponds, playgrounds and ball fields.  To the West is the country’s first 18 hole golf course: Chicago Golf Club was just named the 7th most prestigious private club in America according to Golf Connoisseur Magazine.  To the North is Whittier Elementary School, the state’s #1 public elementary (rated by ISAT Illinois State Achievement Test scores).  This established, prestigious neighborhood offers all that Wheaton has to give; caring neighbors, peaceful surroundings, and wonderful amenities at your fingertips. If you are interested in learning more about the Farnham s... 01/27/2007

In 2006, twenty homes were sold in Hollybrook with an average sale price of $166,760 and about 97% of asking price.  These townhomes are a good investments for both residents and landlords.  These homes rent out for between $1000 and $1200 per month depending on location, condition and amenities (basement, garage, extra half bath). Currently there are 7 homes on the market ranging from $149,900 to $209,900.  The homes over $200,000 have 1.5 baths and a basement.  The average assement is $150 per month which includes lawn maintenance, snow removal, pool and club house upkeep. If you are looking to move to Wheaton and want a centralized location, Hollybrook townhomes might just be for you! Sherrywww.dupagedreamhomes.com    01/24/2007

One of Wheaton’s most affordable neighborhoods is Hollybrook.  Hollybrook is a wonderful townhome community of mostly two bedroom, one baths homes.  The subdivision has some great amenities; a heated pool, tennis court, playground and club house.  It is also boarded by Briar Patch Park where Briarcliffe baseball is played during the spring and summer months. The Hollybrook subdivision feeds into Wheaton District 200 schools: Lincoln and Edison elementary schools and Wheaton Warrenville South High School.  Residents can also walk to the Wheaton Park District for classes and the Rice Pool and Water Park. If you are looking to move to Wheaton and want a centralized location, Hollybrook townhomes might just be for you! Sherry Spengelwww.dupagedreamhomes.com  01/24/2007

First, let me say that in no way can I take credit for this wonderful idea.  A group of Realtors at Keller Williams and ReMax thought it up and organized the event.  Kevin and I just had the smarts to jump in and participate.The concept is a Friday evening Open House.  All the participating homes had a spotlight on the yard sign – hence the event name.  The collective “we” took out a one page ad in the local paper listing all the homes on tour.  Kevin and I paid extra to place a smaller 5" x 5.5" photo ad featuring our listings on the back page.  This event took place last week in three towns; Wheaton, Glen Ellyn and Winfield.  There were over 160 homes on tour - an incredible number.  And a great achievement to get 8+ independent real estate companies to work together (and get along to... 01/22/2007

While out on tour with a buyer client inevitability they will turn to me and say, “So what do you think the seller will take for this house?  Can I get a good deal on it?”  My answer is always the same, “It depends…” And that’s the truth.  It does depend on a myriad of variables.  How long has the home been on the market?Do they already have a contract on another home?Are they motivated to sell for some other reason?How is the condition and location?What did other homes sell for in this neighborhood?And really, the most important question: is it priced correctly? All sellers have a magic number in mind.  A good real estate agent will help the sellers to assess their property and price it so they can achieve their goals, whatever they might be - quick close, “as is” condition, holding ou... 01/22/2007