New Website and Blog

Hi everyone,

I have a new website, Dupage Dream Homes and a new blog. You can check out all of the goings on in Wheaton and Glen Ellyn Real Estate at our new, and improved home!

We can't wait to see you there.

Peace.

Autumn Fest 2007 – 35 Years of Fun

One of the best things about Wheaton is the town’s commitment to family fun. This year’s Autumn Fest, presented by the Wheaton Chamber of Commerce, will once again showcase a weekend full of good wholesome fun.

The event will take place in numerous locations around town from September 13th to September 16th. Craft fair, local booths, food and children’s activities will take place at Memorial Park and the Carnival rides will be located at Liberty and Main.

The Memorial Park Bandshell will showcase two bands. The Navy Show Band will perform on Friday night and the Bert Cattoni Band will entertain the crowds on Saturday.

And, don’t forget to enter the Dog/Owner Look-a-Like contest on at 1pm on Saturday. I can’t wait to post those pictures!!! For a more detailed calendar of events, check out the Autumn Fest information on the Wheaton Chamber site.

Tips to Avoid the “F” Word

Well, by now you must know I am talking about Foreclosure. There are many things you can do to avoid a foreclosure situation.

1. Don’t ignore the problem. No matter how hard you may try, pretending the problem isn’t there, won’t make it go away.
2. Contact your lender right away. They might be able to help you through these hard times.
3. Don’t trash letters from your lender. They might contain helpful information.
4. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Don’t get scammed.
5. Talk with a banker or mortgage broker – maybe they can help with new mortgage products
6. If all else fails, talk with a good Realtor. They might be able to get your home sold before the foreclosure.
   

In an August 31, 2007 White House press release, the President outlines his ideas to help homeowners facing foreclosure. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development also has some wonderful ideas and resources for avoiding foreclosure.

If you find yourself in this situation, I wish you much luck and peace of mind.

It’s the “F” Word We All Hate

No, not that “f” word; but one just as alarming to many homeowners theses days. The word is foreclosure.

According to Wikipedia, foreclosure is, “the equitable proceeding in which a bank or other secured creditor sells or repossesses a parcel of real property due to the owner's failure to comply with an agreement between the lender and borrower called a "mortgage" or "deed of trust".
We haven’t talked much about foreclosures in Wheaton and Glen Ellyn because they haven’t been much of a problem. But with the current mortgage and real estate climate, the word keeps popping up. The 2006 foreclosure rate for Glen Ellyn real estate was 39 homes (or 4.88/1000). The rate for Wheaton real estate was 52 homes (or 3.62/1000).

Our numbers are still pretty low compared to other DuPage County towns.
Aurora 717 homes
Naperville 175 homes
Hanover Park 199 homes
Glendale Heights 141 homes
Carol Stream 110 homes

Homeownership Preservation Foundation is just one of the many sites out there to help and answer your questions.

Lessons in Homeownership

This lesson really hit close to home. And I don’t mean “hit” in a figurative way. Last Thursday’s weather report called for severe thunder storms in the afternoon. Well, between 3pm and 3:15pm a tornado touched down just west of my home. The storm and wind caused the 45 year old tree in my backyard to drop 2 huge branches. One landed on my daughter’s play house and the other on my roof straddling the power wires.

Luckily, nobody was hurt and we somehow managed to keep our power. Before the storm was even finished we had a call into our insurance company to being the claim process. The next phone call was to the electric company (ComEd) to discuss the remaining tree and damaged electric meter.

Lesson number one – hire a really good insurance company and get to know the wonderful people who work their. State Farm Insurance and specifically, Tracey in Roger Brown’s Glen Ellyn office has been nothing but helpful and responsive. They recommended a tree removal service and had the tree off my roof and power lines the very next day.

Lesson number two – it’s really hard to get through to a person at ComEd during and after a tornado. I’m still working on getting someone out here to look at the broken meter box and to assess the rest of the tree that is currently leaning toward the electric pole and power box. However, after 3 days, I have a handful of friends without power, so I’m sure ComEd is putting their energy into getting these people back online with electricity.

Homeownership is anything but predictable. And these surprises usually come with a hefty price tag. Be prepared, have important contact information at your fingertips and remember to be thankful for what is really important – the safety of your loved ones.

Wheaton Real Estate - July Homes Sold

Another pretty good month for Wheaton home sales, considering what has been going on in the market. The month of July brought about 54 home sales. The real estate market seems pretty consistent considering there were about that many home sales last month. The average Sale Price to List Price ratio mains at 97%, up from the dip to 96% in May.

Real Estate Homes Closed in July 2007

High End Homes in Wheaton

I realize not everyone can afford Wheaton real estate in this price range, but it’s still nice to dream about it. There are currently 38 homes in Wheaton listed for over $1,000,000. Since January 1, 2007 only 7 homes have sold for over a million dollars! The average market time for these homes is 242 days.