Monthly Archives: July 2012

A Few Homes in Arlington Heights IL That Have Natural Good Natural Sunlight

Posted on July 23, 2012 | Leave a comment

A Few Homes in Arlington Heights IL That Have Good Natural Sunlight

Homes With Natural Light - in Arlington Heights IL

Homes With Natural Light - in Arlington Heights IL

The stock of Real Estate in Arlington Heights can tend to be fairly “boring’ – with a lot of fairly “blah” homes with very little sunlight or character, according to some of our past home buyer clients.   So – we are going to highlight a few Arlington Heights homes that have good natural sunlight flowing in.

Arlington Heights has a lot to offer, with great restaurants with live music. the Metropolis Theater and it’s many events,  easy access to a Metra station, various cultural events and much more.  Because our company represents home buyers exclusively – and because we’ve had clients in many different Chicago suburbs – we know which suburbs offer which type of housing stock.

The following two homes in Arlington Heights have some good natural light / sunlight coming in, either via skylights or a wall of windows.   Based on our past experience, we’ve found that most clients value a light and bright home, especially given the nature of the typical overcast skies in the winters in the Chicagoland area.

If you are interested in learning more about these homes (we do not represent the seller of these homes) – feel free to use the contact us form at the bottom of each home’s detail page (by clicking on their address link) or just call 847-566-7558 for more information.   Please note that  Buyer Broker Chicagoland is 100% on the home buyer’s side, and never represents sellers.

If You are Looking For Homes in Arlington Heights IL That Have Good Natural Sunlight – Here are a Few of Them:

We're sorry, but we couldn't find MLS # 08111010 in our database. This property may be a new listing or possibly taken off the market. Please check back again.

We're sorry, but we couldn't find MLS # 08113267 in our database. This property may be a new listing or possibly taken off the market. Please check back again.

If you would like to have access to browse more “light and bright” homes in the Arlington Heights IL area – please give us a call at 847-566-7558.

 

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Posted in Arlington Heights, Exclusive Buyer Agency

Some Wells Fargo Statistics – Home Mortgage Origination Business is Strong

Posted on July 17, 2012 | Leave a comment
Mortgage originations are up nationwide

Mortgage originations are up nationwide

Some Wells Fargo Statistics – Home Mortgage Origination Business is Strong:

  • Mortgage business revenue was up 90% from a year earlier and 11% from the prior quarter.
  • Revenue from refinancing was up more than $19 billion, or 43%, from the first quarter, “indicating continued strength in the overall housing market, where we see increases in sales and pricing in markets throughout the country, even some of the hardest hit areas during the slowdown,” according to CEO John Stumpf.
  • A 31% increase was achieved in commercial loan growth, through portfolio acquisitions and organically increased credit card penetration.
  • Credit quality continued to improve, with the charge-off ratio declining to 1.15%, the lowest since 2007.
  • Nonperforming assets declined by $1.8 billion from the first quarter, down 11% from a year earlier.
  • Record net income rose by 17%, with earnings per share up 17% from a year earlier.
  • “Mortgage volumes have been much stronger than anyone expected a year ago or even three months ago, for that matter, with originations more than double where they were a year ago, and our mortgage pipeline, which should lead to future revenue and expense growth, has also doubled,” according to CFO Timothy Sloan.

Did you know that Wells Fargo services an astounding $1.9 trillion in residential mortgages?

These Wells Fargo statistics are telling you that housing is back and that it is booming.

Time for a home for your kids?

Time for a home for your kids?

Are you looking to purchase a home within the next 6 months in the Chicago metro area?  Then you should consider hiring a Real Estate company that is on your side – instead of having conflicts of interests with your interests.   

Buyer Broker Chicagoland offers the best negotiation expertise in the Chicago area – with over 25 years of experience in high-end negotiation, and as Exclusive Buyer Brokers and Certified Negotiation Experts.   Call today to schedule a free initial consultation – 847-566-7558

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Posted in Chicago Suburbs, First Time Home Buyer

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Chicago is Rated the Best Metro Area for Bargain-hunting Home Buyers

Posted on July 16, 2012 | Leave a comment

Chicago is Rated the Best Metro Area for Bargain-hunting Home Buyers

Still a Buyer's Market in Chicagoland

Still a Buyer's Market in Chicagoland

According to Zillow (notorious for poor price estimates) – of the 50 largest metropolitan markets, the Chicago area is the top buyer’s market.

In other words – Zillow says that  buyers have more negotiating power than in most other markets.

Zillow’s  calculations  provides a wake-up call for sellers who’ve heard reports of a generally improving housing market and may expect a higher price for their home.

(Yet – we also see many situations where there are multiple offers on a property – especially short sale properties.)

Zillow found that in May,  forty eight  percent of homes in the Chicago area sold for less than their previous selling price (kind of a no brainer if the previous sale was 3-7 years ago), and the median number of days those homes were listed on Zillow was 182 days.

About forty percent of homes listed in May had seen at least one price cut, and the median cut was 6.92 percent. The average discount on homes sold in May was 5 percent less than their most recent asking price.

In the Chicago market, Downers Grove, Northbrook, Palatine, Buffalo Grove and Orland Park were considered the top five communities for buyers trying to get a “good deal.”

Which communities in the Chicago area were the best for sellers?

Of the top five, three — Crown Point, Valparaiso and Munster — are in Indiana. Bolingbrook and Aurora round out the list.

Zillow’s calculations looked at sale-to-list-price ratios, the number of days a property spent on Zillow and the percentage of homes on the market with a price cut.

Other buyer’s markets nationally were Milwaukee, Cleveland, New York, Philadelphia, Jacksonville, Fla., Providence, R.I., Cincinnati, Hartford, Conn., and Houston.

The top seller’s market was San Jose, Calif., followed by San Francisco, Las Vegas, Sacramento, Calif., Phoenix, Riverside, Calif., Washington, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City and Austin, Texas.

In May, the median price of a home sold in the Chicago area rose, by only $100, but it was the first positive movement in that indicator in 50 months.

Last month, RealtyTrac reported that foreclosure activity in Illinois in May rose fifty four percent from the year earlier, giving Illinois the fifth-highest foreclosure rate in the nation, just behind California and just ahead of Florida.

Buyer Broker Chicagoland represents home buyers exclusively in the Chicago Metro area.   As such – we are always on the buyer’s side 100% of the time – unlike a traditional agent.   We are also Certified Negotiation Experts – helping buyers get thousands or tens of thousands of dollars in better purchase price.

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Posted in Buffalo Grove IL, Chicago Suburbs, Downers Grove, Northbrook, Palatine Ilinois, Uncategorized

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Buyer Broker Chicagoland Offers a Free Consultation to First Time and Luxury Home Buyers

Posted on July 6, 2012 | Leave a comment

Buyer Broker Chicagoland Offers a Free Consultation to First Time and Luxury Home Buyers

Finding Your Dream Home and Negotiating The Best Possible Price Off - Buyer Broker Chicagoland

Finding Your Dream Home and Negotiating The Best Possible Price Off - Buyer Broker Chicagoland

Whether you choose to use our services or not (or whether we choose you as a client)  – we’ll meet with you so you can learn more about you motives and capabilities to purchase a home, negotiation techniques, and due diligence methods we use to protect you during the most important financial decision of your life.  And we will learn more about your and your capability to purchase – and whether we can help you or not, or see if there is good chemistry with you.

Happy Initial Consultation

Informative Initial Consultation

What happens during in the initial consultation? It is a mutual question and answer session.    You’ll get your real estate questions answered, gain new insights into the goals and rationale and priorities behind your purchase (including how much you can afford), and  learn more  about our services.  The meeting can be in person (preferred), over Skype or Google video conference call, or over the phone if necessary.

You should come away from the consultation with enough information to answer these questions:

  • Does it make sense to buy vs. rent?
  • Is what I’m willing to spend and can afford (there might be a difference between the two) – enough to buy a house I would be happy to live in?
  • Do I have a large enough down payment to buy a home?
  • How do I find out if I have enough, or good enough credit to buy a home?  
  • What are some of the techniques you use to negotiate the best price that others don’t use?
  • How can I know that a neighborhood or area of town is for me?
  • What are the most important things to me about a neighborhood?   What is more important to me – schools, neighborhood, features of the home or yard, and why?
  • What are my true reasons and motives for purchasing a home?
  • What can I expect in each part of the home buying process?
  • What are the differences in the type of representation I can have as a buyer?
  • What are current market conditions like?

Depending on the answers to these questions, you might be ready to move forward or not.  Whatever you decide – you will come away from the consultation with an in-depth understanding of the types of representation that are available to you, your core reasons and priorities for purchasing a home, negotiation tips and other valuable information.

Thinking about buying a home in the Chicago Illinois area in 2012?  Call us at 847-566-7558 to learn more and set up a time to meet.  

We are based in Chicago’s Northwest Suburbs – and of course cover those many towns (Hawthorn Woods, Long Grove, Kildeer,  Palatine, Lake Zurich, Buffalo Grove, Wheeling, Vernon Hills, Libertyville, Grayslake, Wauconda, Island Lake, McHenry, Fox Lake and Antioch to Gurnee, and the North Shore – but we routinely serve buyers in Downers Grove, Lombard, Naperville and other suburbs to the south of us, as well as  downtown Chicago and the communities to the north and northwest of downtown.   (One of our recent happy clients purchased in the Bucktown area.)

 

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Posted in Buffalo Grove IL, first time buyer, First Time Home Buyer, Grayslake, Hawthorn Woods, Informational Meeting, Initial Consultation, LIbertyville IL, Long Grove, Luxury home buyer, North Shore, Northwest Suburbs, Palatine Ilinois, Vernon Hills

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Downtown Grayslake Heritage Area Home With In-law Possibilities. 3798 Square Feet, 5 Bedrooms, 3 Full Baths, and 2 Half Baths

Posted on July 2, 2012 | Leave a comment

Downtown Grayslake Heritage Area Home With In-law Possibilities.   3798 Square Feet, 5 Bedrooms, 3 Full Baths, and 2 Half Baths

Lot of Square Footage for the Money in Grayslake.

Interested in the Home Highlighted Below?  Fill in the Form Below the Home’s Data For More Information.  (We Do Not Represent The Seller of the Property – and We Don’t Represent Seller’s at All!)

The Certified Negotiation Experts for Chicago's Northwest Suburbs and Grayslake

The Certified Negotiation Experts for Chicago's Northwest Suburbs and Grayslake

Or – Schedule a Meeting With Chicago’s Real Estate Negotiation Experts.   As the Northwest Suburb’s Exclusive Buyer Agents – We Never Represent Sellers and We Are ALWAYS 100% on the Home Buyer’s Side!

We're sorry, but we couldn't find MLS # 08099614 in our database. This property may be a new listing or possibly taken off the market. Please check back again.

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Posted in Grayslake, In-Law, Single Family Home

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Chicago Suburban Band Schedule Over the Fourth of July 2012

Posted on July 2, 2012 | Leave a comment

Chicago Suburban Band Schedule Over the Fourth of July 2012

Live Band Schedule for Fourth of July Week - Chicago Suburban Areas - Northwest Suburbs, South Suburbs, West Suburbs

Live Band Schedule for Fourth of July Week

Brought to you by the Home Negotiation Experts at  Buyer Broker Chicagoland – Always on The Home Buyer’s Side 100% of the Time!

TUESDAY July 3

1. Generation – FESTIVAL, Harrier Park, 6250 Dempster Street, Morton Grove, 60′s Woodstock to British invasion

2. The Hat Guys – FESTIVAL, 1050 W. Romeo Road, Romeoville, 7 – 9:30 PM

3. Mellencougar – FESTIVAL, E. Palatine Road and N. Hicks Road, Palatine, 7 – 9 PM, John Mellencamp tribute

4. Hi Infidelity – FESTIVAL, 700 Oakbrook Road, Oakbrook, 6 – 8 PM, REO, STYX, Journey

5. Infinity – FESTIVAL, 159th and Long Ave, Oak Forest, 9 PM, REO, STYZ, Journey

6. 7th Heaven – FESTIVAL, Madison and Meadow Park, E. Madison Street, Lombard, 9 PM

7. Suburban Cowboys band – FESTIVAL, Spring Street, Barrington, 5 – 8 PM, $5/pp, Country

8. Kimi Hayes and Deja Vu – FESTIVAL, 159th Street and Central Ave, Oak Forest, 6 – 9 PM

9. Vito Zatto show – FESTIVAL, 700 31st Street, Oakbrook, 4:30 PM

10. Denny Diamond – Ice Cream Social, 220 S. Villa Ave, Villa Park, 7:30 PM, Neil Diamond tribute

11. 5 Guys Named Moe – CONCERT IN THE PARK, 16028 127th Street, Lemont, 7 PM

WEDNESDAY July 41. Hillbilly Rock – FESTIVAL, Spring Lake Park, 49 Oxford Drive, Lincolnshire, 6 PM

2. Cover Story – FESTIVAL, Mitchell Park, Frankfort, 7:30 PM

3. Shawn Klush – FESTIVAL, 411 W. Higgins Road, Hoffman Estates, ? TIME, Elvis tribute

4. New Invaders – FESTIVAL, Fullerton Ave and Thatcher Ave, Elmwood Park, 7:30 – 9:30 PM, 60′s Woodstock to British invasion

5. The Neverly Brothers – FESTIVAL, 8820 Brookfield Ave, Brookfield, Noon – 2 PM, Rockabilly to British invasion

6. Rick Lindy and the Wild Ones – FESTIVAL, Stearns and Bartlett Roads, Bartlett, ? TIME, Retro rock

7. Denny Diamond – FESTIVAL, 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates, 6 PM, Neil Diamond tribute

8. Soda – FESTIVAL, Sports Center, 2004 Municipal Way, Round Lake, 8 PM, 60-90′s rock n roll, dance

9. Bag Shot Row – FESTIVAL, 735 E. Jefferson, Bensenville, 2 -3 PM, 60-70′s rock n roll, dance

10. 7th Heaven – FESTIVAL, I290 and Thorndale Ave, Itasca, 8 PM

11. The Fairlanes – FESTIVAL, Melas Park, Central and Busse Roads, Mt Prospect, ? TIME, 50-60′s rock n roll, dance

12. Libido Funk Circus – FESTIVAL, 15600 West Ave, Orland Park, 7:15 PM, 80′s disco and oldies to present

13. Modern Day Romeos – FESTIVAL, Madison Mead Park, 550 E. Madison Street, Lombard, ? TIME

14. R-Gang – FESTIVAL, 1 Parkway Plaza, Oakbrook Terrace, 8 PM, R&B, Blues

15. Mike and Joe – FESTIVAL, 2001 Rodeo Drive, Bolingbrook, 5:30 – 7 PM

16. Midnight – FESTIVAL, Brookfield and Arden Ave, Brookfield, 2:45 – 4:30 PM

17. Midnight – FESTIVAL, Veterans Park, 4200 S. Lawndale, Lyons, 7 – 9 PM

18. Evolution – 4th of July Celebration, Cerny Park, River Road and Forest View Ave, Warrenville, 7:15 PM, REO, STYZ, Journey

19. The White Saddle band – CONCERT IN THE PARK, Dowie Memorial Park, Zion, ? TIME

20. Billy Croft and the 5 Alarm – CONCERT IN THE PARK, Gary Ave and Lies Road, Carol Stream, 7 PM

21. Hi Infidelity – Hollywood Casino, 2 W. New York Street, Aurora, 10 PM – 1 AM, REO, STYZ, Journey

22. R-Gang – Post Parade, Grennan Heights Park, 8255 Oketo, Niles, 11 AM, R&B, Blues

23. Route 66 Top Golf, 699 W. Thorndale, Wooddale, 7 PM, call 630-595-4653 for reservations, 50-60′s rock n roll, dance

24. Friction – Broken Oar, 614 Rawson Bridge Road, Port Barrington, 3 PM

25. The Cruisers – Parade, 51st and 95th  Street, Oak Lawn, 10 – 11:45 AM

26. Maggie Speaks – Golf Club, 2001 Rodeo Drive, Bolingbrook, 9:30 PM

27. Kimi Hayes and Mike Aquino – Adobe Gilas, 5455 Park Place, Rosemont, 9 PM
————————————————————
THURSDAY July 5

1. American English – FESTIVAL, 5333 Prairie Stone Parkway, Hoffman Estates, 5 PM, Beatles tribute

2. Hi Infidelity – FESTIVAL, Stearns and Bartlett Road, Bartlett, 8:30 – 11 PM, REO, STYX, Journey

3. Sam Savage – FESTIVAL, Bartlett Road and Stearns, Bartlett, 5:30 – 8 PM

4. Heartache Tonight – FESTIVAL, Melas Park, Central and Busse, Mt Prospect, 8:30 – 11 PM, Eagles tribute

5. Infinity – FESTIVAL, Madison Street and S. Lewis Ave, Lombard, 9 PM, REO, STYZ, Journey

6. New Invaders – CONCERT IN THE PARK, 61st Street, Countryside, 7 – 9 PM, 60′s Woodstock to British invasion

7. The Neverly Brothers – CONCERT IN THE PARK, 10040 Addison, Franklin Park, 7 – 8:45 PM, Rockabilly to British invasion

8. Soda – CONCERT IN THE PARK, 1450 Forest Gate Road, Oakbrook, 7 PM, 60-90′s rock n roll, dance

9. Rick Saucedo and the Change of Habit band – Promenade Concert, 6312 E. Boughton Road, Bolingbrook, 7 PM, Elvis tribute

10. Chicago Tribute Anthology – Plaza Delago, 1515 Sheridan Road, Wilmette, 6 – 8 PM

11. R-Gang – Riverfront Park, 201 N. Harrison, Algonquin, 7:30 PM, R&B, Blues

12. Frank and Dave – Tavern on LaGrange, 5403 S. LaGrange Road, Countryside, 8 – 11 PM

13. Libido Funk Circus – Hollywood Casino, 1 W. New York Street, Aurora, 8 PM, 80′s disco and oldies to present

14. Maggie Speaks – 115 Bourbon Street, 3359 W. 115th Street, Merrionette Park, 10 PM

15. Micheal Heaton (solo) – Elmer’s Dog House, 1250 S. Broadway Road, Montgomery, 7:30 – 11:30 PM, Country

16. Mike and Joe – Rivers Casino, 3000 S. River Road, Des Plaines, 9 PM

17. Brian Patti Orchestra – Mango, 8743 Milwaukee, Niles, 7 – 10 PM

18. Drew Roberts (solo) – The Cellar Door, 5150 Main Street, Downers Grove, 8 – 11 PM

 

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Posted in Bands, Chicago Suburbs, Fourth of July, North Shore, Northwest Suburbs, Southwest Suburbs, Western Suburbs

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