Debra Kukulski CDPE, RECS, GRI, ABR, e-PRO RE/MAX Unlimited Northwest January 2010 GOOGLE VOICE -- THE ULTIMATE IN PHONE SERVICES! The world has been waiting for this! Google has stepped up to the plate with a mind boggling suite of telephone services! To begin with, they give you your own phone number that you can publish on your cards, letterheads, faxes and ads. Then when someone is trying to reach you the "follow me" technology will ring your office, home, mobile phone - in short any numbers you program in will ring simultaneously until you pick up the line that is most convenient for you. In addition to the "find me" incoming call service that will locate you - no matter where you are, what makes this service extra special are the other bells and whistles including. voicemail transcription so you can read your messages at your leisure, custom greetings you can program by caller, sharing voice mails, free SMS, call blocking, conference calls, call screening -- Plus plus plus! This service has been in "invitation only" mode for a while - but they are speeding up their acceptance timeframe which makes it worthwhile to jump in and apply. After all the price is right - it's on the house. Click Here for This Cyber Trick We are always pleased to be of service to our Cyber Friends and to provide you with these monthly CyberTips. As members of the Real Estate CyberSpace Society we are always current on ways to expand our normal high standards of service with the very latest Internet and other CyberSpace strategies and tools. Click Here for hundreds of Cyber Tricks and Great Places in back issues. SEND YOUR NAME TO MARS! Here's your chance to go to Mars! The good folks at NASA are putting together a list of followers who would like to get spaced out! Just go to this interesting site and fill in the short form and your name will be included with others on a microchip on the Mars Science Laboratory rover heading to Mars in 2011! Everybody on-board -- your 15 minutes of fame may last for an eternity! Click Here for This Cyber Trick Copyright © 2010 All Rights Reserved Cyber Specialist Search Real Estate Bookstore Real Estate CyberConvention CyberTips Library National Real Estate Industry Blogsite HAVE ALL YOUR MANUALS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS! In addition to a lot of other features, this great place has more than 100,000 manuals on electronics products from more than 1000 manufacturers. And it's easy to use! You can find the manuals to match all of your electronic products by searching direct, alphabetically or by hundreds of product types such as Calculators, Cell Phones, Digital Cameras, DVD Players, Laptops, Desktops, Multifunction Printers, Printers, Remote Controls, TVs, or Telephones. Then you can build your personal library on-line or by downloading the ones you want to a "My Manuals" folder so you can access your manuals whenever you need them. And to make it even better -- there is no cost for all of this good stuff! Click Here for This Great Place ARE YOUR PROGRAMS UP-TO-DATE? Many of us struggle to keep our computer programs up-to-date. And the.rest say "The heck with it!" and let sleeping dogs lie! The folks at this great place have come up with an easy solution for keeping up to the minute - with a minimum of effort. You simply download their easy to use "Update Checker" and run it. In a flash, up comes a list of the programs on your computer for which there are updates. Then you can click on the download arrow - and Shazam -- your program is fresh as a daisy! There are lots of other features but they don't get in the way of making updating your programs a quick and easy task. And like most of the gems we feature here - this service is on the house! Click Here for This Great Place

Debra Kukulski Email: deb@debrakukulski.com Phone: 847-516-6760 Fax: 847-639-6666 Web: www.debrakukulski.com     It is a GREAT TIME TO BUY REAL ESTATE in McHenry County, Cook County and Lake Counties in Northern Illinois.  There are great deals on homes and lots for sale and real estate in Cary, Crystal Lake, Lake In The Hills, Algonquin, McHenry, Lakewood, Lakemoor, Island Lake, Wauconda, Barrington, Fox River Grove, Barrington Hills, North Barrington, Fox River Waterfront Homes, Spring Grove, Volo, Fox Lake, Lake Barrington, Antioch, Lake Zurich, Barrington Village, Tower Lakes, Wonder Lake, Woodstock, Chain of Lakes Waterfront Homes, Lake Barrington Shores, Dundee, Buffalo Grove, Hebron, Elgin, Harvard, Prairie Grove, etc! There are fabulous homes for sale at great prices in *especially for first time buyers, investors and move up buyers.* Rates are great, too! We are having a "HUGE sale" on our large inventory of VERY well priced HOMES! ;-)     If I can be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to call or email me. It will be my pleasure! By the way, if you know of someone that could benefit from my high level of service, please call or email me with their name and daytime phone number and I will make sure to follow up and take great care of them. My business keeps growing from your referrals.   My Direct Number at the Office is 847.516.6760       RE/MAX Unlimited Northwest 7107 Pingree Crystal Lake, IL 60014

 

Home Buyer TIPS On Purchasing A Distressed Property: Pre-Foreclosure, Short Sale, Foreclosure or REO

 

Did You Know That Foreclosures and Short Sales Can Actually Cost A Buyer More?

So many buyers think the best deals out there are foreclosures and short sales, but they can actually cost MORE! 

One important thing for home buyers to keep in mind is that since we are in such a strong buyer’s market now,  there are many motivated sellers out there that have great homes priced to compete with the short sales, pre-foreclosures, foreclosures and REO’s and a buyer can usually purchase one of these homes with a less stress, money and risk factors than when buying a distressed property.

Here are just some of the additional costs you may incur with a

bank foreclosure / distressed sale:

 

Survey: Approximately 150.-300. (Usually a seller cost, except when a bank sale)

 

No Tax pro-ration: (usually 105% of the last tax bill in this area, banks only will usually give the buyer 100% of the last known tax bill)

 

Usually no negotiation on repairs, so if you do your inspection and it is not satisfactory to you, you talk with your attorney regarding canceling the contract if it is within the contingency dates, but no one will give you back the 300. or so you may have spend on a home inspection, or any fees that were paid to your lender.  You may also be putting out your hard earned dollars for radon, lead paint, or mold inspections if you feel they are important to you.

 

Not closing on time can also cost you a Per Diem, as banks usually have this in their contract addendums. This is more of a risk now with underwriting and appraisals taking longer and daily changes in the banking industry.  The addendums usually have a charge that the buyer will have to pay for each day after the original closing date if they can not close on time for any reason.  I have seen this Per Diem charge being anywhere from 25-100 dollars per day.

 

By the way....*****I love working with buyers*****  :-)

 

Appliances: Banks usually say there is “no bill of sale on personal property”, so what you see when you write an offer may not be what you see before closing.  Make sure you have some extra money put aside in case you have to purchase appliances.

 

Well/Septic Issues: If a property is on a private well or septic, you will also have to pay for your own inspections and this is usually a seller’s expense in this area.  Another thing to keep in mind is that if you have an FHA loan, a vacant property that has a private septic system will not work since FHA now requires a copy of the septic test and if vacant, the inspector will usually put something on the report like “property is vacant and a re-test is recommended 30 days after normal use”.   If the well test does not come back with the water being safe, the buyer will usually have to correct the situation since it is an “as is” contract.

 

De-Winterization and re-winterizing the property for inspections and final walk-through.  In most cases this is a buyer’s expense.  Even if you are not doing a home inspection, the appraiser usually will want the water on when they come by to do the appraisal, especially if it is an FHA mortgage.

 

No disclosures: Since they have never lived in or in most cases, have never even seen the property, they are exempt from having to do the usual disclosures.   Your due diligence is even more important in foreclosures and any distressed sales.

 

Deferred maintenance: When someone can no longer pay their mortgage, many times they also have not been able to properly keep up with maintaining and updating their home so more repairs are usually necessary than on a home where the seller has been able to afford to keep up with updates and maintenance/repair issues.

 

Timing: Many times there is a very long wait to get a response on an offer, and it is usually worse with short sales than REO’s, which are properties that have already been foreclosed upon. You could be risking closing on time to be able to take advantage of the first time home buyers credit, which expires at the end of June 2010.  Remember, you will have to have an accepted contract by the end of April 2010.  I would recommend not waiting until the end of April to have a home under contract if you are a first time buyer or otherwise principal residence buyer who qualifies for the up to 6500. expanded home buyer tax credit.   If that contract falls through so will your  home buyer’s tax credit of up to 8000 or 6500!

Furthermore, in a short sale situation, in Northern Illinois the trend is becoming that once a seller signs a contract, contingent upon bank approval, the buyer usually needs to move forward with their inspections and mortgage approval right away,  even though the bank has not yet made a decision if they will approve the short sale or not.  Usually once the bank gives an approval, they do not give the buyer too long to close and most of the time it is not enough time to do this after approval.  The other reason for this is that if a seller only sends one offer into the bank (which is usually how it is done because any time a new offer is presented to them they go back to square one and the waiting time starts all over!), the seller really does not want to risk that the buyer cancels the contract after they have waited so long for an answer and the clock is ticking for them when they are facing foreclosure so usually do not want to be tied up with a buyer who will not wait.  In the Short Sales and Foreclosures Resource class I just took last week, the consensus seemed to be that buyers and sellers were waiting an average of 3-4 months for the bank to decide if they approve the short sale or not.

These are just some things to keep in mind when considering your options. Foreclosures and distressed sales can be excellent opportunities for the right buyer who is not trying to closely watch their costs, who has a lot of time and patience, who has some money to “gamble” with if contracts are not approved, who does not have to close by a certain date (like to get the first time buyer tax credit!) and the ability not to get too attached to or emotional about the property.  Do not get me wrong, there are many great fantastic deals out there to be had right now, but do not make the mistake of thinking that the only good deals are distressed sales. Sometimes, a truly motivated seller with equity in their home can also offer a wonderful buy with less cost, less waiting and less hassles and a property in better condition as well!

 

 

It is a GREAT TIME TO BUY REAL ESTATE in McHenry County, Cook County , Kane and Lake Counties in Northern Illinois.  There are fabulous homes for sale at great prices!

***especially for first time buyers, investors and move up buyers. *** Rates are fantastic, too!

We are having a "HUGE sale" on our large inventory of VERY well priced HOMES!

To Search Homes For Sale, Please Contact Me Directly Or Feel Free To Search On My Website!

My Direct Number at the Office is 847.516.6760

 

If I can help you or someone you know purchase or sell a home, I’d love to help.

 

If I can be of assistance to you, or, if you just have a question please do not hesitate to call or email me.  It will be my pleasure!  By the way, if you know of someone that could benefit from my high level of service, please call or email me with their name and daytime phone number and I will make sure to follow up and take great care of them.  My business keeps growing from your referrals.

 

There are fabulous buys on the market....now is a GREAT time to buy real estate in IL, especially for MOVE UP Buyers, Waterfront Buyers, Vacation and Second Home Buyers, Investors and First Time Buyers!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo taken by Debra Kukulski, ABR, RECS, GRI, EPRO, Realtor with RE/MAX Unlimited Northwest Cary-Crystal Lake IL, provides highly professional levels of real estate services to home buyers and sellers in McHenry, Lake, Kane or Cook Counties in Northern Illinois. Visit my www.TheresNoPlaceLikeYourPlace.com to search for homes for sale in Northern Illinois. Photo may not be used or reproduced in any way without express written permission from Debra Kukulski.

 

To Search Homes For Sale, Please Contact Me Directly Or Feel Free To Search On My Website!

 

If I can be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to call or email me. It will be my pleasure!

By the way, if you know of someone that could benefit from my high level of service, please call or email me with their name and daytime phone number and I will make sure to follow up and take great care of them. My business is over 87% referral and repeat clients and I am so grateful it keeps growing from your loyalty and referrals:-)

My Direct Number at the Office is 847.516.6760

 

How is the current market in Wauconda, IL?

 

Wauconda IL Market Conditions:

As of today, per MRED MLS, for the past 3 months:

We currently have 175 Single Family homes on the market in Wauconda that are active and available. 

**32 of the 175 listed detached real estate homes in Wauconda IL are currently under contract.

34 of the 175 available single family homes for sale right now in Fox Wauconda are Distressed sales, either Short Sales, REOs, Pre-Foreclosures or Foreclosures.

•·     They have been on the market for an average of 252 days.

•·     The average list price is $321,269.

•·     During the past 3 months, 40 Single Family homes in Wauconda have successfully closed with the help of their Realtors.  They took an average of 178 days on the market to get SOLD.

The average *original* list price of the SOLD detached homes, in Wauconda was

$278,413 The last list price when they successfully received a buyer contract that closed was  $247,327

and the average SOLD price is $234,536.

To sum it up, home sellers of detached homes in Wauconda have been getting an average of 95% of their list prices  (84% of their *original* list prices), with the help of their Realtors.  The homes that are priced correctly for this buyer's market have a significantly better success rate in getting to the closing table.

14 of the 40 single family homes that closed in Wauconda over the past three months were Distressed Sales, either Short Sales, Pre-Foreclosures, REOs and Foreclosures.

 

There are 36 waterfront homes for sale, both attached or detached real estate, including many on Beautiful Bang's Lake in Wauconda IL.   The current available homes for sale on the water and on Bang's Lake  have a cumulative average time on market of 137 days. 

5 of the 36 waterfront and lakefront homes for sale in Wauconda are currently under contract.

The average list price for a detached waterfront home in Wauconda right now is $426,196, and the average list price for a waterfront attached home in Wauconda is $269,650. 

There are many excellent opportunities right now for the waterfront real estate buyer on Bang's Lake in Wauconda, as well as on the Fox River, Chain of Lakes, Wonder Lake, Island Lake and many of our wonderful Northern Illinois watesrways.  I have never so many fabulous buys on the water!

 

Search Waterfront and Fox River Front Homes For Sale here or just give me a call, I am happy to assist you whether you are buying or selling!

We are still experiencing a Buyer's Market in Wauconda.  It is a GREAT time to buy real estate!!

 

 We currently have 57 Attached homes on the market in Wauconda that are active and available.  Seven of the 57 available homes right now in Wauconda are disclosed in MRED MLS as Distressed sales, either Short Sales, REOs, Pre-Foreclosures or Foreclosures.

*8 of the 57 listed attached real estate homes in Wauconda IL are currently under contract.

•·     They have been on the market for an average of 196 days.

•·     The average list price is $208,239.

*In the past 3 months, 9 attached homes in Wauconda have successfully sold and closed.

The average *original* list price of the SOLD attached homes, which includes condos, townhomes and duplexes in Wauconda was

$189,984 The last list price when they successfully received a buyer contract that closed was  $181,234

and the average SOLD price is

$167,972

The attached homes in Wauconda that have closed in the past three months had an average time on the market of 242 days.

To sum it up, attached homes in Wauconda have been getting an average of 93% of their list prices  (88% of their *original* list prices), with the help of their Realtors.  The homes that are priced correctly for this buyer's market have a significantly better success rate in getting to the closing table.

7 of the 9 attached homes that closed in Wauconda over the past three months were reported in MRED MLS as Distressed Sales, either Short Sales, Pre-Foreclosures, REOs and Foreclosures.

We are still experiencing a Buyer's Market in Wauconda.  It is a GREAT time to buy!!

 

Wishing you a wonderful and safe Holiday Season filled with much Hope, Peace, Joy and Love:-)

 

 

To Search Homes For Sale, Please Contact Me Directly Or Feel Free To Search On My Website!

 

 

It is a GREAT TIME TO BUY REAL ESTATE in McHenry County, Cook County and Lake Counties in Northern Illinois. 

There are great deals on homes and lots for sale and real estate in Cary, Crystal Lake, Oakwood Hills, Lake In The Hills, Algonquin, McHenry, Lakewood, Lakemoor, Island Lake, Wauconda, Barrington, Fox River Grove, Barrington Hills, North Barrington, Fox River Waterfront Homes, Spring Grove, Volo, Fox Lake, Buffalo Grove, Prairie Grove, Ridgefield, Arlington Heights, Palatine,Lake Barrington, Antioch, Lake Zurich, Barrington Village, Tower Lakes, Elgin,Wonder Lake, Woodstock, Chain of Lakes Waterfront Homes, Huntley, Lake Barrington Shores, Dundee, Buffalo Grove, Hebron, Elgin, Harvard, Prairie Grove, etc!

There are fabulous homes for sale at great prices in *especially for first time buyers, investors and move up buyers.*

Mortgage Rates are great, too!

We are having a "HUGE sale" on our large inventory of VERY well priced HOMES!

 

 

If I can be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to call or email me. It will be my pleasure! By the way, if you know of someone that could benefit from my high level of service, please call or email me with their name and daytime phone number and I will make sure to follow up and take great care of them. My business keeps growing from your referrals.

 

My Direct Number at the Office is 847.516.6760

 

 Information deemed accurate and reliable but not guaranteed. Source MRED MLS.

Christmas Tree Farms in Northern Illinois and Eco Friendly Holiday Tips

As you do your holiday decorating this year, you may want to weigh out which kind of tree is more Eco-friendly.  As an article published in my recent newsletter states, an artificial tree can be more earth friendly.  Consider a potted plant which can be beautiful and can also be planted in spring.  I personally like an artificial tree because I just do not feel right about cutting down a lovely, living tree that has flourished and grown only to use it inside as a decoration for a few weeks until it dies.  I remember my Father having to pretend he "planted" a tree in the yard after Christmas one year when I was a kid, because I felt so sorry for the tree!  I think that was the only year we had a real tree, but I know many people just love a real tree for the holidays.  If you do purchase a fresh tree, please try to buy it from a tree farm so you are not damaging any forests.  I have listed some local Tree Farms below for your convenience:-)  Please call ahead to confirm hours, prices, directions and availability before you drive out.  I've listed the websites below, if available, so you may want to visit those as well, as many offer much more than trees and you can make it a nice family outing!  If you have a favorite tree farm that I missed, please let me know so I can add it.

Photo taken by Debra Kukulski, ABR, RECS, GRI, EPRO, Realtor with RE/MAX Unlimited Northwest Cary-Crystal Lake IL, provides highly professional levels of real estate services to home buyers and sellers in McHenry, Lake, Kane or Cook Counties in Northern Illinois. Visit my www.TheresNoPlaceLikeYourPlace.com to search for homes for sale in Northern Illinois. Photo may not be used or reproduced in any way without express written permission from Debra Kukulski.

 

Real trees can also be a safety hazard, so please visit these website for tips on keeping your home and family safe this holiday season:

http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/citizens/all_citizens/home_fire_prev/holiday-seasonal/treefire.shtm

http://www.childrensafetyzone.com/safety/christmas.html

http://www.nfpa.org/categoryList.asp?categoryID=296&URL=Safety%20Information/For%20consumers/Seasonal%20safety/Christmas%20tree%20fires&cookie_test=1

 

Please see the safety video from the National Christmas Tree Foundation near the bottom of this post

 

After you are through with your tree and the holiday season is over, please visit Earth911.com to find a Christmas tree recycling center.  It is much better to recycle the tree into wood chips, which can have many uses instead of wasting that wonderful tree and letting it go to a landfill. 

Another tip is to recycle instead of using expensive wrapping paper.  Try to re-use your gift bags, bows and paper instead of throwing it in the trash. Creative and beautiful gift wrapping can be done with newspaper, old wallpaper scraps, bandannas, scarves, magazines, old posters, sheet music, coloring books, etc.! 

Please be kind to our earth in this holiday season:-)

 

 

PINEAPPLE FARMS

309 Three Oaks Rd. Cary, IL 60013 Phone: (847)-639-3248

Email: jandjkohl@yahoo.com  http://www.pine-applefarm.com

 

COUNTRY CABIN ORCHARD AND NURSERY

4829 Alden Road, Woodstock, IL   Phone: (815)-338-3348

 

STAR CHRISTMAS TREE FARM

24974 West Miller Road, Barrington, IL  Phone: (847)-438-4518

http://www.starchristmastreefarm.com

 

BEN’S CHRISTMAS TREE FARM

7720 Ryan Road, Harvard, IL  Phone: (630) 279-0216

http://www.benstreefarm.com

 

ZIEGLERS CHRISTMAS TREE FARM

42w109 McDonald Rd, Elgin, IL Phone: (847) 464-5776

http://www.zieglerchristmastreefarm.com

 

PINEAPPLE ACRES

41 W 651 Powers Road, Huntley, IL  Phone: (847)-669-3251

http://www.pineapple-acres.com

 

Homestead Orchard

11802 Charles, Woodstock, IL Phone: (815)-338-7443

http://www.homesteadorchard.net

 

Richardson Christmas Trees, LLC

(Also home of  “the world’s largest CORN MAZE”)

9407 Richardson Rd., Spring Grove, IL  Phone: (815)675-9729

GRANDPA'S CHRISTMAS TREE FARM

13616 Route 176, Woodstock, IL  Phone:(815)-33SANTA 

http://www.grandpastreefarm.com

ONEY'S TREE FARM & NURSERY, INC
16608 Route 14, Woodstock, IL   Phone: (815)-338-4108
http://www.oneystreefarm.com

CAL & SHAN'S CHRISTMAS TREE & MORE
9414 US Hwy 14, Woodstock, IL  Phone: (815)-338-7888 or (815)-509-1026
http://www.calandshans.com

 

BILL'S FRIENDLY EVERGREEN TREE FARM

3102 West Miller Road, McHenry, IL Phone: (847)-623-1422

 

COUNTRY PINES FARM

2816 S. Justen Road, McHenry, IL  Phone: (815)-455-3083

 

HARMS FARM GARDEN CENTER

4727 W Crystal Lake Road, Crystal Lake, IL  Phone: (815)-385-5385

 

HOLLY JOLLY TREE FARM

4919 Bull Valley Road, McHenry, IL Phone: (815)-385-9627

http://www.jollyhollychristmastrees.com

 

PIONEER TREE FARM

4614 Pioneer Rd  Mchenry, IL  Phone: (815)-385-8512

http:// www.pioneertreefarm.com

 

GENGEL TREE FARM

38614 North Fairfield, Lake Villa, IL Phone: (847)-356-5661

Email: gengel@theramp.net

 

HONEYBEE ACRES CHRISTMAS TREE FARM

41 W 072 Bowes Road, Elgin, IL  Phone: (847)-464-9627 Email: Xmstrz@sbcglobal.net http://Honeybeeacreschristmastreefarm.net

 

FAMILY CHRISTMAS TREE FARM

24774 W Petite Lake Road, Lake Villa, Il Phone: (847)-949-0172

 

CUCHICACHI TREE FARM

19505 West State Line Road, Antioch, IL  Phone: (847)-395-7919

Email: patbehlke@gmail.com

 

BEN'S TREE FARM

7720 Ryan Road, Harvard, IL  Phone: (630)279-0216  Email: treefarm@gmail.com

 http://www.benstreefarm.com/index.html

 

BILL'S CHRISTMAS TREE FARM

North Sheridan Road, Beach Park, IL  Phone: (847) 770-1421

 

BILL'S CHRISTMAS TREE FARM

3102 W. Miller Road, Spring Grove, IL  Phone: (847) 623-1422

 

LEE'S TREES

45W002 Lees Road, Lily Lake, IL  Phone: (630)-365-2116 Email: LeesTrees94@aol.com

 

THEIS PRODUCE

6 N 593 County Line Road, Maple Park, IL  Phone: (815)-895-9712

 

LARSON'S FAMILY FARM

4404 Somonauk Road, Sandwich, IL  Phone: (815)-786-2249

Email: berryfarm@sannauk.com   http://www.larsonfamilyfarm.com

 

PUCKERVILLE FARMS

13332 Bell Road, Lemont, IL   Phone: (630)-243-8470 Alternate Phone: (708)-606-2952.

Email: Richardhomerding@sbcglobal.net.

 

CAMELOT CHRISTMAS TREE FARM

16380 S. Somonauk Road, DeKalb, IL  Phone: (815)-756-6599

Email: camelottrees@yahoo.com  http://www.camelottrees.com

 

CINNAMON TREES & SHRUBS

13579 N. Howison Road, Waterman 207 Illini, Shabbona, IL and other DeKalb County Locations  

Phone: (815) 824-2247

 

KUIPERS FAMILY FARM

1n318 Watson Road, Maple Park, IL Phone: (815)-827-5200 http://www.kuipersfamilyfarm.com

 

WHEATON LANDSCAPE AND GARDEN CENTER

626 East Roosevelt Road, Wheaton, IL  Phone: (630)-668-0947

Email: wheaton1895@comcast.net  http://www.wheatonlandscape.com

 

BILLS TREE SALES

4 E. Ogden, Westmont, IL  Phone: (269)-207-0046

Email: bill@billstreesales.com     http://www.billstreesales.com

 

IDE CHRISTMAS TREES, LLC (you can even borrow a tree here!)

1500 83rd Street, Downers Grove, IL  Phone: (630)-743-4032

Email: dgfolks@juno.com

 

MARMION ABBEY

850 Butterfield Road, Aurora, IL Phone: 630-897-3011 Email: awahmhoff@marmion.org

 http://www.abbeyfarms.org/Abbey_Farms/The_Tree_Farm.html

 

Here is a safety video from the National Christmas Tree Foundation.  You can also visit their web site for an environmental debate on fresh vs. fake trees:

 

 

 

Wishing you a wonderful and safe Holiday Season filled with much Hope, Peace, Joy and Love:-)

 

 

 

It is a GREAT TIME TO BUY REAL ESTATE in McHenry County, Cook County and Lake Counties in Northern Illinois. 

There are great deals on homes and lots for sale and real estate in Cary, Crystal Lake, Lake In The Hills, Algonquin, McHenry, Lakewood, Lakemoor, Island Lake, Wauconda, Barrington, Fox River Grove, Barrington Hills, North Barrington, Fox River Waterfront Homes, Spring Grove, Volo, Fox Lake, Lake Barrington, Antioch, Lake Zurich, Barrington Village, Tower Lakes, Wonder Lake, Woodstock, Chain of Lakes Waterfront Homes, Lake Barrington Shores, Dundee, Buffalo Grove, Hebron, Elgin, Harvard, Prairie Grove, etc!

There are fabulous homes for sale at great prices in *especially for first time buyers, investors and move up buyers.*

Mortgage Rates are great, too!

We are having a "HUGE sale" on our large inventory of VERY well priced HOMES!

 

 

If I can be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to call or email me. It will be my pleasure! By the way, if you know of someone that could benefit from my high level of service, please call or email me with their name and daytime phone number and I will make sure to follow up and take great care of them. My business keeps growing from your referrals.

 

My Direct Number at the Office is 847.516.6760

 

I just came across this video from the Realtor Action Center and wanted to share it.   Thank you to all of the Realtors who made calls and sent letters supporting the extension and expansion of the first time buyer tax credit and helping make dreams come true for many buyers and sellers!  You can bet I was making those calls and sending those letters and I hope to personally help make more dreams come true!

 

 

 

It is a GREAT TIME TO BUY REAL ESTATE in McHenry County, Cook County and Lake Counties in Northern Illinois. 

There are great deals on homes and lots for sale and real estate in Cary, Crystal Lake, Lake In The Hills, Algonquin, McHenry, Lakewood, Lakemoor, Island Lake, Wauconda, Barrington, Fox River Grove, Barrington Hills, North Barrington, Fox River Waterfront Homes, Spring Grove, Volo, Fox Lake, Lake Barrington, Antioch, Lake Zurich, Barrington Village, Tower Lakes, Wonder Lake, Woodstock, Chain of Lakes Waterfront Homes, Lake Barrington Shores, Dundee, Buffalo Grove, Hebron, Elgin, Harvard, Prairie Grove, etc!

There are fabulous homes for sale at great prices in *especially for first time buyers, investors and move up buyers.*

Rates are great, too!

We are having a "HUGE sale" on our large inventory of VERY well priced HOMES! ;-)

 

 

If I can be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to call or email me. It will be my pleasure! By the way, if you know of someone that could benefit from my high level of service, please call or email me with their name and daytime phone number and I will make sure to follow up and take great care of them. My business keeps growing from your referrals.

 

My Direct Number at the Office is 847.516.6760

 

Debra Kukulski CDPE, RECS, GRI, ABR, e-PRO RE/MAX Unlimited Northwest

December 2009

 

YOU ARE NOW FLUENT IN 45 LANGUAGES! If you are an iPhone user this neat app called PeopleFlasher will blow you away. This new application turns your iPhone into a flashing machine that can be seen well across a room – or across the street. It’s handy for hailing taxis, getting a waiter’s attention and all sorts of other helpful and fun activities. And, believe it or not, this gem will automatically translate your flashes into 45 different languages. No need to struggle with pronunciation – just hold up your screen and the reader will know exactly what you need. Lots of other nifty bells and whistles – and to top it off, the introductory price is only 99 CENTS. Hey, that alone makes it worthwhile to get that iPhone! Click Here for This Cyber Trick We are always pleased to be of service to our Cyber Friends and to provide you with these monthly CyberTips. As members of the Real Estate CyberSpace Society we are always current on ways to expand our normal high standards of service with the very latest Internet and other CyberSpace strategies and tools. Click Here for hundreds of Cyber Tricks and Great Places in back issues.

ORGANIZED AT LAST! This was invented for those of us who have a hard time getting organized –and of course for those who are always looking for easier and better ways to stay organized. With this great organizer you can take and save a note, dictate a memo, save a special web page, take a photo (and much more) and send or save any or all of them into this neat package that will keep you from coo coo in these hectic days. And the great part is it instantly organizes your materials on your desktop, your notebook and on your mobile phone (iPhone, BlackBerry, Palm Pre or Windows Mobile). You may have to put up with some ads – but the price is right – it’s on the house. Click Here for This Cyber Trick Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved Cyber Specialist Search Real Estate Bookstore Real Estate CyberConvention CyberTips Library National Real Estate Industry Blogsite

HERE’S A LIST YOU WANT TO BE ON! There have been big shifts amongst the richest people in the USA and even though many of the rich are getting poorer it’s all a matter of degree. The collective net worth of The Forbes 400 fell from $1.57 trillion to $1.27 trillion. That doesn’t stop this list from being a super interesting place to visit. The short bios and photos make this an instructive and fun read. You can follow stories of incredible inheritances and many rags to riches Horatio Alger sagas. You can even check out those who "almost made it!" Despite the downturn (or maybe because of it) we’d like to get on that list. It just got easier! Click Here for This Great Place

HOW TO COOK ANYTHING! Ready to whip up a dish but not sure if you have all of the ingredients on hand? Here’s a great little helper that will give you all of the information you need. Just pick from any one of 14 categories (Chicken, pasta, seafood, beef, pasta, cookies++) or any of 56 sub categories (Marinara sauce, pesto sauce, cream sauce, seafood sauce, etc). You will be presented with a list of many ingredients. Simply check off those you have on hand and - Shazam! – you’ll be presented with a list of recipes that contain those ingredients. And if there are critical ones you need it’ll let you know. It’s on the house – and you’ll look like one of the world’s great chefs! Click Here for This Great Place

Debra Kukulski Email: deb@debrakukulski.com Phone: 847-516-6760 Fax: 847-639-6666 Web: www.debrakukulski.com

RE/MAX Unlimited Northwest

 

It is a GREAT TIME TO BUY REAL ESTATE in McHenry County, Cook County and Lake Counties in Northern Illinois. 

There are great deals on homes and lots for sale and real estate in Cary, Crystal Lake, Lake In The Hills, Algonquin, McHenry, Lakewood, Lakemoor, Island Lake, Wauconda, Barrington, Fox River Grove, Barrington Hills, North Barrington, Fox River Waterfront Homes, Spring Grove, Volo, Fox Lake, Lake Barrington, Antioch, Lake Zurich, Barrington Village, Tower Lakes, Wonder Lake, Woodstock, Chain of Lakes Waterfront Homes, Lake Barrington Shores, Dundee, Buffalo Grove, Hebron, Elgin, Harvard, Prairie Grove, etc!

There are fabulous homes for sale at great prices in *especially for first time buyers, investors and move up buyers.*

Rates are great, too!

We are having a "HUGE sale" on our large inventory of VERY well priced HOMES! ;-)

 

 

If I can be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to call or email me. It will be my pleasure! By the way, if you know of someone that could benefit from my high level of service, please call or email me with their name and daytime phone number and I will make sure to follow up and take great care of them. My business keeps growing from your referrals.

 

My Direct Number at the Office is 847.516.6760

 

Illinois-McHenry County-FOX RIVER GROVE REAL ESTATE MARKET CONDITIONS

How is the current market in Fox River Grove, IL?

 

Lion's Park on the Fox River, Fox River Grove, McHenry County, IL

As of this morning, per MRED MLS, for the past 3 months:

We currently have 54 Single Family homes on the market in Fox River Grove that are active, available and waiting for a buyer!  Four of the available homes right now in Fox River Grove are Distressed sales, either Short Sales, REOs, Pre-Foreclosures or Foreclosures.

They have been on the market for an average of 248 days.

The average list price is $286,978.

During the past 3 months, 8 Single Family homes have successfully closed with the help of their Realtors. The lower priced homes have been selling better than the upper price range. Homes in Fox River Grove took an average of 216 days on the market to be SOLD.  THE MARKET TIME FOR THE SUCCESSFULLY SOLD HOMES OVER THE PAST THREE MONTHS HAS DECREASED!

The average *original* list price of the SOLD Single Family homes in Fox River Grove was

$332,033. The last list price when they successfully received a buyer contract that closed was  $291,925

and the average SOLD price is $274,125.

To sum it up, Single Family homes in Fox River Grove have been getting an average of 94% of their list prices  (83% of their *original* list prices), with the help of their Realtors.  The homes that are priced correctly for this buyer's market have a significantly better success rate in getting to the closing table.

Two of the eight homes that closed in Fox River Grove over the past three months were Distressed Sales, either Short Sales, Pre-Foreclosures, REOs and Foreclosures.

 

Photo taken at Venetian Night On The Fox River 2009

There are 6 waterfront homes for sale on the Fox River in Fox River Grove.  The average list price of the current Fox Riverfront homes on the market is $379,800.  The current available homes for sale on the Fox River  have a cumulative average time on market of 137 days. 

Three of the four distressed real estate homes for sale in Fox River Grove are waterfront homes on the Fox River, either short sales, pre-foreclosures, REOs and Foreclosures.

 

To Search Homes For Sale, Please Contact Me Directly Or Feel Free To Search On My Website!

 

Search Waterfront and Fox River Front Homes For Sale Here

 

 

We currently have 14 Attached homes on the market in Fox River Grove that are active and available and waiting for the right buyer!

They have been on the market for an average of 239 days. THE MARKET TIME FOR ATTACHED HOMES IN FOX RIVER GROVE HAS INCREASED.  THE SINGLE FAMILY HOMES ARE MOVING BETTER THAN THE CONDOS AND TOWNHOMES.

The average list price is $114,757.

During the past 3 months, 5 Attached homes have successfully closed with the help of their Realtors in Fox River Grove. The homes took an average of 377 days on the market in Fox River Grove to be SOLD.

The average *ORIGINAL* list price of the SOLD Attached homes in Fox River Grove WAS $224,900 and the average asking price when they received an offer from a buyer that closed was $209,900. 

The average SOLD price for condos and townhomes in Fox River Grove was

$195,000.  This number is a bit skewed since there was only one attached home closed sale in the past three months in the quaint little town of Fox River Grove.  Successful sellers, with the help of their Realtors, price their homes correctly for the current market.

  None of the condo or townhome real estate homes for sale  or closed sales in Fox River Grove in the past three months were short sales, pre-foreclosures, REOs and Foreclosures.

 

So, on the average, Attached homes in Fox River Grove have been getting an average of 87% of their  *original* list prices, and 93% of their asking price at the time they received a buyer that closed, with the help of their Realtors, which is GOOD news!

Information deemed accurate and reliable but not guaranteed. Source MRED MLS.

 

Overall, even though we are seeing some positive changes in our market, we are still experiencing a Buyer's Market for real estate in Fox River Grove and most of the surrounding areas of Northern Illinois.

 

 

It is a GREAT TIME TO BUY REAL ESTATE in McHenry County, Cook County and Lake Counties in Northern Illinois.  There are fabulous homes for sale at great prices in Fox River Grove, IL *especially for first time buyers, investors and move up buyers.* Rates are great, too!

We are having a "HUGE sale" on our large inventory of VERY well priced HOMES! ;-)

 

 

If I can be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to call or email me. It will be my pleasure! By the way, if you know of someone that could benefit from my high level of service, please call or email me with their name and daytime phone number and I will make sure to follow up and take great care of them. My business keeps growing from your referrals.

 

My Direct Number at the Office is 847.516.6760

 

All Photos are the Property of Debra Kukulski, All Rights Reserved. Photos may not be used or reproduced in any way without express written permission from Debra Kukulski.

 

Just two quick updates!

GREAT NEWS FOR HOME BUYERS AND HOME SELLERS!!:

The Tax Credit Has Been Extended and Expanded-NO LONGER FOR FIRST TIME BUYERS ONLY!

What the past first-time buyer credit did was significantly positively impact the entry-level end of the real estate market.  By expanding it, we're going to see some move-up buyers take action since there is now an up to 6500. credit for qualified buyers that are not first time buyers, too.

We hope this helps the move up and middle market as well.  If you need details or help with this, please give me a call at 847-516-6760.

The expiration date for the new home buyers tax credit was extended to April 30, 2010. Home buyers wishing to take advantage of this great incentive to purchase a home must be under contract on their home purchase by the end of April and close by the end of June.  

For more information, visit my website or just give me a call at 847-516-6760:

http://www.TheresNoPlaceLikeYourPlace.com or

http://www.YourIllinoisHome.com 

There are still many people having trouble making their mortgage payments.  If I may help you or someone you know facing this very difficult situation, please contact me so we can confidentially go over some options. 

Letting your home go all the way to foreclosure is not always necessary, so please reach out for some help.  I'd be happy to talk with you...my direct number is 847-516-6760.

Two excellent sites to check into for foreclosure options are:
https://www.hopenow.com/
http://makinghomeaffordable.gov/:

 

 

 

 

To Search Homes For Sale, Please Contact Me Directly Or Feel Free To Search On My Website!

 

If I can be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to call or email me. It will be my pleasure!

By the way, if you know of someone that could benefit from my high level of service, please call or email me with their name and daytime phone number and I will make sure to follow up and take great care of them. The majority of my business is from referrals and repeat clients. I am so grateful it keeps growing from your loyalty and referrals:-)

My Direct Number at the Office is 847.516.6760

Illinois-McHenry County, Lake County-CARY IL Real Estate Market Conditions

 

How is the current market in Cary, IL?

Cary, IL Market Conditions:  Cary is located in both McHenry and Lake Counties in Northern Illinois

 

To Search Homes For Sale, Please Contact Me Directly Or Feel Free To Search On My Website!

 

 

Lyons Prairie Park and Marsh in Cary IL:

As of this morning, per MRED MLS, for the past 3 months:

We currently have 224 Single Family homes on the market in Cary that are active and available.  Inventory of available homes for sale has decreased in Cary IL!

•·     They have been on the market for an average of 250 days.  Market time has increased in Cary.

•·     The average list price is $329,327.  The average list price for homes for sale in Cary has decreased.

•·     During the past 3 months, 59 Single Family homes have successfully closed with the help of their Realtors.   They took an average of 211 days on the market to be SOLD. 

•·     The average last list price of the SOLD Single Family homes is $253,354 and the average SOLD price is $239,963.  The average *first* list price of these homes was $292,756.  Sellers who got more realistic in pricing had more success in getting to the closing table.

The average sale price in Cary has decreased since spring market, which is good news for buyers but not as positive of news for sellers!

 

 

    With the help of their REALTORS, successful sellers in Cary have been getting

95% of their last asking prices and 82% of their original list prices!

 

 We currently have 60 Attached homes on the market in Cary that are for sale.

(Cary Woods Townhome Community in Cary, IL Pictured Above)

•·     They have been on the market for an average of 208 days.

•·     The average list price is $170,490.

•·     During the past 3 months, 15 Attached homes have successfully closed in Cary with the help of their Realtors.  They took an average of 102 days on the market to be SOLD.

•·     The average list price of the SOLD Attached homes in Cary is $181,877 (The average *initial* list price was $199,855) and the average SOLD price is $174,277.

 

So, on the average Attached homes in Cary have been getting an average of 96% of their last list prices and 87% of their initial list prices, with the help of their Realtors. 

This shows that pricing correctly is even more important in this market.   If I can help you sell your home and price  it correctly so you are not on the market forever, please give me a call!

 

We are still experiencing a Buyer's Market in Cary, IL. 

 Cary Waterfront Homes For Sale Update:

There are 17 detached waterfront homes for sale including homes for sale on the Fox River in  Cary IL.  The average list price of the current waterfront homes in  Cary IL on the market is $398,559.

 

There are no attached waterfront homes for sale in  Cary IL including homes for sale on the Fox River. 

 

 

Search Waterfront and Fox River Front Homes For Sale Here

Harvest Glenn Pier on The Fox River in Cary IL Pictured Below

It is an EXCELLENT TIME TO BUY NOW, especially for first time buyers, second home buyers, investors and move up buyers.

REAL ESTATE IN CARY IL IS ON SALE! :-)

 

I hope you find this information useful.  I am only a phone call or email away of you need real estate help:-)

If I can be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to call or email me.  It will be my pleasure!  

By the way, if you know of someone that could benefit from my high level of service, please call or email

me with their name and daytime phone number and I will make sure to follow up and

take great care of them. 

The majority of my business is referral and repeat clients.  I am so grateful it keeps growing from your loyalty and referrals:-)

I appreciate YOU and your referrals!

 

To Search Homes For Sale, Please Contact Me Directly Or Feel Free To Search On My Website!

 

 

I can be reached at my direct number at the office: 847.516.6760.  I look forward to hearing from you!

Information deemed accurate and reliable but not guaranteed. Source MRED MLS.Disclaimer: Information herein may come from various sources, some of which may not be reliable and may change without any notice. Debra Kukulski does not guarantee or is any way responsible for the accuracy of the information in this blog and information provided is without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. Information on this blog represents the opinions and ideas of the author; comments by others may not express the views of the author.
Copyright © 2009 By Debra Kukulski, all rights reserved.

 

 

How is the current Real Estate Market in Algonquin, McHenry County, Illinois?

As of this morning, per MRED MLS, for the past 3 months:

We currently have 254 Single Family homes for sale in Algonquin that are active and available.

They have been on the market for an average of 241 days.

The average list price is Algonquin is $326,621. The available inventory of homes has decreased slightly and market time has slightly decreased.

This is better news for sellers of detached homes in Algonquin than for buyers!

Algonquin Waterfront Homes For Sale Update:

There are 21 detached waterfront homes for sale including homes for sale on the Fox River in Algonquin IL.  The average list price of the current waterfront homes in Algonquin IL on the market is $509,290.

 

There are 9 attached waterfront homes for sale in Algonquin IL including homes for sale on the Fox River.  The average list price of the current attached waterfront and riverfront homes for sale in Algonquin IL on the market is $227,833.

Algonquin IL From The Fox River Looking North By Harrison Street No Wake Zone and Port Edwards in Algonquin, IL

 

Click Here To Search Waterfront Homes For Sale in Algonquin, Fox River, Chain of Lakes

 

Click Here To Search Homes For Sale, or Please Contact Me Directly Or Feel Free To Search To Your Heart's Content On My Website!

 

During the past 3 months, 60 Single Family homes have successfully closed in Algonquin with the help of their Realtors.   They took an average of 215 days on the market in Algonquin to SELL and Close.

The average last list price of the SOLD Single Family homes in Algonquin was

$260,535 (Original list price was $294,620)

and the average SOLD price was $247,577.

So, on the average Single Family homes in Algonquin have been getting an average of 84% of their *original* list prices (Sellers are getting 95% of their *current list prices*!), with the help of their Realtors.

Algonquin Summerplace Waterfront Townhomes Boat Docks on the Fox River in Algonquin, IL

Fox River and Waterfront Homes For Sale

We currently have 123 Attached homes on the market in Algonquin that are active and available.

They have been on the market for an average of 220 days.

The average list price is $189,400., which has gone down since spring market. The pool of available attached homes for sale such as townhomes, condos and duplexes, and market time has slightly decreased in Algonquin.

During the past 3 months, 22 Attached homes in Algonquin have successfully closed with the help of their Realtors.   They took an average of 188 days on the market to get SOLD. 

Market time for attached homes in Algonquin has increased, which is not great news for sellers.

The average list price of the SOLD Attached homes in Algonquin was $173,925 (the original average list price of the sold homes was $192,215, which shows that homes that are priced right are selling!) and the average SOLD price was $169,513.

So...Attached homes in Algonquin have been getting an average of 97% of their last asking price (or only 88% of the *original* list price) of their last list prices, with the help of their Realtors.

Information deemed accurate and reliable but not guaranteed. Source MRED MLS.

We are still experiencing a Buyer's Market in Algonquin but the market statistics are improving!

There are fabulous buys on the market....now is a GREAT time to buy real estate in Algonquin, IL, especially for MOVE UP Buyers, Waterfront Buyers, Vacation and Second Home Buyers, Investors and First Time Buyers!

All Photos are the Property of Debra Kukulski, All Rights Reserved. Photos may not be used or reproduced in any way without express written permission from Debra Kukulski.

 

 

 

If I can be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to call or email me.  It will be my pleasure!  By the way, if you know of someone that could benefit from my high level of service, please call or email me with their name and daytime phone number and I will make sure to follow up and take great care of them.  My business keeps growing from your referrals.

 

My Direct Number at the Office is 847.516.6760

 

 I look forward to the opportunity to earn your business.

 

Debra Kukulski CDPE, RECS, GRI, ABR, e-PRO RE/MAX Unlimited Northwest

November 2009

 

SHARE YOUR FILES WITH EASE! Sure, it’s happened to you -- you need to get a large file or a bunch of photos to a friend, associate or Grandpa. But your email provider bounced the message with the files attached because the big files exceed its protocols. And you’ve tried some of the services that let you send big files but it's often a big hassle. This neat service lets you set up a folder on your desktop at home plus folders on any other computers you use –or even on your iPhone. Getting files from one computer (or phone) to the other is as simple as dragging a file between folders on your computer. You can also get access to all of your files when you are on the road (even without your computer) from your on-line folder set up with this service. And Grandpa can see your photos instantly! What's really neat is that this great service has lots of additional bells and whistles --- and it’s yours to use without cost! Click Here for This Cyber Trick We are always pleased to be of service to our Cyber Friends and to provide you with these monthly CyberTips. As members of the Real Estate CyberSpace Society we are always current on ways to expand our normal high standards of service with the very latest Internet and other CyberSpace strategies and tools. Click Here for hundreds of Cyber Tricks and Great Places in back issues.

NEVER FORGET ANOTHER BIRTHDAY! Oh, the pain of it! You just forgot a birthday or other special event that is very important to someone close to you! With this valuable service that should never happen again. You’ll receive an e-mail reminder well before any special event you choose. There is no limit to the number of events you can choose and no charge for the reminder service. Of course you will also have access to a wide range of greeting cards and other services at a modest cost! With 52 million members they must be doing something right! Click Here for This Cyber Trick Copyright © 2009 All Rights Reserved Cyber Specialist Search Real Estate Bookstore Real Estate CyberConvention CyberTips Library National Real Estate Industry Blogsite

FIND THE TICKETS YOU WANT! Do you have a "must see" event coming to town – a great play—the sporting event of the century – a "can't miss" concert? Then you need to stop by this ticket/event search engine! The numbers change from day to day, but generally at any one time you can search in the range of 11 million tickets to over 30,000 separate events. Once you find the tickets of your dreams you can chose you seats and purchase the tickets directly from the ticketing site. These folks take away the time and grief of traipsing all over the web by centralizing your search to this one great place. Click Here for This Great Place

PBS VIDEO AT YOUR FINGERTIPS! If you are a fan of the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) (or want to be) then this is a very worthwhile place to visit. Frontline -- Masterpiece Theater –Nova -- American Masters -- this great place has full length videos at your fingertips – on demand! You can watch your favorite shows and catch any episodes you may have missed -- all on your schedule. You can also send your favorites to friends and post them to social networks. And best of all it’s all on the house! Click Here for This Great Place

Debra Kukulski Email: deb@debrakukulski.com Phone: 847-516-6760 Fax: 847-639-6666 Web: www.debrakukulski.com

RE/MAX Unlimited Northwest 7107 Pingree Crystal Lake, IL 60014

To Search Homes For Sale, Please Contact Me Directly Or Feel Free To Search On My Website!

 

If I can be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to call or email me. It will be my pleasure!

By the way, if you know of someone that could benefit from my high level of service, please call or email me with their name and daytime phone number and I will make sure to follow up and take great care of them. My business is over 87% referral and repeat clients and I am so grateful it keeps growing from your loyalty and referrals:-)

My Direct Number at the Office is 847.516.6760

 

 

 

Photo taken by Debra Kukulski, ABR, RECS, GRI, EPRO, Realtor with RE/MAX Unlimited Northwest Cary-Crystal Lake IL, provides highly professional levels of real estate services to home buyers and sellers in McHenry, Lake, Kane or Cook Counties in Northern Illinois. Visit my www.TheresNoPlaceLikeYourPlace.com to search for homes for sale in Northern Illinois. Photo may not be used or reproduced in any way without express written permission from Debra Kukulski.

 

To Search Homes For Sale, Please Contact Me Directly Or Feel Free To Search On My Website!

 

If I can be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to call or email me. It will be my pleasure!

By the way, if you know of someone that could benefit from my high level of service, please call or email me with their name and daytime phone number and I will make sure to follow up and take great care of them. My business is over 87% referral and repeat clients and I am so grateful it keeps growing from your loyalty and referrals:-)

My Direct Number at the Office is 847.516.6760

 

Photo taken by Debra Kukulski, ABR, RECS, GRI, EPRO, Realtor with RE/MAX Unlimited Northwest Cary-Crystal Lake IL, provides highly professional levels of real estate services to home buyers and sellers in McHenry, Lake, Kane or Cook Counties in Northern Illinois. Visit my www.TheresNoPlaceLikeYourPlace.com to search for homes for sale in Northern Illinois. "Happy Log:-), Fox Lake, ILLINOIS " by Debra Kukulski Cary IL, Crystal Lake, IL, Barrington, Fox River, Fox Lake, Chain of Lakes, IL ©2009. Property of Debra Kukulski, All Rights Reserved. Photo may not be used or reproduced in any way without express written permission from Debra Kukulski.

 

To Search Homes For Sale, Please Contact Me Directly Or Feel Free To Search On My Website!

 

If I can be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to call or email me. It will be my pleasure!

By the way, if you know of someone that could benefit from my high level of service, please call or email me with their name and daytime phone number and I will make sure to follow up and take great care of them. My business is over 87% referral and repeat clients and I am so grateful it keeps growing from your loyalty and referrals:-)

My Direct Number at the Office is 847.516.6760

 

There is a reason we call this a BUYER'S MARKET-Real Estate is ON SALE! 

There is a reason we call this a BUYER'S MARKET...

 

Actually, there are MANY reasons! I have always LOVED representing buyers, but I have never had so much fun and success with my buyer clients as I am now in this BUYER'S MARKET. 

 

 

There IS An UPSIDE To This Market: True, it may not be the best time to sell, unless you need to or if you are moving UP in price. (That could be a whole other blog post!)  If you pay attention to the media, you may get the idea there is nothing GOOD about this market and the best thing to do is to just stay away from real estate.  But, as in anything, everything has silver lining, and in this case, it just may be the silver cup! There is a reason we call this a Buyer's market, and that is because current real estate conditions are VERY favorable to buyers.  Yes, it is a GREAT time to buy, for many reasons.  I will just highlight a few here.....

 

Time Of Year: We are now going into the "holiday season", which is traditionally the slowest time of the year.  Most well informed sellers and their Realtors know that as the upcoming weeks tick by, they have more of a chance of being stuck without a buyer through winter.  Let this work in your favor now. 

Choices Galore:  In my 16 years career as a Realtor, I have never seen such an abundance of well priced homes on the market.  In a seller's market, I have seen my buyers stressed out by the lack of choices.  On the flip side, these days there are almost SO many choices that my buyer clients actually sometimes feel overwhelmed because there is so much to choose from.  This is definitely a better problem!

 

Real Estate is ON SALE!

 

 

We Can Negotiate: I love to go to bat for and negotiate for my buyer clients.  This is one of the many professional services I do for my clients that really I love doing the most! And I am having more fun than ever doing this because now, in this market, we really CAN negotiate great prices and terms for buyers. 

VERY Well Priced Inventory of Homes On The Market: Not only can you negotiate once you find the home you love, but the market is also abundant with a housing inventory that is ALREADY very well priced.

 

Great Deals:  In my opinion, the best deals are not just the foreclosures, REO's, pre-foreclosures and short sales.  Most of the best deals are the sellers that actually have some equity in their homes and have the ability and desire to sell.  And you not only have less risk than with bank/corporate owned homes, but you can negotiate more and they are definitely easier to work with.

 

Less Competition:  In a strong seller's market, ALL the buyers come out....which of course, is WHY it is sellers market then.  In a seller's market, all of the buyers are competing for the best homes.....homes that are priced well and in great condition.  When the buyers should REALLY come out is now, that is why we call it a BUYER'S MARKET.  Real Estate market conditions are very favorable to BUYERS now.  Don't miss your chance by waiting until the market heats up again.

 

More Motivated Sellers:  Once again, we can negotiate!  Sellers are much more willing to negotiate on price, terms, and inspection/repair issues now because they KNOW how valuable an offer from a ready, willing and able buyer is these days.  They are much less likely to turn down your offer and just wait for the next one because it may be a long wait.

 

Time Is On Your Side:  No longer do you have to put in an offer immediately when see a home you like to beat out the other buyers.  You can take a little more time looking, deciding and finding one that is just right for you.  Do not get me wrong; even in this market we do still see multiple offers on well priced homes.  But you do not always have the pressure of feeling you have to make an immediate decision or you will lose out.  You can get comfortable with your decision first before moving forward.

 

 

 

Rates ARE Great:  We have been spoiled in recent years because we have had low interest rates for so many years; we almost forget how lucky we are they are still so low NOW.  Does anyone remember the days when mortgage loan interest rates were at 18%? Coupled with the lower home prices in today's BUYER'S MARKET, you can really score a great deal now.

 

Financing:  Yes, there are plenty of loans available and loan options for buyers today.  From listening to the press, you just may think all of the mortgage money dried up and no one can get a loan.  It is NOT true!  There are many options and lenders able and eager to earn your business and help you get into a home now.

 

Buy What You Love, Not What You Like:  In a strong seller's market, buyers had to make choices between the few homes that were acceptable to them.  The market did not allow the luxury of shopping to find a home you LOVE.  Now you can!

 

The thing is, no one has a crystal ball and no one knows when the market will "hit bottom".  Many speculate on when this will be.  But we are definitely already in the low part of the cycle.  Real estate values are cyclical and historically it shows that after we have a period of increasing values, it is always followed by a "correction" period.  We had the longest run in recent years of increasing values so this "correction" period is lasting longer as well, of course.  But remember, it IS a cycle and values WILL go back up. 

 

The only time we will really know we hit bottom is when the market is on its way back up.  At that point, it just may be too late.  If you speculate too much, you may miss the really great deals that are out there NOW for you.

 

No matter what type of market we are in, the most important thing to consider is if it is a good time for YOU to buy.  You have to be comfortable with your own situation.  But if you are comfortable making a move, don't let FEAR get in the way of the fabulous deals that are there to be had right now.  This will not last.

OK...so that is a few really good reasons to jump off the FENCE and in the game today.  I could go on and on about this as more points keep coming to mind today, but I do need to get back out of my office to meet the next smart and savvy buyer clients I am working with today!  Have a wonderful fall Saturday:-)

 

 

There are fabulous buys on the market....now is a GREAT time to buy real estate in Northern Illinois, especially for MOVE UP Buyers, Waterfront Buyers, Vacation and Second Home Buyers, Investors and First Time Buyers!

  

 

To Search Homes For Sale, Please Contact Me Directly Or Feel Free To Search On My Website

 

 

If I can be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to call or email me.  It will be my pleasure!  By the way, if you know of someone that could benefit from my high level of service, please call or email me with their name and daytime phone number and I will make sure to follow up and take great care of them.  My business keeps growing from your referrals.

 

My Direct Number at the Office is 847.516.6760

 

 I look forward to the opportunity to earn your business.

 

 

Small Town Living!

• Two Blocks to Quaint Downtown Area and School.
• In Town Home with Basement.
• HUGE Eat-In Kitchen With Tons of Cabinets, Pantry, Newer Kitchen Floor.
• Family Room PLUS Den!
• 1st Floor Laundry.
• Very Large 1st Floor Master Bedroom With 2 Closets and Private Bath.
• Attached 2 Car Garage.

Upstairs Windows Have Been Replaced.

Rented Now, Needs a Little TLC. Short Sale,Please Allow Time 4 Bank Acceptance.

SELLING "AS IS"

  

Debra Kukulski Cary IL Real Estate

To Search Homes For Sale, Please Contact Me Directly Or Feel Free To Search On My Website

If I can be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to call or email me. It will be my pleasure!

By the way, if you know of someone that could benefit from my high level of service, please call or email me with their name and daytime phone number and I will make sure to follow up and take great care of them. My business is over 87% referral and repeat clients and I am so grateful it keeps growing from your loyalty and referrals:-)

My Direct Number at the Office is 847.516.6760

 

Cute As A Button And Ready For You Now!

Darling Cary In Town Ranch With Huge Full Basement And Attached 2 Car Garage.  Not A Foreclosure, Just Priced To Sell In Today's Market. 

Remodeled Kitchen With Gorgeous Birch Cabinets And Ceramic Floor.

Ceramic Tile Entry Welcomes You Into This Warm Home.

Large Fenced In Back Yard With Cement Patio And Built In Gas Line for Grill.

Quaint Front Porch Framed By An Abundance Of Mature Landscaping.

Newer Roof/Furnace/Air Conditioner/Hot Water Heater/Driveway and Windows! All Appliances Included.

Town, School, Town And Train Only A Couple Of Blocks Away!  Great Buy!

Additional Information:

-Roof was replaced in 2000/Complete Tear Off

-Furnace/Air Conditioner/Hot Water Heater Replaced in 2006

-Driveway Replaced in 2007; Re-Sealed in 2009

-There Is Currently No Senior Exemption On Taxes-So That Will Not Contribute To A Tax Jump For New Owners

 

To Search Homes For Sale, Please Contact Me Directly Or Feel Free To Search On My Website!

If I can be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to call or email me. It will be my pleasure!

By the way, if you know of someone that could benefit from my high level of service, please call or email me with their name and daytime phone number and I will make sure to follow up and take great care of them. My business is over 87% referral and repeat clients and I am so grateful it keeps growing from your loyalty and referrals:-)

My Direct Number at the Office is 847.516.6760

 

Photo taken by Debra Kukulski, ABR, RECS, GRI, EPRO, Realtor with RE/MAX Unlimited Northwest Cary-Crystal Lake IL, provides highly professional levels of real estate services to home buyers and sellers in McHenry, Lake, Kane or Cook Counties in Northern Illinois. Visit my www.TheresNoPlaceLikeYourPlace.com to search for homes for sale in Northern Illinois. "Sunset on Fox Lake, Chain of Lakes, ILLINOIS " by Debra Kukulski Cary IL, Crystal Lake, IL, Barrington, Fox River, Fox Lake, Chain of Lakes, IL ©2009. Property of Debra Kukulski, All Rights Reserved. Photo may not be used or reproduced in any way without express written permission from Debra Kukulski.

 

To Search Homes For Sale, Please Contact Me Directly Or Feel Free To Search On My Website!

 

If I can be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to call or email me. It will be my pleasure!

By the way, if you know of someone that could benefit from my high level of service, please call or email me with their name and daytime phone number and I will make sure to follow up and take great care of them. My business is over 87% referral and repeat clients and I am so grateful it keeps growing from your loyalty and referrals:-)

My Direct Number at the Office is 847.516.6760

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To Search Homes For Sale, Please Contact Me Directly Or Feel Free To Search On My Website!

 

If I can be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to call or email me. It will be my pleasure!

By the way, if you know of someone that could benefit from my high level of service, please call or email me with their name and daytime phone number and I will make sure to follow up and take great care of them. My business is over 87% referral and repeat clients and I am so grateful it keeps growing from your loyalty and referrals:-)

My Direct Number at the Office is 847.516.6760