April 27, 2011 in Blog by admin
Olive Gallery – It’s Not What You Think!
As I speeded (legal) down Rt. 47 several weeks ago, a sign caught my eye…and I made a quick decision to check it out. I was heading towards Yorkville to do a couple of errands but did not have a time deadline. The small strip mall like so many that cropped up during the heady days of the housing market was about 50% full.
Could it be an art gallery? Or perhaps some sort of art therapy company? I took my camera to document my visit. As I entered the store I noticed that the location next to it was being worked on.
What a pleasant surprise when I entered the Olive Gallery..rows upon rows of gourmet olive oil! The ambiance was like a good Italian restaurant with warm earthy colors and diffused lighting. I introduced myself to the owner and asked her about her business. A short summary of my interview follows with my impressions of one of the new companies opening up in a small town in the Fox Valley area.
After marrying a local man from Yorkville and many years of living and working in Chicago’s Loop, Catherine Bucaro made her home in Yorkville. She always wanted to open up her own business, but was not sure what type. On a visit up to the northern suburbs she went into a store that specialized in olive oils and she finally had her answer. After much research she took the plunge about a year and a half ago and opened up the Olive Gallery. Marrying her love of Italian cooking with her business experience and a small business entrepreneur was born!
Her personal touches are apparent as you walk through the store. With every purchase of one of her gourmet olive oils you receive a recipe card to try at home. She has added Italian bakery items and gelato’s and sorbets to her product line. Business has been very good and she is expanding to the space next door.
So you lover’s of gourmet cooking, Italian food and those of us that are always searching for unique gifts, search no more and travel closer to home. Stop by the Olive Gallery and keep Catherine in business and enjoy the wonderful array of olive oils available. BTW, the tiramiso gelato is out of this world!!
Located at 2671 N. Bridge St. (Rt. 47), Yorkville, iL 60560 vist: www.theolivegallery.com
April 23, 2011 in Blog by admin
Oswego IL – How Are You Doing So Far This Year??
Spring Flower
The spring weather continues to send rain and more rain in the Chicagoland area. With the spring market in full swing and less than a week away from the end of April how’s our small town doing when it comes to Single Family home sales?
TOTAL MARKET NEW SHORT SALE FORECLOSURE
Closed YTD 59 20 12 13 14
Contingent 63 30 22 28 8
Pending 18 2 2 3 10
As of 4/22/2011 – We have had 59 sold homes. Of those 59 – 20 were regular market listings (i.e. Not a foreclosure, short sale or new construction). New homes sales are at 12 homes, 13 short sales, and 14 foreclosures.
Currently we have 63 homes that have contracts but have some sort of contingency before they actually set a closing date. Some of the normal contigencies are, attorney review, financing contingency and in the case of a short sale, bank approval.
In the pending category we have 18 pending homes. The contigencies have been met and the closing date has been set or is close to be set – the loan is in underwriting and everyone is waiting for a clear to close.
Purple Spring Flower
Here is a short sale in Oswego that is currently under contract:
Ashcroft Place Short Sale
April 18, 2011 in Blog by admin
A Perfect 10 – For the Picky Buyer Only
You don’t have time to do any DIY fixes. You are tired of being dragged around every weekend looking for the perfect house. STOP!!! This home is it! No need to look any further. Located in Ashcroft Place off of Plainfield Road, minutes from downtown Oswego, this lovely 2 story home looks and shows like a model! Pictures don’t do this home justice – you must see to appreciate the care and love given to this wonderful home.
Welcome Home
From the moment you enter the home you feel like you are in a tranquil space. The formal living room is being used as a home office adjacent to the formal dining room. Full of light due to the many windows you can imagine spending time with friends and family.
Formal Living Room or Home OfficeFormal Dining Room
Formal Dining Room
2 Story Foyer
As you enter the kitchen, family room and sun room area you realize that your blood pressure has dropped several points.
Kitchen
Family Room
Sun Room
View From Sun Room
Everything is perfect! From the wide open kitchen with a large window over the sink to the bright and cozy sun room overlooking the stamped patio and pond. Your entertainment options are increased with the large family room adjacent to the kitchen and sun room. The sun room allows you to exit directly to the large stamped patio with a perfect view of the pond. You hate to leave this spot as you envision grilling your favorite steak as your family and friends relax on a Saturday afternoon.
Pond View Sunny Day
- Stamped Patio Overlooking Pond
The upstairs is airy with 2 nice sized secondary bedrooms and a large master bedroom suite and master bath. There is nothing to be done but to put in an offer and move right in!
Master BedroomGuest Bedroom3rd Bedroom/Office
Guest Bedroom
3rd Bedroom/Office
Ashcroft Place
April 12, 2011 in Blog, Short Sales by admin
Another strategy to use when negotiating a Loan Modification
IL – Lenders hate losing money. They hate loan modifications, principal reductions, and any other thing that causes them to lose money.
But, in today’s tough economy they have no choice but to accept them. The primary reason a lender will grant a loan modification is because that usually reduces their losses.
Discover how other sellers successfully did a short sale to avoid foreclosure by clicking here.
If they foreclosed on the house instead, then the losses would be larger. Besides most foreclosures take 18-24 months and often longer.
(That alone should convince you that their losses will be larger after a foreclosure.)
Use this to your benefit when negotiating a loan modification. Hire a real estate agent to tell you what your house is worth. Then, show your lender that value.
Now, add in all the costs that you can think they will incur if they foreclose on your home. Below are some examples costs.
Current Market Value: $300,000.
Lost Interest income at 5% over two years. $30,000.
Property Taxes over two years: $6,000.
Home Insurance costs for two years: $3,000.
Projected Net from a foreclosure: $261,000.
Because the lender can clearly see how much money they will use, it make it much easier to negotiate a reasonable loan modification.
If you want a realtor to give you the value of your home, then please send me an e-mail. I can put together a Broker’s Price Opinion and tell you what I think your home’s value is.
You can use that to negotiate with your lender. Thinking about a short sale?
I can help you short sale your property and never pay the bank another penny. Send me an e-mail at evelyn4homes@aol.com. I will contact you for a free consultation.
When we talk, I will explain how the process works in detail and answer any questions you may have. Or, if you prefer, you can call me at 630-896-9999
Discover how other sellers successfully completed a short sale and request a free consultation by clicking here.
Thinking about a loan modification? Our loan modification kit has the instructions you will need to get a loan modification approved with your bank. Click here to request a copy.
Thanks for reading this, Evelyn Santiago.
Evelyn is a Real Estate Broker at Dynamic Real Estate Network, Inc. . Short Sales Realtor:
Phone: 630-896-9999. evelyn4homes@aol.com.
View My homes for sale at www.dynamicbroker.com.
Evelyn Santiago specializes in loan modification assistance and short sales in Aurora Illinois. Oswego Loan Modification Help, Oswego Short Sales. Oswego Short Sale Realtor. Montgomery Loan Modification Help, Montgomery Short Sales, Montgomery Short Sale Realtor. Yorkville Loan Modification Help, Yorkville Short Sales, Yorkville Short Sale Realtor. IL Short Sales. Realtor.
Copyright 2011 SFI Marketing Institute, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Important Notice
Evelyn Santiago, Dynamic Real Estate Network, Inc. , and the Stop Foreclosure Institute are not associated or affiliated in any way, shape, or form with the government. Our services have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by the government or your lender. Most lenders willingly work with agents on short sales. Why?
Because most short sales are beneficial to a lender. If you accept our offer to help you on a short sale, your lender may not agree to a short sale or to modify your loan. We do offer a loan modification kit.
However, the likelihood of negotiating a modification is like everything else in life. It takes work and persistence to convince your lender to modify your loan. No matter what you or we do, your lender may not approve a loan modification.
If you stop paying your mortgage, then you could lose your home and damage your credit. Because we know avoiding foreclosure is so important to any homeowner, we recommend that you speak with the appropriate legal or tax advisor before making any decision.
This is not intended as legal, technical, or tax advice. Please speak with a licensed professional before making any decision. Information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed as of the date of writing.
You have the option to reject a short sale or loan modification from your lender if it does not meet your approval. If you decide not to go thru with the short sale, then you do not have to pay us our fee. We normally make a real estate sales commission for helping you on a short sale.
The views expressed here are Evelyn Santiago’s personal views and do not reflect the views of Dynamic Real Estate Network, Inc. .
This information on Another strategy to use when negotiating a Loan Modification is provided as a courtesy to our viewers to help them make informed decisions.
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"In today's economic environment, home buyers (especially first timers like us) need an experienced professional to help them locate the right house, understand financing and legal concerns, and to simply be a reassuring friends when obstacles arise. We could not have been happier with the guidance provided by Evelyn Santiago in our home buying adventure. From our first showings in 18 inches of fresh snow, to finally getting keys to our new home, Evelyn was right there with us. She was immediately available at any time, kept us informed of any information available, and made us feel like the most important clients she had ever worked with.
As first time homebuyers, we weren't even sure why type of property we really wanted. Evelyn was patient is showing us townhomes and single family homes, discussed various advantages and disadvantages of each, and helped us to determine exactly what we were looking for. As we modified our list of desired traits in a new home, Evelyn was quick to respond by searching the MLS, suggesting properties, and setting up showings. After seeing twenty-six different properties, we finally found the house that we knew we could call 'Home'. Her experience and in-depth knowledge of the fluctuating home values enabled her to not only suggest an offer on the house, but she also accurately predicated the price we would pay for the home after final counter-offer negotiations completed!
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