Illinois real estate market report - 07/31/07 11:28 PM
Home prices in Illinois inched up over last year's June prices. The average price, according to the IAR, for June 2007 was $215,000 that is compared to an average sales price of $212,600 in June of 2006. Inventory was down in June as compared to May. The total number of homes that sold fell to 72,500. The decrease from year over year was 15.2%. Interest rates remained extremely attractive at 6.62% for a 30 year fixed loan.
This is a great time to buy a home either as a first time home buyer or as an investment or second home. Realtors … (1 comments)

Active|Rain overtakes Google - 07/30/07 10:04 AM
It could happen. The "search" engine giant google is thought to be the spot on the web for everything. Hold on just a second, they are definitely the largest search engine almost doubling the number 2, Yahoo but as far as where people spend their time on the web. It is a social networking site. Myspace has overtaken Google as far as market share of web space. They are a social networking site not unlike Active|Rain. Myspace has 5.86% of the market compared to Google's 4.64%.
Hey Matt how about adding a search portal here.
… (5 comments)

Plano Cape Cod $192900 - 07/27/07 12:27 PM
$192,900 4 Bedroom home in Plano, Illinois
Please take a look at our newest listing.
This cape cod home is at the end of the street and overlooks a hay field and rolling Fox River valley.
The kitchen is new and has custom pantry and rollout double shelves. The cabinets are a light oak color.
You can see more photos and a virtual tour and even schedule a showing at http://906kayst.randylyon.com/
… (0 comments)

Call me a big baby - 07/26/07 01:44 AM
Tomorrow is the Heartland Blood Bank community blood drive. I am a little anxious having never given blood before. I know it is a good thing to do but have always been a little squeamish about it. Especially if it is my blood. I will update after the drive to let everyone know how it went.
… (6 comments)

New Construction or Spec - 07/25/07 11:13 AM
The real estate market today has cooled. The local builders in the area are scaling back but for a myriad of reasons they are continuing onward and upward. The idea of owning a new home is in the mind of all of us. The reality is if you are opting for new construction you should contact your local realtor and ask about incentives that builders may be offering on the inventory of homes that are either already built and ready to move into or are in some stage of completion.
The need to keep the doors open and the guys working in … (4 comments)

Illinois real estate news and enlightenment - 07/25/07 10:07 AM
Have you ever heard the saying "Today is a good  day because I learned something"? Then today must be a good day. The RTA (Regioinal Transportation Authority) is trying to get a tort tax bill pushed through the Illinois legislature.
Taxes are the sacrifice we pay for living in the greatest nation on earth. There are taxes for infrastructure, security, education and the like then there are hidden taxes. The pork programs for certain groups. Here in Illinois we have had, for as many years as I can remember, stamps purchased when a home was bought and sold. This was kind of … (0 comments)

How to increase the value of your home - 07/25/07 01:07 AM
The quickest way yo increase your homes value would be to paint and update. Colors come and colors go. The color that was old and gaudy inthe 60s and 70s has made its way back into the remodeling market.  A clean and fresh paint job immediately makes a home look and feel newer. The seccond way to increasethe value of a home is to add or change the lighting and increase the wattage. A bright room feels larger and cheerier. The lights in a room can bring more thanlight to a room. They can add ambience, they are an easy way … (0 comments)

La Salle County Market Conditions - 07/24/07 04:34 PM
The gas prices and rising tax prices have adversely affected the market in La Salle county this year. The 2007 over 2005 sales stats show homes are down $28,500 for the period of June '05 to June '07. That is in a market where sales prices have dropped from $142000 in June of '05 to $123,500 in June of this year.
What to make of this. The number of homes that have sold is down in the Chicago market by 28% but here our market is up with number of sold units in '05 at 99, '06 at 92 and this year … (0 comments)

County Board in an uproar over property taxes - 07/24/07 03:34 PM
The LaSalle County Board and it's chairman have relieved one of its members from his committee duties. In a closed door meeting the La Salle County Board under the direction of chairman Jerry Hicks and the county attorney Troy Holland relieved Board member Stephen Carlson (Mendota) from his committee duties. This was in response to  Carlson's property tax objection that his property taxes were illegal or excessive.
There is an underlying conflict that is at work here as the county continues to try and find a way to staff the new county jail in the wake of a tax referendum loss during the … (0 comments)

How will the new minimum wage law effect real estate market - 07/24/07 02:52 PM
The first minimum wage increase in ten years went into effect at midnight last night. The new $5.85 per hour is an increase of .70 cents. I would like to know how Relibbers feel this will impact the economy. So I am posing my questions to you for your considerations.
How will this effect the housing market?
How will this effect the rental market?
How will this effect inflation?
How will this effect real estate commissions?
How will this effect the immigration issue? 
… (2 comments)

Phil Vassar to headline the Sandwich Fair - 07/23/07 07:24 PM
Nashville's Phil Vassar will headline The Sandwich Fair this year. He is a piano playing baritone with recent hits "This is My Life". He will be appearing in the grandstand of the oldest running county fair in Illinois. The Saturday attendance last year was over 100000. The new parking lot and entrance has alleviated a lot of the traffic congestion of years past. The week after Labor day is the time frame for the September 5-9. This year will mark the 120th year of the fair. … (2 comments)

Restaurant guide for the Yorkville, Sandwich, Plano, Somonauk area - 07/23/07 10:58 AM
I love to eat. Who doesn't. Marsha and I ate out at our favorite local Mexican restaurant last night and it was really good. The Santa Fe is a casual dining atmosphere. They have wonderful margaritas and the dinners all come with rice and beans. They serve homemade chips and salsa mild and hot as an appetizer with your drinks. The meals are not too spicy and the ingredients are always fresh. The servings are large and more than even I can eat. The value was about average with the bill coming to $34. That includes 2 margaritas.
… (1 comments)

Oswego best place to live in US - 07/23/07 09:53 AM
Every year Money magazine comes out with it's "Best Places to Live" report. Naperville received a lot of notoriety when they were on top of the list (actually 2nd) last year. This years list was focused on smaller cities with populations of less than 50,000. Money ranks their winners on economic opportunity, good schools, safe streets and a sense of community.
The title of this post says Oswego is the best place to live. What gives? We meet all of the criteria: economic opportunity~easy access to I-88 and the Metra park'n ride allow for the commute to downtown but more importantly all of … (2 comments)

Would you buy your house - 07/20/07 09:48 AM
Ok, the two of you have decided it's time to sell your home and move to Punjab. You know you will need every dollar you can muster to get there. The first place to look of course is your current home. You may ask is there anything we can do to get more money out of this house.
The answer is yes and I would suggest you take off your sell hat for a moment and pretend you are a buyer. Take a walk, a walk around your property. The first thing a potential buyer will see is the front of the … (4 comments)

What is an HOA? - 07/19/07 10:45 PM
In our area Lakewood Springs, Bristol Bay, Churchhill Farms, Gates Creek, Grande Reserve all have HOAs. An HOA is a homeowners association and with associations come assessments or dues. The assessments are designed to cover the entrances and landscaping of the common areas. They may include a community effort to purchase waste disposal and sometimes snow removal. If there is a pool or a clubhouse the HOA will have to pay for the upkeep and maintenance of those facilities.
If you have any questions on HOAs or any other real estae jargon drop me an email and I will get you the … (0 comments)

Google's Linking Penalty - 07/19/07 04:59 PM
Many are now saying do not link to other websites Google has caught on. Duh.
The question should be caught onto what. A type of link farming where we realtors or even worse a website host is linking all of their clients sites together in hopes of ranking all of the sites higher.
The original premise of the internet was to link from one site to another. This has not changed. The activerain link from your website to Activerain will count way more for Activerain's site than yours or mine because their's will be from our home page. There link to us … (0 comments)

Open House with lower price on Sunday - 07/19/07 03:16 PM
Send all of your clients if they are looking for lake living and need a fantastic 4 bedroom home. Send them with your card I will show them the home and notify with their feedback. This home has a new roof and a new bonus room and the basement has just been finished. $302,000 makes this home a great bargain seller is motivated. I hope to see you Sunday 1-3 or if you would like to view it sooner call me.  Click Photo for tour.
… (0 comments)

Update- Commercial building on rte 34 is heating up - 07/18/07 02:50 PM
Yorkville, Oswego, Sandwich and Plano commercial real estate is heating up
Route 34 has been having delays all week as they expand from two lanes to three with a turn lane. This activity is taking place in front of the 3 new strip malls, water park and Ramada Inn between Plano and Sandwich. The Kohls building now has 4 walls and a roof and the parking lot is being prepared.
The Menard's and JC Penny stores in Oswego may be opening the end of this month. The Super Wal-Mart in Oswego on 34 should also open by the end of the month. … (0 comments)

Local Home Prices in Sandwich, Somonauk and Lake Holiday - 07/11/07 03:55 PM
The local market in the tri-city area of Sandwich, Somonauk and Lake Holiday remained at a slower pace than our neighbors to the east. We had 17 homes close with an average sales price of $209,821 this was 96% of the asking price and the bright spot, these homes were on the market only 90 days.
There was very little condo and duplex activitiy with only 3 having closed at an average price of $156133 for a total of 138 market days on average.
The mobile home market was light 2 closed and the average market time was 52 days with an … (0 comments)

Local Home Prices in Kendall County - 07/11/07 03:40 PM
Kendall county in the month of June had a very respectable month. In the single family category there were 136 homes that closed in June. They sold at 98% of asking price. The average sales price was $289,923. That is considerably above  both the state and neighboring areas. The market days stayed about the same with an average of 104 days on the market.
The condo, townhome and duplex market also had some signs of picking up with an average market time of only 76 days. This market also sold at 98% of asking price with an average of $184,833.
If you would … (0 comments)

 

Randy Lyon

Oswego, IL

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Kettley and Company

Office Phone: (630) 554-8700 x 43

Cell Phone: (630) 546-8424

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