Just released yesterday, the S&P/Case Shiller Index has some interesting and positive news for the month of August. It appears to continue the trend of stabilization that it seems like we're currently in. Particularly for the Chicagoland market that I work in, it continues 3 solid months of home value increases. This is welcome news for our industry and home sellers in general. Here's the top question that comes to mind: Will it last or is this just a blip?

Here's the problem. I personally feel that we need to see some improvement in the foreclosure department before we see a drastic improvement in the housing market in general and home values in particular. I'm just not seeing that happen at this point. There are two other factors in the mix. The winter market looming on the horizon and the ever-welcome homebuyer tax credit.

Is the government incentive responsible for this localized improvement in the market or is it something else? Could it be that we've reached a point where buyers can no longer put off a purchase and move forward with their lives? Lots of questions to be answered - hopefully we'll know what's going on in the next few months and can use that information to help advise our clients for 2010.

Golden Oaks is a subdivisions of nearly 400 homes located in the Northwest section of the City of Aurora. It was built by Pulte Homes between 1990 and 1994 and consists of small to medium-sized homes ranging from around 1200 to 2300 square feet. Golden Oaks homes are popular with both first-time homebuyers as well as budget-concious families due to the relative low prices of homes versus what you get. Many of the homes feature 3-4 bedrooms, full basements and come in a variety of styles from ranch homes to large two-story. Golden Oaks is conveniently located near I-88, Orchard Road, Randall Road, Rt. 31 and is only a 10-minute drive from the Aurora Metra station making it ideal for commuters.

The primary feature of Golden Oaks are the two entry signs located on Indian Trail just east of Randall Road and also on Sullivan Road also east of Randall Road. The community also boasts two large ponds that are maintained by the homeowner's association as well as at least one park. The subdivision feeds into the West Aurora School District 129 and school bus service is available in the subdivision. There are also several nearby PACE bus stops located just outside of the subdivision. Homes in Golden Oaks are part of a self-managed homeowner's association and dues average around $130 per year and include upkeep of the subdivision resources, a quarterly newsletter and an annual get-together/barbeque.

On the evening of July 4th, the sky on the west side of Aurora was once again ablaze with color. In 2008, for the second year in a row, the City of Aurora fireworks were held on the grounds of the Illinois Math and Science Academy near the corner of Sullivan and Edgelawn. I have to say, of all the firework displays I've seen, this is annually one of the best. For nearly 30 minutes, the crowd "ooohed" and "ahhhed" at the brightly colored shells that burst in the perfectly clear skies in tribute to our counrty and community.

Earlier in the day, clouds had threatened to make the performace a bit overcast, but hours before the show, everything cleared up perfectly and a cold front brought us some of the coolest temperatures we've had in a few months. This combined for a perfect atmosphere for firework gazing. The show started about an hour before dark with 3 or 4 skydivers who jumped just above the crowds and glided down doing all kinds of spins to get the audience going. Although there were many who came in to watch the fireworks, many who own homes in Aurora chose to sit out on porches and patios and watch the beautiful show. Our visitors got to watch the fireworks from our patio and all remarked that it was one of the best shows they'd seen in years. If you've never been, check it out next year - it's definatley a fun time.

One of the first subdivisions you'll come to if you approach the village of Sugar Grove from the north is the beautiful Lakes of Bliss Woods. Taking its name from the nearby Bliss Woods Forest Preserve where local history says the community of Sugar Grove was first founded, this community features around 165 custom homes on large lots. Visitors to this Sugar Grove subdivision will find several parks as well as 2 large ponds along with interesting homes featuring the latest design trends and elevations. Close in proximity to the much larger subdivisions of Windstone and Prestbury, The Lakes of Bliss Woods offers home owners the opportunity to be a part of a very exclusive and active smaller community. Although the subdivision is surrounded by fields and forest preserves, it is just a hop and a jump from major local transportation such as Route 45 and I-88. Another great aspect of this subdivision is that it's only perhaps a 5 minute drive from the Elburn Metra station. Local shopping can be found in downtown Sugar Grove as well as along Orchard and Randall roads in the nearby communities of Aurora, North Aurora and Batavia. If you're looking for elegant homes in a relaxed, "away from it all" setting, make sure to check out the Lakes of Bliss Woods subdivision.

North Aurora is a village trying to maintain its small-town identity while it continues to grow, particularly to the east and west. One of the newest additions of residential homes is the Tanner Trails Subdivision in the extreme west of the village. With over 500 single family homes located among Fox Valley conservation land, farmer's fields and hiking and biking trails, Tanner Trails offers the perfect retreat for home buyers looking for luxury and style "away from it all".

Despite it's rural setting and beautiful parks, Tanner Trails is just a short drive from local shopping venues including the Woodman's on Orchard Road, shopping along Randall Road as well as I-88 access into the city and surrounding communities. There's more than one water park located within a 15-minute drive of the subdivision and there are two Metra stations just a short distance away. Visitors to Tanner Trails can approach from the east or west along Tanner Road. A nearby subdivision called The Reserves at Tanner Trails is considered part of this community but features custom and semi-custom homes at a higher price point.

The Reserves at Tanner Trails is a new home community located among the fields in westernmost North Aurora. It offers many new construction options from the $300,000 range to the $500,000 range. Many of the homes in this community are custom and semi-custom homes built by one of several local builders. Although this subdivision is considered a different community, it shares its name and location with the neighboring subdivision of Tanner Trails. Because of this, it's often also called Tanner Trails or simply, "The Reserves".

The Reserves at Tanner Trails is one of the newest subdivisions of North Aurora real estate and features large homes, most averaging over 3,000 square feet. Local shopping includes the stores along the nearby Randall Road corridor, Woodmans, the North Aurora Auto Mall and the Chicago Premium Outlet Mall two exits to the east in I-88. It is fairly close in proximity to the nearby communities of Batavia, Aurora and Sugar Grove. If you are searching for a beautiful custom or semi-custom home in North Aurora, contact your local real estate expert for more information.

Over a year ago, I decided to list myself in the Yahoo Directory. For those of you who haven't explored this option, it is a $299 yearly fee for "review" of your website and inclusion in the directory. This is one of the most expensive fees currently charged for any directory out there. However, over the past year, I've been monitoring the performance of my listing - how many leads it has sent my direction, and I can honestly say it's been minimal and less than I expected. For those of you who are currently in the Yahoo Directory or have been considering it the biggest question has to be: is it all worth it?

The ultimate reason for a directory listing is twofold. First, you have the opportunity for increased traffic to your website due to click-thorugh from clients searching the directory for agents in a particular area. Many feel that this is the most important service of being listed in a directory and expect some degree of traffic to balance out the fee. The second reason is that it provides a one-way link to your website and that's good for SEO.

Many in the SEO industry feel that directory listings have been greatly devalued by the search engines - to the point of making the SEO benefit of the one-way links provided worth little to nothing. If this is truely the case, then the only legitimate reason to be listed in a directory is the direct traffic. Over the past year, I've had a couple visitors from my Yahoo directory listing - much less than anticipated and in fact, less than I've even generated through my ActiveRain Profile Page. On the other hand, although $299 is pretty high for directory inclusion, I also think about how much it costs me to do print advertising and how many times my print advertising has yeilded no visible results.

Bottom line: I'm the type of agent that likes to hold my advertising dollars accountable. This year I chose to remain listed in the directory - next year when my renewal rolls around, I'm going to have to seriously consider dropping my listing if traffic doesn't improve this year. To the community: have you considered being listed in the Yahoo Directory and what do you think?

In Fox Valley, the latest talk is of the new Matea Valley High School scheduled to begin construction soon and to open in 2009. Matea Valley High School is scheduled to be built on Eola Road several blocks north of North Aurora Road. For the residents of the Concord Valley Subdivision this will be an exciting year as the homes of Concord Valley are literally on the doorstep of the new school. For home buyers looking forward to their children attending the new high school, the homes in Concord Valley might be exactly what they're looking for. Featuring between 1600 and just over 2000 square feet and between 3 and 4 bedrooms, these modern-styled homes are perfect for medium-large families as well as job commuters who need to be close to local transportation. If you're looking for a great home in school district 204, contact your local REALTOR for more information about the Concord Valley Subdivision and any homes currently available.

If you are searching for a beautiful townhome near shopping with a great school district, you should be looking at the Abington Trace Townhomes. Most of them are brick-fronted and offer between 2 and three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and many offer the option of a finished lower level "basement". Abington Trace was built on the north side of New York Street a year after the Abington Woods Subdivision was completed. A much smaller group of townhomes, Abington Trace is popular with larger families because the layout offers plenty of space, second floor in-unit laundry and some townhomes actually feature a small patio backing to the surrounding woods. Many of the townhomes range in size from 1500-1800 square feet and are located close to the Fox Valley Mall. These homes also feed into the award-winning school district 204 making them very popular with families. If you're shopping for townhomes in Aurora, make sure you don't pass up Abington Trace.

Of all the townhomes available in the Fox Valley, perhaps one of the most popular complexes remains the Legacy Fields Townhomes. Located on Aurora's far east side near the Fox Valley Mall, Legacy Fields was constructed at the beginning of the millenium and features a lot of modern amenities that buyers are looking for in a home. You will find gourmet kitchens, fireplaces as well as finished lower levels in many of these townhomes. Also, the Legacy Fields Subdivision was constructed with a view in mind. Many of the buildings look outward to the surrounding woods, prairie or wetlands. There are several retention ponds located near the property that attracts birds and local wildlife. The location of Legacy Fields, close by local transportation and shopping makes it a great location for folks looking for homes in Aurora.