Schaumburg Township Assessment Notices - 02/27/10 12:47 PM
Schaumburg Township Tax Notices You will be getting your assessment notices in your mailbox soon with either good or bad news depending on your perspective.
"Assessment notices for Schaumburg were mailed out Feb 23, 2010. The deadline to file an appeal for this town is Mar 26, 2010. The deadline to file documentation is Apr 12, 2010."
I was at the Schaumburg Township office yesterday and there were many people there protesting their taxes which I think is great.  Be prepared for lines and some waiting time and they do have chairs there for you to sit on until called. If you … (2 comments)

Appraisal Fee Reference Report - 02/26/10 12:55 PM
This is supposed to help lenders with the new guidelines (Real Estate Settlement & Procedures Act, RESPA) listing appraisal fees by county thruout the U.S.  New FHA guidelines dictating that appraisers be paid 'reasonable and customary' fees for their areas.
My particular area in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago is listed at $300.
Appraisal Fee Reference Report 2/2010
… (6 comments)

Landlords - 50 Inexpensive Tips to Dramatically Increase the Value of Your Properties - 02/26/10 10:52 AM
Landlords - You can bet that your investment property needs a little 'face lift'.  Ever pretend you were the future tenant and stand at the front door?  Here are a couple of suggestions to make your investment more appealing, get better tenants and get more rent!
Thanks for reading!

Via Tai DeSa (Significa Corporation):
50 Inexpensive Tips to Dramatically Increase the Value of Your Properties
 By Tai A. DeSa, Significa Corporation
Professional landlords and investors involved in property flipping should constantly seek to improve their property value while keeping costs low.  Below is a list of 50 tips that we shared with our … (4 comments)

HGTV Episodes about our area! - 02/23/10 03:27 PM
HGTV Episodes about our area! Was pleasantly surprised to see our area of Hoffman Estates featured in one of the HGTV segments on 'My First Place' recently.  I had recorded (TIVO'd?) two episodes to watch about staging and the one was about a popular area stager Julea Josephin which she transforms a room with one day's notice.  Julea did a fabulous job.  The other was about a first time home buyer that started out in Libertyville (20 miles north) and by the end of the program ended up in a ranch in Hoffman Estates!  Hey, that's my area and what are you … (2 comments)

Can you say fire Mr. SpongeBob? - 02/23/10 08:12 AM
Can you say fire Mr. SpongeBob? How do you spell fire Mr. SpongeBob SquarePants?   Are the owners of this house so unbelievably stupid that they have put a giant bag of foam rubber near the hot exhaust pipe of their water heater?

 
WHY YES!Can you spell stupid Mr. SpongeBob?Can you say 'poof' up in flames?
  
Just another day in the glamourous job of a Realtor©.
… (15 comments)

Foreclosure and your Lease - 02/22/10 07:56 AM
Foreclosure and your lease Ok, so now you're in trouble and you've found out that you've been scammed or been told a lie by your landlord.  You have a lease but didn't know the owner of your place is now in foreclosure.  What do you do?  ORYou've signed a lease with a landlord and have found out they haven't been making a mortgage payment for 6 months - what do you do?ORYou've signed a lease, moved in and found out that the person you thought was your landlord doesn't even own the building!  This just happened this week in Chicago!  What … (5 comments)

Gangsters aren't only in the movies! - 02/20/10 11:23 AM
This should be a consumer outrage!  One thing I feel of utmost importance is to bring to light what is happening in our industry and how it effects you, me and Mr. John Q Public!  This is a complex subject but an important one that I want you to investigate on how the FDIC plans to spend (and is spending) your hard earned money!
You thought the 'mortgage mess' was over - well read this!  I urge you to pass this along to your family and peers.
 

Via Robert G Hertzog (Summit Home Consultants):
OneWest Bank Releases Their First Year Profit Statement $1.6 Billion- You … (3 comments)

Northwest Suburbs Housing Market for January 2010 - 02/17/10 11:03 AM
What's going on in the Illinois Housing Market in January 2010? First-time buyers - A survey shows first-time buyers purchased 43 percent of homes in December, down from 51 percent in November. Repeat buyers rose to 42 percent of transactions in December from 37 percent in November; the remaining sales were to investors. In the Illinois 2009 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers: 51% of recent home buyers were first-time buyers, compared to 47% nationwide.Distressed homes - which accounted for 32 percent of sales in December, continue to downwardly distort the median price because they generally sell at a discount relative to … (2 comments)

Towne Place - Schaumburg IL Lyn Sims (847)230-7324 - 02/16/10 05:08 PM
… (5 comments)

Weathersfield Lakes - Schaumburg IL - 02/15/10 04:42 PM
Weathersfield Lakes Weathersfield Lakes is a community of quad homes (group of 4) built by Campanelli Builders in the mid 70's.  One of the top 10 most popular subdivisions in Schaumburg IL, it offers close approximation to Volkening Lake for paddle boating in summer & ice skating in the winter months.  There is also a popular walking path around the lake.   The association offers a large clubhouse with party or meeting rooms and an outdoor pool.  
There are 3 different models in the subdivision and all offer a private entry and 1 car attached garage. One of the most … (1 comments)

Foreclosures and You - 10 Potential Potholes on the Foreclosure Buying Road - 02/11/10 11:02 AM
Buying a foreclosure can really test what you're made of.  Better make sure you are ready and you need someone that is a seasoned professional (like me!) to help you climb thru the jungles and miss the dreaded swamp!
This post is by Clint Miller of Montana, enjoy.

Via Clint Miller (Real Estate Client Referrals, LLC (RECR)):
Let's face facts...buying a foreclosure isnt exactly a simply process. In fact, some would say the entire process sucks.
But, it can actually be even worse than you thought originally for your client without recognizing these 10 simple red flags. Knowing what to look for … (0 comments)

Short Sales - WHAT IF there was a simple fix to the short sale fiasco? What am I missing? - 02/11/10 08:42 AM
Here's a couple of great 'common sense' fixes for Short Sale Problems.  Is it really this easy to fix?
This is from Amy Jones out of Arizona with what I think are great solutions.

Via Amy Jones (Chandler, Arizona RE/Max Excalibur):
I've been thinking...  could there be an easy fix to the short sale industry mess?
What if sellers were required to have an approval from their lender PRIOR to listing their home for "short sale"? 
What if the lender ordered the BPO establishing the sales price that the lender would accept PRIOR to the seller listing the home? 
What if the lender … (7 comments)

Staging your home really helps it sell! - 02/09/10 09:19 AM
Advice to Sellers - Staging your home really helps it sell! Last week was really a 'visual' week in extremes.  My one post entitled 'The glamorous job of a Realtor©' tried to show you the kinds of homes that we might see during the course of showing or on listing appointments.  One of the things that I desperately try to point out to sellers is the competition that is currently on the market in our area.  When I do a listing appointment I come armed with how many homes are in a particular price range, absorption rates for your city and a … (14 comments)

The Glamorous Job of a Realtor© - 02/08/10 12:36 PM
Yes, real estate is such a glamorous job as you can see by these pictures!  A documentation in pictures of the job of a Realtor© - how glamorous indeed after you see these houses!  So this week I've seen some pretty funny things, some pathetic things and some indescribable things.  Some things are so gross they're won't be any pictures!Let's begin if we may:  These folks had 2 days notice that I was coming which is plenty of time for making your house presentable in my book.  I almost fell down the stairs, assaulted by the smell of chihuahua poop (small stuff … (18 comments)

The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly - Mortgage Interest Rates & the Tax Credit - News you need to know!! - 02/07/10 10:47 AM
Buyers:  Here's some good advice or ideas on why possibly 'now' is the best time to buy a home.  Obviously, you should be ready both mentally & financially but there are some benefits that you might not know about on why now is 'the right time to pull the trigger'!
We've got interest rates that we don't know what they are going to do the end of March 2010. They're the lowest they've ever been right now.
AND .... We've got that first time or repeat buyer tax credit that can help you with your future mortgage payments, some future remodeling … (5 comments)

Buyers Advice - What's the Max DTI? 28%, 36%, 41%, 43%, 50%...??? - 02/07/10 10:33 AM
Buyers looking for general mortgage guidelines?  This post talks about your maximum allowable payment or Debt-to-Income Ratio or DTI.  Each loan type broken down with it's specifics.  Great information from Chris Thomas a loan officer in Colorado.
Let me know if you have any questions that I can help with on buying or selling a home!

Via Mortgage Support Services:
We get a lot of questions about debt-to-income ratios these days.  Here are the underwriting guidelines for the various types of loans: 
Conventional (non-government) loans:
If the loan is underwritten manually (by a person), the debt-to-income ratio (DTI) is 36%.  If … (2 comments)

Hoffman Estates IL Homes - 3BR Ranch in Parcel C - 02/05/10 07:47 PM
… (7 comments)

Common Man's Dictionary to Real Estate Advertising (Tongue-In-Cheek) - 02/05/10 06:12 PM
We've all heard stories or read advertisements of real estate 'puffery'.  You know the phrases that sooooooo stretch the truth there isn't much left of it.  This is a humorous post about what those common real estate buzz words 'might mean' in real life!
This is from Clint Miller located in Montana, I hope you appreciate his humor.  Enjoy!

Via Clint Miller (Real Estate Client Referrals, LLC (RECR)):
Let me start of by saying that this is satire. And this should be read with that idea in mind. It is intended to be humorous. Nothing more. Ok?
As long as we understand one … (4 comments)

Schaumburg Homes for Sale - $250,000 3BR 2.5BA's 2 car garage - 02/05/10 03:50 PM
… (0 comments)

Home Sale Staging - It's not a bunch of 'Hooey' and here's the reasons why! - 02/05/10 11:40 AM
Yes I said HOOEY!  You are making a sad mistake Mr. or Ms. Seller by not paying attention to a trend that is now becoming mandatory.  Think buyers won't care or don't care how your vacant home shows?  Read the stats here. 
Now before you say, Oh Lyn, there you go whining again about staging!  Yep, I'm not going to stop because it's that important.  It's not about how YOU feel, it's about what your buyers will think or do think.  Got that?  It's about them. 
So enough of my mini rant and please read this post from a stager in … (5 comments)

Trulia - it's like a housing game for points! Skip it for advice. - 02/03/10 11:21 AM
I really have to laugh at this platform - Trulia Questions.  Not familiar? Now it seems that 'anyone' can answer real estate questions for points!  Just like an Active Rain wanna be?  Trulia now has different 'levels' and different point systems in essence playing a real estate Mario Bros. game!  What I'm laughing at is that buyers are answering other buyers questions and they don't know what they are talking about all in the name of points!  

This reminds me of Rich Jacobson and his recent post 'Do customers get qualified answers on Trulia and Zillow?  Rich was recently 'spanked' … (15 comments)

Glens of Schaumburg - Schaumburg Illinois - 02/01/10 01:04 PM
Glens of Schaumburg manor homes/coach homes in Schaumburg Illinois was originally built by Pasquinelli Builders starting in 1986. The Glens of Schaumburg is a popular area with commuters because it is close to the Schaumburg Metra Station (Milwaukee West Line) which you can walk (if your athletic) or drive too.  Schaumburg Station offers plenty of parking and express runs into Schaumburg or Chicago.
The Glens of Schaumburg at inception offered very contemporary floor plans with 9 foot ceilings on the 1st floor units and vaulted ceilings thruout on 2nd floor units.  If you like a spacious feeling with lots of light, this … (0 comments)

 
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Lyn Sims - Schaumburg Homes

Schaumburg, IL

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Schaumburg Real Estate - Northwest Suburbs - RE/MAX Suburban

Address: Schaumburg | Hoffman Estates | Elk Grove Village | and Roselle, IL in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago

Office Phone: (847) 230-7324

Cell Phone: (847) 230-7404

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Market comments, updates and news about the surrounding communities of Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates, Elk Grove Village, Roselle, Bloomingdale, Bartlett, Streamwood, and Hanover Park in the Chicago Northwest Suburbs.



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