Living In Plainfield

Now you can search for homes on my new website!  Visit me at www.chicagorealestateplainfieldhomes.com

Chances are, you have probably noticed an increase in the amount of FOR SALE signs in the area.  Like the spring flowers in the real estate garden, the nice weather marks the high tide for the real estate industry.

Why Spring?

Well mostly because many buyers and sellers with children attempt to plan their moves around the school year, but to be honest, the weather in the Midwest plays a big part in the appeal of the Spring market.  Our last move took place at the end of January in 2005. YUCK!  It was horrible!  Not to mention all of the wet and slushy foot-prints on our brand new carpet as we carted all of our stuff into our new place.

I have to admit, I like showing houses in the better weather too.  It sure beats trampling through the snow in winter coats, fumbling with lock-boxes in middle of winter.

If you are looking to buy a house right now, this is the time of year you will most likely have the best selection at the most competitive prices.  Likewise if you are trying to sell your home, this is when the buyers are starting to look.  Market times tend to be shorter when they are listed during the Spring market.

Happy Spring!

I know this site gets lots of activity every day. I track it…

I want to know what you think!

Has this site been helpful? Did you find what you were looking for? Based on my search engine inquiries, you all seem pretty interested in images of gavels and how to rid your yard of bunny nests!

I’m here to help no matter what you are looking for.

Talk to me. I want to hear from you!

Julie Ferenzi | Realtor
630-673-6233

Century 21 Hometown
7821 W. Belmont Ave.
Elmwood Park, IL 60707

I read an interesting article in the Sunday Chicago Tribune this morning. It was called Best Foot Forward by Anne Brennan.

The title and sub-captions were a little misleading only because they claimed that “critics warn that new curtains don’t change the basics”…

I don’t believe for a second that home staging is done to mislead the public into purchasing a lemon, but solely for the purpose of capturing the prospective buyers attention. In the midst of a buyers market, it only makes sense to set yourself apart from the competition.

I know first hand that staged homes sell. I learned that my first year in investing in real estate. My husband and I invested in two homes last year that were vacant and in need of staging. Thanks to some extra furniture and my handy craft of sewing I was able to stage those homes enough to get them to sell.

In fact, 93% of staged homes in the US sell in 31 days or less according to Barb Schwarz, of International Home Staging, while non-staged homes sell in an average of 161 days.

In the article, homeowners describe the fact that while they find it hard to see the faults in their own property; the objective opinion of a home stager will work to their advantage.

If you are serious about selling, I’m serious about getting it done! Contact me now to receive you complimentary home staging session with your signed listing agreement!

Do you have a home to sell in this buyers market? Let’s work together to get it sold!

Julie Ferenzi | Realtor
630-673-6233

Century 21 Hometown
7821 W. Belmont Ave.
Elmwood Park, IL 60707

I have been schlepping around down looking pretty frumpy for the last few months. Okay I’ll admit it, it’s been exactly 19 months… since our youngest son was born. Hey, having 4 kids is hard work!

As I have mentioned before on this site, I was a hairstylist previous to my career in real estate. I have no idea what on earth gave me the idea that just because I’m good at doing other people’s hair, that I was doing a good job on my own, or that it should even be attempted.

I have known for a long time that my hair was starting to look like a prop from Jim Henson’s imagination; I like to refer to it as Muppet Blonde. It’s hard to find the time to break away from the everyday obligations for any amount of time, much less do it with out at least half of the kids in tow. Tonight I decided to do something for myself… I went to visit an old friend at her new salon. (well, not really new, it’s been around for more than 2 years now)

To make a very long story surprisingly short, I met Cherise Kehres about 7 years ago at a family wedding. We were introduced through conversation at the reception because we were fellow hairstylists who had both recently moved to Plainfield from suburbs closer to the city. I had just started working at a new salon and mentioned that it was kind of crazy she was still making such a big commute to work everyday. I told her she should come check out the brand new salon I had just started at, and before long we were working together. We had some really great times at that salon!

I stopped working in the salon industry after realizing that my heart just wasn’t in it anymore, but Cherise went on to do great things. Two years ago she took the next step in her very successful career and opened Salon Nine in downtown Plainfield.

While I had stopped in to see the salon not long after it opened, last night I finally decided to do something about my out of control Fraggle Rock hair. I knew the only person that could save me from myself (and a bottle of bleach) was Cherise, and I couldn’t have been more on the money. I love what she did, and I can finally come out of hiding. The cut is perfect and the color is amazing.

I have been the victim of some really horrible haircuts and atrocities of color, but I left the salon tonight feeling like my hair looked like it actually grew from the head of a human being… and that felt good! Cherise does what she does with passion and that’s the difference between someone who “does” hair for a living, and someone that is doing what they absolutely love to do.

If you decide to make an appointment at the salon and can’t get in with Cherise, don’t worry. All of the clients that I saw leave the salon that night looked fabulous! The Salon Nine team is great, and and the atmosphere is friendly and relaxed. I wouldn’t recommend bringing the kids because of the chemicals and sharp scissors, and the experience is definitely baby-sitter worthy!

The salon is located at 24402 Lockport St. in downtown Plainfield. You can call to make an appointment at 815-609-1644.

Hours:

Tuesday -Thursday 11:00-9:00
Friday 9-5
Saturday 8-4
Sunday-Monday closed

Julie Ferenzi | Realtor®
Living In Plainfield

Century 21 Hometown
7821 W. Belmont Ave.
630-673-6233

I had a decision to make last year when I started this site, and it was a big one. How would I handle any bad experiences I have had living in Plainfield? Until now, I haven’t had very many reasons to even consider this option, but today I’m really worked up about something that happened.

The very first thing I learned about in marketing and sales was this:

If someone is happy with their experience with you, they might tell one, maybe two, other people. If someone is unsatisfied, they will tell every warm bodied human being within breathing distance about how horrible their experience was. And if you don’t believe me, think back to the last time you had bad a experience at a store, or suffered through bad service at a nice restaurant. I bet you worked the story of that experience into more places than you even realized at the time.

You are a walking advertisement of your experience in working with other people, and businesses because of your personal and interpersonal relationships with the world around you.

So, as you may have guessed, I had a not so great experience today. I got pulled over by a Joliet cop, Officer Lee Foster, while taking my oldest to the orthodontist at Advanced Family Dental this morning.

He said he clocked me at 47 in a 30 which is ridiculous because I take this trip 3 times a month for his appointments, and I’m fully aware of the speed limit there. The cops like to hang out on Theodore Rd. between Essington and Larkin to catch people in this 30 MPH speed trap. I’ve seen a squad car stopped for a violation EVERY single time we take the trip. I’d have been a fool to try to go above the posted speed here… I’m not an idiot.

Anyway, here’s how it all played out.

A car was riding behind me must have decided I was going to slow, and flew past me just about the time I noticed a cop car pretty far up in the distance. HA, I thought. Good, I hope that jerk gets a ticket! (Seriously… he was flying!) So I see the cop car pass me and do a major U-Turn in the middle of the road, and I’m thinking “yes… just when you wish there’s a cop around!!!”

I am fully expecting him to pull up behind the other car and speed past me, and to my surprise he pulls up behind me with his lights flashing! What?!

As he comes up to the window, I say with a lot of surprise in my voice, “ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! Did you, or did you not, just see that car fly past both of us?!”

Officer Lee Foster then proceeds to tell me that it was my car that he clocked and that there was no point to argue. He said that car flew past us after he had already gotten me on radar. Oh really? I guess I shouldn’t then point out that he has the only radar gun in the world capable of identifying the make, model and color of it’s target? Or the fact that aiming it at me in while in the opposing lane of traffic, while driving mind you, might decrease it’s accuracy? Or that driving while attempting to operate a bulky and awkward piece of equipment to me seemed to be a much greater danger to others on the road?

My oldest son said that when he saw the cop in the distance that he checked the speedometer because he’d seen his dad get pulled over before, and being the worry-wart that he is, he needs to know that kind of stuff about who’s breaking the rules and what the potential punishments are. He’d sell me out in a heartbeat if I really was speeding, and I’m always willing to take my lumps when it’s justified.  I practice what I preach.

He said he knew I wasn’t speeding because he saw the needle at 30, and believe me… he watches. I don’t speed. I really and truly don’t. I’ve always got my kids in the car with me and it’s just not worth the risk. I’m not a risk taker, I’m all about the sure thing.

The thing that makes me angry about all of this was the fact that Officer Foster treated me like a criminal, and even worse that he let the person who was really breaking the law blatantly get away with it.

After he handed me the ticket he told me if I felt the ticket was unfair that I could dispute it in court, to which I said, “See you there.” and I rolled up my window.

I’m not very fond of Officer Foster of the Joliet Police Department right now. My experience with you has me so angry I decided to everyone I know about it! Maybe you had a bad morning or something before you left for work.  Either way, I guess we’ll get hte chance to face-off again at the end of April!  Unfortunately, I just made my car a target for every cop in Joliet.  Oh well, I guess I’ll just leave it up to the court to decide.

I’m not sure how much the Joliet police department really cares about public opinion, it’s not like they are worried if you liked the omelets or anything, but it all comes down to accountability and the people that have positions of power.  I guess today we both decided to use our power for evil.

There you go. My first angry post about living in Plainfield.  Grrrr!!!  

Julie Ferenzi | Realtor®
Living in Plainfield

Century 21 Hometown
7821 W. Belmont Ave
630-673-6233

Last week I had a closing on a property that I had sold, so I decided to stop in at Gourmet Junction to see about adding a few more things for my gift basket. On our way out, I noticed that the Sleepy Pony had changed locations just a few doors down from Gourmet Junction. Since I’d never been there before, I decided to stop in with 2 of my little ones in my quest to find a couple of old fashioned bean bag chairs. (For the record, finding a bean bag chair in the 21st century is nothing short of impossible!)

I was quickly greeted by Jennifer Bebee, a co-owner of the family owned business, and inquired about bean bag chairs. She said that they used to carry them, but that they were ridiculously expensive so they decided that it didn’t make sense for them to keep them in stock. I agreed that at $79 per chair, it wasn’t in my budget because I was hoping to pick up 4 of them. At that point I might as well just buy another sofa!!!

Jennifer was really sweet and super-friendly, and the store is absolutely adorable! Everything they carry is so cute. It made me glad to know that we’ll be re-decorating my daughters room soon, because I saw a lot of things I really fell in love with! I remember what a hard time I had finding the vintage sport theme quilts for my 2 older sons room. You know how it is sometimes when you know what you want… but you just can’t find it?!

The Sleepy Pony is located at 604 N. Des Plaines in downtown Plainfield and open Monday-Friday from 10:00-6:00, Saturdays from 10:00-4:00, and closed on Sundays. You can reach them at 815-436-7060.

This seems to be the place to build the perfect bedroom or accent you child’s existing room. I’ve heard other people rave about the store, but I’m glad to finally see for myself what all the buzz was about. It was well worth it to pop in for a quick visit. I’m sure I’ll be back for a couple of customized items I’ve got my eye on after my new niece, or nephew, arrives later this spring.

Unfortunately I’m still on the hunt for neutral colored, reasonably priced bean bag chairs for the kids….

Julie Ferenzi | Realtor®
Plainfield Real Estate

Century 21 Hometown
7821 W. Belmont Ave.
630-673-6233

Maybe sometimes we take for granted the fact that Chicago and it’s suburbs, are home to some legendary people!

This Friday, it’s all about the local talent!!!

 Did you know that Illinois is home to:

Jack Benny (comedian), Black Hawk (Sauk Chief), Harry Blackmun (US Supreme Court), John Chancellor (TV commentator), Jimmy Connors (tennis), Miles Davis • Benny Goodman (jazz), Walt Disney (film animator), Ernest Hemingway • Ray Bradbury (authors), Wild Bill Hickok (scout), Dan Fogelberg • Burl Ives (singers), Quincy Jones (composer, producer), Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Reagan ( both Presidents!!!), Carl Sandburg (poet), Oprah Winfrey (TV host) Charlton Heston • Rock Hudson • Bill Murray • Bob Newhart • Richard Pryor, Raquel Welch (actors)

What a great way to recognize Illinois!!!  (Hey, we’ve got two great American presidents in there in the mix!)

Check back next week for some more great Friday Fun Facts!

Julie Ferenzi | Realtor®
Living In Plainfield
630-673-6233

I’ve been driving past the models that popped up on Caton Farm Rd in late fall for months now.  I’ve been meaning to stop in and check out them out, but to be honest, it’s just been way too cold!!!

After a mini-thaw last weekend, my oldest son and I stopped in at the Ashford Place  sales center and took a look around their two beautifully decorated models; the Halden and the Stanhope. 

I immediately fell in love with the Stanhope.  It was beautifully decorated in a beautiful pale aqua and cream color pallet.  We have big family so it’s only natural for me to gravitate toward the biggest home they had to offer, but it was a beautiful and highly functional layout.  I especially loved the extra large laundry room that was located right off the garage. 

The front closet was big enough to store even the largest families collection of outerwear!  Mittens, hats, scarves, and gloves… Oh, the possibilities!  I seriously have never seen a “walk-in” front closet before.  Yes, it was a walk-in closet big enough to make even the most well equipped master bedroom jealous!!!

There are 7 floor plans to choose from, and 2 models available to view.  Base prices range from $262,600 to $321,100 and optional features and upgrades will add to the actual cost.

Ashford Place is also part of the Plainfield Consolidated 202 School District .

I stopped back at the sales office for a while and talked to Susan Lanucha who is the general sales manager at the office.  We discussed the fact that, at the moment, there really aren’t very many builders left in Plainfield.  She said that Smykal Associates have been building homes in Chicago and the suburbs for the past 136 years. 

That’s a long time!

Now in it’s 5th generation, the Smykal family business has built over 17,000 homes in the Chicago land area.  So many builders and developers are facing hard times right now along with the rest of the country.  On the heels of the sub-prime lending fall-out, it’s nice to see a family owned business with such longevity.

If you are looking for a new construction home in Plainfield it’s not too late, and it’s still a great time to buy!  I’d love to have another excuse to get over to see them again.

Julie Ferenzi |Realtor®
Plainfield Real Estate
630-673-6233

Here is another upcoming Plainfield community event, and this one is for a great cause too!  It’s really easy to tell all of Plainfield about your upcoming event by using the Event button at the top of the page.  You fill out the form and I’ll do all the rest

 Here’s what’s coming up:

 “A Pieceful Journey Through The Heart of The Prairie”

Approximately 300 quilts will hang at the bi-annual quilt show of Plainfield’s own Pride of the Prairie Quilters, March 8 and 9, 2008

This year the show will be at Richland Grade School, located at 1919 Caton Farm Road in Crest Hill, IL

The show will include “mini art quilts” as part of Alzheimer’s Art Quilt Initiative, founded by Ami Simms to help raise awareness and funding to find a cure for the all too common disease, afflicting so many older Americans. 

The show will feature ”Prairie Pineapple”  the group’s raffle quilt, a silent auction, raffle baskets, demos, and appraisals by appointment.  For more information visit: Pride of the Prairie

The cost of the event is $5.00 and doors open at 9:00 am.

Richland Grade School
1919 Caton Farm Rd.
Crest Hill, IL

If you have questions about this event please send an e-mail to plurfit@aol.com or call 630-420-8583.

Julie Ferenzi | Realtor®
Plainfield Real Estate
630-673-6233