As of this month there are currently 205 pending and contingent Plainfield IL homes for sale.  Many of these homes are  contingent upon short sale approval, or financing, but most likely most will close in the next 3-4 months. (short sales take much longer to close than traditional sales…)

The surge to race to the finish line to qualify for the 1st time home buyer credit is not nearly as pronounced as it was last summer, when buyers frantically scrambled to get in on the market.  The market for first time home buyers is lukewarm at the moment, but maybe we can blame the weather in part too.  Much of the window of opportunity for first time home buyers in Plainfield IL has been overcome by the holidays and the cold winter months… but it’s not too late!

Buyers must be under contract by April 30th, 2010, and close by June 30th, 2010.  The credit for 1st time home buyers is 10% or up to $8,000, and for homeowners who have previously owned property that qualify can get back up to $6,500.

If you are in the market for a new home in Plainfield IL or any of the north or southwest suburbs of Chicago, call me at 630-673-6233.  I can help you make an informed decision on the biggest purchase of your life.  I am a full-time Realtor dedicated to the best interest of my clients.  Call me to find out how my level of customer service and market knowledge can help you!

Julie Ferenzi | Realtor®
Plainfield IL Homes for Sale
630-673-6233

I hope this post doesn’t come off the wrong way… because the worst thing that can come out of this is that I sound like a megalomaniac.  Actually it’s almost exactly the opposite.

There are a lot of people out there that don’t care much for Realtors.  Let’s face it, there are plenty of agents out there that have done a really good job of disgracing the industry; but for every agent that portrays all of the negative stereotypes associated with helping people buy and sell homes, on the flip side, you might just get lucky and find someone like me.

I eat, sleep, and breathe real estate.  I just love it.  I always have.  I’m not in it for the money, because, in case you haven’t been watching the news, real estate hasn’t been a very lucrative profession lately.  This is the worst housing market since the great depression.  Yet, somehow I just can’t talk myself out of being excited about what I do.  Sometimes it involves a paycheck, and unfortunately even after many long hours invested in working with a client… sometimes it doesn’t.  Not everyone finds exactly what they are looking for at a price they can afford, but that’s just part of the business.

All Realtors have access to the MLS.  For what it’s worth, you pretty much do too.  Anyone can search for homes on the Internet, that’s why I now have my website linked directly to Realtor.com.  Anything else is just a lead capturing tool for agents to use to convince you to do business with them.  I’ve had those fancy personalized home search pages on my site before, and I realized that the truth is, if I provide you with valuable information and I am an informative resource to you in the home buying or selling process in Plainfield IL or a surrounding community… I don’t need to launch a stealth marketing campaign to earn your business.  I’d rather attract clients who chose to work with me, rather than attack innocent victims who just happened to stumble across my website doing a Google search with a barrage of unsolicited emails and phone calls.

I’m not sure what to think of the amazing turn of events I’ve been lucky enough to intercept, but I am so thankful and happy to be working with the best group of buyers I have see all summer.  The first time buyers credit has placed an absolutely wonderful  and amazing group of new home buyers in my life.  All three families are closing on their new homes in the next 30 days!  Chad and Sophie Peterson, Dane Justice and Jennifer Carter, &  Dennis and Molly Kim.  They have all been SO much fun to work with!  Of  course, by nature, I never want the fun to end… so I’m just going to have to find an excuse to keep in touch or get together again once they are settled into their new homes!  Dinner in downtown Plainfield?

I’d like to think that the #1 reason you’d like to work with me (other than being good at what I do, of course!)  is that I’m fun to work with!  I’m casual and down to earth.  My hair is often thrown back into a ponytail, I’ve never worn a business suit to work, and my modest Dodge Caravan has the same long lost stash of french fries hiding under the seats of my car as most of my clients, thanks to my 5 darling kids who often live life on the run with their busy mom :o)

I know you have a lot of Plainfield IL real estate agents to chose from.  Your business if important to me.  I know that if you like what I’ve done for you, I have a better chance of not only keeping your business… but earning it from your family and friends as well!

 I always make helping you find your new home a priority.  I never ever forget how exciting it is to buy a new home, and for all the crazy things that happen along the way, having a sense of humor is not only necessary survival skill in this market… it’s a job requirement.   

Julie Ferenzi | Realtor®
Plainfield IL Homes for Sale
630-673-6233

I love it!  Today is the first full day of autumn, and I love  it!

This weekend I made some of my dad’s “Should’ve Been Famous Vegetable Soup,” and we hit the SPIRIT Halloween store that recently opened near the mall, right across from Target on Rt. 30 and Hennepin Rd’s. 

We have an abundance of costumes at our house, (and with 5 kids, that’s a LOT of costumes) so there was no real need to go shopping there, but it’s just fun to look around and get into the “spirit” of things.  Our 2nd youngest was fun to watch in the store, he tried to be brave… but he was on the brink of hysteria the entire time, lol.  He was especially freaked out by the “hands” and “arms” on the wall.

The Ottawa Street park is a favorite park of ours to hang out at this time of year.   The trees, the pond, the walking trail… the kids love it all!  The trees create an umbrella of color over the park that is pretty breathtaking if you catch it at the just the right time.

I noticed this week that the leaves are beginning to change more rapidly.  Green to gold to red…  My own tree lined street is beautiful right now.

If you get a chance to step outside today, take a second to breathe the fresh crisp air and enjoy everything this autumn has to offer!

HAPPY FALL!

Julie Ferenzi | Realtor®
Plainfield IL Homes for Sale
630-673-6233

When comparing the first half of 2009 to 2008, single family home prices have declined by 15.1%  in Plainfield IL:

Jan-May 2008 Plainfield IL Single Family Home Sales:

Jan-May 2009 Plainfield IL Single Family Home Sales:

Different segments of the single family market have been affected more than others: 

• 2 bedroom homes have depreciated by 24.9%
• 3 bedroom homes have depreciated by 16.7%
• 4 bedroom homes have depreciated by 16.9%
• 5 bedroom homes have depreciated by 9.1%

The average sale price of a home in Plainfield IL in 2008 was $277,370.  In 2009 the price of a single family home in Plainfield IL decreased to $235,503.  This is great news for buyers in looking for an affordable home in the southwest suburbs of Chicago.

The volume of home sales is also down 12.5% from 2008.  The majority of home sales that have taken place in both 2008 and 2009 have been 3 and 4 bedroom homes with 2 and 5 bedroom homes making up only 6.6% of the sales in 2009.

If you are looking for a 3 bedroom home in Plainfield IL you can expect to pay an average of $179,000.  For a 4 bedroom home in Plainfield IL you can expect to pay about $258,960 on average.

If you want the best price on a Plainfield IL home you should probably consider a short sale or foreclosed home.  You’ll have to be prepared for the time it takes to have a sale approved by the lender, but it’s the best opportunity to protect yourself against further market depreciation in the months to come.  Even with the current state of the economy, it is still a great time to buy for qualified buyers.

If you or someone you know is looking for a home in Plainfield IL, or a neighboring community, I can help.  I know the Plainfield IL market inside and out, and would love to help you with your move to the community.   Have questions?   Call me at 630-673-6233.

Julie Ferenzi | Realtor®
Plainfield IL Homes for Sale
630-673-6233

The real estate market is a mess, and Plainfield IL has been hit hard by this crisis.  Property values are declining by the double digits and many area homeowners are only 1 payment or financial set back away from facing foreclosure.  If you already know that your situation disqualifies you from a loan modification with your lender, there are distinct benefits to proceeding with a short sale rather than just walking away from your home:

When a homeowner is in default the ramifications really don’t show up until after the climax of the situation.  Meaning, when you’re in default 90 days past due, your credit score shows the same credit score impact as a foreclosure credit score… the damage has been done.  The difference is recovery time.

1. A foreclosure will impact the credit longer than a short sale by about 3 years.  Foreclosures are 5 years or longer.
2. The recovery from a short sale on your credit score will begin to improve in about a year, while a foreclosure will take at least 3 years before an improvement is seen.
3. A deficiency judgment can be put on the borrower in either case, but the seller has a better chance of controlling if a judgment is placed on them or not… by not walking away.
4. A Short sale gives a better opportunity to salvage the loss and protect the property until it is no longer their home.
5. Insurance companies determine cost based on credit and potential employers determine the character of a potential employee based on their responsibility and credit payment history.  Overall, the cost of credit increases and affects the cost or opportunity for credit in the future, and can even affect job opportunities.
6. An early deed in lieu is better than a foreclosure.

If you want to know more about a loan modification or a short sale, please call me at 630-673-6233.  There is no guarantee when it comes to short sales, but if you think the benefits of negotiating the sale of your home with the bank are worth the effort to you, I can help.  In a short sale you are not responsible for the real estate commission.  The sale of your home will be handled by a short sale negotiator, and overseen by an attorney working on your behalf at no cost to you. 

Call me today to find out how you can avoid a foreclosure by performing a short sale at 630-673-6233.

Julie Ferenzi | Realtor®
Plainfield IL Homes
630-673-6233

Valentines Day is traditionally known as the day of  LOVE… but did you know that:

• Valentines Day is the day when birds traditionally chose their mates.
• In Medieval times women ate exotic foods on Valentines Day in hopes of dreaming of their future husband.
• Approximately 1 billion Valentines Day cards are exchanged every year all over the world, making it the second largest card sending occasion next to Christmas!
• 60% of America’s roses are produced in California. 
• Nearly 110 million roses are purchased for Valentine’s Day within a 3 day period.
• Alexander Graham Bell applied for a patent on the telephone on Valentine’s Day in 1876.
• Chocolate is a popular gift on Valentine’s Day because it was once thought to be a cure for the broken-hearted in addition to an aphrodisiac.
  
• On Valentine’s Day many believe in order to find out how many children a woman will have, she should cut an apple in half.  However many seeds she finds in the apple is how many children she will bear.

I hope you found these fun facts about Valentine’s Day as interesting as I did!  Have a great Valentines Day Plainfield!!!

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

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 IL. 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®
Plainfield IL Homes
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 IL? 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®
Plainfield IL Homes
630-673-6233

**update** My 10 year old son had to tell the judge that his mom was not speeding. I didn’t have to pay the ticket. Yeah, justice was served!

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®
Plainfield IL Homes
630-673-6233

Here is another upcoming Plainfield IL 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 IL Homes
630-673-6233