The following Wesmere subdivision homes closed in Plainfield IL in the month of July 2010:

• 1711 Heritage Pointe Dr. closed for $176,000.
• 2312 Willow Lakes Dr. closed for $189,000.
• 2212 Candlewood Dr. closed for $192,000.
• 1914 Chestnut Grove closed for $195,000.

The house at 1711 Heritage Pointe Dr. is BEAUTIFUL!  The new buyers are LUCKY! I had shown it many times when it was a foreclosure, but the investor that bought it made it shine like a model home!  It was top notch when this rehab investor got done with it.

AND… actually, the listing at 2212 Candlewood Dr. was my listing, and it is beautiful too! The new owners are going to love their new home as much as my clients did.  It sold really quickly because these sellers were really smart about pricing their home correctly.  They listened to my professional advice, and their home sold in just over 3 months!

If you are not in a short sale situation and you do not price your home correctly, you will be holding on to it forever.  The market is still declining.  Your home is worth more today that it will be tomorrow, so don’t be greedy when it comes to an asking price… or you will have your house all to yourself, for a very long time to come.

If you are thinking about selling your home in this market and you are ready to get real about price, call me.  I can sell your home in this market.  All homes will sell at the right price, given the right motivation.

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

Dunmoor Estates is a beautiful custom home community in Plainfield IL located between Ridge Rd and Rt. 30 just off of 135th St.  This beautiful neighborhood is located near shopping and dining, with easy access to I-55 and I-80.

There is  cluster of beautiful custom home neighborhoods near Dunmoor Estates in Plainfield IL, including Grande Park, Shenandoah, and Prairie Ponds.

Home in this neighborhood feature 4+ bedrooms and large homesites with contemporary luxury design layouts.  Many of these homes also have 1st floor dens, full basements, custom kitchens with granite counter tops, full finished basements, and beautifully upgraded exteriors with superb curb appeal.

Students in the Dunmoor Estates neighborhood attend the following schools as of June 2010:

Walkers Grove Elementary School
Richard Ira Jones Middle School
Plainfield North High School

If you are interested in a home in the Dunmoor Estates Subdivision in Plainfield IL call me at 630-673-6233 for a complete list of available properties. These beautiful luxury homes have limited availability so call me to make sure you don’t miss out on the chance to make Dunmoor Estates your new home!

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

My in-laws offered to babysit for us this weekend so that Tony and I could go out for dinner.  Despite our favorite downtown Plainfield IL restaurants like Baci’s, The Front Street Cantina, and Bin 48… we opted to try something different.

It’s been a while since we’ve had a chance to eat out sans kids, so we decided to take full advantage of not having to order from a children’s menu, cut up food into tiny pieces, or ask for extra napkins.  We could never “foudue” with our crazy crew with hot burners in the middle of the table, but it’s just what we needed to end a crazy week.  We wandered into The Melting Pot without a reservation, and the gracious manager made immediate accommodations for us as new patrons.

I grew up in Addison IL and there was a Melting Pot restaurant in neighboring Lombard.  I’d never been to that location, but I knew it was a fondue restaurant.  Then, quite a few months ago I noticed a new Melting Pot restaurant going in near the intersection of 111th St. and Rt. 59.  (near Caputo’s and T.J. Maxx)  I put an imaginary sticky note in my brain and told myself that someday we’d give it a try.  Despite almost giving into one our our old favorites, we ventured on past the Plainfield IL border into Naperville.

We had an amazing waiter.  Awesome food.  AND a great time.

If you are looking for an excellent fine dining experience in the Plainfeild area, I highly recommend The Melting Pot in Naperville IL.  We got lucky and got a table without a reservation, but like I said… we got lucky.  Reservations are recommended and proper attire is required.

The Melting Pot in Naperville is located at:
931 S. Route 59
Naperville, IL 60564

Reservations can be made by calling:
630-717-8301

Hours are:
Reservations Recommended
Monday-Thursday 5:00-10:00 PM
Friday 5:00-11:00 PM
Saturday 12:00-3:00 PM
Saturday 3:00-11:00 “By Reservation”
Sunday 12:00- 9:00 PM

If you are thinking about moving to the Plainfield IL or Naperville area, I’d love to help you find your next new home and tell you all about why you’d love to live here.  I’m active in the community, and I know why Plainfield is the best place in the southwest suburbs to call home!  Call me at 630-673-6233!

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

In the world of short sales, there are no rules.  Just trends.  Lots of them.  That change like the wind.  On a daily basis.  Without notice.  Sometimes on a whim….

Can you tell I’m frustrated?  I could certainly use other words, but that wouldn’t be nice.

So before I get into this too deeply, I just have to put up this little disclaimer:  I am not an attorney.  I do not give legal advice.  All of the information contained on this website is for informational purposes based on my experience as a Plainfield IL short sale and real estate professional.  

Now, where was I?  Oh, yeah.  I was about to complain.

Deficiency judgments are getting nasty on the sellers side of the transaction by both the bank, and the sellers.  This week my seller had her short sale approved by Bank of America after almost a year.  The lender was not willing to consider the payment as a full satisfaction, which left the seller subject to the possibility of having a deficiency judgment filed against them.  Despite whether the seller sold short, or lost the home to foreclosure, the lender still has the right to file a deficiency judgment against the seller. Basically the end result is the same…. BUT my seller decided to reject the short sale approval and proceed with a foreclosure at the advice of her bankruptcy attorney.

Say what?!  You’d rather let the bank foreclose than wrap this thing up and be done with it?

Unfortunately, my seller has been getting some very bad advice from family and friends that know nothing about this process, and IN the process has lost sight of the reasons that she sought my services in the first place.

Well, the end result of this situation is that the buyers, who have been holding on to this transaction since the beginning of February, (and made repairs to the house at their own expense that preserved the value of the home because the seller was not willing to do so)  who have lost their $8,000 tax credit, who are getting married in a month… now have no where to live.

Will Bank of America change the language on their short sale approval?  Probably not.  Would the end result have been the same?  Probably.   Is filing bankruptcy the weapon of choice with homeowners who think foreclosure is better than a short sale?  Definitely.

What is the number one reason that a short sale is better than a foreclosure?  You can pick up the pieces of a short sale 2-3 years after you close.  It takes 7 years to recover from a foreclosure.  I can’t speak for anyone else, but this looks like pretty simple math to me!

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

Don’t miss this year’s annual Plainfield Spring Fest in downtown Plainfield!  The fest starts on Saturday May 15th, 2010, and runs through Sunday.

This fest has been a Ferenzi Family favorite for many years since we moved here back in 1999!  Back then it was actually called the Strawberry Festival, but for some reason, shortly after, it was renamed the Spring Fest.  There were several vendors that served homemade strawberry shortcake.  I mean REAL strawberry shortcake with biscuits and strawberries and heavy hand whipped cream.  It was heaven I tell you!  HEAVEN.  I miss those delicious desserts.

The carnival has a great deal for an unlimited ride bracelet on Sunday.  Believe me, after a few trips to the ticket booth, you’d be crazy not to take advantage of it. (especially if you have 5 kids like me :o)

Hopefully the weather will cooperate!  I’ve had enough of this stormy spring weather.  It’s great for the garden, but I’d rather be at the park with the kids or heading out for a bike ride.

If you’re at the fest this weekend, maybe I’ll run into you.  I’ll be the crazy lady chasing my kids in thousand different directions.  Cotton candy, carnival rides, prizes, ice cream… it’s enough to bring out the kid in all of us!

In the month of March there was a total of 68 single family homes that sold in Plainfield IL. 

Now, are you ready for the shocker?

57.3% of those homes were distressed sales; either short sales for bank owned foreclosures.  Actually most of them were foreclosures.  That number really surprised me.  I’m surprised more homeowners aren’t attempting to do a short sale rather than lose the home to foreclosure.  There are lots of reasons why a short sale is better than a foreclosure, so I’m not sure why anyone would just walk away from their home without even attempting to sell it for less with the bank.

The range in the price of homes went from $90,000 all the way up to $420,000, with the bulk of the homes selling in the $150,000 to $200,000 price range.  The irony is that will all of the appreciation, and now the depreciation, home values are back to where they were in 1999 and 2000.

It will be interesting to see what the average home price in March of 2010 is compared to March of 2009… and THAT will be my next market report!  Stay tuned :o)

If you or someone you know is planning on buying or selling a house in the Plainfield area or a surrounding community, call me at 630-673-6233. I’d love to help you buy or sell your next home!

Julie Ferenzi | Realtor®
Plainfield IL Homes for Sale
630-673-5233

Later this week I am listing an absolutely adorable 3 bedroom ranch with a huge yard in downtown Plainfield IL.  I went there today to take the pictures and determine a value for the home, and I knew right away that I wanted to be the person to sell this house.  It’s just too cute for words.

The fenced in yard is huge, and you can walk to downtown Plainfield from this quiet little street.  The play-set in the backyard stays, and the garden is ready for the spring seeds.  The 2 car detached garage has attic storage and is ready for your tools and lawn mower!

All of the appliances stay (including the washer and dryer), and the kitchen and baths have been updated in recent years.

The seller is willing to finance qualifying applicants who can’t qualify for their own financing right now, but that are good candidates for financing within the next 5 years.  Seller financing will still qualify you for the federal tax credit if you get your contract in before April 30th, 2010.

Don’t miss this opportunity to own a home in the heart of Plainfield IL with charm and character!  More details to come later this week!

If you, or someone you know are looking to purchase a home in Plainfield IL, Naperville, Joliet, Aurora, Bolingbrook, Romeoville or a surrounding suburb, call me at 630-673-6233.  I work with the best attorney and lenders in the marketplace and we are ready and eager to help you find your next new home!

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

The closings that have taken place so far in 2010 in the Clearwater Springs and Aspen Falls subdivisions in Plainfield IL are:

• 6708 Bazz Dr. closed on 02/02/2010 for $168,101 as a foreclosure.  (for almost $12,000 over the asking price)
• 2812 Abobe Dr. closed on 1/14/2010 for $188,000 as a foreclosure.

I will continue to update this post with new closings as they become available throughout the year. 

If you live in the Clearwater Springs or Aspen Falls neighborhood and can no longer afford your home, call me to discuss the possibility of doing a short sale with your lender.  Have questions about short sales?  Call me at 630-673-6233.

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

My husbands alarm clock went off at 4:00 am just like it always does.  Sometimes it wakes me up…sometimes the baby does, but this morning right after the alarm went off I opened my eyes a little wider than I’d wanted to when I felt the bed shaking.

Tony was already out of bed getting ready to go to the gym, so I called over to him and asked him if he felt it too, not fully convinced I wasn’t just dreaming, and he said, “yeah, what was that?!”  With a snow storm blowing outside our window all through the night, we thought maybe it was just strong wind, but quickly realized that wind doesn’t make your bed shake…

Of course an earthquake isn’t what you’d expect to experience in Plainfield IL, but that’s exactly what it was!

The epicenter of the earthquake that shook Plainfield early this morning was in Sycamore IL, about 50 miles west of Chicago.  The earthquake was thought to measure 4.3 on the Richter scale, but was downgraded later this morning to a 3.7.  This tremor has not been known to cause any damage or injuries, so I can say without being insensitive, that it was kind of neat to experience.

While they are rare, Illinois is no stranger to earthquakes in recent years: 

On June 28, 2004 a 4.2 magnitude quake hit at about 1:10 am.
On January 2, 2006 a 3.6 magnitude quake hit at about 3:48 pm.
On April 18, 2008 a a 5.4 magnitude quake hit at about 4:37 am.

I wonder if there are going to be any aftershocks, or if you’d even be able to feel them since it was such a minor earthquake? We’ll see!

Did you feel the earthquake this morning? If so leave a comment on this post and tell Plainfield about it!

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

When I was a kid my parents took us to the Chicago RV and Camping Show… circa 1980-something. 

I remember my sister Shelly and I taking brochures from every single vendor at the Expo.  Interestingly enough, we found ourselves on one of the brochures the following year after our trip to Canada when one of the owners of the resort we stayed at used our photo for the cover of their newest advertisement the following year.  (believe me… it was an atrocious awkward stage in my life, and I won’t be posting any pictures, lol!)

 Anyway, after heading up to the AllState Arena this past Saturday to see Disney on Ice, I noticed that the same RV show we went to over 20 years ago was taking place this weekend!  What luck?!

See, the thing is, with 5 kids... fancy “airplane” vacations just aren’t something in our budget.  Airfare to anywhere would put us in the red before we even reached our destination.

But that’s okay.

I was lucky enough to grow up with second home in White Cloud, MI.  I know what it’s like to “rough it”.  I used to catch toads and crawfish when there was nothing else to do.  We used to take baths in the lake with a bar of soap and bottle of shampoo, and I learned to ski when I was only 6 years old.  Our only phone was a real “party line” where a woman named Ethel chatted endlessly with her best friend Edith 24 hours a day, tying up the line at all hours of the day.  There was no McDonald’s within a 30 mile radius in White Cloud, MI in the 1980’s.  The closest thing to fast food was dinky little burger joint called “The Burger Hut” that closed approximately 3 weeks after it opened. (boy oh boy… they were bad!!!)

I know my kids aren’t missing anything at all by not going on a fancy vacation his summer, even though I do have Disney on the brain.

I know that our best family vacation lies in as brochure that my kids will collect at the Expo his weekend. I know that roughing it with our kids this summer will teach them that there is a world that exists beyond the confines of the Internet, cable t.v., and cell phones.  Maybe I need a refresher course on that too!

I can’t wait to collect info on the best camping and resort destinations in the Midwest.  The Chicago RV and Camping Show runs from Feb 10th-14th at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL. 

Maybe you’ll find your own perfect 2010 family vacation destination this year too!

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