2306 U.S. Route 12
P.O. Box 2
Spring Grove, IL 60081
(815) 675-9474 Phone
(815) 675-6465 Fax
Ben Orbeck, Managing Broker
Janice Voegtle, Broker Associate
April 28, 2008
Trader Joe's Campaign
We recently launched a petition to be used in trying to convince Trader Joe's to put a store in Spring Grove. We expect to have 1,500 online "signatures" by May 16, 2008, so sign up and send it on to others.
You can get the online petition at:
www.springroverealestate.com/TraderJoes.html
Then just read the information and submit your information. Even if you are not interested, forward it to other people in the local area so that we can make this happen.
Bringing Trader Joe's into Fountain Square will add more jobs, add more convenience, and will help supplement our real estate taxes. They would also validate Spring Grove as an area that will attract other businesses too.
We appreciate your help.
April 9, 2008
Long Winter Over
The long never ending snow is gone for good until next season now. With the onset of Spring business has picked up. There are interested buyers in the market in our local area.
Are you a buyer? Then every real estate agent is looking for you. How do you decide which to use? That's up to you. Pick someone that doesn't rub you the wrong way. But certainly use a professional. Why? You'll get more for your money.
Are you a buyer who can't get a mortgage? Contact an agent who can put together a lease/option, or find you a real estate investor that is willing to hold paper and provide you with a home under a land contract, known as an installment contract for deed in Illinois.
I have two investors that are working with me to help those pressed in this mortgage crises era.
Are you an investor? There are huge opportunities in this area for you to make some serious money with investment RIGHT NOW. Contact us and we'll discuss the possibilities.
If you're in Cook or Lake Counties and want tax relief then come see us. McHenry is a little friendlier in that respect. In fact, property taxes in McHenry are almost half those in areas such as Mundelien and Vernon Hills.
Want to go FSBO - for sale by owner - because you think buying without the middle man will lower your purchase price? Think again, greed rules the FSBO is trying to keep that percentage for themselves. In doing so, it puts the buyer at risk when there is no professional representation.
So if you're buying or trying to buy choose an agent. Work with the agent and insist the agent contacts any agent or owner of a home you are interested in buying.
By the way, have a pre-approval letter from your mortgage company or come to the table admitting you'll need an owner financed deal. It will shorten the process.
If you want large homes under an installment contract for deed, look us up. I've got a few possibilites in Spring Grove, Johnsburg, and Richmond.
For adverturous investors, consider buying a business condo (retail or office) and renting it out. The values will soar in a few years.
Call me to find out more in our area.
Howard Doughman
Broker Associate
America's Choice Real Estate, Inc.
Spring Grove, IL 60081
(815)276-2465
Trader Joe's Campaign
We recently launched a petition to be used in trying to convince Trader Joe's to put a store in Spring Grove. We expect to have 1,500 online "signatures" by May 16, 2008, so sign up and send it on to others.
You can get the online petition at:
www.springroverealestate.com/TraderJoes.html
Then just read the information and submit your information. Even if you are not interested, forward it to other people in the local area so that we can make this happen.
Bringing Trader Joe's into Fountain Square will add more jobs, add more convenience, and will help supplement our real estate taxes. They would also validate Spring Grove as an area that will attract other businesses too.
We appreciate your help.
April 9, 2008
Long Winter Over
The long never ending snow is gone for good until next season now. With the onset of Spring business has picked up. There are interested buyers in the market in our local area.
Are you a buyer? Then every real estate agent is looking for you. How do you decide which to use? That's up to you. Pick someone that doesn't rub you the wrong way. But certainly use a professional. Why? You'll get more for your money.
Are you a buyer who can't get a mortgage? Contact an agent who can put together a lease/option, or find you a real estate investor that is willing to hold paper and provide you with a home under a land contract, known as an installment contract for deed in Illinois.
I have two investors that are working with me to help those pressed in this mortgage crises era.
Are you an investor? There are huge opportunities in this area for you to make some serious money with investment RIGHT NOW. Contact us and we'll discuss the possibilities.
If you're in Cook or Lake Counties and want tax relief then come see us. McHenry is a little friendlier in that respect. In fact, property taxes in McHenry are almost half those in areas such as Mundelien and Vernon Hills.
Want to go FSBO - for sale by owner - because you think buying without the middle man will lower your purchase price? Think again, greed rules the FSBO is trying to keep that percentage for themselves. In doing so, it puts the buyer at risk when there is no professional representation.
So if you're buying or trying to buy choose an agent. Work with the agent and insist the agent contacts any agent or owner of a home you are interested in buying.
By the way, have a pre-approval letter from your mortgage company or come to the table admitting you'll need an owner financed deal. It will shorten the process.
If you want large homes under an installment contract for deed, look us up. I've got a few possibilites in Spring Grove, Johnsburg, and Richmond.
For adverturous investors, consider buying a business condo (retail or office) and renting it out. The values will soar in a few years.
Call me to find out more in our area.
Howard Doughman
Broker Associate
America's Choice Real Estate, Inc.
Spring Grove, IL 60081
(815)276-2465
November 9, 2007
For Sale By Owner
As a home buyer, many people enter the market thinking that some of the best deals are to focus on "For Sale By Owner" properties, or FSBO's (fiz-bows). In the past, prior to the huge impact of the Internet, it was possible to find a FSBO that was uneducated about the local real estate market and they would price their home lower than true market value.
The Internet has changed that. The playing field is nearly equal for FSBO's and Agents. The Agents still have a lot more data that they can use as tools to find you the best deal in your area. The FSBO, however, now prices their home in the same range as those homes they can find on the Internet.
Another home buyer misconception is that they can reduce their purchase price by the amount of the typical commission that would have been paid to a real estate agent. This has a couple of problems in the logic. First, if I'm selling my home as a FSBO, then I'm trying to maximize my PROFIT. There are many reasons for this:
Another buyer beware issue is that you are dealing with an unlicensed individual who is not bound by the State's real estate licensing law. They don't have to follow the norms and standards that an agent MUST follow. That means you should worry about full disclosure concerning lead paint, mold, material defects, and so on. If the home is represented by a broker, then you'll have all the materials provided to you, with someone watching over the process that is subject to the laws of the State.
As a FSBO seller it is great to get a buyer and keep your extra 4-9% commission. How much do you need to spend for proper advertising, Internet exposure, getting ads in the right newspapers, signage, open-houses, and a lock box for the door?
There is an art to penetrating the home buyers market:
Get your home listed with a broker. The agent can ensure you are priced appropriately to sell in a manner to meet your short term goals. The selling agent will professionally handle the marketing (newspapers, magazines, Internet, etc), the agent will handle inquiry calls, schedule showings, make sure your home is staged to sell, and will make sure that all the State's mandatory disclosures are in place for potential buyers.
The agent will shop your home around to other brokerages and keep it towards the top of the sea of homes for sale. How can you do that while working a full time job?
Even though you must pay a commission, you'll be better off because your home will have more interest, the time on market will be less, and you won't have to deal with the marketing details.
Howard Doughman, MBA
Broker Associate
America's Choice Real Estate, Inc.
PS - We have incentive marketing plans, contact one of us by calling the office and we'll review them with you.
October 2007 Real Estate News
For Sale By Owner
As a home buyer, many people enter the market thinking that some of the best deals are to focus on "For Sale By Owner" properties, or FSBO's (fiz-bows). In the past, prior to the huge impact of the Internet, it was possible to find a FSBO that was uneducated about the local real estate market and they would price their home lower than true market value.
The Internet has changed that. The playing field is nearly equal for FSBO's and Agents. The Agents still have a lot more data that they can use as tools to find you the best deal in your area. The FSBO, however, now prices their home in the same range as those homes they can find on the Internet.
Another home buyer misconception is that they can reduce their purchase price by the amount of the typical commission that would have been paid to a real estate agent. This has a couple of problems in the logic. First, if I'm selling my home as a FSBO, then I'm trying to maximize my PROFIT. There are many reasons for this:
- Maximum Profit.
- I don't have enough equity to pay off my existing mortgage, provide for my new downpayment, and pay a commission.
- Why should I share my proceeds with anyone that I can EQUAL in marketing.
- This is my investment and I'm getting as much as I can from it.
Another buyer beware issue is that you are dealing with an unlicensed individual who is not bound by the State's real estate licensing law. They don't have to follow the norms and standards that an agent MUST follow. That means you should worry about full disclosure concerning lead paint, mold, material defects, and so on. If the home is represented by a broker, then you'll have all the materials provided to you, with someone watching over the process that is subject to the laws of the State.
As a FSBO seller it is great to get a buyer and keep your extra 4-9% commission. How much do you need to spend for proper advertising, Internet exposure, getting ads in the right newspapers, signage, open-houses, and a lock box for the door?
There is an art to penetrating the home buyers market:
- Placing ads in the right newspaper to get their attention
- Placing flyers in the public
- Providing convenient telephone coverage to prospective buyers
- Providing convenient showings for potential home buyers
- Providing inside industry communication to brokers in the area who have and are constantly building a portfolio of buyers
- Placing your property on the Internet in a manner that collects the names of interested home buyers
- Getting your Internet listing to the first page of the search engines where 80% of the online home buying market clicks
- When the market is "down" all home sales are down, so how do you get your home noticed when there are hundreds in your area to sell, and there are few buyers - - - Answer: List it with an Agent.
- Knowing exactly where the market is now helps you stage your house appropriately, it helps you price your house in line with your near term goals, and this knowledge helps you put your home in front of the right target market. Who's you target market, what are your near term goals, is your home priced and staged to sell? - - - Answer: Get it listed with a broker.
- As a FSBO what incentives are you ADVERTISING to potential buyers, have you thought about incentives, and how do you take advantage of a market with so much pent up demand and such an imbalance between supply and demand? Answer: Get your real estate license or hire one.
Get your home listed with a broker. The agent can ensure you are priced appropriately to sell in a manner to meet your short term goals. The selling agent will professionally handle the marketing (newspapers, magazines, Internet, etc), the agent will handle inquiry calls, schedule showings, make sure your home is staged to sell, and will make sure that all the State's mandatory disclosures are in place for potential buyers.
The agent will shop your home around to other brokerages and keep it towards the top of the sea of homes for sale. How can you do that while working a full time job?
Even though you must pay a commission, you'll be better off because your home will have more interest, the time on market will be less, and you won't have to deal with the marketing details.
Howard Doughman, MBA
Broker Associate
America's Choice Real Estate, Inc.
PS - We have incentive marketing plans, contact one of us by calling the office and we'll review them with you.
October 2007 Real Estate News