Are you a 1^st time home buyer looking to purchase your 1^st home in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago, IL? Come and learn everything you need to know to buy that home at a FREE 1^st time home buyer seminar. Round table discussions with real estate industry experts to include a Realtor, Real Estate attorney, Licensed home inspector, and Mortgage loan officer. Experts will also be on hand to answer any questions after the seminar. Also, FREE mortgage loan approvals will be offered.

Topics to include: How do I qualify for the $8,000 1^st time home buyer tax credit? What are the tax advantages of home ownership? Do I do an inspection on a property before making an offer? What does an attorney do in a real estate transaction?

This FREE seminar is on Thursday June 11, 2009  from 6:30PM-8:30PM at the Schaumburg CRC located at 505 N. Springinsguth Road in Schaumburg, Illinois. Advanced registration is required. The dead line to register is June 10^th.

To register online, go to www.chicagolandhomebuyerseminar.com and fill out the electronic form. Any question call 847-874-6731.

Looking for some fun filled activities to do with your kids this weekend? Why not celebrate Earth Day at  James “Pate” Philip State Park - Bartlett Nature Center located at 2054 W. Stearns Road in Bartlett, IL on Saturday, April 25^th from 12:00-4:00. Come see a variety of family activities, educational exhibits and demonstrations, hands-on activities and see live animals as well. In honor of Arbor Day, 40 Blue Spruce saplings will be handed out courtesy of Joe Stacy, a real estate agent who lives and sells homes in Bartlett.

Join The MIX 101.9 Road Crew who will be playing music and enter a chance to win a prize too.

SIMS Recycling Solutions will also be on hand to do Eco-Day recycling. You can drop off your old computers and peripherals, video equipment, TV’s, calculators, phones, hand held devices, data center equipment and test equipment. No appliances or loose batteries will be accepted.

This Earth Day celebration is FREE and no reservations are required. Call 847-608-3100 for more information or visit them at www.bartlettparks.org.

In Illinois, anyone planning on an outdoor project that requires any type of digging regardless of the depth or project size needs to call JULIE before they start digging. JULIE stands for Joint Utility Locating Information for Excavators which is a not-for-profit corporation that provides homeowners and professional excavators with FREE locating and marking of underground utilities.

Planning a project for this spring that requires digging? Call JULIE at 800-892-0123 or if in the city limits of Chicago call 312-744-7000. You now may also dial 811. You must call at least 48 hours or 2 working days (excluding holidays) in advance of the start of your excavation. When you call, be prepared to provide the operator your name, address, a phone number at which you can be reached and a fax number if available. You must also provide the county, city and address of where the excavation is to take place (if different than your contact information) and the start date and time for the planned excavation. It is recommended that you property identify your project area by marking the area with white paint and/or flags.

Within 2 working days, a representative from each utility company will mark the location of their underground utility with paint and/or flags at the excavation site. Each utility locator uses a different color paint or flag to mark their buried utility. Gas is yellow, electric is red, water is blue, TV or phone is orange and sewer is green. Work must be completed in 14 days.

Respect the marks and dig with care.

In 2008 Congress created a $7,500 First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit for individuals making up to $75,000 and couples making up to $150,000. The first time home buyer credit went into effect April 8, 2008 and was set to expire July 1, 2009. The big problem was that the credit had to be repaid over 15 years. People viewed it as a debt and not a benefit.

Immediately following the issuance of the tax credit, The National Association of Realtors began advocating to remove the repayment feature of the credit, extend the credit to the end of 2009 and to make the credit available to every home buyer.

The government, working with Realtors® across the country, enacted the new 2009 first time home buyer credit and removed the repayment requirement for 2009 purchases. The credit is still repayable for 2008 purchases. The new credit has been extended to on or before November 30, 2009 and can be claimed by those who closed on homes on or after January 1, 2009 and has also been expanded to $8,000 (Or up to 10% of the purchase price, whichever is less). Unfortunately, the credit is still only for first time homebuyers. A first time home buyer is defined as someone who did not own another main home at any time during the three years prior to the date of their new purchase. CHICK HERE for a comparison of the 2008 credit versus 2009 credit.

In conclusion, the new credit is greatly improved compared to the old credit. It is a true credit and does not need to be repaid as long as you occupy the home for 3 years.  The NAR estimates that hundreds of thousands of potential buyers will take advantage of the credit.

For more info on the credit and the 2009 Stimulus legislation, CLICK HERE or consult a tax advisor. If you have real estate related questions, contact me.

Real Estate In Schaumburg, IL

If you are thinking about buying or selling a home in Schaumburg, IL or in one of its neighboring Chicagoland Northwest Suburbs, I have an abundance of valuable resources to assist you with your move. If you find yourself having questions about the process of buying or selling a home (or both) you may want to consider attending one of my free real estate seminars.

Schaumburg, IL has homes to fit every lifestyle, from single-family properties to condominiums.  Many of the Schaumburg, IL neighborhoods are bordered by forest preserves, nature trails and parks, while still offering convenient access to schools, transportation, shopping and more.

The following list contains links to useful Schaumburg, IL community websites:

The Village Of Schaumburg IL Website

Schaumburg IL Apartment Complexes

Schaumburg IL Single-Family Homes For Sale

Schaumburg IL Condos For Sale

Schaumburg IL Townhouses For Sale

Schaumburg, IL Population And Demographic Data From The U.S. Census

Schaumburg, IL School Profiles From National Center For Education

Schaumburg, IL School Evaluations

RTA Trip Planner

Schaumburg Flyers 2009 Season Schedule

Illinois Metra Rail Website

Pace Bus Routes

Schaumburg, IL Restaurants

The Spring 2009 Edition Of The Cracker Barrel

27W420 Melrose Ln

Bright and sunny 2 story townhome only 1.2 miles from the Metra Station has been reduced to $179,500 and is move-in ready! 27W420 Melrose Ln in Winfield IL features:

• Private Entrance
• Formal Living & Dining Rooms
• Private Patio
• Eat-In Kitchen
• First Floor Laundry Room
• Brand New Carpet
• Freshly Painted
• Minutes To Metra

The trim work and doors throughout the home have been freshly painted and brand new carpet was installed throughout in Feb. ‘09. A ceramic tile foyer greets you with a decorative ceiling light, oak railing to the 2nd floor, coat closet and skylight over the staircase. It opens to a living room with grated windows. A dining room opens off the living room and is also open to the kitchen. It has a slider to a private patio as well. The eat-in kitchen features ceramic tile flooring, decorative light over the table space, dual bowl stainless steel sink with sprayer & disposal. It’s fully applianced with a gas range, space saver microwave, refrigerator and dishwasher. It also opens to a utility room with vinyl tile flooring, washer & gas dryer, efficiency furnace with central AC & whole house humidifier and storage under the stairs…

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Biking season is right around the corner and there is no better area in the Northwest Suburbs of Chicago to enjoy cycling than Schaumburg.  In 1999 Schaumburg was officially designated a “Bicycle Friendly” community by the League of American Bicyclists who recognized Schaumburg’s 87 miles of on- and off-street bike paths and trails.  The Schaumburg Bicycle Club is a group of local Chicagoland outdoor enthusiasts who offer bicycle rides for all ages, speeds, abilities, & terrains.  For fun, fitness, or just meeting new people in the area, this is a great group to get involved with!

If you are interested in joining the Schaumburg Bicycle Club, the cost of membership for an entire year is $15 per person or $20 per family.  Print and complete the membership form here and then just mail it to the following address:

407 LaFox River Dr Algonquin IL 

Updated historic home with five bedrooms and two bathrooms right on the Algonquin riverfront! 407 LaFox River Dr in Algonquin IL boasts a park-like yard with flowerbeds & mature trees, a huge glazed brick patio, a vintage out-building, an 8’ seawall with a concrete pier & steps to the Fox River and a scenic view of the motor-free section of the Fox. All of this and it’s within walking distance to downtown Algonquin!

The completely updated kitchen sparkles with maple hardwood floors, custom 42” maple cabinets, pantry wall, glass front accent cabinets with interior lighting, dovetailed drawers, slide out shelves and self-closing doors, under cabinet lighting, granite countertops & a bow window over the sink with wonderful views of the riverfront. The master suite offers amazing floor to ceiling windows with access to the screen porch overlooking the Fox River. Other additional highlights of this property include easy access to bike paths & parks. All rooms but one have breathtaking river views. There’s hardwood flooring in the halls, staircase and four of the bedrooms, all windows were recently replaced with wood clad double hung windows & Levelor blinds.

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View The Full Brochure

Other Homes For Sale In Algonquin IL

416 Ela in Barrington $474,900

Downtown Barrington home within walking distance to the train & shopping has just been reduced to $474,900!  416 Ela is a well maintained home and is move-in ready. It has undergone tons of updates in the last 2 years including new windows and exterior doors, roof, driveway and kitchen updates.  Custom paint and hardwood floors are featured throughout the home with 1^st floor crown molding. A recently remodeled kitchen boasts Corian counters with a breakfast bar, maple cabinets and 2 cabinet pantries.  Open to the kitchen is a warm family room with a fireplace. There is also a mud room & screen porch addition as well as a powder room on the 1^st floor.  The 2nd floor has a master suite with his & her closets a private bath with a luxury shower.  Three additional bedrooms boast lighted ceiling fans and large closets.  This floor is finished with an additional full bathroom.  A partially finished basement has an office with a built-in desk & bookcase and a rec room with a bar area. There is so much more this house offers as well including a 1 & ½ car garage, new roof & asphalt driveway ‘07, new windows & storm doors in ‘08.  It’s all ready for you to move in!

For more information on 416 Ela, CLICK HERE

For a full brochure of the property, CLICK HERE

VIEW MORE HOMES FOR SALE IN THE NORTHWEST SUBURBS OF IL