So your family is on the grow, new baby, kids are off to college or Mom and Dad are looking to move in with you for their retirement years. Whatever the reason, moving is a big decision and can be stressful. Life changing events can often facilitate the need to relocate whether locally, regionally, nationally or even internationally. 

However whether up-sizing, down-sizing or staying in the same size house there are always many considerations to answer that age old question:

SHOULD I MOVE? / IS MOVING THE BEST THING RIGHT NOW?

Well, in order to answer this question you need a game plan!

Consider the following:

Income – A bigger house will likely mean a bigger payment and larger running costs – can you afford this? If you can then this is great as there are some great homes for sale in Bartlett, Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates waiting for you!

Equity – This goes hand in hand with income, if you have alot of equity right now in your current property and you can sell it easily then you can move that equity into a new property straight away!

Rates – Interest rates make a big difference, right now rates are still at history lows of around 5%! However, for those that remember, back in February 1983 rates were around 13% – this makes a huge difference in payments! If rates are good – as they are right now, then moving might be a fantastic deal with a good fixed rate loan.

Wish List – When shopping for a new home, make sure you get what you want! Make a list of requirements that you want in the home, as well as neighborhood wants and needs. Think about schools, commuting times etc.

Market Conditions – contact me, Joe Stacy for the latest on Schaumburg, Bartlett and Hoffman Estates Market Conditions.

Whether you are a first time buyer trying to determine how much you can afford, or an experienced buyer who is selling your current property and ready to buy your next home I can help you with all your real estate needs in the Chicagoland Northwest Suburbs Area.

Finding your dream home or finding a buyer is only part of the challenge of a successful transaction. Click here to search Bartlett IL, Schaumburg IL and the Hoffman Estates using our complimentary MLS Search service. You can also view our fantastic range of featured properties!

Alternatively please contact me today if you need more specific assistance in your real estate needs. You can call the office on: 847-874-6731 or Cell phone on: 847-913-2606 or of course email me at: Joe@JoeStacy.com

My expertise, experience and dedication to you and your specific needs are anything but average – it’s why this office is number one in the Northwest Suburbs year after year!

Joe Stacy
2570 W. Schaumburg Rd
Schaumburg, IL 60194

Bartlett has so many beautiful parks in the Bartlett Park District and Beaver Pond Park is no exception. BUT! It is getting a makeover, which would include a new picnic shelter and additional fishing stations, in the near future!

Earlier this month the Village Board met and discussed a review of the park and some permitting. The 21 acre park which is in the Bartlett Lake Estates subdivision north of Stearns Road, has remained essentially undeveloped since it was acquired by the Park District in 1988. Public meetings were conducted to gather residents’ input on possible elements in winter 2007 and spring 2008 with some success.

The Park District proposed making the 11-acre fishing pond more accessible by adding an 8-foot-wide handicapped-accessible asphalt path and seating areas around the pond, horseshoe pits with benches, constructing of a nearly 12-foot-tall picnic shelter and inserting additional fishing stations including a handicapped-accessible year-round floating pier.

Funding for such a makeover is thanks to a $400,000 grant from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

Hopefully redevelopment will start soon!

Whether you are a first time buyer trying to determine how much you can afford, or an experienced buyer who is selling your current property and ready to buy your next home I can help you with all your real estate needs in the Chicagoland Northwest Suburbs Area.

Finding your dream home or finding a buyer is only part of the challenge of a successful transaction. Click here to search Bartlett IL, Schaumburg IL and the Hoffman Estates using our complimentary MLS Search service. You can also view our fantastic range of featured properties!

Alternatively please contact me today if you need more specific assistance in your real estate needs. You can call the office on: 847-874-6731 or Cell phone on: 847-913-2606 or of course email me at: Joe@JoeStacy.com

My expertise, experience and dedication to you and your specific needs are anything but average – it’s why this office is number one in the Northwest Suburbs year after year!

Joe Stacy
2570 W. Schaumburg Rd
Schaumburg, IL 60194

Exciting news for us here in Bartlett, Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates!

The real estate market has long been tooted to have started its road to recovery and the facts and figures back this up.

January 2010 housing sales declined a little from Decembers but remain above a year ago (January 2009) with the price trend continuing to improve with HOME PRICES UP 7.9% FROM A YEAR AGO!

A report by REAL Trend show the housing recovery slowing in unit sales while prices climb in biggest monthly gain in nearly three years. Unit sales up 8.6% in January 2010 over January 2009 while average price of homes sold jumps 7.9% for largest year over year gain in nearly three years. This is very exiting news! Existing home sales rose 8.6 percent across the nation in January 2010 compared to the same month in 2009 – and, sales units were up 17.1 percent over December 2008!

Here in the midwest things were encouraging with the number of home sales however, with unit sales up 9.6 percent over the same month a year ago.
 
The decline in January from the December unit sales rate was expected, due to the extension of the tax credit from November 2009 to April 2010.

Now it appears the only way is up for the numbers – stay tuned for more as it develops!

Whether you are a first time buyer trying to determine how much you can afford, or an experienced buyer who is selling your current property and ready to buy your next home I can help you with all your real estate needs in the Chicagoland Northwest Suburbs Area.

Finding your dream home or finding a buyer is only part of the challenge of a successful transaction. Click here to search Bartlett IL, Schaumburg IL and the Hoffman Estates using our complimentary MLS Search service. You can also view our fantastic range of featured properties!

Alternatively please contact me today if you need more specific assistance in your real estate needs. You can call the office on: 847-874-6731 or Cell phone on: 847-913-2606 or of course email me at: Joe@JoeStacy.com

My expertise, experience and dedication to you and your specific needs are anything but average – it’s why this office is number one in the Northwest Suburbs year after year!

Joe Stacy
2570 W. Schaumburg Rd
Schaumburg, IL 60194

Flooding has been a concern for homeowners for years – it is something which can cause complete destruction of a home in hours or even minutes. Therefore it is taken very seriously.

Flood Zoning and flood maps are used so that homeowners and lenders are able to monitor the likelihood of the chance of having a flood in a developed area.

Here in Bartlett IL we have four drainage areas, The area west of Route 59 and north of Stearns Road drains toward a tributary of Brewster Creek. The central part of Bartlett and south of the Metra tracks drains toward the southwest, through Beaver Pond to Brewster Creek. The eastern portion drains south via Country Creek. Southeast and southern Bartlett drain toward the West Branch of the DuPage River. Country Creek is a tributary to the West Branch. If an extremely heavy storm event occurs, water from these creeks may flood adjacent properties.

Our Village can cope with storing runoff generated by a 100 year storm – that is, in our case 7.58 inches of rain in a 24 hour period. The likelihood of a storm of this size is 1% per year.

Homeowners should check their flood hazard risk – Flood maps are available online, and at the Bartlett Public Library. Parts of Bartlett do lie in flood plains, so it is important to make sure that if you are in a flood plain, that your home is insured against the possibility of a flood – not just for you, but for your lender if you have a mortgage. Homeowner policies do not typically cover flood damage. However, because Bartlett participates in the National Flood Insurance Program, you can purchase a separate flood policy. This insurance is backed by the federal government and available to everyone.

Remember, there are several ways to protect a building from flood damage.

One is to keep water away by regrading the lot or building a small flood wall or earthen berm. This works if the lot is large enough, flooding is not too deep, and if the property isn’t in the flood way. Another way is to waterproof your walls and place watertight closures over the doorways. This is not recommended for houses with basements or if water will get over two feet deep.

What should you do in the event of a flood? Well, if you know that you are going to be flooded make sure you: shut off the gas and electricity and move valuables upstairs as well as making a detailed checklist prepared in advance – not just of possessions – but of procedure.

Over a 30 year period, your home has a HIGHER chance of a flood than of a fire – so be prepared, just in case!

Whether you are a first time buyer trying to determine how much you can afford, or an experienced buyer who is selling your current property and ready to buy your next home I can help you with all your real estate needs in the Chicagoland Northwest Suburban Area.

Finding your dream home or finding a buyer is only part of the challenge of a successful transaction. Click here to search Bartlett IL, Schaumburg IL and the Hoffman Estates using our complimentary MLS Search service. You can also view our fantastic range of featured properties!

Alternatively please contact me today if you need more specific assistance in your real estate needs. You can call the office on: 847-874-6731 or Cell phone on: 847-913-2606 or of course email me at: Joe@JoeStacy.com

My expertise, experience and dedication to you and your specific needs are anything but average – it’s why this office is number one in the Northwest Suburbs year after year!

Joe Stacy
2570 W. Schaumburg Rd
Schaumburg, IL 60194

Bartlett IL Home Improvement Projects (photo courtesy of meddygarnet on flickr.com)

New-home sales rose 24% and pending home sales jumped 32% overall in October from a year earlier, which is good news for the Bartlett IL real estate market. 

However Bartlett home sellers are still looking for that price edge on their homes for sale. One of the ways to increase the value of your home, is through remodeling projects and upgrades. 

While some of the tried and true remodeling projects are no longer providing the save cost-to-value returns that they used to, the following remodel projects are still worth the investment:

• Siding Replacement (Fiber-Cement or Foam-Backed Vinyl)
• Window Replacement (Vinyl or Wood)
• Kitchen Remodel (Major or Minor)
• Finish the Attic or Basement
• Bathroom Upgrade
• Deck Addition (Wood or Composite Product)

While some of these projects will cost more up front, if you have the savings or access to reasonably priced credit it is worth it to consider one or more of the above improvement projects if you wish to put your home on the market now or in the future. 

Give me, Joe Stacy Bartlett IL real estate agent, a call and we’ll do everything we can to help you buy or sell a home. That’s 847-874-6731 or by email @ joe@joestacy.com to consult about buying, selling and the Bartlett IL real estate market.

Bartlett IL Park District Recently Awarded (photo courtesy of boliyou on flickr.com)

The Bartlett IL Park District was recently awarded as a 2009 Gold Medal finalist in the Class IV Division by the American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA). 

This award honors communities throughout the US that, per the Bartlett IL Parks and Recreation web-page, “demonstrate excellence in long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development, and agency recognition.” 

The Bartlett IL Park District was one of four finalists that addressed the needs of the Bartlett IL community stated above. 

I am the Bartlett IL home for sale expert and can show you Bartlett IL properties or Bartlett IL foreclosures.  Please contact me today at 847-874-6731 or by email.

A NW Suburban IL Real Estate Professional

Next time you are buying or selling your Chicagoland IL Northwest Suburban home, look to a NW Suburban IL real estate professional such as Joe Stacy. 

Joe Stacy has been in the Northwest Suburban real estate market for quite a while and knows the ins and outs of selling or buying real estate.  Joe Stacy’s areas of expertise are the following:

Joe Stacy, a Northwestern Suburban IL realtor, is available to help you with your Northwestern IL real estate goals.  For more information on buying or selling a Northwestern Suburban IL townhouse or home, contact Joe Stacy at 847-874-6731 or email him.

Bartlett High School, Bartlett IL (photo courtesy of orangeacid on flickr.com)

Bartlett High School is located about 35 miles west of Chicago and is one of five high schools in the School District U-46.  This school district is the second largest unit district in Illinois, and Bartlet High School houses approximately 230 staff members and 2800 students. 

The average graduating class is around 600 seniors and the first graduating class was in June 2000.  Over 70 extra curricular activities are offered to students including athletics and over 200 courses are offered including Advanced Placement classes to challenge every student. 

In 2009, 77 students were recognized as Illinois State Scholars by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission and 90 students were Prairie State Scholars in one or more subjects.  Two students from the 2009 class were National Merit Semi Finalists. 

Overall the Bartlett High School is an excellent high school option if you are considering moving to Bartlett IL. 

Joe Stacy, a Bartlett IL realtor, can help you make a smooth moving transition by finding your perfect Bartlett IL property.  Joe Stacy would be happy to show you numerous Bartlett IL homes and can be reached at 847-874-6731 or by email.

This last Wednesday, the Senate approved an extended and expanded tax credit for home buyers. The First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit has been seen by many in the past years as a huge success nationwide and throughout Illinois. Its expiration on November 30 had many in the Chicago-land real estate industry feeling nervous about how that would affect the real estate industry as a whole. 

Luckily, those fears can now be put aside.  While the bill still has to pass through the House, which it is expected to do next week, is was overwhelmingly approved by the Senate in a 98-0 vote.

The new and improved tax credit is still for first time home buyers and will include:

• home buyers who have owned their current home for 5 years or more
• a credit increase up to $6,500 for current homeowners of 5 or more years
• the $8,000 credit will remain the same for first time home buyers, or home buyers who have not owned a home in the past three years
• an income restricted tax credit, regulating individuals that make more that $125,000 annually and couples that make more than $225,000 jointly
• the new home must be a primary residence and valued at $800,000 or less
• the property must be under contract to purchase by April 30, 2010
• the property must close by June 30, 2010.

The passing of this new and improved tax credit is good news on the Northwest Suburban home sales front and is expected to be the last tax credit offered for a long time to come. 

Joe Stacy, a Northwest Suburban realtor, can help you find the perfect Bartlett IL home, Schaumburg IL home, or Hoffman Estates IL home to take advantage of the new and expanded tax credit for home buyers.

Joe Stacy can be reached at 847-874-6731 or by email.

Bartlett IL Golf (photo courtesy of chispita_666 on flickr.com)

One of the finest golf courses in Bartlett IL is the Bartlett Hills Golf Club.  This long-standing destination golf course in the Chicago-land area has been reshaped and renovated throughout the years to keep golfers challenged. 

The Bartlett Hills Golf Club also hosts a variety of special events year round, with a special Girls Night Out event on November 19th.  This fun evening will include shopping, make-overs, dancing, cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and much more.  Tickets can be purchased at the clubhouse between 9am & 6pm, and will be available the evening of the event for $20. 

Joe Stacy, a Bartlett IL realtor, can help you find your perfect piece of Bartlett IL real estate so you can stay close to the Bartlett Hills Golf Club.  Joe Stacy can be reached at 847-874-6731 or by email.