Southwest Chicago Suburbs Real Estate News

I have revamped this site to incorporate the entire Southland real estate area from southwest Chicago to the northwest section of Will County to the south. Towns I work in and will write about are Alsip, Bedford Park, Blue Island, Bridgeview, Burbank, Chicago, Chicago Ridge, Crestwood, Evergreen Park, Frankfort, Garden Homes, Hickory Hills, Homer Glen, Hometown, Justice, Lemont, Lockport, Merrionette Park, Midlothian, Oak Forest, Oak Lawn real estate, Orland Hills, Orland Park, Palos Heights, Palos Hills, Palos Park, Stickney, Summit, Tinley Park, Willow Springs and Worth. If you have any information you’d like to share or have a question please use the Contact Form.

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Mono Titi

Originally uploaded by c.cobb
Are these guys cute or what? These squirrel monkeys, named Mono Titis, are becoming endangered as their homeland becomes more and more popular for new construction. Costa Rica is becoming a true hot spot for vacationing and building for ex pats.

I am part of a group that is sponsoring a raffle benefiting the Eco Preservation Society. Please purchase a raffle ticket (or four) to help these sweet animals.

Tickets are one for $35.00
Four for $100.00

Visit the Mono Titi Raffle Website to make your donation via Paypal.

The winner receives an awesome website package worth over $5,000. However, only a real estate agent can get the site. But please, if you love animals and nature consider donating even if you’re not an agent.

In fact, I will rebate your donation if you win as a trade for the website. Please go to the donation page now as the raffle ends June 1st.

Over the years I’ve gotten a Chicago suburb real estate buyer or two that I can tell just call listing agents. I believe I just showed one of my listings a couple of days ago to buyers that are doing this.  I think in the past most buyers just didn’t know any better. In fact, many years ago Illinois real estate agents were agents or sub-agents for the seller. That is no longer how it works in IL real estate sales today.

Agency Laws Have Changed

When we are working with a buyer we are now the Buyer’s Agent and give full representation to each buyer we work with and no longer are sub-agents for sellers. That means we have the right to tell our buyers anything we might know about the property they are interested in and work for our buyer’s best interests.

Buyers Are Not Being Represented When Working With a Listing Agent

If a listing agent works with a buyer for a property they have listed then they are “dual agents.” This means they are working for both the buyer and the seller and it can get tricky. We can treat each party ethically and can explain real estate terms and write up and present an offer. We can’t offer any confidential information to the other party and we cannot tell a buyer what to offer or a seller how to counter-0ffer.

In other words, neither party is receiving full representation in a dual agency situation. So why do some buyers only work with listing agents?

Buyers Think They Can Get a Better Deal With Listing Agents

I’m not sure where this idea came from. I suppose once in a while a listing agent will take a lower commission if they sell their own listing. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll pass their lower commission on to the buyer. But some buyers think this is how it works.

In fact, last year I showed one of my listings to a buyer that proudly admitted he was only dealing with listing agents. He stated that he knows that’s the way to get a good deal. There was no arguing with him and I showed my listing and let him move on.

I happened to speak to another agent that had a listing in the same subdivision and this couple wrote up an offer on her listing. They’re offer was really low and was not accepted. What I don’t understand is how much does he think listing agents earn? From what I gathered his offer was around $30,000 under asking price. And this was in a much better market than today’s Buyer’s Market.

In fact, I ended up selling my listing, and I sold it myself. But my buyer wasn’t just using listing agents. I showed him many other townhomes and he ended up purchasing my listing.

I’m wondering if that other buyer ever purchased anything. And I’d really like to know if he actually got a good deal or if he learned that working with listing agents doesn’t guarantee you’ll be saving the commission from that agent. Not to mention that he would not be receiving full representation.

If you’re a buyer that wants full representation, which could help you save even more money than what is perceived with working with listing agents, then give Judy Orr a call at 708-536-8200. Fill out my Automated Home Finder Form and you can received automated property searches sent directly to your e-mail.

This is one of my favorite listings as I love antiques and original, historic buildings. It’s larger inside than it appears from the exterior. There are many original items such as the school bell in the bell steeple and the hardwood floors. There is some memorabilia that will remain with the property, which is zoned commercial and sits on the corner of 143rd & Wolf Rd. in unincorporated Orland Park.

There are 3 levels:

1. The main level has an open reception area and two seperate offices
2. The upper area is called the loft office and houses a long-term tenant, a travel agency
3. The partial basement is fully finished with another room featuring a kitchenette and a nice bathroom

The spiral staircase is custom made as is the entry vestibule. A local artist was commissioned to create the beautiful etched glass artwork. The price of this quaint building that is part of Orland Park’s history is $500,000.

For more information or to view this wonderful original 1910 school house for sale in Orland Park call Susan O’Halloran at 708-567-0601 or Judy Orr at 708-536-8200 or use our Contact Form.

Even though it might not feel like Spring in the Chicago Suburbs it really is and it’s that time of year again when we need to declutter and clean up, especially those that already have their homes on the market or are considering listing their Chicago suburb homes for sale this year.

I’ve shown many homes that I think the sellers should have cleaned their windows, at least from the inside.  Cloudy and dirty windows don’t present a very good picture of the home and are noticeable by all.

It never ceases to amaze me how some sellers show their properties.  Dirty floors, carpeting full of stains, filthy walls and a bunch of clutter.  Then they wonder why their agent isn’t bringing the offers in.

The competition is fierce!

If you’re selling your property and don’t understand this fact then you might be “selling” your place for a long time.  Homes sitting on the market for months and even years make buyers uneasy.  They feel there is something wrong with the home even if the only thing wrong was the price the seller originally started at.

Your home needs to stand out from the rest

This means it has to be the cleanest and showing as close to a model as possible.  It also means that regular maintenance should have been done over the years.  A new furnace, windows or roof are not improvements that the cost is tacked onto the home.  These are everyday home maintenance updates and are expected to be done at certain points in a home’s life.

If a buyer has a choice of two similar properties in the same price range it’s only natural they would choose the property with the most improvements such as newer mechanicals and other updates.  A buyer should not be charged extra for these kinds of normal wear and tear replacements.

Most buyers are very visual

This means they can’t see beyond your home overstuffed with furniture, personal photos and collectibles.  I just showed buyers an Orland Park townhouse for sale that had wallpaper on every wall.  My buyers didn’t want to deal with it.  The listing agent called me back after I delivered the feedback and told me the sellers would be willing to remove it if that was the only deal breaker.  It wasn’t the only thing my buyers didn’t like but these sellers should just remove the wallpaper and their place will be more appealing to the masses.  Some buyers won’t indicate what turns them off and will just go to the next property.  Remember, there’s plenty of places up for sale right now - more inventory than buyers.

Again, compare two similar homes priced the same.  One home is so clean you could eat off the floor.  The next one is dirty and dusty.  In today’s market of plenty, which would you choose?

Cleaning and decluttering is the least expensive means of showcasing your home

You have to pack things up when you move so why not start now with things you don’t use much, especially decorative items.  The rule of thumb today is to remove at least one piece of furniture from every room to make the rooms appear larger.  I did this in the last home I sold and was even pleased myself with how nice the rooms looked with less “stuff.”

One owner of a Tinley Park townhouse for sale had piles of towels and laundry in the bathroom and bedroom.  He knew we were coming so why didn’t he put it away?  We couldn’t see the bathroom for all of the laundry piles.  He also had baby proofed his fireplace by putting a huge piece of fabric over it, hiding it from potential buyers.  He called me himself for feedback and I told him point blank that he wasn’t showcasing his townhouse properly.  He thanked me and said he would do what I said.  I’m not sure why his own agent couldn’t convince him but I know sometimes sellers need to hear it from someone else.

But you still have to live there until you sell

Yes, and you might also be amazed at how nice a decluttered place can be.  We get used to our own stuff and sometimes it comforts us.  But it only turns off potential buyers.  You need to consider selling your home a temporary situation and live a bit differently.  You can unpack your treasured collectibles in your next home and might even appreciate them more after living without them for awhile.  You might need to deep clean more often than normal.

Lose the convenience of your kitchen counters being cluttered with your favorite small appliances.  Get them out of sight.  If you don’t have room in your cabinets then pack away things you don’t use often to make room for the things you currently use that are on your counter.

Kids need to be given rules to keep their rooms clean and some toys might need to be packed up.  Pet beds and eating areas might need a good cleaning and the pets themselves might need more baths so they don’t make your place smell bad.

I’ve shown homes that were clean until we got into the laundry/utility room.  Piles of laundry or items stored haphazardly, making the home feel like there isn’t enough storage space.  We’ve been hit with damp, mildewy smelling old laundry.  This is simply unacceptable when you’re trying to sell.

By the way, keep in mind that people open cabinets, drawers, refrigerators, ovens, dishwashers, etc.  If your possessions are stuffed in or fall out when a closet door gets opened it just gives the impression that your home isn’t big enough or doesn’t have enough storage.  Get rid of the junk!

Consider both the interior and exterior

The term “curb appeal” has been around for a long time and should be self explanatory.  Take a step back from your house and look at it through the eyes of a buyer.  If things need to be spruced up and/or cleaned up, whether it’s the lawn and landscaping or the front door, porch and sidewalk then take care of whatever you can.  This is the introduction and first impression of your home that buyers get.

Ask for unbiased opinions

Listen to your real estate agent’s suggestions.  Ask a good friend or relative to give you the truth.  Listen to your agent’s feedback after showings and take the feedback seriously.

In today’s market homes need more than to be priced correctly.  They need to be the best showing house in the price range they happen to fall in.  It’s only logical - buyers make offers on the best home for the price.  If you haven’t done your spring cleaning, it’s highly unlikely your home will be chosen.  In fact, by not following this advice you could lose thousands of dollars.  Is that worth the time and effort it takes to clean?

Our first Spring day yesterday was wonderful.  You didn’t really need gloves or a scarf.  The sun was shining and many went out with lighter jackets than normal.  Although I like summer and warm days, yesterday was a nice respite from our snowy, cold winter in the Chicago suburbs.

I woke up this morning to get ready for a listing appointment.  I had to answer the door as we were having our bathroom remodeled and the workmen were early.  I had to do a double take when catching the outside and the - no it can’t be - snow covering the ground.

I had heard the weather people talking about snow but I guess I was hoping they were teasing us because it was just such a nice day yesterday.  Nope, they were telling the truth. 

And I have been e-mailing with an agent from Arizona about purchasing a rental condo out there.  This gives me a little push to go forward with my search.  I loved snow and winter when I was young.  I’m no longer young and I can truly say that I hate winter. 

I would never leave IL behind as I have kids and grandchildren here (one grandchild lives with us).  But I sure look forward to being a snowbird, or as my Mom (who lived in Mesa for 20 years) referred to as “those damn snowbirds.” 

Always trying to stay positive, I was worrying about changing some of my listing photos showing snow and now I don’t have to be in such a rush. 

Tinley Park has been in the news lately! However, the actual event took place in Crestwood in a Wal-Mart parking lot. The Mom, 36 year old Treffly Coyne, was out to do a good deed this past December. She packed up her three daughters to head to the Salvation Army kettle so they could donate $8.29 in coins.

When they arrived, little 2 year old Phoebe had fallen asleep in her car seat. Knowing the donation drop-off would take mere minutes, Treffly parked at the curb, locked the door and put the hazard lights on. She took the other girls with her, leaving sleeping Phoebe alone. The car was about 30 feet away.

But on her way back to the car she was stopped by a Crestwood police community service officer who arrested her for child endangerment and obstructing a police officer (I don’t have any detail on that one). The child endangerment charge is a misdemeanor. I’m sure the only reason he noticed was because of where she parked the car and at most should have given her a ticket for parking in a non-parking zone. This probably wouldn’t have happened had she parked in the lot itself, but then the car would most likely have been farther away.

Because of this charge the Coynes have been visited by DCFS to make sure they’re running a safe household for their kids. They are now on “the list.” Can you imagine that? Have you ever left a child in your car for a very brief moment?

It’s easy when reading or listening to the news to have that holier than thou attitude but when you really think about it, I’m sure a lot of people have done the same thing. For instance, say you’re dropping off mail and your little one just fell asleep. Come on, it takes less than a minute and your child doesn’t even know. For inquiring minds, here is the law:

In Illinois, parents who leave a child unattended in a car for 10 minutes can be charged with misdemeanor child endangerment, which carries a penalty of up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine.

It doesn’t sound like Phoebe was left alone for 10 minutes. Some have commented that it only takes a minute for a thief to steal a car. Is that true? Would it only take a minute to case the parking lot, see this family leave their car, go to the car and have enough time to break into it? Would this be done within 30 feet of the family? The car was locked so we’re not talking car jacking here, although that could have happened to them no matter where they parked if there was a car jacker in the midst.

But why take the risk? Because she felt she was close enough to her car and knew what she was doing was going to be quick. The odds were certainly in her favor that nothing would have happened. However, this wasn’t her day after all as Mr. Officer noticed.

And now Cook County prosecutors agree that this was not a criminal act as they are dropping the charges. Today was Treffly’s court date but prosecutors state that the evidence did not support the charges.

But at what cost is this victory? Her daughters witnessed their Mom being arrested. I don’t know how the arrest went down but I’m sure it was emotional. Being investigated by DCFS, being the center of a story regarding child welfare and now being on DCFS’s watch list. What a nightmare! I only wish she could receive some kind of restitution for what sounds like a false arrest. I wish the Coyne family the best and hope they can get their lives back now.

Details:

• 12900 S. Major Ave., Palos Heights IL 60463
• $200,000
• 150′x100′
• Inside flat lot
• Utilities ready to tap into
• Behind privacy fence
• Corner home on lot not part of sale
• Call Judy Orr at 708-536-8200 for more information

You can see a full description of this Palos Heights real estate by clicking the link.

I’ve always been fascinated with Leap Year.  How could we have one day on our calendar that only occurs every 4 years?  Whose idea was this and why?  And what about all the people born on leap year?  When do they celebrate their birthdays on the year when their birthday doesn’t appear on the calendar?

So I did some digging.  The reason for having a Leap Year is to keep our calendar in alignment with the earth’s revolutions around the sun.  I knew it had something to do with the planet and the sun, after all, that is how we keep time and how the calendar works.

There are two different methods of calculations to determine which years will be leap years.  The Gregorian calendar, which most modern countries utilize, uses the following criteria:

1.  Every year that is divisible by four is a leap year;
2.  of those years, if it can be divided by 100, it is NOT a leap year, unless
3. the year is divisible by 400. Then it is a leap year.

So, as an example, the years 1800, 1900, 2100, 2200, 2300 and 2500 are NOT leap years, while year 2000 and 2400 are.

Before the Gregorian calendar had widespread use the Julian calendar was popular.  It also had leap years but the math was a bit easier.   Any year divisible by four was a leap year.

It’s interesting to note that no matter what, our calendar is not 100% spot on.  Today’s calendars can be off by seconds or even days every year.  In fact, new calculations will need to be introduced to keep calendars on track.  When we say a year is 365 days that’s not quite true, it is actually closer to 365.242199 days in a year.  OK, we’ll continue saying 365 days.

Some Famous People Born on Leap Year 

* 1792 – Gioacchino Rossini, Italian composer (William Tell, The Barber of Seville) (d. 1868)
* 1916 – Dinah Shore, American singer (d. 1994)
* 1924 – Al Rosen, American baseball player
* 1960 – Richard Ramirez, American serial killer
* 1960 – Anthony (Tony) Robbins, American motivational speaker
* 1972 – Antonio Sabàto Jr, Italian-born actor
* 1976 – Ja Rule, American rapper and actor
* 1980 – Chris Conley, American musician and songwriter/composer

Some Famous Leap Year Events

* 1692 – First accusations began during the Salem witch trials. The trials occurred in Massachusetts in the United States, where more than 150 people were arrested and at least 25 people died by hanging, torture or during their prison stay.
* 1940 – Hattie McDaniel was the first African American actress to win an Oscar. She won the Best Supporting Actress award for her role as “Mammy” in Gone with the Wind. The movie won eight Oscars.
* 1952 – The first “Walk/Don’t Walk” signs were installed in New York City.
* 1972 – The Carpenters received a gold record for the hit single Hurting Each Other. The Carpenters were a vocal and instrumental duo of siblings, Karen and Richard, who produced a softer style of music in an era when loud rock was in demand. They were one of the best-selling music artists in the 1970s.

The people and events listed above are just a sampling.  I’m sure there are many more to add.  In fact, there are an estimated 4 million people born on February 29th!  I wonder if St. Petersburg, FL, holds a Leap Year birthday party because it was incorporated on February 29, 1892.

I’ve read differing stories of how people born on Leap Year celebrate birthdays.  One gentleman stated that he only got a birthday party every four years, on his actual February 29th birth date.  He admitted that as a child it was difficult to understand why he didn’t get a party every year, but he also explained that when there was a leap year he had a very big celebration.  From my readings it seems that others celebrate every year on the last day of February.

There Used to be February 30th

In 1700 Sweden switched from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar but the year they picked to do so put them out of synch with both so they switched back in 1712.  That year they two leap days and added February 30th and kept it until 1753, when they switched back to the Gregorian calendar.

The Soviet Union added a calendar in 1929 that included February 30th from 1930-1931.  This calendar was really different having 5 day weeks with the extra days to every month being monthless holidays.  In fact, they kept this secondary calendar (the Gregorian calendar wasn’t completely abolished - how confusing was that) until 1940.

So imagine that there are people alive today who were born on February 30th, a day never to be seen again!  They never get a true birth day.

Once in a while I find a story that isn’t related to real estate or the southwest suburbs and I need to write about it. This one is about a little Palos Heights boy, John Dytrych, who spent 75 days in the hospital with only a 20% chance of surviving. He is recovering but does suffer from physical problems that require him to wear leg braces and he needs speech, physical and occupational therapy.

This all happened on January 24, 2007, when John’s Mom, Carrie, left John (then 21 months old) alone for a short time sitting in front of the tv. This is a family of four kids and at first when we read stories like this it is easy to blame the so-called negligent parent. Now, if you’re the most perfect parent in the world then I guess you could place blame. But with just three children I have not had my eyes on my kids every single second of the day. My goodness, we’d have to huddle them all together to accompany us to the bathroom every time we had to go, and that could be pointed out as another form of neglect!

When Carrie came back into the room she saw John holding one of several kerosene lamps that had been on display for 15 years (they were wedding presents). Her first reaction was that John would drop it. But soon after John passed out and that was the beginning of a long ordeal.

John was rushed to Advocate Hope Children’s Hospital in Oak Lawn. His doctors are surprised at his recovery as expectations were so low. John is expected to recover fully and I wish he and his family the best.

I kept a kerosene lamp around when my children were young and we even used it. It blended in well with my antique decor. After reading this story, I thank my lucky stars that none of my children decided it looked good enough to drink! We just don’t know how children see different things.

This is just a reminder that if you have children or grandchildren (like I do), you might need to go through the house and make sure all poisons are well out of reach. And you might have to rethink certain items, such as a kerosene lamp, that you wouldn’t even consider as a poison.