Lemont Illinois Real Estate

Lot for Sale in Homer Glen

noreply@blogger.com (Susan) — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 12:03:00 +0000

This is it...one of the last remaining lots in Countryview Estates. Premium parcel on approximately .48 acres, partially backing to forest preserve. Dry detention is located on rear of lot. Experience the wildlife in your own backyard. Builders are welcome. Minimum square footage requirements are only 2,800 square feet for two-story construction. View additional information and survey by clicking here.

New Listing in Plainfield

noreply@blogger.com (Susan) — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 21:40:00 +0000

Must see 3-4 bedroom 2 1/2 bathroom in Riverbrook Estates. Only four years young on a quiet cul-de-sac offering one of the largest lots in the subdivision. Maple kitchen with center island, huge master suite with private sitting room (can be converted to 4th bedroom) and glamour bath. Separate dining room, fireplace, security system, unfinished basement.

Sellers are motivated and will consider all reasonable offers.
Click here for additional information.

New Listing in Palos Heights

noreply@blogger.com (Susan) — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 19:33:00 +0000

Westgate treasure in move-in condition. Three bedrooms, 1 1/2 bathrooms, plus additional shower area. Hardwood floors grace the oversized living room and all bedroom areas. The home features a recently updated kitchen, spacious enough for the growing family. Adjacent to the large family room is a bonus room with exterior access to the fenced backyard. Additional information can be found at www.GallerieRealEstate.com.

January 2006 Market Statistics

noreply@blogger.com (Susan) — Tue, 07 Feb 2006 23:00:00 +0000

It's that time again! New statistics have just been posted for the 12-month period ending January 31, 2006. Starting this month, I've added annualized median price changes. Median (or middle) prices can be beneficial because they tend to smoothe out the effects of abnormally high and low prices considered in calculating average sale prices. Anyway, take a look for yourself at Market Statistics.

New Listing in Palos Heights

noreply@blogger.com (Susan) — Sat, 21 Jan 2006 01:39:00 +0000

Just listed in Westgate of Palos Heights. Incredible wooded cul-de-sac parcel! Oversized four-bedroom, three-bathroom split-level with unfinished basement.

Massive walkout family room features pergo flooring, stone fireplace, wet bar, bathroom, and fourth bedroom. Kitchen complete with stainless steel appliances, breakfast bar, skylight, and large eating area. Hardwood floors in dining room. Spacious master bedroom with private bath. View additional details and virtual tour at:

http://www.GallerieRealEstate.com

Top Buyer and Seller Mistakes in 2005

noreply@blogger.com (Susan) — Mon, 16 Jan 2006 14:43:00 +0000

Happy New Year! If you haven't yet made your resolutions (or are still open for suggestions), the Illinois Association of Realtors has listed a few of the top mistakes to avoid when buying or selling real estate.

My 2006 challenge to you: Resolve to be saavy in your real estate decisions, and know your market. What worked last year most likely won't work this year. Learn from the mistakes of others, and surround yourselves with trusted professionals.

2005 Top Buyer Mistakes

Bought properties to flip at top-of-market prices
Utilized interest-only mortgages, paying top-of-market prices
Overlooked resale characteristics, especially in upgrades in
new home construction
Skipped performing home inspection (especially before some
markets shifted away from seller's market)
Misinterpreted developers giveaways (which usually signal
a softening market)

2005 Top Seller Mistakes

Over-priced home
No internet property marketing
Stopped showing too early after contract
Refused to pay buyer's closing costs
Know your market and competition: buyers were more saavy
with market times and available inventory; sellers were out
of touch

Year End Market Statistic Update

noreply@blogger.com (Susan) — Tue, 10 Jan 2006 03:34:00 +0000

I hope all of you enjoyed the holiday season. Year-end statistics are well under way, and it looks to be yet another record year for most of us in Chicago's Southland. I am hoping to have the latest market statistics posted by January 20, so please check back soon! Now is the time to send me your requests if you would like to see additional communities posted. Your feedback is always greatly appreciated, so feel free to make recommendations for information you would like to see here.

Hope to see you January 20!

New Listing in Mokena

noreply@blogger.com (Susan) — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 12:47:00 +0000

19324 Galway Bay, Mokena

Just listed! Stunning 4 bedroom, 6 bath home in Barrington Square. Inground pool, finished basement, hardwood floors throughout. True chef's kitchen features two dishwashers and two ranges. Upscale fixtures, built-in cabinetry, natural stones. For detailed information including pics, click here.

National Median Home Prices, Third Quarter 2005

noreply@blogger.com (Susan) — Fri, 18 Nov 2005 13:29:00 +0000

The National Association of Realtors just released third quarter 2005 median existing home prices for 150 metro areas. Yet another record was set as the national median sales price jumped 14.7% to $215,900. The Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale area of Arizona topped the list with a 55.2% increase over Q3 2004. Median prices ranged from a high of $721,900 in the San Francisco-Oakland-Freemont, California area to a low of $72,800 in Danville, Illinois.

View Q3 2005 Median Price Chart

However, NAR chief economist David Lereah predicts we have reached the top of the market. Rising interest rates and inventories will most likely begin a slowdown.

"We're fairly confident that third-quarter home sales will prove to be the high point of the five-year housing boom," Lereah says.

NAR President Thomas Stevens states, "Improvements in inventory in most areas should take pressure off of home buyers to make snap decisions, or find themselves in a competitive bidding situation." Stevens further adds, "This calmer real estate market will create a more level environment for buyers in weighing options to invest in the American dream of homeownership. Sellers will enjoy very healthy gains on the value of their home, but should expect annual increases to be much closer to historic levels going forward."

National 30-year fixed-rate mortgages are approximately 6.3%, up from 5.89% in the third quarter.

Lemont Downtown Redevelopment

noreply@blogger.com (Susan) — Thu, 10 Nov 2005 21:49:00 +0000

For those of you new to the Lemont Downtown Redevelopment project, this article provides a good start:

A destination in the making
Developer has plans to turn downtown Lemont into trendy shopping district
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
By Steve Schmadeke, Staff writer

Lemont's aging downtown could be transformed into a trendy shopping district surrounded by ballfields, a cinema, a canal walk and pricey condominiums, according to a preliminary plan presented Monday night. A Romeoville-based developer, Marquette Cos., has proposed an $80 million redevelopment to create new housing and office space downtown, along with parking garages, improved streets and a scenic area along the Illinois & Michigan Canal.
In return, Lemont would create a special taxing district and revise current zoning to facilitate the downtown project. The redevelopment project would begin with about 16 acres, although Marquette now has only a contract on a single 1.5-acre site. The 16 acres are bordered by the Metra station parking lot on the west, Stephen Street on the east, the Metra tracks on the south and the freight line tracks on the north. Village and Marquette officials hope, within 10 years, to convince the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District to allow them to extend the redevelopment onto about 200 industrial acres north of downtown that are owned by the MWRD and were annexed into Lemont last year. But Mayor John Piazza said the redevelopment would work even if the MWRD property never became available.
Bruno Bottarelli, a managing director and founder of Marquette Cos., said Lemont's downtown retail sales have started to plateau. To capture revenue lost to "destination" shopping in Naperville and Oak Brook, Lemont needs to create an "authentic town environment" with a steady flow of shoppers who live nearby, he said. Marquette's first phase of the project would include a 60-unit condo and office building and a 250-car parking garage at 240 River St. The garage would be blocked from view by a storefront and the condo building, which would face the canal walk.Marquette hopes to price the condos starting at $320,000. The company would clean the canal and its banks and install walking paths and new landscaping along the waterway. But the MWRD land is the ultimate prize. Marquette wants to create a "wharf district" on the eastern half of the MWRD property with loft apartments, entertainment venues and views of barge traffic. Single-family homes would be built on the western half of the property. If all goes as planned, 2006 could be a year of major change for the village of about 15,000.

The downtown redevelopment would begin that spring, and construction of a bridge to carry the Interstate 355 extension over the Des Plaines River is scheduled to begin that summer.
"(The downtown redevelopment) is something the village can be proud of for hundreds of years to come," Piazza told about 100 people, mostly village business owners, who gathered Monday night at village hall for Marquette's unveiling of the draft plan. "It's an intimidating idea. It's so different than what we have now. We're treating it with a great deal of care."
Those attending were mostly pleased as they looked at watercolor drawings, depicting shoppers strolling through a revitalized downtown. "They're moving the village in the right direction," said Nancy Eriksen, owner of a Main Street flower shop.
"We've needed someone with the big dollars to do a project like this," said her husband, Jay, owner of Graystone Builders. Even Ed Andrysiak, who tried unsuccessfully to build a marina near Lemont's quarries about 15 years ago, thought Marquette had a good plan. But he wondered how much of it could be accomplished. "I'm 70 years old," he said. "Do you think I'll live to see it?" Not everyone liked what they saw Monday night. A couple of business owners were upset as they left Marquette's presentation. Kevin Gorski was disturbed by plans to build a new Metra station parking lot where his family's business has stood since 1915. Gorski Distributors operates and maintains school buses from its location, 46 State St., and would be forced to vacate almost all of its three-acre site. "That doesn't leave much room for us," Gorski said, adding that no one had contacted the family about the plans. "Maybe we can fit one school bus there."
Piazza said that aspect of the plan only emerged a couple of weeks ago and that a lot of negotiations lay ahead. "There's still a lot of work to be done," he said. "I'm 95 percent certain that the vast majority of the community is behind this."
Monday's presentation came at the end of five days of design workshops hosted by Marquette, all of them open to the public. Lemont's next step is to create the special taxing district. In about two months, Marquette's plan will be reviewed in a joint session of the village board, plan commission and zoning board of review.
Steve Schmadeke may be reached at sschmadeke@dailysouthtown.com or (708) 633-5966.

New Market Statistics for Lemont Area Communities

noreply@blogger.com (Susan) — Sun, 06 Nov 2005 21:52:00 +0000

I have just posted new market statistics through October 2005. Market times continue to expand slightly, though buyer activity is still strong. Many communities still reaping double-digit annual gains. Be sure to check out October's top performers. Monee??? Yes, it's not just for corn anymore! http://www.gallerierealestate.com/Market_Statistics/page_942465.html