Chicago’s Top Growing Cities

Do you want to know how much your city’s population has changed in the 10 year period between 2000 and 2010? Chicago Real Estate Forum recently published an infographic showing the population growth for some of Chicago’s top cities according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

”An infographic is a great tool to take a large amount of data and put it into a graphic image that you can actually understand. Anyone can easily look at this infographic and discern how Chicago's population has grown over the past 10 years,” said Mitch Levinson, publisher of Chicago Real Estate Forum and managing partner of mRELEVANCE.

According to the data, the cities that grew the most between 2000 and 2010 are Aurora, Joliet, Plainfield, Homer Glen and Huntley. Aurora grew by more than 54,000 residents in the 10 year period, while Joliet grew by more than 41,000 people. Plainfield and Homer Glen both saw an increase of more than 24,000 residents, and Huntley grew by almost 19,000 residents. Other large cities with a high rate of population growth included Elgin, Naperville, Waukegan, Evanston and Bolingbrook.

Overall, Chicago saw a massive population increase in the Southwest suburbs and a relative decrease in the near Northwest.

The infographic was designed by Marketing RELEVANCE, a marketing, communication and interactive agency with offices in both Chicago and Atlanta.

For information on the latest new homes in the Chicago real estate market, add Chicago Real Estate Forum to your Google+ circles.

Steps to Teaching Your Child Financial Independence

Strong early childhood financial habits
can lead to stronger credit scores and better
control of money in adulthood.

Parents want the best for their kids, they want them to be successful and happy in life and one of the keys to that is instilling in your children the knowledge necessary for financial independence. Lessons in financial independence can start in as young as elementary-aged children, as explained in the recent Equifax finance blog article “Preparing Your Children for Financial Independence.” These lessons help set up the right habits to have a strong credit rating and the ability to purchase Chicago new homes when the time is right!

Set your children on the right financial path with these tips:

1.    Discuss your child’s financial goals and help them come up with a plan for success.  Tell your children what financial independence means. Let them know when you expect them to manage their own finances. Tell them about earning and appreciating money and learning to live within their means. Find out what kind of lifestyle your child plans for, and help set appropriate goals to meet that lifestyle – what level of education will they need to achieve, how will loans and credit factor into that, and how much should they save.

Lynn Builders Now Selling Custom Will County Homes

Build your custom Will County dream home in the  Waterchase subdivision in New Lenox. Designed by Lynn builders, these Chicago new homes come with stellar in-home details such as quartz counters, contemporary fireplaces, hardwood floors and even custom-built wine racks.

Four-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath homes are priced starting at $359,000 and Lynn Builders also specializes in designing prarie-style homes. Prairie-style homes are unique from other custom homes because they emphasize open space, natural materials and lots of daylight.

Waterchase is located in New Lenox, which provides easy acess to I-57, I-80 and I-355. Residents are also only two blocks away from the Laraway Road Metra station. Studnets living at Waterchase will attend the New Lenox School District 122.

Ready to design your custom prarie-style home? Contact Lynn Builders at (708) 922-9425.

Faganel Builders Selling Energy-Efficient New Homes

It's no secret that green building is all the rage right now, and if you purchase a Kane County new home from Faganel Builders, you'll reap the benefits of truly energy-efficient living.

Faganel Builders offers a heating, cooling and comfort guarantee and their homes at Tall Oaks consistenly receive a HERS rating of 60, higher than the average ENERGY STAR rating of 80.
The builder has also several Key Awards as well as a Gold Award from the National Association of Home Builders.

Notable 'green' features of a Tall Oaks home include an energy-efficient sealed home envelope, a 94 percent high-efficient variable speed furnance, low flow toilets and bath fan timers and low VOC paints.

Tall Oaks floor plans include three to five bedrooms, a full basement and three-car garages. Select floor plans also come with second floor laundry rooms and a second family room. Homeowners will also enjoy granite countertops, quality raised birch cabinets in the kitchen, hardwood floors and a direct vent brick fireplace.

Pricing for these Kane County new homes starts at $319,400. Tall Oaks is located in Elgin, where residents can enjoy quality and family-friendly suburban living while still having access to shopping, dining and entertainment options.

For more information, visit the Faganel Builders website or call 630 488-1111.

Purchase a Custom Home From Gort Builders

Gort Builders is now selling spacious Will County new homes in Homer Glen.

Prospective homeowners can choose from a variety of floor plans, and be sure to check out the Ashford model.

The Ashford features a three-car garage, four bedrooms and a bonus room that can become an office or fifth bedroom. Purchase a Gort home, and you'll enjoy stellar home features such as a spacious kitchen with custom maple cabinets and a wet bar, a wood burning fireplace with custom mantle and surround and custom marble counter tops in the bathroom and laundry room. You'll also enjoy the advantage of having a walk-out basement, three walk-in closets and in a walk-in pantry in the kitchen.

Gort Builders builds homes on home sites priced from $65,000 to $110,000 depending upon location with  pricing for a custom designed home determined on a case-by-case basis based upon customers included features and finishes. A complete home package is priced starting at $500,000 and can range up to $675,000.

Owner and builder Gerry Neilan, who is from Ireland, has more than 28 years of hands-on experience in the business and makes sure that each homeowner receives personal attention.

Homer Glen is located 25 miles southwest of Chicago and offers two 18-hole golf courses plus 1,300 acres of Forest Preserve land.

For more information on Gort Builders, call 708-599-1865 or visit the Gort Builders website at www.GortBuilders.com.

Pulte Selling New Homes at Prescott Mill

Don't wait too long to search for a new Kendall County home, because the ones at Prescott Mill are almost sold out. Pulte is currently selling four bedroom, two-and-a-half baths models that start at 2,148 square feet.

Residents can select from three spacious home designs: the Dorchester, Austin or the quick move-in Carrington. Pricing starts at $229,000 end each home offers a wide variety of special features. The Carrington includes a luxury master bath while the Dorchester boasts a first floor den and open layot. Purchase the Austin model and enjoy 2,676 square feet of living space that also consists of flex space off the foyer.

Each home at Prescott Mill also includes a basement and two-car garage plus residents will save plenty on their energy mills with an ENERGY star water heater and ENERGY STAR windows.

Living at Prescott Mill means you'll also have acesss to more than 46 acres of natural wetlands, walking trails and more than seven acres of recreational park. Looking for the latest entertainment? You'll be pleased to know that Prescott Mill is just 15 minutes from downtown Naperville and is close to nearby shopping, golf courses and an AMC movie theater.

In 2011, Oswego was named one of the 100 towns on the Best Places to Live List by Money Magazine.

For more information about Prescott Mill, call 847-302-0470 or visit www.pulte.com.

Get a Great Year-End Deal on Kendall County Real Estate

Purchase a new Chicago home at the Groves at Autumn Creek through December 31 and receive $3,000 towards your closing costs!

The Groves at Autumn Creek by Centex offers Kendall County real estate starting at $114,000. Buyers can choose from ranch-style and two-story floor plans that feature two to four bedrooms and one to two-and-a–half baths. Homeowners also have the option of selecting five unique home designs that include full basements and flex rooms. Ranch floor plans start at 1,309 square feet and two-story floor plans start at 1,594 square feet.

Quality amenties at Autumn Grove include Whirpool appliances, full basements and designer kitchens equipped with Kohler and Moen products.

Autumn Creek is set on 92 acres of open space with walking and bike paths. Located in Yorkville, this community is only 25 minutes from downtown Naperville, which is one of suburban Chicago’s best shopping locations! There is even an on-site elementary school at Autumn Creek and Yorkville offers top-notch schools, plenty of recreational facilities and excellent local parks.

For more information, visit the Autumn Creek website or call 866-885-2253.

Beechen & Dill Now Selling Chicago New Homes

Have you been searching for a new luxury custom home with a spacious yard plus a full basement? Then you and your family will love the new homes at Creekside Estates! Located in Lockport, Creekside Estates offers four bedroom homes with two-a-half baths and three-car garages. The community is now offering tours of two model homes that feature upgraded gourmet kitchens, hardwood floors, fireplaces and gorgeous master baths.

If you are in the market for a new home, you certainly won't want to miss out on the Aspen model deal! Pre-construction pricing on the Aspen has been reduced from $480,000 to $379,000. The Aspen has a walk-out basement with a deck, four bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and a three-car garage.

All Creekside homes come with the DUCTBLASTER sealed ductwork system and the comfort and energy consumption guarantee that could save you up to $93 per month on your energy bills!

Lockport recently ranked as the 41^st fastest growing suburb in the United States, according to Forbes magazine, so the community is a wonderful place to raise a family. I-355 is just minutes away, which makes for easy access to local shopping and dining or downtown Chicago.

Beechen & Dill was awarded the Home Builders Association of Illinois 2011 Builder of the Year Award, so if you purchase a Creekside Estates model you can feel confident that you are making a great choice!

For more information on Creekside Estates, visit the Beechen & Dill website or call (815) 886-7000.

ID Theft Protection Information and More At Your Fingertips

As smartphones and tablets are occupying hands everywhere, many people may be overlooking useful mobile apps that do everything from file insurance claims to help you discover ID theft protection information online. Having control of your finances on-the-go makes saving and building your credit score for big purchases like Chicagoland real estate easier!

The experts at the Equifax Finance Blog did some research and came up with a few apps that may help you out of a few sticky situations. In their recent article, “Access Insurance Resources from Your Smartphone,” the experts list four excellent apps that every smartphone or tablet user should consider.

Don't Miss Out on Ryland Quick Move-in Homes!

For those who want a quick move-in home for the holidays, Ryland Homes is offering more than 50 different models of Chicago new homes! Ryland quick move-in homes are great for growing families because they offer the safety and modern convenience of a brand new home plus the ease of a hassle-free move-in process.

Here's a list of some of Ryland's featured new home communities:

• The two bedroom Beverly model is now selling at the Lakewood Crossing community in Hampshire
• Two and four bedroom models are now selling at the Talamore community in Huntley
• Two and four bedroom models are now selling at the Gilberts Town Center community in Gilberts
• The four bedroom Coventry model are now selling at Blackberry Crossing in Montgomery

Pricing for the Ryland quick move-in homes starts at $124,000, and there are still several more communities to choose from in Kane, McHenry and and DuPage counties!

All Ryland homes offer one year wall-to-wall coverage; two year electrical, plumbing, heating, cooling and ventilation system coverage and 10 year major structural defect coverage.

For more information on any of these quick move-in communities, visit the Ryland Homes website.

K. Hovanian Selling Homes at Ravinia Estates

K. Hovanian Homes is now selling Chicago new homes at their newest community, Ravinia Estates. The community is located in Palatine, and offers larger floorplans starting at 2,517 square feet.

Ravinia Estates is offering four different models, and all homes have four bedrooms and two or three-car garages. Notable additional features include breakfast nooks, large walk-in closets and walk-in kitchen pantries.

All K. Hovanian Homes include the D.R. Nelson Energy Seal, which provides residents a twenty percent savings on their energy costs plus reduced dust and noise.

Ravinia Estates is also in a prime location, and just two blocks from a Metra station and less than one mile from IL-53. Children living in Ravinia Estates will also have access to some of the best schools in the Chicago area including Winston Campus Junior High and Palatine High School. Palatine is also home to plenty of shopping and recreational activities.

Interested in touring a model? K. Hovanian is showing their “Morton” model at the Glenrise Grove community in Glen Ellyn. Please call (630) 793-9478 or visit the K. Hovanian website for more information.

D.R. Horton Homes Now Being Sold at Covington Lakes

D.R. Horton is currently selling the last remaining units at their Covington Lakes community, so be sure to act fast if you are interested in purchasing one of these Chicago new homes.

Covington Lakes sells four bedroom homes priced in the low $200,000s. The community was established in 2003, and D.R. Horton is now selling the last 18 units.

The homes at Covington Lakes combine comfort and luxury, and offer floor plans ranging from 2,475 to 3,100 square feet. Covington Lakes’ models offer large foyers and kitchens plus spacious bedrooms, which are perfect for a growing family.

Residents will enjoy community features such as ponds and wetlands, two parks and a paved bike path. There are even two elementary schools on site.

Located just five miles from I-90, Covington Lakes is only minutes from a variety of shopping and dining, including The Prime Outlets of Huntley and Algonquin Commons.

D.R. Horton also offers homes in several other Chicagoland locations, including Joliet, Pingree Grove and Plainfield.

To visit a furnished model home, call (847) 984-4554. For more information, visit the D.R. Horton website.

New Homes Available at Verona Ridge in Aurora

Orleans Homes is offering a chance to purchase a Chicago new home in Aurora.

Several floorplans featuring between four to six bedrooms are now available and the homes start in the $200,000s.

Homes at Verona Ridge offer three car garages, professional landscaping, and spacious backyards. Another stand-out feature of a Verona Ridge home is a bonus room that can be used as an office, game room or additional bedroom.

Additional luxury features include granite countertops, hardwood or ceramic tiled foyers and furniture quality oak cabinets.

Verona Ridge residents will also enjoy access to walking and bike trails. The town of Aurora also boasts plenty of shopping and dining options.

To schedule a tour of one of these homes, visit the Verona Ridge website or contact 630-907-1155.

William Ryan Offers Homeowner Customizations

William Ryan Homes is pleased to offer many customization options for Chicago new home residents. William Ryan’s Savannah model, located in their Highland Woods Community in Elgin, emphasizes putting the homeowner first.

The Savannah has four bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths. Homeowners can also select extra options such as a rear fireplace, extended family room and a second floor laundry room. Another great add-on is William Ryan's morning room, which is a room off of the kitchen that homeowners can use for extra dining space or turn into an office.

Homeowner preferences are so important to William Ryan Homes that the builder uses customer feedback to make updates to their homes. Homeowners also have access to William Ryan's MyHome 24-7 website to virtually decide which options will look best in their new home.

William Ryan also focuses on building 'green,' and all of their homes are Energy Star certified, which saves homeowners up to 40 percent on utilities!

The Highland Woods community offers many stand-out features, including an on-site elementary school as well as an exclusive owners club with a state-of-the-art fitness room and sports courts. Highland Woods is set on 196 acres of open space, which is perfect for families who love spending time outdoors.

To visit the Highland Woods community in Elgin, contact (847) 841-3891.

More Chicago Homebuyers Returning to the Market

More Chicagoland homes were sold last month than in any other month over the past five years.

According to the Illinois Association of REALTORS®, home sales in the Chicago area rose 28.5 percent in August compared to the same month the previous year. The 9,240 homes sold last month marked the best month for sales volume around Chicagoland since 9,733 homes were sold in August of 2007.

Home values are still falling, and this helps increase the number of home sales. The median price for metro Chicago real estate for sale last month was $170,000, a 3.8 percent drop from the $176,750 average in August 2011. Still, values are rebounding, and the median price for a home in the Chicago area is now $30,000 higher than the $140,000 median price recorded in January of this year.

The city of Chicago not only posted a 23.6 percent year-over-year increase in home sales last month, but the median price of a home sold in Chicago also went up, increasing 3.9 percent from $192,500 in August 2011 to $200,000 in August 2012.

Throughout the entire state of Illinois, home sales rose 23.7 percent in year-over-year results, which have improved for 14 straight months, but the median home price was $147,000, which is a drop of 0.7 percent from $148,000 in August 2011.

The National Association of REALTORS® also reports that U.S. home sales rose 7.8 percent last month to the highest level since May of 2010 due to the federal home buyer’s tax credit incentive.

“The housing market is steadily recovering with consistent increases in both home sales and median prices,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist. “More buyers are taking advantage of excellent housing affordability conditions.”

Home Building is Growing in South Chicago

Recent news from the Construction Market Report and the Southwest Suburban Homebuilders Association states that Chicago new home builders in the South Chicago market were issued 538 new building permits in the past year.

Permits were issued at 34 different locations in the South Chicago market between August 1, 2011 and August 1, 2012, totaling $146 million. The creation of new homes and new condos will help to strengthen the economy.

The National Association of Home Builders predicts that the local impact of these new permits will be $8 million in local income, $10 million in taxes and other revenue and a total of 1,300 new jobs.

The new permits were issued in Will County, Orland Park and Tinley Park and covered 18 townships and 16 municipalties. The permits were issued for a combination of condos, townhomes and single-family homes.

Here is a list of the top 10 builders in the South Chicago market.

1. Hartz Construction
2. O’Malley Builders
3. Cambridge, DRH
4. Beechen & Dill Homes
5. Pulte Homes
6. Burdelik Huilders
7. Carlson Brothers
8. Overstreet Builders
9. SSW Developers LLC
10. Flaherty Builders

Chicago Homes Selling at a Faster Rate

 

Some good news for Chicago homeowners who will soon put their house up for sale on the Chicago real estate market. A recent study by the National Association of Realtors reported that the time it takes to a sell a home is now decreasing.

In July 2012, the median time it took for a home to sell was 69 days. One-third of homes that were purchased in July were sold in less than a month, while one in five took at least six months to sell.

The reason for shorter selling times? Home inventory has decreased, and this means there is more of an equal balance between homebuyers and home sellers. It is also important to note that homes priced at a reasonable market rate will sell more quickly than homes listed higher than the market average.

Homes began selling faster last spring and continued to sell at a solid rate throughout the summer.  Around this time in 2011 homes were taking 98 days to sell, so this year’s numbers are quite an improvement.

During the housing boom of 2004 and 2005, it took about four weeks to sell a home. In comparison, homes took about 10 weeks to sell during the economic downturn of 2009.

Some homeowners are still afraid to put their homes on the market because they are concerned that prices may decline again. Others aren't selling their homes because they are underwater on their mortgage.

However homeowners will be pleased to learn that this positive trend in home selling is expected to continue, and that home prices have risen in recent months.

Be Ready to Pay to Earn when Investing

Investing isn't a magic place to put your money and make it grow for retirement and Chicago new home down payments - there are a lot of people behind each transaction to make sure that your money goes into the right place and is monitored. This is where additional charges come in, and it's important that you consider them before you choose which investment brokerage you are going to trade with. The Equifax Finance Blog has an article with a number of charges you should be on the lookout for in the new article, "Breaking Down Investment Fees and Commissions."
Here are just a couple costs which are common:

• Annual account fees - like many checking accounts do now, some brokerages charge for their serves in a yearly capacity in addition to other fees. In an IRA account, where your finds are used to build a portfolio for you, this is often referred to as the custodial account. Expect this to range anywhere from $25 to $100 or more.

Understand the Costs of Doing Business with an Investment Strategy

Beware of the costs of using an investment strategy

If you are considering using an investment strategy to build capital for retirement or to help build up a fund for emergencies or another financial goal like a down payment on a Chicago new home, it is important to first understand your costs of doing business. While it’s true that not all investments are guaranteed to be rewarding, and many, in fact, are quite risky, there usually are some costs to be aware of in addition to market volatility. The Equifax Finance Blog explores these in the article "Breaking Down Investment Fees and Commissions."

• A typical fee for investing is the transaction fee, which happens every time your investment company buys or sells stocks, bonds, mutual funds and just about anything else. This cost depends largely upon the brokerage fee you use to conduct your business, and can vary from nothing to as much as $50 per transaction. Be sure to inquire about this fee when you sign up with a brokerage, as some have interesting rules about what causes a fee and what does not.

Remember to Notify When Moving

You’ve moved and are surrounded by boxes. It’s a moment of glory hampered by the extensive list of utilities to transfer, boxes to unpack and other lifestyle changes to make before you can truly relax and enjoy your new home. The Equifax Finance Blog reminds about some particular transfers to make sure are on that list in the new article, “Tell the IRS and Your State When You Move.”

It’s important to let the IRS, state tax agencies and other financial groups you work with are aware of where you are. While this adds another item to your list of moving chores, it can save you a lot of trouble in the long run. This is because when you don’t receive notices from financial groups, time doesn’t stop. With taxes, proposed assessment values for taxes will turn into assessed values. If you don’t get those messages, the cost of the assessments could grow with penalties and interest. By the time the letters finally catch up to you, there may be a big charge for not doing something as simple as notifying.