November 2007 - Posts
Portage Park, Chicago - Announcing a price reduction on 4153 N. McVicker Avenue , Ultra-Clean certified Three-Flat - Excellent Condition, Many Upgrades! REDUCED - $449,500! MLS® #06698432 Property information
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IT' S TIME TO PLAY A LITTLE Don't let the Holidays get you all frazzled with shopping, making cookies, wrapping gifts, decorating, etc., etc. Go out and have some "outdoor" fun with family and friends. There's a wide variety to choose
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AS OF AUGUST, 2007, 6.6% OF SUB-PRIME MORTGAGES IN FORECLOSURE Today's Wall Street Journal, in an article written by Deborah Soloman and Michael M. Phillips , on Page One, report of a plan between The White House and several major financial institutions
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THE CHICAGO REAL ESTATE MARKET, AND OTHER THINGS CHICAGO, FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF A LITTLE WHITE DOG! Just thinking about the holidays! Dog, oh dog, what do I want this year? I am the dog who has everything, you know. Loving humans. A big, brick house
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Portage Park, Chicago - Announcing a price reduction on 4047 N. Menard Ave ., a 2 bath, 3 bdrm 1 1/2 story Classic Chicago Bungalow. MLS® #06727341 New Price - $314,500! Property information
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CITY FORECLOSURES UP 34.8% OVER 2006! In the City of Chicago IL, there were 6,329 foreclosures during the first half of 2007, versus 4,695 for the same period last year. Many were brought on by loss of a job, or personal financial hardship - unanticipated
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THE HOLIDAYS ARE FAST APPROACHING! SOME FESTIVE NOTES ABOUT TOWN, FROM JENNIFER! ROGERS PARK How about getting into the holiday spirit this season and come join us this weekend. St Ignatius Parish is celebrating it's 15 th annual "Messiah"
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ONE OF CHICAGO'S LARGEST SUCCESSFUL REAL ESTATE TEAMS IS GROWING! Not to toot our own horn here, folks, but our Team has had a very strong year, even with the shifting real estate market here in Chicago in 2007. We plan to grow with the coming New
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YOU CAN'T PLAN EARLY ENOUGH TO BAKE THOSE CHRISTMAS COOKIES! While Iwona is away this week, we wanted to provide a link to some great recipes for Christmas Cookies, courtesy of AllRecipes.com. They're scrumptious! Every Christmas, my mother-in-law,
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ALL EYES ON THE ILLINOIS HOUSE FOR TRANSIT FUNDING RELIEF! Wednesday, the 28th, on the Floor of the Illinois House of Representatives, Speaker Michael Madigan plans to introduce legislation to fund mass transit shortfalls, for Chicago and Chicago Suburban
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NAVIGATING COOKIES IN INTERNET EXPLORER 7 As you may or may not know, cookies don't really lie within your operating system. They actually are installed by your Web browser. Some common browsers are Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc. (Also, just to
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YUMMY THANKSGIVING LEFTOVER RECIPES! You've probably had about as much turkey as you can handle, right?! Today, I wanted to share a couple creative ways to use those leftovers to make yummy recipes that will "hide" the traditional leftover
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Good Morning, Everyone! We at Dean's Team Chicago hope you enjoyed the long Thanksgiving weekend. I would assume, by now, the supply of turkey, sweet potato, and pumpkin pie leftovers in your home is nearly depleted! I check the database of filings
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HOMEOWNERS WAIT, AND WAIT, FOR LAWMAKERS TO ACT! Every day, I check my Foreclosure Databases and find dozens of homeowners in Chicago IL, Cook County, and surrounding areas around Chicago, facing newly-filed foreclosure actions against their homes. For
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THE CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS NAME FORMER CUB PRESIDENT JOHN McDONOUGH AS THEIR NEW PRESIDENT ! Chicago Cubs fans were treated to yet another dose of uncertainty this week with the resignation of President, John McDonough . McDonough began his career with the
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31 DAYS ‘TIL CHRISTMAS Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, the official start of Holiday Shopping is upon us once again, kicking off pre-dawn this morning with "Black Friday". Did you get up at an ungodly hour to stand in line? Not me,
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ARE YOU GETTING YOUR HOLIDAY SHOPPING IN EARLY? Every year, my sister-in-law, Pat, and her daughter, Morgan, hit the stores in and around their home in the Chicago suburb of Grayslake early. After a bountiful feast on Thanksgiving afternoon, they get
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THE CHICAGO IL REAL ESTATE MARKET, AND OTHER THINGS CHICAGO, FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF A LITTLE WHITE DOG! Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Dean's Team! You know, there's a great old movie - Avalon , directed by Barry Levinson (the same director
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THIRD QUARTER, 2007 - EXISTING HOME SALES FELL IN 46 STATES! As detailed in an article in today's Wall Street Journal Online , new housing figures from the National Association of Realtors for the July-September quarter points up the national nature
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SOME APPETIZING NOTES ABOUT TOWN, FROM JENNIFER! Evanston, Chicago . More than Meals Being Served at Mather Cafés! The Evanston based, Mather LifeWays, operates centers in Norwood Park, Portage Park , and in the South Side of the City. The cafés
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HERE'S A TASTY RECIPE FROM IWONA - DESSERT! PEACH AND BLACKBERRY CRUMBLE Recipe Summary Difficulty: Easy Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 30 minutes Yield: 6 servings Imgredients: 1 1/4 lb peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced 2 (5.6 oz) containers fresh
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STATEWIDE, ILLINOIS MEDIAN SALES PRICE UP 0.7% Statistics compiled by the Illinois Association of Realtors , just released today, indicate an increase of 4.2% in the median sales price of homes across the Chicago IL area over last year - to $262,000 in
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YUMMY THANKSGIVING TIPS Easy Stuffing : Saute a cup each chopped celery and onion until soft. Combine with one bag brownberry herb seasoned bread cubes, 4 tablespoons butter and 3 cups chicken stock (2 cups if stuffing inside the turkey). Combine until
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COMMUNICATION IS THE NAME OF THE GAME! Last week I was at the NAR Convention trying to learn some neat and nifty tricks to help keep our technology and communications current. I had someone back home in Chicago helping me out with minor project items
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HUMAN NATURE - ONE OF THE KEY FACTORS OF TODAY'S CURRENT MORTGAGE MARKET DIFFICULTIES? According to a story in the November 18, 2007 Chicago Tribune, by reporter Marilyn Kennedy Melia , just a few short months ago, many mortgage consultants were suggesting
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Good Morning, Everyone! Human Nature may be one of the primary factors creating current difficulties in the mortgage market . Click here for more, and links to a story in the November 18, 2007 Chicago Tribune, by reporter Marilyn Kennedy Melia . Here
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Portage Park Gem! • 2 bath, 3 bdrm 1 1/2 story "Bungalow" - MLS® #06727341 $339,500 - Classic Brick Bungalow! Portage Park, Chicago - Well-maintained Portage Park brick bungalow. Three bedrooms and two full baths. If you need room,
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QUARTERBACK REX GROSSMAN GETS ANOTHER CHANCE IN 2007! Lovie Smith made the announcement earlier in the week that Rex Grossman would be the starting QB for the Chicago Bears when they face the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. Although this decision came amidst
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TH E HOLIDAY SEASON IS UPON US! In Chicago there is no better sign than The Mag Mile presenting it's Light Festival on Michigan Avenue, between Oak Streets and Wacker drive. For over forty years, the trees and buildings down Michigan Avenue had been
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THE CHICAGO IL REAL ESTATE MARKET, AND OTHER THINGS CHICAGO, FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF A LITTLE WHITE DOG! Viva Las Vegas, everyone - and Greetings from the 2007 National Association of Realtors Conference and Expo! Boy, oh boy, did Dean & Sue look
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READ ABOUT LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS HERE! EDGEWATER - Kilmer School parents push for traffic light. The intersection of Clark and North Shore is a dangerous intersection that is heavily used by students and parents walking to Kilmer School. About a year
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Chicago, Belmont Heights Neighborhood - Announcing a price reduction on 3429 N. Ozark Avenue , a 3 bath, 4 bdrm 2 story "Updated 2-Story Home!". Now only $369,500! MLS® 06699763 Property information
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WE'RE REPORTING FROM LAS VEGAS, AND THE 2007 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS ANNUAL CONVENTION! Earlier this week, Sue and I joined over 30,000 fellow Realtors (roughly 3% of the estimated 1.1 Million Licensed Realtors throughout the United States)
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HERE'S A TASTY RECIPE FROM IWONA - COMFORTING SOUP! ROASTED YELLOW PEPPER SOUP Recipe Summary Difficulty: Medium Prep Time: 25 minutes Cook Time: 40 minutes Yeld:8 cups Imgredients: 6 large sweet yellow peppers 1 large onion, chopped 1 cup chopped
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MORE LATE FALL HOME AND GARDEN HINTS I hate to sound like a broken record but it’s a good idea to check those gutters one m ore time. We have those supposedly no debris covers on our gutters. Unfortunately, i f you live in or around Chicago you
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KEEP YOUR FAMILY SCHEDULE IN ONE PLACE ONLINE! I come from a big family. And when I say big, I mean HUGE! One of the challenges that seem to happen is that when we all want to get together it is almost impossible to get everyone on a phone call (can you
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There seems to be an interesting trend here in the Chicago IL Real Estate Market - somewhat of an irritation to home sellers and their Listing Agents. More often, buyers are writing the purchase of their new home contingent on the sale of their existing
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Good Morning, Everyone! As Veterans Day is celebrated throughout the U.S. today, please take a minute or two to honor those who serve to protect our freedom at home and abroad. Despite your own personal feelings on conflicts set up by politicians, it
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YOU WON'T SEE THE CUBS DO MUCH THIS WINTER! Well Cub fans it might be another season of false hopes in 2008. With a disappointing exit from the playoffs Cub fans revel in what next season might bring but here come the obvious roadblocks. Jim Hendry
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WE'VE GOT A NEW LOOK! WHAT DO YOU THINK? We hope you like our blog re-design - geared to give you a crisper, easier-to-read look. It also provides links back to our extensive Dean's Team Web Center - offering vital information on every actively
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I was quite surprised the other day after receiving a letter from CitiMortgage demanding a copy of my ORIGINAL 2006 Second Installment Real Estate Tax Bill. They threatened me with DELAYED ESCROW PAYMENT, along with the applicable penalties and interest
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Following up on Lil' Buddy's Blog from Thursday, November 8th , here is a summary of the latest, 2006 Real Estate Tax Figures for selected Dean's Team listings currently active - DEAN'S TEAM LISTING 2005 RE TAXES 2006 RE TAXES % CHANGE
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READ ABOUT LOCAL FESTIVITIES THIS WEEKEND HERE! The Field of Screams Scavenger Hunt The Field Museum of Natural History What fun there is to be had this weekend on the most surreal hunt in Chicago, you'll get a whirlwind tour of this treasure chest
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THE CHICAGO IL REAL ESTATE MARKET, AND OTHER THINGS CHICAGO, FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF A LITTLE WHITE DOG! Being a Little White Dog, and only 2 ½ years old, I haven't been at this Chicago Real Estate Tax game for very long! Usually, however,
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READ ABOUT LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS HERE! CHICAGO - Need for food getting urgent The Greater Chicago Food Depository is launching its very first initiative dubbed "One City, One Food Drive" throughout November and December to help offset the
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November 2007 Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa 28 29 30 31 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Maine South High School District, Park Ridge - Please stop by this Exclusive Preview - Extra-Large 4BR/3BA
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HERE'S A TASTY RECIPE FROM IWONA - TIME FOR DESSERT! BLUEBERRY-LEMON PIE Recipe Summary Difficulty: Easy Prep Time: 15 minutes + 30 minutes cooling Yield: 8 servings Ingredients: 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened 1 pkg (8 oz ) Philadelphia Cream
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60% OF BANKS TIGHTENING STANDARDS FOR "NON-TRADITIONAL" MORTGAGES - JUMBO LOAN ORIGINATIONS DROP! I just spotted this article by Sudeep Reddy in today's Wall Street Journal Online. It reviews a survey, conducted in October, 2007 by the Federal
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ARE YOU READY FOR WINTER? Check for leaks around doors and windows using a candle. If the flame flickers wildly, or worse, blows out, you have a heat loss problem. You can help prevent this with a few inexpensive solutions from your favorite home center.
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NORTH SIDE NEIGHBORHOODS INCLUDE WICKER PARK, LOGAN SQUARE, HUMBOLDT PARK, AND BUCKTOWN Erik Olsen , who tracks these eco-friendly developments across Chicago on his website , identifies 36 Green projects, but that number changes almost daily. "Many
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MORE BUSINESS USE BUT PRACTICAL NONTHELESS! As technology is supposed to make us more and more connected, I find that I still want to talk using an old technology - the phone . Call me old-fashioned or a fuddy-duddy, but the cost of a phone call makes
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Good Morning, Everyone! I spotted an article in yesterday's Chicago Tribune by Reporter Marilyn Kennedy Melia addressing the current "Buyer's Market," and how it's not always easy going for buyers these days. When the housing market
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LOVIE FORCED TO EXAMINE HIS ENTIRE GAME PLAN! The Chicago Bears have a bye week and thus plenty of time to consider what is going on with this team that went to the Super Bowl just nine months ago. Certainly, injuries have taken a toll and continue to
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WOW! TALK ABOUT TALENT AND MOVES . . . This past Sunday my friend and I decided to go see a musical for some fun and relaxation since we couldn't get any tickets to the Chicago Bears v. Detroit Lions game - at least, not reasonably priced ones. So,
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ILLINOIS AND CHICAGO FORECLOSURE ACTIVITY REPORT According to Realty Trac , and data compiled by The Chicago Association of Realtors , Illinois was ranked 15th in the U.S in Residential Foreclosure Filings for the Third Quarter, 2007. Foreclosure rates
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THE CHICAGO IL REAL ESTATE MARKET, AND OTHER THINGS CHICAGO, FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF A LITTLE WHITE DOG! How do you like this picture of me with Grandma Felice - Team Leader Dean's Mom? She was over to visit, and to work, as we distributed flags
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READ ABOUT LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD NEWS HERE! "ALL CHICAGO and ILLINOIS" - The annual State Board of Education has released it's school report cards for each public school in the state. The reports include student scores on the Illinois Standards
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