Struggling to Make your Mortgage? Don't Wait to Short Sale your home!

We see this all the time.  Good, hard working homeowners throughout the USA find themselves in financial straits.  Struggling to make "ends" meet.  

Does this sound like you or anyone you know?  You are not alone! WE CAN HELP!!

We Specialize in Helping Good People get out of Bad Situations.  We work with Short Sale Negotiators and Attorneys that have a track record of successfully navigating the Short Sale nightmare. 

Let us help you close this awful chapter and move on to new beginnings.

What is a Short Sale?  A Short Sale occurs when a homeowner needs to sell their property due to financial hardship and the current Market Value of the Property,  is LESS than what the homeowner owes on the liens on the property.  A Short sale also includes realtor fees, transfer taxes and other closing costs needed to sell the property.

Increase the success of the short sale - the best thing a seller can do is start now. Don't wait, time is of the essence!

• If you are in process of a refinance or re-modification of your home, and this has taken longer than 2 months to get an answer from the bank...Call us today! 
• If you have made your payments, but know the finances are going downhill and struggling is imminent.  Call us today!
• If you barely made the last few payments.  Call us today!
• If you have received a notice of default from your lender.  Call us today!
• If you have been served with Sheriffs Sale/Foreclosure Date.   Call us today!

Don't Wait - Increase Success of Short Sale - Call today!

DON'T let your home go to Foreclosure!   

There IS a better way to save your credit - Short Sale is the lesser of two evils - call us today!

We are licensed in Illinois and provide real estate referrals throughout the USA and can help! 

Contact Jeff and Robin McGinn 

mcginnhomes@comcast.net

888-838-5656  tollfree

630-977-0677  Robin cell

630-890-1587 Jeff cell

Find us on Facebook!

JUST LISTED! Only $160k 484 Julia Drive Romeoville IL

Just Listed!  Short Sale priced right at $160,000!
See Virtual Tour Here

3 bedroom, 2.1 bath, 2 car garage with 

full unfinished basement.  

Bring your offer, this one owner home is 

ready to move.

Plainfield Schools and a short drive to 

Weber and I55 for easy expressway access.  

Lots of shopping nearby!  

Call Robin at 630-977-0677 

for more information and personal tour. 

#romeoville #plainfield #illinois #shortsale
484 Julia Drive Romeoville IL 60446

Listing Courtesy of Robin McGinn 888-838-5656  RE/MAX Impact  1112 E. 9th Street Lockport, IL 60441

JUST LISTED! Roscoe Village 2 bedroom Loft Home for rent

NEW RENTAL AVAILABLE JUNE 15!

On your Mobile Device? For More Information on this property located at 1800 W. Roscoe Avenue #222 Chicago, IL 60657 Click Here  

Exceptional Pencil Factory Loft Home in coveted Roscoe Village. Spacious, Light and Bright – Tons of windows, 12’ high ceilings and exposed brick. 

Completely updated with Hardwood floors. Stainless Steel appliances include Viking Range, Kitchen Aid Dishwasher and Refrigerator. 

In unit laundry. Security Bldg has elevator, exercise room, roof deck, yard, and pet-friendly. 

1 block to El, walk to Whole foods, Trader Joe's, eateries, shops and Wrigley Field!

Available June 15, 2012  $2800/month   MLS# 08025537

Call Robin at 888-838-5656 to schedule your personal tour

For More Information or to Schedule your Personal Tour Online:  1800 W. Roscoe Avenue #222 Chicago IL 60657

Listing Courtesy of Robin McGinn 888-838-5656 mcginnhomes@comcast.net
RE/MAX IMPACT 1112 E. 9th Street Lockport, IL 60441 

What would you do with $50,000?

Mortgage Madness Sweeps Rules

Having a mortgage is not necessary to qualify.

To learn more - visit http://www.housingwire.com/blog/hgtvs-mortgage-madness-sweepstakes-doesnt-require-you-have-mortgage

10 Things that Make Your House Smell Amazing

 

10 Things that Make Your House Smell Amazing

Smell is an important sense in home sales - we've smelled fresh baked cookies, breads, and even turkey with stuffing during our buyer home visits! What smell from the kitchen is soothing and makes you feel at home? 

Source: www.thekitchn.com/10-things-to-cook-that-will-ma-134266

Are we the only ones who pause outside of a Subway because the baking bread smells so good? They're no fools; they know that a delicious scent can pull you in. Same goes for our kitchens. Certain foods—both sweet and savory—give of those comforting, familiar aromas that make us pause, breathe deeply, and sigh. Here are 10 we love.

TOP ROW:
• 1. A sweet, too-buttery treat. Something about a butter-laden pastry seems to smell even more enticing to us than your average banana bread or chocolate chip cookie. These Kugelhopf Breakfast Rolls would get us out of bed at any hour.
• 2. These work, too.
• 3. Bread. Is there anything more simple and soulful for making your house smell delicious? Here's a great, step-by-step tutorial as well as a guide to No-Knead Bread.
• 4. Something braised. Several hours of long, low-heat cooking makes the aroma permeate every corner of your house. Our favorite is a pork shoulder with onions and carrots.
• 5. Mulled wine. Great to have warming on a stovetop during a party.

BOTTOM ROW:
• 6. Caramelized onions. They start out oniony, then turn sweet as they cook—a perfect smell to come home to, in our opinion, and you can use them in so many ways. Try these Florida Butter Beans with Caramelized Onions and Bacon.
• 7. Ginger. Similar to onion and garlic... throw in some ginger and the fragrance takes on a whole new dimension. We also love the smell of fresh, raw ginger grated on the countertop.
• 8. And speaking of ginger... Gingerbread has the sweet, spicy, warm scent that makes us think of winter.
• 9. Sausage. One of our favorite savory smells, whether it's frying in a pan or added to pasta.
• 10. Popcorn!

Your turn: What are your favorite smells in the kitchen?

 

Ready to Buy or Sell Property in 2012?

Thinking about Making a Move in 2012?   We're here to help!

Sellers:
Call 888-838-5656 for Service Request or copy this link into your browser. http://goo.gl/mL3oL

Buyers:
Call 888-838-5656 and lets talk about your new home plans or copy this link into your browser. http://goo.gl/Jn23x

Whether you are looking to Buy, Sell, Rent or Invest, we look forward to helping with all your real estate needs!

We provide Full Service Real Estate Services with Sincerity and Commitment to Client Satisfaction.

Jeff and Robin McGinn
Owner/Broker and Broker/Associate
mcginnhomes@comcast.net
Jeff 630-890-1587   www.jmcginn.illinoisproperty.com
Robin 630-977-0677    www.rmcginn.illinoisproperty.com
Toll free 888-838-5656

Serving Greater Chicagoland including but not limited to Will, DuPage, Cook, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Kendall Counties. Agents Serving Your Area.

 Read more: http://chicago.ebayclassifieds.com/real-estate-services/lockport/ready-to-buy-or-sell-property-in-2012/?ad=17878200#ixzz1pbmHTHmM

Signs of a Rebounding Housing Market

Home Builders are suddenly busy again - A sign that our housing market is on the rebound!   Here in Illinois, we are seeing increasing buyer activity for both new construction and resale properties.  See below for an article from timesunion.com

NEW YORK — Charles Ruma is suddenly busy. His company, Virginia Homes, is getting five to 10 visits from prospective homebuyers each weekend. During the last three years, he was lucky to get five in a month.

Through the housing crisis, the challenges of big regional and national homebuilders such as Beazer Homes USA Inc. and Toll Brothers Inc. were widely broadcast. But the devastation also was acute for many private homebuilders and other small businesses that are part of the housing industry. Ruma is one of many smaller homebuilders now seeing early signs that the housing industry is recovering.

"It's very encouraging to see traffic coming out," Ruma says. Between the houses that the central Ohio builder signed contracts on in the second half of 2011 and the homes it expects to sell between now and July, he estimates that the company will have 21 closings this year. That would be Virginia Homes' best performance since 2009 when it sold 12 homes. The company sold just six in 2010 and seven last year.

The collapse of the housing market in 2007 pushed many small builders out of business. The National Association of Home Builders went from 220,000 members in 2006 to its current 140,000. Now, a strengthening job market is encouraging prospective buyers to get back into the market. Stonecrest Homes, an Atlanta-based builder, sold 18 houses in January and February, up from two in the first two months of 2011, according to Jim Chapman, the company's chief financial officer. The Atlanta area was one of the hardest hit by the housing market crash.

Even builders who aren't selling more homes yet say they are noticing more interest from potential homebuyers.

"They seem very serious about buying," says Sean Junker, president of Providence Homes in Jacksonville, Fla.

But it's way too early to declare the housing crisis over. The Commerce Department said 304,000 new homes were sold in 2011, the lowest on records that go back to 1963. Sales also fell in January. However, the overall housing market is getting better — sales of previously occupied homes have been rising.

Patrick Driscoll, a contractor who does home remodeling on the coast of New Hampshire, says business in his industry is also inconsistent.

"People with money have been able to do projects," he says. For other homeowners, "the thought of putting money into the home and not getting it back (when they sell) is pretty scary."

Central Reclamation, a demolition and construction contractor in Los Angeles, is working continuously again after getting new jobs only every two to three months for the past 2½ to three years. But owner Ron Fox isn't breathing easy just yet. He worries that business will be good for six months, and then "we'll go through another 2 ½ years of what we just went through."

Still, builders and contractors have reason to be cautiously optimistic. In addition to demolition, Central Reclamation has a growing business in drilling into hillsides so houses can be built there. Builders are taking advantage of any land they can find in sought-after neighborhoods — even if it means boring into rough terrain to put up a house.

"We've already done (as much work) this year as what we did the whole of last year," Fox says.
Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/business/article/Signs-build-of-rebound-in-the-housing-market-3410922.php#ixzz1pJwbrCv6

Just Listed! 2798 Bay Court New Lenox, Illinois

2798 Bay Court NEW LENOX, IL 60451 Finished basement is perfect for In-Law or Related Living! Must See! SLIDESHOW VIEW A VIRTUAL TOUR SPECIAL FEATURES Asking Price: $359,000 MLS Number: 08012878 Bedrooms: 5 Bathrooms: 3.1 Approx. Sq. Ft.: 2800 DESCRIPTION HOT AREA, GREAT VALUE! LINCOLNWAY H.S and BLUESTONE BAY Former Model home now features 5 bedrooms & 3.1 baths! Cathedral ceilings MBR, HW floors in Kitchen & Foyer, 3 car garage, A/C, Masonry Fireplace, Intercom W/CD, Sprinkler Sys. Now with bright FULL FINISHED basement perfect for entertaining or related living - Insulated floors, full kitchen, bedroom w/WIC, full bath in bsmt. Make your appt today, won't last SELLER CONTACT INFORMATION Robin McGinn Agency: RE/MAX IMPACT Cell: 630-977-0677 Website: http://rmcginn.illinoisproperty.com/MRD8012878 ADDITIONAL PROPERTY IMAGES

Full Details

http://www.lombardanddupagehomes.com/listing/mlsid/153/propertyid/08012878/syndicated/1/cgltguid/0BE538DC-E64D-4D57-A251-BA68F0F0E0C5/?ts=crg

Listing Courtesy of Robin McGinn 888-838-5656 RE/MAX IMPACT 1112 E. 9th Street Lockport, IL 60441

Why is a Preapproval Letter Needed?

Why is a Preapproval Letter important for us to have on file before we begin looking at  new homes?   We are committed 110% to buyers that are Qualified to purchase, and talking with a lender is a necessary first step.   Get Preapproved, and then call us, we'll hit the ground running on your new home purchase in Illinois!  


It's a Loan Officer, Not a Serial Killer!

Scenario #1. You call a real estate agent because you saw a house online and would like more info. Agent describes the house and you get excited, it sounds exactly like what you're looking for. You say, "I gotta see this house! When can we go?" Agent's response, "Have you been in contact with a Loan Officer?"

Scenario #2. You and your spouse have been driving around the city, looking for "for sale" signs in front of houses that you're interested in. This is one of the areas you've always wished you could buy your first house in. House looks great. There's even some young kids playing basketball next door. They seem to be right about the same ages as your kids. Your wife dials the number on the sign. "Hi, this is Eric. How can I help you?" "Um, hi. We were wondering if you could tell us more about the house at 123 Perfect Lane?" After hearing all about the house, you've just gotta see the inside! When you ask, the response is "Do you have a pre-qualification letter from a lender yet?"

Scenario #3. You just got a raise at your job. The lease is just about up on your apartment, and a few of your friends have purchased homes recently. It's your turn. You sign up for lists of homes from a dozen real estate sites. They're all the same lists, but whatever. You thought there might be something special out there and you didn't want to miss it. You find a few that you want to look at. That's when you call your friend, who's been in the business for a while. You tell him that it'll be cool to hang out and look at some homes, maybe get a few beers afterward. Friend agrees and says, "Before we hook up, have you talked to a lender yet? If not, I have a few that I've worked with in the past that I could recommend, because we need to make sure you get pre-approved before we start looking at homes."

See the pattern here?
There's a reason that we want you to talk to a Loan Officer before we go out to look at homes. A few reasons, actually.

• You need to take a look at your credit history. Lenders have minimum credit scores that need to be met before lending money for a house.
• You might think that you can afford a certain amount, only to learn you have to look at homes that are a lot lower than you thought. Conversely, maybe you can qualify for more than you thought, and your dream house just got a lot nicer. Looking at homes that you could never qualify for is depressing. Trust me.
• We run a business. We don't get paid unless you purchase a house. If you can't purchase, we can't waste our time, money or resources. It doesn't make business sense.

Debt to income ratios, time on your job and amount needed are a few more things that they Loan Officer will have to figure out before determining how much, and IF you can qualify for a mortgage loan.
Sometimes it's scary to find out what your credit is, or what you can truly afford. Sometimes it's even better to continue renting for a while to save up more money for that down payment or to pay off a few credit cards. The Loan Officer will help determine the best strategy for you.
Ultimately, a trustworthy Loan Officer is an integral part in the house/condo buying process. They can be an ally. As long as you remember, It's a Loan Officer, Not a Serial Killer!

Reblogged via Eric Michael, CDPE -Real Estate & Short Sale Professional 734.564.1519 (Remerica Integrity, Realtors®, Northville, MI)


By the way, we have terrific lenders and other transaction partners to assist with the home buying process.  Let Jeff and Robin know if you would like a referral.  630-977-0677 or 888-838-5656   

So you want to sell your home? Here's an important question...

Do you want your Home to Sit, or to Sell? 

While touring homes with clients the other day, we walked out of a home and one of my buyers stopped...turned to me...and asked: "They don't really want to move, do they?"

"Why do you say that?" I answered.  (Not so shocked, actually, but wanted to hear what they had to say....)

"Well for starters, we know you've been trying to schedule this for us several times, and the sellers wanted us to come today so we had to rearrange our schedule so we could see it.  Then we get in there, and the sellers don't leave.  Aren't they supposed to leave the house?  Why don't they have a box thingy on the door like the other homes do?   How uncomfortable that was to look at that home with people in the house, I felt like we were intruding."

....he continues....

"And it startled me when the Seller showed up around the corner to tell us the basement never flooded since they lived there.   Out of politeness we responded to them 'Thank you' and then for the rest of our visit, they kept appearing throughout the home. 


"And to top it off, this home is priced above all the other properties we saw, and with more days on market...so it's obvious to me they don't even want to sell, they want to stay, right?!"


DING DING DING!       
It amazes me how quickly a buyer will come to this conclusion...yet it takes sellers months, and sometimes years to get the picture. 

The sellers did absolutely EVERY thing wrong here, and apparently are not listening to their real estate agent.  You remember the listing agent, right?  The person hired to sell your property?  The one that gave you all this important advice to help in the sale of your home that you dismissed?  The person that works tirelessly to get buyers intrigued and excited to look at your home?  

Then when those buyers finally get in the door....besides overpricing your property to sell sit,  Mr and Mrs. Seller does absolutely the WORST things you can do for the sale of their home.  They dooooooon't leeeeaaaaave!




So...if you want to SELL your Home, and not let it Sit - Listen up, sparky!

1. PRICE it RIGHT!   Price your home to SELL, and NOT to SIT!  If your home is on market over 90 days, serious price adjustments need to be made. You...do...want to sell, right? 
2. Let us put a SIGN up in your yard.  Selling your home should not be a secret.  Let's let everyone know it's available for sale!  You never know when someone driving down the street or living on the next block has friends or family that want to move into the neighborhood.   
3. Allow showings when the BUYERS want to see the home.  They should never be requested to change their visit to a specific time.  Reasonable hours?  10am to 8pm should do it, 7 days a week.  2 hour notice okay.  Don't restrict showing hours to evenings only,  days only, or weekends only.  Make access easy.  
4. Know that...if we see a home for 24-48 hour notice that is Owner Occupied...and if this is a client's eager request...we make it happen.   But sellers, please note:  we may skip your home and look at more easily accessible properties.  Truth be told, we can't SELL a home we can't SHOW.  When that buyer is ready to write an offer, don't you want them to have seen your home first?  To be a contender?     
5. For heaven's sake - let us place a lockbox on your home.  You should not make contact of any kind with the buyer or their agent.  Give your agent a key to put in the box and get out.  Let the home sell itself. 
6. GET OUT.  GET OUT!  GET OUT!  (Did we say GET OUT?) When showings are scheduled, plan your grocery trips, take a bike ride, go for a drive, walk the dog, visit a neighbor.  Be anywhere but in your home. Let the buyers agent do what they do best, and let the home sell itself. Puuhleeeeze don't stay to chit chat, they don't need to hear your list of what you did to the home since you bought it.  You are talking your potential buyers OUT of buying your home, believe-you-me.  Don't distract.
7. Listen to the realtor feedback from your showings.  Much of what you receive will be good information.  Agreed, some will be worthless, but take it in stride.  It is not a personal insult, and no, we don't expect you to move a wall or remodel your kitchen.  However, as buyers agents, we may tour as many as 100+ homes a week.  We know your competition.  If you want to compete, you need to get in the game. 

So...we ask again...

do you want your home to Sit, or to Sell?  

When you are Serious and Ready to Sell your home or property in Illinois, give us a call at 630-977-0677.

Jeff and Robin McGinn

630-890-1587 or 630-977-0677   

Toll Free Illinois  888-838-5656

mcginnhomes@comcast.net

Serving the Northern Illinois and entire Chicagoland area