Flashlight Easter Egg Hunt - Harlow Lockwood Sports Complex located at 3000 W. Jefferson Street in Joliet. Tuesday, April 3rd, 2012 at 6:30pm  Think you’re too old and too cool for typical egg hunts? Here is a hunt just for you! Bring your flashlight and basket and search for eggs in the dark. Hunt will take place rain or shine. Dress appropriately for the weather. Pre-registration is necessary. Participants will be broken into age groups. Children under four must have an adult participate with them. Age 0-4 / 12 - Adult    Deadline is March 30   Cost is $7/$5                 03/20/2012

Such a great house listed at just $79,900!  3 bedroom, 2 bath ranch on a double lot. Central Air and all appliances stay with this cutie! Priced lower than appraised value! To view this home, call Ken Saieg with REMAX Realty of Joliet at 815-741-5656 or kensaieg@remax.net 03/19/2012

       Experience Your Own Home Buying "March Madness"            Ever try to guess when the best day of the week is to buy gas for the car?  Ever try to predict the stock market?  Second-guess Presidential primary winners? How about NCAA "March Madness" Tournament winners?            Oooooo ... all scenarios where even the most skilled, experienced professionals and statisticians struggle at making successful predictions.           I bring this up, not only because the season of "March Madness" is upon us, and guessing "winners" of any kind is currently on a lot of people's minds ... but because I'm hearing lots of questions from clients regarding the timing of locking interest rates.          And although I agree that guessing the winner of primaries, the NCAA tournament, etc., can be... 03/19/2012

    Timely and Important Mortgage Information for Those Wanting to Buy a Home             A short while back, I had the pleasure of doing a blogtalkradio interview with Carra Riley of Cosmic Cowpie.  During that interview, Carra and I covered some very timely and relevant topics regarding how to prepare for your mortgage application and what to expect during your mortgage processing.       Carra Riley was such a great hostess during this interview.  She knew exactly what home buyers want and need to know when entering the housing market and asked great questions.         She guided us through important details and timely financing topics ... topics and info that will help listeners navigate ... or "connect the dots" when buying a home and obtaining a mortgage.       I think you will fin... 03/14/2012

    Is that the smell of sweet success in your home ... Or ???          I'm an advocate of staging services when selling homes.  I think, especially in the present challenging housing market, that sellers often-times need every advantage possible to gain the sale they seek.        I'm also the husband to a chronic migraine sufferer.  And to anyone that knows and loves someone that deals with this horrendous affliction ... you know that many things can prove to be a "trigger" for a headache.  And that includes smells.        It has been said that nothing is more memorable than a smell.  And that can be good ... or bad ...        It only stands to reason, that if a home smells like animals, litter box, stale, musty, or of cigarettes ... many potential buyers are going to balk at buying.  ... 03/09/2012

Home Cooked Meals Delivered Hot To Your Door in the Joliet and Plainfield, IL area. There is now a alternative to fast food and you can find it at Nana Falco's.   Too busy to cook? Looking for home cooked food made from fresh and local ingredients?  Most meals are made to feed a family of four although some of the meals are for a family of two.  Meals include delivery in the Joliet and Plainfield area.   All of the meals are prepared the day they are delivered.  They do NOT use frozen food. All of the food is made by the owner using fresh and local ingredients. You will be able to taste the difference of real home cooked food. It's so much better than processed or fast food. Whether gourmet or a traditional family favorite, all of the dinners are delicious to leave you wanting more. Ple... 03/04/2012

Twenty-nine single family homes sold during the week of February 20-24, 2012. Of the 29 homes, 15 were foreclosures and 6 were short sales leaving only 8 homes as "regular sales." The average home listed at $113,107 and selling at an average of $110,570. Average market time was 163 days. Joliet IL is a city in Will and Kendall Counties, located 40 miles southwest of Chicago and is the county seat of Will County. As of the 2010 census, the city of Joliet was the fourth-most populated in Illinois with a population of 147,433.   03/01/2012

    How to Best Prepare Your Credit and Financial Position BEFORE Beginning a Home Search Part 2          Yesterday, I wrote Part 1 to this post.  In that portion of this blog, I covered WHY it's important to Plan and Prepare for your home buying/mortgage financing well in advance to actually seeking your mortgage pre-approval or home search.        I also explained and listed what credit/debt, financial documents, and information you will need to gather and then supply to me/your lender when you reach that stage of seeking your mortgage pre-approval.        In this, Part 2 of my continuing blog, I reiterate the importance of adhering to the guidelines provided, especially if you're a first-time home buyer, never having been through the home buying/mortgage financing process before.    ... 03/01/2012

Dates: Mar. 5, 2012 - Mar. 5, 2012 Times: 8:00 pm Category: Performing Arts Location: Rialto Square Theatre, 102 N. Chicago St., Joliet, IL 60432Phone:815-726-6600 This live concert show combines the comedy and the hits from the original movie and pays homage to Chicagos rich history of blues, gospel and soul music. Performed with the passion and precision that is the trademark of the original Blues Brothers Band. Featuring original Blues Bros. band members: Tom Bones Malone Matt Guitar Murphy Blue Lou Marini Plus special guest, Otis Day (Animal House) 02/29/2012

Students star in the beloved tale. Tickets available through school: Special Sunday Jungle Party and matinee package $14. Performance Dates: Thursday, March 1st - 7:00pm   Friday, March 2nd -7:00pm   Saturday, March 3rd - 7:00pm   Sunday, March 4th - 2:00pm   Performances will be at the Bicentennial Theater in Joliet. Ticket Information: Adult ticket $8.00   Child/senior/student $5.00   Jungle Party & Sunday Matinee $14.00 (see below)   To pre-order tickets or for more information call 815-485-2136 ext 3323 or email theatre@providencecatholic.orgJungle Party on Sunday, March 4 This combo package includes a Jungle Live Animal Show from 12:00 - 1:30 PM and tickets to the Sunday matinee at 2:00 PM. Tickets for the Jungle Party combo MUST be pre-ordered.The animal show is presented by Anim... 02/29/2012

The show is a multi-media concert event with state of-the-art sound, superb lighting and giant screens, featuring video clips, live camera image and stunning graphics. The Australian Bee-Gees Show have captured the look, the sound and the personality that defines one of the most successful and adored acts in musical history. The show is presented from a contemporary perspective and has evolved to become the definitive live celebration of five decades of wonderful music written by the Brothers Gibb.   Dates: Mar. 3, 2012 - Mar. 3, 2012 Times: 8:00 pm Category: Performing Arts Location: Rialto Square Theatre, 102 N. Chicago St., Joliet, IL 60432Phone: 815-726-6600 02/29/2012

    Good News to Share   Regarding My Services!       02/27/2012

Joliet Park District is holding a Spring Arts & Crafts Fair Come out to see the new spring collection of homemade arts and crafts! These handcrafted items will include a wide array of gifts to choose from - whether you are shopping for yourself, family or friends. Shop early for Mother's Day! If you are a vendor, you can rent a 10x10 booth space. Go to www.jolietpark.org or call 815-741-PARK (7275) for more information. Fair is held in the Multi-Purpose Center (gym) on Saturday, April 14th from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.   02/22/2012

I was contacted by a buyer asking about a 4 flat in Joliet. Before I do ANYTHING, I ask that buyer to get preapproved. I will not show properties unless I know they can write an offer.  He contacted me DECEMBER 19, 2011! I repeatedly told him I needed to make sure he could purchase the property before showing it to him. I constantly checked in with him. I followed up with him on Monday and he said he was (finally) going to get around to going to the website I suggested to get preapproved. Today I rec'd this email from him: Well it looks like that one is sold and it was the only one I was interested in because it belonged to my uncle. If I have any future interest in a property, I will contact you. Thanks a lot. My response was to him "You had 2 months to get preapproved and you could ha... 02/21/2012

Twenty-two homes sold during the month of January, 2012 in Joliet. Homes ranged from $100,000 to $175,000. Of the twenty-two homes sold, 11 were foreclosures and 5 were short sales. The average sold price was $139,366 with a list price average of $143,209. The sold properties closed averaging 97.32% of their final list price (FLP). This is only a 2.68% difference between property sales prices and their FLP's. Average market time was 157 days. 02/21/2012

Sixteen homes sold during the week of Feb 13 - 17, 2012 in Joliet. Of the 16 homes, 4 were foreclosures and 3 were short sales. Prices ranged from $30,000 to $209,900. Average home sold at $110,234 with the average asking/list price was $117,775. Sold properties closed averaging 93.6% of their Final List Price. This reflects a 6.4% difference between property sale prices and their Final List Price. Average market tim was 133 days on the market.   02/21/2012

This is a downtown restaurant/business inspired event, the fourth in a series. This is a wine, cheese and chocolate food tour and will include a wine sample and cheese pairings at three of the locations and delicious chocolate offerings at two of the locations. It is a walking tour although shuttle service will be available free of charge. Participants include: McBrody's Bar and Grill, Thayers 158 North, Chicago Street Pub, GJI's Sweet Shoppe and The Department. There will be prizes and raffles at each location beginning at 8:30 pm. Dates: Feb. 16, 2012 - Feb. 16, 2012 Times: 5:30 to 8:30 pm Category: Dining Location: five locations on tour - all in close proximity, 116 North Chicago Street, Suite 101, Joliet, il 60432 02/10/2012

Set in the court of Henry II, King of England at Christmas of 1183. This comic drama heats up as the royals play a high stakes game of check and mate for power and love. February 10 - 12, 2012 Fridays & Saturdays 8:00pm, Sundays 2:00pm Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park, 201 W. Jefferson Street in Joliet  877-534-1933 02/10/2012

    Locking-In Your Interest Rate For Your Mortgage Financing     What You Should Know ...                 One of the most confusing aspects of the mortgage financing process comes when it's time to  "lock-in"  an interest rate on a loan.         Purely trying to explain the "hows, whens, and whys" of enacting a "lock-in" of a rate ... especially while talking over the phone or communicating via technology ... can confuse the heck out of most clients.  Nevermind when you start to add multiple mortgage programs comparisons ... or several different mortgage lenders  into the mix.       I presently have a potential client that is struggling through this portion of her initial financing inquiries right now.  She's narrowed her mortgage lender choice down to myself and one other lender. It's... 02/07/2012

    Mortgage Terminology ... Definitions to Help You Better Navigate Your Home Buying and Mortgage Transaction          Words ...       That's all clients hear, if they don't understand the meaning of the words being used or thrown at them.  And that leads to frustration, lack of action, confusion, and loss of interest ... something totally and completely maddening, plus a waste of time, should you be the potential client.                   They MAY be hearing ya, but you're not getting through!             As a mortgage lender, I must keep in mind the fact that my clients (and referral partners) don't deal in the terminology of mortgages each and every second like I do.  The abbreviations and industry-wide knicknames that I know so well, may be completely unfamiliar to those outside of... 01/19/2012