January 2006 
There are 6 blog entries for January 2006.
Oak Lawn Home Sold in One Day!
Monday, January 30th, 2006 at 12:51pm. 474 Views, 0 Comments.
Sorry folks, but the brick ranch in Oak Lawn Illinois got sold in one day with 10 offers to choose from! Please check out currently available Oak Lawn homes for sale.
For a full MLS search click here: Oak Lawn MLS
So you don't miss a great listing like this (we had 2 offers within hours of it going on market), fill out my quick & easy Home Finder Search form.
Sellers, the market will be getting busier as we get closer to our spring season. Find out what your home is worth now by filling out my free Market Analysis which you will receive via e-mail.
Oak Lawn Home For Sale
Sunday, January 29th, 2006 at 1:28pm. 420 Views, 0 Comments.
UPDATE - This Oak Lawn home sold for $210,000!
This great brick 3 bedroom home sits on a dead end street in a great Oak Lawn area that is walking distance to 2 shopping malls (including Westfield Mall) and transportation. It is on an oversized 77'x130' foot lot.
The inside is cozy with a separate eating area that features a large picture window for a view of the huge back yard. The separate cooking area has lots of cabinets and is open to the dinette.
A One-Year Home Warranty is being provided. This great home has gas forced air heat plus central air. All appliances remain.
This home is sold but if you're interested in Oak Lawn homes click the link and you'll see all available listings without having to do a search.
Top Home Buyer Mistakes
Wednesday, January 18th, 2006 at 12:21pm. 299 Views, 0 Comments.
I received an e-mail newsletter from the Illinois Association of Realtors® and there was an interesting list from a local agent, Mark Nash. I'd like to quote his Top Buyer Mistakes and give my opinion after each one:
- Bought properties to flip at top-of-market prices: I still can't figure out why buyers do this. Maybe if a buyer timed the purchase around the beginning of the seller's market 3-5 years ago, they might have seen a substantial profit. In our local market things are slowing and I've already seen homes purchased and quickly put back on market at a higher price (after some renovating) sitting and not selling.
- Utilized interest-only mortgages, paying top-of-market prices: I consider this to be two separate issues. I
14 More Trains on Metra Southwest Line
Sunday, January 8th, 2006 at 6:57pm. 346 Views, 0 Comments.
Unfortunately, the new schedule does not include any extra weekend service. Metra offered 16 trains a day and is now up to 30 during the week. Click the link for an online schedule (will open a new window with the Orland Park stop at 143rd as an example).
The new lines will start January 30, 2006, and offer addtional service to Manhattan and New Lenox. Although many southwest Chicago suburbs were hoping for additional weekend service, a Metra spokesman said the budget for this expansion left nothing for the weekends.
It's too bad as I live about 2 blocks from a brand new Metra station. Although I don't work downtown it would be nice to be able to jump on the train for a weekend event instead of having to drive and park. I guess that is
…Another Lost Chicago Icon - Trader Vic's
Wednesday, January 4th, 2006 at 7:37pm. 472 Views, 0 Comments.
Hopefully, it's not completely lost. But the original Trader Vic's that resided in the Palmer House will end its long stay, since 1957, and open one or two new Trader Vic's elsewhere in the Chicago area.
I remember going to Trader Vic's once with a former employer. I ordered a drink that featured a gardenia floating in it that came with a pin so I could wear it. This was in the 70's and since that visit gardenias became my favorite flower.
I really can't remember the setting anymore, although it was Polynesian style. And my boss told me the story of how in the past the only way a woman could enter was in the company of a man! I've tried doing a quick search but I can't find anything to verify this.
Something I have learned is that
…Loss of a Chicago Icon - Marshall Fields
Tuesday, January 3rd, 2006 at 7:42pm. 631 Views, 0 Comments.
I think everyone knows that Marshall Fields will have a name change to Macy's sometime this Fall. Many people are 
extremely upset with this change. Although I am very sentimental and have great (mainly Christmas shopping) memories of Marshall Field's, this news doesn't bother me all that much.
I was never a Marshall Field's shopper. I argued with those that truly believed that items purchased through the store was of better quality. That might have been true about some items but most brand names that could be found in other stores were usually higher priced at Marshall Field's.
Another thing I couldn't understand is the fact that people that could afford to invest in stocks & bonds were excited to earn an annual return in the lowest of
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