I have earned the nationally recognized Short Sales and Foreclosure Resource certification. The National Association of REALTORS^® offers the SFR certification to REALTORS^® who want to help both buyers and sellers navigate these complicated transactions, as demand for professional expertise with distressed sales grows.

According to a recent NAR survey, nearly one-third of all existing homes sold recently were either short sales or foreclosures.  For many real estate professionals, short sales and foreclosures are the new “traditional” transaction.  REALTORS^® who have earned the SFR certification know how to help sellers maneuver the complexities of short sales as well as help buyers pursue short sale and foreclosure opportunities.

“As leading advocates for homeownership, REALTORS^® believe that any family that loses its home to foreclosure is one family too many, but unfortunately, there are situations in which people just cannot afford to keep their homes, and a foreclosure or a short sale results,” said 2009 NAR President Charles McMillan, a broker with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Dallas-Fort Worth. “Foreclosures and short sales can offer opportunities for home buyers and benefit the larger community, as well, but it’s extremely important to have the help of a real estate professional like a REALTOR^® who has earned the SFR certification for these kinds of purchases.”

The certification program includes training on how to qualify sellers for short sales, negotiate with lenders, protect buyers, and limit risk, and provides resources to help REALTORS^® stay current on national and state-specific information as the market for these distressed properties evolves. To earn the SFR certification, REALTORS^Ò are required to take one core course and three Webinars.  For more information about the SFR certification, visit www.REALTORSFR.org or call 1-877-510-7855.

Interest rates are low. Home prices are low. And the federal tax credit extension, which applies not only to first time buyers but also to current homeowners, is expected to generate more home sales.

However, this storm will pass. The tax credit expires April 30, 2010. The Federal Reserve, which has been buying up mortgage-backed securities from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, will stop purchasing the securities by the end of March. Once that happens, all economists agree it will drive rates up by .75 percent, and reduce affordability for thousands of buyers.

Now is the time to sell and buy!

In addition, many leading economists now say that the real estate market is showing strong signs of stability.

Yet, the real estate market remains a challenge. It is evident that if a home is priced well, and marketed correctly, then there’s an increased chance of selling in a declining market.

If sellers price and market properly, buyers will note the value, inventories will be reduced to a level where demand and supply evens out and the market becomes balanced.

Many buyers are asking how long has the property been on the market and how much has the price dropped. In other words, buyers more than ever are searching for value – a deal. It’s more important than ever for sellers to create and market the perception of value.

As an experienced Realtor and Appraiser, I have an eye for value – real and potential. I also have the experience and knowledge to gather, analyze and interpret complex real estate data – a value to any buyer and seller. In addition, I have a successfully proven method to sell homes using an effective customized and innovative marketing and advertising plan that has helped my clients get the most money for their homes in the least stressful and smoothest transactions possible.

A top producer in sales, I have been selling, buying and appraising real estate full-time for more than nine years.

Call me for a free consultation. I can help answer any question about the market, tell you exactly what to do to prepare and market your home and assist with pricing your home.

      Closed sales 

Copyright 2010 MRED LLC – INFORMATION NOT GUARANTEED, CHECK FLOOD INSURANCE, ROOM SIZES ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST FOOT

      Pending sales 

Copyright 2010 MRED LLC – INFORMATION NOT GUARANTEED, CHECK FLOOD INSURANCE, ROOM SIZES ROUNDED TO THE NEAREST FOOT

Based on information from Midwest Real Estate Data for the period  Jan. 27, 2010 through Jan. 31, 2010. Listing and solds by various participants of MRED. For more real estate information, please call me at 847-512-2724 or email me at TPareti@rubloff.com

My wife and I last month trekked to the Chicago Auto Show with our kids in tow. We figured that with the tax incentives for hybrid cars that Congress passed in the gargantuan economic stimulus bill it would be a good time to see what’s out there. And, why not save money on gas and help the environment at the same time. We’re resourceful like that.

 Of course, our time would be limited because three and five-year-olds have little patience for car shopping.

First stop, the electric hybrid Chevy Volt. We wiggled our way through a small crowd hovering around the Volt – a shiny, slick machine that was perched on a well-lit stage. The nice lady, as my five-year-old put it, gave the crowd a demo.

The Volt could travel up to 40 miles without recharging – a nice feature since most Americans, she said, travel less than 40 miles per day. Simply plug the car in a common household outlet, and in a few hours – voila – the Volt is recharged and ready to go. It all sounded futuristic but the only problem was the Volt would not be ready for sale until late 2010. Also, no one could tell me what the price tag would be.

I collared one rep and asked for a ballpark figure. He said the Volt would probably cost in the $40,000 range but he added, “Don’t quote me.”

Ooops.

Next stop, the popular Toyota Prius –a battery/gas hybrid. When I got to the only model on display, there were two people sitting inside. Time was of the essence with small kids, so I hopped into the passenger seat. Bob, the driver, and Mary, in the backseat, didn’t seem to mind the intrusion. Bob said his neighbor has a Prius and he wanted to see what the fuss was about. Mary said the backseat had plenty of leg room. She joked that Bob was driving too fast (those annoying backseat drivers are all the same). After about 10 minutes of joking around, I bid farewell to my new hybrid car friends and raced back to base camp, near a Toyota concept car, circulating on stage.

When I got there, a few Toyota reps were going ga ga over my cute three-year-old who had placed her “snuggly” she named, “Support,” on stage. Support was slowly going around in circles, catching the eyes of onlookers. One Good Samaritan decided to pick up the snuggly and give it back but we waved him off. The kids were happy. Happy kids meant more time to explore.

So, as the kids played their new game, I searched for the new hybrid Ford Fusion, another battery/gas car. There were none on display. The rep said the hybrid Fusion would be available in late spring, and would cost in the upper $20,000 range.

When I got back to base camp, the meltdown had begun. Not even giant salty pretzels could buy more time. They were bored, tired and whiny. It was time to leave. We loaded the kids into our gas guzzling carbon-emitting Dodge Caravan, and headed home.

One month later, we’re still confused as what to do. Should we buy a hybrid Prius or Fusion, knowing that battery technology will improve in next year’s models? Should we wait until next year when the electric hybrid Volt is available? Or, should we wait for Honda’s new hydrogen car – the FCX Clarity – that could travel up to 280 miles without filling up?

On second thought, I could use a new bicycle.

My aim is to write informative and fresh pieces on a variety of real estate-related topics about Evanston and the North Shore. I am hopeful that this site will be a useful and valuable resource to Evanstonians and anyone interested about Evanston and the North Shore.

I am excited about this web blog for many reasons but primarily that I am able to apply my journalistic skills once again. For more than 10 years, I had worked as a reporter and editor for several newspapers and legal publications as well as a full-time stringer for the Chicago Tribune. I have also as a freelance writer contributed to several legal publications, including Paralegal Today. In addition, I earned a Master of Science degree in journalism from Texas A&M University.

To be honest, I’m not sure how this web blog will evolve. Will I spend more time writing about people, places or businesses or will I focus primarily on the real estate market? I’m not sure at this point. Only time will tell. But I do know I will be focused on trying to make this site interesting and fresh.

Some of the features of this web blog include an easy to use property search and links that are conveniently categorized for those who are looking for something to do in Evanston – museums, theatres, movies or live music. Also, I will at the end of each post include the current closed properties so that readers can get up-to-date property closings in Evanston and the North Shore.

I hope you enjoy this web blog and please feel free to post your comments. I’d love to read your opinions and share your ideas.

Today’s closed properties:
2216 Madison Place – Evanston-sold for $250,000
2615 Prairie #204- Evanston – sold for $542,719
436 Prairie Ave. – Wilmette – sold for $550,000
1254 Ridge- Lake Forest – sold for $1,225,000
Based on information from Midwest Real Estate Data for the period Jan. 12, 2009 through Jan. 14, 2009. Listing and solds by various Participants of MRED.

For more real estate information, please call me at 847-512-2724 or email me at TPareti@rubloff.com