How do you bury a St. Joseph statue? Which way? How come? Does it work?

There have been many questions recently to me on how this should be done. There is an over abundance of instructions on the internet and some of them are just not correct or what I've been told how to do it in the past. If you're gonna do it - let's do it right!

So let's start out by answering the 'How Come?'

The history behind the tradition to bury a statue of Saint Joseph is hundreds of years old (A.D. 1515-1582). It began in Europe with nuns at a Cloister needed to expand their land, and after a prayer to St. Joseph they buried medals of him in the ground. After a short time their prayers had been heard and they got more land. This old story has lived on until today but on the tradition has changed from burying medals to burying statues.

St. Joseph was the husband to Mary and the earthly father of Jesus. We don't know much about Joseph, except that he was a skilled craftsman and a good father. He became a Saint for workers and it is very common to pray to him to get his help with house sales and many other things. The reason he was made a Patron Saint is that he taught Jesus the craftsman's trade and made sure that Jesus always was well housed. That is the reason he always helped people find a house they were looking for and in that way help the people who need to sell their homes.

Which way?

Procedure for burying a St. Joseph statue when selling a home:

• Make a hole in the ground that is large enough to bury the St. Joseph statue vertically.
• Place the statue upside down in the ground. (Head first in the hole here!)
• Then face the statue TOWARDS the home that is to be sold.
• For nine consecutive days, pray the St. Joseph Novena included in your kit or here. Others say just keep praying! (This sounds like an all around good game plan to me).
• Once the home is sold, remove the statue from the ground.
• Display the statue in a place of honor in the new home.

(These instructions above are the ones that I have heard the most).

Others are also suggesting:

St. Joseph can be buried in the front yard, upside down (head down again), facing away from the house or in the back yard, right side up, facing the house.

Either way - you've got your bases covered!

Does it work?

Let me know how it turns out!

Real Estate Market Update - Northwest Suburbs - January 2012

In the month of December I reported that I felt the market was slowing down but I was still quite optimistic for the end of the year sales. At the final tally, we did well over the 2010 sales year. I still feel that things are taking off too slowly with the great interest rates we currently have and the mild weather we have been experiencing.

My research shows that January sales have been down for most towns in our Northwest Suburban area. This is also validating my market feelings.

Another good statistic is when the market is steady (or going up) with the number of homes that go under contract each month. Currently we are between 10 to 17%. This is terrific!

The inventory level (absorption rate) has also held steady but we've just really begun the winter months which has been a traditionally slower sales time. If inventory increases dramatically going into the spring market, prices will surely decline. The inventory level has been low between 4 to 7 months.

I have now been including the highest sales prices for the month in Single Family homes and just introduced it for Multi-Family Homes this month. This is so we can begin to watch the 2nd tier home sales increase in their sales also. The market will always recover from the 'bottom up' with the lower sales prices showing the largest number of sales until the 2nd tier breaks free. This will be an indication that the 'move up' buyers have finally been able to take advantage of today's prices and the low interest rates. This will be the next trend in the recovery.

Average Days on the Market needs no explanation and you can clearly see the times are agonizing for sellers. None of our Northwest Suburban market areas are lower than 2.5 months of market time.

Yes ... we are recovering here in our area for 10 months in a row. Month over month we have seen an increase in closings and year end sales increased over the dismal start of 2011. One of the reasons I show the 'month over month' totals is to show you we truly are having sales increases - it's not just sales hype!

The number of 'pendings' (mentioned above at 10 to 17% of currently listed homes) has also increased but you can't count on all of these making it to a successful close!

Looking for an agent that's really a market expert? Let's get your Northwest Suburban home on the market and priced right to sell!

Is your current agent showing you any of this information?

Do you feel your current agent is 'flying by the seat' of his or her pants when answering these questions?

Looking for a home in the area? Please give me a call or email me on the right to talk about the possibilities.


Sources: MRED January Stats 2012

Townhome and condo subdivisions all over the Schaumburg area hire management companies to help them sort out the variety of problems with managing a substantial subdivision. Foreclosures are also a recent addition with lack of payment by owners and by the banks themselves once they own the homes.

I can't remember when it was ever a tougher financial burden than it is now. Homeowners that join the board to volunteer their services on behalf of others, now have to know finances, budgets, legal proceedings, and construction. Many associations do have a legal team on board to help them make these decisions and stay within the law. Many are smaller and feel that the need is just too costly for legal advice during general monthly meetings.

All of these scenarios are correct and within the law for IL subdivisions. But my concern is, when does it become negligence when the management company or attorney DOES NOT advise the board correctly or worse yet not at all? 'Not knowing' can also cause great financial harm.

Case in point with management companies not telling the homeowner board members that their FHA approval and certification has expired last year. It seems that management companies are not aware that FHA approval is no longer for 10 year intervals as in times past. New guidelines are in place with stricter banking regulations affecting mortgages. All FHA approved subdivisions must re-apply and re-certify themselves with added financial paperwork so buyers can benefit by using FHA loans.

Where is that line with negligence?

Isn't it negligent for the management companies NOT TO suggest and bring up that renewal is eminent? This has recently happened in a few subdivisions here in the Schaumburg area. The management companies thought that 'it was no big deal' and didn't offer any suggestions. If it wasn't within their 'scope of knowledge' then who helps the board directors with this decision? If there is an expiration date on the FHA certificate and no one brings up the motion to renew the certification and the date passes, who's fault is it or where does the responsibility lie?

I see it clearly as the management company's role and this vital certification should be handled like any other important business renewal regarding insurance and repairs. I am suggesting that board members (and homeowners) are going to quickly get a whiff of this negligence and management companies across the country better watch out for the backlash.

I smell a law suit on the horizon.

What percentage of Schaumburg Homes are foreclosures?
Schaumburg's Top Selling Subdivisions
High End Foreclosures in the Chicagoland Area for 2011
Schaumburg Homes - Why pricing is more important than ever!
Short Sale Reform, Foreclosures and the naked guy
Staging is not Fraud!
Schaumburg - Average Home Prices over the last 10 years
Schaumburg - What type of financing did buyers use?
Northwest Suburban Real Estate Update - December 2011
Surviving the American Dream: The argument for 'Walking Away'
Schaumburg Homes - Is it better to rent or buy?
Foreclosure Surplus?

Briar Pointe in Schaumburg

Briar Pointe is a townhouse community built in the mid 1990's by Kenar. Briar Pointe features 525 town houses with floor plans with 1,028 square feet to 1,398 square feet of living space. The models consist of 2 bedrooms, 2 - 2.5 baths and 1 car attached garages. Briar Pointe is located in Schaumburg, Illinois on Mercury south of Irving.

Activity in Briar Pointe for the past 6 months

5 homes sold in Briar Pointe in Schaumburg from $129,500-$152,500 with an average price of $141,000 within the last 6 months.

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Ashton Park in Schaumburg

Ashton Park is a townhouse community located in Schaumburg, Illinois built by Hoffman Homes. Ashton Park has roughly 130 town houses with six floor plans ranging from 1,368 to 1,891 square feet of living space. Ashton Park is located about 3 blocks east of Roselle Road on Schaumburg Road.

Activity in Ashton Park for the past 6 months

-Schaumburg-