Ken Tracy Realtor Naperville Illinois Real Estate

One of my favorite things about being a real estate agent is the flexibility of my work schedule...

Sometimes I am crazy busy. Several appointments in a day. Open houses. Listing appointments. These are the money days. I try to make hay while the sun is shining...

Sometimes things are a little slower. That's OK too...

I had a quiet real estate morning this morning. I spent about two hours in my home office catching up, but then my schedule was clear. I decided to spend it on one of my favorite activites...

FISHING.

I wouldn't be traveling far. I actually walked from my home in Naperville to the Country Lakes golf course. I had played there on Sunday, and had noticed a few lakes on the course that needed some closer inspection...

I started off doing more hiking than fishing. The first couple lakes I tried were shallow, muddy, and filled with big carp. Carp were not the target. I was looking for largemouth bass this morning...

After traveling across the golf course and back, I decided to give the large lake near the course entrance a try...

The lake is a fairly unspectacular body of water. Sometimes those hold the best fish...

This bass was about 15" and starting to fatten up. It was tricky taking fishing pictures alone. You need something in the picture for perspective...

I wonder why they are named largemouth bass...

As I fished my way around the lake, I ran into one other fisherman...

A great morning fishing. I caught 4 bass. Lost two. The largest fish measured 17". All in about an hour and a half a short walk from home.

Pretty cool.

Ken

To search for homes in Naperville and all of Chicagoland, go to my website anytime...

My wife needed a break this afternoon. We had our second daughter about a month back, and the two young girls can be quite demanding on a mom...

So I took my older daughter Erin to our favorite local playground here in Naperville, the one at the Enclave of Country Lakes....

The Enclave is a community of townhouses located just west of Route 59 and North Aurora Road in Naperville. The townhouses range in price from $175,000 to up to $232,000.

Some of the townhouses have beautiful views of Country Lakes golf course...

While others overlook the fantastic playground...

The climbing tower is always fun...

And all the children love the oversized sand box...

Erin and I had a great afternoon. We got out of the house on a beautiful day...

And my wife got two hours of quiet...

Ken

To search for homes in Naperville and all of Chicagoland, go to my website anytime...

So I called my mortgage broker the other day. It was quite painless...

My wife and I have been looking for a home here in Naperville the last two months. So far it has been very casual. Mostly online searching, but we have looked at a few...

Ready to take the next step, I called my mortgage broker the other day...

He took a look at our credit reports and made a couple recommendations to improve our scores. He also gave me an idea of what we could be approved for this fall...

Nickie and I are close to making our dream a reality. Buying a home in Naperville...

So if you are considering buying this year, stop dragging your feet. Contact a mortgage broker. Get the process started...

Until you get preapproved, you won't know if you are a buyer, or really just looking...

My wife and I just found out we will be buyers this year...

Ken

To search for homes in Northern Illinois, just visit my website anytime...

My wife and I packed up our two young girls this afternoon and did a little house shopping.

After what has seemed like an endless winter, my family has been suffering from a serious case of house coop. The dark and rainy weekend we had here in Naperville wasn't helping. We needed to get out...

We have been searching for homes online over the last month or so. Today was the day we would see them on the inside...

I made a few quick calls, set up three appointments, and we were off to search for a home. We would be seeing homes in Brookdale, Springhill and Hobson Village subdivisions.

It was nice. It is always good for an agent to see homes. Every home I see makes me a better Realtor....

It is especially fun seeing homes when you are considering a move. My wife Nicole was pleased with what can be purchased these days in our price range...

The real estate market has changed here in Naperville. Home prices have come down, and are more affordable than they have been in years. Our goal is to be in a new home before the end of the year.

With the $8000 tax credit, lower real estate prices, as well as low mortgage rates, I am surpised more people are not sharing my families enthusiasm for a new home...

Ken

A Realtor you can trust.

I hosted an open house at my listing in River Bend on Sunday. The weather was fairly typical for an April day in Illinois. Wet and raw. Highs in the lower 50's...

Despite the inclement weather, the turnout was solid. Nine groups came through...

The comments were fairly consistent. Tons of space. Gorgeous windows. Love the neighborhood and the model...

"But why are there so many for sale?" many visitors asked.

"There must be 30 homes for sale!" said one very impressed yet concerned visitor.

"Actually, there are 15," I answered, knowing the conversation wouldn't stop there.

"Why so many for sale?" asked the gentlemen.

Hmmm. In just over three years as an agent, I have answered this question many, many times, especially in regards to River Bend.

Why are there so many for sale?

River Bend has 150 townhouses in it. 15 are for sale today. That is 10%.

Seems high, but maybe not that surprising...

First off, oversupply is common in today's market.

Secondly, I feel in developments such as River Bend that were built between 5 and 10 years ago, the drop in the market can be even more glaring...

The average buyer of a townhouse generally lives in it about 5 years. After 5 years, the typical buyer is looking for something a little bit different. Perhaps they have outgrown it? Maybe they want a yard?

So when a development reaches maturity (after it has been sold out for 5 years or so), many owners are just starting to get the itch...

In a good market, that supply is quickly gobbled up.

In a tougher market like we are facing today, the results can be quickly dropping prices as well as a glut of inventory.

And that is what we have seen in River Bend and many other neighborhoods like it.

"At the end of the day, the number of homes for sale is not your problem," I remind my would-be buyer. "It is your opportunity..."

Ken

A Realtor you can trust.

-River Bend on a sunny afternoon

-River Bend on a snowy day in January...