Every year on Saturdays from mid-November through Christmas there's a delightful holiday market inside Lincoln Square Mall in Urbana. Local businesses and artists participate in providing a wide assortment of goods for purchase from locally grown produce to handcrafted pottery and soaps. You could do every bit of your holiday shopping in one Saturday at the holiday market!
Once you've finished shopping, just stop by the Urbana Business Association booth and have your gifts wrapped...all proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society and your gifts will look prettier than ever this year.
Of course, no holiday market would be complete without the presence of Santa himself. Yes, Santa will be there to take your Christmas wish list. Then, for a donation of $6 you can have your own holiday picture with Santa which will benefit our local Urbana High School Choir!
'Tis the season of giving...and the perfect place to start your giving is at the Holiday Market!
When: Saturdays through December 17th, 8am - 1pm
Where: Inside Lincoln Square Mall in Urbana
Cost: As little or as much as you want to spend :-)
Champaign County IL Real Estate Market Report, November 2011
November 2011 Residential Sales Information Compared to November 2010
The following real estate market information concerns only residential sales in greater Champaign County, IL and includes houses, condos, co-ops, and zerolots
November 2011 Closed Sales Statistics:
November 2010 Closed Sales Statistics:
What's going on in our Champaign, IL real estate market?
Winter weather is on its way and we've officially entered the holiday season. As you might expect, each year the real estate activity slows down a bit as a result of these factors. However, it's still important for sellers who keep their homes on the market during this time to continue keeping their homes in showing condition. While fewer buyers are out there shopping, the ones that are out there trudging through the snow to look at homes are quite serious!
For the month of November, the average sale price fell back to a below average number, and we're still on track to finish 2011 with twice as many sales as last year in the price range of $0 - $50,000. In other words, foreclosures have been a substantial part of the sold inventory this year in Champaign County, primarily outside of Champaign-Urbana city limits.
Last Month's (October) Market Report
*Information is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed to be accurate. Statistics in this report were obtained through the Champaign County Association of Realtors®
Kinex Coat Drive
One thing I love about living here in Champaign-Urbana is that we have several good snowfalls each year, whereas in Virginia, where I spent my childhood, a good snowfall was a rarity. Yes, our winters here are quite beautiful, and temperatures stay below freezing for those few months.
Having a warm, winter coat is a necessity in this area but unfortunately it's not something that everyone can afford.
From now through December 12, Kinex Fitness Studio in Urbana is collecting coats and other warm winter gear to benefit Salt and Light, a local organization that distributes clothing and food to those in need.
Have things in your closet that you don't use anymore? Clean out the items in good condition that you simply aren't using and give them to someone who CAN use them!! Or if you're feeling especially generous, you can of course donate new items, too.
Kinex Fitness Studio is located at 2740 S. Philo Rd., Suite F, in Urbana and you can give them a call at (217) 344-6600 with questions!
The Details...
When: NOW through Dec. 12
What: Donated Coats and Winter Gear
Where: Kinex Fitness Studio, 2740 S. Philo Rd. Ste. F, Urbana
Why: Because it's the season of giving!
How: Only through your help and generosity! Donate today!!
From the time my brothers and I were old enough to understand the concept of giving, at a very young age, my parents made sure that we had the opportunity to shop for gifts for each other. At the same time, they kept it simple, usually by having us do all our shopping at the Dollar Store. I still remember how special it felt to pick out gifts for my family.
Crisis Nursery located in Urbana is an organization dedicated to the prevention of child abuse and neglect, and each December holiday season they run a "Children's Holiday Shop" in Lincoln Square. A volunteer is assigned to help each child select presents in the store for their family and all items are priced between $2 to $8! It's a wonderful opportunity for children in our community to experience the gift of giving.
Then parents are given the chance to swing by, as well, to shop for inexpensive stocking stuffers from the remaining items.
All volunteer spots have been filled right up, but it you're interested in contributing in other ways, you can visit the Crisis Nursery website to learn more and get in touch with the organizers.
The Holiday Shop continues this week during the following times:
Children's Shopping Hours:
Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 5th and 6th: 5-8pm
Parents' Shopping Hours:
Wednesday through Friday, Dec. 7-9: 5-8pm; and Saturday Dec. 10th: 10am-6pm
Champaign County IL Real Estate Market Report, October 2011
October 2011 Residential Sales Information Compared to October 2010
The following real estate market information concerns only residential sales in greater Champaign County, IL and includes houses, condos, co-ops, and zerolots
October 2011 Closed Sales Statistics:
October 2010 Closed Sales Statistics:
What's going on in our Champaign, IL real estate market?
As a whole, the real estate activity in Champaign County IL for October 2011 was fairly comparable to October 2010. Total number of sales and days on the market were quite similar, though our average sale price was up compared to last October. For the year, our average sale price is still down a bit compared to last year, while total number of sales is up just a tad.
The absorption rate, as you can see below, is heading upwards for the winter as usual, but the good news is that we ended October with about 5% fewer homes on the market than we had at this time last year, and this trend is continuing into November.
Last Month's (September) Market Report
*Information is deemed reliable, but not guaranteed to be accurate. Statistics in this report were obtained through the Champaign County Association of Realtors®
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Our real estate services are based on your needs and your budget. We're proud to offer you choices when it comes to buying or selling your home in Champaign-Urbana IL.
nce upon a time, as a little girl, I would pass by beautiful homes and dream about what they looked like on the inside and what it would be like to live in them. My childhood hobby, or one of them, anyways, was to try to convince my dad to invest in various homes that would come on the market. My efforts were terribly unsuccessful. And when riding in the car with my mother, I would beg her to drive through the up-and-coming subdivisions to see the newest homes in the making. (I had far more success with this one.)
Now I have the opportunity to put my love of real estate to good use assisting the people in my community with their various real estate needs. Every success is extraordinarily fulfilling, and I consider myself truly lucky to enjoy going to work every day.
Homeplace Advisors, LLC:
Since 2007 I've worked in the real estate industry and I can say, with complete honesty, that I've learned something new every day (which is no doubt one of the main reasons I love working in this business).
What I've found interesting these past few years is that while economic factors and government regulation have continuously created monumental changes affecting almost every single real estate transaction, the brokerages within the real estate industry have not, for the most part, reacted with changes to their services or their tactics to help consumers confront these new challenges.
And so in early 2011, I launched Homeplace Advisors, LLC, creating this company to be the change in the real estate industry that I’m longing to see. Here are some ways in which we think Homeplace Advisors stands out from the crowd:
Additionally, we offer consulting for a variety of real estate projects. An initial consultation is always free, so simply call or email me to set up your appointment, or visit our website for more information www.HomeplaceAdvisors.com
My Personal Life:
From growing up in the mountains of southwest Virginia to creating a life here in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois with my husband, my life has been a fortunate one. I have amazing parents who came from modest backgrounds and who taught me to be thankful, to work hard, and to dream big. I truly believe that you get out of life whatever you put into it, and I try to live by that rule on a daily basis.
My husband and I moved here as many people do so that he could attend the University of Illinois. Some people have questioned just how much longer we’ll be staying here, but as anyone who has gone through a masters and subsequent doctoral program could guess, we’ll be here for a good, looong while. If and when the end is in sight, I’ll let ya know ;-)
We also brought with us our beloved rescue dog, Sienna. You’ll see her from time to time romping around at the dog park in Urbana. Otherwise, she’s planted in our backyard hunting the squirrels.
Community and Professional Involvement:
First-Time Home Buyers: Being a first-time home buyer can be scary...but is also one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences of a lifetime. I LOVE being a part of that. I've put together a "First-Time Homebuyers Guide" for these clients and I take measures to ensure that the buyers understand the process and the responsibilities. I'm there every step of the way from looking at a variety of homes, to making the offer and negotiating, to the home inspection, to signing all the paperwork at closing. First-time home buyers in Champaign-Urbana can count on me to assist them in making good decisions about their future home.
Historical Homes (Antique Homes): Generally, this means homes that are more than about 60 years old. In the Champaign-Urbana market, you'll find these homes concentrated mostly near the downtown centers and around the University of Illinois campus. These homes tend to have special features which I find particularly fun and interesting to market. I also happen to own one of these "antiques" myself, which has given me much insight into their potential challenges, as well.
Internet Marketing: Want your home to be seen by potential buyers? The internet is the way to go. I consider myself a real expert in this department and make a point of staying current on the newest technologies available from the latest websites to SEO techniques. From taking and editing eye-catching pictures to creating an intriguing description and then blasting it on the internet where the buyers are looking and searching, internet marketing is my specialty.
Looking for information on buying or selling a home? Check out my company website at www.HomeplaceAdvisors.com
Or you can stay on this site and learn more reading my real estate blog. I write a new article or two each week, so be sure to check back often!
As always, feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. I look forward to hearing from you!
217-552-8059, Shannon@HomeplaceAdvisors.com
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