Evanston IL Real Estate

On November 7, 2006 there is a referendum to increase the current property transfer tax from $5.00 per each $1,000 of a homes selling price to $6.00 per $1,000 in the City of Evanston. The extra $1.00 per $1,000 will go to a fund for affordable housing initiatives that helps low income families to buy homes in Evanston.

Those in favor of this referendum say this $1.00 per $1,000 increase is a one time fee charged to homeowners selling in Evanston and does not affect Real Estate taxes paid out each year by homeowners. In addition, the $1.00 will be used as HOME funds where the city helps to renovate homes and make them available as affordable housing.

Those against the referendum believe the transfer tax of $5.00 per $1,000 of the selling price is enough tax to pay as a seller. On a $100,000 sale price the amount of tax is currently $500.00 and with the referendum that cost would be $600.00 an extra $100.00.

Transfer tax is an individual decision by each community. For example, in Wilmette the Buyer pays the transfer tax. The current tax paid by the buyer in Wilmette is $3.00 per $1,000 of selling price. There is no transfer tax in Winnetka , Kenilworth, or Glencoe.

Things each homeowner should do each year.

1. Get your home appraised or have a Realtor give you a free market value.

Your home is your single most important investment. Do you know what your home is worth today? If not, then it is time to get it appraised by a licensed real estate appraiser or better yet ask a realtor for a Free Market Value on your home. Every year your home goes up in value due to appreciation and a appraiser or realtor will tell you what that value is by comparing your home to other similar homes that have sold in your neighborhood.

2. Check your mortgage payment book to determine how much equity you have in your home.

Each month your lender calculates how much of your monthly payment goes toward principal and interest and shows you what your loan balance is on your mortgage. The difference between what you owe on the mortgage and the market value described above is your equity in the home. Your last statment of the year will usually calculate how much interest you have paid during the year along with real estate taxes paid. Both interest and real estate taxes are deductions you are allowed to take each year on your taxes.

3. Add up those bills paid each year on home improvement.

All expenses paid each year for home improvement are tax deductable in the year that you made the improvements. It is a good idea to keep a record of these expenses for the future because when you sell you are able to deduct improvements made from the cost basis (original purchase price of your home).

“The Perfect Turkey”

For all of those who want to cook the perfect Turkey for Thanksgiving and worry all night about the holidays I am including three sites that will give you a sure proof way to cook your Turkey. They are from Butterball, Martha Stewart, and the Turkey Federation. Here is another cool site just added for Thanksgiving Day!! Thanks go out to Sean for this site.
Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!!

I am reminding all homeowners to do the following Fall Maintenance on their homes:

1.  Rake leaves and debris away from house and check the foundation
2.  Clean out gutters
3.  Check roof, chimney, vent pipes and shingles. Make sure your chiminey has a cover to prevent any animals from entering the house.
4. Inspect weather stripping around doors and windows
5. Trim shrubs around the house. Shrubs and plants can create shields that allow a thief to enter your home.
6. Inspect and clean your furnace.
7. Drain and close exterior faucets in the fall.
8. Check fireplace and clean as need usually once every three years.
9. Exercise circuit breakers by (open and close) to prevent sticking.
10. Change batteries on smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms.

On October 19, 2006 I attended Snap Shot of Evanston, a half day event with breakfast, a bus tour of Evanston,visit to Evanston Historical Society Charles Gates Dawes House, meeting with some civic leaders, and lunch. The day was well worth the cost of $75.00.

The event is sponsored by the Evanston Community Foundation. I found the day to be informative for those who have lived in Evanston all their lives or those just moving to Evanston.

Did You Know:

On April 5, 1860 Abraham Lincoln stayed at the home of Julius White ( a Union General in the Civil War). The house still stands at 2009 Dodge. The homes original location was the northwest corner of Ridge & Church Street.

Ridge Avenue was a Native American Indian trail called the “The Greenbay Trail”.

The oldest business in Evanston is LaMoi Hardware Store.

The Movie theatre had 1.2 million visitors this year.

Evanston is divided into nine wards with an alderman serving each ward.

The Technology Building is larger than the Pentagon in terms of total square feet.

Oscar Mayer lived in Evanston.

Exerpted from ” The Reluctant Investor and Other Light Verse”

I hesitate to make a list of all the countless deals I’ve missed;

Bonanzas that were in my grisp- I watched them through my fingers slip; The windfalls which I should have bought were lost because I over-thought;

I thought of this, I thought of that, I could have sworn I smelled a rat, and while I thought things over twice, another grabbed them at the price,

It seemed I always hesitate, then make my mind up much too late, a very cautious man am I. And that is why I never buy.

When tracts rose high on Sixth and Third, the prices asked I felt absurd;whole block-fronts bleak and black with soot- Were priced at thirty bucs a foot! I wouldn’t even make a bid, But others did–yes, others did!

When Tucson was cheap desert land, I could have had a hip of sand; When Phoenix was the place to buy, I thought the climate much too dry! “invest in Dallas-That’s the spot!” My sixth sense warned me I should not, A very prudent man am I

And that is why I never buy.

A corner here, then acres there, compounding values year by year, I chose to think and as I thought, they bought the deals I should have bought. The golden chances I had then are lost and will not come again. Today I can not be enticed. For everythings so overpriced. The deals of yesteryear are dead; The market’s soft– so’s my head!

Last night I had a fearful dream, I know I wakened with a scream; Some Indians approached my bed– for trinkets on the barrelhead, (in dollar bills worth twenty-four, And nothing less and nothing more), They’d sell Manhattan Isle to me, The most I’d go was twenty-three. The redman scowled: “Not on a bet!” and sold to Peter Minuit.

At times a teardrop drowns my evy for deals I had, but did not buy; and now life’s saddest words I pen “If only I had invested then!”

Evanston is thirteen (13 miles) due north of Downtown Chicago and covers an area of 7.8 square miles and has a population of over 74,000 residents.

Evanston is a vibrant community and is best seen by dividing the City into five distinct sections (Southeast Evanston, Southwest Evanston,Downtown Evanston,Northeast Evanston, and Northwest Evanston).

For purposes of this section, I plan to write about each section and have decided to start out describing My Neighborhood of Northwest Evanston.

Northwest Evanston boundaries are between McCormick Avenue on the South, Crawford Avenue on the West, Greenbay Road on the East, and Isabella on the North. Northwest Evanston has a great mix of single family homes, condos, with some rental units.

Central Street is the business district of Northwest Evanston and has a great mix of small retail shops, along with a very active public library and post office. You can find a lot of people walking down Central Street whether its going to Great Harvest Bread Company for fresh bread, Walshs Homeopathic for vitamins, Starbucks for coffee, Foodstuffs for gourmet prepared foods, Perennials for stationary, invitations and gifts for all occasions, Mud Pies for children’s clothes, or to go to some of the local restaurants including Symphony for Itailian food, Bluestone Bar for American fair, Jackys Bistro for French food and Prairie Joes for Vegetarian, Mexican and Eclectic food

Ahoy Mate!

Who Shot the Sheriff?

It is my intention to provide you with the best available information about real estate as I possibly can and best of all it is Free without Obligation.