barringtonlocal.com

This past weekend I took out some buyers in the MacIntosh area of Inverness. We saw five homes.  On Tuesday, I spoke to the listing agents whose homes I had shown. A couple of the agents I know, so the conversations were easy and straightforward, and real information was exchanged that could help get a deal together.

One of the agents I didn’t know said, “We’ve had a lot of interest lately.” This surprised me. Now, theoretically, this could be true. So, I asked him what kind of interest. “Interest” is an ambiguous term; it could mean hits on a Realtor.com ad, activity on the MLS, or any number of signs of casual interest. I wanted to know if the agent was having showings.

The listing agent reported that they had several showings over the weekend and even talk of a possible offer. Again, this is possible, but unlikely. My clients had the home on their short list of candidates, so I told them what the agent had said.

Naturally, I also told them that I was unsure about the agent’s claims. His listing had been on the market for over a year, and it needed a lot of work. None of the other listing agents in the area in the same price range had reported anything close to this kind of activity, and normally clients will see a cluster of homes in a given area in a given price range. It would be strange that one listing had several showings, but none of the others had.

My clients’ response was to take the home off their list. They explained that they are looking for a good deal, and they didn’t think they could get one if there were competing buyers considering the home. Furthermore, they too doubted the veracity of the listing agent’s claim, and reasoned that even if there wasn’t this heavy interest, it would be hard to negotiate with an agent who was putting on the hard sell.

The moral of this story is obvious: it is better for listing agents to say nothing about the level of interest in their listing. They cannot be certain of how their report will be received by potential buyers. Back in the boom times, it was plausible that multiple buyers were going after the same home; today it sounds suspicious.

Buyers are going to wait for the right home and the right deal. They don’t want to compete for a home and they don’t want the hard sell. The best way to treat buyers and buyer’s agents is with respect and graciousness. Everybody wants a win-win deal.

Prices are down in Lake Barrington Shores.  Homes are selling at 2005 prices.  This is a great time to buy into this beautiful resort community.  As American demographics shift and baby boomers begin to retire en masse, Lake Barrington Shores will become an ever more sought after destination.  Actually, younger couples and singles are also finding Lake Barrington Shores to be a lifestyle choice that brings balance and serenity into their lives.  Check out this updated listing.

Whew! I am exhausted. Yesterday, members of my office and partner offices around town joined hundreds of neighbors to march down Main Street to the STB Public Forum at Barrington High School. We had great attendance, and most importantly, we had great spirit. I would like to give a special thanks to Patty and John Ancona, owners of Keller Williams in Barrington, for organizing our office and leading us into the march. (John Ancona can be seen in the above picture; he is wearing a tie).

Keller Williams Owner/Realtor Patty Ancona and Melanie Parsons, Realtor (at the right), are getting ready to start the march. Real estate agents, their friends, and families all met in the Staples parking lot. We then marched along Hough Street and joined up with the Jewel Park and Fox Point neighborhood marchers. The mood was upbeat and determined. It felt great to be in the presence of so many dedicated citizens who love Barrington.

Here, marchers head toward the flag pole at Barrington High School. There were a lot of families with their kids in the march and at the public forum, –what a great way for kids to learn about American political participation and civic responsibility.

U.S. Congresswoman Melissa Bean (standing on the right) started off the public comments section of the public forum. She gave an excellent speech outlining the many hazards that approving the CN acquisition would cause. Ms. Bean also spent a great deal of time talking with the Barrington residents and hearing our concerns. It was inspiring to know that one of our elected representatives was doing everything she could to champion our cause.

Patty Ancona (at the left) was one of the most energetic and tenacious opponents of the CN acquistion in the forum audience. She led the audience in standing ovations and applause for the many great speakers who argued on behalf of Barrington.

Today is the day. This could be our make or break moment.

I am excited for the march and public forum tomorrow (August 27). It seems like we’ve all been worried and upset for so long. Now, we finally get to have our voices heard.

I think the events will be big. I hope we have a huge turnout. We need to save Barrington from the noise, the congestion, the pollution, and the safety hazards of having 20+ freight trains a day barreling through our backyards and downtown.

We need to stand up for ourselves and for our neighbors.

I am not sure, but I think it will be pretty big. And, I am not talking hundreds; I think there will be thousands of people there. At least that is my hope, but the word needs to get out.

What: Stop the Trains and Save Barrington Community March

Where: Meet in the Staples Mall Parking Lot, 500 N. Hough Street.  We will proceed down to Main Street and then on to Barrington High School.  We will join other community groups along Main Street.

When: 4:15PM, this coming Wednesday, August 27

Who: Everyone who lives or works in Barrington and loves our quiet town

There will be police escorts at major intersections.

This may be our last chance to send a message to our elected officials and to the Surface Transportation Board that we do not want increased freight traffic taking over our sleepy old “J” rail and forever changing the quality of life in Barrington.

Join the March.

For more information, go to fightrailcongestion.com

I’ll be there. I hope everyone in the Barrington area shows up next week at the Surface Transportation Board’s open house and public forum. We need our government to understand that Canadian National’s proposed acquisition of the E.J. & E. line should not be approved.

We need to set a strong example for other cities and towns across the nation. Let’s show the country that citizens can stand up to corporate interests, particularly corporate interests that have the potential to undermine the safety, habitability, and beauty of our hometowns.

I don’t want to look back and wish I had done or said more.

The STB’s public meeting will be at Barrington High School on August 27, i.e., this coming Wednesday. To find out more, visit fightrailcongestion.com.

Barrington: In Barrington, sales were down 13% over the second quarter of 2007. That is a substantial improvement over first quarter data for 2008. Prices were down just .06%, which is not bad for a market correction. Homes that sold were on the market for an average of 111 days. And, homes were selling at an average of 93.5% of list price.

Palatine: The volume of sales for Palatine was down 15.07% compared to the second quarter of 2007. Prices were down just .33%. Homes that sold were on the market for an average of 79 days, which is quite a low number for a seemingly dismal market. The sale to list price was 95.5%.

Inverness data is contained in the Barrington and Palatine market statistics within their respective zip codes 60010 and 60067.

Lake Zurich, Hawthorn Woods, Kildeer, and Long Grove: Sales in the 60047 zip code were down 38.6% compared to the previous year. Prices were down almost 14%. The average time on the market for homes that sold was 111 days. And homes were selling at 93.9% of list.

Crystal Lake: In Crystal Lake, the volume of sales was down 33%. Prices were down 13.6%. Homes that sold stayed on the market for 111days. And homes were selling at 95% of the list price.

Algonquin: Algonquin sales volume was down 14.04%. Prices were down 7.34% The average time on the market for homes that sold was 121 days. And homes were selling at 95.5% of list price.

To get a better sense of how the market is shaping up this year, compare the second quarter of 2008 to the first quarter. Keep in mind, these stats are a comparison of this year’s data with last year’s data.

*All data comes from Midwest Real Estate Data, LLC

The Barrington Farmer’s Market is a lot of fun. I went there last Thursday to take pictures, and I ran into several people that I know and made some new friends. Barrington is like that. It still feels like a small town.

The open air market features specialty produce, breads, olive oil, flowers and many more tasty and interesting items. There must have been over twenty types of tomatoes at the tomato stand. The flower stand had gorgeous zinnias. (I can never find zinnias at flower shops.) There was an olive oil tasting booth, which was a big hit. Fresh peaches and corn were for sale. And, there are also some arts and crafts booths.

Being at the Farmer’s Market feels good. You’re out in the sunshine; people are friendly; you encounter delicacies that aren’t available at the grocery store, and everything looks healthy and wholesome.

The Barrington Farmer’s Market takes place every Thursday from 2:00PM until 7:00PM during the summer. It is located at the south corner of Cook Street and Main. It is across from the train station, west of the tracks.

I just posted two new reviews. Jeff and I went to the new restaurant in Deer Park Mall, Tokio Sake, on Friday. And, I also posted a review of Ambrosia Patisserie, which has been around forever, but I want to recommend it anyway.

Check out the reviews in “Laura’s Local.” The tab is at the top of the screen.