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popular "For Sale By Owner site states that 80% of people that try to sell their home on their own, will eventually use a Realtor. That means that 20% where either successful in selling FSBO or just gave up.  That’s because it is not easy to sell your home alone. 

Let’s consider the the buyer’s view point.  When someone is moving from one city to the next, most people do not look at “For Sale by Owner” sites. One reason is a lack of a National FSBO network,,,  so, where do you go?. Realtors have an international network.. It will show you most EVERY home that is listed by a Realtor in the united states. And from a Buyer's perspective, using a Realtor does not cost them anything.

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Flood Plain 04/07/2011
 
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How do you know if your in a flood plain? Simple answer is… if animals are lining up to your door 2 by 2…you are more than likely in a flood plain. Going to the FEMA website can give you general mapping of your area. One of the best places I’ve found is your county zoning department. (Counties vary, so if your zoning department can’t help, they can usually tell you who would.) They can usually tell you if you are in a 500 year or 100 year flood plain. Most people think that if a house is on a hill or above the bluff that it is free from being in a flood plain. While usually true, there are still some areas in Peoria that are still require flood plain insurance.
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When I was young, we had a neighbor named Iona Twosaw. Yes, it was an unusual name. I’m guessing she was in her 70’s. Her husband had died years before. I grew up in Triumph, a small village, amidst the corn fields in central Illinois. Sharing a cup of sugar was common because there was only a general store, only about the size of a small home and it was only open during the week days. Growing up in a large family, we where always running out of something. It was my job to run across the street to retrieve it. Iona and I talked for maybe 15 minutes that day. In returning home, I mentioned to my mom that she seemed very lonely. Mom suggested that next time I take the time, sit down and talk with her for a while… and listen to her story. So the next time, I sat and I listened for almost 3 hours.
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So you found a house that you really love but your house hasn’t sold yet…what can you do? Consider writing an offer subject to you selling your home. The benefit of this would be that the seller would be locked into an agreed price. Let’s take a look at an important clause you will see in this amendment to a residential sales contract from the Peoria Association of Realtors.
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What’s the difference between a stick built, SIP, modular and manufactured homes?

Stick built homes are your traditional home, build piece by piece…stick (2×4) by stick from the foundation up to the chimney tip. The other three of these homes begin in the factory.

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Okay, we all know that REO’s (repossessed homes) have been up over the past couple of years.    So what happens if the market is flooded with REO’s and many of the REO’s don’t sell? The homes are often become damaged.

We think about damage from pests, theft and vandalism but one of the biggest issues come from water.  Foreclosures happen when people can’t afford their bills any longer.  At some point, this means that electricity is shut off.  This means that furnaces, A/C, Dehumidifiers, and Sump pumps no longer work.  In Illinois, a majority of basements get some water or moisture that seeps through the walls.  Most keep water issues at bay with sump pumps.
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