Painting Today's Market Myths... from MORALES!

Myth: It's a terrible time to sell. Truth: When properties are priced competitively, homes sell quickly - regardless of the market. I'm here to arm you with the facts, data and insights you need to list your home so that it sells! Contact me to find out how much your home is worth in today's market.
Diane Morales http://movinwithmorales.kwrealty.com MovinWithMorales@kwrealty.com 630.709.9882 (Office)

Did you know that paint color is powerful?
Paint can not only alter the mood of a room, but also our physiology!

• Black - Great accent color.  Imparts elegance, formality and sophistication.  Too much black can be depressing.
• White - provides a sharp contrast to any wall color.  It also gives the illusion that the space is bigger.  Peace, simplicity, and spaciousness.  

• Purple - Stimulates brain activity
• Blue - Slows pulse rate and lowers body temperature.  Often used to heal
• Green - Soothing effect, calming.  Renewal, youth and vigor. 
  
• Yellow-  happiness and optimism.  Creates positive psychological vibes. 
  
• Orange - energy and warmth.  raw and flamboyant.
• Red - energy and excitement.  It actually makes the heart beat faster.  Desire and passion.
  

What does your favorite color say about you?! 

 

            
Diane Morales
Thank you for MOVIN' WITH MORALES!!
Keller Williams Fox Valley Realty
(630) 709.9882

Follow MOVIN WITH MORALES on Facebook!

Learn more about me! 

I take great pride in providing honest, reliable, and professional services to my clients!  
I am sensitive to your needs and will help fit the best scenario for your situation. 
Never pushy, just dependable. 

Opportunity's knocking ... from MORALES!

OPPORTUNITY

"Some men see things as they are and ask why.  Others dream things that never were and ask why not."   
-George Bernard Shaw

Did you know:

• The Rainbow is a reflection of perfect balance of the physical world
• Rainbows are positive energy
• Rainbows are the universal symbol of peace and harmony
• Rainbows are Gods promise - Genesis 9
• The angle of light refraction to create a Rainbow is 42 degrees to the eye of the observer
• Rainbows and music are made of the same stuff just vibrating at a different frequency
• The true shape of a Rainbow is a complete circle
• Roy G Biv - The way to remember the colors of the Rainbow --red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet
• What we see, feel, hear, taste and smell exists between the frequencies of red and violet
• Can you go under a rainbow's arch and come out the other side?
  Not according to the laws of physics. A rainbow is all light and water. It is always in front of you while your back is to the sun.
• Do two people ever see the same rainbow? No. As the eyes of two people cannot occupy the same place in space at the same time,
  each observer sees a different rainbow. Why? Well, because the raindrops are constantly in motion so its appearance is always changing.
  Each time you see a rainbow, it is unique in its own spectacular way! Many people consider rainbows to be an omen of some kind.

http://www.3dglasses.net/facts_about_rainbows.htm
http://www.deltatech.com/rv/rainbows.html

Are you ready to make a move or do you have questions about the current housing market?  Call me!
I'll take the time to answer your questions and help you find your own 'pot of gold' opportunity in today's market. 

--

            
Diane Morales
Thank you for MOVIN' WITH MORALES!!
Keller Williams Fox Valley Realty
(630) 709.9882

Follow MOVIN WITH MORALES on Facebook!

Learn more about me! 

I take great pride in providing honest, reliable, and professional services to my clients!  
I am sensitive to your needs and will help fit the best scenario for your situation. 
Never pushy, just dependable. 

Welcome to the 'Burbs... from MORALES!

				Jan '11		Feb '11		Mar '11		Averages
St Charles
# Active				440		453		469		454
# Sold				25		30		32		29
MKT Time				276		262		237		258
Med Sold $				$385,000		$279,750		$311,500		$325,417
Geneva
# Active				183		185		219		$196
# Sold				9		10		17		$12
MKT Time				177		202		216		$198
Med Sold $				$259,000		$268,000		$315,000		$280,667
Batavia
# Active				171		173		177		$174
# Sold				12		7		14		$11
MKT Time				218		279		119		$205
Med Sold $				$233,250		$220,000		$227,500		$226,917

Elburn
# Active				108		106		99		$104
# Sold				3		2		9		$5
MKT Time				188		89		218		$165
Med Sold $				$240,000		$252,500		$255,000		$249,167
Sugar Grove
# Active				89		82		82		$84
# Sold				6		3		7		$5
MKT Time				319		129		232		$227
Med Sold $				$219,500		$240,000		$315,000		$258,167
Maple Park
# Active				37		43		46		$42
# Sold				2		3		4		$3
MKT Time				45		586		78		$236
Med Sold $				$345,000		$195,000		$157,500		$232,500

How well do you know the Western Suburbs?! 

1.  On which west suburban property do Bison roam free?

• Argonne National Laboratory
• McDonald's University
• Morton Arboretum
• Fermilab

2.  In 2005, Mastodon remains were discovered in which forest preserve?

• Pratt's Wayne Woods
• Fullersburg Woods
• Herrick Lake
• Greene Valley

3.  How many Frank Lloyd Wright-designed structures are located in Oak Park?

• 10
• 20
• 30
• 50

4.  Where is Illinois' 2nd largest public library? 

• St. Charles
• Elmhurst
• Schaumburg
• Naperville

5.  Which local golf course has a sand trap shaped like Dick Tracy's head?

• Prairie Landing Golf Club
• Cantigny Golf
• Cog Hill
• Village Links of Glen Ellyn

6.  What historic building was the first outside of Chicago to have air-conditioning?

• Paramount Theatre
• Hotel Baker
• Herrington Inn & Spa
• Rialto Square Theatre

7.  Where was the west suburb's 1st public school district?

• East Aurora #131
• Elmhurst #205
• Naperville #203
• Oak Park #97

1. Fermilab
2. Pratt's Wayne Woods
3. 20
4. Schaumburg
5. Cantigny Golf
6. Paramount Theatre
7. East Aurora 131

IF you are buying or selling in the Western Suburbs, give me a call! 
And yes, we have cold winters and hot summers, but... we never have hurricanes here (yet!) 

--

             
Diane Morales
Thank you for MOVIN' WITH MORALES!!
Keller Williams Fox Valley Realty
(630) 709.9882



Follow MOVIN WITH MORALES on Facebook!

Learn more about me! 

I take great pride in providing honest, reliable, and professional services to my clients!  
I am sensitive to your needs and will help fit the best scenario for your situation. 
Never pushy, just dependable. 

Are You Nuts?? Don't let this Market of a Lifetime slip away... from MORALES!

	Oct '10	Nov '10	Dec '10	Jan '11	Feb '11	Averages
St Charles
# Active	496	483	455	440	453	465.4
# Sold	32	25	35	25	30	29.4
MKT Time	191	184	185	276	262	219.6
Med Sold $	$343,000	$310,500	$262,000	$385,000	$279,750	$316,050
Geneva
# Active	213	203	192	183	185	195.2
# Sold	16	12	20	9	10	13.4
MKT Time	142	158	197	177	202	175.2
Med Sold $	$350,000	$357,500	$395,500	$259,000	$268,000	$326,000
Batavia
# Active	187	181	175	171	173	177.4
# Sold	18	5	18	12	7	12
MKT Time	163	160	223	218	279	208.6
Med Sold $	$239,750	$268,000	$202,000	$233,250	$220,000	$232,600

Elburn
# Active	131	116	112	108	106	114.6
# Sold	4	6	8	3	2	4.6
MKT Time	166	536	334	188	89	262.6
Med Sold $	$255,000	$330,350	$304,950	$240,000	$252,500	$276,560
Sugar Grove
# Active	102	99	88	89	82	92
# Sold	5	3	6	6	3	4.6
MKT Time	154	240	114	319	129	191.2
Med Sold $	$245,000	$228,000	$296,000	$219,500	$240,000	$245,700
Maple Park
# Active	48	44	42	37	43	42.8
# Sold	1	2	3	2	3	2.2
MKT Time	177	138	360	45	586	261.2
Med Sold $	$180,000	$180,950	$144,000	$345,000	$195,000	$208,990

PEANUTS & PEANUT BUTTER FUN FACTS

Fun Facts It takes about 540 peanuts to make a 12-ounce jar of peanut butter. There are enough peanuts in one acre to make 30,000 peanut butter sandwiches. Two peanut farmers have been elected president of the USA - Thomas Jefferson and Jimmy Carter. Americans were first introduced to the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup in 1928. Peanut butter was the secret behind "Mr. Ed," TV's talking horse. And yes, I'm old enough to remember the repeats from this series.... =) Most women and children prefer creamy, while most men prefer chunky. Ever wonder where the term "Peanut Gallery" comes from? The term became popular in the late 19th century and referred to the rear or uppermost seats in a theater, which were also the cheapest seats. People seated in such a gallery were able to throw peanuts, a common food at theaters, at those seated below them. It also applied to the first row of seats in a movie theater, for the occupants of those seats could throw peanuts at the stage, stating their displeasure with the performance.

Nutrition Facts

• The peanut is not a nut, but a legume related to beans and lentils.
• Peanuts have more protein, niacin, folate and phytosterols than any nut.
• Peanuts have a higher antioxidant capacity over grapes, Concord grape juice, green tea, tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, carrots and many more. 
• Peanuts and peanut butter contain over 30 essential nutrients and phytonutrients.
• Peanuts are naturally cholesterol-free.
  ~http://www.nationalpeanutboard.org/classroom-funfacts.php

What did jelly say to peanut butter?
Stick with me and we'll go places.

Did you hear the joke about peanut butter?
I'm not telling you, you might spread it.

What do you call a peanut in a spacesuit?
An astro-nut

Two peanuts were walking down the road when one was "a salted!" 

We are currently in the market of a lifetime!  Don't let it slip away! 
There has NEVER been a more affordable time to buy a home,
nor will there EVER be a market like this again in your lifetime! 
IF you can buy, you should. 

Foreclosures & Short Sales ~ Tri Cities & Kaneland

First Time HomeBuyers ~ Tri-Cities

First Time HomeBuyers ~ Kaneland

--
Don't Forget to Remember Me...
                
Diane Morales
Thank you for MOVIN' WITH MORALES!!
Keller Williams Fox Valley Realty
Keller Williams is now the second largest Real Estate Company in the US!
(630) 709.9882



Follow MOVIN WITH MORALES on Facebook!

Learn more about me! 
 
JD Powers has ranked Keller Williams as "Highest in Overall Satisfaction for home buyers among national full-service real estate firms, 3 years in a row!"

A Home is Where YOU Hang Your Heart... with MORALES!

Here are some "Words of Wisdom" from President James A Garfield.
Following these "Rules for Living" will definitely increase your chances of having GREAT DAYS:

• Never be idle
• Make few promises
• Always speak the truth
• Live within your income.
• Never speak evil of anyone
• Keep good company or none
• Live up to your engagements
• Never play games of chance
• Drink no intoxicating drinks
• Put good character above anything else
• Keep your own secrets if you have any
• Never borrow if you can possibly help it
• Don't marry until you are ready to support a spouse
• When you speak to people, look into their eyes
• Save when you're young so you can spend when you're old
• Never run into debt unless you see a way out again
• Good company and good conversation are the sinews of virtue
• Your character can't be essentially injured except by your own acts
• If anyone speaks evil of you, let your life be so that no one believes him
• When you retire at night, think over what you've done during the day
• If your hands can't be employed usefully, attend to the culture of your mind
• Read the above carefully and thoughtfully at least once a week
  
  

The Valentine Card said to the stamp, stick with me and we'll go places!
On Valentine's Day, the bat said to his girlfriend, "You're fun to hang around with!"
The paperclip said to the magnet, "I find you very attractive!"
The elephant said to his girlfriend, "I love you a ton!"
AND...  Even skunks celebrate Valentine's Day... (Are you ready for this?)  Because it's Scent-imental!! 

A home is where you hang your heart. 
It is about how you feel when you walk through the front door;
the way you can instantly see your life unfolding there.
It is your life and your dreams.  ;)

IF you're ready to hang your heart in a new home, call me! ~
We'll get started on a Valentine present to yourself!

This month's Housing Trends News Letter...

--
Discover the Diane Difference...
                
Diane Morales
Thank you for MOVIN' WITH MORALES!!
Keller Williams Fox Valley Realty
(630) 709.9882



Follow MOVIN WITH MORALES on Facebook!

Learn more about me! 

January's #s... from MORALES!

On a personal note, to those who don't follow me on Facebook, last Sunday I was involved in a rollover accident.  I was driving on my way to teach Sunday School.  The oncoming car lost control on black ice and came swirling toward me (doing 360's).  I thought I could move over to the shoulder and hoped she would just swing past me.  However, she clipped the back corner panel of my car throwing me into a tail spin, which threw me down into the ditch.  I think we rolled twice... but I'm not really sure.  Mateo was with me.  By the grace of God, we are both ok.  Mateo was a very brave little boy, and he found my cell phone (which was tossed to the way back of my car).  We were able to crawl threw the window with the assistance of a couple who stopped to see if we were ok.  The whole event was very surreal and truly makes you appreciate every day that you have.  Please take an extra moment today to give a hug to the ones you love.  Live surely is precious.  And I truly appreciate having each and every one of you as a part of my life. 



IF you "do" Facebook, please follow MOVIN WITH MORALES on Facebook!  I post many things that I think my clients need/want to know about the current real estate market.  I've also created a new community page for the neighborhood where I grew up.  If you (or someone you know) lives around Davis School, please "like" it.  As always, IF there are any items that you'd like to see posted, or would like to know more about... let me know...  I'll make it happen! 

--
Discover the Diane Difference...
                
Diane Morales
Thank you for MOVIN' WITH MORALES!!
Keller Williams Fox Valley Realty
(630) 709.9882



Follow MOVIN WITH MORALES on Facebook!

Learn more about me! 

Interesting STATS about the future of home prices... from MORALES

The dashed black line is where Case Shiller Futures were trading this time last year, January 2010.  Essentially this is what the experts thought, last year, the home price index would look like in the upcoming 3 years (through December 2013). 

The barbed black line below it is what the experts today are thinking those years (and beyond to January 2016) will look like.  See the spread between the two black lines?  At its widest point, the difference between the 2 lines represent over a 19% drop in what the experts predict to be the index to be in the years to come. 

Based on this data, your home is worth more today than it will be again until at least 2015.  Unless you plan to live in your current home into the year 2015, now is the time to sell! 

If you know anyone who is planning to sell in the next 4 to 5 years, tell them now is the time!   Call me today to market your home!... =)

-

Discover the Diane Difference...
                
Diane Morales
Thank you for MOVIN' WITH MORALES!!
Keller Williams Fox Valley Realty
(630) 709.9882



Follow MOVIN WITH MORALES on Facebook!

Learn more about me! 

The House that Built Me... MORALES

Ever heard the song "The House that Built Me" by Miranda Lambert?  I listened to it several times before I really heard it.  The song talks about going back to the home where you grew up.  I'm fortunate that my parents still live in the home where I grew up.  Years ago, I had the opportunity to visit an old friend* who lived across the street from "my first home" as an adult.  We got to talking about old times when I lived there and mentioned that my old house looked good.  She told me that she was close friends with the new owners of the home and asked if I wanted to go see "my old home!"  GOSH yes!  I was scared and excited all at the same time.  We knocked on the door and she introduced me to the owners!  I walked in slowly and so many memories came to mind!  I was able to share some of the changes that we had made to the home and complimented them on their changes!  It felt good to know that good people were living in "my old home," taking care of it and loving it!  A home is so much more than just 4 walls. 

A home is where you hang your heart. 
It is about how you feel when you walk through the front door;
the way you can instantly see your life unfolding there.
It is your life and your dreams.  ;)

Regardless of how the Real Estate market is doing right now, a home is still the American Dream.  Having a home is something most of us dream about, whether it be a mansion or a trailer on the back 40.  It's yours.  A home is simply not an investment to most.  It's a place to plant your roots, to grow your family, and to relax and retire.  When you pull into the driveway, open the front (or back) door and toss your keys on the kitchen table... That's home!  

Now IS truly the best time to buy a home!  If you've been thinking about it, please give me a call.  Prices are LOW, interest rates are historically LOW and the choice of homes is abundant.  Owning your own home is a feeling that can't be beat.  

FREE EZ search for 1st time home buyers in the Tri-City Area or the Kaneland Area. 

Discover the Diane Difference...
                
Diane Morales
Thank you for MOVIN' WITH MORALES!!
Keller Williams Fox Valley Realty
(630) 709.9882



Follow MOVIN WITH MORALES on Facebook!

Learn more about me!   

It's Snowing and it's beautiful... with MORALES!

It's a winter wonderland outside today!  Even more amazing is the detail of each flake of snow!  Occasionally, when the snow is falling softly, you can see the perfect outline of a flake as it lands on your coat or mitten.  What's incredible is that if you study snow flakes, you'll see that each snowflake is as truly unique as those snowflake cut-outs you made way-back-when in school.  

Snowflakes and snow crystals are made of ice, and pretty much nothing more.  A snow crystal, as the name implies, is a single crystal of ice.  A snowflake is a more general term; it can mean an individual snow crystal, or a few snow crystals stuck together, or large agglomerations of snow crystals that form "puff-balls" that float down from the clouds.

• Simple Prisms ~ The most basic form of a snow crystal is a hexagonal prism. This structure occurs because certain surfaces of the crystal, the facet surfaces, accumulate material very slowly.   When snow crystals are very small, they are mostly in the form of simple hexagonal prisms.  But as they grow, branches sprout from the corners to make more complex shapes.  Snowflake Branching describes how this happens.
• Stellar Plates ~   These common snowflakes are thin, plate-like crystals with six broad arms that form a star-like shape.  Their faces are often decorated with amazingly elaborate and symmetrical markings.
• Sectored Plates ~  Stellar plates often show distinctive ridges that point to the corners between adjacent prism facets.  When these ridges are especially prominent, the crystals are called sectored plates.
• Stellar Dendrites ~   Dendritic means "tree-like", so stellar dendrites are plate-like snow crystals that have branches and sidebranches.  These are fairly large crystals, typically 2-4 mm in diameter, that are easily seen with the naked eye.
• Fernlike Stellar Dendrites ~   Sometimes the branches of stellar crystals have so many side branches they look a bit like ferns, so we call them fernlike stellar dendrites.  These are the largest snow crystals, often falling to earth with diameters of 5 mm or more.  In spite of their large size, these are single crystals of ice -- the water molecules are lined up from one end to the other.
• Hollow Columns ~ Hexagonal columns often form with conical hollow regions in their ends, and such forms are called hollow columns.  These crystals are small, so you need a good magnifier to see the hollow regions.
• Needles ~ Needles are slender, columnar ice crystals that grow when the temperature is around -5 C (23 F).  On your sleeve these snowflakes look like small bits of white hair.
• Capped Columns ~ These crystals first grow into stubby columns, and then they blow into a region of the clouds where the growth becomes plate-like.  The result is two thin, plate-like crystals growing on the ends of an ice column.  Capped columns don't appear in every snowfall, but you can find them if you look for them.
• Double Plates ~  A double plate is basically a capped column with an especially short central column.  The plates are so close together that inevitably one grows out faster and shields the other from its source of water vapor.  The result is one large plate connected to a much smaller one.  These crystals are common -- many snowflakes that look like ordinary stellar plates are actually double plates if you look closely.
• Split Plates and Stars ~ These are forms of double plates, except that part of one plate grows large along with part of the other plate. Split plates and stars, like double plates, are common but often unnoticed.
• Triangular Crystals ~  Plates sometimes grow as truncated triangles when the temperature is near -2 C (28 F).  If the corners of the plates sprout arms, the result is an odd version of a stellar plate crystal.  These crystals are relatively rare.
• 12-Sided Snowflakes ~ Sometimes capped columns form with a twist, a 30-degree twist to be specific.  The two end-plates are both six-branched crystals, but one is rotated 30 degrees relative to the other.  This is a form of crystal twinning, in which two crystals grow joined in a specific orientation.
• Bullet Rosettes ~  The nucleation of an ice grain sometimes yields multiple crystals all growing together at random orientations.  When the different pieces grow into columns, the result is called a bullet rosette.  These polycrystals often break up to leave isolated bullet-shaped crystals.
• Radiating Dendrites~  When the pieces of a polycrystal grow out into dendrites, the result is called a radiating dendrite (also called a spatial dendrite).
  
• Rimed Crystals ~  Clouds are made of countless water droplets, and sometimes these droplets collide with and stick to snow crystals.  The frozen droplets are called rime.  All the different types of snow crystals can be found decorated with rime.  When the coverage is especially heavy, so that the assembly looks like a tiny snowball, the result is called graupel.
• Irregular Crystals ~  The most common snow crystals by far are the irregular crystals.  These are small, usually clumped together, and show little of the symmetry seen in stellar or columnar crystals.
  
  ~Courtesy of snowcrystals.com

If you're driving, take it easy today!
Otherwise, go outside and have some fun! 
See how many ways you can categorize the snowflakes you find! 

--
Discover the Diane Difference...
                
Diane Morales
Thank you for MOVIN' WITH MORALES!!
Keller Williams Fox Valley Realty
(630) 709.9882



Follow MOVIN WITH MORALES on Facebook!

Learn more about me!