Hello everyone.....

I have been gone for this past week because the home I am living
in got sideswiped by a tornado!!!

Part of the backyard fence is gone in one section, and a tree fell
from the next door neighboirs yard and destroyed fencing in the
back of the garage in another section.

A LOT of trees in the city got either uprooted, or LARGE branches got torn
off and THROWN many feet across the roads and onto roofs of
other homes.

Thank the Lord our Creator, our home did not get hit at all !!!

I do not have batterys for my camarera, or I would have pictures
of this.

Here is a picture of part of what happened in Matteson, IL. from one of the neighbors on that fateful day. Please remember, this is just ONE tree that got stripped you
see in the picture. There were MANY more.

The whole area was without power for 2 days and most of the refridgrated food went bad. Thank goodness most of my food was frozen or dry, so I did not suffer too much that way.

I will resume the Sabbath Gleanings this week.... (SHHhhh...
I KNOW the last post was horrible, don't remind me....hehehe)

I am looking forward to seeing my brothers and sisters again
in AR.

God is good... NO ONE got hurt in the tornado incident and no
pets were lost either.

Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
 and he brought them out of their distress.

 He stilled the storm to a whisper;
 the waves of the sea were hushed.

 They were glad when it grew calm,
 and he guided them to their desired haven.

Psalm 107

 Thanks to:  holgaguy ,   Ms.Elmar ,
and www.flickr.com for the great pictures!

Illinois MAP scholarships are in a crisis 

“Illinois turns away 27,000 for financial aid,” an article in the Chicago Tribune last week, reports some grim news for students who have been counting on scholarships from Illinois’s state-funded Monetary Award Program (MAP) program. 

Here’s the crisis in a nutshell . . . 

• This May, 27,000 eligible applicants were turned away because Illinois didn’t have enough money to cover MAP scholarships. 

• Those 27,000 students are part of an even bigger group. In the academic year that just ended, a total of 120,000 eligible MAP applicants were turned away. (Compare that to 60,000 the year before.) And the crisis is expected to grow dramatically in the year ahead. 

• The majority of students – 17,575 of the 27,000 – were seeking small loans to help pay for their tuition at public community colleges. 

This crisis in educational funding is not unique to Illinois – it’s also being played out in California, Massachusetts and other states. But maybe companies like StraighterLine (where I now work) can help. If you're a student (or know one) in Illinois or elsewhere who needs help trimming college costs, explore the advantages of taking online cost-effective college courses.  StraighterLine courses are not going to solve the crisis in IL but it can help you take your freshman year courses for less.

View Village of Riverdale in a larger map

Hello there! this is the Chicago, IL. area market report
for the village of Riverdale, IL.  (zip code 60827)

Although Riverdale is a relatively small town, don't
be fooled by it's size. This town is based on strong
core values, hard-work, and a intense commitment to
serving the community. These ethics make Riverdale
a fantastic place to live and work.

HOLIDAY TOY AND COAT DRIVE

The Village of Riverdale is accepting donations for Riverdale's Toy and Coat Drive. Help keep another family warm and cozy this year by donating a new or gently used coat to the cause. You can put a smile on a young child's face also, by donating an unwrapped new toy for deserving Riverdale young people. Donations will be accepted up to Friday, December 18th at the Village Hall located at 157 W. 144th St and the Riverdale Community Resource Center located at 13725 S. Wabash. If you need more information, please contact Tanya Watkins at 708/841-2006.

They are also looking for volunteers to join the holiday
planning committee. If you would like to take part in the Village of Riverdale holiday festivities, please contact the Riverdale Community Resource Center at 708/841-7054 or send an email to twatkins@villageofriverdale.org.

This is what the real estate market is doing in the village of Riverdale:

To see homes for sale in the Chicago, IL. area by map, just click on the link.

Detached Single Family Homes

Number of Bedrooms # Active  Avg. Listing Price  Avg. Market Time All 86 $78,636   208 2 or Less 33 $56,225   241 3 38 $90,063   179 4 12 $95,492   238 5 or More 3 $113,000   106

Attached Single Family Homes

Number of Bedrooms # Active  Avg. Listing Price  Avg. Market Time All 11 $41,228 299 2 or Less 8 $38,713 376 3 1 $59,900 89 4 2 $41,950 95

Every week I will be posting reports on various
suburbs in the various southern Chicago, IL. real estate
market areas Rice Property Management and Realty serves.

Be on the look out for them, they will be informative.

I will also be posting maps on school locations and their
ratings, community affairs and other items of interest to you
for the southern Chicagoland area.

Hey there everyone!

In keeping with my promise to deliver timely information on
southern Chicago, IL. area homes for sale ~~~

Here is the Calmuet City and South Holland Market Report:

Single Family Homes # Bedrooms   # Active   Avg. List Price   Avg. Market Time (days) All 485 $127,763       232 2 or Less 50 $77,971       194 3 333 $122,136       238 4 83 $165,802       215 5 or More 19 $191,237       313

Attached Single Family Homes

Bedrooms # Active Avg. List Price Avg. Market Time (days) All 52 $94,039      257 2 or Less 42 $79,571      256 3 10 $154,804      261     As you will see in the charts, the average mean time on market for single family homes in these areas was about 240 days, or 2/3rds of a year. The average time on the market for attached single family homes was 258 days, or just over 2/3rds of a year.

I realize this post is just a very boring list and bunch of statistics. BUT.... if you are READY to buy a home, these numbers can save you a LOT of time and energy. Just take a look at the type of home, the price range(s) you want and the number of bedrooms you would like and give us a call. We will speak with you about your wants and needs in southern Chicago, IL. real estate property.

"We purpose to service you from the beginning to the end!"     Beginning every transaction with prayer, we are grateful to have the opportunity to service all who have been given to us.  We realize that except the LORD build the house, we labor in vain, and we accept those appointed at this season.  We thank you in advance for initiating what could become a fruitful business relationship! Licensed in the State of Illinois & Indiana, Rice Property Management & Realty, L.L.C., is a Residential and Commercial Property Management Company. We also serve as an Exclusive Brokerage Firm for both sellers and buyers of Chicago area homes for sale. We have  Certified  Realtors who have completed the necessary training to  assist you in securing mortgage  assistance for residential loans. RENTERS: Rice Property Management has apartments and houses for rent in various locations throughout Chicagoland, Southwestern Indiana and South Suburban Illinois. Most rentals come with appliances and air conditioning. We accept housing assistance vouchers for government approved units. As your landlord, we are interested in directing you to favorable living environments prior to preparation for future ownership. We can place interested seekers with residential rentals listed throughout the state of Illinois and Indiana. RICE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT......  "Where OUR housing is YOUR home!"   SEEKING PROPERTY MANAGEMENT? Our objective is to lease rental property to potential tenants looking for short or long-term leases. We endeavor to fill each vacancy with qualifying tenants to the satisfaction of the owners. Full-Service Management includes: acquiring tenants, collections, lease renewals, annual inspections, eviction preparations, lease enforcement, owner bookkeeping, and handling of all tenant concerns. In addition, we offer EXCLUSIVE OWNER RATES for apartment painting, carpet cleaning, debris hauling, and appliance cleaning through"Rice & Rice Painting & Carpet Cleaning"     www.RiceNRice.com BUYERS & SELLERS: Desiring to become YOUR Realtor, Rice Property Management & Realty, L.L.C. offers you our FREE services on this website. As your Exclusive Real Estate Partner, we look forward to helping buyers find the best home in areas of interest within the approved price ranges of Chicago area homes for sale.  Sellers, with your help, together, we will sell your home for as much as the market will bear and as quickly as possible. Remember, we already have lists of pre-qualifed tenants in varying stages of pre-approval! INVESTORS: We can assist you with investment property..... we take the "fear" away by guiding you all the way.... starting with the selection, and aid you through the journey to after the purchase!  If you are desiring to venture in.....call us!  If you are the "seasoned investor" call us first!

It is high time I got some good advice from area newspapers
and other sources in the Chicago area.

I have been here for about 3 weeks and I am happy to report
great restaurants are not just in Florida..... hehehehehe!!

Take these restuarants I have picked.... WOW !!

If you like to eat and love to explore the very best Chicago has
to offer, try some of these "fantastic Chicago culinary vacations:"

Alinea

1723 N Halsted, Chicago, IL 60614  (Map)
312-867-0110

Alinea Website

Featuring a 12 course meal that will tempt, tease and delight your
tastebuds and your pallette. Prepare yourself for an exceptional
encounter when you reserve dinner at this Chicago hotspot – praised
as one of the best restaurants in the nation. The very knowledgeable
servers guide you through your meal, composed of 12 or 24 tastes of
culinary delight. Many "courses," each consisting of a single, delightful
bite, are presented with serviceware tailored to each particular dish;
servers instruct you all the way to dessert, which is out of this world.

Dinners are $135.00 for a 12 course meal and $195.00 for the twenty
four course meal.

Alcohol Served: Beer, Liquor, Wine

Ambiance: Elegant, Quiet Conversation, Romantic, Sleek

Cuisine: American, New American

Dining Style: Fine Dining

Dress: Business, Jacket Preferred

Features: Non-Smoking, Parties / Private Rooms, Sommelier

Meals: Business Dinner, Dinner

Menu Type: Fixed Price, Tasting Menu

Parking: Nearby, Valet

Reservations: Absolutely Required

Seeing as I like steak, here is a fantastic place to have beef... on

a royal scale:

Morton's, The Steakhouse

1050 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610  (Map)
312-266-4820 · FAX: 312-266-4852

Morton's Steakhouse Website

Walk down the stairs to below street level and you will find the
ambience of an exclusive gathering. Morton's continually impresses
diners with mouthwatering cuts of sirloins, t-bones, and filet miignon.
Having white linens on the tables, crystal chandeliers, and kingly
service, this is the perfect place for any important occasion. Lots of
the city's best and most discerning agree that Morton's is top notch.

Alcohol Served: Beer, Liquor, Wine

Ambiance: Clubby, Elegant, Quiet Conversation

Cuisine: American, Continental

Dining Style: Fine Dining

Dress: Business, Business Casual

Features: Bar / Lounge, Bar Dining, Disabled Accessible, Parties / Private Rooms

Meals: Business Dinner, Dinner

Parking: Garage / Street, Valet

Reservations: Recommended / Suggested

Type: Steakhouse

Avg. Price: $45.00

If YOU have a favorite restuarant in the Chcago area, PLEASE let me know,
so I can go there and report on how AWESOME it is to live in the Windy City.....

Thanks to: www.flickr.com ,

travelCLICK , Image Zen and
Steve Wan^_______________,^
for the AWESOME photos!!

Just to make things interesting...... I have ANOTHER 20
Southern Chicago homes for sale. These homes range in price
from:

• A low asking price of  $12,900.00....... WOW !!!
• A high asking price of $16,900.00......... Oh my Goodness!!

These homes are a steal...and with some rehab work, any of
these properties could be a landlords dream or an investors windfall!!

I will continue to post more and more Southern Chicago, Illinois
homes for sale  in the coming days, weeks and months.

Rice Property Management and Realty L.L.C. is here for you as a
Chicago real estate consulting company you can trust.

 

·          Investor watch – receive current preferred investor selections  

Management Services:   Full-service Commercial & Residential Management in the South Suburban Chicagoland Illinois & Northwest Indiana Communities. Management includes:

 

·          Applicant Screening & Service For All Tenant Concerns

·          Online tenant record reviews – NEW (by Fall of 2009)

·          Owner access to monitoring property traffic interest

·          Move-in & Move-out Service

·          Property Prep Service – R&R Painting & Carpeting Cleaning – (in-house rates)

·          Rental Collections & Record Keeping – Direct Owner Deposits

·          Maintenance Upkeep & Vendor Payments

·          Notice & Eviction Service – RPM is a registered Notary (in Illinois only)

·          Annual & Periodic Property Inspections – (as required by Illinois real estate law

·          Leases & Renewals – Short & long term leases

·          Advertising/Marketing – Free Address Domains – Access Marketing Brochures - Website Positioning & Synchronizing

·          Required Class Attendance (for municipalities with Crime-Free Housing Certification requirements)

·          Buyer/Seller Representation – Exclusive listing

·          Monthly & Year-end Statements

·          Investor watch – receive current preferred marketing selections

·          Vendor Referrals 

 

Thanks to: www.flickr.com,

PinoyChicago , SCSSAPICS , 
and splenderandwonder for
the GREAT pictures!

In conjunction with Diane Rices post about homes for sale
in Chicago for under $30,000.00, here is a post with a little
more meat to it.

In FACT I have 20 of these properties you CAN VIEW from the
Chicago area MLS....

How's THAT for some help in looking for Chicago investment
property at a ROCK BOTTOM price??

Diane said in her post that there are over 400 hundred properties
that can be purchased in the Chicago area for $30,000.00 or less....
and she is RIGHT.....

I have 20 of them HERE.... see Chicago area homes for sale for
under $30,000.00 just click on that link, my friend...

With some rehab and marketing, Rice Property Management and Realty
can help you get a steady stream of rental income for the future.

For help with your transaction from beginning to end, it is recommended to choose a company that can walk you through every aspect from selecting a profitable rental property, successfully bargaining the purchase of it, overseeing the managing of it, and assisting with it's re-sale if your interest level changes in the future! 

Owning real estate is the best way to become or stay financially secure. 98% of millionaires have owned or currently own real estate.

How's that for a fun fact??

Chicago has so much to do it boggles the mind! There are also
Chicago homes for sale in all price ranges. The whole thing is..... are you
READY to purchase?

• Is your credit score high enough?
• Have you been on your job a while?
• Do you have money saved?
• Do you know where you want to live and
  what type of home you want to buy?

There are a bunch of other questions that need to be answered, but
the aforementioned ones are tops on the list for prospective home buyers.

If you are NOT ready to purchase a home in the Chicago area, then
maybe "renting to own" is the choice for you. Renting to own has
several positive things in its favor:

• You don't have to wait to live in the type of home you may
  want to purchase.
• You can rent the type of home you want while fixing up your
  credit at the same time.
• You can save money for unexpected things that pop up in life AND
  for things you may need after you close on your dream home.
• You will be adding time to your job while you are taking care of
  the items you need to take care of to purchase a home in the future
  and this makes your credit worthiness better.
• You MIGHT NOT even have to move because you would be buying the
  home you are renting.

Come and take a look at Rice Property Managements RPM PLAN......

It is a comprehensive plan to help you while you rent and prepare to
purchase Chicago real estate.

If you are an owner of Chicago area real estate and want quality tenant
and rental management, come and see our RPM PLAN

We offer:

 

·          Investor watch – receive current preferred investor selections  

Management Services:   Full-service Commercial & Residential Management in the South Suburban Chicagoland Illinois & Northwest Indiana Communities. Management includes:

 

·          Applicant Screening & Service For All Tenant Concerns

·          Online tenant record reviews – NEW (by Fall of 2009)

·          Owner access to monitoring property traffic interest

·          Move-in & Move-out Service

·          Property Prep Service – R&R Painting & Carpeting Cleaning – (in-house rates)

·          Rental Collections & Record Keeping – Direct Owner Deposits

·          Maintenance Upkeep & Vendor Payments

·          Notice & Eviction Service – RPM is a registered Notary (in Illinois only)

·          Annual & Periodic Property Inspections – (as required by Illinois real estate law

·          Leases & Renewals – Short & long term leases

·          Advertising/Marketing – Free Address Domains – Access Marketing Brochures - Website Positioning & Synchronizing

·          Required Class Attendance (for municipalities with Crime-Free Housing Certification requirements)

·          Buyer/Seller Representation – Exclusive listing

·          Monthly & Year-end Statements

·          Investor watch – receive current preferred marketing selections

·          Vendor Referrals 

 

Thanks to: www.flickr.com,

PinoyChicago , SCSSAPICS , 
and splenderandwonder for
the GREAT pictures!

I have read some statistics for the Chicago area that say
more employers appear willing to hire in the coming months.

That is great news for those who have been laid off and are
waiting for some good news in the tri-cities area of Chicago.

The latest survey from the National Association for Business
Economics, shows unemployment is moderating. It also gives
an improved outlook for hiring over the next six months or so.

78 NABE members working for the private sector and industry or
trade associations showed the percentage of companys
adding jobs doubled to 12% in October from an all-time
low of 6% in July of this year. MORE GOOD NEWS!!

The strongest gains were reported in the services sector,
with 54% of companies reporting higher demand for workers.
Finance, insurance and real estate also posted gains.

This is great news for Chicago area residents who have been
struggling with expenses.

Everyone is waiting for better times to come around.... and it
looks like they are beginning to happen.

Thanks to: taxiguy
and www.flickr.com for
the GREAT photo of the
city of Chicago at night

WWell, well, well..... have you ever felt like something was
out to get you? It was just waiting to pounce on you at the
least opportune time.... causing you a LOT of hand wringing
and sowing confusion plus worry......

That is what happened to Diane Rice yesterday....

I joined her team a week ago. After getting aquainted with
everything, I got to work getting the office organized.....

• Getting leads to agents QUICKLY!!
  
• Optimizing the company website (A 4+ hour job that
  IS NOT DONE yet)
  
• Getting the company laptop working with the
  network and using it on the weekends to do extra
  things
• Making sure everyone knew I was there TO HELP THEM,
  not just to make money for ME.
• Helping one of our new recruits with her real estate class
  work while she takes her classes and gets ready to join
  the team
• Learning the MLS, phone, network and website screen
  names and passwords
• Going on listing appointments with Diane
• Attending tenant appointments on my own

WOO HOO !!!

Things are going WELL. Even though Diane has had some things
happen... SHE IS A TROOPER !!!

Once GOOGLE caches our optimized Chicago, Illinois Homes for Sale
real estate website, I can't wait to see how it does in search results!!

Diane is a lady who will NOT be denied
her success......

I am RIGHT THERE WITH HER!!!