Stephanie Strong- Century 21 Affiliated

01/11/2015

President Obama will announce a reduction in FHA mortgage insurance premiums, reports CNBC's Diana Olick.

01/03/2015

If your planning on any travel tonight, be safe!

A wintry mix will start around midnight tonight and persist into Sunday. Most areas should see some sort of ice accumulation. Areas in blue in the right hand graphic will see up to 0.15 inches of ice. Most of the snow will fall north of Interstate 80 where up to 2 inches are possible. Slick conditions are expected tomorrow morning, but freezing drizzle or rain will become rain in the afternoon as high temperatures Saturday will be in the mid-30s.

01/01/2015

Happy New Year! May 2015 bring you peace and happiness :)

12/29/2014

Not knowing a law is not considered a legal defense for not following it. So don't get caught unawares -- new laws will take effect in Illinois in 2015 that could affect the daily life of average Illinoisans....

12/29/2014

Pretty interesting, my school district is on there! District 301, Burlington Central.

Top 100 school districts in Illinois

12/27/2014

I hope everybody had a very Merry Christmas!!

12/19/2014

An article, although from 2011, makes valid points. St. Charles is a great place to call home. It has great schools, beautiful parks, a wonderful night life with great restaurants and local pubs. I am proud to be a resident in this city!

12/17/2014

If you or someone you know have real estate needs please let me know, I would be happy to help in anyway that I can!

12/02/2014

It is the 47th year of the Kane County Flea Market. It will be held at the Kane County Fairgrounds. $5.00 for adults, Free for children 12 years or younger with adult. Parking is free! So come out and find that perfect antique that you have always been looking for.
Open Saturday 12-5 and Sunday 7-4.

Kane County Flea Market Best in midwest or anywhere Saint Charles, IL Antique Collectible junque Robinson Jewelry furniture Art Dealers

11/24/2014

Holiday Homecoming
November 28, 2014 - November 29, 2014

Downtown St. Charles
Downtown Main Street
St. Charles, IL 60174
630.443.3967
This is one of Midwest's most spectacular holiday events. Fri. Lighting of the lights, 1st St. Plaza 5PM. Sat. Free Holiday Movie Arcada Theatre 10:30am; Free Horse-drawn sleigh rides 1st St. Plaza 1-3:30pm; Visit with Santa on Plaza 1-4pm; Electric Christmas Parade 5:30 Main St.

This is a great event for the whole family. Come on down and meet Santa and see him open up his new home. Listen in as St. Charles East and North Chorales perform. Come see the lighting of the Christmas trees of take a ride on a horse draw sleigh! Also, if your looking for the perfect tree, Swans Christmas Trees are opening their lot! So Don't be a Grinch, Come on out and Celebrate with the whole city!

Experience the wonder of the season as Mayor Rogina illuminates the city and officially kicks-off the holidays in St. Charles. There will be a special performance by the St. Charles East and North High Schools’ Chorales, as well as an appearance by Santa. Be there as Santa opens his house for the…

11/24/2014

Mortgage Tips for First-Time Buyers
With numerous options to choose from, deciding which mortgage is best for your personal situation can be an overwhelming process. Whether you’re buying your first home—or even your third or fourth—the last thing you want to do is fall in love with a house you can’t afford.

While you may have gone online and used a mortgage calculator to figure out that you can afford a home close to $350,000, it’s important to take your full financial picture into consideration.

One way to determine exactly how much you can borrow is to consider three times your annual household income and subtract your debts (college loans, car loans, etc.). You’ll also want to meet with a mortgage professional before you begin looking at homes to get an accurate reading in regard to what you can truly afford. Knowing this figure ahead of time will save you heartache in the long run.

Lenders consider a variety of things before deciding your qualifications on a mortgage, including one’s employment history, credit history, FICO score and debt. You should know going into the meeting what these figures are to make the process smoother.

You’re also going to need to know the type of mortgage you want. Most first-time buyers will opt for a 30-year loan, but if you have the money, there are benefits to getting a 15-year-mortgage. A fixed-rate mortgage is for those concerned about where rates may go, but adjustable-rate mortgages are popular these days because of the low interest rates. Just be wary that interest rates can rise at any time, and your payments will rise with them.

Another factor to consider is how much of a down payment you want to place on the home, as this number will affect your mortgage. There are special mortgages available for those who qualify that allow for a buyer to put little to no money down, but this will cost you more in interest payments in the long run. For some buyers, this may be necessary because they may not have the equity needed to make a down payment.

There are also special loans available for those in the military, so keep this in mind if applicable.

To ensure the entire process is as smooth as possible, meet with a mortgage professional early in the process so that you understand your options and have a good sense as to what’s available. By collecting all the proper paperwork ahead of time and knowing one’s true worth, it can make the mortgage process much easier for everyone involved.

For more information about mortgages, contact our office today.
By Keith Loria

If you want to see if you qualify, click below then hit apply. This is through Guaranteed Rate and Yale Valdez will contact you!

11/18/2014

Looking to buy or sell a house? I would be more than happy to chat!