Julie's Blog

For those of you who have been reading my blogs, quite a few weeks ago a little boy named Trevor Kott found his way into my heart.

Trevor was born on October 14th, 2006,with a very rare type of cancer called AML (Acute Myeloid Leukemia).  He endured 5 rounds of chemotherapy in hopes of keeping the cancer at bay until a compatible bone marrow donor could be found.  As time went on and no donor could be located, and Trevor grew more ill.

In his short, but meaningful life, Trevor summoned up the good in people.  He challenged strangers to answer a call to be good to each other; to take care of one another. 

He made us take notice that, yes... one person can make a difference. 

It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I tell you, God called Trevor home this morning. 

Some people search their entire lives in the pursuit of happiness, scurrying to fulfill a purpose, and struggling to understand the meaning of their lives.  Trevor did all of that with what little time he had with all of us here on earth.

Trevor is a messenger.  Countless lives will no doubt be saved because of the spirit of giving that Trevor invoked at the drives held in his honor. 

Please remember the Kott family in your prayers as they mourn the loss of their sweet baby.  May Heaven hold him tight tonight.

When thinking about buying a new home, I know that a million things immediately come to mind.  My husband and I have bought and sold many properties over the last 8 years.  How much can we afford?  How much will the payment be?  Can we get a loan?

The first call you should make before you begin looking for you next home, is to your mortgage broker or loan officer. 

It is very  important to know your financial situation before you start searching for your new home.  Credit scores, interest rates, and debt to income ratios all dramatically affect the types of loans and programs available to home-buyers.  It will also affect the amount of credit you have available to finance your new home.

The fact of the matter is, credit costs money.  Interest rates are the means to which banks make money.  The higher the risk, based on your credit scores and debt to income ratios,  the more a bank will charge for the cost of obtaining credit. 

Why does the credit score play such a important part in the process of applying for credit?  To quote one of my favorite talk show hosts, Dr. Phil, " The best predictor of future behavior, is past behavior"

If you are consistently 5 days late on your car payment,  you behavior tells the bank, "I don't pay my bills on time, so don't expect a payment from me when it's due."

Likewise, if you mail your house payment in 2 weeks early and you pay off your credit cards every month, your behavior tells the bank, "I pay my bills on-time and understand the conditions of the credit agreements I have entered into."

From an real estate agents point of view, not knowing what price range a buyer can afford to buy in would only lead me on a wild goose chase all over Plainfield and end up taking up a lot of both mine and my clients time. 

You wouldn't go to the check out at the grocery store without making sure you had money in your wallet, right?  The same rule loosley applies to shopping for a new home. 

Lots of  real estate agents would be more than happy to take you through homes for sale in your area, I'm one of them;  but I can't stress enough the importance of talking to a mortgage lender and becoming pre-approved!

• Pre-approval gives weight to any, and all offers that you make on a property.
• Defines the price range for which you can obtain a loan commitment from a lender.
• Helps you understand exactly what that credit is going to cost you in terms of interest rates.
• A mortgage broker can help you estimate your final monthly payment, closing costs, and necessary down payment.
• Being pre-approved, saves both you and your real estate agent a valuable amount of time!

I have established a business relationship with Daniel Cerovac at Wells Fargo Home Finance in Aurora, IL.  Dan is the branch manager there, and we have talked about the kind of service I would like to see for my clients.  Dan will work with you to find a loan program that you are comfortable with and that meets your needs.  If you are thinking about buying a new home, give Dan a call.  You can reach him at the office at 630-820-5229,  He's a smart guy and he'll take great care of you! 

After you talk to Dan, call me ...  we've got some house shopping to do!

To learn more about buying or selling a home in Plainfield, IL visit my local Plainfield website at: www.LivingInPlainfield.com  to see what's going on in the community and about local area events!

                                                               Tips For Showing Your Home 

• Whenever possible, don't follow the prospective buyers through the house.  Let them see themselves living in the house as if they all ready owned it.  (For you own protection, don't forget to put away valuables and personal items before the showing.) 

• Turn on ALL of the lights in the house.  Lamps and other artificial lights make your home feel comfortable and bright

• Open the blinds and curtains.  No one wants to move into the Munster's house!

• Keep your thermostat set at 70 degrees or lower for a showing.  If it is too warm or cold during a showing, your prospective buyers may get uncomfortable and head straight for the door.

• Wipe down the kitchen and bathroom surfaces with a clean smelling household cleanser.  It sends the message that your home is clean and cared for. 

• Don't use air fresheners.  Air fresheners can be too over powering and might cause some buyers to think you are trying to mask a more ominous odor.  Instead, consider lighting a few lightly scented candles in the kitchen or bathroom.

• Turn on the stereo.  Music creates an inviting atmosphere. 

• Make all of the beds and re-organize the closets.  A well maintained storage area gives the impression that there is room to grow. 

• Have pets?  Make sure to keep them out of the way, or out of sight.  Some people are afraid of animals, while others may have allergies.  Make sure things like cages and litter boxes are kept clean and out of the way to avoid over-powering pet odors.

• Consider smoking outside while your home is on the market if you are a smoker.  The smell of smoke indoors will most likely be a huge turn-off to a non-smoking prospective buyer.  Tobacco smoke and odor builds up on window treatments, on furniture, and in carpeting even when no one is actively smoking in the home.  This can be a very serious concern for someone with allergies as well.

• Be willing to show your home at a moments notice.  It's not uncommon for someone to call as they are sitting right in front of the house.  Whenever possible try not to turn anyone away.  Keep the house as neat and clean as possible for those "spur of the moment" showings.

• Have a guest sign-in sheet.  You are opening your home to people that you don't know and there is no guarantee that all of them will be trustworthy.  You can make your home less vulnerable for criminals and burglars to take inventory and a feel for the lay out of your house by letting them know you are on top of security measures right from the beginning.  At least get a phone number and an address if possible.  Check id's to verify they are who they say they are.

Today I threw on my baby sling and spent the day visiting more new home builders in the Plainfield, IL area!

"Quatro", as my sister affectionately calls the 4th addition to our family, was such a trooper!  Actually, he was a major flirt and grabbed the attention of all the wonderful women I met today working in the sales offices around Plainfield.

At the River Hills community, located just off of Naperville-Plainfield Rd., he caught the eye of Jennifer, one of the sales reps who was more than happy to tell me all about the 1st phase of the beautiful new community being built there.

I took a tour of all of the gorgeous Orleans builders models, and was taken back by how perfectly staged they all were! 

These homes are all part of the Plainfield Consolidated Community 202 school district and part of the Bolingbrook, IL community which specifically includes Lincoln Elementary, Richard Ira Jones Middle School, Plainfield North High School for Freshman, Sophomores, and Juniors... and Plainfield Central High School for all 2006-2007 Senior class students. 

These homes all include: 9′ft full basements, 3 car garages per plan, dual zoned heating and air conditioning per plan, stained oak railings per plan, hardwood or ceramic flooring in foyers, kitchens and powder rooms, ceramic floor and wall tile in full baths, luxury mater baths with soaking tub, separate shower and double -bowl vanity, Whirlpool appliances, cook top with built-in oven, Glacier white Corian kitchen counter tops, fully sodded yards with professionally designed and installed landscaping, 9′ft standard 1st floor ceilings, 5 cable tv outlets and 5 telephone jacks, low-E energy efficient windows, Tyvek Air infiltration barrier around the entire house, and an included 10 Year Home Warranty!

Jennifer and Laura Baucom spent some time talking to me about the community.  Right now, throught the month of April you can receive $35,000 to use toward options or to buy down the interest rate when you use their preferred lender Alambry Mortgage.

These are some of the most breathtaking models I have previewed, due in part their excellent staging and family friendly layouts, and are an excellent value in the $419-520 price range.

Preview the models here:

The Asby       The Garrett       The Winchester II

I wondered and thought for such a long time before I decided to use the Active Rain forum in this way.  After speaking to the grandmother of this little boy this afternoon I really don't feel like it's even a choice.  Trevor Kott needs a bone marrow donor now.  I can't worry myself with whether or not someone will be upset that I posted this here on Active Rain.  I will take any and all critism for posting about Trevor here, but the truth is that now with over 25,000 members I know that 25,000 people have the potential to hear and act on behalf of this little miracle.

I am writing today about something very important.  This isn't a forward, and this isn't about an imaginary child floating around on the internet.  

This is about a real baby boy named Trevor Kott.  From the second I first laid eyes on him he stole my heart.

I first heard about Trevor's story a few weeks ago from someone on Cafe Mom, which is an on-line forum that I belong to.  Rather than me go on an on about what led me to this point I will share a open letter from his parents that I took from his website:  Help Save Trevor Kott

The rest of this is a message was included in a personal e-mail to my family and friends.  I decided I needed to harness the power of Active Rain to help this family and share it with you.

UPDATE:  Trevor's grandmother, Linda Kott, called me today to ask if there was a way that I could help gain national publicity for his story. 

I have contacted all 4 major news networks in my area as well as Oprah, The Today Show, Good Morning America, 20/20 and Primetime.  We are all only 6 degrees from being connected from to every single person in this world! 

Do you know someone who could help us?  A celebrity?  A contact at your local news station? 

Active Rain is such a great community of people always willing to help.  I thought this was a great place to start.  If you have any support or contact information to offer, please contact me at 630-673-6233.  THANK YOU!