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The Lakelands in Plainfield is located near Naperville-Plainfield Rd and 135th St. in Plainfield, IL.  These custom built homes have been built on premium lakefront lots, where homeowners can enjoy resort style living all year round.  The private lake in the gated Plainfield community also includes a private clubhouse.

Many homeowners in the neighborhood own boats for fishing and water skiing.  It's hard to imagine this little resort like community in the middle of the bustling Chicago suburb called Plainfield, but I promise... it's real!  I drool every time I drive past it.  The neighborhood is so unique it's almost majestic.  I spent most of my summers on Diamond Lake in White Cloud, Michigan. I know how much fun swimming and boating are in can only imagine what it's like to own a piece of this prime Plainfield real estate and live there year round!

There are currently 9 homes for sale in The Lakelands in Plainfield, and 5 homes have sold in there in last 12 months. Asking prices in the Lakelands right now are ranging from $599,900 to $945,000.  The closed sale prices of homes in the neighborhood range in price from $580,000 to $864,500. 

Most of the homes for sale in the Lakelands feature custom builder amenities such as: gated entrance, walk-out basements, fireplaces, gourmet kitchens, wood floors, and master suites, and as I mentioned before... lakefront lots! 

Bases on the available MLS data for the Lakelands, the yearly association fees for the neighborhood range from $1000 yearly to $1500 yearly.  I imagine the association fees are based on lot location and fluctuate on a home by home basis. 

If you are looking for a home in the $600,000 to $700,000 price range, The Lakelands in Plainfield has the most to offer and enjoy for your investment.  Call me to set up a private showing of the homes available in the Lakelands right now at 630-673-6233.  If you're a homeowner in the Lakelands that is thinking about selling your property, call me for you complimentary market analysis.

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The Farmstone Ridge neighborhood is located just off of Naperville/Plainfield Rd. and 127th St. in Plainfield, IL. Each home was custom built on a premium lot by local area builders. Construction in Farmstone Ridge began in 2003, and the subdivision neighbors the private nearby gated Lakelands Community.

The students of Farmstone Ridge attend Liberty Elementary, John F. Kennedy Middle School, and Plainfield North High School, although Plainfield East High School will be opening as Plainfield's 4th high school this year. I've driven past the new school quite a few times over the last few weeks and it's coming along quite nicely!!!

When I was still working at Zen Salon in the plaza at the corner about 5 years ago, I met a lot of clients who lived in the neighborhood, which was nice because I know what a great neighborhood Farmstone Ridge really is.  The ladies of the neighborhood get together quite often and I often wished I lived there so that I could be part of all of the festivities too!

The yearly assessment for Farmstone Ridge is $380 per year. As of today there are currently 5 homes actively listed for sale, and 4 properties have closed in the last 9 months.  I usually only like to go 6 months out on comps,  but in this sluggish real estate economy, we have to take what we can get!

Active Listings in Farmstone Ridge:

Closed Listing In Farmstone Ridge in the Last 9 Months:

Of the closed listings over the last 9 months, it should be noted that both 12751 Pintail Rd. and 12812 Stellar Ln. were bank owned or pre-foreclosure sales, which means that because of the urgency of liquidating the assets that the true value of the property was not captured in the sale of the property.

In this market, no community is immune to the effects that foreclosure brings to the table.  While bank owned properties (REO's) usually do not affect the appraised value of regular residential property, short sales often times can, and do, bring down the closed comparable values for a neighborhood.  This is due mainly to the fact that the bank never actually took repossession of the home and they are not truly considered "foreclosed" properties.

Despite all that has happened in the housing market over the last 2 years, Plainfield home values are still holding strong, not only against major cities all across the United States, but against neighboring communities in the northwest suburbs. Since 2005 Plainfield has still seen a 2% appreciation in real estate which is almost unheard of in real estate today!

Farmstone Ridge is just minutes from some really great shopping and dining.  I know I help the Target at the corner of Rt. 59 and 127th street in business, and our favorite family restaurant is Red Robin right across the street!  (Seriously, those are some really tasty burgers!) 

As I mentioned before I used to be a stylist at the Zen Salon in the plaza at that intersection and a former client of mine who actually lives in Farmstone Ridge, owns the Dinners by Design franchise in Plainfield, just a few doors down from the salon!  If you've never tried Dinners by Design I highly recommend it.  Think of it as making 2 weeks of dinners in advance and not having to rush home to cook!   This is priceless when the kids are in school and after school activities are at their peak...

Anyway, I think Farmstone Ridge in Plainfield is a great place to live, and I'd eagerly take a client there to show them any of the homes available for sale.  Heck, I'd want to live there myself if I didn't already have a home of my own :)  Want to check it out the houses for sale?  Call me.  I want to see them too!

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I'm sure there are lots of reasons why Plainfield and Naperville homeowners find it more appealing to try to sell their homes for sale by owner, and I'm sure the 4-7% commission that a Plainfield or Naperville Realtor would charge them for their service tops the list... but did you know that according to NAR, homes for sale by owner sell for 32% less than homes listed with a Realtor, on average?

Wow, even if you figure in a 5% commission from a Plainfield Realtor, homeowners are still losing about 27% of their homes equity anually by chosing to eliminate the professional services of an Illinois Realtor. Yikes, 27% is a lot of money on a $250,000 house! 

The median FSBO selling price in 2006 was $187,200, compared with $247,000 for agent-assisted transactions and in a faster amount of time.  That pretty much makes hiring a Realtor look like a pretty sweet bargain!

Here are some of the reasons For Sale By Owner homes sell for less money, in a longer amount of time:

• Sellers do not know the true value of their home.
  
• Limited exposure to Internet and tech-savvy buyers.
• Inexperience with negotiating the terms of a contract.
• Limited access to the price of competing home values.
• Limited access to closed home price comparables.
• Most buyers use a Realtor represent them when purchasing real estate and FSBO's are often over-looked because the limited amount of information available about the homes statistics.

If you are on the fence about whether or not to hire a Realtor to represent you in the sale of your home, interview a few Plainfield or Naperville real estate agents and then decide if you have the time, effort, and energy to provide the same level of service for yourself than your Plainfield or Naperville Realtor will provide for you!

If you are a Plainfield or Naperville homeowner thinking about "For Sale By Owner" or have a property you are currently marketing on your own, it would be my pleasure to answer any questions you may have about the process.  Just give me a call at 630-673-6233.

Read also:

What Kind of Improvements Do I Need To Make My Plainfield or Naperville Home Sell?
Plainfield Home Values and How They Comparea Against the Housing Bubble
Testing the Market With A High Asking Price

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My husband and I moved here to Plainfield, IL almost 9 years ago.  There wasn't much out here way back then, but over the years I've watched 2 lane dirt roads transform into virtual highways, and strip malls appear out of thin air!

I'll admit, back in 1999 it was a bit of a culture shock to leave the only place I had ever called "home".  I grew up in Addison, IL exactly 25 minutes west of Chicago.  It wasn't a metropolis, but compared to Plainfield circa 1999, it sure felt like it.  Now, 9 years later, Plainfield has become a settled and established community much to the likes of the neighboring cities of Naperville, Bolingbrook, Joliet and Aurora. 

Speaking from experience, the Plainfield elementary school my children attend has the most amazing staff. Not only do we have one of the greatest principals in the district, our teachers are some of the most involved and dedicated teachers I have ever met.  The parents who volunteer to run our school's PTO never seem to run out of energy and are constantly working on ways to improve the educational experience for all of the students. We actually love our elementary school so much that when it was time for a bigger house we didn't move far... we moved a whopping 7 blocks away! 

Shopping and dining are two of my favorite things to do here... (much to my husband's dismay!) I actually love the Louis Joliet Mall because we have 4 kids, and it's all on one level.  I don't have to manuever two levels with a stroller!  It seems silly but believe me, it's worth it every time you hear a little voice say, "I have to go potty! Nowwww!"

The best part is I am only about 5 minutes from both highways, I-55 and I-80.  I can be on Lakeshore Dr. in 40 minutes on the weekend and to the Brookfield Zoo in just under 30... and that's without speeding :)  There's also a Metra train station in Joliet that isn't too far away. 

I really love my house, my new friends, and everything about living here in Plainfield.  We really made a great choice when we decided to raise our family here and this is the place my kids will always know as "home", and that makes me happy!

Read also: What Makes a House A Home?

Do you want to make Plainfield home for you and your family?  I know this town inside and out, and I can help you find the perfect home!  Call me at 630-673-6233.

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As you may have noticed I recently transferred real estate offices.  I joined RE/Max Professionals South in Plainfield, IL this week, and I know that it was not only the best choice for me, but also for my clients.

RE/Max is the industry leader in real estate and they also hold the market share in the Plainfield, Naperville and Shorewood, IL.  I chose RE/Max because of the brand recognition, and technology and support that they offer to their agents.  I was not only impressed with the office, but also by the brokers and staff the operate the office.  Rich Conte, Lisa Mulcahy, and Dan Persico welcomed me with open arms.  They were not only professional, but fun to be around.  I believe that energy is contagious and I wanted to be part of this from the second I set foot in the office on Renwick Rd.

There are 3 offices affiliated with our brokers: RE/Max Professionals Select in Naperville, IL, RE/Max Professionals South in Plainfield, IL, and RE/Max Pinnacle in Shorewood, IL. 

RE/Max not only offers the exposure that my clients expect, they also offers the professional service my clients deserve.  I have met many agents in the field over the years and I have always had a great experiences with all of the RE/Max agents in Plainfield that I have worked with in past transactions.

This is a smart move for me, and I know that my clients will continue to benefit from my relationship with RE/Max Professionals South for years to come! 

Now you can find me at:

RE/Max Professionals South
24014 W. Renwick Rd.
Plainfield, IL 60544
815-609-0100 Office
630-673-6233 Direct