Real Estate - Kicking some ASS!

So many people ask me how the market is going so I decided to blog it out!  Last Spring and Summer were good.  We were relieved to feel the beginning of the end to the what was a pretty miserable market for 3 or 4 years.  But since this January, houses have been selling at record pace.  I'll show some houses and if my buyers can't decide quickly enough, they will wake up in the morning and they'll all be under contract.  I'd say the difference between now and 2005 is that although prices are up from the debacle of 2011 they are still "under control".  We have the urgency we had in 2005 but just not the price tags. And truth be told, that's a better scenario anyway!  

So I did some analysis.  I looked at specific towns and school districts to see the percentage of homes under contract!  You hear the phrase "low inventory" a lot (which is great for real estate because although frustrating to a buyer sometimes, it really does creates urgency which is always good for a market) so I set out to see if this low inventory was imaginary or real. Again  this urgency is a good thing for a real estate market.  As they say....supply and demand!  So below is a list of neighboring towns and school districts in the Northwest Suburbs with the percentage of SOLD (under contract homes).  For the purpose of this blog - which is just to relay the gist of our current market's ass kicking status, I am only choosing single family homes (condos/town-homes will have to be another day).  Again, this "study" is just to relay the general vibe!  

Example:
Happiness, Illinois - 59 homes listed/26 under contract - 44% under contract!

Mount Prospect - 216/123 - 57% under contract  

• District 57 - 96/62 - 65% under contract
• District 59 - 44/21 - 48% under contract
• District 26 - 50/26 - 52% under contract

Arlington Heights - 342/189 - 55% under contract 

• District 25 -247/146-  59% under contract
• District 59 - 28/13- 46% under contract
• District 21 -40/19 - 48% under contract

Park Ridge - 247/130 - 53% under contract 

Des Plaines -269/141 - 52% under contract

Palatine - 275/136- 49% under contract

Rolling Meadows - 83/49 - 59% under contract

Elk Grove Village - 125/63 - 50% under contract

Couch in the Rearview

Just as a follow up to my last post....here's how my journey from the couch is progressing!

I just finished my 7th day of training (bc you only run/walk every other day and sometimes there are 2 days of rest between days...which I secretly love!).  Yesterday I ran (and by "ran" I mean slowly jog and by slowly jog I mean sometimes slower than I typically even walk!) Anyway, I "ran" 5 minutes, walk 3 minutes  - three times yesterday.  A total of 24 minutes.  I must say that I am in SHOCK.  I am in shock that 2 weeks ago I was literally tortured at the hands of the 1 minute run/1 minute walk scenario.  Yesterday I ran 5 minutes and the first time I looked at the stopwatch, I had 35 seconds left....that is HUMONGOUS!  Add that to my overwhelming hatred of movement, muscle usage, sweat and being out of breath - it's a miracle this thing is coming together.  

Do I feel better?
Again - I don't finish the training and want to climb a mountain - I typically have my sights set on a nap.  BUT I feel mentally better.  Probably because I'm doing something I thought I couldn't do. I feel proud that I finished because at least 42 times during the training, I consider the many excuses I could create for stopping. Here are a few....
my toes itch
my feet are numb
I have to pee
I am too thirsty
I'm too cold
I'm running out of time
I don't "feel it" today (Like i EVER feel it!)

What helps?
Well I've done a lot of different things in an effort to distract me from the pain and agony during the run. I've listened to podcasts, I've ran outside, I've ran on a treadmill  I've listened to my Ipod and I've run with Rob.  Running with Rob was no good  -well, it made me not quit bc I wouldn't want to quit in front of him but he was talking and probably wanted me to respond but because I had no breath, I couldn't gather up any words or respones....I just nodded. Podcasts might work if I could find some super interesting ones...I need like a murder mystery/switched at birth kind of storyline.  Treadmills don't work for me - hard time finding my stride, too many onlookers, too much pressure....  The best combo for me is running on this inside track (and it's free) where only seniors hang out while listening to the Top Hip Hop Hits via Pandora on my phone.

What's next?
Well - I have to register for the Run - making it official.  The debut of my athleticism. (Feel free to join me on 5/18 for the Got 2 Run Race for Education! www.got2run.org!)

Tomorrow I am suppose to run for 7 minutes.  SEVEN MINUTES???!!!! My God.  
Stay tuned!


   

"Couch to 2.62" - A Journey from the "Couch"

As I have stated already, I dread exercise....no good at it, too arthritic, too sore, too busy, not my thing.  But as I have also previously stated, it's necessary in life...to feel good, to be less arthritic, to be less sore, to be stronger.

I really hate to say "couch" to anything because it makes it seem like I was just laying around all day watching The Price is Right.  Not true.  I was "moving".  Moving in my house cleaning and cooking.  Moving from desk to office to car to home to car to store back to desk.  I was no where near a couch.

Last year I volunteered at a race.  I have always longed to be a part of anything with a "K".  I admire people when they say "I ran a 5K"....."I signed up for the 10K Run for the _______".  I love that.  What is this "K"?  How do people become runners?  Certainly that ship has sailed because I am 2 months from 45 and try as I might in the past, am not involved in "K's".  So I volunteered because I could at least do that.  It was awesome.  Beautiful morning, palpable energy, cheerleaders, supporters, stretching, grouping for photos....it surpassed my expectations.  And despite the fact that I did not run that race, I remember driving home feeling healthier.  (A lot of exercise and wellness happens in my mind).  

So this year I thought I'd give this thing a try.  I printed out the Couch to 2.62 (which is a funny nod to the actual 26.2 marathon).  Day 1 - jog 1 minute, walk 1 minute 10 times.  It was horrific.  Terrible.  Painful.  Boring.  Cold.  My IPOD cord worked off and on.  I couldn't breathe.  BUT I did it.  Saying that I felt great when it was done is an overstatement since, if socially appropriate, I would have laid down in this guy's lawn at the moment I hit that last minute.  But mentally - I DID feel great.  Because despite the agony, I did what was asked of me on Day 1.  The next 2 sessions, Day 2 and 3, where run 2 minutes, walk 4 minutes 5 times.  I did both sessions.  One easier than the other but both sucked.  My ankles, my calves, my shins, my quads, my breathing....BUT I did it.  Yesterday was Day 4.  Run 3, walk 3 - do it 4 times.  I can honestly say it was no better...thoughts of 'I'm not a runner....how can anyone do this...when will this be easy.....' crossed my mind a hundred times.  BUT I did it.  Here's the real point - one day 1 minute seemed horrific but 1 week later 1 minute was easy.  Still getting to 2 minutes and 3 minutes and more still hurt and make me question why in the hell people don't just lay around on their couch but each subsequent minute gets easier when more is piled on.  I don't feel physically good at the end - my hope is that someday I do.  But I do feel happy and proud that I finished it.  I have no idea if I'll make it for that 2.62 race in May. None.  I'm not this so determined/nothing's going to stop me girl.....  A LOT could stop me.  Believe me.  But I am happy to report - Week 1 of training - CHECK!