Quick Update

A lot going on. Contract on house nearing its completion. All inspections and loan documents are in. All that is left is the final walkthrough and visit to the closing table. Its 95% there.

We actually have 3 houses for the next few days - our current Bartlett home, the Naperville teardown and we now have possession of the Naperville rental to start moving stuff in.

Plans for new house are 99.9% done - actually will go out to the bidding phase for all the sub contractors to throw a price on their piece. This is the part where we will see if we are still inline. Need to post an update to the other blog. Naperville Sun newspaper has been calling - they appear to be eager to continue our story in print.

Moving stinks - as in the matter of 5 years we sure have accumulated enough s!!t.

Kids are doing good. Gonna feel guilty for making Connor swith schools next week - as I am sure the first few days are going to be full of tears when we drop him off. Thankfully, he is a quick adjuster.

Carter is a determined kid - as he is crawling all over the place and getting into nothing but trouble.

Highlights of Connor/Carter:

*Connor is now a big boy sleeper - he has been sleeping in a queen bed for a couple weeks.

*Carter is not only crawling but for the most can pull himself up to standing.

*Connor fell 4ft off a bridge at the park playing with his buddy Trevor - landed on his side - all is well (scared everyone at the park). I am not sure who was crying more - Trevor or Connor.

*Carter yanked the Carbon Monoxide detector out of the wall - which triggers it. Both he, and Connor started balling as it squeeled away.

*Carter is now eating all big boy foods - no more jars.

*Connor is off the sippy cups - uses a more mature cup with lid.

More later...

Racing at the park...

Naperville Riverwalk Insect Art (why he picked that one, I dont know?!?)

Connor itching to go to the beach...
Still moving...
The backyard of the rental property...(730 E Chicago Ave)

Generic Update Part 2

Pics...

Connor packing up for the move...?!?!

Connor at the Relay for Life Cancer event in Downers Grove - he only made about 1/2 mile before throwing in the towel or being distracted by other things.

The family....

Generic Update

Not much time for a in-depth update - too much to juggle. The under contract period is progressing well. Inspection went good (few nitpicky things) and the buyers mortgage appears solid - so most hurdles have been jumped.

Looking for rentals has not been too bad - but the fact we want 9 months maximum - and then a option to go month-to-month after that has vastly limited our choices. As of now - looks like we may be renting a 1930's two story in downtown Naperville. Fairly close to our build site and also has a nice fenced yard and two car garage/basement. It certainly isnt luxury living - but I fear we may get spolied living closer to downtown than our finished house will be - (it shaves about 10-15 minutes off the walk time). But I just refuse to go back to apartment complex living or living far out to save a few bucks...

School transition will thankfully be painless - as the boys will just transfer within the system and go to a Chesterbrook Academy in Naperville/Lisle. I am sure the first week will be hard on Connor- but he usually adjusts well. He will be leavign his best-bud Trevor though - so we will see how that goes -apparently, those two are attached at the hip all day at school (literally - teacher told us last week that Trevor was sick and crying...Connor laid down next to Trevor and slept with him until his parents came - I guess we're doing something right in our parenting!)

Now the packing/moving begins...along with working non building permits, etc. As best case scenario - we cant realy even start unitl Sept (permits take that long)...

Carter is getting BIG...

Connor in my old rocking chair from when I was his age...

Connor figured out it was much easier to pop bubbles with a stick than his hand...

Grandman (about to pass out)...

Under Contract....

Somehow, someway, after what seems like an eternity, we are officially under contract. Really, the only thing that could derail this is the home inspection - but given our place was built in 2002, I am not too concerned. However, will not take the final breath of relief until we actually hand the keys over. As you never know...

The buyer has actually never seen the place - he is in Algeria - but has sent his "team" over to look 3 times over the course of 6 weeks. Apparently, this will be a second home in the states as he does a lot of business in the area ... I dont know the entire story - but I dont care - their money is good with me.

The contract process actually started last Friday - but given the 10 hour difference - has made this way too lenghty and stressful, wondering when you will hear back.

And I must say for those looking to sell...the method in which we sold probably saved us $10,000 in commisions and I would reccomend it to anyone. I will give a free ad to Keenan Realty (http://www.keenanrealtyofchicagoland.com/home.htm) as out of all the people in my neighborhood, most that are using the old fashined method of selling real estate did not have the quantity of showings nor any offers (we have had 3 offers in total).

Its an interesting business model - as it lives in the gap created between using a full blown, high commission realtor and the low end, flat fee services with no human. This process gives you a little of both - flat fee up front to get exposure, and a very small commission on the back end when the realtor comes into play. All of this allows you to price a little more aggressive - as you know you will be paying 1/2 (at a minimum) the commission as your neighbor.

My biggest concern with this method was that if a buyer ever came without a agent - then I would have to show the place (advantage being then all commissions would be negated if an agentless buyer put in an offer). However - that never happened - as expected - everyone that came always brought their own realtor. So I never had to show our place.

In the end, our hunch was 100% correct - selling agents dont sell houses (nor show them) - the buyer and their agent is in control. With the Internet and MLS, I dont see how many realtors will be in business in 10 years (much less 5). They will alwasys exist - but their model has to change. Buyers no longer go to realtors first, its not 1985 where the only way to find out what was for sale was to call a realtor - they go the the Internet and look at pictures, floorplans and virtual tours. Sites like buysiderealty.com work the same way on the buyers side. Its all changing and most of these realtors dont want to admit it. Brian Keenan from Keenan Realty gets it - its going to become a game of high volume, low commision - rather than selling 5 houses per year the traditional way - he sells 100 via his method. Makes sense to me...

So, hopefully, we are done - with this phase of the process. Then the real stress starts of building a house.

Cupcake Bratpack

Maybe only a picture we as parents find funny, but will share anyhow. Taken at school on the playground - must have been someone's b-day, but stuffing his pie hole with a cupcake, while appearing to give the look of the BMOC (big man on campus), toughguy - made us laugh.

Carter and his mother days crafts for mom...

2 Offers - No Contract

We have a flurry of showings the other weekend that leads to not 1, but 2 offers within 24 hours. Frustrating part is neither appears like it will pan out - as one was a low ball offer and the other, close, but just couldnt' close the final gap.

So mentally, we were checked out - figuring we could get 1 of the offers to go through. Now its back to the craptacular wait and see.

Thanks to Grandma Cook for coming down a lending a hand and sepending time with the boys. They boys had fun in Naperville, and at the museum, and at the horse track and at all the parks and stops for food in between.

All the Boys...

Picking out the winner at Arlington Park

Connor at the Childrens Museum after some jerk-off 6 year old dumped water on his head (parental instict to return the favor to the young punk had to be held in check)

Racing in the basement.

The artsy pick with G'ma

Yardwork

Some pics with the boys having fun in the yard at our 'second home' while daddy mows the lawn. Both of them just love being there. Its quickly turning into our 'vacation home' as our current house lags on the market.

How frustrating is selling a house in this market? Here are some examples of recent feedback we got from agents showing the place...

"My clients really, really liked it a lot"

"Best we have seen"

"We have seen 30 places - still #1 on the list"

"Overall, a very nice home with a lot of nice, quality finishes/decorating. I’m very surprised for the market time on this one! It should have already sold!! Hang in there I’m sure it will go. Aside for the model-issue for my clients, it could have worked for them"

So overall, it stinks - nothing but postive feedback every time - yet here we sit. Blah, blah, blah...

First ice cream cone...he didnt quite get it....ate from the bottom...

Two Toots

Finally made a trip over to Two Toots along the Metra line in downtown Downers Grove - being whenever Connor hears or see a train he says "Choo Choo". Connor was a little unsure at first - but warmed up quickly and liked the food being served tableside on a train and the constant "toot toots" everytime it made a lap...He even got his own "big boy" burger...

Picture Day at Chesterbrook

Getting the boys ready for picture day at school...the pics are never usually any good as all the kids either freeze up when the photograher comes in or cry, so we shall see. Connor and Carter were going to go in together. Either way, they had fun before school wearing their matching $6.50 SuperTarget polo's (exensive - given we usually only pay $3.50 on the clearance rack)...

I dont know - people say they look alike, but I just dont see it. Connor=darker complexion, brown eyes, brown hair and slender. Carter= light skin, blonde hair, blue eyes and 'thick'.

Carter is on the move...but only in reverse...

Random pics, stories...

What the 'boys' like to do when waiting for dad to take them to school in the morning...notice Carter even closing his eyes...they'll llove this shot when there 16...

Connor and much older girlfriend, Gabby, at R. Tuesdays...he now smiles when you tell him, "Say Cheese".

Connors "Ink" from his happy meal...

Connor doing what he does non stop - sweep, rake or vacuum...

Fun in the yard...

Supersized Update

Well, with the newspaper stuff and all the jive in the rearview mirror for now - can get back to more normal updates.

The other weekend (the one where it was 65, not 45), we spent the Saturday at the Naperville house, raking leaves and cleaning up the yard. Boy - I always wanted to live in a mature neighboorhood with trees - yikes! It took half the day to rake and bag the front 50x30 yard - 8 freaking 30 gallon bags of leaves and half of the small .25 acre yard was not even touched...the leaves were probably an inch thick. At least Connor loves raking...thats all he wanted (and wants) to do. Too bad in a few years he'll wise up. But I must say - we are more anxious now than ever to get our house sold and get the next one started - the in-city living just provides a great lifestyle and feeling of place...we spent the day in the yard - put the kids in the strollers, walked over to the Childrens's Museum, walked back up to the grocery store, stopped into Ace hardware for some yard bag stickers, and back home. We now know why we never purchased any of the homes in the farm - field subdivisions we shopped the past 3 years - your so often secluded and isolated.

Anyways, this Saturday was a trip to Splash Central in Bartlett - we have been meaning to go for months- but Connor was either getting ear tubes put in, had the flu or something was putting it off. Both of them loved it...as usual Connor is skeptical the first 10 minutes - but then once daddy gets him involved - he's good to go, and then, of course, never wants to leave. Connor also progressed to a big boy bed this weekend - as he can no get out of bad when he wants - no longer in a 4 walled crib - so far so good. Now, rather than fuss in his crib at 6 am, he comes over to the gate at the door and fusses there at 6am. He still holds the upper hand in this game...

Carter is growing and growing - 80% on height and 80% on weight at his 6 month checkup - just a a equally proportioned big kid...Connor better get his shots in now...as I forsee some payback in the near future. In reality though, it is fun to watch them play together and see how much they both like each other. Connor is always trying to get Carter's attention, trying to stand him up so he can play with him or attempting to pull him out of his high chair before he is done eating... and if he's sleeping on the couch - always tries to meander over and nudge him up. And

Carter thinks his big brother is the coolest boy on the planet - constantly staring, smiling and laughing at anything he does. Both got there first baths together in the same tub tonight - Connor thought that was the funnest thing in the world!


NOT A FAN OF CERTAIN VEGGIES...


CONNOR HARD AT WORK

THROWING A TANTRUM WHEN DADDY PUT THE RAKE IN THE GARAGE

CARTER HAS THOSE BLAZING BLUE EYES

More Pics....