Chicago Festival this week

1) Blackhawks Victory Parade

When: June 28 FRI

Where: Begin with a parade originating at the United Center and end with a rally at 11 a.m. in Hutchinson Field in Grant Park.

The Blackhawks' Stanley Cup victory tour will continue into Friday when the city hosts a parade and rally that could draw hundreds of thousands of fans.

2)28^th Annual Hunger walk

When: June 29, 7am registration, 8:30am step-off

Where: Soldier Field’s Stadium Green

Cost: $20 donation benefits the Greater Chicago Food Depository

           Join more than 12.000 participants for a 5K walk to raise awareness and funds for fight against hunger. This program directly benefits the Greater Chicago Food Depository’s network of 650 programs and member agencies that work year-round to provide food for the 807,690people in our community at risk of hunger.

3) Chicago Country Fest

When: June 29-30, Sat noon-10pm, Sun 11am-9pm

Where: Clark St & Armitage Ave

Cost: $5 donation benefits the Mid-North association

           Chicago Country Fest is a music festival that includes 20 hours of live country music, line dancing, the best barbecue, local artisan booths featuring a wide array of mixed media and jewelry and a mechanical bull.

4) Gay & Lesbian Pride Parade

When: June 30 Noon-3p.m

Where: Parade steps off south on Broadway from Montrose Ave; then south on Halsted St; then east on Belmont Ave; then south on Broadway; finally east on Diversey Pkwy. To Cannon Dr.

Cost: FREE

Chicago Gay & lesbian Pride parade expects close to 850.000 people to line the parade route in the annual procession. This parade will feature people in T-shirt, jeans, cutoffs, suits and colorful costumes aboard and along flats, decorated vehicles, and marching bands.

I hope this information is useful.

Should you need assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact

Supreme Manor Real Estate Services 773-881-9224. 

Have a Supreme Day!     

Sheila M. Wilkinson-Sanders

Wells to Increase Marketing of Home Rebate Card

Wells Fargo will increase the marketing of a credit card that allows customers to use reward points to pay down their mortgage, initially Wells began marketing the card to new mortgage customers, who got a solicitation immediately after taking out a home loan. Wells estimates that a cardholder with a $150,000 mortgage who spends $1,500 a month on the credit card can shave a year of payments off a 30-year mortgage. Wells has an online calculator that allows customers to plug in their mortgage principal and determine how much they could save using the card. Wells has been vocal in its desire to add more credit card users, particularly among its existing customers.

I hope this information is useful.

Should you need assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact

Supreme Manor Real Estate Services 773-881-9224. 

Have a Supreme Day!

Sheila M. Wilkinson-Sanders

Stain Removal Tips for Your Home

Stain Removal Tips for Your Home

Below are some really cool, inexpensive methods for keeping your home sparkling clean.

1. Dirty Linoleum Floors: Mix chlorine bleach with water and apply it with a wet mop, letting it sit for 30 to 45 minutes. Then, get down on your hands on knees and start scrubbing. Rinse with cool water and then mop with a mixture of one cup of white vinegar per gallon of water to neutralize the bleach.

2. Sticky Kitchen Cabinets: Mix water and a dash of paint thinner until the mixture looks milky white. Wearing rubber gloves, rub the solution over the wood with a soft cloth. Then, wipe it off with a clean-dry paper towel.

3. Stained Carpets: Apply a red-dye remover like Carbona Stain Devils #8 to a clean towel, lay it over the stain and then press a warm iron over it. The heat will transfer the stain onto the cloth.

4. Dingy Baseboards: First, vacuum the baseboards. Then using the brush attachment, scrub from top to bottom using a microfiber rag dipped in warm, soapy water and wrung almost dry. If your baseboards are white, keep a jar of matching paint and a small paintbrush handy so you can touch up scrapes and dings as you are cleaning

5. Musty Cabinets and Drawers: believe it or not, the alcohol effectively removes mold and mildew that cause musty smells. Fill a spray bottle with inexpensive vodka and water. Spray it onto the surface; then wipe it dry.

6. Stains on Porcelain: Some plumbing pipes carry hard water which may leave a thin film of white powder or an orange rust stain on the surface of sinks or tubs. Pumice sticks may help. Wet the surface of the sink and the stick. Then, gently scrub away the stain. Be careful not to scrub too hard to avoid scratching the porcelain. A paste will develop, which will help clean and polish the porcelain. Once the stain is gone, rinse the basin clean.

7. Grease Stains on the Floor of Your Garage: First, you wet the grease mark and the area around it and squirt liquid dishwashing detergent on the stain. Let it, sit and then brush and scrub the detergent into lather. Wet a towel to wipe up the detergent. You may have to repeat this process; Let the detergent sit for 30 minutes for really tough stains. For tougher stains use trisodium phosphate (TSP).

I hope this information is useful.

Should you need assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact

Supreme Manor Real Estate Services 773-881-9224. 

Have a Supreme Day!

Sheila M. Wilkinson-Sanders

New Rules May Ease Mortgage Process for Retiree

Many retirees have struggled qualify for a mortgage, finding their post-retirement monthly incomes aren’t sufficient enough to get a loan under today’s tough underwriting standards. The problem was particularly pronounced for retirees who were still making payments on car loans, credit cards, or home equity lines of credit and who found they were unable to qualify under today’s low “debt-to-income” standards.

But mortgage giant Freddie Mac is now allowing retirees—and others—to use income from their 401(k), IRA, and other retirement assets to qualify for a loan. So the retirement account balances can be used to supplement their incomes for underwriting purposes. However, the borrower must draw from those balances in order to get the mortgage.

I hope this information is useful.

Should you need assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact

Supreme Manor Real Estate Services 773-881-9224. 

Have a Supreme Day!

Sheila M. Wilkinson-Sanders

Chicago Festival this week

1. Chicago Gospel Music Festival

When: June20-23 Thurs 6pm, Fri noon-2pm.Sat&sun 11am

Where: Thursday Millennium Park, Friday Chicago Cultural Center, Saturday and Sunday Elis Park(37^th St. & Cottage Grove Ave.)

Cost: Free

2. Summer Lovin’

When: June 21 7:00-10:30pm

Where: Museum of Contemporary Art, 220E. Chicago Ave

Cost: $95

 Held at MCA and attended by more than 1.000 young professionals, the evening offers signature cocktails and a wide variety of hors d’oeuvres from Chicago’s best restaurants, as well as a silent auction and raffle.

3. Chicago Pride Fest

When: Saturday and Sunday June 22-23 11am-10pm

Where: Halsted St, & Waveland Ave

Cost: $8 (donation benefits the North Halsted Business Alliance)

 Chicago‘s annual Pride parade is a crowd-pleasing gay and lesbian celebration of community pride that showcases an eclectic lineup of art and craft, food and other vendors.

4. Summer Breeze Art Show

When: June 20-21 Thursday 6:30pm to 9pm, Friday 7pm to 10pm

Where: 6351 S Cottage Grove, Chicago,                                          

Cost: Free

Thursday Collectors Viewing, Guests must RSVP to attend at adam@artbyguichard.net, .

Friday is open to the public. This art show emphasizes the story of the African Diaspora

and the legacy that was produced from this period.

5. Summer of Safety fest

When: June 21, All Community 3pm-7pm

Where: South Side Help Center, 10420 South Halsted Chicago IL

Cost: Free

 There is free food, entertainment, Wellness Services and Games and Prized.  For more information, contact to 773.701.4241 or mflenaugh@shouthsidehelp.org.

I hope this information is useful.

Should you need assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact

Supreme Manor Real Estate Services 773-881-9224. 

Have a Supreme Day!

Sheila M. Wilkinson-Sanders

Fixed Rates Climb for Fifth Consecutive Week in Freddie Survey

Fixed mortgage rates increased for the fifth consecutive week. "The market is concerned that the Federal Reserve may slow its bond purchases amid a strengthening economy added upward pressure on mortgage rates this week,” said Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist. The average rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage climbed 10 basis points to 3.91% and the average 15-year FRM, at 3.03%, increased by five basis points compared to the previous week.

I hope this information is useful.

Should you need assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact

Supreme Manor Real Estate Services 773-881-9224. 

Have a Supreme day!

Sheila M. Wilkinson-San

5 Things to Know About Homeowner's Insurance

1.     Know about exclusions to coverage: Most insurance policies do not cover flood or earthquake damage as their standard item. These types of coverage must be bought separately and in many cases are expensive.

2.     Know about dollar limitations on claims: Even if you are covered for a risk, you should know about how much the insurer will pay. Most policies have a limitation on the amount paid for stolen jewelry unless items are insured separately.

3.     Know the replacement cost. When your home is destroyed, you will receive the cost for replacement up to the maximum of your coverage. So you should evaluate annually to ensure you have enough insurance.

4.     Know the actual cash value: you will receive actual cash value for many items instead of -replacement cost. That cash value will cost less depreciation.

5.     Know the liability: Many homeowner insurances cover you for accidents that happen to other people on your property, including medical care, court costs, and awards by the court. However, there is usually an upper limit on amount of coverage provided. Be sure that it’s sufficient to cover your potential liability.

I hope this information is useful.

Should you need assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact

Supreme Manor Real Estate Services 773-881-9224. 

Have a Supreme Day!

Sheila M. Wilkinson-Sanders

This week! Landlord Outreach Meeting

The Housing Authority of Cook Country (HACC) is holding a Landlord outreach Meeting.
If you are interested in learning about and want to take a part in the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program as a landlord, this Meeting would be great chance for you. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, June 19th and Tuesday, June 25rd at different locations. Please check details in attached flyer. Email landlord@thehacc.org to RSVP.

I hope this information is useful.

Should you need assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact

Supreme Manor Real Estate Services 773-881-9224. 

Have a Supreme Day!

Sheila M. Wilkinson-Sanders

Craigslist Rental Scams

Occasionally, the Illinois Association of Realtors gets information from listing agents about sales posted on craigslist.org as rental listings when these properties are not for rent at all. The listing agents believe their listings are being posted on craigslist as part of a scam, or plan to dupe those who accept the fake rental ads and have over out of money. 

We have had this happen to listing at Supreme Manor Real Estate Services on many occasions. Here are a couple of examples.

We had a bank owned property for sale. We received a phone call from a person asking us if the property was for rent. She saw an ad on Craigslist. She went to the property and was met by a gentleman who had the lockbox code and took about 5 people through the property. He wanted $1000 security deposit to hold the place for rent. Something made her uneasy when she saw our for sale sign in front yard. We called police and set up meeting with man. When he was apprehended, he had over 100 receipts in his brief case of security deposits on properties across the city.

In another instance we were contacted by 2 people who actually sent money to an account in Africa as security deposit on a place we had for rent. The scammer had placed an ad on Craigslist. There was a phone number to call. He gave instructions on where to send the money (these people never saw the inside of the property). After he received the money he would mail them the keys.(Really?!)

If you suspect this has happened to you, or if you want to get more information in order to avoid this from happening to you, you should go to: www.craigslist.org/about/scams. This site provides helpful information for discerning different scams. There are also various agencies who will investigate these situations that you can contact through this site.

I hope this information is useful.

Should you need assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact

Supreme Manor Real Estate Services 773-881-9224. 

Have a Supreme Day!

Sheila M. Wilkinson-Sanders

Father’s Day Gift and Outing Ideas

Father’s Day Gift and Outing Ideas

Father’s Day is Sunday, June 16. There are some tips for your great father’s day.

                                                 

-Gifts

1. Handmade soap co shaving kit: This package includes shaving soap, bristle brush, handmade ceramic shaving bowl, 100g "Shaving Soap for Him" soap puck and 500 ml soothing aftershave cream. It will be great present for your father’s skin, because, it provides the perfect shave for even the most well turned-out man. ($74.95, Redenvelop.com)

2. CooKoo Watch - CooKoo is a smartwatch that alerts wearers to incoming and missed calls, texts or Twitter mentions.  For forgetful dads, it sends calendar reminders about upcoming appointments and alerts them if they’ve left their iPhone behind.  ($64.50, AT&T)

3. Sesame Gift Sets - The Sesame Gifts app makes putting together gift packages. If you order from a variety of “experience” gift boxes that include a personalized greeting card and various hand-picked products. Perfect for those who don’t have time to shop, but want to put together a thoughtful selection of items for Dad.  ($10 – 50, SesameGifts.com)

4. Special cuff links - This sterling silver each rectangular locket accommodates two tiny photos of loved ones and initial may be engraved on the cuff links. This is individually special gifts for your father. ($119.95, Redenvelop.com)

-Event

1. Real Men Cook – All you can eat, live entertainment, Gospel Explosion concert, Kids zone and much more.

When: Sunday June 16, 2013 3-6 PM

Where: Kroch Community Center 1250 West 119^th Street

Cost: $25 Adults - $10 Children

2. Daddy Daughter Dance- Enjoy a night of fun with daughter including music and dancing with a DJ, play, dinner, ice cream and more. It will be a memorial experience.

When: June 14, 2013 5-7 p.m.

Where: Little Beans Cafe 1809 W. Webster, Chicago

Cost: $25 dad and daughter; $35 dad and two or three daughters

3. Fantastic Father’s Day Picnic- Celebrate Father's Day with food, fun and crafts together your family with outgoing activities.

When: June 15, 2013 1-2:30 p.m.

Where: West Chicago Public Library 118 W. Washington St., West Chicago

Cost: Free

I hope this information is useful.

Should you need assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact

Supreme Manor Real Estate Services 773-881-9224. 

Have a Supreme Day!

Sheila M. Wilkinson-Sanders

Chicago Festivals This week

1. Spring Awakening Festival 2013

When: Fri., Jun. 14, 12 p.m.

Where: 1410 S. Museum Campus Drive 
How much: Soldier Field  $160-$250

You can enjoy electronic and dance music, with performances by including Flosstradamus, Savoy, Paul Oakenfold, Carnage and DJ Godfather.

2. Oakley Festa Pasta Vino

When: Fri., Jun. 14, 5 p.m.
Where: Oakley Avenue and 24th Street 

How much: $3-$5 donation

Feast on Italian food from local restaurants at the annual festival. You can also meet wine bar, dance performances, live music from The Bronx Wanderers, a tribute to the Rat Pack and kids activities 

3. Taste of Randolph Street

When: Fri., Jun. 14, 5 p.m. - Jun. 16

Where: 900 W. Randolph St. 

How much: $10 suggested donation

Taste food and beer from a variety of local vendors. Such as, BellyQ, Publican Quality Meats, De Cero Taqueria, Pork Chop, Grange Hall Burger Bar, Vivo and La Sardine. 100.000 guests draws over at annual street. Visitors can listen to live music from Divine Fits, The Joy Formidable, Milo Green, Lord Huron and more while enjoying their food and drinks. The festival closes at 10 p.m. nightly.

4. Sausage Fest Chicago

When? Sat., Jun. 15, 12 p.m. - Jun. 16

Where? 3600 N. Sheffield Ave. Sheffield Avenue and Addison Street 

How much? $5 donation

You can experience local meat shops and restaurants sell their encased meats. Also there are live music and craft.

I hope this information is useful.

Should you need assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact

Supreme Manor Real Estate Services 773-881-9224. 

Have a Supreme Day!

Sheila M. Wilkinson-Sanders