lake zurich...and beyond

You know the saying,

"Opinions are like belly buttons...everybody has one." 

When it comes to blog posts, have you noticed that more often than not, the comment stream supports the poster? Sometimes, however, an opposing viewpoint is posted in the comment stream...which then, interestingly enough, seems to give others with an opposing viewpoint the courage to post their own opinion. I find this "real" exchange of opinions to be the most interesting posts to read, and tend seek out posts that both support my personal opinion on a subject and those that do not.

Take, for instance, posts that are all about the power of positive thinking. I am a very positive person but also tend to be realistic. Call me an optimistic realist. I don't personally believe that positive thinking alone will pay the bills, but do believe that it is a very important ingredient for overall success. I love to read optimistic, motivating articles. But on the other hand I don't believe you should focus solely on positive thinking as a business plan. Stress, anxiety and doubt are part of life. How you deal with it makes all the difference. Some will ignore the negative aspects of life, which is equivalent to burying your head in the sand. Others will embrace both the negative and positive aspects of life and will learn and grow in the process. 

How about you? Do you seek out posts that both support and contradict your own personal opinion? How do you decide just what to read...and comment on?

Since 2003, the Lake Zurich High School Student Council has enthusiastically organized a school-wide charity event called Charity Bash. In past years, they have raised money for The Ryan York Foundation, The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, The American Lung Association, The American Brain Tumor Association and One Step at a Time Camps...raising the amazing amount of $144,484.00 for these organizations over the past five years! 

This year, they've chosen The Muscular Dystrophy Association as their charity of choice, in memory of Kathleen Surdynski, a Lake Zurich High School German language teacher who passed away earlier this year from respiratory issues associated with the disease. 

Charity Bash kicked off with an assembly on December 3rd to get the students motivated and to educate them about MDA. Throughout this week, they've held various activities to raise money: everything from dodge ball, badminton and basketball tournaments to bake sales, talent shows, board games, auctions and concerts. None of this would be possible without the generous assistance of the Lake Zurich community and local businesses, for which we are all grateful.

Especially during the holiday season, encouraging students and the community to get involved in raising money for a charity is truly the best gift of all. 

I'll be back to update with this year's Charity Bash fundraising total as soon as those figures are made available.

**UPDATE** This year's charity bash set a new fund raising record! $43,866 was raised! Way to go LZHS!

Happy Holidays, Lake Zurich!

Each year, Remodeling magazine produces a Cost vs. Value Report in cooperation with REALTOR® magazine. This report indicates what homeowners can expect to recoup for 30 different home improvements, with the national average being 67.3% return on investment. Many homeowners are surprised to discover that their remodeling project may not provide a dollar for dollar return on investment; however, a minor kitchen remodel in some areas, such as Seattle, may return more than 100%.  

Unfortunately, the Chicagoland area was named as one of the toughest areas to get your money back, so it's very important to plan your home improvement projects carefully to get the most bang for your buck. Replacement projects that enhance your curb appeal, such as decks, siding and windows apparently offer the greatest return on investment. On the interior of your home, you'll find that remodeling your kitchen will offer you the best chance of recouping your money, offering you an average of 73.9% return on your investment, while remodeling your basement will only return an average of 61.9%. Free city reports and national averages for 2008 are available at www.costvsvalue.com so make sure you check them out.

Investing in improving and maintaining your largest asset is, in my opinion, a good idea in any market. Not only will you make your home more enjoyable for yourself and your family, but you will increase its value and make your home more appealing to potential future buyers as well.

If you are considering remodeling your home, I highly suggest that your first call be to a real estate professional who is thoroughly familiar with your neighborhood. You don't want to over-improve or under-improve your home and must consider the current market value and updates of similar homes in your neighborhood. It is actually possible that your remodel could lower the value of your home or turn off potential buyers, and you certainly don't want to do that!

I recently received an email from someone in my neighborhood asking if I knew of any appraisers who were familiar with the area and who do tax appeals. Many area residents are upset because our taxes have gone up...when we all know our property values have gone down.

But it's not really that simple.

If you are concerned that your taxes may be out of line or that your assessed value is too high, the best thing to do is to contact a licensed appraiser for advice. I recommend:

Meridian Valuation

Owner: Diane M. Kita, Certified Illinois Appraiser (License No. 156.0004178)

Office/Fax: (847) 726-6033

Cellular: (847) 650-4378

email: diane@MeridianValuation.com

Diane lives in Lake Zurich and is very experienced. She saved one Hawthorn Woods client of mine a lot of money on appeal...they were grossly over-assessed. Give her a call and see if she can help you, too. Good luck!