75 cents
Breaking news at Daily-Chronicle.com
Serving DeKalb County since 1879
Monday, January 13, 2014
WEDDING EXPO • LOCAL, A3
WRESTLING • SPORTS, B1
Event helps give ‘sense of direction’
Spartans’ Akins wins Sycamore Invitational
Legislators respond to municipal concerns At a glance The legislators responded to concerns presented by local mayors regarding the protection of local government revenues, maintaining local control and public safety pension reform.
By BRENDA SCHORY bschory@shawmedia.com AURORA – A handful of state legislators addressed several issues to local governments this week at the Metro West Council of Government’s legislative dinner. Held at Gaslight Manor Banquets in Aurora, the nonprofit organization represents municipalities in Kane, Kendall and DeKalb counties. Lawmakers who participated were state senators including Karen McConnaughay, R-St. Charles; Jim Oberweis, R-Sugar Grove; Linda Holmes, D-Aurora; Mike Noland, D-Elgin; and Sue Rezin, R-Morris; as well as state representatives Michael Tryon, R-Crystal Lake; Mike Fortner, R-West Chicago; and Stephanie Kifowit, D-Aurora. The legislators responded to concerns presented by local mayors regarding the protection of local government revenues, maintaining local control and public safety pension reform. To the question about local government receiving revenue shares from Springfield, in particular proposed cuts to the personal property replacement tax, Tryon said it was a difficult issue because the state deals with so many needs, especially for people who are disadvantaged. “I can’t say no to raising
See LEGISLATORS, page A4
Candidates will battle over state’s minimum wage By SOPHIA TAREEN The Associated Press
Gov. Pat Quinn wants Illinois to hike its minimum wage from $8.25 an hour to at least $10. Illinois last raised its minimum wage in 2010 through a four-step increase. About 1.1 million people in Illinois make the state minimum wage.
COUNTY’S REAL ESTATE MARKET IMPROVING
CHICAGO – The long-percolating issue of Illinois’ minimum wage rate could take center stage throughout the 2014 election campaign as Gov. Pat Quinn pushes to raise it by year’s end while his Republican challengers fine-tune arguments that it could backfire on workers who want to keep their jobs. Quinn wants Illinois to hike its minimum wage from $8.25 an hour to at least $10, an effort that coincides with a national Democratic strategy to make the economy and income differences a prominent theme in this year’s elections. On the other side, a coalition of business groups is ready to oppose those efforts, saying a wage hike pushes employers to cut jobs. One Quinn challenger, Winnetka businessman Bruce Rauner, already has been criticized for reversing his position on the issue, while all four Republican gubernatorial candidates
Photos by Rob Winner – rwinner@shawmedia.com
Jose Garcia, a subcontractor for Silverthorne Homebuilders, works on framing a window during the construction of a new home in the North Grove Crossings subdivision in Sycamore. BELOW: Jim Work (left), owner of Silverthorne Homebuilders, and Jose Garcia, a subcontractor, discuss the measurements of a doorframe during the construction of a new home Thursday in the North Grove Crossings subdivision.
Buyers are available, but inventory is low By DEBBIE BEHRENDS dbehrends@shawmedia.com
W
inter is an excellent time to be a home-seller: Buyers who are willing to trudge through the snow are ready to commit to a new home. That’s how Laura Boyer, president of the HomeTown Association of Realtors, explains it. The association was formerly known as the DeKalb Area Association of Realtors in Sycamore. “Sellers think they need to wait until spring, but that can bring more competition, and that can reduce the demand,” Boyer said. Throughout DeKalb County, buyer demand is spurring on new construction because not enough existing homes are on the market. In the past year, sales and home prices have increased, while the number of new listings haven’t kept up. “We have buyers, but we don’t have enough homes for them to choose from,” said Boyer, who works as the managing broker for Coldwell Banker Honig-Bell in Sycamore. The real estate market is showing continued improvement since the housing bubble burst in 2008. A report by Midwest Real Estate Data shows a 4.7 percent increase from November 2012 to November 2013 in new listings of detached single-family homes in DeKalb County. In the same time period, 18.8 percent more homes were sold, while the number of
homes listed for sale dropped 17.7 percent, the report shows. Home prices have continued to rise, as well, the report shows. The median home price for single-family, detached homes in November was $131,000, up from $122,000 the previous year. Average market time has declined from 164 days to 120. Similar percentages can be found when looking at statistics for attached, single-family homes. Nancy Edwards, managing broker/owner of Elm Street Realtors in Sycamore, said the county’s real estate market struggled in 2012 with high foreclosures and short sales, and declining prices. But in 2013, foreclosures and short sales sitting on the market were sold because buyers understood these transaction better than they did in previous years, she said. “In addition, many banks have increased the values of these homes by improving them,” Edwards said. “In turn, this is keeping or increasing home values higher.” Both real estate agents agreed the lack of existing homes on the market has spurred new construction. Sycamore officials issued 30 new construction permits for single family homes last year, up from 13 in 2012, said John Sauter, director of building and engineering. They issued permits for 39 multifamily units in 2013, up
Steve Benson, a subcontractor installs exterior trim and siding Thursday on a new home in Sycamore.
By the numbers Month December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012
Median Price $158,350 $158,900 $159,000 $155,900 $156,400 $153,000 $149,900 $149,000 $149,900 $149,900 $144,000 $139,000 $142,000
Homes for sale 514 591 626 647 680 694 696 709 661 645 611 624 615
Source: Elm Street Realtors
See MARKET, page A4
Voice your opinion: Do you think area housing prices will increase in 2014? Vote at Daily-Chronicle.com.
See CANDIDATES, page A4
Inside today’s Daily Chronicle Lottery Local news Obituaries
A2 A2 A4
National and world news Opinions Sports
Weather A2, A4 A9 B1-3, B6-7
Advice Comics Classified
B4 B5 B8-10
High:
36
Low:
27