Jennifer Daring

Fannie Mae is once again offering closing-cost assistance for buyers who close on a home in the mortgage giant's real-estate owned (REO) inventory. Buyers who put in initial offers on or after April 11, and close on the sale of a Fannie Mae HomePath property by June 30, will be eligible to receive up to 3.5 percent in closing-cost assistance. The offer is only good for buyers who intend to occupy the home they are purchasing as their primary residence -- second homes and investor properties are not eligible. Offers submitted before May 15 have the best chance of qualifying, Fannie Mae said , as offers submitted after that "are particularly questionable for closing" by the June 30 deadline. In its most recent annual report to investors , Fannie Mae said it acquired 262,078 homes in 2010, up 80 percent from 2009. REO sales picked up 51 percent, to 185,744, leaving Fannie Mae with REO inventory of 162,489 homes valued at $14.9 billion at the end of the year. The comp

You may find it hard to believe, but S ycamore, Illinois was named one of the top ten places to retire according to U.S. News & World Report. Anyone who lives here or just passes through can appreciate the charm and personality of this small town complete with a historic and thriving downtown district. And now they have been recognized nationwide. Mayor Ken Mundy doesn’t seem to be one bit surprised. “We’ve got a growing number of retirees here”, Mundy said. “I know people who have left and come back”. Sycamore, Illinois  was the only city from the Midwest to be represented on the list. Sycamore is in the company of many cities that are in warmer climates such as Arizona, California, Hawaii and Florida just to name a few. Sycamore, Illinois is a desirable location due to its free busing transportation for senior citizens and close proximity to major retail shopping, an 18 – hole golf course , a public library , bicycle friendly nature trail , recreation  and the I-88 corrido