Happy Winter! It’s upon us now. For those of you who are not pre-planners, here’s a few to-dos to help you take best care of your home as we experience of Chicagoland cold season.

• Put up your outdoor equipment
• Lawn tools, riding mowers, tables, chairs, and lawn ornaments should be tucked safely away in the garage or basement, or at least a covered porch till Spring.
• Turn off your water outside and drain hoses
• Avoid the frozen pipe nightmare. Be sure your outdoor spigots are off and drain any hoses. If you have a sprinkler system, have it blown out by a pro.
• Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
• Very important! Replace batteries if needed and do a quick test of each.

Do you leave for much for the Winter? Here’s a quick list to button up your home before you leave.

• Unplug electronics and unnecessary appliances 
• Clean out your fridge, sink traps and garbage disposal
• Turn down the heat, to around 50 degrees 
• Lower the temp on your water heater
• Shut off the water supply and open faucets to drain, then leave one faucet on at a low level for access air and water to drain
• Advise those companies and service-providers that you will be gone
• Enlist a neighbor or friend in case you have a need while away

I serve home buyers and sellers in Chicagoland. If you are looking for advice on buying or selling a home in Chicago proper or the suburbs this Winter, please keep me mind. 

So… you are ready to buy or sell a home and not sure if you should go it alone, or bring on a professional real estate agent to assist you? As a REALTOR®, I’ve had this conversation with many clients.

Here are a few great reasons to use a professional REALTOR®

Access to the MLS

The MLS is the most up-to-date database of all homes for sale. Having your home listed on the MLS is also important because the thousands of agents in that same MLS have exclusive access to your home’s information. The MLS is their go-to, daily resource for finding homes for their buyers.

You need to reach as many potential buyers as possible. For sale by owner listings do not get as much online exposure a home in the MLS does.

Marketing

Great online and offline marketing ensures that your home gets noticed by buyers that are searching for the amenities your home has to offer. Taking quality photos, promoting your home’s best features, and tapping into a variety of marketing avenues takes time and energy. Also, networking and word-of-mouth is still very powerful. Real state pros network all day, every day. Realtor.com, a top home search site on the web, only advertises the homes listed on agent-access only MLS.

Questions and Negotiation

It’s inevitable you will have questions that only a knowledgeable and experienced real estate pro can answer. What a time-saver! Looking out for your best interests is what a REALTOR® does, so going to bat for you when a buyer is asking for concessions comes natural to us.

Guidance and Follow-Through

Guidance comes in many forms, from helping you correctly price your home, preparing it for showings, understanding the nuances of local market conditions, to making decision during the negotiation process. Getting successfully to the closing table means relying on your REALTORS® trustworthy advice.

Great communication with all parties, and follow-thru on the dozens of small (and big) tasks that accompany selling a home is crucial. You most likely have a full-time job. Can you really dedicate the time required to prepare, price, market, show, negotiate, schedule appointments, monitor, return calls, and overall keep your home sale on track?

There are many more reasons why working with a pro like me makes great sense that I’d love to share with you. Let’s visit about your real estate needs soon if you are contemplating a purchase or sale in the Chicagoland area.

What My Website Offers Home Buyers and Sellers

In real estate, it’s important to have a website that has a great home search and more. I am proud of my site. Here are many ways my website makes your home sale or purchase journey a little bit smoother!

Easy, Robust and Mobile Friendly Home Search

Start by entering a CITY or ZIPCODE ON ANY PAGE, then narrow your requirements for an interactive map of homes meeting your needs. Ask me for more info and save your searches.

Timely Listing Alerts for New Properties

Sign up for listing alerts by registering on my site and you’ll get an email as soon as new homes matching your needs come on the market.

Detailed Property Info with lots of Photos

Well-presented with lots of good-sized photos and home details, a map with directions, virtual tour and an easy way to request a showing or more info, my property pages also share community info like nearby restaurants, shopping and entertainment.

Community Info on the Areas I Serve

Not only can you see just the homes for sale in a particular area, I offer links to Village and other local resources.

Easy Way to Reach Me

I want to be at your fingertips when you have a question. I respond to inquiries and email ASAP!

A Great Home Search App for your Phone

A quick download, and you have a great app called HomeSnap. It’s great for the afternoon drive when home shopping. 

Buyer and Seller Resources and Information

I have links and articles that inform and educate.

Free Neighborhood Sales Report

Easy and fast! Simply enter your address and email and get a REPORT in minutes.

Sign Up Form to Stay in Touch

Only when I have something valuable to share will you hear from me via email. Let’s connect!

Reviews and Testimonials

Hear what past clients have to say about working with me.

Blog Posts that Inform

Once a month I post helpful info for buying or selling on my BLOG.

Mortgage Calculator

See what your monthly payment will be and get an amortization breakdown.

I also have Videos and Links to my Social Media Sites!

My website is a great tool, but nothing replaces a face-to-face talk! Contact me anytime for professional real estate guidance.

Why Homeownership is a Good Investment

The debate about homeownership versus renting has continued over many decades and there is always a consistent winner – homeownership. Even with a continual annual rise in the prices of most average US homes, the consensus is that it is still cheaper to buy rather than to rent; with differences ranging from 20% to 50%, depending on the suburb, city or state, making for a nationwide savings of 37.7%.

To get the most benefit from homeownership, you would have to own your home for at least seven years. Of course, the cost of a mortgage would have to be at reasonable levels, like they have been for a number of years. 

Building equity is one of the essential reasons for preferring to purchase over renting, and it is a sure hedge against rising inflation. For most people homeownership is the closest they will ever come to having a savings account. 

Besides saving on rental inflation, owning your own place also allows you to have the upper hand on how you maintain or renovate to suit your family’s needs.

A large portion of the money saved will come from the following tax benefits*:

• On a loan of $1 million or less, the interest paid on your mortgage may be deductible 
• Property taxes, except for payments into your escrow account, may be deductible
• Your insurance premium may be deductible according to your family income
• Energy- saving improvements come with a 10% tax credit of up to $500
• Capital gains tax exemption on the first $500,000 for married couples, and $250,000 for singles

*Consult with your tax advisor on these scenarios.

I am a listing specialist in the Chicagoland area. Reach out for proven expertise and representation. 

Chicago Area Baby Boomers and Their Homes

Ask a boomer what they want in home now, and you are likely to hear things like single-story construction, good lighting, an outdoor space, home office and low-maintenance, as well as wide doorways and a layout that accommodates an aging lifestyle. A discerning, active and savvy group of buyers, developers are scrambling to design and construct homes to meet these needs. 

An active group, Boomers are major contributors to our economy. Born in the two-decade period from 1946 to 1964, the leading edge of the boomers are approaching 70; the youngest are just beyond 50. This group has made, and continues to make, a huge impact on the U.S. economy, with housing being just one of the areas they contribute. 

The fact that boomers work past the age of 65 often means that they are working from home and so expect their homes to have an office and need it to have more technical characteristics such as wireless home networks, remote lights etc.  In anticipation of future needs where they might be in a wheelchair they expect wider doors and hallways and single- story buildings with bigger bedrooms. They prefer low maintenance homes and flexible living spaces. 

A boomer myself, I am particularly tuned-in to the needs of this large portion of our populous. My friends and I visit often about our plan for housing in the years to come. I make an extra effort to know the trends, what’s available locally in our Chicagoland to accommodate the housing needs of Boomers, and where new developments are popping up. I pass this info along so I can be the best real estate advisor possible for my clients. 

Are you a boomer ready to transition, or know one thinking about it? I would love to help you make the very best choices for this important life change. Let’s talk soon.