Dave Hill PhD,ePro,SFR,CIAS,BPOR,CNE,CSC Chicago Real Estate Agent's Blog

Residents of Wisteria Lane, USA might have found their property values rising during the long run of the Desperate Housewives TV series, but they've got nothing on the people who live on Country Club Drive.According to a University of Georgia study, the value of homes with "country" in their addr...

It's every homeowner's worst nightmare:Your new neighbor has decided to tear down the charming colonial and build a monster home. Or he's turned his backyard into a junkyard. Or they're having noisy parties.Yes, having bad neighbors can be awful. And did you know they also can lower the value of ...

Many people dream of becoming a landlord to help pay the mortgage and provide extra income. But there's more to it than simply renting out your basement. These days, savvy tenants are looking for location, location, location ... plus all the bells and whistles, such as in-suite laundry, high-end ...

When a hermit crab decides it's time for a new home, it scopes out a new shell before vacating its current accommodation.But for homeowners, the process is not so easy.Whether you buy a new home before selling your current one - or the other way around - the choice of what to do first comes down ...

Putting your house on the market this spring? Here are some simple tips: Be ready to grab a vacuum and basic toolkit. Keeping your home well-maintained and clean may be more effective - and economical - than attempting costly renovations. So, mow the lawn; trim the bushes; Weed the garden. Bring ...

Spring has sprung, the grass has riz ... I wonder where the plumber is.This riff on the poem, "Spring in the Bronx," highlights other rites of the season: renovating and redecorating.There's nothing quite like sunlight pouring through our open curtains to inspire us, so every year at this time we...

Americans who are house shopping in 2013 are looking for more than granite countertops and hardwood floors. According to recent research, it's all about the family.Most home buyers cite growing families as the main deciding factor in purchasing a new home. According to real estate professionals, ...

Buying a home can cause stress no matter what, and it's even more difficult when choice is limited thanks to a low inventory of homes meeting your criteria. The inventory - or number of homes currently on the market - is a measure of demand. A low inventory usually means greater competition and l...

The high cost of education, poor job prospects and rising prices in many housing markets mean more young prospective home buyers are turning to their families for help to buy their first home.Traditionally many parents have opted to contribute toward a down payment, but in recent years, that cont...

Many commercial property investors dream of buying a plot of vacant land and turning it into a thriving commercial enterprise.It's hard to beat the satisfaction and sense of achievement you feel when you pass a building or shopping plaza and can say to yourself and others, "I built that!"Land dev...