11 steps for buying the right house When you’re ready to buy a house … the house of your dreams … make sure you get it right. First, make sure you understand your motivations for wanting to buy a house at this time of your life. Since buying a house will probably be the most expensive investment you will make up to this point in your life, be prepared to do it right. Keep these pointers in mind as you embark on your house search. The perfect house– There isn’t a perfect house, so don’t look for one. Instead, look for the house that satisfies 85-90% of your needs. Ask yourself what you would change – Since no house is perfect, keep your eye out for the things you would like to change. You’ll find at least two or three major features in any house. Determine whether those flaws can be fixe... 11/05/2011

When it comes to real estate, Baby Boomers should sell sooner rather than later. Really? Baby Boomers should sell sooner rather than later? With the market so low and the buyers so scarce? The answer just might be ‘yes’, since the largest generation of our time is poised to put an even greater strain on the already fragile real estate market. Think about this: Beginning this year, 10,000 Baby Boomers will turn 65 every single day. 2 MILLION Remember another number. According to a special report in Crain’s Chicago Business, more than 2 million Chicagoland Baby Boomers began turning 65 in 2011. Even if 65 is the new 45, this is still the time of life when people begin to think about retirement. It’s also the time when they begin thinking of when and how they’re going to move on to the nex... 11/04/2011

The best part of Chicago summers is going to local Farmers Markets and drooling over fresh fruits and vegetables picked that morning! I live in the northern suburbs, where farmers markets are as plentiful as corn on the cob and vine-ripened tomatoes. A few tips … Corn My grandfather helped developed my connoisseur tastes for fresh corn. On Sunday mornings, he’d drive in from the ‘country’ (then a tiny hamlet called Lincolnshire — now a thriving suburb — in north suburban Chicago) and bring us corn picked fresh that morning. Farmers markets didn’t exist back then but farm stands did. And Grandpa’s ‘corn run’ was always a special event.   When buying fresh corn, be picky! Peel back part of the husk and study the niblet size. Too big and the corn will be starchy. The smaller the better. If... 09/13/2011

Selling your house in an uncertain economy is a bitch. More and more homeowners are finding themselves ‘under house arrest’ … trapped in their own homes while the real estate market slip-slides away from them. Slip sliding away Many homeowners have plain given up, resigned to stay where they are until the market improves and prices recover. What if the market doesn’t recover for years? What if your plans are stalled indefinitely? How long do you want to wait? Slip slidin’ away Slip slidin’ away You know the nearer your destination The more you’re slip slidin’ away Slip Slidin’ Away by by Paul Simon Market schmarket While everybody complains that this is the worst real estate market ever, at its core, it’s no different from any other market. Buyer’s market or seller’s market? High intere... 08/27/2011

Yesterday morning I became politically active. For several years, I’ve been signing internet petitions, writing letters to my representatives, making phone calls on occasion. All of it attempts … small as they were … to redress the right. To make my voice heard. To make a difference. To stop yelling at the TV and do something constructive. In the last couple of months, I dipped my toe into ‘activism’ and attended two political get-togethers at private homes. We sat in groups and discussed how the economy affected our lives. More importantly, we listened to each other. Maybe the most important reason for taking time out of a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. Then we broke up into smaller groups and discussed solutions. Everybody had an opinion. Later, we mingled and engaged in small talk ove... 08/14/2011

Fear is the #1 reason homeowners can’t sell. Instead of selling their house, homeowners let fear undermine their best interests … either by erring on the side of caution or paralyzing them into inaction. What do homesellers fear? They fear losing money. Psst … listen closely … every homeowner in America has already lost money. Nest-eggs ain’t what they used to be Unless you’ve been living in a cave, your house has lost value. The money you counted on getting out of your house … your nest-egg … is less than you ever thought possible And nothing you can do will get it back next month, next year, or the year after that. Scrambled eggs and disappearing house equity Once homeowners get past the fear of losing money and start looking at the way the market is instead of the way they wish it to... 08/10/2011

These days, when it’s tougher than ever to sell a house, homeowners are turning to renting as a way out. Renting may be a good option when you can’t sell, but not everybody is cut out to be a landlord or landlady. And while renting may seem like an easy short-term fix, it may not be a long-term solution. Make sure you consider all the factors before deciding whether renting will solve your problems … or create more. 2 reasons homeowners rent instead of sell Urgency is the #1 reason homeowners rent instead of sell. They have to sell, and they have to sell quickly. Price is the #2 reason homeowners rent instead of sell. Bottom line, they’re not prepared to ‘give away their house’ at today’s depressed prices. So they turn to a stopgap solution. In a year or two, their thinking goes, the ma... 07/28/2011

Have you ever thought it would be great to live in a village that looked to its community to dictate what building and improvements they’d like to see in their own community? This is an opportunity that the village of Northbrook is giving its residents. Northbrook received a $100,000 community-planning grant from the Regional Transportation Agency (RTA), giving residents the privilege to share their opinions with the village as to the retail, dining, and housing they would like to see added to their community Northbrook has hired Teska Associates as a consultant to work on the improvement development plans along with a committee formed by Northbrook Village President, Sandra Frum. “Right now the consultant is gathering information on the downtown, and as part of that, they’re doing this... 07/21/2011

These days, when it’s tougher than ever to sell a house, homeowners are turning to renting as a way out. Renting may be a good option when you can’t sell, but not everybody is cut out to be a landlord or landlady. And while renting may seem like an easy short-term fix, it may not be a long-term solution. Make sure you consider all the factors before deciding whether renting will solve your problems … or create more. 2 reasons homeowners rent instead of sell Urgency is the #1 reason homeowners rent instead of sell. They have to sell, and they have to sell quickly. Price is the #2 reason homeowners rent instead of sell. Bottom line, they’re not prepared to ‘give away their house’ at today’s depressed prices. So they turn to a stopgap solution. In a year or two, their thinking goes, the ma... 07/18/2011

You earned it. You bought it. You loved it. Now you want to sell it. Your house in Northbrook, that is. Nothing can stop you if this is your must-have goal. You cannot test the market or dip your toes in the water. You have to go full throttle and pull out all stops to make your dream become a reality. Otherwise, you’ll just be spinning your wheels. Listing your house for sale isn’t the same as selling your house If you own a house in Northbrook, consider yourself fortunate to live in such a vibrant and popular community. It may be ‘cooler by the lake’, but it’s still a hot real estate market. Northbrook won’t ever go out of style. During the last 30 days, these luxury Northbrook houses were sold to the highest bidder. Data provided by the Midwest Real Estate LLC (MRED) multiple listing... 07/01/2011

If you are looking for a great Village to buy a home in, look to one that is patriotic and has a great sense of community; that Village is Northbrook. If you pay Northbrook a visit during Memorial Day weekend, you will see a sea of red, white and blue flying in Village Green Park to proudly honor those who serve and have served in our nation's military. For five days, 1,901 American flags, the year that Northbrook was incorporated, will stand atop 8-foot-tall poles in the park in a stunning display of patriotism, called a Field of Honor. "It's a unique experience, a time to come out and feel connected to the community and what Memorial Day stands for," said Judy Hughes, president of the Northbrook Historical Society, which is sponsoring the event, along with the Northbrook Park District... 05/24/2011

Want to know what sold in Northbrook during March 2011? And for how much? These real estate statistics should give you a feel for the current market value. They will also illustrate the right way to price your house ... and the wrong way. Believe yourself or your own lying eyes All you have to do is run your eyes over these rows and columns, and you’ll see a pattern emerge. Go on. Try it now.   Street Original List Price  Sold Price Ratio of Sold Price to Original List Price Days on Market Short Sale / Foreclosure Status Whirlaway  $     2,000,000  $     1,600,000 80% 980 N/A Center  $        939,000  $        835,000 89% 49 N/A Royal Ridge  $        879,500  $        825,000 94% 28 N/A Landwehr  $        999,000  $        710,000 71% 550 S Beckwith  $        819,000  $        685,000 ... 04/24/2011

If you want to sell your Million-Dollar Northbrook house with the least hassles, make sure to give your house the home-selling edge. The only way to give your house is home-selling edge is to know what you’re up against. The only way to know what you’re up against is to get the facts. In the world of real estate — just like gambling on a horse race — ‘facts’ means statistics and raw numbers.   Running neck and neck If you’re trying to sell your home — your beautiful one-of-a-kind thoroughbred — against the other horses houses on the block ... And your house is 1 of 44 other houses vying for the same scarce homebuyers ... And all other things being equal ... How fast do you think it would take to sell your house in today’s climate? Does 31 months sound like a winning ticket? Didn’t thin... 04/09/2011

During the most recent 12-month period, Northbrook real estate values have declined nearly 9% when compared to the prior 12-month period. For an average-priced home currently valued at $420,093, this has worked out to a loss year-over-year of around $41,000.     Data provided by the Midwest Real Estate LLC (MRED) multiple listing service and includes properties listed and sold by various participants in the MLS. Data supplied does not reflect all market activity in the area. You never get a second chance to make a first impression When your house first goes on the market, the list price must be exactly right for current conditions. If it isn’t, homebuyers waiting in the wings will bypass your house in favor of another property that is priced right. When the price isn’t right Based on cu... 03/25/2011

The Accredited Staging Professional (ASP) Course from Stagedhomes.com (www.Stagedhomes.com) - the industry leader in Home Staging Training - is coming to CHICAGO, IL APRIL 12-14, 2011. This class is being offered for both Realtors and Home Stagers that would like to earn both a professional Accreditation and Designation for Home Staging.  Realtors attend the first 2 days and learn about Home Staging as a listing and marketing tool, as well as things they can do to help their own clients prepare their houses for sale.  They become members of the International Association of Home Staging Professioanls (IAHSP) - the only professional association that serves only Home Stagers and the Home Staging industry, and has standards of membership that begin with education.  No other association has ... 03/04/2011

If you are looking for a place to move, Northbrook may be it! Not only do residents feel a sense of pride, but they also feel a hometown love for Northbrook. If you are looking for a weekend day trip, here are some reasons to visit Northbrook - but be careful - once you visit Northbrook and meet the residents, you may want to look for a Northbrook home of your own. The following favorites were voted on by residents for reasons they fell in love with Northbrook. Techny Prairie Park and Fields Although the land itself is older than Northbrook itself, Techny Prairie Park and Fields, in its current state, was born in 2006. It has a total land area of 107.82 acres and a list of park features that is so impressive you will definitely want to spend the entire day here; just be sure to pack a p... 02/24/2011

Mission Hills, a gated community in Northbrook Illinois consists of 10 midrise buildings and over 100 townhomes situated throughout the 130 acres of Mission Hills Country Club's spectacular championship golf course. Mission Hills allows its residents to have the best of all worlds. In the Mission Hills Community, you will find resort style living with wonderful amenities while conveniently located in Northbrook, Illinois near shopping, O’hare airport, I 294 and the Metra Rail. The Mission Hills main road has a dedicated lane for walkers, joggers and bikers and leads the residents and guests to six outdoor swimming pools, the Mission Hills golf course, as well as beautifully landscaped lakes with fountains. Currently there are 32 condo and townhomes available in Mission Hills ranging fro... 01/26/2011

 Among the findings from the Northfield Township reassessment: Northfield is the 11th of 14 north suburban townships to be mailed during this triennial reassessment. There were 1,507 home sales in Northfield Township since the last triennial reassessment in 2007, down from 2,720 home sales during the prior triennial period (2004 to 2007). The median sale price for single-family homes and other non-condo residential properties fell to $529,000 in 2009 from $601,250 in 2008 – a 12% decline. There were 708 total foreclosure filings for Northfield Township since the last triennial reassessment (97 filings in 2007, 260 filings in 2008 and 351 filings in 2008). Reassessment notices contain proposed values that will be reflected on second-installment tax bills, which will be due in the fall of... 01/03/2011

Mission Hills in Northbrook Mission Hills is a condo and townhome community located in Northbrook, Illinois. Mission Hills is on Sanders Road north of Willow. Activity in Mission Hills for the past 6 months Homes Sold Lowest Price Highest Price Average Price 17 $122,500 $417,000 $226,706 17 homes sold in Mission Hills in Northbrook from $122,500-$417,000 with an average price of $226,706 within the last 6 months. -Northbrook- Address City Beds Baths Model List Price Status 1621 Mission Hills Rd, 202 Northbrook 2 3 Type H $299,900 Active 1832 Mission Hills Ln Northbrook 3 3.1 3 $469,000 Active 3810 Mission Hills Dr, 403 Northbrook 2 2.1   $687,000 Active 3851 Mission Hills Rd, 102 Northbrook 2 2   $169,000 Active 3851 Mission Hills Rd, 307 Northbrook 2 2   $185,000 Active 3851 Mission H... 12/09/2010

Real Estate Trends for Condos & Townhomes in Northbrook, IL ~ December 2010. There are some great homes available on the market in Northbrook, IL. Here are the real estate trends that I compiled from MLS that could give us an idea what to expect if we would buy or sell in Northbrook. Currently there are 179 attached single family homes available in Northbrook, IL. There were 151 condos and townhouses sold year to date with an average sold price of $240,010.  As I type the average price of the condos and townhomes in Northbrook, IL is $267,627. The average market time is 236 days.  Currently there are 24 attached single family homes under contract in Northbrook, IL.     Here are few similar posts about condo living on my North Of Chicago real estate blog for Mount Prospect, Niles, Morton... 12/03/2010