If you’re still renting, it’s much more financially beneficial to buy a home and take on a mortgage payment. Here’s why. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale Did you know it’s more beneficial for you to take on a mortgage payment than it is a rental payment? It’s true, and today I’ll exp…

If you receive a lowball offer, I don’t think you should flat out reject it. Here’s what you should do instead. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale Let’s say you have your home on the market for $300,000 and an offer comes in at $250,000. You’re hoping to get at least $280,000, so you h…

If you think you may be paying too much in property taxes, there are two ways to go about reducing them. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale How can you reduce your property taxes? There are a couple of easy ways to do this. The first way is to make sure you are receiving all the exempt…

Eric Marcotte of Peoples Bank joins me today to give you a thorough overview of the mortgage process. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale After you decide to buy a house, your first step should be to talk to a mortgage lender. Knowing what you can afford, how you can improve your credit…

When a seller pays a buyer's closing costs, what are they actually paying for? Find out today. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale There are a number of reasons a buyer might ask for a seller to cover the closing costs, but is this arrangement really as common as HGTV makes it seem? Yes…

When the appraisal on the home you’d like to buy comes in low, you and the seller have three workable solutions to consider. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale What happens when your appraisal comes in low? Let’s consider this question through the eyes of a buyer. Once the inspections …

If you're in search of your dream home, this sleek new construction property may be perfect for you. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale Welcome to a beautiful piece of real estate. This new construction Manhattan home has it all. If you’re a fan of a crisp, clean aesthetic, hardwood fl…

I recently visited a gorgeous home in Homer Glen, and today I’d like to take you there with me through a quick video tour. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale I recently took a trip out to a gorgeous, 6,000-square-foot home out in Homer Glen, and today I’m going to bring you along for a…

Today I'll focus on what advantages there are to buying or selling in the autumn versus other times of year. Each season has pros and cons. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale Many real estate agents will tell you why any time is a good time to buy or sell, without really distinguishing…

If you plan on selling your home, make sure you do not overprice your property. Buyers can tell if you haven’t made any improvements to the home. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale Today I just wanted to give you a quick tip if you are selling a house in the current market. In fact, th…

If you’re curious about homebuyer etiquette during home showings, I’ve got the answers to all your questions. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale What are some of the general do’s and don’ts for buyers during home showings? 1. Can I use the bathroom? You can, but sometimes this answer i…

You're ready to make an offer on a home. Here's what you can expect to happen next. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale One of the questions I get a lot is, “How do things work once we’re ready to make an offer?” Well, here’s how it works: We will fill out a contract, typically using wh…

How should you approach the home buying process? We’ve got the answer. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale We’ve discussed the home buying process in previous posts. We’re going to continue that today and take you through the "shopping" part of the process. We’ve already talked about th…

If you want to adjust your sales price upward after your home hits the market, you can do one of two things. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale As a seller, can you adjust your sales price up after your home hits the market? I was very recently working with the person who asked me this…

Should you buy a new home or fix up your current one? Today I’ve got a few things you should consider when making your decision. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale Is it better to buy a new home that you want or fix up an existing home that you’re living in? A common scenario I persona…

If you want to go the extra mile to keep your home safe from trespassers, here are six tips you can follow. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale Here are six tips you can use to prevent your home from being burglarized: 1. Maintain your doors and locks: Make sure your locks are actively …

Zillow’s Zestimate has become a household name. But, as it turns out, the feature could end up costing you tens of thousands of dollars. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale Many people have made the mistake of using a Zillow Zestimate as an appraisal. The problem is, Zestimates are ofte…

Hiring a buyer’s agent is smart for many reasons. For one thing, you don’t have to pay them. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale When you’re getting ready to buy a house, you might be tempted to go it alone without the help of an agent. However, navigating the waters of the transaction …

Traditional sales are by far the most common type of home sale. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t know about the benefits of short sales and foreclosures, however. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale I get questions all the time about traditional sales, foreclosure sales, and short sales.…

Need to buy your next at the same time you sell your current home? We have a few tips that will help you find the best approach for your situation. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale If you need to buy and sell a house at the same time, it can be a tricky situation. We've put together …

If you’re in the market to buy a home, you need a pre-approval. There are a number of reasons why, including the fact that the seller probably won’t accept your offer without one. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale When you’re out looking for a home to buy, the best thing you can do is…

Today I’m going over a market analysis for New Lenox to show you what trends are happening with local real estate. Want to sell your home? Get a FREE home value report Want to buy a home? Search all homes for sale What’s going on with New Lenox real estate? To start, is the New Lenox market in a buyer’s market or seller’s market? We figure that out…