Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Enhance Your North Shore Home's Curb Appeal in 5 Easy Steps!

We all appreciate the summer months in Chicago’s North Shore area as it gives us the opportunity to spend time outdoors and soak in all that the city has to offer. It’s also the time we think about our homes- making necessary repairs or spending time sprucing up.

Those looking to sell their North Shore home are the first to evaluate their homes’ appeal and make updates in hopes of a quicker sale. But, whether you’re in the market to sell or if you just want to update the appearance of your homes ‘ exterior, take a look at the 5 Ways to Enhance Your Home’s Curb Appeal below.


1. Spruce Up Your Lawn-
Before putting your home on the market, take some time to whip your yard into shape. Start by keeping the lawn mowed, raking up leaves and pulling weeds.

2. Clean and Declutter-
You want buyers to focus on your home -- not on your collection of lawn ornaments -- so put away any distracting items. Remove grime by pressure washing your siding, and clean your windows inside and out.

3. Add a Focal Point-
Adding colorful flowers is a great way to make an average yard pop. Install flower boxes in your windows or place low-maintenance, potted plants around your front door.

4. Refresh With Paint-
If your North Shore home's exterior looks a little dull from the harsh winter, a fresh coat of paint can work wonders. If you don't have the time to paint the entire house, freshen it up and add a splash of color by painting the shutters, trim and railings.

5. Focus on the Front Door-
Your front entry should be the main focal point of your home's exterior. Make a dramatic difference by painting your door, adding a new welcome mat and polishing your doorknob.

I hope these tips will help you this summer as you focus on your North Shore home! If you have any questions about the North Shore real estate market or would like to see some of the current homes for sale; please let me know! Or, if you are thinking of jumping into selling in this market; I would be happy to help you each step of the way!



Janie Bress

Your North Shore Real Estate Expert

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Wednesday, June 23, 2010

North Shore IL Real Estate- Tax Credit Deadline Extended!

If you took advantage of the governments’ tax credit to buy your North Shore, IL home; there’s great news! Many buyers found that, although they had contracts that were signed by the April 30 deadline, the June 30 closing deadline was not going to be possible.

The Senate voted on Wednesday, June 16 to give homebuyers another three months to settle on their contracts and take advantage of a popular tax credit that sparked a rush of activity in the housing market.

The Senate, with a vote of 60-37, accepted an amendment by Democratic Leader Harry Reid that extends the closing deadline to September 30 for buyers who met the April 30 deadline to have a signed contract.

The current deadline requires buyers to close by June 30 to get the $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers. Existing homeowners buying a new primary residence are eligible for a $6,500 credit.

Reid offered the measure as an amendment to a bill that would extend some popular business tax breaks and extend unemployment insurance benefits for jobless workers. The proposal would not have a significant impact on future home sales as the extension would be only for home buyers who already had a contract in hand by April 30.

The popularity of the tax credit has caused some anxiety because settlement offices are inundated with buyers trying to close on transactions by the end of this month to get the tax break. Now there is a little more breathing room that relieves some of the tension these offices are feeling.

If you didn’t get in on the tax credit, but are still looking for your ideal North Shore home; let me know! I have served the Chicago North Shore area for over twenty-five years and know the pros and cons of each neighborhood. I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have or show you around!

Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert

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Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Pending Home Sales Surge Continuing

For the last three months, pending home sales have been on their way up, according to the National Association of Realtors®. This is a welcome result of the broad impact of the home buyer tax credit.

When first time home buyers were rushing to beat the tax credit deadline in October, the index reached 112.4. What’s amazing is that pending home sales are just as high now as they were then. Note, though, that this data reflect contract and not closings, which usually occur with a lag time of one or two months.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, claims that this second surge of sales from the tax extension looks just as strong as the original.

“There were concerns that only a small pool of buyers were left to take advantage of the tax credit extension. But evidently the tax stimulus, combined with improved consumer confidence and low mortgage interest rates, are contributing to surging sales,” he said.

As long as the economy continues to add jobs, the housing market is in good position to return to sustainable levels even without government stimulus.

The best news? NAR expects a net of 1 million additional jobs in the second half of this year and about 2 million in 2011.

“The home buyer tax credit brought close to 1 million additional buyers into the market, which is now helping the trade-up market and has significantly improved the inventory situation. This stabilized home prices more quickly and has preserved about $900 billion in home equity; in turn, that is keeping additional households from going underwater and risking foreclosure,” Yun said.

Here are a few more interesting trends:
  • The PHSI in the Northeast jumped 29.5 percent to 97.9 in April and is 24.5 percent above a year ago.
  • In the Midwest the index rose 4.1 percent to 104.2 and is 17.9 percent above April 2009.
  • Pending home sales in the South slipped 0.6 percent to an index of 123.9, but is 31.3 percent higher than a year ago.
  • In the West the index rose 7.5 percent to 107.9 and is 12.0 percent higher than April 2009.
If you have any questions about the pending home sales index or the state of the market in the North Shore, please don't hesitate to contact me. I'm here to help.

Janie Bress

Your North Shore Real Estate Expert

North Shore Real Estate
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Monday, June 7, 2010

Winnetka Fast Stats for June 2010

Winnetka Active Listings: There are a total of 239 properties actively on the market with the average price of $1,984,305 in Winnetka.

Winnetka Sold Listings: 16 properties closed last month in Winnetka with an average sales price of $1,060,595, the average time on market for these properties was 179 days.


To view the complete market statistics for Winnetka including additional detailed data, charts ad graphs, please click here!

Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert

North Shore Real Estate
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Northbrook Fast Stats for June 2010

Northbrook Active Listings: There are a total of 459 properties actively on the market with the average price of $604,655 in Northbrook.

Northbrook Sold Listings: 46 properties closed last month in Northbrook with an average sales price of $401,933, the average time on market for these properties was 124 days.


To view the complete market statistics for Northbrook including additional detailed data, charts ad graphs, please click here!

Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert

North Shore Real Estate
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Deerfield Fast Stats for June 2010

Deerfield Active Listings: There are a total of 251 properties actively on the market with the average price of $555,797 in Deerfield.

Deerfield Sold Listings: 24 properties closed last month in Deerfield with an average sales price of $403,152, the average time on market for these properties was 148 days.


To view the complete market statistics for Deerfield including additional detailed data, charts ad graphs, please click here!

Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert

North Shore Real Estate
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Highland Park Fast Stats for June 2010

Highland Park Active Listings: There are a total of 427 properties actively on the market with the average price of $907,162 in Highland Park.

Highland Park Sold Listings: 40 properties closed last month in Highland Park with an average sales price of $532,784, the average time on market for these properties was 151 days.


To view the complete market statistics for Highland Park including additional detailed data, charts ad graphs, please click here!

Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert

North Shore Real Estate
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Glencoe Fast Stats for June 2010

Glencoe Active Listings: There are a total of 134 properties actively on the market with the average price of $1,906,129 in Glencoe.

Glencoe Sold Listings: 14 properties closed last month in Glencoe with an average sales price of $950,967, the average time on market for these properties was 131 days.


To view the complete market statistics for Glencoe including additional detailed data, charts ad graphs, please click here!

Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert

North Shore Real Estate
View North Shore Listings
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