Wednesday, October 28, 2015

5 Tips to Get Your North Shore Chicago Home Ready for Winter

The temperatures have been slowly dropping on the North Shore and we all know snow is on its way! It won't be long before we're bringing out the shovels and lighting a fire to stay warm inside, but there are just a few steps to take to ensure your home is fully ready for the winter ahead.

In order to maximize energy efficiency in your Deerfield, Glencoe, Winnetka, Northbrook or Highland Park home and lessen the chances of emergency repairs when the weather takes a toll, now is the time to take care of the following maintenance tasks:

Assess insulation 
There should not be any gaps in insulation or crawl spaces that expose pipes to cold air. If pipes are left exposed, North Shore homeowners run the risk of freezing and bursting!

Look into heating
Your home's heating system is never more important than in the winter months! It is wise to invite a licensed technician to inspect your heating elements this fall before the cold weather requires you run the system every day.

Block out the cold
Older homes can be drafty, especially as the blustery, winter wind picks up. Take precautions to block any drafts around doors, windows and baseboards with weather stripping or caulk to prevent heat loss and what every North Shore homeowner desires to avoid— higher energy costs.

Inspect your fireplace
You'll likely be using your home's fireplace often this winter, so it's time you call your local chimney sweep. An experienced chimney sweep can clean your fireplace to prevent the risk of fire from blockages or years of buildup.

Re-route your fans
Did you know you can set your ceiling fans to rotate clockwise to force the rising warm air back down? Not only does this keep your home warmer during the winter months, but it also helps you keep heating costs on the lower side.

You can count on me to provide helpful tips for homeowners, sellers and buyers alike! As your North Shore real estate expert, I am here to make your real estate journey run as smoothly as possible. Do not hesitate to reach out!

I am happy to answer any questions you have about buying or selling a home as well as provide a list of available properties in Deerfield, Glencoe, Winnetka, Northbrook, Highland Park and beyond!

Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert


North Shore Real Estate
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Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Where to Find Halloween Fun on Chicago's North Shore

The leaves have turned and soon goblins and ghouls will take to the streets gathering candy from North Shore neighborhoods. But trick-or-treating isn't the only fun to be had in Deerfield, Glencoe, Winnetka, Northbrook and Highland Park!

As your North Shore real estate expert, I'm happy to share with you the many ways to celebrate the fall season and find Halloween fun in the area! So grab your calendar and look over the following events on Chicago's North Shore this month— you're sure to find something the whole family will love!

Pumpkins at the Beach
When: October 23, 2015; 5:30 to 7:30 PM
Where: Tower Road Beach, Tower and Sheridan Rd in Winnetka

Tower Road Beach transforms into a pumpkin patch this Friday for Halloween fun! There will be a costume contest at 7 PM, divided into age groups, pumpkin decorating, carnival games, sound effects and Halloween decor galore! 

Halloween Hoopla
When: October 23, 2015, 7 to 9 PM; October 24, 3 to 9 PM
Where: Jewett Park Community Center in Deerfield

Free admission on Friday! The Halloween Hoopla in Deerfield will include a bonfire and movie in the park, face painting, hayrides, inflatables, laser tag, a DJ and much more!

Lloyd Beach's Haunted Trail of Terror
When: October 24, 2015; 6:30 to 9 PM
Where: Lloyd Beach in Winnetka

Middle-schoolers on up will enjoy this haunted trail through the twists and turns of Lloyd Beach. There will be a graveyard of spirits, haunted boathouse and beach of monsters. The perfect, scary Halloween event on the North Shore!

HallowFest: A Garden of Good... And Evil
When: October 24, 2015, 5:30 to 9 PM; October 25, 4 to 7:30 PM
Where: Regenstein Center, Chicago Botanical Garden in Glencoe

Celebrate Halloween at the Chicago Botanic Garden with costumes, face-painting, ghostly lights, ghost trains and a ride around the garden on the Howlin' Express. 

100th Annual Haunted House and Halloween Party
When: October 30, 2015; 10 AM to 9 PM
Where: Winnetka Community House in Winnetka

There will be a traditionally scary haunted house and a not-so-scary haunted house for the younger crowd at this popular Winnetka event! Bring the entire family to enjoy carnival games, costumed characters, inflatables, photo booth and more before the big Halloween party from 6 to 8 PM.

Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert


North Shore Real Estate
View North Shore Listings
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Local Expert... with National Connections!

Locally or across the country, think of me as your national connection. I can help you with all your real estate needs anywhere in the United States. 

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Next 3 Months Best Time to Buy and Sell Homes on Chicago's North Shore


The real estate market has offered a favorable climate for new homebuyers in terms of low mortgage rates for most of the year— but it will soon get even better! According to Realtor.com's Chief Economist, the next three months could be the best time to buy due to low rates, declining home prices and properties that are sitting on the market longer than usual.

The summer, while known as the "busy season" of North Shore real estate, had little inventory to offer buyers in addition to rising prices. In fact, what some may not realize is that there is quite an advantage to making a move this time of year in the real estate market. Homebuyers in Winnetka, Glencoe, Deerfield, Highland Park and Northbrook who are willing to buy during the fall and winter months will be met with lower prices and less competition.

And while buyers on the North Shore will still have a lower number of homes to choose from this fall—with inventory behind last year's mark—they may actually find time (and money!) saved with fewer properties to overwhelm them in their home search. Not to mention, fewer to trudge through as the weather turns cold!

Home sellers on the North Shore will also benefit from taking advantage of the so-called "slower season" of real estate. There are still motivated homebuyers ready to move before winter rolls around and with the lack of inventory— sellers can ultimately have the upper hand in a transaction!

Sellers have fewer homes to compete with, fewer homes to steal the spotlight in online home searches and potentially more than one buyer finding themselves interested in their property. If you've been on the fence about selling your home, don't think twice! Selling your current home can be just as lucrative of an opportunity as purchasing your next.

The real estate market is expected to stay strong through 2017, according to a new survey, and both sides of the real estate fence have everything they need to come out ahead in either a purchase or sale!

Do not hesitate to contact me today about buying or selling a home in the Winnetka, Glencoe, Deerfield, Highland Park or Northbrook area. I'm here to help you make the most of this time!


Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert


North Shore Real Estate
View North Shore Listings
Visit My Website


Local Expert... with National Connections!

Locally or across the country, think of me as your national connection. I can help you with all your real estate needs anywhere in the United States. 

Thursday, October 8, 2015

Glencoe Real Estate Market Stats for September 2015

City Active Listings: There are a total of 88 properties actively on the market with the average price of $1,538,459 in Glencoe.

City Sold Listings: 12 properties closed last month in Glencoe with an average sales price of $1,015,722. The average time on market for these properties was 57 days. 



To view the complete report including additional detailed data, charts ad graphs, please view the Glencoe market statistics

Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert


North Shore Real Estate
View North Shore Listings
Visit My Website


Local Expert... with National Connections!

Locally or across the country, think of me as your national connection. I can help you with all your real estate needs anywhere in the United States. 

Deerfield Real Estate Market Stats for September 2015

City Active Listings: There are a total of 150 properties actively on the market with the average price of $659,553 in Deerfield.

City Sold Listings: 27 properties closed last month in Deerfield with an average sales price of $451,980. The average time on market for these properties was 44 days. 



To view the complete report including additional detailed data, charts ad graphs, please view the Deerfield market statistics

Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert


North Shore Real Estate
View North Shore Listings
Visit My Website


Local Expert... with National Connections!

Locally or across the country, think of me as your national connection. I can help you with all your real estate needs anywhere in the United States. 

Winnetka Real Estate Market Stats for September 2015

City Active Listings: There are a total of 172 properties actively on the market with the average price of $1,925,393 in Winnetka.

City Sold Listings: 17 properties closed last month in Winnetka with an average sales price of $1,109,559. The average time on market for these properties was 57 days. 


To view the complete report including additional detailed data, charts ad graphs, please view the Winnetka market statistics

Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert


North Shore Real Estate
View North Shore Listings
Visit My Website


Local Expert... with National Connections!

Locally or across the country, think of me as your national connection. I can help you with all your real estate needs anywhere in the United States. 

Northbrook Real Estate Market Stats for September 2015

City Active Listings: There are a total of 282 properties actively on the market with the average price of $720,124 in Northbrook.

City Sold Listings: 67 properties closed last month in Northbrook with an average sales price of $543,441. The average time on market for these properties was 47 days. 




To view the complete report including additional detailed data, charts ad graphs, please view the Northbrook market statistics

Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert


North Shore Real Estate
View North Shore Listings
Visit My Website


Local Expert... with National Connections!

Locally or across the country, think of me as your national connection. I can help you with all your real estate needs anywhere in the United States. 

Highland Park Real Estate Market Stats for September 2015

City Active Listings: There are a total of 302 properties actively on the market with the average price of $1,000,427 in Highland Park.

City Sold Listings: 44 properties closed last month in Highland Park with an average sales price of $548,202. The average time on market for these properties was 77 days. 




To view the complete report including additional detailed data, charts ad graphs, please view the Highland Park market statistics

Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert


North Shore Real Estate
View North Shore Listings
Visit My Website


Local Expert... with National Connections!

Locally or across the country, think of me as your national connection. I can help you with all your real estate needs anywhere in the United States.