Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Staging Your Home on Chicago's North Shore During the Holidays



In a recent blog post, I mentioned not to wait until after the holidays to sell your home on the North Shore. This time of year is not only ideal for homeowners to find the right buyer and take advantage of a lack of competition, but the holiday season can actually help move your sale along.

How so? The holiday decor present during November and December evokes cozy feelings and emotions in buyers that no other season can. North Shore home sellers can actually prepare to wow buyers in the winter months with classic lights, simple wreaths and a clean and clutter-free mantle, to name a few.

Keep Your Home Free of Clutter
When you list your home in Glencoe, Winnetka, Northbrook, Highland Park, Deerfield or the surrounding areas, it's important to remember that buyers will be trying to visualize themselves and their own belongings inside. With too much holiday decor, this can be complicated! You can, of course, deck the halls with garland perhaps and your Christmas tree, just stick to classic, white lights and ornaments in one color or color scheme.

Your home itself should be the one drawing attention, not your bold tree ornaments, so keep them to a minimum.

Allow the Features To Shine
Just as I suggested to keep the decor streamlined and simple, it's especially important around your North Shore home's best features. A picturesque fireplace or large bay window should not be blocked by your tree, stockings on the mantle or a giant wreath. Remove any decor around these elements and allow area buyers to really see their beauty.

Emphasize Curb Appeal
The snow on the ground pairs beautifully with strands of twinkling lights and a cheery, welcoming front door. Just like indoors, keep your lights either white or one single color. Try not to mix both white and multi-color holiday lights outside your home or it could begin to look like a hodgepodge of decor.

Place a simple live wreath on the front door and add a large red or green bow if you want to amplify the holiday tone. Outdoor decor like inflatable Santa Clauses, seasonal signs and lawn figures should be avoided as these can turn off North Shore buyers. If you feel a wreath just isn't enough, drape garland above the doorframe or consider placing topiaries on either side of the front door. Natural greenery will bring a more sophisticated feel to your home's exterior decor than any inflatable snowmen.

These next two months have been named the best times to both buy and sell homes on the North Shore, so do not hesitate to give me a call with any questions! From providing a list of available homes to finding your home value, I'm here to help!

Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert


North Shore Real Estate
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Wednesday, November 18, 2015

5 Easy Ways to Prepare Your North Shore Home for Thanksgiving


As I mentioned in my past blog post, North Shore homeowners should not wait until after the holiday season is over to list their homes. It is indeed a busy season, but there is one more thing you need to get a head start on— preparing your home for guests!

If you will be opening your home to friends and family in Glencoe, Winnetka, Northbrook, Highland Park, Deerfield or the surrounding areas this Thanksgiving, keep these five easy tasks in mind that will save you later as you welcome the holiday hustle and bustle inside.

Clean the silverware
Thanksgiving is a holiday built around feasting, so take some time to clean the silverware. Instead of chemicals to make them shine, try placing them in a pot of water, salt and baking soda. Bring to a boil for a few minutes and then place the silverware into warm, soapy water. Each piece should clean up nicely with a bit of scrubbing. 

Dust ceiling fans and blades
Your living spaces in your North Shore home are one place you'll want to focus on this holiday season. Clean the windows and reach up high to dust ceiling fans and blades. You may find your home getting warmer as more people gather inside and if you haven't checked your fan recently, turning it on may spread the dust around. Slide each fan blade into a pillowcase and wipe clean; this traps the dust inside instead of pushing it into the air.

Think about your guests
Go over your guest list for Thanksgiving. Will you have small children in attendance? You may like to childproof the areas of your home where they will be spending the most time— living room, dining room and bedrooms. Use outlet caps to keep little fingers out, move electrical cords out of reach and consider blocking off stairways with a gate.

Test the heating system
The holidays do tend to bring colder weather to the North Shore and if you haven't had your HVAC system inspected, now is the time to do so. You can even go a step farther to test where airflow is heaviest and lightest in your home by closing vents in rooms you don't often use. 

Clean your oven
There is no harm in cleaning your oven with a bit of baking soda, lemon juice and vinegar, but avoid self-cleaning the oven at all costs. Self-cleaning increases the risk of the oven breaking, blowing a fuse or thermostat and putting a damper on your holiday cooking plans.

I wish you a happy Thanksgiving, whether you're staying put here on the North Shore or traveling for the holiday. As always, feel free to reach out for more information about buying a home or selling your current property.

The fall and winter are great times to make a move!

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, November 11, 2015

Don't Wait Until After the Holidays to Sell Your Home in Winnetka, Northbrook, Deerfield, Highland Park, Glencoe

We are embarking on one of the busiest times of year, the holiday season! Schedules can fill up quickly with travel, holiday gatherings, local activities and gift shopping, oftentimes leaving little time for thinking about selling your North Shore home. But does that mean you should wait until after the holidays?

The answer is no! There are many reasons to sell your home during the holidays, one being the motivated buyers in the real estate market. Home sellers can truly reap the rewards and as your real estate expert on Chicago's North Shore, I'm here to fill you in on why you shouldn't waste any time listing your home this time of year:

Lack of competition
One reason to list your home during the holidays? There are simply fewer homes for sale. Inventory tends to be lower during the time of year as many homeowners in Glencoe, Deerfield, Winnetka, Highland Park and Northbrook will wait until spring arrives to sell. The holiday season allows North Shore sellers to give their home time in the spotlight that it may not receive as more homes hit the market.

Buyers are motivated
Homebuyers shopping for properties during the holiday season often have a motivating factor behind them— a job relocation, a move to a new community, the need to upgrade or even downsize. Buyers will want to settle down before the new year and as a result, will be starting their home search now.

Spring is on the horizon
As you may have heard, the start of spring brings a wave of new buyers and sellers to the real estate market. More homes pop up for sale, more buyers start visiting open houses and real estate activity picks up! Listing your home now allows you to avoid all of that and move on before the "busy season" even begins.

The holiday decor
The holiday season evokes cozy feelings, beautiful lights and decor. Staging your home this time of year can help potential North Shore buyers feel more at home and welcomed to your property. Homes tend to show better during the holidays and stagers suggest it is one of the best times to instill an emotional connection in area buyers.

If you have questions about selling your home this time of year, do not hesitate to give me a call!


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. 

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Important Things to Do After Closing on Your New North Shore Home

After your home closing on Chicago's North Shore, you may be eager to settle in, put your feet up and simply enjoy the new property. But not so fast! There are a few important projects to handle before you can truly relax and some even before you move in!

Here is a list of things to do once you have the keys to your new home on the North Shore:

Plan your work ahead of time
If you have renovation plans in your head, it's time to put them to work! Don't wait until after closing to start coordinating with a painter or contractor. You can begin getting bids for work during your final walk-through or at a special appointment after all contingencies have been removed. And if you need a referral, do not hesitate to ask!

Set up utilities
Waiting until your moving day to think about utility set up can be a big mistake— don't assume everything will be turned on when you arrive with your moving truck! Many utility companies have a grace period from when a homeowner cancels and the new owner calls, but that isn't always the case. The best course of action is to call and set up utilities well in advance of closing.

Change the locks
It's best to assume everyone has a key to your new home, so it's time to change the locks! Real estate agents, neighbors, maintenance or cleaning crews could all have keys and you'll sleep better at night knowing you've taken this security precaution.

Hire a cleaning crew
Showing up on moving day only to find the home has yet to be cleaned can be a homeowner headache. Start with a clean slate and allow a cleaning crew to start scrubbing the minute after you close. The bonus is that you'll be able to arrange furniture without having to mop the floors first.

You can consider me your go-to resource for all things North Shore real estate, from how to prepare to sell your home to finding the perfect property in Northbrook, Glencoe, Deerfield, Winnetka, Highland Park and beyond!

Feel free to reach out with any questions you may have about buying or selling a home on Chicago's North Shore! I'm here to help!

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.