Wednesday, October 31, 2018

How to Sell Your North Shore Home During the Holidays


When the busy spring and summer months are over, many North Shore homeowners are left wondering if they can still sell their properties before the end of the year. While it may seem like the market slows down, the short answer is yes! Buyers today are constantly searching for properties on their smartphones, computers, and even have email alerts set up when a new North Shore property becomes available that meets their criteria.

Selling your Glencoe, Winnetka, Highland Park, Northbrook, or Deerfield home during the holiday season is still a great idea and as your local real estate expert, I'm sharing a few ways below to achieve that successful sale!

Keep holiday decor simple
Don't be tempted to install an inflatable snowman on your front lawn! It's best to keep holiday decor simple—staying away from large yard ornaments—outside in order to avoid distracting buyers from the property itself.

Highlight holiday features
Does your home have a great picture window? A cozy fireplace? An inviting dining room? These are all great features to play up during this time of year. Allow buyers to envision themselves entertaining in your home by staging it for the season. Position your Christmas tree in front of the window, light a fire when buyers arrive for a showing, and set the table to let buyers imagine hosting friends and family.

Groom online appeal
The first place buyers will look for homes this time of year is online. Be sure that your listing photos are clear and present your home in its best possible light. When you work with me, you can rest assured your property will have a great online presence and pique buyer interest from the very beginning!

Enhance curb appeal
Your home's exterior is often what will get buyers to the front door, so make sure it feels inviting! Clean your gutters, clear all pathways of debris, touch up the paint, tidy up your yard, and consider adding a wreath to the front door.

Get move-in ready
Since the holiday season can already be stressful, you don't want to make moving into your home another cause for buyer concern. Now is the time to fix any issues that you know exist in your property, especially HVAC as it is imperative that this system be in working order during the colder months! Buyer will be more willing to move into your home if they know they won't run into any problems after closing!

Ready to move into a new North Shore home before the new year? Give me a call today to get started on listing your current property and finding your next dream home!

Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert


North Shore Real Estate
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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 24, 2018

Winnetka Real Estate Market Stats for September 2018


City Active Listings: There are a total of 136 properties actively on the market with the average price of $1,872,739 in Winnetka.

City Sold Listings: 17 properties closed last month in Winnetka with an average sales price of $1,575,676. The average time on market for these properties was 109 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
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Northbrook Real Estate Market Stats for September 2018


City Active Listings: There are a total of 358 properties actively on the market with the average price of $659,238 in Northbrook.

City Sold Listings: 59 properties closed last month in Northbrook with an average sales price of $521,166. The average time on market for these properties was 45 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
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Local Expert... with National Connections!

Highland Park Real Estate Market Stats for September 2018


City Active Listings: There are a total of 345 properties actively on the market with the average price of $844,176 in Highland Park.

City Sold Listings: 32 properties closed last month in Highland Park with an average sales price of $591,679. The average time on market for these properties was 48 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
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Local Expert... with National Connections!

Deerfield Real Estate Market Stats for September 2018


City Active Listings: There are a total of 179 properties actively on the market with the average price of $590,511 in Deerfield.

City Sold Listings: 21 properties closed last month in Deerfield with an average sales price of $426,543. The average time on market for these properties was 35 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
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Local Expert... with National Connections!

Glencoe Real Estate Market Stats for September 2018


City Active Listings: There are a total of 96 properties actively on the market with the average price of $1,047,500 in Glencoe.

City Sold Listings: 11 properties closed last month in Glencoe with an average sales price of $1,169,784. The average time on market for these properties was 93 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
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Local Expert... with National Connections!

Thursday, October 18, 2018

Boo! 6 Halloween Events on Chicago's North Shore

Halloween is almost here on Chicago's North Shore! It's time to plan your costume, carve a pumpkin, and outfit your Glencoe, Winnetka, Highland Park, Deerfield, or Northbrook home in the spookiest decor. But once all of those festive activities are checked off of your list, you'll be ready for some bewitchingly fun events and I've rounded up a few below!

Add the following 6 Halloween Events on Chicago's North Shore to your calendar:

5th Annual Zombie Scramble
Evanston Ecology Center
Evanston IL

Run with your friends and finish with your "lives" (or flag football flags worn around your waist) intact! Zombies will be placed along the course to try to grab your flags!

Spooktacular Halloween Party
October 21, 2018
North Suburban YMCA
Northbrook IL

Enjoy a bounce house, costume contest, pony rides, haunted maze, paint pumpkins, and so much more! All ages are welcome at this North Shore event!

BOOnanza
Wheeling Community Recreation Center
Wheeling IL

Decorate a pumpkin, make crafts, listen to spooky stories, go for a hayride, and watch a magic show! Children 10 years of age and younger encouraged for this FREE event!

Dave Rudolf's Halloween Spooktacular
October 26, 2018
Winnetka Community House
Winnetka IL

Your little ghouls and goblins, no matter their age, are invited to this fun event with songs, stories, and costumes galore! $10 in advance, $15 at the door.

Halloween in Downtown Skokie
October 27, 2018
Start at Crafty Beaver Lumber
Skokie IL

Kids 12 and younger are welcome to participate in trick or treating downtown Skokie! Just pick up your bag at Crafty Beaver and be on your way!

Night of 1,000 Jack-O-Lanterns
October 24-28, 2018
Chicago Botanic Garden
Glencoe IL

Pumpkins as large as 150 pounds will light up the night at the Chicago Botanic Garden! Artists spend hours decorating a single pumpkin to be staged along a festive pathway, so come enjoy a spooky walk, watching live carvings, view the ghostly trains in the Model Railroad Garden, drink cider, and more!

Ready to call the North Shore your home? Contact me today for more information about Northbrook, Highland Park, Deerfield, Winnetka, or Glencoe homes for sale.

I look forward to hearing from you! Happy Halloween!

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 10, 2018

4 Questions to Ask Your North Shore Home Inspector

In a past blog post, I've shared 4 Red Flags Your Home Inspection Could Miss and now it's on to another important inspection topic— questions to ask! Once you've gone over the report, you will likely have dozens of questions about the items listed which can leave you feeling uneasy about your future purchase. Be sure to note the four questions below to help you calm your homebuyer nerves after the inspection!

What is this item?
If you're unclear about an item listed in the inspection report, do not hesitate to ask your inspector! For instance, if there is a defect in the electrical system that you don't understand, ask exactly what needs to be fixed and how serious it is. You should never be afraid to ask for clarification about the items found in the report.

Is this serious?
When you look over the report, you will notice many minor issues, but not all will need to be addressed immediately. Ask your inspector if any major problems came up and what needs to be remedied now. You should be fully aware of the major issues before buying a North Shore home!

Should I make a follow-up?
Your Glencoe, Highland Park, Deerfield, Northbrook, and Winnetka inspector will be knowledgable, but he may also refer you to another expert like an electrician or plumber for a closer look at a problem. If he flags something in the report like this that needs further inspection, ask him if you need to make a follow-up with another expert.

What needs to be done after the purchase?
Remember that if you don't ask the seller to make certain repairs, they are now on your plate! Ask the inspector what needs to be fixed after you move-in, or in other words what you don't need to ask the seller for and what can wait. You will still want to stay on top of these repairs in case it will be something isn't functioning properly when you step in the door!

Ready to start the home buying process or have more questions for a real estate expert in Glencoe, Highland Park, Deerfield, Northbrook, or Winnetka? Give me a call today!

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, October 3, 2018

Janie Bress Named 2018 Five Star Real Estate Agent

I am thrilled to share that I have won the 2018 Five Star Real Estate Agent Award!



Five Star Real Estate Agents represent those who are outstanding in their field. Winning agents are selected as a result of a rigorous and objective research process. For any market, each year's field of winners represents no more than 7% of agents within the market.

My Five Star designation allows buyers and sellers on Chicago's North Shore—just like you—to choose a professional that others recommend for exceptional client satisfaction and service.

If you're looking for a real estate expert on Chicago's North Shore in Northbrook, Highland Park, Glencoe, Deerfield, Winnetka, or beyond, do not hesitate to contact me! As a Five Star agent, you can rest assured that you are working with a top tier professional dedicated to serving your specific needs in the real estate market!

I hope to speak with you soon!

Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert


North Shore Real Estate
View North Shore Listings
Visit My Website


Local Expert... with National Connections!