Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Winnetka Real Estate Market Stats for September 2019

City Active Listings: There are a total of 144 properties actively on the market with the average listing price of $1,723,114 in Winnetka.

City Sold Listings: 19 properties closed last month in Winnetka with an average sales price of $1,354,913. The average time on market for these properties was 59 days. 



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

Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert


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Northbrook Real Estate Market Stats for September 2019

City Active Listings: There are a total of 351 properties actively on the market with the average listing price of $671,604 in Northbrook.

City Sold Listings: 62 properties closed last month in Northbrook with an average sales price of $468,791. The average time on market for these properties was 50 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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Highland Park Real Estate Market Stats for September 2019

City Active Listings: There are a total of 373 properties actively on the market with the average listing price of $833,072 in Highland Park.

City Sold Listings: 44 properties closed last month in Highland Park with an average sales price of $481,891. The average time on market for these properties was 63 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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Glencoe Real Estate Market Stats for September 2019

City Active Listings: There are a total of 82 properties actively on the market with the average listing price of $1,419,884 in Glencoe.

City Sold Listings: 9 properties closed last month in Glencoe with an average sales price of $1,115,278. The average time on market for these properties was 54 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
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Local Expert... with National Connections!

Deerfield Real Estate Market Stats for September 2019

City Active Listings: There are a total of 162 properties actively on the market with the average listing price of $576,728 in Deerfield.

City Sold Listings: 23 properties closed last month in Deerfield with an average sales price of $318,280. 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 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!

Monday, October 21, 2019

North Shore Curb Appeal with a Fall Flair

If you’d like to sell your North Shore home this fall, or you’re just looking to decorate your home for the season, take advantage of fall décor options! As your North Shore real estate agent, I’m here to fill you in on some excellent options for your exterior this time of year.

1.  Use pumpkins to your advantage. Everybody loves pumpkins this time of year, along with gourds, mums, haystacks, etc. Use these fall items to your advantage by decorating your front entryway with them. Prop some pumpkins on the steps leading to your front door, or flank your door with pots of mums. Create a scene of hay, pumpkins and gourds. Don’t overdo it, just a few well-placed items will do.

2.  Upgrade current items with fall replacements. Rather than cluttering your front entryway with fall décor, just replace items you already have with ones that have a fall flair. For example, take down your summery door decoration and replace with a fall wreath made of pinecones, fall leaves or anything in a fall hue. Replace your doormat with one that has fall colors or outlines of fall leaves.

3.  Paint and clean. Sometimes all your curb appeal needs is some refreshing. Clean and repaint your front door to give it a real pop. You can opt for a fall color, such as bright red, yellow or orange, or go with whatever color suits you most. Clean your address numbers, front porch, siding, driveway, garage door, mailbox, etc., and give these a fresh coat of paint if need be.

4.  Don’t overdo it with the Halloween décor. Some homeowners just love to go all out on their Halloween décor, with fake spider webs, gravestones, Halloween-colored lights, motion-activated props and so on. If you are selling your North Shore home, you don’t want your listing photos to forever display a Halloween house, and you don’t want to turn buyers off. If you do decorate for Halloween, do so lightly, such as replacing your front porch light with a red or purple one. But sticking to neutral fall décor is best.

5.  Weatherproof your outdoor space. Show buyers that your outdoor space can also be enjoyed in the colder temperatures this fall. Hang curtains on a front porch to insulate it. Apply beautiful slipcovers to your outdoor furniture, and add rugs, pillows or throw blankets for added comfort. Play around with fall hues as color accents. Display lanterns, space heaters or candles for extra lighting and heat.

For more outdoor curb appeal ideas this fall, check out this House Beautiful article. When ready to sell your home in Glencoe, Winnetka, Highland Park, Deerfield, Northbrook, Lake Forest, Wilmette, Evanston, Glenview, Riverwoods, Bannockburn, and other North Shore communities, contact me! As your North Shore real estate agent, I am here to answer your questions and to guide you through the home-selling and/or home-buying process. Fall is a great time to accomplish your real estate goals, before the chaos of the holiday season arrives. Don’t hesitate to give me a call!

Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert


North Shore Real Estate
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Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Pricing Your North Shore Home to Sell

If you’d like to sell your North Shore home this fall, give me a call, your North Shore real estate agent! Together, we can come up with a listing price for your home and begin the home-selling process. There is a lot to think about when choosing a listing price wisely. Here are some considerations:

1.  Research the local market and recent sales. This is the most important step in determining the value of your home in Glencoe, Winnetka, Highland Park, Deerfield, Northbrook, Lake Forest, Wilmette, Evanston, Glenview, Riverwoods, Bannockburn, and other North Shore communities. I have the most recent stats on your local market and can find homes that have sold in the area that are similar to yours in age, size and location. I can see what they were listed for, what they sold for, how long they were on the market, and who the interested buyers were. This will help us determine a price range for your house.

2.  Determine your timeline. If you are eager to sell fast, pricing a bit on the lower end of the value range will attract the highest number of buyers. When they look at listings that include your home and homes similar to yours, if yours is priced a bit lower, they’ll flock to you. If it’s priced too low, they’ll wonder what’s wrong with it. We’ve got to get the number just right.

3.  Price it as an odd number. If we determine that your North Shore home is worth $500K, we might list it as $499K or some other similar number. Why not just list it as $500K? It’s psychology. The $499K looks like a smaller number to buyers, and if they search for houses below $500K, your home will come up in the search. You’ll notice that most listings aren’t given an even number.

4.  Listen to your agent. As long as you choose a North Shore real estate agent with years of experience and sales, you should feel confident in her pricing strategy. It’s our job as agents to know what works and what doesn’t. However, your sale price is an ongoing discussion, not a one-way street. You get a say. A lot of factors play in, so be ready to discuss and be flexible. The price may also change over time.

5.  Understand the appraisal process. Whether you get an appraisal before listing, or your appraisal comes in after you’ve accepted an offer from a buyer, don’t be surprised if it is different than what you expected, especially if you price high. Appraisers focus on many factors, such as the age of the home, square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, size of the lot, location and so on.

For more information on pricing a home to sell, check out this MSN Money article. If you have questions about pricing, listing or selling in the North Shore real estate market, give me a call! As an experienced North Shore real estate agent, I can answer your questions and guide you through the entire home-selling and/or home-buying process.


Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert


North Shore Real Estate
View North Shore Listings
Visit My Website


Local Expert... with National Connections!