Tuesday, March 22, 2016

What’s the Secret to Home Selling Success in Chicago?



Looking to buy a Chicago home? Get a full Home Search
Selling your Chicago home? Get a free Home Price Evaluation

If you want to get your home sold quickly and for top dollar this spring, the most important thing you can do is price your home right, the moment it hits the market. Remember, you never get a second chance to make a lasting first impression.

Next, make sure your home is in pristine condition before listing it. The best way to do this is through staging, which allows buyers to imagine how they would utilize the space. To do this, you need to depersonalize and declutter the home to make it as appealing to as many buyers as possible.


Lastly, you need to know your target buyer market. Any home priced between $200,000-$225,000, there is a good chance a millennial is going to purchase it. About one-third of all buyers in this market are millennials, and about 70% of buyers are move-up buyers. Know what kind of person is going to be interested in your home and find a way to market it to them!

There is a myth about when the best time to list your home is, and that time is right now. Really, the best time to sell is when you and your family are ready to do so. However, it is worth mentioning that the largest volume of buyers are out at this time!

In order to really get the most out of your home sale, it’s crucial to hire an agent who will help you do all of these things. They will take the weight and the stress off your shoulders and get your home sold quickly and for top dollar!

If you have any questions about this, or if you need real estate assistance of any kind, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to hear from you!

Monday, March 7, 2016

Important Trends in Chicagoland Real Estate

Looking to buy a Chicago home? Get a full Home Search
Selling your Chicago home? Get a free Home Price Evaluation

Today, David Bowen from Wintrust Mortgage and I will be discussing important trends in the Chicagoland housing market. 2015 was an excellent year for sales and appreciation in our marketplace. 

In fact, we noticed a 6.6% sales increase last year in the nine-county Chicago area. In the metro area, we saw 7.8% sales increase as well. Additionally, in the Chicago suburbs, there was a 9.4% sales increase.


Overall, the median sales price is $210,000. That means price tags for homes locally have increased 8.8%. Can we expect the same trends for 2016? I anticipate we’ll experience a moderate increase between 3.5% and 4%.

As for the mortgage side, interest rates won’t be a problem this year. We anticipate the Federal Reserve will increase rates slowly throughout the entire year. The economy is booming. Unemployment is low. This factor alone won’t hinder housing sales and market growth. We might even experience better market conditions this year, because the economy is doing so well.

If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in the surrounding area, give me a call or send me an email. I’m happy to answer any questions you have about this topic or anything else related to real estate. Feel free to reach out to David by phone or email for your mortgage needs.