The Thomas Team Blog

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

5 Tips to Help Sell Your Evanston Home!

In recent posts here on our blog, we’ve talked about buying a home in Evanston as now is a great time to do so. Yet there are those of you who are on the exact opposite end of the spectrum and things such as a job transfer or other extenuating circumstances are causing you to sell your Evanston home. It could be that, with the current buyers’ market; you’re hoping to finally move up into your dream home and have already begun searching out some of the beautiful homes in Evanston.

No matter what your reasons for selling your Evanston home this spring; it’s important to stay positive about the process. Oftentimes when sellers hear about the market leaning in the buyers’ favor; they will immediately set themselves up for a long, drawn out home selling endeavor and have pictured it to be a less than favorable transaction. But there’s good news!

In fact, as experienced Evanston Real Estate agents, we know that the home selling process can be stress free and enjoyable. We’ve worked with buyers and sellers in the Evanston Real Estate market and are armed with the know-how to sell your home quickly and efficiently. Many sellers will ask what they can do to help their home sell and, since we consider them an important part of the team, we give them these five tips.

1. Research- While your Evanston Real Estate agent will provide you with comparables of what other homes in your neighborhood are selling for, taking the time to do a little research on your own will help you prepare for what you can expect. Take note of home prices in your area and what upgrades those homes have to offer.

2. Fix it Up- You’ll want to know what needs to be fixed before buyers begin looking at your home. Having a “pre-inspection” by a home inspector will allow you to fix any necessary repairs so that they don’t come up in the buyers home inspection. This can help speed up the process once you find an interested buyer.

3. Act Like a Buyer- If you were looking at your home as a buyer, what would you see? Are there any updates you’d want to make such as paint, appliances or finishes? Acting like a buyer for your own home will give you insight into what you can do to make your Evanston home more attractive to buyers.

4. Make it Move In Ready- Today’s buyers have the option to be picky and many want a home that’s move in ready. Your home will need to have those key factors that are now considered standard in an Evanston home such as granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.

5. Price it Right- This is a key factor that cannot be stressed enough. Pricing a home correctly from the beginning will help you sell your home more quickly. Your Evanston Real Estate agent will work with you to show you what other homes are selling for and to determine a fair market value for your home. If your home is priced too high, it will sit on the market and you’ll eventually have to lower your price. If you decide on a price that is the lowest you’d like to go, be prepared to offer buyers other incentives such as closing costs or a flexible closing date.

We hope these tips are helpful as you consider selling your Evanston home this spring. Our team of Evanston Real Estate agents are always available to talk with you about any questions you have or if you’re ready to begin the home selling process! We would love to discuss your needs and create a customized marketing plan for getting your home sold.

We look forward to hearing from you!

The Thomas Team
@ Properties

Chicago's #1 Real Estate Brokerage

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Join in Creating a Eco-Friendly Environment this Month in Evanston!

Evanston IL is beautiful this time of year with trees boasting fresh, green leaves, flowers in full bloom and warm breezes getting us ready for the upcoming summer season. The City of Evanston is a great place to enjoy the spring season and is committed to creating a healthy living environment for its residents.

For those of you who are new to Evanston or for those considering relocating to this north Chicago city; you’ll soon learn that Evanston is hard at work to be a “green” city. In fact, with Earth Day on April 22nd, Evanston has set decided to set aside the entire month to bring awareness to what we can all do to join in the efforts of being eco-friendly.

Now in its sixth year is the “Evanston CAN Recycle” program, which is a month long recycling competition. This is a fun way to encourage recycling while competing with other cities for the grand prize of up to $25,000 in awards, which are to be used to support recycling efforts through local education and awareness programs. The contest, which is sponsored by The United States Conference of Mayors, Novelis Corporation and Keep America Beautiful, Inc., challenges cities across the country to collect recyclable aluminum beverage cans. Evanston residents can participate by simply putting their aluminum cans in the recycling bins found across the city!

Of course as Evanston Real Estate agents, we also wanted to give you a few ideas for being environmentally conscious if your Evanston home! Even seemingly small changes can make a large difference in your electric bills and in the health of the Evanston environment. Here are five ways to begin saving energy during the warm weather season in Evanston.

1. Close your windows- It may seem counterintuitive, but opening the windows will often make your Evanston home warmer, not cooler. Open your windows at night if the air outside is cooler than inside, and close them (along with blinds and shades) before the sun hits your house in the morning. When night falls, open windows wide, particularly those oriented toward prevailing winds so you can take advantage of cross ventilation. You may also put houseplants in front of sunny windows to absorb some of the sun’s energy.

2. Use fans strategically- Using ceiling fans or stand alone fans can create a nice breeze in a room and help keep you cool. If you’re using ceiling fans, make sure it’s running in the right direction, so that in the summer the breeze is blowing down, not up. Remember to turn fans off when you leave a room since they are made to keep people cool, and are not made to cool an entire room. If you’re buying a new fan, buy an Energy Star fan which will use 50% less energy than other models!

3. Cook (or don’t cook) a cool meal- Just as drinking an ice cold lemonade cools your body, eating cold food helps keep your internal temperature lower on a hot day. If you do cook, use the grill or the microwave, or else you’ll heat up your kitchen from using the oven and stove. And remember, kitchen appliances aren’t the only devices that give off heat; limiting your use of electronics will help keep your spaces cooler.

4. Shut off the lights- While modern lightning, like compact fluorescents and LEDs, are more efficient, incandescent light bulbs can produce as much heat as they do light. Energy Star-rated light bulbs produce 75% less heat, so consider that when replacing bulbs. It’s always a good idea to shut off lights to save energy, it makes a big difference on hot sunny summer days.

5. Plant a tree (or two or three) strategically- Your Evanston home may get hot because the sun beats down on it relentlessly on hot summer days. Let nature help reduce your energy bills by planting deciduous trees on the east and west sides of your home; in the summer, their broad leaves will shade your house. Also consider planting trees or shrubs to shade high-heat areas – air conditioning units that emit heat, for instance, and driveways and walkways that absorb it.

Saving energy in your Evanston home can keep large energy bills at bay and will benefit the community as a whole. We hope you’re able to take part in some way in helping to create the healthy atmosphere for which Evanston is striving!

As always, we’re here to answer any questions you have about the Evanston Real Estate market; so feel free to let us know how we can help! Our years of experience in helping buyers and sellers in Evanston can ensure you’ll have your real estate needs met in a timely and efficient manner.

Feel free to contact us anytime to get started!

The Thomas Team
@ Properties

Chicago's #1 Real Estate Brokerage

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Get Your Finances In Order for the Spring Home Buying Season!

Many people are taking advantage of the currently low mortgage rates and home prices and buying an Evanston home this spring! With the warmer weather, the Evanston Real Estate market picks up and, as Evanston Real Estate agents, we’re already seeing the market bustle with activity.

And, while it can be an exciting time with new homes coming on the market each week, it’s important to be fully prepared prior to jumping into the home buying process. If you’re a first time home buyer, we encourage you to take some extra time in making sure your financials are in order. Buying a home can be a smooth and efficient process if you know what to expect and have properly prepared. Take a look at the following six factors that highlighted below.

1. Check your credit report and fix any errors- Did you know that by law, you have the right to a free annual credit report? This is something you’ll want to take advantage of as it allows you to review your report and correct any errors or outdated information. If you do happen to find a mistake, you’ll be able to contact the corresponding credit bureau to discuss the discrepancies.

2. Review your budget- Reviewing your monthly budget is imperative before buying an Evanston home. You’ll want to know exactly how much money you have to work with each month and can cut any unnecessary expenses if needed. Buying a home is a large financial decision so allowing yourself to cut down frivolous expenses in order to save more is wise.

3. Review your monthly withholdings- You may find that, by reviewing your monthly withholdings, you’re able to save more money or have more cash on hand. Before you make any changes to your withholdings however, you will want to talk with your trusted tax advisor so you’re not stuck with owing extra money to the IRS at the end of the year.

4. Review your financial emergency plan- Having an emergency financial plan is almost essential before buying a home. Most financial advisors would recommend having at least six months worth of expenses saved in case of emergencies. Not only will this give you peace of mind, but it can provide a solid financial base that you can continue to build upon.

5. Sign up for paperless statements- Because Evanston happens to be such an eco-conscious community, you’ll want to be sure to do your part! While seemingly insignificant, signing up for paperless statements and paying your bills online will add up over time and can save countless trees.

6. Consolidate accounts- While it can be useful to have various accounts open with your bank for savings, an emergency fund, or other financial goal, it can also get tricky to keep track of which part of your paycheck is going where. If you are finding it difficult to keep juggle these separate accounts; it’s time to consolidate. Of course you’ll want to check with your financial institution prior to ensure there aren’t any fees for canceling an account, but taking this step can keep your finances better organized.

Each of these six factors can play an important role in a stress free home buying process. Whether you’re a first time home buyer or have bought a few homes over the years; our team of experienced Evanston Real Estate agents would enjoy helping you each step of the way!

We look forward to working with you!

The Thomas Team
@ Properties

Chicago's #1 Real Estate Brokerage