Archive for the ‘Buyer Tips’ Category
BE a Grilling Guru
Barbecuing is a great way to cook in the summer; it brings the family together, keeps heat out of the home, and lets you enjoy the beautiful weather. But while cooking on a grill, be sure to keep safety in mind. Each year grill-related accidents result in countless injuries and $27 million in damages. Many of these accidents can easily be avoided through regular maintenance and safe use. Best practices vary depending on the type of grill(i.e. gas, charcoal) but here are a few tips to help you have a safe grilling season:
1) Operate your grill outside(never in garages or breezeways), and at least 10 feet away
from your home and other structures.
2) Keep your grill clean. Grease built up from previous use can cause and spread unexpectedgrill fires.
3) If you have a gas grill, check the hoses for cracking, brittleness, holes, and food grease.
If you would like to find just the right home to set up your grill, give Ed Garfield and Sharon Benjamin a call. They have the experience and know how to find you the perfect spot.
SHORT SALES ARE ANYTHING BUT
Today I showed houses in Des Plaines to a couple. Most of the homes I showed were short sales. A short sale is a situation where the sale proceeds are less (short) of what is owed on the mortgage.
Probably the biggest difference between a short sale and a regular home sale is that the process can take much longer. Since the the decision to accept an offer is being made at least in part by a financial institution, it can take weeks or even months to get an answer. If you want to be in a new home fairly soon, don’t waste your time considering short sales. If you can wait a short sale can be a good deal.
If you are considering buying a home, schedule a time to talk to me. If you have a question email me.
Foreclosure Feeding Frenzy
Feeding Frenzy at the Bottom of Foreclosure Market
If you are looking for the deals in foreclosed upon real estate in Buffalo Grove or the surrounding areas, you are not alone. With the base in the market solidifying, it is not just families looking to capitalize on the foreclosed upon inventory…because, the investors are back.
The stories are out there of investors coming in with all cash offers trying to negotiate lower selling prices. But, you’ll be glad to learn, the banks are not biting.
If you are interested in a foreclosure or just a great real estate buy in Buffalo Grove or the surrounding areas call Ed Garfield and Sharon Benjamin, your experinced Buffalo Grove Realtors®.
Tips for Buffalo Grove, Long Grove Area Moving
A bright new beginning or a teary-eyed departure? The words “we’re moving” can mean big trouble for homeowners who don’t plan ahead.
Consider these pieces of advice as you prepare for the big day.
Clean house. Once that you know you are going to move, decide what you won’t bring along. Scour closets and storage spaces and organize items into 3 piles- sell, donate or move.
Notify everyone. Give the post office, authorities, utility services, friends and family early notice of your new address.
Hiring movers. When hiring a moving company, first ask friends or your local Buffalo Grove area Realtors, Ed Garfield and Sharon Benjamin for recommendations. Call movers one or two months in advance to set up inventories and estimates. Remember to get moving costs and deposit return policies.
Save receipts. Create a file to hold receipts accumulated throughout the move. Some expenses may be able to be deducted on your tax return. (See your tax professional for details.)
Call Ed Garfield and Sharon Benjamin, Buffalo Grove, Long Grove area real estate experts to make sure you have a smooth move. They can be reached at 847-541-5000
FHA 203(K) mortgage open up your home buying options
Benefits
203 K Loans allow you to combine purchase and improvement costs in one loan
A 203(K) loan allows you to consider a larger selection of homes including those that are foreclosed, distressed or simply in need of updates.
Make just a 3.5% down payment.
Have a greater chance to qualify for the loan.
Save time and money with a single loan for home purchase and improvement.
Get a mortgage that is assumable and has no pre-payment penalties if you decide to sell.
Save money by combining the home purchase price and remodeling cost in one purchase with a lower interest rate.
Call Ed and Sharon now to find out how to take advantage of this opportunity to buy right in today’s challenging real estate market
Reasons to Buy Now are Many!
How does one know when is the right time to Buy?
The first question in any economy is “Why move?”.
For the first time buyer the reasons include establishing your own independence, utilizing all the tax advantages that come with owning and financing a home, and investing to create future wealth.
The first time buyer certainly does not have it as easy as in years past. New parameters require a higher down payment and higher credit scores. For those willing to take the time to explore all the inventory, opportunities are phenomenal, that combined with low interest rates and the good tax credit make this the time to buy. April 30, the day the tax credit expires, is just around the corner.
Want to see what you can buy?
Locking in Your Interest Rate Makes Sense in Today’s Market
With rates poised to rise, paying “rate lock” is a wise decision.
Yes, mortgage rates are near historic lows, but economists generally agree that rates are much more likely to go up instead of down in the weeks ahead as the economy slowly picks up steam.
It’s unfair but banks and mortgage brokers generally aren’t required to provide a loan at the rate and other terms that borrowers are first offered when they make application until you have a formal commitment letter from the bank which can take several days or even weeks to receive. Your rate can be increased substantially.
No one wants to add more fees to their closing costs but view the fee for rate lock protection more as an insurance plan against a future rise in rates. Paying for such a guarantee is especially worthwhile now that we are heading into the peak home buying season and times for approving loans get longer.
Buffalo Grove Real Estate- The Opportunity of a Lifetime
Tax Incentives, Interest rates, Prices and Buffalo Grove Amenities make it a great oppotunity to buy real estate now
The much discussed real estate fallout has created the sense of a stalled housing market however…
Buyers are increasingly recognizing the deal of a lifetime stands before them today, with never before seen prices as well as the first time and move up buyer tax incentives plus historically low interest rates as a result the buyer inherits large savings.
Many of the richest people in the world made their fortunes by buying real estate at the right time.
Buffalo Grove has all the underlying factors that buyers are traditionally looking for. The Buffalo Grove area offers first class schools, a wide range of modern housing and a wide variety of sought after amenities such as parks, shopping and access to major roads, commuter trains, and proximity to OHare Airport.
Please don’t miss out. Contact us for all the information you will need.
Using Colors in Decorating
Color can bring harmony into your life. Before you decide on your colors, decide what you prefer:
Monochromatic colors – where all the colors are in the same family
Analogous colors – imagine colors that are side-by-side in a rainbow
Complementary colors – where you choose opposite colors that can be very dramatic like black & orange.
Colors bring the emotion into your home. They tell who you are.
Decorating Tricks: Picture frames should blend with and complement your artwork, not the room color.
Put a frame around your large bathroom mirror. It will change the look to be more spa-like or sophisticated and will add just the right finishing touch. While you are at it, paint your bathroom in a relaxing shade. This can be very calming.
The team of Ed Garfield and Sharon Benjamin put Ed’s over 30 years of real estate marketing savvy in Buffalo Grove and Chicago’s Northwest Suburbs with Sharon’s impressive credentials in the decorating field to work for you. Call Ed or Sharon at 847-541-5000 to put their experience to work for you.
What Buyers in Chicago’s Northwest Suburbs Want Might Surprise You
Changing House sizes in Chicago's Northwest Suburbs
You might call this post NEW House Alert! or Changing Times!
After World War II, it became an American dream to own a house. Then, the dream grew to a house with a garage, then a two-car garage, and a three-car garage. Houses got bigger and bigger over time with the square footage growing every year until around 2005 when houses began trending down in size.
Today, home buyers are very, very value-conscious and they don’t want to pay for space they don’t use. Houses are getting smaller is the bottom line.
Call us to find a house in the in Chicago’s Northwest Suburbs including Buffalo Grove, Wheeling, Long Grove, Skokie and the surrounding areas. We will find you a home just the right size.
