HomeSation Realty Group

📣 Home buyers, this one's for you.

Today I'm talking about what *not* to pay attention to next time you're at a home showing. It's easy to fall in love with a home when the living room that looks like a Pottery Barn catalog, but in competitive home buying market, we sometimes have to get creative to find your dream home.

During home showings, I advise my clients to focus on issues regarding structure, safety, and location -- and to overlook the following:

-Furniture and decor: the seller is taking it with them! It's fine to get ideas and inspiration, but homes always looks different when they're empty than they do when they're staged for sale.
-Paint colors: it's so easy to change the entire vibe of a room with a coat of paint. Don't be deterred by the seller's design preferences.
-Flooring: as long as the floor isn't buckling or warping (signs of water damage) this is another area that's easy to change.
-Outdated kitchens or bathrooms: some sellers skip renovations prior to sale because buyers want to come in and make their own updates. Don't be deterred by cabinet color or old appliances. You can make updates and choose your own favorite fixtures and finishes.
-Light fixtures: Pay attention to how much natural light a home gets -- but don't worry about dated light fixtures. You can easily upgrade these!

Questions about buying a home that needs a little TLC? I love to help my clients spot the hidden potential in a home. Drop me a DM or call me and I'd love to assist you!

Things no one tells you about homeownership part 3747: it's really hard to buy a couch! 🛋

Once you buy a new home, buying a sofa is going to feel like your second biggest decision.

Not only does your sofa shape the aesthetic of your living room, in a lot of cases it's a focal point that ties your space together.

Here are a few quick tips from for purchasing the best sofa for your space:

🛋 Pick the type of sofa you want: traditional, sectional, sleeper or loveseat.
🛋 Consider your lifestyle: how much time do you spend on your sofa? Is it primarily for relaxing or for hosting guests?
🛋 Know your budget: set a price range and stick to it -- don't forget to think about shipping and in-home delivery fees (and always ask about return policies!).
🛋 Select a sofa style and fabric: there are so many options, order plenty of fabric samples and understand the different styles to find the best fit for your space.
🛋 Measure your space....and (this is important) your entryway. You'd be surprised how many homes have tight stairways, narrow doors and low ceilings. Remember the infamous "PIVOT!" scene from Friends? Be sure either the depth or width of the sofa is smaller than the width of your doorway.

Tell me in the comments: where is your favorite place to shop for a sofa?

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Spring is (almost!) in the air and I don't know about you, but I'm pretty over hibernating for the winter. Here are a few activities if you're looking to get out and enjoy this weekend.

📆 St. Charles St. Patrick's Day Parade Sat. March 12 at 2pm
📆 Naperville St. Patrick's Day Parade Saturday March 12 at 10am
📆 Chicago World of Wheels March 11 through 13
📆 Adult Big Wheel Race March 12 at 9am
📆 Mchenry ShamROCKS the Fox March 12th and 13th

What's on your agenda this weekend? Tell me something you're looking forward to in the comments below!

It’s International Women’s day and I want to give a huge shout out to two women who inspire and drive me to live a life of service, leadership, impact, and purpose! My wife and my mother Donna.

Love you both! ❤️

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It's hard to believe it's been two years since we all had to set up virtual offices and classrooms in our homes!

The real estate market has certainly had some twists and turns since then, but as life returns to normalcy a lot of people are wondering what to do with the new amenities in their homes — from Zoom rooms to bulky exercise equipment.

With 69% of buyers prioritizing home offices in their home searches, it's safe to say that those Zoom backdrops are still important to homeowners.

Did you make any updates to your home over the last two years? If so, what are you keeping around and what are you getting rid of?

The most common mistake I see as a real estate agent:

Buyers confusing their home "wants" vs. home "needs."

Look, the market is competitive right now. Home buying is challenging, which is why it's so crucial to have an experienced agent by your side to serve as your advocate.

Some homeowners tend to confuse the amenities that they need in a home with the amenities that they want to have and as a result, have a much harder time finding a property.

So how do you know what is a want vs. need as you make your home wish list?

NEEDS are items you cannot live without under any circumstance. Of course, obvious items like plumbing and electricity fall under this category, but anything related to safety, accessibility and location should too. Also on the needs list? Things that are foundational, structural and cannot be altered or added. For example, certain number of bedrooms, a garage and proximity to public transportation would fall under "needs."

WANTS are the things you'd prefer to have in a home but would be willing to compromise on or get creative. For example: you might love high ceilings, exposed brick and a hot tub but would be willing to forgo them if you found a property that checked all of the other boxes.

Before you buy a home, consider whether you can remodel, or get creative to turn your new home into your dream home.

Questions? Drop me a message or call me anytime!