The 411 on New Construction

Of all of the dream houses I might have, the one type of property that’s never really on my wish list is new construction. It’s not because there’s anything wrong with new construction, it can be a great option, I’m just the type of person who will always want to be doing the updating myself. I’m pretty particular for one, and I just love the design process, and to be the one transforming a space. It’s a thrill and complete joy for me. But what’s the 411 on new construction? What are the pro’s, what are the cons, and what…

Working on the energy of our now space, and our next space…

June 28, 2018 Categories: buying · energy · intuition · investment · moving · real estate · renovationTags: buying · energy · fixer upper · flip · house hunt · manifestation · wish listLeave a comment

I’ve been feeling super frustrated this week. I’m so ready to buy our new place and be going full steam ahead on all kinds of fun fixer-upper projects, but we still have a little while until we even start looking for that place {like at least four or five months}. We also aren’t settled into our current {temporary} place either… while we might not be totally unpacking, there is still quite a bit that needs to get put away and organized so that the space feels good to be in and we can enjoy it… and I need to figure…

The final walk through ~ what to expect and tips for success

June 25, 2018June 25, 2018 Categories: buying · energy · moving · real estate · sellingTags: buying · final walk through · real estate · sellingLeave a comment

Our team has a crazy pants number of closings this month, so of course final walk throughs are on my mind {I feel like I have one every day!}. We’ve had some go more smoothly than others… so I’m giving this little-talked-about topic a hello today. It’s tempting once you are under contract on your house sale to relax, celebrate your house being sold {!!!}, and start deciding where to spend all. that. money. from the sale. But in reality, your house isn’t sold, not yet at least. So yes, do a big happy dance for getting your place under…

The distressed property… what it is, and what it means for you as a buyer.

June 12, 2018June 12, 2018 Categories: buying · investment · real estate · renovationTags: design · distressed property · distressed sale · DIY · foreclosure · investment · project house · real estate · renovationLeave a comment

So you think you want a distressed property… it can seem like an amazing deal, but is it really? Our team is selling a listing that is a bank-owned property {also known as an REO property}, so I thought it was the perfect time to talk about this type of sale. The house we are selling is listed at $739,000, it’s pretty big at about 6,500sf, and was built in 2006. And even though it hasn’t been especially well cared for over the past decade, it’s not in extreme {or obvious} disrepair, and it’s not an old house where you’re…

The ‘in-between’ space, and how it’s turning out to be a blessing for our real estate search AND my purge!

May 16, 2018May 16, 2018 Categories: buying · energy · investment · moving · real estate · sellingTags: in-between space · moving · real estate · style · temporary housingLeave a comment

If you’re buying a house you might need an ‘in-between’ space. Maybe just for a few days, or maybe for a few months… Cue the panic. And the resistance. Noooooooooo!….. Often there is considerable stress about timing when it comes to real estate. People selling their houses are worried about being able to find something new, so they won’t put their house on the market until they’ve found ‘the one’. The trouble with that is that great spaces sell extremely quickly, and the market is competitive enough right now that most sellers also won’t accept a home sale contingency {that’s when…

The real questions you should be asking when looking at a potential house…

May 8, 2018May 8, 2018 Categories: buying · moving · real estateTags: buyer search questions · moving · realestateLeave a comment

Quite often during a showing a buyer will ask “why are the sellers moving?” or “how long have they lived here?”. I am not really sure what prompts people to ask this and the more it happens I must confess, I’m starting to get a little annoyed at the question. Are they trying to figure out if the sellers are leaving because something is wrong with the house? Are they just nosy? Are they trying to find some leverage for their offer? Maybe. Maybe they are trying to get a feel for how motivated the seller is, always looking for…

New place news! {and some great reminders about non-judgment and non-effort}

April 23, 2018 Categories: buying · energy · intuition · moving · real estateTags: count down · creating · manifestation · moving · non-effort · non-judgmentLeave a comment

It’s not new news that my manfriend and I don’t like our place. We’ve been planning to move since back in December when I moved in, and have been getting increasingly discontent with each passing month since. We even asked to be let out of our lease early, taking the stance with our landlord that he hasn’t been able to resolve our issues with noise, and a May renewal is more ideal than a July renewal {which is true}. But of course he said no. I wasn’t surprised, and decided that if we had to stay until the official, bitter…

Oak Park renovation ~ progress house tour!

March 21, 2018March 21, 2018 Categories: architecture · design · interiors · real estate · renovationTags: architecture · construction · fixer upper · four square · home stretch · in progress · interior design · interiors · oak park · renovation · transformationLeave a comment

Rebecca and Ryan have made a ton of progress on their house, and I’m excited to share a new video tour with you today! Right now it might not look like they’ve made as much progress as they really have, since all of the kitchen cabinets are still in boxes in the living room, but they have come a looong way since they started, and the project is just about at the point where all the sudden you blink and the space looks almost finished. I’ve even heard whispers that they are even scheduling movers for the end of the month!…

One big secret to a quick sale: preparation

March 12, 2018March 14, 2018 Categories: decluttering · design · real estate · sellingTags: color · design · first impressions · preparation · real estate · selling · touch upsLeave a comment

Price is important when it comes to selling your house. It is definitely one of the most important factors in either attracting, or deterring, interest. But there is something else that is equally important that a lot of people underestimate, and that’s preparation. You only get one chance to make a first impression on a potential buyer, and if your space isn’t looking it’s best, people won’t trust that you’ll address small things that need to be taken care of, and they won’t come back. It’s a little more work up front, but it’s worth it to help get a…

A small project makes a big difference in this Logan Square house!

March 7, 2018March 7, 2018 Categories: design · inspiration · interiors · investment · real estate · selling · styleTags: haven by design · improvements · real estate · renovation · selling · selling strategy · timing · transformation · valueLeave a comment

Last year we met with some clients, Carla and Andrew, who had bought a fixer upper back in the winter of 2014 and were just about ready to sell and get started on a new project. They wanted our input on a few potential projects and timing so that they could really get the house in tip top shape, and at it’s peak value, to be able to maximize their investment when they were ready to sell. Carla and Andrew are awesome people, and they are smart when it comes to their house. They also have a killer sense of…

Haven by Design

Category: real estate