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7 Tips for Short Sale Success
Have to sell your home for less than it’s worth? Our seven tips will help you get the best price. Read
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Copyright 2012 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
Kids’ Rooms: Storage Solutions for Every Age
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Kids’ Rooms: Storage Solutions for Every Age
From babies who adore you to teens who ignore you, kids change — and so do their storage needs. Here’s how to organize kids’ rooms from cradle to college. Read
Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.
Copyright 2012 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®
About Carrie Little-Bey
Carrie Little-Bey has been real estate broker for over 11 years, helping potential residents find the home of their dreams and ensuring sellers get the price they want. Her property marketing skills and dedication to fulfilling her clients’ needs have earned her an esteemed reputation in the local real estate community.
In her current position as a broker associate at Baird & Warner, Carrie helps clients buy and sell single family homes and condominiums. As a lifelong Illinois resident, she has a wealth of knowledge about the Northern Illinois real estate market. She has a keen ability to put the best buyers and sellers together to form the most ideal transactions.
Before joining Baird & Warner, Carrie worked in the technology, non-profit and retail industries. Carrie has a background in Real estate as a former employee of a residential builder and employee of McDonald’s Corporation in the East Coast Real Estate Legal Department.
Carrie began her real estate career in 2001 where she quickly learned the residential business and systems that help with her successes.
Carrie has been a resident of DuPage County since 1996 and actively involved in volunteering for missions trips to Mexico, fundraising events and the Mother’s and More DuPage County chapter. She prides herself as someone that enjoys helping young people understand the importance of completing college. As a mother of three, Carrie can often be found with her family at the local pool, walking their dog, reading a motivational book or exercising with friends.
Are You A New Real Estate Investor?
Are you considering a investing in real estate? If yes, then here are are few things to consider?
1. When you purchase your new investment property, do you have the money or an investment loan to make the necessary changes to rent or flip?
2. Do you know and/or understand the neighborhood you are buying in?
3. Have you done your research? Is there a rental market?
4. What are your long term goals for investing? Ie; Flip, rent, how many homes per year…
5. What are the demographics?
6. Is the home in a flood plain?
7. Does the city require an inspection? If so, if the city repairs are required will you have the money for a possible escrow account.
8. Is the city considered to be stable or depressed?
If you are not sure of most of these questions, do some research before you begin shopping for the investment property.
Are You A New Real Estate Investor?
Are you considering a investing in real estate? If yes, then here are are few things to consider?
1. When you purchase your new investment property, do you have the money or an investment loan to make the necessary changes to rent or flip?
2. Do you know and/or understand the neighborhood you are buying in?
3. Have you done your research? Is there a rental market?
4. What are your long term goals of investing?
5. What are the demographics?
6. Is the home in a flood plain?
7. Does the city require an inspection? If so, if city repairs are required will you have the money for escrow if the city requires it.
8. Is the city considered to be stable or depressed?
If you are not sure of most of these questions, do some research before you begin shopping for the investment property.
Home Equity on the Rise Nationwide
Realtor Magazine states that, “Home equity is at its highest level since the third quarter of 2008 and has risen by $860 billion since the end of 2011”, according to the September Housing Scorecard.
This is good news for many home owners. Check out the article.
Low Real Estate Inventory Frustrate Home Buyers
Check out this great article from Realtor Magazine. Buyers are finding out the hard way when waiting to write an offer on a home. If you like the home don’t hestitate. Write the offer. Maybe, consider writing the offer at the home you want to purchase. Buyers are typically in multiple offer situations. When a house comes on the market try to see it the same day. “If you snooze you’ll lose.”
If you’re considering selling your home, now is a great time to sell. With low real estate inventory your home could bring a quick offer. Tip, make sure your home is ready for the market and is in great condition. That will help sell the home and bring better offers.
Click to read the entire article from Realtor Magazine. http://realtormag.realtor.org/daily-news/2012/10/02/home-buyers-grow-frustrated-low-inventories?om_rid=AAEmw7&om_mid=_BQay8nB8uY0KBX&om_ntype=RMODaily
Having A Great Neighbor Can Help You Sell Your Home
Having A Great Neighbor Can Help You Sell Your Home. Your neighbors can be your greatest asset when selling a home. Things to consider after you buy a home.
1. Get to know the neighbors. Yes, even the ones that aren’t the friendliest. Always keep a friendly attitude.
2. Keep your lawn manicured.
3. Be considerate of the cars in your driveway. If you have a garage use it.
4. Always put your kids outdoor toys away.
5. Clean up the puppy poop and the poop in your back yard.
These are just a few suggestions when you purchase a home.
What are the benefits of being a great neighbor?
1. Neighbors will keep their lawns manicured so you can sell your home.
2. They won’t do strange things when buyers are viewing your home.
3. If a potential buyer asks the neighbor a question, and they will, you don’t have to worry about what they’ll say.
4. If you relocate to a new place the neighbors will watch your home.
Here are a few real situations where I found that neighbors can help or hinder your home sale.
The Bad Neighbor – I was recently showing homes. Our last showing was a vacant bank owned home. As I accessed the lockbox to obtain the key, the next door neighbor came to the door, open the door, stark naked andpicked up his newspaper (I think). We are sure his was naked. How strange is that. He had to know we were outside. This was a townhome subdivision and the front doors and windows were extremely close. This dude may not have wanted my buyers as neighbors.
The Perfect Neighbor – After getting all of the listing paperwork signed for an upcoming listing, my seller and I had a brief discussion about her neighbors. She told me that her neighbors hated that she was selling. They didn’t want her to move. One even offer to pay her mortgage. How cool is that. She wasn’t even in a distressed situation. While outside one day she mentioned to another neighbor that her home would be on the market and that they might see people coming in and out of the house. This neighbor told my client that she was so glad she mentioned that she was selling. The neighbor then took a weekend and cleaned up her lawn, pulled weeds, and trimmed bushes. Now that’s the “Perfect Neighbor”.
Remember to take time to know your neighbors. They may be important in assisting in the sale of your home.
Do You Know What You Are Renting?
Recently I was helping a tenant client find a rental home. After a few days We found the perfect rental. The agent was clear that this particular property was in Pre-foreclosure. The home was going to rented to my clients so the bank could recoup some of their expenses. Since the home was in Pre-foreclosure, and the home owners had moved out, the bank held off from foreclosing to recoup some of their loses. At least that was what we were told.
My clients were ready to move. They could save money after moving in. Once the lease was over my clients would be given the right to purchase. What a fantastic scenario.
On Friday, the 17th of August, we went to the home. My clients were ready. They hired professional movers, two cars were loaded with items and checks in hand. The realtor, that was represented the bank, was their ready to turn over the keys. He walked up to the door to find out that the locks had been changed and a new notice on the door stating that this home was in the possession of Fannie Mae. The banks attorney had proceeded with the foreclosure process and Fannie Mae had taken possession of the home.
Unbelievable! My clients had already moved out of the home they were renting because that home owner hadn’t paid his mortgage or association fees. What a terrible situation. They had to move their belongings into storage and stay into the hotel until today, August 21st, 2012. Yep we found a rental. Whew!
What’s the moral of this story? Before renting a home make sure it’s not in pre-foreclosure. If it is make sure the bank has the right to rent it out. Do your research and ask questions. Maybe banks should just stick to lending money and not becoming property managers.
My story ended well. But can you imagine how many people end up renting properties just to find out the home owner isn’t paying the mortgage.
After the Storm
On July 1, 2012 many areas of Northern Illinois were hit hard by a massive rain storm. Winds reached over 70 miles and hour causing downed power lines and trees. What’s amazing is how quickly areas recover. With the latest technology and equipment areas like West Chicago had power with in a few days and many of the down trees were removed in less than a week. The City did a great job of bringing in the necessary equipment and companies to get the job down quickly. Very little evidence of the storm.
Well done West Chicago. Now back to business. Even though we are all cleaned up for many it’s hard to forget. Makes you really take a moment to charish the little things. Enjoy every moment of each day!
- 3 weeks after the storm.