Blog
Learn What's New In The Real-estate World.What You Should Know Before You Sign By Anne Sadler
If you plan on buying or selling real estate you will most likely be presented with a contract to sign. The contract is the basis for your transaction and contains all the information that is needed for the purchase or sale. The contract is the blueprint for the...
Beware of Scams
There are several real estate scams that are starting to pop up again that you should be aware of. There are two different scams that have been resurfacing in larger metro areas but could also show up locally. One has to do with rental property and the other one is...
Local Market Update by Anne Sadler
The real estate market in Freeport is changing. For quite a long time, Freeport has primarily been a buyer’s market and that is no longer the case. The local market has been busy and we are experiencing a low inventory of homes for sale. I’m sure you have all heard on...
How to Set Up a Home Office
If you are among the many people that have been trying to work from home, you may have had the challenge of trying to create a home office. Since many of us were used to working outside the home, you may not have needed a dedicated office in your home. More and more...
What Is My Home Really Worth?
What is the most important thing you can do when selling your home? Price it correctly! Pricing a home correctly is the key to getting it sold quickly. Sounds like an easy answer but it isn’t always an easy thing to do. One of the best reasons to hire a local Realtor...
Easy Landscaping Ideas to Spruce up Your Yard
Since many of us are still staying home and the weather is finally feeling like spring you might want to spend some time outside on your landscaping. Garden centers are allowed to be open so you can pick up some supplies to help you with the transformation and help...
How the Stay At Home Mandate is Affecting Real Estate
As you all know, Illinois is under a “Stay At Home” mandate ordered by Governor Pritzker requiring all “non-essential services” to shut down and asking all residents to stay home. While this has had a huge impact on all businesses, it is also having an impact on the...
The Home Buying Timeline
If buying a home is on this year’s To-Do List you may be wondering exactly how long it will take. There is no magic number of days that I can give you, because there are a lot of variables that go in to purchasing a home. On the average it takes about 60 days from...
Should You Take Your Home Off the Market for the Winter?
Every year after we change the clocks and we get the first blast of winter weather I get the same question: Should we take our home off the market for the winter? Home sellers think that if their home hasn’t sold by now they are better off taking it off the market and...
Fall Home Maintenance and Clean Up Tips
There is a chill in the air and the leaves are changing color signaling that soon winter will be upon us. If the Farmer’s Almanac is correct, and I hope it isn’t, we are in for another nasty winter! If you are a homeowner, there are things you should be doing now to...
Realtors® Team Up to Provide Relief for Area Flood Victims
Our area has certainly been impacted by the recent flooding and there are many Freeport residents that have not received assistance or have not had access to a program to apply for assistance. Our local Realtor® Association- The Realtor® Association of Northwestern...
What You Need To Know About Lead Paint
Many homes built before 1978 have lead based paint in them which can pose a serious health hazard. Federal law requires that sellers and/or landlords disclose known information on lead based paint hazards before selling/leasing a house. In addition, if you are...
What is a Smart Home?
One of the fastest growing trends that todays’ homebuyers are looking for are homes with smart home technology. A smart home is a collection of smart devices connected to each other working together to automate a homes’ processes. There are many different smart...
What You Should Know About Homeowner’s Insurance
If you own your home you probably carry homeowner’s insurance on it. If you have a mortgage, your lender will require you to maintain insurance on the property. You probably pay your premiums and don’t think too much more about it, but there are some things you need...
Tips to Get Your Home Market Ready
The snow is finally gone and you are thinking of getting your home on the market. How do you prepare your home to look its best? Here are some easy tips that will have your home looking market ready and hopefully get you a quick sale. The first step to getting your...
Freeport Housing Market Outlook for 2019
We are already almost to the end of the first quarter of 2019, so how is our housing market looking so far? That depends on what you are comparing this year to: last year’s numbers or to the State of Illinois as a whole. Let’s start with a comparison to last year’s...
What is the Difference between a Real Estate Broker and a Realtor?
Every Real Estate Broker can’t call themselves a Realtor®. Realtor® is a trademarked word for a real estate professional that belongs to the National Association of Realtors® or NAR for short. Members of this Association are bound by a strict Code of Ethics and...
Get to Know Your Home’s History
Have you ever wondered about the history of the house you live in? If you aren’t the first owner then your house has a story to tell. Tracing your home’s history can be a fascinating project. There are basically two types of research you can do on your home:...
What Is a VA Loan?
Today is Veteran’s day so I thought I would dedicate today’s column to all the Veterans out there and to explain one of the benefits of being a Veteran- the VA Guaranteed Loan Program. The program was started in 1944 as part of the Serviceman’s Readjustment Act or the...
How Do You Know When to Accept an Offer?
When you put your house on the market you have high hopes of getting multiple full price offers the first day. Unfortunately for most sellers, that rarely happens. Average marketing time in Freeport for a single family home is about 7 months. So when you do get an...
What Is An MLS?
The Multiple Listing Service, or MLS as it is commonly referred to, has been around as a concept since 1907. Originally, REALTORS® would get together and discuss properties they were trying to sell in the hopes that one of their colleagues had a buyer. In 1908 the...
Understanding Your Property Tax Bill
By now, you have probably received your property tax bill and I’m sure you are wondering why is it so much and where does that money go? The amount of your tax bill is based on the assessed value of your property. In Illinois, the assessed value is 33 1/3% of the...
De-Cluttering Tips for Sellers
Spring may have finally arrived and so has spring cleaning time. If you are thinking of putting your home on the market one of the most important first steps is a thorough cleaning and de-cluttering. If you aren’t in the market to sell right now, I bet you can still...
Celebrating 50 Years of the Fair Housing Act
April 11 marks the 50th anniversary of the Fair Housing Act being signed in to law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. This historic act occurred just days after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Act reads” It is the policy of the United States to...
Tax Tips for Homeowners
It’s everyone’s favorite time of year again-tax time! For some people, this may be the last year that you can take advantage of deductions that come with being a homeowner. Since most of the tax law changes don’t take effect until 2018, there are still deductions...
What You Should Know Before An Appraisal
If you are buying or selling a home you will probably need an appraisal if there is a mortgage involved in the purchase. What exactly is an appraisal? The lender that is making the mortgage will order an appraisal to obtain an unbiased report on the value of the...
Common Mistakes Homeowners Make That Can Really Cost You
Everyone like a bargain and saving money is usually a good thing unless it results in a costly mistake. If you are a homeowner you know that maintaining your home is important to protect your investment. Keeping your home in good repair and up- dating and remodeling...
What the Proposed Tax Reform Plan Means for Homeowners
Both the House and Senate are currently working on a “Tax Cuts and Job Acts” tax reform plan. The House and the Senate each have a version they are trying to enact and there are many similarities, but also some important differences in these proposals. If you are a...
Residential Enterprise Zone Approved for Freeport
For the past year and a half, we have been working on getting an extension of the existing enterprise zone in Freeport. The extension is for a residential enterprise zone in a designated area of Freeport which allows benefits for both builders and buyers of new...
Open House Do’s & Don’ts
Almost everyone has been to an open house at some time in their life. To some people, it is free entertainment on a Sunday afternoon. Other people want to see what the inside of their neighbor’s house looks like or the inside one of those beautiful houses that they...
Outdoor Remodeling Projects That Pay Off
Now that fall is almost here you may be thinking of tackling some exterior remodeling jobs before winter. If you are thinking of selling your home in the future, which projects pay off the most to potential home buyers should be of interest. Certain remodeling...
What You Should Know About Flood Insurance
What You Should Know About Flood Insurance by Anne Sadler If you were among the lucky ones not affected by the recent flooding then you probably can’t understand how devastating the aftermath of a flood can be on your property and your finances. If you were affected...
Things You Shouldn’t Overlook When House Hunting
Looking for a house can be an exciting time full of possibilities. You have your list of needs and wants and you are hoping to find your dream home that checks all the boxes. When you are touring potential options, whether at an open house or at a showing with your...
Why You Need An Attorney When Buying or Selling A Home
Buying or selling a home can be a complicated venture. Laws and requirements have changed significantly over the last several years and most people can benefit from hiring professionals to help them through the process. Hiring a Realtor will allow you to access local...
What to Expect From a Home Inspection
What to Expect From a Home Inspection by Anne Sadler If you are currently house hunting you will probably be faced with the decision of whether or not to have a home inspection. Before you make that decision, you should know what a home inspection is and what to...
How to Balance Wants with Needs
When you decide it’s time to go house hunting, you probably imagine finding your perfect house. Let me give you a reality check- there is no such thing as a “perfect” house. The challenge in finding a home is to strike a balance between what you need in a home and...
Tax Tips for Homeowners
Tax Tips for Homeowners It’s everyone’s favorite time of year again-tax time! This is my annual column about tax deductions for homeowners so if you are a procrastinator and have not yet completed your taxes, here are some deductions you can use. Let me start by...
What You Don’t Know CAN Hurt You
Back in September of 2014 I wrote a column about radon. At that time, most people had never heard of radon unless they had bought or sold a home recently and were asked if they wanted a radon test done. Even then, most people didn’t really know what the big deal was....
Get To Know HomeStart
It is the beginning of a new year and many people are setting goals for 2017. If your goal is to become a homeowner in 2017, I want to let you know about an organization that might be able to help. HomeStart is a HUD approved non-profit housing counseling organization...
Preparing Your Home For Winter
We have had the luxury of enjoying a very long fall this year but it is December and winter is here. If you haven’t already winter-proofed your home, here are somethings to do to keep your home safe and comfortable throughout the winter. Starting with the exterior,...
Renew Your Lease or Buy a Home-How Do You Know It’s Time?
It’s almost time to renew your lease and you have been watching a lot of House Hunters on HGTV. It looks easy enough on TV to buy a house and you think you are ready to take the big step, but how do you know if now is the right time? The very first thing you need to...
I Bought a House, Now What Do I Do?
You just closed on your first house. Congratulations! You are now a home owner! After all the excitement of finding your perfect home, navigating the paperwork for the Realtor, the lender and the title company and the exhaustion from packing and moving, now what?...
Update on “Know Before You Owe “Mortgage Regulations
If you have bought or sold property with a mortgage since October of 2015 you probably noticed some things have changed. If you are in the process of buying or selling right now, there are some things you should know. The new mortgage rules that the government put...
Priced to Sell
One of the most difficult parts of putting your home up for sale is determining the listing price. Price it too high and it won’t sell, price it too low and maybe you are leaving money on the table. If you are like most homeowners, you are somewhat emotionally...
Is Your Home Ready to Sell?
There are a lot of things to consider when putting your home on the market. You need to find the right Realtor and the right price. You need to make sure your home is in top condition for potential buyers. Most sellers will fix obvious problems that they are aware of...
Earnest Money 101
What is earnest money? Earnest money is the amount of money a buyer puts down to accompany an offer to purchase real estate. Basic contract law requires “consideration” as an element of a valid contract. The earnest money deposit is that consideration when a buyer...
Illinois Realtors Celebrate 100 Year History
This year marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Illinois Association of Realtors. Illinois was among the first in the country to form a state Realtors Association and is now the 6th largest in the U.S with 44,000 members. The Realtor association...
Buyer Agency Options
In my last column I explained what agency is and why it is important to sellers. This month I would like to explain the different types of agency available to buyers and what you should know about each of them. When you decide to buy a house you will probably work...
FHFA proposed rule for GSES to offer mortgages to three underserved markets
According to an article in the DS News magazine; FHFA proposed rule for GSES to offer mortgages to three underserved markets: A rule that was introduced last December requires FHFA by federal law to implement a “Duty to Serve” requirement as specified in the Financial...
What You Should Know About Designated Agency
What is Designated Agency and why does it matter to you? Licensed Illinois Realtors are governed by the Real Estate License Act of 2000. According to Section 15-10 of that Act, “Licensees shall be considered to be representing the consumer they are working with as a...
Income Tax Tips for Homeowners
Its tax time again and if you are a homeowner there are some things you should know before you file your taxes this year. If you are not a homeowner yet, what are you waiting for? Interest rates are not going to get any lower and there are some great loan programs...
Home Décor Trends for 2016
If redecorating is on your to- do list for 2016, here are some of the top trends in home décor for this year and some ideas on how to use them in your home. Some of these trends may be especially useful to you if your house is on the market or you are going to be...
Are You Ready For A Second Home?
It’s winter in northern Illinois and you have been thinking this might be the year to start looking to buy that second home. Whether the warmth of the Florida beaches, the Arizona golf courses or the mountains of Colorado are calling you, there are some things to...
How to Burglar Proof Your Home
September is Realtor Safety Month and that got me thinking about how most of us don’t give enough thought to safety. Your home should be your refuge and the place where you feel safe. Having your home burglarized is a traumatic occurrence that we would all like to...
Fall Home Maintenance Tips
Ready or not fall is here and that means winter isn’t far behind. Take advantage of the beautiful weather now to get your home ready for winter. If you are a new homeowner, you may not know what you need to do to get your home ready for winter. If you have owned your...
New Website for Illinois Property Owners Launches
The Illinois Association of Realtors Real Property Alliance has launched a new website for Illinois property owners: www.realpropertyalliance.org The Real Property Alliance is a non-profit educational foundation for consumers that was founded in 2015. Their goal is...
FICO Score Message From MICHAEL W ERWIN
The trend now is that if a potential buyer does not have perfect credit they are less likely to even try getting preapproved. If you know of someone who might be in this boat please forward this communication to them to let them know, it’s ok to try! They might get...
What is a fixture?
One of the biggest sources of misunderstanding in the sale of a home is what stays with the home and what goes with the seller. At the time of sale, fixtures transfer to the new owner with the property unless they are specifically excluded in the purchase contract....
Can You Afford To Buy A Fixer-Upper?
First, some good news: If you read my last column about the new mortgage disclosure laws going in to effect on August 1, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has delayed the start date to October 1. This means the banks, title companies, Realtors and consumers...
Big Changes Are Coming
Beginning August 1, major changes are coming to mortgages. Any real estate transaction involving a mortgage will use new disclosure forms created by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). This new disclosures will change the timing requirements for...
5 Common Real Estate Myths Exposed
I'm sure most of you have heard some of the common real estate myths out there. Although they may contain some truth, they tend to be fairly black and white instead of the gray area that lives somewhere in the middle. Here are some of the more frequently heard myths...
Tips on Buying Investment Property
Since the housing market crash has made home ownership difficult for many people, the demand for rental property has increased. If you are thinking about becoming a real estate investor there are some things you will need to consider. Before you start looking for...
Thinking of Going it Alone?
It ís already March and Spring is just around the corner. Time to think about getting your house on the market. You may be thinking of trying to sell it yourself to save some money. How hard can it be, right? Here are some things to consider before you stick that For...
Foreclosure Inventory
According to an article written by Brian Honea along with data from Black Knight Financial Services: There is some good news concerning foreclosure properties as of the end of January 2015, foreclosure inventory year over year in January fell by 31.4%--as good as that...
Demystifying Property Taxes
As a Realtor, the subject I hear most about seems to be property taxes. No one likes them and everyone thinks they are too high, but they arenít going away. From talking with clients about property taxes I have discovered that there are many people that donít...
Tax Time is Coming
The hustle and bustle of the holidays is behind us and 2015 is here. Before we know it, tax time will be upon us and if you are a homeowner there are some things you will need to think about before you file your income taxes for 2014. In January or February you will...
Should I List My House In The Winter?
It ís December and you need to sell your house. You are probably wondering if you should try to put it on the market now or wait until Spring. Houses do sell in the winter and there may be some benefits to listing your house this time of year. Everyone knows that the...
REO industry
On November 20, 2014 I was included in a webinar that was hosted by the President and CEO of The Five Star Institute regarding the REO industry. Mr. Delgado has vast knowledge of the REO industry and his take on REO’s for 2015 is that they will increase 2%-4%...
My Listing Expired…Now What?
Having your listing expire is frustrating to say the least. The way the Freeport IL area real estate market is right now, there are a lot of homes that don’t get sold by the end of their listing period. The unfortunate fact is that there are about 342 homes and...
Seller Tip #1
I get so many questions from home sellers – from what repairs they should make, to what to do with the dog during showings, that I’ve decided to begin a series on seller tips… Tip #1 – Depersonalize Your House When talking with real estate agents, have you noticed...
Thinking of Selling By Owner? Here’s What An Agent Can Do For You
A lot of people try to sell their homes as For Sale By Owner, and some do get the home sold. Staticstics show, however, than in many cases the sellers would ultimately have been better off in the end to have listed their homes with an agent from the start. Top 9...
Are Home Warranties Worth the Money?
If you own your home or are considering purchasing a home you might want to consider buying a home warranty. Home repairs can often run thousands of dollars and a quality home warranty could save you from having to pay costly repair bills. What is a home warranty?...
Why Does A Short Sale Take So Long?
Contrary to what the name implies, a short sale is usually a very lengthy process. A short sale is the sale of a home for less than the amount owed on the mortgage, and the lender agrees to give clear title to the new buyer. This means that the lender is forgiving the...
Which Home Improvements Really Pay Off?
If you are thinking about tackling a home improvement project this summer, you might be wondering which up-dates will give you the highest return on your investment. Contrary to what you may see on HGTV, you can generally recoup the most value on projects that improve...
What to Expect at a Real Estate Closing
The final step in a real estate transaction is called the closing. When you are buying a house, this is when all the papers are signed and the ownership transfers into your name. If all goes well, you walk out with the keys to your new home! If you have never...
How to Make a Winning Offer
Once you have found the house you want, you need to make a written offer to buy it. There are many things to consider before you write the offer. You will need your pre-approval from your lender, an earnest money check( an amount of money you put down when making an...
The House Hunt
In my last column I discussed the first step in the home buying process: getting pre-approved with a lender. Once you have been pre-approved you will know what price range to focus your home search in and what type of loan you have been approved for. If you are...
So You Want To Buy A House?
Spring is just around the corner (really, it is) and youíve been thinking it may be the time to start looking for a home. If you have been on the fence about buying, itís a good time to make that decision. There are many reasons why now is a good time to start your...
Is a Reverse Mortgage Right For You?
If you watch TV, you have probably seen one of the recent commercials featuring a celebrity touting the benefits of reverse mortgages for senior citizens. It sounds too good to be true, right? Actually, it can be a valuable tool for senior homeowners struggling...
Grant money still available for Freeport homebuyers
If you are considering purchasing a home in the city limits of Freeport, you may be able to qualify for a grant. In order to be eligible for the grant money, the home must be unoccupied. You must be able to meet the eligibility requirements, including income limits....
Preparing your home for sale
It only takes 15 seconds for a prospective buyer to decide how they feel about your house. That is how long your house has to make a good impression and capture that buyer. If you are getting ready to list your house, here are some tips to make yours stand out from...
Anne Sadler: Should my home be tested for radon?
If you have bought or sold a house in the last several years, you were probably asked if you wanted the home tested for radon. The first thing you need to know is what radon is. Radon is a colorless, odorless radioactive gas which comes from uranium in the soil. It is...