Noah Levy

Highland Park IL Open House

256 Sumac Highland Park, IL  Open House Sunday, May 15, 2011 from 1:00 - 3:00 pm

Great Home!!!!

The Highland Park  IL Real Estate market showed  great improvement with the Median Sales Price during the month of February.   The median sales price for a single family home during February 2011 was $410,000.00 up 33% from $307,500.00 (which was the median sales price in February of 2010).   There are currently 257 single family homes for sale in Highland Park - ranging from $181,900.00 - $9,900,000.00.  There were 10 closings in Highland Park during the month of February  - of the 10  homes 2 were short sales and the remaining 8 were conventional sales.  The current median list price in Highland Park  is $729,000.00.  If you are a buyer there is good inventory available for sale ~ If you are a seller be sure that  you have your home positioned well.

Below is a detailed report of Highland Park's Real Estate trends:

Are You Prepared For A Power Outage In Your Home?

Last night at about 6:15 I was in the kitchen preparing dinner for my family, my husband was doing work in his office and my kids had just gotten home from football practice and were getting cleaned up; simultaneous to  our evening activities  a storm was rolling in.....within minutes the skies opened and the winds kicked in. Boom - a loud noise of thunder and the LIGHTS WENT OUT!!!!! There we were scattered throughout our house with no power!

Being prepared for a power outage can alleviate chaos in a home.

Below are a few tips of how to be prepared for a power outage.

1. Stay calm!

2. Have a meeting place in your home so that everyone can be together.  This is essential if you have young kids.

3. Know where your list of important phone numbers are so that you can call the electric company to notify them of  the outage

4  Have candles and matches together in one place

5. Have a flashlight accessible on all floors of your home

6. Have a battery back up for your sump pump

7. Switch off all lights in the home that were on when the power went out

8. Do not open your refrigerator or freezer

Having a few of these tips in place can truly make a difference.

The above article, Are You Prepared For A Power Outage In Your Home, was written by Noah Levy - a REALTOR assisting buyers and sellers with their Real Estate needs  along Chicago's North Shore Suburbs.

Have You Had Your Home Tested For Radon?

Radon is a leading cause of lung cancer. Radon is found in homes but it can be mitigated. It is a natural radioactive gas that one cannot smell, see or taste.  I have sold homes without elevated levels of radon and homes with high levels of radon which had a mitigation system installed. One home may have radon while another home does not.  How do you know if your house has radon? Test it!!

In Illinois when a home is on the market a seller is  required to sign a disclosure pertaining to radon.  The seller is required to disclose  if they are: Aware of elevated levels of Radon, have a mitigation system  or are not aware.  That is all sellers  are required to do - they do not need to test their  home. In turn, when the home goes under contract the  buyer  has  a choice if they would like to do a radon test or not - the cost is around $200.00 depending on the size of the home and if the house has a crawl and a basement. The test  takes 48-72 hours and results are available as soon as the test is concluded.

As a Real Estate Professional  when I am representing a buyer I always recommend this additional testing during the inspection period. Why? This is the buyer's only opportunity to check if the home has a safety deficiency and if the test results show radon levels above 4 then the buyer may ask for the deficiency to be corrected.  The seller will need to install a mitigation system to correct the deficiency or disclose the findings of the test on the radon disclosure to another potential buyer.  I have found that most sellers install a mitigation system if the test results show an elevated level of radon. Once a mitigation system is put in place the home is no longer a health hazard. Also, as noted above one cannot smell, taste or see radon so when a seller hears he has elevated levels of radon they quickly want to resolve the problem for their own health too. The cost of a mitigation system varies in price depending on the size of the home. For further information on mitigating a home I suggest contacting VSI. I have referred many clients to them and all have been very happy and have  peace of mind once the system is installed.

Did you recently move into a home and didn't do a radon test? Have you lived in your home for a long time? No worries. Radon Detection Specialists (the company which I suggest to all of my clients  when they  purchase a home and want to do a radon test) has a home kit that is available.  This home kit is the perfect solution for those of you who have not had a radon test done on your home.  The homeowner leaves the canister out for at least thirty days and then sends the canister to a lab for the results.   The cost of each kit is $25.00- it includes one  canister,  a return label and the results for the test. I highly recommend the home kit - it may show that there is radon in your home (which will be an expense to mitigate) or it will  give you peace of mind knowing that your home is RADON FREE. Either way I think that it's important for all to  find out.

Doing what we can to stay healthy is important!!!!

The above article, Have You Tested Your Home For Radon, was written by Noah Levy - a REALTOR assisting buyers and sellers with their Real Estate needs.

 * Credit to Radon Detection Specialists for pictures.

Lake County Illinois Residents - Have You Taken A Look at Your Real Estate Assessment?

By now most Lake County Homeowners should of received their "blue card" Real Estate Assessment in the mail. This "blue card" indicates 2010 assessed value of your home.  Like many you probably looked at it and filed it away or have put it in your pile of bills. As a Real Estate professional and a Lake County homeowner - I have a suggestion.......take a second look at your assessment.  If you feel that your home is over assessed based on today's market conditions do something about it - there is a short window of opportunity. Highland Park IL residents you need to act on this by September 13, 2010.

This is applicable to ALL homeowners - those who have lived in their homes for a long time and for those who have bought in the last year.  The process is simple - stop by at your township assesor's office and review the details of your property with them.

The 2010 Assessed values of your home is based off of arms length sales transactions from 2007-2009. Keep in mind that the assessors office, for the most part, does not include short sales and foreclosures as comparables.  If you think that your home is over assessed based on comparable recent sales in your neighborhood then stop by your local township assessor's office. Go in prepared -  bring in three comparable properties that have sold between 2007-2009 when you go to your local township assessor's office.  The homes you choose as comparables need to be the same style (meaning if you live in a colonial you need to have colonials as your comparables not a split level or a ranch); similar in size; be on a similar lot size and have similar amenities.

If you purchased your home in 2010 and the assessed value of your home is HIGHER than what you paid for your home and was not a Short Sale or a Foreclosure you need  to take action within 30 days of receiving your 2010 assessed value of your home.  Take in your HUD-1 to your local township assessor's office and make them aware of the discrepancy.

Don't forget time is of the essence.... every Lake County Resident has a window of 30 days once they receive their "blue card."

The above article, Lake County Illinois Residents - Have You Taken A Look at Your Real Estate Assessment, was written by Noah Levy - a REALTOR assisting buyers and sellers throughout  Chicago's North Shore Suburbs.

A Heartwarming Experience - Finding A Short Term Rental For A Family

I was in my office turning in some paper work when a phone call came in and I was asked if I could take the call.  I was trying to get to my next appointment but decided to quickly get the call. On the other end was a woman whose husband had just been stationed at Great Lakes with the Military. Housing was not available for them for several months - could I help them find a six months rental? 

I can count on one hand how many times I have rented a property as  most of my transactions are sales.  Once in a while I will assist one of my clients with a rental. This woman on the end of the line seemed very sincere and in need of a place to rent - she explained to me that they were staying at a hotel as one of kids was already enrolled in school in the area.

There were few rentals to choose from based on their needs - but there was something about the woman on the other end of the line  that made me really want to help her.  We met at one home and she brought one of  her children  who has special needs - a beautiful child who is not able to speak but has so much love pouring out!!!  I was really taken by her and  was determined to assist this family.

We looked at a single family home that did not work and then I decided to take her to a complex that I knew of where some of my clients have stayed in temporarily.  We were able to secure a short term rental and the best part within their budget!!!!!  The woman was so thankful and with her kinds words said "You have blessed my family by finding us a home to stay in while we wait for our home in Ft. Sheridan." This lovely family will be moving in on September 1st.

This heartwarming experience has really made me realize that I truly LOVE what I do - to me Real Estate is  about helping a client - with a buy, a sale and occasionally with a rental.  My goal is to have a client who will remember me as someone who was able to assist them with their Real Estate needs - whatever their needs may be!!!! 

The above article, A Heartwarming Experience - Finding A Short Term Rental For A Family, was written by Noah Levy a REALTOR assisting  buyers and sellers (and occasionally renters) along Chicago's North Shore with their Real Estate needs.

You may live in Highland Park IL or another surrounding North Shore Suburb or for that matter anywhere and be feeling that the only way to get out of your home is to have your home marketed as a short sale.  The following post, Short Sale - I'm so embarrassed- help me please, by Susan Goulding is something that many homeowners are encountering across the county. If you are in this situation and live in Highland Park and/or other  surrounding North Shore Suburbs and need to discuss marketing your home as a Short Sale then contact me - I can help.

Highland Park Illinois July 4th Celebration & Fireworks.  This year's theme is:  "Salute to the Troops: Honoring the Women and Men of the United States Military."

July 4th in Highland Park IL  is a day filled  with fun activities which is  followed by a wonderful evening featuring  an amazing display of fireworks.

The festivities for the 4th of July celebration  in Highland Park will begin at 10:45 on Sunday morning.   The Children's Bicycle and Pet Parade participants should line up on the corners of Central and St. Johns Avenues.   Everyone is invited to participate and decorating  bikes, strollers and wagons is encouraged.   Don't forget to bring your dog and feel free to dress them up! The community parade will begin at 11:00  featuring local businesses, floats, marching bands, dignitaries and entertainers will follow the Children and Pet Parade acknowledging this year's theme: Saluting the troops.  Coldwell Banker  will be a participant be sure to look for our float and  the chip clips which we will be giving away.  Both groups will head to Sunset Woods Park.

Upon arriving at Sunset Park be sure to enjoy The Park District of Highland Park's  Annual July 4th Carnival.  The carnival will be open from noon to 3:00pm.  Enjoy live music, inflatables for children, rides, petting zoo and local food vendors.  The event is free but there is a cost for games and rides - tickets can be purchased at Sunset Park.

The evening's festivities will begin  at 6:30 p.m. at Wolters Field, 1080 Park Avenue West.   The festivities will start off with the Battle of the Bands followed by the fireworks display. The bands will compete for a grand prize and a chance to be named the 2010 Champion.  The fireworks, which will be shot off from the Highland Park Country Club at 9:15 p.m., and  are easily viewed from Wolters Field.   Parking is available at Wolters, in the Highland Park Hospital's east parking lot at Midlothian and Park Avenue West, and at the Highland Park Country Club. Handicapped parking is available on the east side of Wolters Field, adjacent to the high school administration building.

Looking for a cool night out? Residents will also be able to take in the fireworks display while floating in the pools at the Hidden Creek Aqua Park, 1220 Fredrickson Place. The Park District's Float and Watch event, which costs $5 per person, runs from 8:15 p.m. to 10:15 p.m.

So many people are curious about Real Estate market trends. The information below gives a very clear picture of Real Estate in Highland Park Illinois.  Please keep in mind that every home differs from another. If you are thinking about buying or selling let's connect.