Noah Levy

Do You Have an Oil Tank Buried in Your Yard?  It's a question which every home seller must answer in Illinois when filling out the Residential Real Property Disclosure Report.  The questions on the Residential Real Property Disclosure Report are to be answered by the Seller to the best of his/her knowledge. Question #20 States: I am aware of underground fuel storage tanks on the property. The seller answers the question -  yes, no or n/a.

At a recent inspection for a buyer, an  inspector indicated that  there may be an oil tank buried on the premises. He pointed out to the Buyer and me that the thin capped pipes in the basement were an indicator as well as metal piping sticking out in the front yard by the house.  We shared this with the seller and the seller's agent and they were quite surprised to hear that there may be a buried tank.  The seller has lived in the home for over forty years and was not aware of the buried tank.  I explained that we would have a specialist come out to further investigate.

I called Tom Osusky of Cicero Oil Company, who I have called before for other clients.  Tom has been in business for over 20 years - he is very matter of fact and honest.  I met Tom at the house, he probed the yard and was able to locate the oil tank within minutes.  Although it is not a requirement to remove an oil tank my buyer did not want to inherit the house with the buried tank and requested for it to be removed.  The seller happened to be at home when Tom came out to the house and decided to hire him on the spot to remove the tank. 

This is just another "hidden cost" that a seller may have when selling his/her home.  The cost to remove the tank varies between $2400-$3600.  If you have an oil tank that needs to be removed give Tom a call at 773.581.2041. Cicero Oil Company services clients in the greater Chicago-land area and Lake, Cook, Will, Du Page, McHenry counties. I highly recommend Tom and his company ~ Cicero Oil.

The above article, Do You Have an Oil Tank Buried in Your Yard, was written by Noah Levy - a REALTOR assisting buyers and sellers along Chicago's North Shore.

Simple tips when selling your home in Highland Park IL.   It's the simple things that do not have much cost affiliated to them that often times make a big difference to a potential buyer.  I found the  following post ~ If you are selling, it may be time to come out of the closet ~ a valuable one.  If you are thinking of selling your home in Highland Park IL  - give me a call.  We will come up with a plan that is specific to your home to make it look its best!

Highland Park IL Real Estate Market Update for 2010

2010 has come to an end - what will 2011 bring? As an active REALTOR I think that it is premature to forecast 2011.  The opinions are all over the board - some   believe that it will be similar to 2010, others fear it will be worse and some think that it will be a very good Spring Market.

Below is a snap shot of Real Estate transactions during 2010 in Highland Park:

Summary: A total of 286 closed transactions took place in Highland Park in 2010 with an overall average sales price of $602,465 and an overall  average market time of 228 days.  If you take a closer look many homes had a significantly higher original list price and once the list price of the home was adjusted it SOLD.

If you are planning on selling your Highland Park IL home in 2011 call me for a comparative market evaluation of your residence. Some important tips to keep in mind: 1. List to sell - your house will need to shine within its price bracket. 2. List with a real estate agent who presents you with a marketing plan- know what kind of marketing and exposure your home will receive. 3. De-clutter - get rid of things that you do not plan on taking with you - donate, have a garage sale or sell on eBay.

The above article, Highland Park IL Real Estate Market Update for 2010, was written by Noah Levy - A REALTOR assisting sellers and buyers with their real estate needs.

Do you want to sell your home - have it priced right!

 Listen to your REALTOR - the comps that he/she provide, their marketing plan and THEIR suggested list price.  The post below, written by Judy Greenberg, spells it out in very simplistic terms.  Homes that are selling today are priced right.

I have been showing homes to several buyers in various north shore suburbs -from Kenilworth to Highland Park.  There are lots of homes to choose from but buyers are resisting putting in an offer on a over-priced listing - for two reasons:  1. They do not want to overpay; 2. They do not want to insult the seller and would rather wait for the home to be reduced and/or continue to look for a home that they feel is fairly priced.

If you are considering selling your home on the North Shore - call me and we can discuss marketing and the RIGHT list price for your home!

Want to Sell Your Home- Make Sure it Looks its Best!  As a Real Estate Professional assisting sellers and buyers along Chicago's North Shore suburbs with their Real Estate needs I share this with every client: In today's market it is essential to list your home correctly AND to also  have your home look its best.  Prepping your home for sale is so important - you want the potential buyer to focus on the home and its features - not on your belongings. I think that if a home has too much of you in it then you should consider staging it. The following  post - Make that strong bond with your house- really magnifies as to why a seller should consider staging.

Pricing your home correctly for sale is key in selling your home in Chicago's North Shore Suburbs or in any part of the country.  Many sellers have a price in mind based on various factors and their personal feelings of their home.

The following post, 3 Factors That Make No Difference to The Right Price For Your Home, hones in on 3 factors that DO NOT DETERMINE THE RIGHT PRICE for your home.

If you are a seller on Chicago's North Shore and would like a market evaluation of your home then contact me and  let's talk.  At the end of the day, you should have a real estate professional represent you, be correctly priced within your competition and be able win the beauty contest!

Selling Your Home in Highland Park, IL - A Good Picture is Worth a 1000 Words.

As a full time Highland Park,IL REALTOR, I know  that I can offer you many different strategies on how to sell your home for the most money in the least amount time.

I strongly feel  that pictures are key in marketing a home.  A buyer needs to have a picture painted of your home and often times words are not enough. It's the photos -- and good photos -- that gets a potential buyer in your home, and when your home is initially marketed the seller only has one chance to make a first impression.   A good picture is worth a 1000 words, no pictures on a new listing or a bad picture on the other hand may result in the consumer skipping over your home in their internet search and you not selling your home.  According the National Association of Realtors, nearly 80% of homebuyers start their home search on the Internet.  

As a seller, if you love the way your home looks in the winter, spring,  summer or fall take a quick picture to remember it.  That way if you have to unexpectantly sell your home due to health, finances or a job transfer you will have pictures- which again are worth 1000 words.   Spring has sprung in Highland Park, IL and other surrounding North Shore Suburbs- trres are filling in  and the flowers are in bloom..   If you blink and you don't smart smelling the roses or enjoy the beauty of the tulips, you will miss one of the most gorgeous seasons we have on Chicago's North Shore Suburbs.   

If you have not taken pictures of your home and  you need to/want to sell your your in Highland Park or other surrounding North Shore Suburbs - don't worry.  I will have you covered - with the use of my professional photographer your home will look its best when a potential buyer is looking at your home.

Staged home on Chicago's North Shore looks amazing.

I recently wrote an entry about staging. 

As a REALTOR  serving clients along Chicago's North Shore I believe that staging a vacant home (if it is within the seller's budget) makes a big difference.

I currently have a vacant listing which I sold  to my clients a few years ago. They absolutely loved this home and the picturesque landscaped yard backing to the forest preserve but felt that they were growing out of it. We are priced very competitively in the market but the house is vacant and does not show its best. I had three staging companies meet me at the vacant home to discuss options and cost to stage the home.

After presenting my client with the three proposals we decided to have  Sizzle Productions stage my listing in Deerfield on Chicago's North Shore and they did an amazing job.

Sizzle Productions is a full-service staging company located in downtown Highland Park. They are a top notch staging company and have a warehouse filled with everything- from furniture, artwork, rugs, plants, accessories, linens and more.

Take a look they did an unbelievable job!