Joe & Jean Marella's Blog

1827 E. Lincoln Ave., Des Plaines IL

Sun, 18 Jan 2009 19:33:05 -0600

Photo Gallery

Description and Features

Don't let the outside fool you - this home has 5 bedroom & 2.5 baths! Freshly painted living room, dining room, finished basement with bath, eat in kitchen and first floor bedroom. Don't miss the huge mudroom off the kitchen. Laundry hook up avail if needed on 1st floor. Great porch in front overlooks huge yard. Patio in back is great addition to 2 car garage. Visit www.TheMarellas.com for more info. Don't miss this great home!!

Bedrooms:	5
Bathrooms:	2.5
Parking Spaces:	2
Year Built:	1923
Floors:	2
MLS #:	07108886

Location

Click to view map: 1827 E. Lincoln Ave. Des Plaines IL 60018

Links

Your Local Forecast

Sat, 22 Nov 2008 00:33:22 -0600

The RE market is somewhat similar to the weather. That is to say that it seldom, if ever, happens that one gigantic weather pattern engulfs the entire nation.

While it may be raining on the other side of the country or in several isolated areas, you are not similarly affected if the sun is shining where you live. Similarly, while national media constantly discuss the national housing downturn, not all areas are affected similarly. The real estate climate on the coasts may be different from that of the nation's interior, and there may also likely be differences between metropolitan, suburban and rural areas.

In short, all real estate is local. As a RE professional about your local conditions, don't try to second guess.

All you need is one buyer to buy your home. If personal circumstances are forcing you to sell, it is just as likely that some potential buyer in your area needs to find a place to live for reasons of his or her own.

FSBO Stats

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:19:12 -0500

If you are thinking about selling your home w/o an agent, consider that only 12% of home sellers successfully did so last year. Moreover, 40% of those "for sale by owner" properties went to family members or acquaintances of the sellers.

Surely, if selling a home were so easy that anyone could do it, nearly everyone would. Bear in mind that selling a home involved analyzing sales of nearby comparable homes, setting a home's price, writing and placing ads in newspapers and online, meeting with potential buyers (many of whom are neither serious or financially able), negotiating a price and contract terms, and closing the deal with all the necessary paperwork.
Are you ready for all that?!

Real estate agents have professional contacts and connections that we have built up over many years, which the average person simply cannot match.

Sellers who attempt to sell their homes without the help of real estate professionals usually find that the paperwork required for real estate transactions can be complex and very confusing. Additionally, an agent knows how to successfully market and advertise a home, and will also prescreen and accompany buyers through your property.

6674 Majestic Way, Carpentersville IL

Sat, 20 Sep 2008 14:07:00 -0500

1206 S. Robert Dr., Mt. Prospect IL

Sat, 20 Sep 2008 14:00:37 -0500

2064 Halsey Dr. Des Plaines, IL

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 23:57:11 -0500

4BR, 2BA Cape Cod w/huge fenced yard. New cabinets in kitchen and SS: GE oven & GE side-by-side refrigerator. Wood laminate floors on main level. Generous bedrooms w/tons of closet space. 1st floor BA w/refinished tub & pedestal sink. 2nd flr BR includes sitting area or great space for nursery. "As-is", short sale, bank approval required.

What are buyers looking for now?

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 21:18:11 -0500

If you are selling your home you had better know who your potential markets are and what they are looking for. Recent research reveals that the mix of buyers has not changed over the past few years, only the numbers have. That is, there is still about the same ratio of couples to singles to families to first-time buyers to repeat buyers. There are just fewer of them, and they are more discerning. With so much to choose from, buyers are placing more emphasis than ever on "location" and "condition" as prime selection factors. While there is not much that sellers can do about the location of their homes, they can bring them as close to move-in condition as possible.

*FACTOID: Single women make up 20% of all homebuyers!

463 Graceland Avenue Unit 402B, Des Plaines, IL 60016

Mon, 05 May 2008 23:44:44 -0500

Joe Marella | Keller Williams Realty Partners | 847-692-5889

463 Graceland Ave., Des Plaines, IL

Desireable end unit condo is walking distance to all the great things Des Plaines has to offer. Move-In condition, indoor parking!

2 Bdrm Condo

offered at $214,900

Year Built	1986
Sq Footage	Unspecified
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	2 full, 0 partial
Floors	Unspecified
Parking	1 Car garage
Lot Size	Unspecified
HOA/Maint	$273 per month

DESCRIPTION

MOVE-IN CONDITION! Quiet downtwn locale but walking distance to train, City Hall, Library, Metropolitan Square. Top floor and largest unit in building. Elevator building w/indoor heated parking. Freshly painted and brand new carpet. Eat-in kitchen, Double closets in both bedrooms, in-unit laundry, heated floors and beautiful balcony. Assoc fee includes gas, heat, water & garbage. The little extras make this a special place to call home.

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central A/C	Central heat	Dishwasher
Refrigerator	Stove/Oven	Balcony, Deck, or Patio

COMMUNITY FEATURES

Garage parking	Guest parking	Laundry on-site
Elevator

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

Laundry hook up in unit, indoor garage parking, cats are OK

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Joe Marella

Keller Williams Realty Partners

847-692-5889

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: May 1, 2008, 6:57pm PDT

THE POWER OF KELLER-GEAR & THE JOURNEY ITS TAKEN YOU ON...Paying it forward

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 20:44:13 -0600

Do you have the power of the red shoes? Do you ever get funny looks when wearing them to the grocery store? What makes up for those looks is when that complete stranger sees them and comes up to you to say "HEY, do you work for Keller Williams?" Of course, why else would you have the trendy shoes??? You two get to talking and it turns out they or someone they know had an incredible experience with a KW agent. WI4C2TS at work again, paying the compliment forward.

We've seen this work first hand.

Our Team Leader has more than a little liking for Dunkin Donuts. She knows the employees and the group of older men who gather each morning in the corner. That monogrammed jacket she wears has helped introduce her to one of our now leading agents and several other recruits, and all because she has to have her coffee each morning.

Even our Marketing Coordinator has had fun with this. Running out in the rain for that important thing that she forgot to get at Target (don't you hate when that happens?), slings on the KW windbreaker and runs into a family visiting from TN. They LOVE their KW agent, couldn't be happier etc. The family had just stopped in to the store for snacks for their continued trip. They were spending the night in Chicago and wondering what to do around town. What more perfect person to ask than someone they didn't know, but still had a connection with!

You see, everyone feels the love when they see Keller Williams around town; people are spreading the word and paying compliments forward even when they don't realize it. Such a good feeling.

What are your stories with Keller-Gear?
We know you've all had those amazing, out-of-the-blue experiences just because of your jacket, logo'd bag, shoes or whatever. We know the warm fuzzy stories are out there and we'd like to know about yours.

Our KW CARES Bag Has The Best Balls!

Sun, 02 Mar 2008 20:21:38 -0600

Did we meet at Family Reunion this year? Its entirely possible, we met agents from 21 different states including HAWAII ! We thought the cultural showcase was a huge success, can't wait for next year.

Ours was the booth with the large yellow garage sale signs and the golf outing bag. OH did I forget to mention that we gave that away...and to a fellow Active Rainer ?! Yep, Rick Murray - TL from Braintree Mass you should have received your Golfing Bag o'goodies, all Kellerized of course. This is what we use for our goodie bags at our annual KW Cares golf outing. 6 pack cooler lunch bag, 2 colors of towels, tees, markers and a sleeve of KW Cares golf balls.

Hope you can put them to good use Rick!

Website Technology question

Tue, 26 Feb 2008 14:24:43 -0600

Is anyone using technology on their websites to allow YOU (the Realtor) to "walk out and greet" your visitor on the screen. It is hard to explain but is sounds like you videotape yourself and add it to your website. You can then guide your "webguest" through your site personally. I would love to see some examples and get an idea of how this is done.

NIU shooting tragedy

Sat, 16 Feb 2008 11:53:47 -0600

I just spoke with a fraternity brother of mine who is a Lieutenant with the University's Department of Public safety. Although no one in our fraternity (Phi Kappa Theta) was killed, there is believed to be at least one fraternity member & a sorority member who has been killed and/or injured.

While the dormitories seemed to have emptied out, Greek row has a lot of its members still at the University so they can attend the pray vigils going on today and tomorrow. If you have the opportunity, reach out to anyone you know there or to any organization you have a connection with to show your support during this trying time.

NIU's website, http://www.niu.edu/ has updates as well as information on how students, parents, etc can deal with this tragedy. It may be a good idea, as school gets back in session, to stop by & visit to lend & show support. The officer suggested I speak with him again Monday to see what the student body may need in the coming weeks. If you'd like, I'll keep you informed.

God bless all involved!

Joe

FREE ad creation sources posting to top websites

Fri, 08 Feb 2008 16:40:13 -0600

We've been using Postlets for years now and have just begun using Classified Flyer Ads with GREAT SUCCESS!

Both create online ad templates of various designs, colors etc, then automatically post on most of the major websites. They also give you the html so you can post yourself to Craigslist, BackPage and LiveDeal. Both include the ones that KWLS submits to and then some!
Our listings sure do stand out against the straight text from other ones on Craigslist!

Postlets: unique URL for each listing, widgets, showcase all your listings in a webpage gallery, FREE but you can upgrade to +plus for a few $

Classified Ad Synd.: basically the same but tons more templates, and different syndication to search engines.

Has anyone used these? What are your thoughts-good or bad?
Any other FREE favorites out there???

Of Time & Value

Sat, 02 Feb 2008 12:08:04 -0600

If we never expected to move out of our houses, we could spend whatever we wanted on remodeling our bathrooms and amortize the cost of the project over many years. Most of us however, must watch our remodeling budgets because we are eventually going to move. Thus, the project's "value in exchange", an estimation of how much of its total cost will be recovered at the time of sale, becomes very important.

According to RE appraisal experts, those who expect to live in their houses less than five years before selling them should be concerned about a project's value in exchange. Those who plan to sell within a year should base their decisions solely on economics.

**Bathroom remodeling work that is done in line with other houses in the immediate neighborhood will help ensure that a house will sell more quickly and/or at a better price.

275 E. Thacker St. Des Plaines, IL 60016

Mon, 14 Jan 2008 22:28:28 -0600

Building and land only for sale in one of the best areas in Des Plaines. There is a lot of street traffic, but also next to single family homes at the same time. Busy and popular corner. Mechanic, Dentist, Work out facility among others nearby.

The business is not for sale, only the land and building. Tenants lease is up in April 2009. Building aproximately 2500 sq ft. Lot is 235 x 100. TONS of parking. Used to be a 7-11 & video store now an upholstery business.

1396 Wicke Ave., Des Plaines, IL 60018

Sun, 13 Jan 2008 21:50:05 -0600

Old world charm + modern day pleasures. Charmer in Des Plaines, hey and its bigger than it looks! The owners have recently painted and cleaned all the carpets so its ready to go.
Its near the center of town - the July 4th parade passes right by each year.
Custom deck in the front, great for parties or just relaxing as the floats ride on by. Does anyone remember the elephant in 2000 that ate from the trees while walking in the parade?

Landscaped yard, nice deck in back with a 7 person hot tub! If you are the polar bear type, this is great for you in the Chicago winters too. 2+ car attached garage provides for nice storage along with a shed out back. Neatest basement you'll ever see and a nice wood burning fireplace (again for the frosty Chicago winters). $299,899

Experience counts

Sat, 12 Jan 2008 21:52:50 -0600

If there were ever a time when paying close attention to the details could spell the difference between success and failure, this is it. If you are a seller, you need an agent on your side who is familiar with the ins and outs of the market to a degree that affords you the most potential advantage.

This is a time when careful preparation can pay big dividends in terms of locating potential buyers and placing them in touch with desirable and affordable properties. An experienced agent also knows how to make financial accommodations that bring deals to fruition that may otherwise languish. Experience counts most when there are challenges to be met.

**Sometimes, change and upheaval present the greatest opportunities!