Here are a few great ways to celebrate Halloween this year:

HIGHLAND PARK

Trick or Treat Hours - 3:00pm-7:00 pm

BARK-O-WEEN Charity Pet Costume Contest, Trick or Treating, and Halloween Party

WHEN: Saturday, October 30, 4:00pm-7:00 pm

WHERE: Port Clinton Square, Highland Park, IL

COST: $10 in advance and $15 day of event

You and your furry friend are invited to participate in a pet costume contest to benefit Tails of Hope, a no-kill, non-profit animal rescue and adoption organization in Downtown Highland Park (love them!!). Pre-register at tailsofhope.org or at Tails of Hope Pet Boutique, 479 Central Ave. Registration on the day of the event will begin at 4:00 p.m. followed by the contest at 4:30 p.m.

Trick or treating and a live DJ party will continue until 7:00 p.m. All children, families and pets are welcome. CLICK HERE for more info.

Pumpkin Hunt and Carve

WHEN: October 29th from 6:30pm-8:30pm 

WHERE:  West Ridge Center, 636 Ridge Road, Highland Park, IL

COST: $15 per child

Gather at the pumpkin patch for this festive fall event. Families will be able to hunt for their pumpkin throughout the halls of West Ridge Center and then be able to carve or paint it. There will also be face painting artists from Artistic Face Painting There will be games and light refreshments. For more information call 847-579-3120. 

Halloween Scary Skate

WHEN: October 30 from 3:30pm-5:00pm

WHERE: Centennial Ice Arena, 3100 Trailway, Highland Park, IL

COST: Free if in costume! Skate rental $2 

LAKE FOREST

Trick or Treat Hours: 4:00pm-8:00pm

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

WHEN: October 28, 29 & 30 at 4:30 pm

WHERE: Mellody Farm Nature Preserve, 350 N. Waukegan Rd, Lake Forest, IL

COST: $10 for Open Lands members, $15 general admission

Presented by Academy @ Citadel Theatre (A.C.T.) Young Ensemble
at dusk as a theatre trek through Lake Forest Open Lands Association's Mellody Farm Nature Preserve. 

Cider and donuts will be served immediately following the show.
Dress warm and be sure to bring a flashlight, blanket or chair.

Tickets are $10 for Open Lands members, $15 general admission.

or call our box office at 847-735-8554

DEERFIELD

Trick or Treat Hours:  3:30pm-7:00pm

Halloween Hoopla: Family Daytime Fun & Games; Evening Bonfire, Haunted House & DJ

WHEN: Friday, October 29th from 7:00 pm-9:30 pm and Saturday, October 30th from 3:00pm-6:00pm

WHERE: Jewett Park/Community Center, 836 Jewett Park Drive, Deerfield

Friday evening brave souls are invited to partake in the thrills and chills of our superbly scary Haunted House. Your whole family will also enjoy a bonfire, DJ and more. On Saturday enjoy family-friendly entertainment, balloon dudes, both indoor and outdoor games, and hay rides, with plenty of Halloween treats available for purchase. Children under 7 years of age may take a walk through our haunted  house with  the lights on! Then, as Saturday evening arrives, once again, enjoy a bonfire, DJ (and corn roast) in the Park. For more information on Halloween Hoopla 2010, please visit www.deerfieldparkdistrict.org, call 847-945-0650 or e-mail info@dfpd.org.

Have a happy and safe Halloween!

Just Listed! Highland Park, IL Ranch Home

2679 Oak Street - Backyard

This expansive, 3 bedroom/3 bath hillside ranch in east Highland Park is the perfect retreat for work or play! The newer 600 square foot deck wraps around the upper level of the home creating a unique 2 level entertaining space, perfect for gatherings, or for just relaxing and enjoying the sounds of Lake Michigan, just one block away!

2679 Oak Street

Living and dining rooms open graciously to the kitchen, providing an ideal entertaining space. The bright kichen is complete with a breakfast bar and planning desk.

Living Room

Dining Room

Kitchen

A separate family room is off the kitchen.

Family Room

The office/study/studio has its own separate entrance, vaulted ceilings with skylights and access to the backyard and provides a private workspace.

Office/Study/Studio

The large walkout basement provides an additional 1500 square feet for work or play and leads out to the backyard and patio. 

Lower Level 1

Lower Level 2

Located close to downtown Highland Park and Highwood, schools, shopping, train and beach, this is a truly wonderful place to call home!

Offered at $549,000

Open Sunday, Oct. 17th from 2:30-4:30 and Tuesday, Oct. 19th from 9:30-12:45.

For more information go to: www.2679Oak.info.

This simply gorgeous Chantilly 3 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath  home has just been reduced from $319,000 to $287,500!

It's a fabulous value for a completely updated, picture-perfect end unit. This home boasts hardwood floors, extensive use of crown molding, chair rail and recessed lighting, neutral color palette ad generous rooms sizes with a great flow for entertaining or everyday living. 

Living Room

Dining Room

The living room and dining room open easily into one other-the perfect entertaining space!

Family Room

The family room off the kitchen is the perfect place to relax, and has space for a desk or wet bar.

Kitchen

The huge, eat-in kitchen features tons of cabinetry, stainless steel appliances and Corian countertops.  It has a breakfast bar and room for a dining table, plus access to the 2-car attached garage and private patio.

Master Bedroom

The huge master suite has a sitting area and stunning renovated bath with slate floors, furniture-style double sink vanity with granite, and tons of closet space.

Two additional bedrooms, full bath, additional closet space,  and laundry round out the second level.

Chantilly is a wonderful pet-friendly, maintenance-free community with its own pool and clubhouse.  It's located steps from the 72 acre Fink Park which offers indoor/outdoor tennis courts, walking/jogging paths, pond,picnic areas, 2 separate playgrounds and multiple sports fields.

This immaculate townhome offers the finest in maintenance-free living, now at an even more enticing price!

For more information, go to www.1486Concorde.info.

This entry was posted on Monday, October 11th, 2010 at 9:17 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. Edit this entry.

Using Scents to Sell Your Home - Does It Make Sense?

Image by Express Monorail via Flickr

Don't underestimate the power of scent in your home if you're trying to sell. The article below, by Mary Umberger and featured in today's Chicago Tribune, explains how scents are part of the backdrop and could be an important emotional component in getting buyers to connect with your home.

 Using Scents Might Make Sense When Selling Your Home

It's the oldest trick in the real estate playbook: Pop a tray of cookies into the oven just before potential buyers walk through the door. As marketing folklore goes, the scent of the baking goodies will touch some warm-and-fuzzy nerve that makes the buyers bond with the place so much that they'll want to buy it.

Or so they say.

It's probably true, said Brad Owen, president of AromaSys, a Los Angeles-based company that's in the "environmental aroma" business. Its clients include major hotel chains and the most well-known Las Vegas casinos: Bellagio, Wynn, Venetian and MGM-Mirage Resorts and Casinos.

The casinos pipe fragrance through their ventilation systems for a couple of reasons, Owen said. For one, it's practical.

"The casino owners want to get rid of smoke and malodor," Owen said. "Let's face it, people smell. A lot of casinos really are looking for the opportunity to cover up bad smells."

The other is that, done right, smell sells.

"There are independent studies that conclusively correlate increases in revenue, specifically gaming revenue, with the use of ambient fragrance," he said. "You get people to linger longer and to return more often. You develop a positive psychological reinforcement."

Which brings us back to getting your house sold. Some homebuilders recognize the powerful emotional component of buying a house, and they waft an aroma into their model homes, hoping to touch just the right nerve, the one that's connected both to the heart and to the wallet.

Ordinary home sellers can play the same game, Owen said. It just has to be done thoughtfully. It's not a matter of thinking that a certain scent suits a certain target buyer, he said. Don't pick citrus scents for, say, a family with young children or floral scents for single women. Instead, match the scent to the house .

"A musk would be good for a house with a lot of dark wood, like cherry," Owen said. "White tea ginger would work for a more contemporary home."

He said he's not just randomly concocting likely combinations; the effects of specific scents on marketing have been studied extensively.

"People say bake a loaf of bread, bake cookies," he said. "It's because they remind people of home. That's what smell is about. It's about association, reinforcing positive memories. That's where there's some real power.

"There's no question in my mind that it influences people to buy. It's an extremely powerful way to motivate people and influence consumer behavior."

AromaSys clients include high-end builders who install its scent systems, which cost thousands of dollars, he said. The company, however, is planning to introduce a more mainstream system early next year, a mechanism that fits into existing ductwork and will retail for about $35, with oils for about $10, he said.

Meanwhile, he said, home sellers who go the do-it-yourself route with their own oils, incense, candles, plug-ins or other smell-ums probably can't go wrong with the perennial favorite: something in the oven, whether it's a simulated "baking cookie" or something real that eventually will cause you to gain weight.

"The important idea is congruence," he said. "The scent must match the house."

For example, though you may be wild about that "new car smell," you probably wouldn't want it permeating your family room. And even with the right scent, don't overdo it, he said.

"You don't want to overwhelm people. You want the fragrance set just barely above the conscious level," he said. "Have it create a pleasant atmosphere."

The idea, he said, is to make the potential buyer happy to be there.

"You walk into a beautiful home, and it smells great," he said. "Maybe the smell is new to you, a scent you haven't smelled before, but it's fantastic. It makes you fall in love with the place; maybe spend longer looking at it."

Sold.

-From The Chicago Tribune, 10/10/10

2385 Woodpath, Highland Park, IL

This graceful east Highland Park gem is perched at the end of a quiet street in an incomparable setting:  breathtaking ravine views plus ample table land. A classic and elegant colonial, it boasts 5 bedrooms, 3.1 baths and so many wonderful features!

Large, open rooms provide the perfect flow for entertaining. Original details abound, from the glass doorknobs to the gleaming hardwood floors to the gorgeous moldings.

Open bonus room on second floor is the perfect place to gather to play or study. Large master has walls of windows, sitting area and updated bath. Three additional bedrooms, full bath and laundry complete the second level. The fantastic fully finished third level has the 5th bedroom/3rd full bath plus a wonderful playroom/office with treetop views!

A truly ideal location: close to town, train, schools, beach.

Now $699,000, this lovely home is an exceptional value. Come by to tour it Sunday, October 17th from 12:00-2:00, or contact me for a private showing.

Here is a recap of the September housing market in Highland Park:  

Sales and Inventory: Property sales were UP for the month of September - 19 homes sold vs. 15 a year ago. However, compared with August sales, the numbers were down: 23 Highland Park homes sold last month. The total number of homes for sale in September was 307, down from 316 the month before and way down from 386 in September of '09. The number of new listings in September was 46 down from 53 last month and 51 from last year.  There is still  high ratio of inventory to actual sales-consider that there were 46 new listings in the month of September with only 19 sales-supply is still outweighing demand and we have a 16.2 month supply of inventory to clear out.   

Prices: The median sale price in September was $550,000 - 29% higher than last September and 22% higher than last month. The average sale price was $787,671, which was 52% higher than last year at this time and 20% higher than last month.  Keep in mind that while this is positive news for all you sellers out there, it is important to note that this report is not comparing the characteristics of each home sold: it is more than likely that buyers' money is buying them more house this year than last. In other  words, just because average and median sale prices are increasing, it does not mean that home values are increasing.  We are still in a supply heavy, depreciating market, leading to still depressed prices overall. This means it's a great time to buy, especially considering the incredibly low interest rates!  

Days on Market: An upward trend in DOM indicates more of a buyers' market, while a downward trend indicates a sellers' market. The DOM for September was 113, up from 98 days last month and up from 106 days last year.
View the complete report here.  

If you have any questions at all, feel free to ask!   Stephanie

Stephanie Hofman, SFR
Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate, Highland Park, IL
Cell: 847-652-1902
Email: Stephanie.Hofman@cbexchange.com
"Stephanie Should be YOUR Realtor!"

Looking for a great gift idea? The city of Highland Park sells gift cards good for purchases at over 80 of Highland Park's wonderful shops and restaurants.

I love this idea! Every store, restaurant, and website known to man have their own gift card, so why shouldn't a city? It's too bad we can't pay our water bill, property taxes or parking tickets (not that I get any...)with it, but being able to use it to shop and dine is pretty good.

I like to use them as client thank yous, but they're also great for birthdays, bar or bat mitzvahs, teachers...anyone who would have fun spending money in Highland Park!

You can pick up the gift cards at the Downtown Alliance, located on the second floor of 442 Central Ave (right above Enaz, my home away from home), at City Hall (1707 St. Johns) or at the second floor management office in Renaissance Place. You can stay on top of your balance by going to www.getmybalance.com

Check out the details on the town's website here. Happy shopping!

Image via Wikipedia

Regular home maintenance is an essential component of home ownership, whether you are planning to sell your home soon, or live in it for the next 20 years.  

Keeping up on the  tasks that keep your house in tip-top shape will payoff big when you go to sell your home - buyers can tell when a home has been continuously maintained, and that translates to more dollars in your pocket. Additionally, while staying on top of things will cost you a little bit now, it could save you a  whole lot down the line, since neglect could lead to big and expensive problems. 

Here's  are some great fall home maintenance tips, whether you're selling or not: 

Pay attention to those gutters.  Gutters should be cleaned out at least twice a year, and doing this once  the majority of the fall leaves have fallen is imperative.  Clogged gutters can lead to a back up of rain water, ice dams and possible leaking into your home, as well as rotted fascia boards, water damage to the sides of your home, and foundation problems. Also patch up any holes and replace sections that are worn out.  If you sell your home, the inspector will take a careful look at the condition of your gutters.Perform general fireplace maintenance.  Before that first chilly night comes that makes you want to curl up by a cozy fire, make sure to have your chimney cleaned and do some basic fireplace maintenance. Do a visual inspection by looking up the chimney to see if there's a build-up of soot and creosote lining the walls: reductions in drafts throughout the house, smoke backups or a strong odor in the house are all signs you need to clean your chimney. Also make sure chimney caps are still intact and working to keep out small branches and animals. If you're showing your home during the winter, a warm, inviting fire will help set a cozy scene for your buyers (just make sure the home is never left unattended with a fire going!).

Clean and store your outdoor furniture - Early fall  is an ideal time to clean and even refinish your furniture so that it's in the best possible shape before your cover or store it.  Try these recommendations by Martha Stewart: Clean cushions and umbrellas according to their directions, or wash them using a sponge and a quarter-cup of mild dishwashing liquid mixed into 1 gallon of warm water. Rinse the fabric, and then stand the cushions on their sides and leave the umbrella open to air-dry. Dust the frames of the chairs and tables and sponge down surfaces with the same solution used to clean the cushions and umbrella, rinse and pat dry. Store your furniture indoors, or cover with fitted furniture covers. In spring, your furniture will be ready for use after just a light cleaning. Clean, well cared for furniture will look beautiful in your yard come springtime, and create an enticing setting for buyers. 

Turn off exterior faucets. Undrained water that freezes in pipes will expand and can burst. Start by disconnecting all garden hoses and draining water still in faucets. If you don't have frost-proof faucets (homes built before ten to 12 years ago typically do not), turn off the shut-off valve inside your home.  Also have your outdoor sprinkler system drained and turned off to avoid freezing and leaking pipes. 

Schedule any indoor painting you need done. The cooler, drier weather is usually ideal for leaving windows open for ventilation. And a quick, fresh coat of paint goes a long way to spruce up your home and help it show better if it's on the market. 

Tune up your heating system. Have a qualified a technician inspect your furnace/heating system to be sure that it's clean and in good repair. The inspection also measures carbon-monoxide leakage.  Many HVAC providers offer special pricing if you sign up for bi-annual maintenance.  When buyers come looking at your home, trust me, they will check the maintenance log on the side of your furnace or boiler. 

Replace bulbs in exterior lighting, or the entire light fixtures.  With darkness setting in earlier and earlier, you may have showings taking place at dusk, or even after the sun has set. Since curb appeal (or UNappeal!) creates an important first impression, glowing outdoor lighting will help your home appear cozy, warm and welcoming. 

Don't underestimate the importance of consistent home maintenance, whether you're selling now or not! 

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) will release the Existing Home Sales Report tomorrow, September 23. Be prepared for conflicting opinions when the news media starts announcing the findings. Like every industry report, there are nuances that can be confusing, so I hope the following information will be helpful.        

The Existing Sales Report which includes single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, is based on transaction closings of previously owned homes. There will be two different numbers reported:

• The month-over-month (M-O-M) comparison and
• The year-over-year (Y-O-Y) comparison

These reports will quantify what's happening in the marketplace on a national level, but it's important to understand the factors that are contributing to the numbers to get the whole picture: 

The Month-Over-Month Comparison

The M-O-M compares sales this month to last month. This number will probably show an  increase. Monday, the Washington Post, in an article titled Expected Rise in Home Sales May Show a Stabilizing Market, called for a substantial increase: 

(Nationally) home sales probably increased in August, a sign the U.S. real estate market is stabilizing after the expiration of a tax credit might have caused demand to plunge, economists said before reports on the housing market this week. 

Sales of previously owned homes rose to a 4.1 million annual rate in August from a 3.83 million pace, according to the median estimate of economists ahead of the National Association of Realtors' report on Thursday in Washington. 

The actual number probably will show an increase. An increase over what is the question.   

Last month, the report showed sales dropped 27.2% in July from June, which was lowest level since the total existing-home sales series launched in 1999.  

This vacuum of sales was created by many buyers moving up their purchases to before the June 30, 2010 deadline for closings as required by the second Homebuyers' Tax Credit.  We'd better hope sales increase over that number! An increase will not necessarily mean the market is now stable. though some media outlets will report just that. 

Locally, we have also seen a drop.  In June, 2010, 41 homes closed. In July, only 21 closed - a decrease of nearly 49%, due to home buyers pushing up their purchases to June to qualify for the tax credit. In August, 23 closings took place, representing a slight increase over July. August is a very popular month for closings due to many families wanted to get into their new homes in time for the beginning of the school year.  

Year-Over-Year Comparison

The Y-O-Y compares sales this month to the same month last year. This number may look very ugly. Market Watch ran a story entitled Housing Data Not Expected to Sparkle. They reported that sales will be significantly lower than they have been. 

Economists don't expect many bright spots in the economic data in the coming week that will highlight the gloom of a newly-crippled housing market ... Existing-home sales are expected to rebound to 4 million units. But this is only a portion of the record 27.2% plunge in sales in July to 3.83 million units. Sales are down from a peak of 5.79 million units in April. 

Obviously, sales for the next few months will not compare favorably to the same months last year. At this time last year, sales were being driven by the expiration of the original Homebuyers' Tax Credit (November 30). It would be unrealistic to think that this year's sales wouldn't pale in comparison. 

In Highland Park, the number of closings in June-August of this year vs. June-August of last year varied by month.  June of this year, as expected because of the second Homebuyers' Tax Credit, showed many more closings: 41 this year (as mentioned above) vs. 28 last year, a  32% Y-O-Y increase.  July of last year saw 27 home closings, 27% more than July of this year,  because buyers pushed ahead their closing dates to June to get in on the tax credit thus taking away July buyers, as stated above.  And, as for August, the numbers were almost identical: last year 24 transactions closed as compared with the 23 of this year.  

Bottom Line

There may be very positive news generated by the national  month-over-month numbers and very negative news generated by the national  year-over-year numbers.  I'm not discounting the fact that headlines do affect the public's psyche and in turn the market, but keep in mind that real estate is a particularly local thing, and you have to look at what's going on in your neighborhood to get the picture of what's truly relevant to you.

Image via Wikipedia

I absolutely love this time of year - there's a crispness in the air that signals the start of autumn as well as new beginnings in many areas of my life:  a new school year, the Jewish New Year, and, since both of my kids celebrate fall birthdays, a true new year begins in their lives. Apples have become symbolic of this time of year, for me at least, as it's the time when abundant crops of the fruit are available and at their best.  

Here are a few great apple picking orchards that aren't too far from the Chicago area:

Northern Illinois  

Jonamac Orchards-19412 Shabbona Rd, Malta
Phone: 815-825-2158 
Open: Mid-August thru Thanksgiving, 7 days 9-5:30
Description: Pick your own apples from nearly 5,000 trees on 65 acres, plus kids' activity area, 10 acre corn maze, horse drawn hay rides and bakery. Also pick pumpkins, squash and raspberries. 
Website: www.Jonamacorchard.com  

Royal Oak Farm and Fruit Orchard - 15908 Hebron Rd, Harvard, IL
Phone: 815-648-4141
Open: August 1-Nov. 15 Mon-Sat 9:30-5
Description: Over 10,000 apple trees including 24 varieties set on 120 acres with gift shop, bakery, restaurant, petting zoo, train and carousel rides and orchard tours.  Also pick raspberries, peaches and pumpkins.
Website:www.Roayloakfarmorchard.com  

Wisconsin  

Apple Holler-5006 S. Sylvania Ave., Sturtevant
Phone: 262-886-8500
Open: Sun-Thurs 7-7:30, Fri-Sat 7-8:30
Description: 10,000 apple trees on 50 acres plus pumpkins, corn maze, petting zoo, bakery, restaurant, dinner theatre, pig roasts and bluegrass festival.
Website: www.Appleholler.com  

Apple Barn Orchard & Winery-W 6384 Sugar Creek Rd, Elkhorn   
Phone: 262-728-3266
Open: Sept/Oct Tues-Sat 10-6, Sun 11-5
Description: A unique country store house in a remodeled barn offering fresh picked or pick your own apples, plus fruit wines, pies, cider, cider donuts, caramel apples and pumpkins. Take a tractor-train ride or play in a tree maze.  Last weekend in Sept. is "Apple Fest."  
Website: www.AppleBarnOrchardandWinery.com  

Indiana  

Kercher's Sunrise Orchards Farm Market-19498 Co. Rd. 38, Goshen
Phone: 574-533-6311 Open: Mon-Sat 8:30-5:30, Sun 12-5 (Sept/Oct)
Description: One of the largest orchards in the state, offering fruits, vegetables, locally made jams, jellies, honey, maple syrup and more. Free hayrides in the fall, plus a pumpkin patch.
Website:www.Kerchersorchards.com  

And, when you have picked all of the apples you can carry, check out some great recipes here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/topics/apple/index.html.  

Happy fall!