seller advice: Home Warranties - Does it give peace of mind? - 02/22/21 08:51 AM
WHAT IS A HOME WARRANTY AND HOW DOES IT WORK? 
WHAT WILL IT DO FOR ME AS A BUYER?
 
A home warranty can give a purchaser peace of mind.  If anything catastrophic happens in the house, you are only financially liable for the deductible.  So if the furnace goes out one evening and you just can't get it going (as long as it is maintained and not abused) you would call the warranty company and they would send out a technician to fix/repair/replace the furnace depending on the problem.  So yes, if the furnace did indeed blow up (heat exchanger) you would get … (6 comments)

seller advice: I'm loyal to a fault! - 02/10/14 05:19 AM
Today this great phrase was posted by AR HQ on Facebook about commitment and loyalty.  I've got a story to tell about just that - my loyalty and commitment to my clients.  Now, my clients do not have the same sense of loyalty that I do but they damn well expect it of me!  It would be nice to hold a seller to a higher standard than they hold themselves.
So I'll tell you a little story that makes me livid and I'm sure that most of you here have been through this many times before.  You 'nurture' a seller for a … (46 comments)

seller advice: Schaumburg Homes - What mistakes do sellers make when selling their home? - 01/23/14 10:24 PM
What mistakes do sellers make and how can you learn from their mistakes? Everyone wants to sell their home in a reasonable market time but many people don't realize the critical importance of some of these features. Agents have been polled on how their sellers have slowed or sabotaged their success in 2013.
Don't make these top blunders when you put your home on the market. With a little pre-planning you can make your home sell faster enabling you to get an increased selling price.
The top complaint (77%) has been that sellers have over-priced their home from the start. Many sellers … (4 comments)

seller advice: Preparing your Schaumburg Home for Sale - 6 worth the price fix ups! - 01/28/12 05:35 AM
6 Worth-the-Price Fix-Ups Simple and affordable do-it-yourself projects can greatly increase a home's resale value, according to HomeGain's annual home improvement and staging survey done in April 2011. The company surveyed nearly 600 real estate professionals to discover which DIY home improvement projects give sellers the biggest return for their buck. Here are six projects under $1,000 (amounts are estimated) that made the list. 1.    Cleaning and decluttering. Remove any personal items, unclutter countertops, organize closets and shelves, and make the home sparkling clean. ◦ $290 Cost ◦ $1,990 Return 2.    Brightening. Clean all windows inside and out, replace … (8 comments)

seller advice: Selling Homes - You only Have 90 Seconds to Make a Great First Impression - 07/19/11 02:09 PM

Selling your Schaumburg Area Home soon? With just a little time, effort and planning you can make the best first impression and optimize your chances of selling your home. This great advice shouldn't be overlooked.
Great post by Kristine Ginsberg of Elite Staging & Design in New Jersey.
Selling Homes - You only Have 90 Seconds to Make a Great First Impression
 
* According to NAR (National Association of Realtors), 90% of potential home buyers start their search on the Internet before ever stepping out with their Realtor. MLS photos are what draw buyers to your house so make sure they … (4 comments)

seller advice: Is Your House Ready For Its Photo Shoot? - 05/08/11 08:10 AM
I really don't understand it. As a Realtor I spend alot of my time just shaking my head. Why you ask?  When I go into homes with plenty of notice (days sometimes) the kitchen still looks like this .......
Do you as a seller think that this is making a good first impression to that buyer? What possible excuse is there for a Kitchen that looks like this?

I'm waiting!  (tick, tick, tick, 1 one thousand, 2 one thousand) But until you think of a good story, please read this great post by Chris Ann Cleland about your homes upcoming … (10 comments)

seller advice: Remodeling Reality - Not every dime you put into your house you are going to get out! - 02/09/11 12:54 AM
Not every dime you put into your house you are going to get out!
There it's out in the open and I've said it honestly.
But do you believe me?  You should and here's why.  I sell homes all day long and see what people get for their updates, upgrades, wants, and have-ta-haves.  Some people think that adding for every nail, piece of putty and shingle to their original price equals your future sales price.  This couldn't be further from the truth.  This thinking is perpetuated by Lowes, Home Depot and a handful of others that are nothing more than in the business of … (16 comments)

seller advice: Kitchen Decorating Idea or Disaster Waiting to Happen? - 01/18/11 09:07 AM
Kitchen Decorating Idea or Disaster Waiting to Happen?Recently going through the 'new things you should know about'  from House Beautiful online.  They had a article about 10 Ways to Make your Kitchen New Again.  The horrible advice intrigued me and made for some afternoon comedic relief.  Like add a lamp in your Kitchen.  Yeah, ok.  Right next to the Mr. Coffee?I wanted to share with you the only worthwhile 'new' idea that I saw in the article.  Maybe this might not be bad to give a kitchen a new feel or give a taste of 50's flair.  It's called Tile Tattoos … (13 comments)

seller advice: "Snap, Crackle, Pop!" - Great For Selling Cereal. How About For Selling A House With Pergo Floors?! - 01/02/11 04:24 AM
One of the truly annoying things about today's flooring choices when entering a sellers home.  It's worse I think when the property is vacant and there are no furnishings to distract you.  Makes the whole home seem inadequate to a buyer. Not to mention they begin to add up how much it would be to replace or repair the floors.
Great post from Rick Phillips.

"Snap, Crackle, Pop!" - Great For Selling Cereal.  How About For Selling A House With Pergo Floors?!
I recently accepted an appraisal assignment up in the mountains.  The house was new, but like many in … (3 comments)

seller advice: Inexpensive Home Updates - 12/24/10 03:36 AM
Inexpensive Home Updates  
Curb Appeal Regardless of whether or not you're planning on selling in the short term, improving your home's outer appearance will improve both the value and charm of your home. Re-painting the front door and trim will give the front of the house the feel of a newer home. A little minor landscaping work (trimming shrubs, cutting the lawn, replacing sod) over a long weekend can dramatically change your home's look. Add some potted flowers on the front steps or entryway. Consider investing in new doorknobs, house numbers and a mailbox as well.
Light Fixtures If you … (6 comments)

seller advice: Making the Most Out of a Small Bathroom - 12/20/10 06:05 AM
Making a the Most Out of Small Bathrooms It doesn't take a full remodel or removing walls to open up space in an otherwise small bathroom. Below are some cost-effective methods for making tiny bathrooms feel less closed in.
Pedestal Sinks Pedestal sinks are not only stylish - they also eliminate the boxy, space-eating traditional vanities that can close off small bathrooms. Switching from a traditional vanity to a pedestal sink will reduce some storage space in the room, so you may want to install small shelving above the sink or additional towel racks/hooks in the room.
Minimalist Storage When space … (1 comments)

seller advice: What types of Hardwood Flooring are best for pets! - 12/19/10 02:57 AM
Great post to read before purchasing hardwood floors or engineered floors. What will hold up best with pets?
Hardness?  Color?  Bamboo good?
Debbie Garner of Floor Coverings Intl. takes us thru the many selections and what would be the best choice for you based on your situation.
 
I get this question often from my customers - which type of hardwood should I use for pets?  It's a hard question to answer because truthfully all hardwood will dent and scratch over time - it's just a matter of how much and how much you can see it.  But I do not think … (5 comments)

seller advice: Agents in Wonderland: Why Listening to Real Estate "Experts" is Like Following the Hare into the Hole -- and Ending Up in WONDERLAND - 11/25/10 01:54 AM
Real Estate Advice - We search the internet thru newspaper articles, blog posts, blips & blurbs to find the information that we seek to make informed decisions. I do it myself every day for many, many topics.  What wouldn't I do?  Take advice from someone that wasn't licensed in that profession.  Why?  Remember that old saying 'CYA'?  I want to protect mine - everyday, all day long.  I want to take advice, consult, get knowledge only from those that have THE RIGHT to distribute it by having a license, a degree, TRUE EXPERIENCE etc. in their profession. 
I'm not going to ask my … (6 comments)

seller advice: SELLERS ADVICE - INSULTED BY THAT OFFER? - 08/28/10 03:39 AM
Offer too low? Sellers do you feel insulted? You shouldn't as this post mentions the buyer probably would not have taken the time to write up an offer if they really weren't intrested. This is great advice.
I just received an offer but I refuse to counter ............

Have you ever been involved in selling a home where an offer was made and you refused to counter the buyers offer? Here is some advice for sellers to consider, especially in today’s economic environment.
If a buyer has taken the time to put an offer on paper and submit it to your … (2 comments)

seller advice: Need a Make Under? Is your Home Overdressed? - 08/24/10 09:10 AM
There is a great thought behind this post besides 'remove the clutter Mr. Seller'. Most homes I see on the market truly need a 'Make Under' as mentioned here.
Excellent advice from Tessa Skeens in Texas.

Happened to be home when Oprah was on this afternoon. The topic was Makeunders. Women who needed less not more. But this also applies to homes. Nate Berkus did a room Makeunder and it inspired me!Every home that goes on sale needs a makeunder. The less of you, the quicker your home will sell. The bigger and more spacious your home looks the higher … (5 comments)

seller advice: Seven Home Staging Steps That Will Sell Your Home! - 08/18/10 01:39 AM
Sellers here's some great advice!  Define the space!  If you have been using your Dining Room area for a children's play center, buyers will not remember the 'function' of the room any other way.  Your room's function is a 'Dining Room' - as a family eating/gathering area not a pink Barbie play area!
Define the space with the highest $$ use for the broadest range of buyers.  This also applies for your Familyroom if used as a play area.  A garage that has been transformed into a 'Man Cave'.
This is from Sharon Tara a stager from New Hampshire.  Enjoy!   

Seven Home Staging Steps … (5 comments)

seller advice: Cleaning your Deck - NEVER Pressure Wash! - 07/15/10 04:01 AM
Bet many people didn't know this but pressure washing your deck can cause more problems than what you had in the first place!
Good advice, please read.

I tell my neighbors.  I tell my clients.  I tell everybody who will listen.  NEVER pressure wash a deck!  When the pressure-wash companies send their college kids to knock on my door to "wash" my deck, I tell them why they should not be doing that to decks!  When I see their trucks*, they advertise cleaning decks, patios, siding, roofs - you name it!  Don't do it!

The older the deck, the … (5 comments)

seller advice: Pops, Creaks, Squeaks and Groans - was that your Staircase? - 06/07/10 07:17 AM
Creaky Wooden Staircase I hear?  
Whether it's getting your home on the market with this easy repair or just fixing something that's been aggravating you to death, here's a few easy suggestions.  There is nothing more annoying or demonstrates 'lack of maintenance' than 3 people (2 buyers and your light as a feather real estate agent) coming down the stairs of your home and there are pops, creaks, squeaks and groans.  Great for an Alfred Hitchcock movie but doesn't scream 'the stairs have been well maintained' does it?
Wooden stairs creak as they age and begin to dry out. They can be … (9 comments)

seller advice: What Every Seller Needs To Know In Today's Real Estate Market - 05/14/10 11:07 AM
Some honest advice to sellers from Carra Riley in Arizona on what to think about before you have any kind of 'knee jerk' reaction to a buyers offer.  You might end up kicking yourself in the pants months down the road.
Enjoy these suggestions when receiving an offer on your home!  Oh yes, and don't shoot the messenger!

                              What Every Seller Needs To Know In Today's Real Estate Market
                                             
                                                
                                            The real … (1 comments)

seller advice: Upgrades Don't Always Add Value - 04/16/10 07:58 AM
 
Not every dime you put into your house are you going to get out - there I've said it honestly. Some people think that for every nail, piece of putty and shingle they add to their purchase price and voila - your future sales price.  This couldn't be further from the truth.  This thinking is perpetuated by Lowes, Home Depot and a handful of others that are nothing more than in the business of selling you things.
In this market, conservative is the word.  Granite counters are nice but can I get you an extra $10,000 at selling time?  I … (4 comments)

 
Lyn Sims, Real Estate Broker Retired

Lyn Sims

Real Estate Broker Retired

Schaumburg, IL

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Address: Schaumburg, IL, 60194

Mobile: (847) 962-7104


Lyn Sims offers market observations, housing industry updates and real estate news about the surrounding communities near Schaumburg IL in the Chicago Northwest Suburbs.


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