Buy Owner Blog

Bittersweet news for Illinois homeowners: median home prices are steadily rising amid a steady drop in home sales. This could be interpreted in a number of ways; most importantly, we can see that desirable homes are selling for higher prices. While many homes are still stuck on the market, this statistic may be an incentive [...]

Is your front lawn looking pretty empty? Is something missing from your backyard? Plant a garden to spruce up the look of your verdant landscaping! Not only does it add value to your home, but it gives you something pretty to look at any time of the day. Not sure where to begin? Here are [...]

The difference in cost in renting and owning a home could make a world of difference to your financial situation. It is important to recognize the many different situations that, although they may seem cheaper at the time, will actually cost you more in the long run. Using loan calculators and rent-versus-buy calculators can give [...]

Have you had your house on the market for months without an offer? Are you frustrated by the lack of response to your advertisements, open houses and hard work? Very often, it all comes down to one word: price. According to many experts, there are currently more homes on the market than there are buyers. This [...]

Are you looking to add extra space to your home? Are potential buyers turned off by the small size of your home’s interior? Would a finished basement help capture their attention? There are pluses and minuses with either finished or unfinished spaces, so you’ll want to do your homework before jumping into a lengthy project. However, it [...]

Looking to add elegance or change to a room, with your own touch of flair? Consider these options: wainscoting, crown molding and chair railings usually are simple to install but any of them can dramatically change the look of a room.   Wainscoting Wainscoting is a paneling, usually made of wood, that can be purchased [...]

Big changes for homeowners, builders, and those facing foreclosure may be affected by the Senate bill passed on Thursday. While several changes are expected before the bill is enacted, this overwhelmingly supported move will give the housing market much-needed assistance and should help to stabilize and revitalize the market. Several tax breaks and grants are [...]

Whether you’re designing a new home or planning a remodel, it pays to be informed about your options. Flooring affects every room, from the kitchen to the living areas, so it’s worth considering. In “Types of Flooring,” we presented the facts about a few options: hardwood, laminate, stone, and carpet. Now let’s take a look at [...]

From cozy Berber carpeting to gleaming hardwood, there are so many types of floors to choose from, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Some flooring adds value to your home, while others are simply used because they are comfortable, inexpensive, or easy to maintain. When you’re thinking about what kind of flooring to install [...]

In the market for a new home? As you start viewing properties, one of the initial bits of information you’ll receive is the address. The home may be on a street, a road, an avenue, a boulevard—what does this mean? Is there a difference between an avenue and a boulevard? And with Americans using expressions [...]