Real Estate Information Archive

GREEN HOMES ARE AFFORDABLE

It's expensive to operate a home.  Here are some "GREEN facts" about real estate and your surroundings:

> 1,700 sq. ft wood-frame house requires the equivalent of 1 acre of forest timber

> Indoor air quality can be as much as 100 times worse than outside air quality according to the US EPA

> The energy that seeps through U.S. windows each winter is the equivalent of all the oil that flows through the Alaska pipeline each year

> Your refrigerator is responsible for a quarter of your electricity bill.  The icebox uses 7% of the nation's electricity.  That is half the energy generated by the nation's nuclar power plants

Want to know more:

  http://www.buildwithgreenproducts.com/Index.php

  http://www.green-energy-efficient-homes.com/

Posted by:  Carol Best | Coldwell Banker in Barrington, IL
Your Luxury Real Estate Expert & #1 Source to Buy & Sell Real Estate  www.CarolBest.net  

IL Buyers - Search our Entire MLS for Free @ http://www.FindNorthernIllinoisHomes.com

What is real estate all about for the 21st century - technology is the answer and 84% of the Buyers are looking online.

How are the agents keeping up?  Only the Realtors that really embrace technology will be in-the-know - they need to embrace Global Innovation & take technology courses... quick!

I have now joined an International real estate marketing company whereby my listings are seen around the world - we just don't know where the next buyer will come from and I'm not willing to miss an opportunity.  Real estate is on sale in the United States,  so Buyers are coming across the ocean and many borders to make a great purchase in the United States.

Does your Realtor embrace technology?  If not, your listing could be one of the dinosaur listings that will be on the market for years, yes years!  It is sad that the sellers aren't comparing the difference of marketing plans - online is THE place to be! 

Posted by:  Carol Best | Coldwell Banker in Barrington, IL
Your Luxury Real Estate Expert & #1 Source to Buy & Sell Real Estate

Want to know how Ecology can be harmonious with Luxury?

The new buzz word is:  Eco-Luxury - qualilty - high standards - and still be in balance with our planet.  It means:  SUSTAINABILITY - exploiting natural resources without destroying the ecological balance of the surrounding areas.

The new Luxury Buyer is Eco-conscious & for some it has become the new status symbol.  You can see this in hybrid cars (2009 Lexus & Mercedes), runway fashion designers such as Stella McCartney  and the travel industry now offers Luxury Camps & Lodges of the World.

Thinking about adding some Eco-Luxury features to your home?  Consider the following:

** metal standing-seam roofs
** heated floors
** solar panels for electricity, hot water & radiant floors
** environmentally friendly
** energy efficient

Posted by:  Carol Best | Luxury Market Expert | www.CarolBest.net
Coldwell Banker Real Estate in Barrington, IL
Serving Chicagoland, West, North & NW Suburban areas of Chicagoland

IL Buyers - Search our Entire MLS for Free @ http://www.FindNorthernIllinoisHomes.com 

UPSCALE REAL ESTATE IN NORTHERN ILLINOIS - Here's Your Holiday Wish List for 2008:

1)  Elevators are in vogue

2)  On-premise indoor car wash, include a pressure washer & car lift

3)  Walk-in refrigerators with multiple ovens in a professional kitchen.  Multiple sinks and dishwashers are becoming the norm.

4)  Spas, gyms, Pilates studios - the home gym has undergone a makeover!

5)  Wine cellars & tasting rooms

6)  Media rooms: plush seating, windowless, theatre-size screen

7)  Security systems - wireless options

8)  Heated driveways - walkways - garages

Posted by:  Carol Best | Coldwell Banker Real Estate in Barrington, IL
Your #1 Source to Buy & Sell Real Estate

 www.CarolBest.net 

Buyers:  http://FindNorthernIllinoisHomes.com

Sellers:   http://NorthernIllinoisHouseValues.com

YES - it is EASIER to Sell a $3 million dollar home in this market!

Check out the Sunday Daily Herald Newspaper article in today's paper: 

http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=245830&src=118

Posted by:  Carol Best | Coldwell Banker in Barrington, IL
Your #1 Source to Buy or Sell Real Estate 

Buyers:  Find Luxury Home Foreclosures

Call or Text Carol @ 773-799-5939

Carol@CarolBest.net

10/31/08 INMAN NEWS REPORTS:

While the short sale & foreclosure real estate market is less than 3% of all homes owned, First American Core-Logic reported today that more than 7.5 million single-family homes are worth less than what is currently owed on their mortgages - and, another 2.1 million homes are getting close to being upside down.

The good news for us here in Illinois is that we are not at the top of the list!  Statistics for the top states are:  

Nevada - 48%
Michigan - 39%
Florida - 29%
Arizona - 29%
California - 27%
Georgia - 23%

How nice is it to be living in Illinois - a state NOT not on this list!

Posted by:  Carol Best | Coldwell Banker in Barrington, IL
Your #1 Choice to Buy or Sell Real Estate  www.CarolBest.net

IL Buyers - Search our Entire MLS for Free @ http://www.FindNorthernIllinoisHomes.com 

Exclusive on-line marketing - if you list your property with me, my listings receive 10x more traffic because they appear on Page #1 of Realtor.com for certain zip codes/towns that I have secured #1 placement.

Today's National Association of Realtor's event in Naperville, IL reiterated the fact that 84% of today's home Buyers search the internet to find the properties they want to see/tour in person.  If you did not receive a showing, then that buyer has ELIMINATED your property - they are filtering out what is not of interest to them.  What does that mean... well it could be a variety of reasons, including price.

The real estate market has definitely changed this past year, but I am really excited about it - it is a great opportunity for both Buyers and sellers.

Buyers are 900% more likely to find their next home on the internet - not a newspaper.  The Los Angeles Times no longer has a real estate section, because print advertising no longer works!

The listing agent has only an 8% chance of find the buyer for your home - their expertise is marketing your property to the largest audience possible and that is the worldwide web!

Never settle for less than the Best internet marketing program.  When you are serious about selling, contact me - you'll be glad you did. 

Posted by:  Carol Best | Coldwell Banker in Barrington,IL
Your #1 Source to Buy or Sell Real Estate  www.CarolBest.net

IL Buyers - Search our Entire MLS for Free @ http://www.FindNorthernIllinoisHomes.com 

Here it is - Single family home statistics - January 1, 2008 - YTD:

                                                       Closed YTD   Active/For Sale      Pending

Arlington Heights                                       348                     399                      49

Barrington Areas- all 60010 Recap           269                     577                      37

Barrington                                                  155                     333                      22

Barrington Hills                                            31                       99                        6

Buffalo Grove                                             179                    174                       25

Hawthorn Woods                                        74                     115                         4

Inverness                                                     33                       83                         9

Kildeer                                                          28                      73                         7

Lake Barrington                                            23                      39                         3

Lake Bluff                                                      72                    116                         8

Lake Forest                                                 138                    358                       16

Lake Zurich                                                  159                    193                       12

Libertyville                                                    164                    276                      16

Long Grove                                                    45                    151                        7

Mt. Prospect                                                 191                   265                       25

North Barrington                                             24                     82                         4

Palatine                                                         234                   323                       30

South Barrington                                            32                      59                         3

Wauconda                                                      88                    199                       21

 If you would like to know what real estate is selling in your specific community - let me know your home address, including your subdivision name, city and/or zip code & I'll get right back to you..

Posted by Carol Best | Coldwell Banker in Barrington, IL
Your #1 Resource for Buying or Selling Real Estate  www.CarolBest.net

IL Buyers - Search our Entire MLS for Free @ http://www.FindNorthernIllinoisHomes.com

This credit crisis is the new reality of our world.  I cannot believe I actually raised the red warning flag in October of 2006!

It is important to note that while I was the Ambassador Chair for the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, their quarterly Business Leaders Breakfast featured Michael H. Moskow, head of the Chicago Federal Reserve Bank.  He was one of three featured speakers that morning.  The topic:  The Economic Forecast. 

While Mr. Moskow did the typical overview and pretty much said little that was useful to the approximate 300 members in the audience, I believe they called it Alan Greenspan speak...  I was one of only 20 women but just could not resist asking the question...  At the end, I went up to the "mike" and asked why the Federal Reserve did not seem concerned that John Q. Public was more than $450 billion dollars in credit card, home equity, mortgage and vehicle/car debt.

Everyone in the audience was pretty quiet - I think they were pretty stunned by my question to him... it was apparent the attendees had not heard such a statement from anyone previous to this - I'm sure they thought I was mis-informed!

His answer was a non-answer & it made no sense whatsoever to the audience.  It was apparent that Mr. Moskow did not have a pulse on the real world - he was extremely out of touch with the everyday people.  While he did not directly cause this crisis, I do believe he played a small role.  I wonder what he would say now, two years later - my guess is the blame game would win out as his answer, along with some finger pointing.  I sure do hope you are enjoying your retirement Mr. Moskow.

While I have told a few people close to me of this event, I just can't keep it to myself any longer.  At least I had the pulse of what was happening and wasn't shy about asking the hard questions... the Realtors have been trying to tell everyone what's (not) going on for over a year - too bad no one listened.

Posted by:  Carol Best - Carol@CarolBest.net
Coldwell Banker in Barrington, IL
Your #1 Source to Buy or Sell Real Estate  www.CarolBest.net

IL Buyers - Search our Entire MLS for Free @ http://www.FindNorthernIllinoisHomes.com   

Closed single family, condo & townhome sales for Northern Illinois - 3rd Quarter 2008:

Q3  2006          Q3  2007          Q3  2008

TOTAL # of SINGLE & ATTACHED PROPERTIES SOLD:

  36,815              28,481              21,973

% CHANGE OVER Q2 of 2006 is:

                         -22.6%            -40.3%

Carol Best
Your #1 Source for Buying & Selling Real Estate
Coldwell Banker in Barrington, IL
www.CarolBest.net

IL Buyers - Search our Entire MLS for Free @ http://www.FindNorthernIllinoisHomes.com