Aga Kretowski-Real Estate Broker

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Aga Kretowski-Real Estate Broker

No other Realtor knows your community like I do! When it comes to Buying and Selling Real Estate, I?

10/12/2023

Are you revved up and ready to dive into the world of home buying?

Before you take that plunge, let’s lay down some ground rules. Trust me, these Home Buying Do’s & Don’ts aren’t just tips—they’re lifelines for navigating the sea of dream homes and budgets!

So let’s get into it 🔑

✅ DO Stick to Your Budget: Keep your wallet safe and sound by staying within your means. Your future self will thank you!

❌ DON’T Forget Your Future: A two-bedroom might be cute now, but will it still be if you decide to expand your family?

Your quick and easy guide to not just surviving but thriving in the homebuying jungle. Happy house-hunting, and may the odds of finding your dream home be ever in your favor! 🏡🔑

Aga Kretowski
24 Hour Real Estate
📲 847.912.6058

10/02/2023

🏠✨ Ready to make your dream home a reality? Hold up, because first, we need to talk contracts! 😮📑 You don’t want your happily-ever-after to turn into a legal drama. So, I’ve brewed up some insights for you! ☕🔍

1️⃣ Contingencies: Don’t overlook these! Make sure you have an ‘out’ in case the inspection reveals a haunted basement or a less-than-stellar roof. 🏚️👻
2️⃣ Closing Costs: It’s not just the home price you need to budget for; closing costs can sneak up on you faster than your coffee cools down. ☕💸
3️⃣ Escrow: Know what it is and how it protects your hard-earned money. Think of it like a coffee lid—there to protect you from spills (or scams). 🛡️💰
4️⃣ Timeline: Keep track of those important dates. Miss a deadline, and you might just lose your dream home. ⏳🏠

Let’s make sure the only thing you’re second-guessing is whether to go for that second cup of coffee. 😉☕🔑

Aga Kretowski
24 Hour Real Estate
📲 847.912.6058

01/31/2023

Fact: The hottest season for homebuyers is summer. ☀️

Also fact: The best home-buying bargains are found in the winter months! ❄️

Winter is typically the cheapest time to buy a home. While there’s less inventory, there’s also less competition. Overall, those looking for a sale tend to be extra motivated this time of year.

Looking to get a head start on your 2023 resolution of buying a home? DM me with your burning questions!

01/17/2023

Even in competitive markets, buyers don’t want to pay more than what the “comps” show, so it’s crucial to get the pricing right. Going too high can backfire while underestimating a home’s value might cause you to leave money on the table.

To price your home right from the start, consult your neighborhood’s comps. These are data sheets about recently sold properties in a specific area. At a glance, you can get an idea of what homes around you are selling for.

🗝 A frequent mistake sellers make is pricing a home too high and then lowering it periodically

🗝 Some sellers think this practice will yield the highest return. But, in reality, the opposite is often true

🗝 Homes that are priced too high will turn off potential buyers, who may not even consider looking at the property

🗝 Homes with multiple price reductions may give buyers the impression there’s something wrong with your home’s condition, or that it’s undesirable.

So it’s best to eliminate the need for multiple reductions by pricing your home to attract the widest pool of buyers from the start.

01/05/2023

Is 2023 a good time to build your forever home?

Yes! Here are 3 reasons why:

✅ Construction costs and supplies are stabilizing. This means it’s more accessible to build than in the past few years.

✅ The changes in the market have turned down the competition! You may have more land options to choose from in 2023.

✅ Real estate appreciates! AKA — it grows in value over time. Building a home is a true investment

Have any questions about building a home? Comment below or DM me.

01/02/2023

Is clear to close the same as closing disclosure?

A Closing Disclosure is not technically the same as being declared clear to close, but the disclosure typically comes after you have been cleared.

After reviewing your Closing Disclosure, you can look forward to a final walkthrough of the home and closing day itself.

01/01/2023

Here’s to 365 new chances, 12 new chapters, and endless adventures in 2023. 🥂

✨In 2023, I will empower others to make a positive change in their lives

✨I will help first-time buyers finally find their dream home

✨I will help my clients start over and create second chances, starting with their new home

Drop your New Year’s resolutions in the comments below. ⬇

12/07/2022

Contingent vs Pending: What’s the difference?

A property listed as contingent means the seller has accepted an offer, but they’ve chosen to keep the listing active in case certain contingencies aren’t met by the prospective buyer.

If a property is pending, the provisions on a contingent property were successfully met and the sale is being processed.

11/30/2022

My approach to reviewing and negotiating offers

After your home officially hits the market and buyers have seen it, ideally the offers will start rolling in. This is where a real estate agent (Me 😊) is your best advocate and go-to source for advice. If your local market is competitive and favors sellers, buyers will likely offer at or above asking price. You might even get multiple bids. On the other hand, if sales are slow in your area and you don’t get many offers, you may have to be open to negotiating.

When you receive an offer, you have a few options: Accept the offer as it is, make a counteroffer or reject the offer.

A counteroffer is a response to an offer, in which you negotiate on terms and price. Counteroffers should always be made in writing and have a short timeframe (48 hours or less) for the buyer to respond. For example, you can offer a credit for paint and carpet but insist on keeping your original asking price in place, or you might offer to leave behind certain appliances to sweeten the deal.

If you’re lucky enough to get multiple offers, you might be tempted to simply go with the highest one. But look closely at other aspects of the offer too, such as:

Form of payment (cash versus financing)
Type of financing
Down payment amount
Contingencies
Requests for credits or personal property
Proposed closing date
Be mindful that if a buyer is relying on lender financing, the property has to be appraised. Any shortfall between the purchase price and appraised value will have to be made up somewhere, or the deal could fall apart.

10/28/2022

Looking for a Boo-tiful new home in this spooky market?

The trick is finding the best agent to represent you during your house search! Whether you are buying or selling, get treated with the exceptional client service you deserve. No tricks, just treats!

Ready to get started? Give me a call and we’ll carve out some time to discuss your options!

Aga Kretowski
24 Hour Real Estate
☎️847.912.6058

10/12/2022

Does an Impending Recession Hurt the Housing Market?

The word recession is enough to send chills down anyone’s spine, especially homeowners and homebuyers. What will happen to the housing market? Will we see another housing crisis like 2008?

Fortunately, the answer is ‘no, we will not see another housing crisis.’ Here’s why.

🔸 Home Prices Remain High
If you’ve monitored the housing industry over the last couple of years, you know home prices are wildly inflated. That was due to the crazy high demand and much lower supply. It was a natural turn of events.

🔸 Supply is Still Low
A recession may cause lower demand for housing, which isn’t bad. Right now, demand still exceeds supply, keeping prices elevated. If demand falls, it will equal the supply or close to it, and even out the playing field.

🔸 It Would Still be a Good Market for Buyers
Today’s situation is different. The Fed normally floods the economy with money to stop the recession. This time, however, the recession is a good thing because it will stop the crazy inflation we’ve had last year.

10/11/2022

Should you show the house last minute, even if it’s not in perfect shape?

This may be the most inconvenient task of selling your home — But you never know when your agent may call with a serious buyer who’s hoping to schedule a showing, like, Now! And if you want to sell your home as fast as possible, turning down showings is no good.

Let your agent know that you won’t have time to clean up, and they can relay the message. Then, in a pinch, just follow this emergency house showing checklist:

✔️ Put all the toilet seats down
✔️ Remove personal items/toiletries from the bathroom
✔️ Wipe down any surfaces that need it
✔️ Empty your garbage
✔️ Put everything from the sink in the dishwasher
✔️ Sweep floors where there is obvious dirt or debris
✔️ Make the beds
✔️ Close closet doors

If you follow these tips, it’ll be hard to go wrong… and you’ll be signing your home over to its new owners in no time.

Address

Chicago, IL

Telephone

+18479126058

Website

http://www.agakretowski.com/

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