Mari L. Van Meter - BHHS American Heritage

Mari L. Van Meter - BHHS American Heritage Residential Realtor | I help NW Suburban Chicago homeowners navigate life transitions with clarity and care. Mari L.

Van Meter is a dedicated real estate professional with Fly Home Dragonfly, affiliated with BHHS American Heritage Real Estate Agency. With a passion for helping clients navigate the buying and selling process, Mari combines local market expertise with personalized service. Her commitment to integrity and attention to detail ensure that every transaction is smooth and successful, making her a trusted partner in the real estate journey.

Thinking about selling your Arlington Heights home, but not sure what you actually need to do before listing?The good ne...
09/23/2026

Thinking about selling your Arlington Heights home, but not sure what you actually need to do before listing?

The good news: most sellers do not need to renovate everything.

I usually recommend starting with the basics:

• Declutter and create some breathing room
• Deep clean • Take care of visible repairs
• Look at paint, lighting, and small cosmetic updates
• Improve curb appeal
• Make each room easy for buyers to understand

And one of my biggest recommendations? Talk with your Realtor before spending money on a major project.

Sometimes the smartest preparation decision is knowing what not to do.

I put together a practical guide to preparing an Arlington Heights home for sale, including where I would start, what may be worth updating, and what you may be able to skip.

Most people know Wheeling for Restaurant Row.But if you’re actually thinking about living here, I think there’s a lot mo...
09/22/2026

Most people know Wheeling for Restaurant Row.

But if you’re actually thinking about living here, I think there’s a lot more worth looking at.

Wheeling has access to the Des Plaines River Trail, 12 neighborhood parks, Heritage Park, community recreation, and a housing mix that ranges from condos and townhomes to detached single-family homes.

And those things matter.

When you’re comparing Northwest Suburbs, I don’t think the question should just be, “Which town is better?”

A better question is:

What would I actually use in my everyday life?
Would you walk or bike the trail?
Do you like having a lot of restaurant choices nearby?
Would you use the parks or recreation center?
And what does your housing budget actually buy in that community?

I pulled all of that together in my updated guide to living in Wheeling, including current 2026 housing numbers.

“Walkable to downtown” can mean very different things depending on the actual house.If you’re considering living near do...
09/16/2026

“Walkable to downtown” can mean very different things depending on the actual house.

If you’re considering living near downtown Arlington Heights, my advice is simple:
Actually make the walk.

A six-minute walk and a twenty-minute walk can both get described as “close to downtown,” but they create very different everyday routines.

Walk from the property to the Metra station.

Walk to Vail Avenue or Campbell Street.

See how long it takes to get to the library, restaurants, coffee, or the places you think you’ll actually use.

And if you’re seriously considering the home, come back at another time of day.
Downtown gets noticeably more active during warm-weather evenings, Arlington Alfresco, weekends, and community events. A location can look very different on a quiet weekday morning than it does on a Saturday evening.

There’s a lot to consider when living near downtown Arlington Heights, from housing type and parking to assessments, train access, activity, and the exact block.

I pulled those pieces together in my guide to Living Near Downtown Arlington Heights.

A lot of people think they know Schaumburg.Woodfield. I-90. Lots of shopping.But if you’re actually thinking about livin...
09/15/2026

A lot of people think they know Schaumburg.

Woodfield. I-90. Lots of shopping.

But if you’re actually thinking about living there, there are a few things that matter a whole lot more.

One of the biggest? Schaumburg is really a townhome and condo market first.
Over the 12 months ending August 21, 2026, 625 of the 954 homes sold in Schaumburg were attached homes. That’s about two-thirds of the market.

Median sale prices were:
• $285,000 for townhomes and condos
• $475,000 for detached homes

But I wouldn’t compare those numbers on price alone.

With a condo or townhome, the assessment matters too. What does it cover? Has it gone up? Does the association have adequate reserves? Are there major projects coming?

And then there’s location.

Schaumburg doesn’t really operate around one traditional downtown. Town Square, Woodfield, Spring Valley, the Metra station and other destinations are spread across the village.

So when someone asks me, “What’s it like to live in Schaumburg?” my answer is: which part?

That’s why I recommend spending a Saturday there before making a decision. Drive the places you’d actually use. Test your commute. Visit Town Square. Head over to Spring Valley. If Metra matters, drive to the station during the time you’d actually commute.

I put the numbers, housing options, commuting details, neighborhoods and more into my new Schaumburg guide.

Arlington Heights has a lot going for it. But if you’re thinking about moving here, I think the trade-offs matter just a...
09/09/2026

Arlington Heights has a lot going for it. But if you’re thinking about moving here, I think the trade-offs matter just as much as the highlights.

The walkable downtown and Metra access are real advantages. So is the range of housing options.

But there are a few things I’d want you to understand before you decide:

• Property taxes need to be part of the full monthly-payment conversation.
• Homes can move quickly, so buyers are better off getting prepared before they start touring.
• Outside of downtown, daily life is much more car-dependent.
• Some local rules may surprise you, including the fact that dogs aren’t allowed at Lake Arlington.

And one more thing: I wouldn’t make a housing decision based on speculation about what might eventually happen at the former Arlington Park site.

That’s really the point of my updated Pros and Cons of Living in Arlington Heights guide.

I live here, and I think Arlington Heights has a lot to offer. But the better question isn’t, “Is Arlington Heights a good place to live?”

It’s: Do the things Arlington Heights offers fit the way you actually want to live and the budget you actually want to keep?

I break down both sides, including current housing numbers, taxes, Metra times, local rules, and a few things people don’t always realize until after they move.

Buffalo Grove has one detail I think every buyer should understand before they start looking at homes:The county line ma...
09/08/2026

Buffalo Grove has one detail I think every buyer should understand before they start looking at homes:

The county line matters. A lot.

Buffalo Grove sits in both Cook and Lake counties, and that can affect your property taxes, school district, library district, and even which county offices you deal with.

Here’s one example from the 565 Buffalo Grove sales I reviewed for the 12 months ending August 20, 2026:
• Median detached sale price: $550,000
• Median detached tax bill on the Cook County side: $8,591
• Median detached tax bill on the Lake County side: $15,581

That doesn’t mean one side is “better.” The homes themselves are different too. The Lake County homes that sold were generally newer, larger, and more expensive.

But it does mean I wouldn’t shop for a Buffalo Grove home based on purchase price alone.

I’d look at the actual tax bill, exemptions, assessments if there’s an HOA, commute, and total monthly cost before deciding what really fits your budget.

That’s the part of Buffalo Grove I think people sometimes miss until they’re already looking at houses.

Want the full breakdown? I put together a complete guide to living in Buffalo Grove, including home prices, taxes, housing types, Metra, subdivisions, and what’s changing around town.

If you’ve seen a headline saying the median home price in Arlington Heights is about $476,000, there’s an important piec...
09/02/2026

If you’ve seen a headline saying the median home price in Arlington Heights is about $476,000, there’s an important piece of context missing.

That number blends two very different markets.

🏡 Houses sold at a median of $588,687 over the past year.

🏢 Condos and townhomes sold at a median of $261,000.

And houses are moving quickly. The median time to contract was just 8 days, with 51% selling above asking price.

That’s why I’m cautious about using one village-wide number to decide what a particular home is worth. Your property type, size, condition, age, and comparable sales matter much more.

Are you surprised by how different the detached and attached markets are in Arlington Heights?

Thinking about selling a home in Palatine?The process involves more than putting up a sign and waiting for offers. A Pal...
09/01/2026

Thinking about selling a home in Palatine?

The process involves more than putting up a sign and waiting for offers. A Palatine seller needs to price the home using truly comparable local sales, prepare it for the market, work through attorney review and inspection, schedule the final water meter reading, and understand how Cook County property taxes affect the closing statement.

A few Palatine-specific details are especially important:
• Palatine doesn’t charge a municipal real estate transfer tax.
• The Village asks for about one week’s notice for the final water meter reading.
• Some homes with Palatine mailing addresses are actually located in Rolling Meadows, which does charge a municipal transfer stamp.
• Cook County property taxes are paid a year behind, so sellers usually give the buyer a tax credit at closing.

Palatine is still a seller’s market, but pricing needs to reflect your home’s property type, condition, and location. Detached homes and attached homes are behaving differently, so a town-wide median doesn’t tell you what your particular home is worth.

What part of selling a home feels the most confusing to you?

Dog owners, this Arlington Heights park rule may surprise you.Dogs generally aren’t allowed in Arlington Heights Park Di...
08/26/2026

Dog owners, this Arlington Heights park rule may surprise you.

Dogs generally aren’t allowed in Arlington Heights Park District parks, including Lake Arlington, even when they’re on a leash.

A few nearby options include:
🐾 Walking the paved paths at Melas Park with your dog on a leash
🐾 Joining Canine Commons at Melas Park for off-leash play
🐾 Exploring the dog-friendly trails at Busse Woods with your dog leashed

When you’re choosing a neighborhood with a dog, it’s also worth looking beyond the yard. Sidewalks, traffic, safe street crossings, and nearby walking routes can shape your daily routine.

I put together a local guide to help Arlington Heights dog owners know where they can go and what to check before visiting.

Where’s your favorite place to walk your dog?

Palatine or Wheeling?They’re only about eight miles apart, but they offer two different versions of Northwest Suburban l...
08/25/2026

Palatine or Wheeling?

They’re only about eight miles apart, but they offer two different versions of Northwest Suburban life.

Palatine may feel like the better fit if you want a traditional downtown, frequent Metra service, community events, and easy access to trails and open space.

Wheeling may make more sense if you want your housing budget to go further, drive north toward Lake County for work, or love having a wide variety of restaurants close to home.

The simplest way to describe the difference is this:

Palatine is built around a downtown.

Wheeling is built around a corridor.

Neither community is better for everyone. The right choice depends on your budget, commute, housing needs, and what you’d like everyday life to feel like.

Which would you choose: a walkable downtown or more home for your money?

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1010 Rohlwing Road
Elk Grove Village, IL
60007

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