Simply Comfortable Group

06/12/2026

One thing that truly sets us apart is our involvement with the neighbors and the community surrounding every home we sell. Before the rush of showings and open houses begins, we host a Preview Party, inviting neighbors and members of the community to get an early look at the home. Not only does this create excitement and generate buzz, but neighbors often know friends or family members looking to move into the area. It’s just one of the many ways we go above and beyond to maximize exposure for our sellers.

At The Simply Comfortable Group, we believe real estate is about more than just selling homes, it’s about building relationships and strengthening communities.

The Simply Comfortable Group
SCG.starckre.com
Aaron Pluda • Jessica Pluda • Justin Lowery

06/03/2026

🌞 WHAT’S UP WEDNESDAY! 🌞

Looking for something fun to do around the Northwest Suburbs this week? Here are a few events worth checking out:

🍷 Rosemont Uncorked
📍 Parkway Bank Park, Rosemont
🗓️ June 6-7
Illinois wineries, live music, food vendors, and wine tastings all weekend long. Saturday runs Noon-7 PM and Sunday Noon-5 PM. This is one of the biggest wine events in the suburbs each summer.

🍤 Chicago Shrimp Festival
📍 Navy Pier, Chicago
🗓️ June 6-7
If you’re a seafood lover, this one is for you! Shrimp, seafood vendors, live entertainment, and plenty of waterfront views.

🎸 Sounds of Summer Concert Series
📍 Fred P. Hall Amphitheater, Palatine
🗓️ Friday Evening
Grab a lawn chair and enjoy a free outdoor concert with friends and family.

🥕 Palatine Farmers Market
📍 Downtown Palatine Metra Station
🗓️ Saturday | 7 AM - 1 PM
Fresh produce, baked goods, flowers, coffee, and local small businesses.

⚾ Schaumburg Boomers Baseball
📍 Wintrust Field, Schaumburg
Affordable family fun, ballpark food, and a great way to spend a summer evening.

🚗 Barrington Cruise Night
📍 Downtown Barrington
Classic cars, restaurants, shopping, and one of the best downtown atmospheres in the Northwest suburbs.

☀️ Whether you’re sipping wine in Rosemont, enjoying seafood by the lake, or catching a concert in Palatine, there’s plenty happening this weekend!

05/27/2026

What’s Up Wednesday 🌤️

Palatine

* 🥬 Palatine Farmers Market — Saturdays from 7AM–1PM at the Palatine Metra Station parking lot. Fresh produce, coffee, baked goods, flowers, and local vendors every week.
* 🎶 Downtown Patio & Live Music Nights are starting to ramp up around the downtown restaurants and bars with summer weather finally here.

Arlington Heights

* 🌽 Arlington Heights Farmers Market — Saturdays from 8AM–12PM at Vail & Fremont with live music, hot food, and family activities.
* 🍽️ Arlington Alfresco is back downtown through September with outdoor dining all over downtown Arlington Heights.

Schaumburg

* 🎨 Prairie Arts Festival at the Al Larson Prairie Center featured over 100 artists, food trucks, live entertainment, and kids activities this past weekend and continues to be one of the biggest local summer kickoff events.
* 🎻 The festival also featured live performances and entertainment throughout the weekend including local musicians and art showcases.

Barrington

* 🏃 Land We Love Run registration is open for the upcoming June 28th event in Barrington Hills featuring a 5K, 10K, and 2-mile walk.
* 🍷 Downtown Barrington patios and restaurant scene have been BUSY with the warm weather finally sticking around.

Hoffman Estates

* ⚽ Summer park district programs and youth sports leagues are officially kicking off throughout the village this week.
* 🎬 Outdoor movie nights and community summer programming are starting to get announced heading into June.

Des Plaines / Mount Prospect

* ⛳ Golf courses and forest preserve trails have been PACKED with the weather finally turning around.
* 🎶 Local summer concert and community event schedules are beginning to roll out across both suburbs heading into June.

The suburbs are officially waking back up for summer ☀️

If you’re thinking about making a move before school starts or just curious what your home is worth in today’s market, let’s connect 📲

05/26/2026

🚨 HOUSE HUNT UPDATE: Buyers are STILL fighting over good homes 👀

Inventory is staying tight in several Chicago suburbs and that usually means one thing:

💰 Homeowners may be sitting on more equity than they realize.

Here’s what active inventory looks like right now:

📍 Arlington Heights: 38
📍 Palatine: 40
📍 Rolling Meadows: 9 😳
📍 Mount Prospect: 29
📍 Buffalo Grove: 25
📍 Des Plaines: 43
📍 Barrington: 86
📍 Lake Zurich: 13

When inventory stays low, serious buyers have fewer options… which can create major opportunities for sellers.

A lot of homeowners are waiting for the “perfect time” to sell while buyers are actively searching RIGHT NOW.

Curious what your home could realistically sell for in today’s market?

🏡 Get your free home value estimate here:

https://scg.starckre.com/seller/valuation/

Or drop your suburb below and we’ll pull the latest numbers for your area 👇

Instant, easy, automated home price estimate.

05/21/2026

Noticing fewer listings on Zillow lately? Here’s why 👇

MRED — the MLS system that powers listing data throughout the Chicago suburbs — recently made changes impacting how listings are displayed on Zillow after concerns involving Zillow’s handling of listing display and syndication agreements.

A lot of people don’t realize this, but Zillow is NOT the actual source of the listings. Local MLS systems like MRED are.

When there are disputes or changes involving data feeds between MLS systems and third-party platforms, it can affect:
• which homes appear online
• how quickly listings update
• status accuracy
• price change timing
• whether contingent/pending homes still appear active

That’s why some buyers are suddenly noticing:
🏡 fewer available homes
⏰ delayed updates
📉 inaccurate statuses
❌ homes disappearing or appearing late

For serious buyers, this is why working directly with a local agent — and using a direct MLS-connected home search — matters.

Our team has direct MLS access, which means our clients see the most accurate and up-to-date inventory available in real time.

If you want to browse homes directly from the MLS, you can search here 👇

https://scg.starckre.com/

If you’d like custom alerts set up for specific suburbs, school districts, price points, or coming soon homes, send us a message and we’ll get everything tailored for you

Palatine IL Real Estate & Homes for Sale | The Simply Comfortable Group

05/20/2026

🚨 WHAT’S UP WEDNESDAY 🚨

📍 DES PLAINES
🎶 Catch a live show at Des Plaines Theatre — concerts, tribute bands, comedy shows and the hidden Bourbon & Brass speakeasy upstairs make this one of the coolest spots in the suburbs right now.
🍺 After work drinks? Fibs Brewing is always a great midweek stop with outdoor seating and local craft beer.
🍽️ Looking for date night? The Foxtail on the Lake has one of the best patio/lake vibes around.

📍 ARLINGTON HEIGHTS
🎤 Downtown Arlington Heights is packed once the weather warms up — live music, patios, outdoor dining, and late-night spots all over the area.
🍹 Arlington Alfresco season is getting rolling again and the downtown energy is honestly hard to beat this time of year.

📍 PALATINE
🌽 Farmers market season is back and local community events are starting to fill the calendar heading into summer.
☀️ Downtown Palatine restaurants and patios are finally getting busy again after the long winter stretch.

📍 SCHAUMBURG
⚾ Schaumburg Boomers games are back at Wintrust Field and always make for a fun cheap summer night.
🛍️ Woodfield area is packed right now with shopping, restaurants, rooftop spots, and summer events popping up every weekend.

📍 MOUNT PROSPECT
🌽 Stop by Lions Farmer’s Market for fresh produce, baked goods, flowers and all the local summer staples.
🍔 Randhurst area has been getting BUSY again with outdoor dining and evening crowds finally back out.

📍 BARRINGTON / LAKE ZURICH
🌊 The Lake Zurich Water Lantern Festival has been one of the bigger local events people are talking about lately.
🍫 Long Grove Chocolate Festival season is also here and always draws huge crowds from all over the suburbs.

📍 ELK GROVE VILLAGE
🍺 Craft beer fans — Mikerphone Brewing is one of the better brewery spots in the northwest suburbs and perfect patio weather is finally here.

Summer in the suburbs is officially starting to feel REAL again ☀️
Drop your suburb below and I’ll tell you what’s coming up near you 👇

05/16/2026

🏡 JUST SOLD IN GLENDALE HEIGHTS! 🔑

My buyer officially closed on 1470 Elizabeth St and we negotiated a $10,000 credit in the process

A lot of buyers think they have zero leverage in this market, but strategy and negotiation still matter. The right Realtor can make a HUGE difference. Always a pleasure working with George V Kalantzis as the attorney.

If you’ve been struggling to win offers or wondering if buying is still possible, let’s talk. There are still opportunities out there.

Justin Lowery
Berkshire Hathaway Starck
Simply Comfortable Group
224.241.4953
[email protected]
Simply Comfortable Group

05/16/2026

Feature Friday 🏡🙌🏻

Today we’re highlighting 2002 Hawk Court in Rolling Meadows — a beautifully renovated home tucked away on a private cul-de-sac.

✅ 4 bedrooms
✅ 2.5 baths
✅ 1,942 sq ft
✅ 3-car garage
✅ Listed at $550,000

This one has the space, updates, and location buyers are looking for.

Want a private showing? Send us a message and let’s get you inside.

05/13/2026

🌽🥕 WHAT’S UP WEDNESDAY — FARMERS MARKET EDITION 🌻🍓

The weather’s warming up and farmers market season is officially BACK around the Chicago suburbs! Here are a few local favorites to check out this spring and summer 👇

🛍️ Palatine Farmers Market
📍 Palatine Train Station
🗓️ Saturdays | 7AM–1PM | May–October

🛍️ Arlington Heights Farmers Market
📍 Vail Ave & Fremont St
🗓️ Saturdays | 8AM–12PM | Starts May 16

🛍️ Schaumburg Farmers Market
📍 Trickster Cultural Center Parking Lot
🗓️ Fridays | 7AM–1PM | Starts June 5

🛍️ Buffalo Grove Farmers Market
📍 Mike Rylko Community Park
🗓️ Sundays | 8AM–12:30PM | Starts June 14

🛍️ Lake Zurich Farmers Market
📍 Paulus Park
🗓️ Fridays | 3PM–7PM | Starts June 5

Fresh produce, baked goods, coffee, flowers, local honey, homemade salsa… honestly one of the best ways to spend a weekend morning ☀️

Which farmers market is your go-to? 👇

05/12/2026

🚨 HOUSE HUNT UPDATE: Buyers are STILL fighting over good homes 👀

Inventory is staying tight in several Chicago suburbs and that usually means one thing:

💰 Homeowners may be sitting on more equity than they realize.

Here’s what active inventory looks like right now:

📍 Arlington Heights: 72
📍 Palatine: 50
📍 Rolling Meadows: 10 😳
📍 Mount Prospect: 41
📍 Buffalo Grove: 32
📍 Des Plaines: 52
📍 Barrington: 115
📍 Lake Zurich: 29

When inventory stays low, serious buyers have fewer options… which can create major opportunities for sellers.

A lot of homeowners are waiting for the “perfect time” to sell while buyers are actively searching RIGHT NOW.

Curious what your home could realistically sell for in today’s market?
🏡 Get your free home value estimate here:
https://scg.starckre.com/seller/valuation/

Or drop your suburb below and we’ll pull the latest numbers for your area 👇

Instant, easy, automated home price estimate.