Shelley Berendt Realtor at The Real Estate Group Inc.

06/09/2026

Planning to buy your next home while selling your current one?

Do you sell, then buy? Buy, then sell? Or try to line up both closings around the same time?

This week, we’re breaking down the three main ways to make a move, so you can understand the options before you’re in the middle of them.

Read the full post here

Buying a new home while selling your current one is one of the most common and most complicated moves in real estate. Here's how to think through the options before you commit to a direction.

06/03/2026

Showings start TOMORROW 🏡 This well-cared-for 3-bed, 2-bath Westside duplex in Springfield offers easy one-level living and a practical layout that just works for everyday life.

Get an exclusive look: https://listing.deals/s/-3FJYENoY0

You'll love all that this home has to offer:
🛋️ Relax in the open living area while hosting friends
🍳 Prepare weeknight dinners in the updated kitchen
🌳 Grill on the deck while enjoying the fenced backyard

Close to shopping, dining, parks, and daily essentials. Stay tuned!

📍 3129 Turning Mill Dr ☀️ $239,900

06/02/2026

Pricing a home this summer takes a more current read than pricing one earlier in the spring.

Our latest post explains how to think through pricing before you list this summer, including what data matters most and how to avoid starting too high in a market where buyers are comparing carefully.

Read the full guide at the link below.

Pricing a home takes more than checking recent sales. Learn how active listings, price reductions, buyer search behavior, and current competition can help guide your list price.

05/26/2026

A smaller home can be wonderful to live in, but only if the space works with your everyday life.

If you’re living in a smaller home, thinking about downsizing, or trying to make your current space feel a little easier, this one’s for you.

Read our latest post for simple ideas that can make a small home feel brighter, lighter, and more comfortable. ⤵️

A smaller home doesn’t have to feel cramped. Use these practical small-space living tips to make your home feel bigger, brighter, and easier to live in.

05/19/2026

Selling a home you've owned for 15, 20, or 30 years involves decisions that most seller guides skip entirely. What do you do with decades of belongings before you list? Which original features need updating and which ones buyers will love? What happens with capital gains on a home you bought at a fraction of today's value?

We put together a practical guide for long-term homeowners covering exactly these questions, from sorting and prep to pricing, logistics, and what to think through before committing to a listing date.

If you're starting to think about what selling looks like after years in the same home, this one's for you. DM us the word SELLING and we'll send you the full blog post directly.

Selling a home you've lived in for 15 or 20 years involves decisions that most seller guides don't cover. Here's a practical look at what's different and how to approach it.

05/12/2026

If you're buying a home, you already know AI search tools are useful.

But they can't tell you what the seller needs from this deal, what your offer has to look like to win, or what the listing left out.

Check out our latest post to find out where that line is.

Comment SEARCH below and we'll send you the link.

AI tools have changed how buyers search for homes. Here's what they do well, what they can't tell you, and why 85% of buyers ranked their agent as their most useful resource in their search.

05/05/2026

The moment an offer is accepted, sellers often exhale and think the hard part is behind them.

In a lot of ways it is.

But the closing process is actually one of the most active stretches of a home sale.

There's document prep, a repair timeline to manage, response windows that affect the closing date, and a final walkthrough to coordinate. We put together the full breakdown on the blog.

Accepting an offer is just the beginning. Here's what sellers need to know about the closing process, from document prep and repairs to the final walkthrough and closing day itself.

05/04/2026

Just Listed ✨ This inviting 3-bed, 2-bath Springfield home blends 1908 charm with smart updates and tons of usable space.

More photos & details: https://listing.deals/s/-tmOGctmMd

You'll love all that this home has to offer:
🔑 Enjoying a rare main-floor primary bedroom with big closets
🔑 Cooking in the kitchen with shiplap accent wall and appliances
🔑 Using upstairs flex space for work, hobbies, or reading
🔑 Spreading out in the unfinished basement with laundry and workshop
🔑 Relaxing on the patio in the fenced yard with large storage shed

Pre-inspected and selling as-is, this one offers strong value with thoughtful details throughout.

📍700 S Englsih | $125,000

04/30/2026

Just Listed 🏡 Solid 4-bedroom, 2-bath brick home on Springfield’s north end with a practical layout and recent exterior improvements—priced with condition in mind.

More photos & details: https://listing.deals/s/WXmOJBnvoG

Here’s what stands out:

🔑 Natural light from the large picture window in the living room with hardwood floors on the main level

🔑 Functional kitchen with island, and all appliances stay

🔑 Two bedrooms and full bath on the main floor, plus two upstairs bedrooms with built-in storage

🔑 Upper level includes a full bath, new carpet and fixtures, plus a bonus room ready for your finishing touches

🔑 Window bench upstairs offers a simple reading or relaxing spot

🔑 Full basement with laundry, washer/dryer included, plus dehumidifier that helps keep it dry

🔑 Fenced yard, 1.5-car detached garage, and located just 4 blocks from Lincoln Park

Only a few blocks from Lincoln Park and close to everyday conveniences, this north-end home is pre-inspected and ready for you.

📍2020 Marland St. Springfield IL

$150,000

04/28/2026

A greener home comes down to a few specific things: where it's losing energy, how much water it's using, and whether the yard is working with your climate or against it.

We put together a guide to the spring improvements worth making, from air sealing and fixture upgrades to outdoor planting choices that reduce water use year-round.

Full breakdown on the blog.

You don't need a full renovation to make your home more sustainable. Here are practical, affordable ways to reduce waste and energy use, starting this spring.