Happy Thanksgiving, so grateful for your help and support!

It’s that time of the year again,
Thanksgiving’s upon us in a couple of days!

I'm so thankful and grateful to all of you that have helped and supported me this year and  helped me grow my business and made my life truly as wonderful and blessed as it is!

This is a time I want especially thank you! Every day I thank my friends, my family for all the blessings that I have, but I'm especially grateful to you as my clients because without your support and help I wouldn't be where I am today.

I appreciate you working with me throughout this year in buying and selling homes! It truly has helped to make my life so special and I'm so appreciative and thankful for all you’ve done to contribute to my life.

I hope you have a wonderful thanksgiving with your friends and family, and I especially look forward to seeing you soon!

Have a wonderful and grateful Thanksgiving!

On your team,

Diana Matichyn

Real Estate Professional

WHY SHOULD EVERY HOMEOWNER CONSIDER SELLING THEIR HOME IN WINTER

That’s right.WINTER. We know it’s end of November, but just like the squirrels – it’s important to be prepared as winter sets in. If you are a homeowner thinking of selling next year, it’s time to get the snowball rolling. 

As a home seller, you want the least amount of competition. This means you need to start gathering your proverbial acorns now. Don’t be put-off by selling in the ‘off’ months of the holidays and winter. 

There are serious buyers out there who are tired of waiting – and they’re not likely to pass up the opportunity to buy your home because of the season. 

1. Less competition means you may sell your home faster and for more money. While everyone else is waiting out winter, you’ll have the pick of interested home buyers. 

2. Winter weather doesn’t stop buyers from looking online. Today’s buyers are educated and they know what they’re looking for. 

3. Home buyers aren't going to open houses in negative temps for fun. If they’re suiting up with hats, gloves boots and scarves, they mean business. 

4. You can lock in an interest rate in the 4’s that is still historically low - Freddie Mac expects the average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage to reach 5% by the end of 2015. 

5. Employees who are relocating to your area don’t have time to wait. This makes for an uber-motivated buyer – they want to get moving so they can get back to work. 

6. Homes with a few tasteful decorations can show well in the winter. And doesn’t everyone appreciate fresh flowers in winter just a little bit more? 

7. It’s a chance to show off your home’s winter assets – cozy fireplace, non-drafty windows, newer insulation, and efficient home heating. Buyers will see more value for these great upgrades when it’s cold! 

8. Employees get more time off during the holiday season and have more time for showings. In general, life slows down in the winter, and people have time to plan their home buying strategy. 

9. Loans can be processed quicker because title companies aren't as busy. 

10. The sooner you put the wheels in motion the sooner you can sell and move on with your life!

Is Your Home Ready For Fall and Winter?

Is Your Home Ready For Fall and Winter?

It's already October and it got me thinking about all the things I need to do around the house to get ready before the cold weather settles in. 

Take advantage of these final bouts of warm weather before they’re gone and prepare your house for the upcoming winter months by banging out the following tasks around the house.

1. Keep the outside air out and the inside air in

It is hugely important for your energy savings to ensure there are no air leaks in your home. Warm air will escape out of any cracks and can make your heating system work harder and cost you more to heat your home.  Use caulk to seal cracks and openings between stationary house components like a door frame and weatherstripping to seal components that move like an operable window.

2. Check the heating system.

Do a survey of your home’s heating vents to make sure they’re not blocked or covered by furniture, carpeting, or curtains. Dust vents and clean all filters. Make an appointment for an annual heating system check-up.

3. Clean the fireplace and chimney. You can clear out ash and charred wood from the fireplace yourself, but leave the chimney cleaning to a professional. Have the chimney cleaner check the damper to ensure it can be tightly closed to prevent drafts. 

4. Clear out the gutters. 

Remove leaves and other debris from your drainpipe and gutters to prevent clogging. In areas with cold winters, outdoor faucets should be drained in the fall.

5. Store air conditioners. If you have removable window air conditioners, be sure to unplug them before taking them down. Dust and clean before covering or storing.

6. Check for drafts. Stay warm, save energy, and reduce your heating bills this fall by examining windows and doors for cracks and sealing them to prevent drafts.

7. Put up storm windows. If you have removable screens, now’s the time to clean, store, and replace them with storm windows.

8. Ready the water heater. Prepare for cooler weather by draining the water heater and clearing out any debris that has settled in the tank.

Colder weather is on its way, and using these tips will help you stay warm and cozy, while saving energy and money in your home. Stay tuned for more Useful Tips For Your Home!

Truly Yours,
Diana Matichyn
Realtor, Real Estate Professional
Coldwell Banker Residential

Does your home feel like an empty nest? Is it time to downsize?

Does your home feel like an empty nest?
Is it time to sell your home? 

I understand how you feel, with kids gone to college/ work there is so much free space in the house, and considering that the taxes are always going up, you might be thinking that maybe it's time to downsize.

Many think, that spring is the only time to get your home sold for the top dollar, and while spring is indeed a great time to sell, here in Chicagoland we have another strong market in the fall.

Buyers who didn't get a chance to pick a home in spring and summer, are now more motivated than ever to move in before the snow hits, and that means, my friends, a great negotiation power for the homesellers!

I have been very successful working with empty nesters, and getting them the top dollar for their homes in a 1 month period. And I would love to help every homeowner to reach their goals, sell their home for the most amount of money possible and get them moving to a smaller ranch home, or, as the trend goes, get them happily moving to the warmer states.

If you, or anyone you know are thinking of selling, I would love to do my homework and give the most current estimated value of your home. It is commitment free!

I would love to share everything I have to offer with you, dear home owner to get your home sold for the most amount of money possible, least amount of time.

To get your personalized home evaluation, please contact me via:
     *Phone 224.836.1073   
     *Email dianayourrealtorforlife@gmail.com or
     *Visit http://www.chicagosuburbshomes4sale.com/sell

To get started, first I will provide you with a PERSONALIZED market analysis for your home. 
It's commitment free, and it is much much MUCH more accurate then the generic report you will get from websites like Trulia or Zillow. 
I actually look up the pictures, finishes, updates, square footage and more, then email you the results.

Also, I create a personalized MARKETING PLAN for each listing I get, which will explain you how I do my job and how I will be able to get your home sold for the TOP DOLLAR!

WHY SHOULD I HIRE YOU? What can you do different from other Realtors?

A question I'm sure all homeowners are asking themselves when interviewing real estate agents to sell their home.

The world is full of people who sell real estate. Some of them are smart, efficient, focused, versatile and willing to go the extra mile. And some of them aren’t. 

So how do you find the right agent for the job of selling your home?

There are things you can do to pull back the curtain and accurately assess a real estate agent's potential success with your home.

If I you go to any other website to get an advice, they will tell you "experience is everything" and will list it on the top priority list. And while I do agree that experience is important, what I've learned in my career, is that you, as a homeowner may get a bad service starting from brand new agents to agents who have 20 years of experience or more. 
(Just came back today from a listing presentation on a home, that was being "marketed" by an agent with almost 20 years of experience. For the entire listing period, the property had only 1 showing, and the listing was cancelled after 2months)

It really doesn't matter how many years of experience the agent you are interviewing has, the important thing to look for in the agent is how enthusiastic, motivated, honest, responsible he or she is, if you don't see those qualities in your agent, chances are they will probably just put your property on MLS and you won't hear back from them until your contract ends.

The absolute most important thing in choosing your agent is it has to be somebody who cares about your home, as if it was their own. 

You want someone that will pay attention to the market activity of your property, because every day spent on the market is a lost day, the longer your property sits on the market, the further you are moving away from a top dollar sold price. 

Don't let the market time kill you!

Here are some more tips on how you should choose your Realtor:

1. Complete understanding of how to price homes.

          How will your Realtor price your home?

Your home is only worth what a buyer in the current market is willing to pay. In other words, fair market value.

Simply put, the fair market value of a house is the highest price an informed buyer will pay, assuming there is no unusual pressure to complete the purchase. It is usually not the asking price.

The job of your real estate agent is to let you know what is the most current estimated value of your home. Even if you do price it higher, it’s your realtor who should be aware of all the activity going on for your property and advise you what should be done next.

You will know if your home is priced right by the number of showings.

Simple math:

No showings + no activity + no offer = priced too high, needs to be adjusted 

Many showings + no offer = high price, needs to be adjusted

10-15 Showings + offer = priced well

3. Tech savviness

Years of newspaper and magazine advertisements are gone!

Since 2003 there was a dramatic shift in terms of how people are looking for homes. 
2003 was the first year where 

Internet surpassed newspaper and since then, print magazines and newspapers shrunk to nearly nothing.
That's why the heavy emphasis of my marketing is on the internet. 

7. Timely Response

Nothing is worse than the Real Estate Agent securing your listing and then you never hear from him or her again. You should expect some type of regularity in communicating with your agent.

The way I do business is my sellers and I are on the same team. The Winning Team, if you will. I get in touch with my clients at least once a weak, send them weekly market report for their listing, showing activity and feedback report we've got from the showings. 

This way my clients are always in the loop, and they rest assured their property has a great activity in the marketplace.

Whether you’re planning to buy or sell property this summer, you may want to work with a real estate agent who will guide you through the process. While you may have a neighbor or cousin who works in real estate, it’s a good idea to interview potential agents to ensure the best fit for your needs, since it’s hardly a one-size-fits-all proposition. 

If you’re in need of a Real Estate Agent in Chicago Suburbs, or in the city go ahead and call, email or text me, as I have all these traits ready to put to work for you! 

If you’re not here in Chicagoland and are looking for a trusted, skilled Real Estate Agent, just call me and I can refer you to one of my associates. 

Now let’s get your home sold!

Truly Yours,

Diana Matichyn

Real Estate Professional, Realtor at 

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage

Get your home sold in 30 DAYS or less for the top dollar!

Are you looking to sell your home?

Would you like to get the highest return on your real estate investment?

The perfect time to sell is NOW when buyers are ready to make a decision and get a new home before the weather gets cold.

I have a proven record of selling homes average 30 DAYS on the market OR LESS for the top dollar in the market!

You ask how? 
Relentless focus, determination, tech savvyness, knowledge of the market, immediate follow up with buyer leads and much much more!

The home below, 725 Thames Drive in Schaumburg I sold in 40 days, for the record price!!! 

I would absolutely love to go over my marketing game plan with you and discuss how I will get your home sold for the top dollar!

I would love to share everything I have to offer with you, dear home owner to get your home sold for the most amount of money possible, least amount of time.

To get started, first I will provide you with a PERSONALIZED market analysis for your home. 
It's commitment free, and it is much much MUCH more accurate then the generic report you will get from websites like Trulia or Zillow. 
I actually look up the pictures, finishes, updates, square footage and more, then email you the results.

Also, I create a personalized MARKETING PLAN for each listing I get, which will explain you how I do my job and how I will be able to get your home sold for the TOP DOLLAR!

To get your personalized home evaluation, please contact me via:
     *Phone 224.836.1073   
     *Email dianayourrealtorforlife@gmail.com or
     *Visit http://www.chicagosuburbshomes4sale.com/sell

I do have a proven system available to help me find buyers and realtors who work with buyers in a  price range of your home, almost in any neighborhood here in Chicago Suburbs and the city itself.

I am absolutely sure I will get your  home sold  for the TOP DOLLAR and get you to be my happy past client in 30 DAYS or less!

Talk to you soon,
Diana Matichyn,
Real Estate Professional
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage

Homes Are Selling Like It’s 2006, Says Realtor.com

What a month!
Here in Northwest Chicago suburbs the real estate market is great! we started out with very low inventory in spring, which bode well for purchase activity this year, according to Fannie Mae’s June 2015 National Housing Survey.
Now the sellers are feeling more upbeat and thanks to  increased job and income growth, more homeowners are considering to sell their homes this year, instead of waiting. This could help reverse the low inventory. 

For the fifth consecutive month, the number of houses under contract are up—and it’s the most activity we’ve seen since the height of the housing boom, the National Association of Realtors® reported.

NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index for May, an indicator based on contract signings for existing single-family homes, condos, and co-ops, increased 0.9% over April to 112.6. That’s 10% higher than last year, and the highest level of activity since April 2006, when the index was 113.7.

Let's compare a couple towns here in Northwest Suburbs of Chicago for June 2015

PALATINE, IL 

The average Days On Market(DOM) shows how many days the average Property is on the Market before it sells.
The market time has dropped substantially to 33 days on the market. That is really great news!
The DOM (Days On Market) for June was down -47.6% from 63 days last month (market accelerating).

An upward trend in DOM tends to indicate a move towards more of a Buyer's market, a downward trend a move towards more of a Seller's market.


And here is the report I did for detached single family homes.
The Average Sales Price in June was $372,489, up 5.7% from $352,568 in June of 2014 and up 5.0% from $354,897 last month. June 2015 ASP was at highest level compared to June of 2014 and 2013.

BARRINGTON, IL 

The market time is a little longer, but mainly because of the price point.
Because of the home values, there are less buyers shopping for the price range in Barrington, but it doesn't mean the market is slow there, not at all!

The DOM for June was 65, down -35.6% from 101 days last month. The June 2015 DOM was at a mid range compared with June of 2014 and 2013.

Together, these results point to a healthier home purchase market, with more renters likely to find owning to be more cost-effective than renting and more sellers likely to put their homes on the market,” says Doug Duncan, senior vice president and chief economist at Fannie Mae.

Are you thinking of selling your home?

Are you looking to get the most amount of money for your real estate in the least amount of time?
Excellent!
If you would like to receive the most current estimated value of your home, just email me and I will do a homework on your home.

Also, to make sure you are taking the right decision when listing, I would love to meet up to see your home and discuss what I can bring to the table to get your home sold in 30 days or less, that is different from other agents. Contact me NOW!

You will find that I work very hard for my Sellers and my many customers will confirm this to you.

I value my clients and the trust that they have in me to get their home sold. I’ve always been a committed customer advocate throughout my entire business career and your voice of satisfaction after the closing of your home sale is the greatest gift I can ever receive in my Real Estate business. You will always know that I will deliver on my Real Estate promises; if I said it, rest assure I’ll deliver.

Thank you,
Your Realtor, Diana Matichyn

What a nice place to call home!

What a nice place to call home!

This beautiful and unique Cape Cod home is located in Covered Bridge subdivision.  Whether you want a large private yard, a spacious master suite or a huge recreational room in the basement, you will find it all here!

At the door you are presented with a stunning foyer, cathedral ceilings, family friendly floor plan that unfolds to a distinguished living room, which opens up to a gorgeous dining room with large bay windows overlooking the beautiful lot.

This home is so charming, warm and inviting! With its tremendous curb appeal and convenient location, you will feel right at home!

Here's the virtual tour of the home!

Crystal Lake is truly a great place to live and work and it's also a great place to play! One of Crystal Lake's greatest attractions is its public parks system. This includes over 1,600 acres of parks and open space as well as 230-acre Crystal Lake for fishing, boating, swimming, skating in the winter...it's truly year-round fun! The Crystal Lake Park District sponsors many of the recreational programs held throughout the City and maintains much of the open space. 

Home Seller's Guide. What Should You Do First?

Decided that now it's time to sell your home and find yourself a new one?
 Congrats! 
It's so exciting although might be a little overwhelming, but that's why we, real estate professionals are here for!
 I am here to assist you and make the selling of your home a very smooth enjoyable process :)

When selling your home, remember that price and condition are the two most important factors.  
Buyers prefer a home that is in move-in condition and will pay top dollar for it.  It is important to be sure your home is in superior condition before listing it.  

The first step is look at your home with buyer's eyes. Go through the house and ask yourself the questions the buyers will ask:
 - Is the house structurally sound?
 - Do the mechanicals and appliances work?
 - Does anything need to be repaired of replaced?

Take notes and pictures of everything that you notice wrong with the house, then make a list of the repairs and updates you are wiling to spend your time and money on. 
Any obvious cosmetic defects that could deter a buyer should be your priority number one! 
This will help reduce the risk of buyers trying to renegotiate the price due to repairs or problems that may arise from a private inspection done prior to closing.

Having your property in top condition will attract more buyers to your home, giving your property more value, which will help to sell your home faster for the top price.

• What is the very first thing buyers see when they get to a house? When a Realtor is getting the key out of the lockbox, what are buyers starring at? THE FRONT DOOR! To me, this is the first thing that should be taken care of. Either re-painted, re-finished or replaced. 

• Make sure that the doorbell works.

• Also, don't forget about your home's curb appeal. Place some plants by the door and plant a couple annual flowers where the buyers can see them.

• Clean the windows and make sure the paint is not chipped or flaking.  

• Clean and freshen up rooms, furnishings, floors, walls and ceilings. Make sure that bathrooms and kitchens are spotless.

• Organize closets, try to take as many things out of them as possible, it will make them look more spacious to the prospective buyers.

• Providing a feeling of openness in a home can be accomplished quite easily and allows the house to appear larger. Open areas free of clutter are very important in showing a home.

• Eliminate the source of any bad smells, such as the kitty box. Use plug in air fresheners or even better candles each time you are having an open house or a showing. Also, Invest in a couple of vases of fresh flowers to place around the house and next to any information about the house you have prepared for buyers.

Selling a home can be a lot of work, but with all your efforts, they can pay off quickly and with a larger sum of money.

What if Your House is Overpriced? Here are some tips how to figure that out!

Spring is here, and now that the snow melt down you may have started thinking about putting your house on the market.
You have a lovely home, probably have lived there for many years, put a lot of effort and time into it, and updated it. So it probably makes sense to price it accordingly.

Then the question is: do you want to price your house aggressively and possibly get multiple offers, that will raise the price of the house, or do you want your property to sit on the market for a year or so until someone decides to buy it, and also because the house is on the market for long, the offer will be nowhere close to the asking price.

Whatever is the answer, the fact is that whether it's a buyer's market or a seller's market, all homebuyers have one thing in common: they don't want to get ripped off.

 You the Seller might think "We can always come down on our price"

Have you been shown the history of an overpriced home that eventually sold? It goes from overpriced, to market value, and then down to a SOLD price that is under market value.

Or "There will be no room left to negotiate the asking price, I will be taking a loss!"

Some home sellers are afraid to price their houses aggressively, because they don't want to leave any money on the table, and also, because later on when it gets to negotiating an offer, they are thinking that there will be no room left to negotiate the asking price.

But a Real Estate Agent has no control over the market, by only doing their marketing plan.
If buyers don't see the value of the house in the asking price, they will usually not even bother putting an offer. So don't waste your time worrying about a low offer some time in the future, when you are deciding on your house price, because first, the customers who shop online must pay attention to your house, like what they get for the price, then go check it out on a private showing and then you would have to think about closing etc.

Or maybe you are just thinking "We could try it for a couple of weeks?"

A BAD mistake, thinking you can go back in time! You're overpricing your home during the period when your best buyers show up, then lowering it after they're gone. It's like having a dinner party on Saturday and having the caterers come on Monday.
The first month of your listing period is the most crucial because that's when your buyers will come with their highest and best offer.

So by pricing your property right at the market value you actually create more interest and more activity for your house, especially online - where all the buyers nowadays start looking for houses.

There are couple ways to know if the price you have on your mind, might not be the same as what the real estate market is offering for your house right now:

1.  Meet with your local real estate professional.
The best way to get a quick estimate and also some tips on how to prepare your house to go out on the market contact your local real estate agent.
I work in Illinois, everywhere in Chicagoland area, but focusing on Barrington, Palatine, Lake Zurich & surroundings. So if you somewhere around these towns, give me a call and I will gladly do an estimate on your home and help you figure out how it should be positioned on the market.



2. Check what your neighbor's houses sold for.
A great way to get a general idea of what is the average price range in your subdivision, but keep in mind that every house is unique, starting with its location, so neighbor's house might not always be the best comparable for your property.





3. Very low activity
Depending on different areas, but if your home is already listed, and there is no activity on it, meaning you barely get any showings, although on internet you see that people are still checking out your house, that would be another indicator that the price of your property is likely to be high above market value.




Hope this article was helpful for you, and wish you good luck in the home selling process!

Wishing you the best,

Diana Matichyn