Gene's Bit of Blogging
Staging your Home
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Guest Blogger - LaNita Cates, Re/Max Realty of Joliet, IL: Posted on Thursday, May 10, 2012 10:52 AM
Buyers Decide Within 8 Seconds Whether They Are
Interested In a Home
I am a huge fan of Real Estate Agent and Mogul Barbara Corcoran. Barbara is a Real Estate Contributor on NBC's Today show and the wonderful addition to ABC's Shark Tank.
 Per Barbara:
"BUYERS DECIDE WITHIN 8 SECONDS WHETHER THEY ARE INTERESTED IN YOUR HOME."
I'm not surprised by this at all. It's the first impression when
walking in and hearing, "Wow, this is cute" - or - "Ugh, what is that smell?" Pretty much sums of the next few minutes of the tour of that home.
I always tell my buyers that they will know when they walk in if this
is their home or not. If they aren't feeling it within the first 10
seconds, let's move on. They never believe me... AT FIRST. But usually
by the 4th house, they agree that they know pretty much immediately if
they are interested or not when walking in the door.
So buyers pretty much know. Sellers - remember that! That first
impression (or at least the first 8 seconds) can decide whether the
buyer is interested in your home!
* LaNita
Cates of REMAX Realty of Joliet has been serving the Joliet,
Plainfield, Naperville, Crest Hill, Bolingbrook, Shorewood and
surrounding areas, helping buyers and sellers with all their real estate
needs.
Call or Contact: LaNita Cates REMAX Realty of Joliet today ...
Office: 221 Springfield Ave., Joliet, IL 60435 Office Phone: 815-609-0887
Office Fax: 815-364-1267 Cell: 630-341-1545 |
Buying a Home, Real Estate, Real Estate Advice, Will County, Agents and Brokers, Home Improvements and Curb Appeal, Maintenance and Upkeep of Your Home, Selling Your Home, Staging your Home, Remodeling, Real Estate Professionals, Home Maintenance & Repair, Home Buyers, home buying, Deciding Which Home is Best to Buy, Home Staging, Realtors, Preparing your home for sale
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Gene Mundt, Mortgage Lender - The Federal Savings Bank: Posted on Thursday, April 19, 2012 4:55 PM
Celebrate America's Beautiful Trees! Arbor Day Celebrations in Chicagoland
Did you know that trees are not only beautiful, they’re hard
working too??
Here’s just a small list of the many tasks that trees
accomplish for us each and every day:
- · Trees
renew our air supply by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen
- · One tree
produces nearly 260 pounds of oxygen each year
- · Trees
lower air temperature by evaporating water in their leaves. Shade trees can make buildings up to 20
degrees cooler in the summer.
- · A mature
oak tree can provide support for over 460 different species of insects, birds
and mammals in shelters and hollows, as well as fruit, flowers and foliage that
attract a huge variety of birds and insects.
- · Tree
roots stabilize soil and prevent erosion
- · The
amount of oxygen produced by an acre of trees per year equals the amount
consumed by 18 people annually
Not bad, huh?
So is it any wonder
that each year we set aside a day to celebrate the beauty, hard work, and
enhancements to our lives that trees afford us?
 Arbor Day in the U.S., is celebrated on the last Friday in
April each and every year. This year, many
cities and towns in Chicagoland are once again hosting Arbor Day festivities hoping to create renewed
love and awareness for trees … and also promote the planting of new trees
within their boundaries.
Some of the towns
taking part in this year’s Arbor Day festivities are:
Activities will
include a “tree tagging” event. The Glenbard East HS Ecology Club will be
working along with professional arborists and foresters from the Morton Arboretum to
identify and gather data regarding the trees located in the parkways near the
school. Each tree’s tag will show the
monetary value of the tree entered into the National Tree Benefits Calculator.
City of Crest
Hill:
Both residents and nonprofit organizations are invited to take
part in this year’s “50/50 Tree Program”,
sponsored through the City ... and held in conjunction with Arbor Day.
Only one (1) tree
per household is allowed. Anyone
receiving a tree through last year’s “50/50 Tree Program”, will not be eligible
for participation this year. Funds are
limited for this Program. If interest is
high, early applicants will be given first consideration. The goal set by the City is for 5 trees to be
newly planted within each of its 4 wards.
To download an
application for the City of Crest Hill’s “50/50 Tree Program”, go to:
 All trees must be
planted by the landscaper working in partnership with the City of Crest Hill, “The
Fields on Caton Farm”. For further info,
call the City of Crest Hill at: 815.741.5100.
A variety of trees
will be available at big savings, including:
Ornamental Pear, Magnolia, Redbud, various Maples, Crabapples, and
more. Prices and further info regarding
the trees are available at:
Trees can be
purchased by check or cash and removed from the Center by Noon. Naperville Public Works employees will be in
attendance to help residents load trees.
(No commercial sales are allowed).
An expert from the Morton Arboretum will
be in attendance at this event to assist residents with their questions and
offer planting advice. The City of
Naperville will be offering a copy of its informative tree booklet: The “Trees of Naperville - Tree
Selection and Planting Guide”, which can also be found and/or downloaded on the
City’s website.
Should you need
further info regarding this sale, please call 630.420.6095.
Arbor Day is being
celebrated in St. Charles this year on Friday, April 27th, at
Lincoln Park on Main Street, between 4th and 5th Streets. There will be live music, a tree raffle,
tree care demonstrations and more. Arbor Day festivities begin at 4 pm. The
artwork and photos of the participants and winners of the coloring and photography
contest will be on display.
In Illinois alone,
there are 186 Tree City USA
communities. Many are hosting their own
Arbor Day festivities. Think about
attending a celebration taking place near you … or go to The Arbor Day Foundation website and make a donation to help them
plant, nurture, and celebrate trees in your community and across the U.S.
* Looking for a new home to plant those Arbor Day trees? I can help you with your financing ... whether in Will County, Chicagoland, or across the U.S. Contact me today. I'll put my 35 years of experience and expertise to work on your behalf. You'll be planting your new Arbor Day trees in no time! I can be found at any of the following: Direct: 815.277.4036 Cell/Text: 708.921.6331 At Your Convenience on Skype: 630.219.1316
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Chicagoland, Localism Posts, Announcements and News, Chicagoland Activities, Staging your Home, Calendar of Chicagoland Events, Naperville, Community Info, Family Activities, Special Events, St. Charles, IL, Home Ownership, Holiday Events, Crest Hill, IL, Shopping, Charitable/Community Organizations, Arbor Day, Lombard, IL
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Gene Mundt, Mortgage Lender: Posted on Friday, March 09, 2012 5:37 PM
Is that the smell of sweet success in your home ... Or ???
I'm an advocate of staging services when selling homes. I think, especially in the present challenging housing market, that sellers often-times need every advantage possible to gain the sale they seek.
I'm also the husband to a chronic migraine sufferer. And to anyone that knows and loves someone that deals with this horrendous affliction ... you know that many things can prove to be a "trigger" for a headache. And that includes smells.
 It has been said that nothing is more memorable than a smell. And that can be good ... or bad ...
It only stands to reason, that if a home smells like animals, litter box, stale, musty, or of cigarettes ... many potential buyers are going to balk at buying. If those odors are bad enough, carpeting, window treatments, and even drywall may have to be replaced. And that means extra expenditures for buyers.
Uh-oh. Can you say "peeeee-uuuuuuu"?? Compare that home with odors to a similarily-priced home without ... and there's not much of a guess as to which home is going to sell more quickly.
That's a simple comparison. But it's been my experience as someone that has lived with a migraine sufferer for 35 years, that smells that are typically thought of as pleasant to most ... can be unpleasant or toxic to someone that gets severe headaches.
ANY smell can be someone's "trigger". The reaction can be immediate, with the mere whiff of the "trigger" smell enough to start a long and painful migraine episode requiring medications ... or a retreat to bed or a bathroom. (Be aware, that this can also be the reaction for someone with respiratory problems, as well.)
So as strongly as I advocate finding the "sweet smell of success" through the talents of staging professionals and the use of their staging techniques during the sale of properties ... I also advocate and urge all professional Stagers, real estate agents/brokers, and home sellers themselves ... to NOT place scents, perfumes, candles, potporri, air fresheners, herbs, flowers, i.e. ANY odor-producing items in properties while they are actively being shown for sale.
Should they be utilized,you may be innocently and inadvertently placing a potential buyer at health risk ... and the view/sale of the home in jeopardy.
Remember, a potential buyer will neverbuy a home that they cannot enter or view ...
* Smell the "sweet success" of selling your home ... or buying a new one. With over 35 years of successful mortgage business behind me, I can offer you referrals to real estate's finest home staging and agent/broker professionals ... besides my own mortgage services. Should you need answers to your questions or assistance, please contact me. I'll be happy to hear from you and put my experience and expertise to work for you. Direct: 815.277.4036 Cell/Text: 708.921.6331 Skype: 630.219.1316
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Gene Mundt, Sr. Vice President - Chicago Bancorp: Posted on Friday, September 09, 2011 3:37 PM
With a name like Mundt, you gotta guess that I'm going to like a good German beer once in awhile. Well, okay ... any good beer once in awhile ...
I immediately contacted Cecilia to ask if I could pass the link and list on to my blog readers. Who wouldn't want to try pancakes made with BEER???
Below you will find the 10 amazing things found on this list. Give them a try ... and then let me know how they worked out for you. Especially those beer pancakes ...
And oh ... if in need of staging service in the Chicago and North Shore region, contact Cecilia @ Home Staging Chicago. She'll be able to assist you with all your staging and decorating needs.
Enjoy ... and have fun with the list below!
10 Uses For BEER!
1. Banish Brown spots on the lawn: that's right,
pour less than half a cup on the problem areas and abra-ka-dabra. The
fermented sugars kill any fungus and feed the grass, allowing it to come
back green . (Jess Lebow-author of The Beer Devotional.
2.
Cast-iron Clean-up Time: Pour little beer into the still warm pan. It
will keep the mess from sticking and even season the pan. Ooh, la la.
3.
Fluffier pancakes and waffles: if you like fluffy pancakes-sub your
beef for any liquid called for in the recipe. they will be light and
airy. also, try using beer for making matzo ball an bread!! yummo!!
4.
Loosen Rusty Bolts and Screws - WHO KNEW!!: Pour a few gulps of beer on
the frozen hardware, wait a few seconds, then give it a turn.
carbonation helps break down the rust.
5.
Cook Juicy Chicken: Prop a whole chicken over a half-full can of beer
(the can goes into the cavity). Season with salt, pepper, spices. Beer
evaporates into chicken as it cooks, creating a super moist chicken.
delish!!
6.
Prevent Garden Pest: and by pest I mean bugs, not your kids. Fill small
jars with beer and place them in the garden. Insects attract to the
sugars-they slip in for a sip and never come out--ha! Keep those wasps
and bees away at parties. you can also place a bowl several feet away
from the main area and bugs will buzz away from guests.
7.
Make Jewelry Sparkle: Use a light ale and a clean towel you can polish
gold jewelry to remove dirt. you can also try this on tarnished copper
pots.
8.
Give Your Hair Shine: Put life back into your flat hair, yes you, by
mixing 1 cup lager with 1 egg yolk and massage into strands. leave in
for a few minutes and wash with shampoo (provided by Julia March)
9.
Get a Better Nights Sleep: Wash your pillowcases in water spiked with a
little beer. What?!? you say. The chemical compound dimethylvinyl
carbinol, has a calming and slightly sedative effect which is an herbal
remedy for insomnia. WHO KNEW! :)
10. Soothe Your Soles: the beer enzymes soften callused feet. Mix room temperature beer and warm peppermint tea (half and half). Dunk those toes for 20 minutes. Who needs a spa!
* Should you have questions or be in need of Credit or Mortgage Assistance or Service to Buy a Home in Chicago, the North Shore, or any of Chicagoland ... please do not hesitate to Contact Me. I can be reached at: Direct: 815.277.4036 Cell/Text: 708.921.6331 Email: gene@chicagobancorp.com
Website: www.genemundt.com
Click here 4 a: NO Cost NO Obligation Mortgage Consultation
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Gene Mundt, Sr. Vice President - Chicago Bancorp: Posted on Tuesday, June 21, 2011 3:51 PM
 Perhaps a new home or expensive remodeling is out of the question for you right now financially, but with some elbow grease, small monetary expenditure, and effort ... you can still achieve big things and add value to your home by following these bits of advice. The continued popularity of Maureen's post proves to me that there is definitely an eager audience hoping to learn about this topic. So below, I've added some tips I've gathered from some top remodeling experts regarding the prepping, painting, and/or re-staining of your home's present kitchen cabinetry. Most families will say that their kitchen often serves as the "hub" of their home. Function, lay-out, quality of materials, appearance, trends, colors, and how to achieve the latest "hot" look ... everything about the kitchen is important, so it's also where sizeable expenditures are often made in remodeling and updating. Painting or re-staining kitchen cabinets is an inexpensive way for homeowners to improve, refresh, and update the appearance, appeal, and value of their home without breaking the bank financially. But this cabinet work must be performed correctly, or the appearance and desired upgrade in "value" will not be realized. Surface preparation is key when painting or re-staining cabinetry. Stripping cabinets to bare wood eliminates issues with adhesion of the new paint or stain, but depending on the construction of yours cabinets, good results may also be achieved by thoroughly cleaning, and then lightly sanding the old cabinets as well. Most household cleaners will take care of the ordinary dirt and grease build-up on kitchen cabinets. But if you smoke or cook alot, especially with cooking oils or grease, something stronger will be needed. Consider using a cleaner with trisodium phosphate (TSP) which can be found at most hardware or paint stores, in these instances. To help you better understand the preparation and steps needing to be taken for painting or re-staining your cabinets, watch the video below ... Remember, the finishing touches made to your cabinets are very important. They can mean the difference between only a "so-so" appearance and having that "wow" factor you desire. Consider making an investment in new hardware for your newly painted and upgraded cabinetry. Everything will look new and fresh that way ... and also be sure to be in working order. There's a huge range of hardware styles to consider. A suggestion is to coordinate your new hardware with the kitchen sink faucet. This small attention to detail pulls the whole kitchen together and unifies the overall design. Hardware for your newly-painted or stained cabinets can be trendy or personalized to the homeowners tastes, but if thinking of selling soon ... keep their installation to a minimum as an "accent". New owners will consider making the investment in a small change for a few hardware pieces or knobs, but possibly balk at a larger expenditure of money and time to install something new of their own taste. Painting or re-staining your kitchen cabinets can be achieved for as little as "hundreds" of dollars versus the thousands of a complete replacement or re-facing. Take the time to prepare and then apply the new paint or stain. Make the expenditure for excellent quality brushes, wood fillers, caulk, hardware, paint or stain. If the correct tools of the trade are used and the time is taken to do the job well, the end result can be spectacular. It can transform your home. * If seeking mortgage advice or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me. I also can provide referrals for other trusted, experienced real estate professionals in our area. Contact me in any of the following ways: Direct: 815.277.4036 Cell/Text: 708.921.6331 Skype: 630.219.1316 |
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