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Smaller inventory of homes is big factor in improved market Dec 15, 2012 12:00 AM
Jim Regan has been selling homes in the Arlington Heights, Mount Prospect, Des Plaines area for 40 years, originally as the owner for National Sunrise Realty in Arlington Heights and, for the past decade, as an agent with RE/MAX Suburban in Mount Prospect.
Cozy up to the fireplace with accessories, gift items Dec 8, 2012 12:00 AM
The holidays come at a good time of year for those who love fireplaces because there is a wide selection of fireplace-related gift items, ranging in price from $13.95 to more than $1,000, said Neal Kaplan, owner of Fireplaces Plus stores in Vernon Hills and Chicago.
Homebuilder, buyers benefit from lower land prices Dec 1, 2012 12:00 AM
Brian and Karen Brunhofer and their Deerfield-based Meritus Homes, founded in mid-2010, offers prospective buyers the benefits of experience and timing. Both spent 12 years working for Pulte-Del Webb, learning how to build homes the right way while also acquiring knowledge on how to sustain a business, even in difficult times.
Parmida Home to open in Mount Prospect Nov 24, 2012 12:00 AM
Parmida Home, an up-and-coming retailer of affordable home luxuries, furniture, rugs, gifts and more, will open its second Northwest suburban store in early December at Randhurst Village in Mount Prospect. The Dallas-based home furnishings chain has already gained an enthusiastic local following at its South Barrington store in the Arboretum.
Buyers are working through inventory of homes Nov 17, 2012 12:00 AM
The real estate market over the past year has changed, and it is changing dramatically for the better in many suburbs. In the Fox Valley, and more specifically the Huntley area, buyers are working through the once large surplus of houses for sale, said Tom Hall, managing broker and owner of Huntley Realty.
Glass and mirrored surfaces personalize a home Nov 10, 2012 12:00 AM
No one wants a cookie-cutter house. They want to inject their own personality into the place they call "home." No matter what a homeowner chooses to do to personalize their home, Creative Mirror and Shower in Addison is able to accommodate them.
Builder focuses on value in a tight market Nov 3, 2012 12:00 AM
Gary Levitas, president and founder of the Wheeling-based Northfield Group, loves dealing with people. He enjoys the fact that he and his wife, Marina, work together in the sales office of their Millbrook Pointe row house community in Wheeling.
Gutter covers help prevent costly home repairs Oct 27, 2012 12:00 AM
Homeowners invest a lot of time and risk injury by cleaning their gutters. One solution is to invest in a gutter cover that keeps leaves, pine needles, branches and roof grit out of your gutters, said Brian Hoffman, vice president of Gutter Glove of Chicagoland, based in Elk Grove Village.
Foreclosures still putting downward pressure on housing prices Oct 20, 2012 12:00 AM
A virtual hurricane hit the American housing market four years ago and, while the cleanup is well under way, there is still a lot of work to be done with the glut of foreclosures and short sales,said Dawn Froberg, director of operations and broker with Real Living Properties in Gurnee.
Doors, windows makes a statement about the homeowners Oct 13, 2012 12:00 AM
Doors and windows tend to make a statement about the people living inside a home. You get an impression about the owners of a home when you walk up to their front door and take note of the condition and style of both the door and the nearby windows. That is why, even in the current economy, homeowners are replacing their outdated windows, doors when they notice them starting to age and look less than pristine, said David Voss, owner of The Door Store in Villa Park.
Landscape design makes the most of your yard Oct 6, 2012 12:00 AM
Just like an interior designer looks at all aspects of a home’s interior and the way a family might use it before offering possible designs and furniture choices, Ryco Landscaping of Lake-in-the-Hills takes into account all aspects of a home’s exterior and the way a family might use it before suggesting landscaping and special features for a home’s outdoor environs.
Price of granite counters has fallenOct 2, 2012 12:00 AM
Homeowners today are investing in their homes for their own enjoyment. Fortunately, the granite countertops that everyone wants today came down in price by about 40 percent five or six years ago, aid Derek Wawyca, manager of Imperial Stone in Elk Grove Village, thanks to the opening of new quarries and more competition.
Local company creates classy garage doors Sep 15, 2012 12:00 AM
Buckeridge Doors of Arlington Heights keeps its in-house crew busy constructing, installing and servicing garage doors and openers throughout the Northwest and North suburbs of Chicago. In business since 1948, the family firm is now run by Charlie Buckeridge, son of the founder.
Remodelers construct a better design process Sep 1, 2012 12:00 AM
Times have changed in the 25 years since Joe Pavone started Bradford and Kent, a custom home remodeling business which caters to the West suburbs. He and a former partner actually timed their entry into the remodeling business well, capitalizing on a time when homes were constantly being enlarged and improved, and also when technology was taking leaps forward to streamline the design process.
Housing market experiences noticeable uptick Aug 25, 2012 12:00 AM
The real estate business in the Chicago area has taken a significant spike since March, finally picking up steam, according to Tom Zander of Picket Fence Realty in Mount Prospect.
Wooden shutters have a timeless style Aug 18, 2012 12:00 AM
Shutter Hut specializes in handmade furniture for windows — otherwise known as wood shutters, said Michael Ready, a second generation owner of the Volo business, along with his brother, Shaun.
New materials, styles play on the patio Aug 11, 2012 12:00 AM
Practicality, durability and recycle-ability seem to be the watchwords in the patio furniture industry this summer, said Steve Olson, manager of Viking Patio in Barrington. Furniture made from recycled plastic milk jugs, available for the last decade, fits all of those categories, he said.
Assessments often out of line with sale prices Aug 4, 2012 12:00 AM
Assessed valuations have sometimes remained high in the face of falling home market values, said Stephanie Seiwerth, founder of Property Appeal Inc., a Lake County-based business that assists homeowners in appealing their assessed property values.
New fixtures make old lights obsoleteJul 28, 2012 12:00 AM
Light-emitting diodes — LED lights — are taking the lighting world by storm and will soon largely replace all other forms of lighting, including incandescent, halogen and even fluorescent bulbs, said Benson Littman, co-owner of Littman Bros. in Schaumburg.
Best showing plus right pricing equaled quick sales this spring Jul 21, 2012 12:00 AM
Terri Hunt is optimistic about the housing market in the Chicago area. The realtor with Re/MAX Suburban in Schaumburg had a very busy spring — the best since 2008.