Are you looking for current market updates and pricing trends for your very own neighborhood? Check out the MARKET SNAPSHOT on our homepage:
What homes are really selling for - not just the prices they are listed at, but what they SOLD FOR !

Get the Facts About What Can Make or Break the Sale of Your Home. Choose Joe & Jean Marella, "Spouses Selling Houses" REALTORS®. 

If you plan on selling your home in Cook, DuPage or Lake county, we go the extra mile to help you achieve your goals and give you the extra service you deserve!

• Buyers want to buy your home for as little as possible! Through detailed comparisons between your home and recently sold homes, together we can determine what your home is really worth in today's market. In the real estate industry this is called a Comparative Market Analysis. We will do this for you, for free. 
• Buyers have their own timelines, which might not be yours! We make sure they don't waste your time by qualifying them as to their real ability to afford your home. 
• More buyers interested in your home means more money in your pocket when it is sold. Our extensive marketing of your home assures you of maximum value. For example, this web site will market your property all across the web. It will appear on Trulia, Chicago Tribune, Google Base, KWLS (Keller Williams Listing Service) and other top national sites. We can place your home on our web site within a few minutes time! 
• When we begin marketing your home, we will immediately notify all the buyers that we are helping find their ideal home. We'll also notify all the REALTORS® in this area that we work with, who quickly tell their homebuyers. This is a great way to jump-start the sale of your home! 
• You and a member of my team or I will walk through your home together. We will advise you how to present your property to maximize its selling price. Some improvements are worth it, and some are not!
• Contracts are complicated, and intimidating. You don't want to go to a closing with some doubts. You will have the full benefit of our Park Ridge, Des Plaines, Palatine and Chicago real estate experience and knowledge for a smooth and successful closing. We recommend that you do not sign on any dotted lines without asking us first. 
• You pay no up front costs for our services! So you can bet that we will work hard to get your home sold, for as much as this market will possibly bear. We will also work within your time frame and your needs. For example, sometimes it can be hard to sell and move out of your current home, and buy and move into a new home, all at the same time! We can help smooth this out. 

Call or email us. 847-692-5889 Ask for a free In-Home Presentation. We will come to your home or office, and present you a plan that details exactly how we will market your home. There is absolutely no obligation so don't let this opportunity pass. It is part of our job as top real estate agents to offer you this service. 

First Impressions

Twenty great tips on creating an atmosphere that will charm buyers and make them want to buy your home.

Remember, you'll never get another chance to make a good First Impression, and first impressions are what counts! Follow these simple tips and create the competitive edge that may help sell your home more quickly.

1. First Impressions are Lasting.
The front door greet the prospect. Make sure it is fresh and clean looking. Keep lawn trimmed and edged, and the yard free of refuse. Walks, steps and driveways clear of all debris. (Including snow or ice in certain climates)

2. Decorate for a Quick Sale.
Faded walls and worn woodwork reduce appeal. Why try to tell the prospect how your home could look, when you can show them by redecorating? A quicker sale at a higher price will result.

3. Let the Sun Shine in.
Open draperies and curtains. Let the prospect see how cheerful your home can be. (Dark rooms do not appeal)

4. Fix the Faucet!
Dripping water discolors sinks and suggests faulty plumbing.

5. Repairs can make a Big Difference.
Loose knobs, sticking doors and windows, warped cabinet drawers and other minor flaws detract from home value. Have them fixed!

6. From Top to Bottom.
Display the full value of your attic, basement and other utility space by removing all unnecessary articles. Brighten dark, dull spaces by painting walls.

7. Safety First.
Keep stairways clear. Avoid cluttered appearances and possible injuries.

8. Make closets Look Bigger.
Neat, well-ordered closets show that the space is ample.

9. Bathrooms Help Sell Homes.
Check and repair caulking in bathtubs and showers. Make this room sparkle.

10. A word to the Wise.
Don't oversell. Your house will sell itself if it's what the buyer is looking for.

11. Remember the Golden Rule.
Treat your prospective buyer the way you would want to be treated if you were in their home. You will never go wrong.

12. Arrange Bedrooms Neatly.
Remove excess furniture. Use attractive bedspreads and freshly laundered curtains.

13. Can You See the Light?
Illumination is like a welcome sign. The potential buyer will feel a glowing warmth when you turn on all your lights for an evening inspection.

14. Three's a crowd.
Avoid having too many people present during inspections. The potential buyer will feel like and intruder and will hurry through the house.

15. Music is Mellow.
Turn off the television and have only soft music playing on the radio or stereo.

16. Pets Underfoot?
Keep them out of the way, preferably out of the house.

17. Silence is Golden.
Be courteous but don't force conversation with the potential buyer. He wants to inspect your house, not pay a social call.

18. Be It Ever So Humble.
Never apologize for the appearance of your home. After all, it has been lived in. Let the trained salesperson answer any objections.

19. In the Background.
The salesperson knows the buyer's requirements and can better emphasize the features of your home when you don't tag along. Just make sure you can be called if needed.

20. Why Put the Cart Before the Horse?
Trying to dispose of furniture to the potential buyer before he/she has purchased the house often loses a great sale.