Great Lakes Region of Realty Executives raises $10,000 during their BOO-LING FOR WISHES event! The event took place on October 17th, 2019, a day when Realty Executives' Brokers and staff got together to participate in this annual fundraiser benefiting Make-A-Wish® Illinois.

This is the 8th year we held this event and we’re SUPER honored to get the opportunity to show our support for Make-A-Wish®. We aimed to raise at least $5,000 - the average amount needed to grant one child's wish but thanks to everyone's efforts, $10,000 was raised!!

THANK YOU to all who participated - whether it was donating to the cause, gathering donations, wrapping gifts, and all other tasks that made this such a successful event.

And last, but certainly not least, thank you to the members of Executive Council for their efforts in planning and executing such a fun and beneficial event. Executive Council members are Brokers and staff in the Realty Executives family who have volunteered their time to help plan community events such as this one.

Homeowners and REALTORS® alike want new roofs and kitchens. According to the 2019 Remodeling Impact Report, released by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), the two projects rank as the most popular home improvement projects among both demographics.

The report, which examines homeowners' reasons for completing the projects ranked, also provides the costs and seller recovery values for many of the tasks.

Although NAR regularly releases similar reports, this is the first time since 2017 the organization has released this report, and there are some notable differences from what was included in that iteration two years ago.

"This year, we saw the estimated cost of closet renovations increase from 2017; however, we also saw an increase in the cost recovered from this project," Brandi Snowden, director of Member and Consumer Survey Research at NAR, tells Housecall. "Because homeowners are staying longer in their homes, we see them investing more elaborately than in the past."

Another effect of homeowners staying in their residences longer is they're choosing to invest their money in projects that they'll use on a daily basis, and that will improve the functionality and livability of their home.

Aside from kitchen renovations and upgrades and closet renovations, other interior projects hugely popular with both homeowners and REALTORS® this year are HVAC replacements, new wood flooring, bathroom renovations and adding new bathrooms.

As far as exterior projects, the REALTORS® surveyed in the report note that new roofing was most popular among homeowners, and, in their opinion, would add the most value to a home. Other exterior projects that ticked off both of these boxes were new vinyl windows, new vinyl siding, new garage doors and new fiber-cement siding.

Additionally, a Joy Score was calculated by NAR for each of the projects reported. This score is based on the happiness homeowners noted for each of the renovations. For exterior projects, new fiberglass and steel front doors scored the highest Joy Score each, at 9.7.

For interior projects, several renovations scored a perfect Joy Score of 10. They are: complete kitchen renovations, closet renovations, full interior and individual room paint, kitchen upgrades and basement conversions to a living room.

Article Source: RisMedia

Realty Executives Midwest
1310 Plainfield Rd. Ste 2 | Darien, IL 60561
Office: 630-969-8880
E-Mail: experts@realtyexecutives.com

At Realty Executives, we care about the safety of all real estate professionals, and are dedicated to educate agents and brokers on how to be safe in the field while meeting new clients, sharing information online or showing properties.

In this article by National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), we take a look at the variety of resources available for professionals to keep them alert, observant and safe.

Safety Products

KATANA Safety: the world’s first personal security system that attaches to your smartphone. The system bypasses a locked screen by triggering a loud alarm or pushing a discreet silent panic button. A 24/7 Response Center is alerted and contacted.

Mace Alert 911: Hand-held device that offers two-way voice communications directly to 911. No phone is needed and there are no monthly fees.

ORA: Personal safety device that instantly alerts your contacts along with your GPS location. ORA is the only device that can make a backup call to 911.

Prop Lock: Effective way to mitigate the risk posed by closed doors. This safety lock keeps doors propped open and prevents someone from creating a confine space.

V.ALRT: Efficiently designed product to be carried discreetly in a pocket, bag, pendant or bracelet. When pushed the V.ALRT button pings your smartphone and sends a personalized texts to three emergency contacts.

Safety Programs

Sage Home Coalition: Safeguarding Prescriptions During Property Showings

Safety Applications for Smartphones:

FOREWARN: Allows agents to work safer and smarter by instantly verifying a prospect’s identity and potential risks prior to face-to-face engagement.

Guard Llama: With just the press of a button, agents are able to reach police.

Homesnap Pro: This app sets a safety timer for when agents are on a showing with an unfamiliar client. If the time expires, a text will be sent to your emergency contacts.

PeopleSmart: For a set monthly price, PeopleSmart can perform a background check on prospective clients before you meet them.

There are many more apps to keep you safe ranging in price and functionality. Visit NAR to see which ones work best for you.

Keeping safe is the primary focus of Realty Executives. Please stay alert, take precautions and educate yourself or team on ways to minimize risks while working.

Article Source: Realty Executives International

Realty Executives Midwest
1310 Plainfield Rd. Ste 2 | Darien, IL 60561
Office: 630-969-8880
E-Mail: experts@realtyexecutives.com

It’s not surprising that moving home is one of the most stressful life events. All that organizing, packing, sorting and sometimes even new schools and jobs; there’s a lot going on! 

It’s often easy to forget that our pets can become stressed too. 

While you may have the most laid-back dog or aloof cat, studies have shown that both cats and dogs can pick up on how you are feeling. So instead of our pet making us feel better, we can make them feel worse.

Not only can they mirror our emotions, but they may also have some worries of their own when their bed and toys are being packed into a van. So how do we keep it as stress free as possible?

We’ve combined our top tips for before, during and after the move. Read on to learn more. 

Pre-Move

Where possible, it pays to take your dog to the new home. 

Even if you can’t get access to the new home yet, walk around the general area and sit on the wall outside. If your dog is food motivated, take plenty of treats.

Your dog will probably treat it like every other walk, not understanding that this will be their new spot, but you are at least starting to make good associations.

If you see some neighbors, introduce yourself and your dog. At least when you move, you’ll have some friendly faces that you recognize. 

When you’re packing, if possible, leave the pet’s space until last. So, leave their toys, beds etc. unpacked until the van is ready to leave. It can help if your dog is crate trained; no matter what is being moved around them, they still have their safe space. For cats specifically, it could be worth keeping them in one room of the house (even if they are outdoor cats). You don’t want them to get that unsettled they choose to leave one day and not come home.

Moving Day

Some owners ask friends or family to take their pets for the day. You don’t have to worry about doors or gates being left open accidentally by movers and runaway pets. This also gives you time to pet-proof the new home before they are brought back. 

If you are keeping your dog with you, as much as your routine will be out of the window, take him for a walk at the start of the day and try to keep his meal times the same. 

He may not eat, but you’ve at least tried. The same applies when you arrive at the new home. Head for a walk and offer his meal at the usual time. He just needs to know that even in a new place, nothing changes. 

If you have a cat, pheromone sprays and diffusers are a great option throughout the moving process. If your cat gets stressed travelling, spray their carrier with a pheromone at least 30 minutes before putting them in. 

You can plug in a diffuser in the new home and spray sofas and areas when you arrive. 

After the Move

Set up a quiet place for your pets as soon as you arrive. 

Whether this is a crate/den or a room. Ideally you wouldn’t have washed their bedding before the move, so their scent is still present. Again, pheromone diffusers are great for both cats and dogs to help reduce stress. 

Pet proof the garden and home, ensuring all your pets are safe. If possible, take some time off work to help your pets settle into the new home and monitor their behavior. Be mindful that they may toilet inside with it being a new space; clean and disinfect immediately to neutralize the odor. 

Explore the neighborhood with your dog and take things at their pace; provide plenty of treats so they associate the new area with good things! If your cat is an outdoor cat, it pays to keep them inside for a couple of weeks until they get their bearings.

Remember to update your dog’s and cat’s name and address details on their microchip or other ID! 

Most pets adapt incredibly well to a move. If you are concerned about any of your pet’s behavior during the move, seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

Article Source: Realty Executives International

Realty Executives Midwest
1310 Plainfield Rd. Ste 2 | Darien, IL 60561
Office: 630-969-8880
E-Mail: experts@realtyexecutives.com

House relocation can be stressful, time-consuming and expensive affair especially if you have lots of items that need hauling over long distances. However, you can make the process easy by planning and getting help from the right sources. Here are five tips to help when planning a relocation.

Plan Early

When you start preparations early, you have all the time you need to put everything in its right place for the relocation. Make a checklist of things that need to be accomplished each week and give timelines to each activity. Tick each activity that you complete.

Waiting until the last minute might prove expensive, labor intensive and stressful. Do not underestimate the effort and planning required in house removals. Start early to be ready when time comes.

Get Rid of Items You Do Not Need

Do not waste your energy moving things that you do not really need. Before packing everything into boxes and moving, take inventory of everything and categorize items accordingly. Broken furniture, dead electronics that you do not want to have repaired, old clothing and other small items you do not need can be sold at a frugal market or donated to charity. You can also get rid of old cars for cash. This will help cater for part or all your relocation costs. Hire a dumpster to dispose of items that are too old or damaged for donation or sale.

Hire Reliable Professionals

Rather than hiring local labor and a truck, consider hiring a professional movers for the work. Shop around for reliable moving companies in your area. Compare about three before picking one with the best combination of service and price. Do it at least three weeks before relocation so to avoid companies already being booked.

Some of the things you should check include whether the company offers insurance on transit, packing boxes, enough labor to lift the heavy items and well-maintained trucks. Only after checking these areas should you consider the price offered.

Pack everything and Label the Boxes Accordingly

Get sturdy boxes for packing your items. If your relocation company offers to supply boxes, have a look at them before signing the contract. Then, pack items according to the type and label the boxes accordingly. For fragile items, write that they are fragile and show the top side of the box. This prevents mishandling of such items. Where possible, you can write the room where the items are destined for the ease of unpacking and arranging at the correct destination.

If you have hired a professional moving team, you do not need to move furniture in an existing home to make removals fast. After packing to move, you can arrange boxes as per the size, heaviness or how fragile the contents are. This will help the team have an easy time putting everything in the right place.

Send Notices to the Utility Firms

Most utility firms need a fortnight to a month’s notice before ending the supply contract. Consider sending out these notices as soon as you decide to move out. The reason is that you may be overwhelmed when the relocation date draws near. Remember that you should have cleared your utility bills by the time you are ending the supply contract.

As for the postal services, notify the mail company of the relocation and your new address. This is to ensure that any mail that comes with your name after the relocation is sent to your new address. You should also change the mailing addresses you gave to any subscriptions.

With good planning, professional assistance and the tips discussed above, your home relocation should be easy. Otherwise, it may be worthwhile to ask for assistance from close relatives for planning to make the process easy for you. Start planning as soon as you decide to move.

Article Source: Realty Executives International

Realty Executives Midwest
1310 Plainfield Rd. Ste 2 | Darien, IL 60561
Office: 630-969-8880
E-Mail: experts@realtyexecutives.com