It’s quite common to hear the phrase “your trusted advisor” in real estate. But what does it mean to be a trusted advisor? What are the driving philosophies behind providing clients with the highest level of service? We believe there’s more to becoming a trusted advisor than meeting basic ethical and professional obligations.

If someone were to ask us “How do we become trusted advisors?” We'd offer these five suggestions as a start:

1. Empathize with people. Imagine, as you’re listening to them, that they’re not describing their problems, questions, and dreams, but they’re describing your own. Imagine yourself as the star of the movie of their life and be aware of how you would feel.

2. Be a part of the solution, even if you cannot solve the problem. Can you solve everybody’s problems? Of course not. But you might be able to help them to see a pathway through their problem. This might be in the form of questions that help them think something through. It could be a referral to someone who can help them with their problem. It could even be as simple as a list of good articles which deal with the problematic topic.

3. Aim to counsel, don’t aim to please. An advisor is a true ally. A “yes person” is untrustworthy. The truth is not always pretty and it is sometimes hard to accept. Risk short term rejection over a tough truth in order to grow a long term relationship.

4. Teach others how to teach themselves. (Don’t just give answers.) The more you can increase a client’s capacity to empower themselves, the more valuable your standing will be in their eyes. Think about it: Do you ever forget your mentors?

5. Give without anticipating return. If you’re running a little cost/benefit analysis in your head for every interaction, you’re not giving freely. Hesitancy, a stinginess of spirit, and an unwillingness to risk without reward will always cost you more than you think.

If you could use some real estate guidance, we would love to show you how we practice these concepts with every client we serve:

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

There’s a lot of stuff out there you can buy and sell all by yourself. Unloading your old car? No problem. Ordering a sandwich? Hardly requires a buyer’s agent. But when it comes to buying and selling a home, there are many time-tested reasons for working with a real estate agent.

Despite the tangible nature of real estate, a home is really an investment. And when it comes to an investment as large as real estate, working with an agent provides a host of big benefits. Before you decide to go it alone, consider what you’ll be giving up if you do:

1. Real estate agents know what’s really going on in the market. Anecdotal reports about what’s hot and what’s not isn’t the way to price a home or research neighborhoods. Agents provide visibility into the real numbers based on data.

2. Real estate agents understand the process. How many real estate deals have you navigated? Your typical agent has had experience with dozens if not hundreds of transactions. They know the steps and they know what to do when things go wrong.

3. Real estate agents can save you time researching homes. Sure, you can look online, but you can also give your agent criteria and sit back while they create a hit-list of must-visit homes they think are worth your attention. Why wouldn’t you leverage their assistance?

4. Real estate agents negotiate on your behalf. Shield yourself from the frontline stress of negotiations while your agent looks out for your interests. It minimizes hard feelings and insulates you from the headache of negotiating directly.

5. Real estate agents help you see the deal clearly. Buying a selling a home is an emotional experience, and emotions can cloud your decision making process. There’s a lot of money on the line. Can you really afford to act irrationally? Your agent can keep things level.

Invest wisely! Invest with a real estate agent.

Ready to go? We're taking on new clients now!

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

Do you believe your negative credit history disqualifies you from buying a home? That might not be the case. And even if you’re not in the position to buy today, there are some simple, effective actions you can take to boost your future prospects.

If you’re like most people, buying a home means securing a mortgage. To secure that mortgage, you need to convince banks you’re a good bet. Here’s how to start on the path to making your dream home a real home:

1. Work towards a 10% down payment: Down payment assistance is very difficult to get without a credit score north of 640. So if you’re below the line, you’re going to help your odds of pre-approval by proving you have 10% down to put on your home. That 10% is especially helpful if your credit score is sub-550. Above 550 you might be able to land an FHA loan with only 3.5% in equity.

2. Make moves to rebuild your credit: You don’t have to be perfect to improve your access to better mortgage terms. Here’s how to put points back on top: 1) Pay down your highest credit card balances first. 2) Get your credit report and look for errors you can correct or dispute. 3) Identify any outstanding debts or collections which you can manage to get cleared either through full payment or negotiated settlement. If you can push your rating above 620 you’ll not only get closer to better terms, but generally you’ll experience less scrutiny during the approval process.

3. Get a realistic picture of your debt-to-income ratio. Focus on doing what you can to bring your debt-to-income ratio below 45%. Mortgages do exist for people with higher ratios, but generally credit scores are well above 600 for this to become a reality.

4. Understand your “seasoning period.” If you’ve experienced a bankruptcy, foreclosure, or short sale scenario, it may not be possible for you to secure a mortgage for at least three years (and sometimes two, depending on the situation). Use this time to work on the three tips above.

If you’d like to begin hunting for your next home, we are happy to help guide you. Or, if you need a referral to a reputable mortgage professional, get in touch! We have a network of trusted folks we work with every year:

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

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

Ever find yourself overwhelmed by maintaining your lawn? Have you worried about the amount of water it takes to keep things green and growing? What if there was a way to transform your lawn to both make it both ecologically-friendly and strikingly different from every house on the block?

Xeriscaping (or xerogardening) is the practice of landscaping and gardening in ways that reduce or eliminate the need for excess water. Taken from the Greek word, “xeros” (meaning dry), xeriscaping was initially designed to provide landscaping options for areas which are particularly sensitive to drought.

Given that water is the most precious resource on the planet, perhaps you might you might consider this conservationist’s approach to landscaping your home. In addition to reducing the costs of watering and chemical maintenance, well executed xeriscaping can actually improve the curb appeal and value of your home.

Here are a couple of links on the topic of xeriscaping, including the “7 Principles of Xeriscaping”:

“Xeriscapes do not have a single look - almost any landscaping style can be achieved. The principles can be applied to all or part of a yard, in any geographic region of North America.”

Also, check out these Google Image examples of Xeriscaping:

 Xeriscaping can be the perfect way to compliment your new “green home.” If you’re looking for a house with a gentle ecological footprint, get in touch with us today:

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