Glenview, IL

Michael Jordan's house in Highland Park has just been put on the market with a whopping $29 million listing price. If it sells for anywhere close to this, it will become the most expensive publicly listed property to date in the Chicago area, beating out one in Lake Bluff that sold for $16 million in 2007.

Would you like to have a look at the property? So would a lot of others no doubt, but you must first provide documentation that you could actually afford to buy the estate. And don't forget about paying property taxes. According to public records, the property tax bill on this house for 2010 was $165,224.

The over 56,000 square-foot home was built between 1993 and 1995 and renovated in 2009. Jordan, Chicago Bulls legend and new owner of the Charlotte Bobcats, as well as six-time NBA champion, is reportedly selling the home in an attempt to downsize his inventory. In 2010, he paid $12 million for a house in "The Bears Club", an exclusive Jack Nicklaus golf resort community in Jupiter, Florida.

Since chances are you won't be seeing this mansion in person, here are a few of the amenities that it boasts:

9 Bedrooms
15 Full baths
4 Half baths
5 Fireplaces
An indoor basketball complex consisting of a regulation-size court with cushioned hardwood floors and a sound system
An indoor/outdoor entertaining area with a pool
A tennis court
A putting green
3 Climate-controlled garages that can hold up to 15 cars
A deep-water pond

The home consists of a main house with a connected guest house. And did I forget to mention, it's being sold furnished!

If you'd like to buy a new home in the Chicago area, although maybe one not quite this pricey, contact The Marla Schneider Team to find the perfect home for you. Or give us a call at 847-657-3790, so we can help you move to Glenview, Wilmette, Northbrook or the North Shore.

It's nice to have a Glenview home that has its share of maintenance-free materials, including such things as vinyl siding, fiberglass trim, factory-finished aluminum or composite decking. Sometimes, however, we just get plain tired of the same old color year after year. That's when it's time for painting maintenance-free surfaces around your Glenview home, even if it isn't necessary for any purpose other than changing their look.

Generally speaking, it's usually OK to paint maintenance-free materials, but there are a few steps that will make for a better quality finished product.

As with any paint job around the house, you'll want to make any necessary repairs to the area you're planning to paint. If you're working on vinyl siding, don't try to glue or caulk cracked siding, but rather replace it. Remember, you're painting it anyway, so if the new isn't a good color match with the old, it won't really matter.

Scrub the area to be painted clean and rinse with clear, clean water. If there happens to be mold or mildew on the surface, it must be removed. You can do this with a 3-part water to 1-part household bleach solution left on for up to 20 minutes and rinsed well with more clear water.

For better adhesion of the new paint, more uniform color and a better sheen, you'll want to paint first with a primer.

Now you're ready for the main color. Use a 100 percent acrylic latex paint. It's easy clean-up, durable, and gives a consistent color and gloss to the finished product. Quality paint brushes and rollers are necessary tools to paint on thicker coats, which are more protective and give a better appearance.

One last thing, sort of the Goldilocks rule of painting: Wait for weather that's not too hot, not too cold, but just right. Also put off painting until it's not humid or windy to allow the paint to dry and cure properly and to keep dust particles from blowing onto the wet painted surfaces.

Now that your Wilmette house has some fresh new color, buyers will surely be knocking down your door. Contact the Marla Schneider Team online or call us today at 847-657-3790 to help with selling (or buying) on the North Shore or in Glenview, Wilmette or Northbrook.

Glenview's February Property sales were 25, down -26.5% from 34 in February of 2011 and -35.9% lower than the 39 sales last month. February 2012 sales were at their lowest level compared to February of 2011 and 2010. February YTD sales of 64 are running -1.5% behind last year's year-to-date sales of 65.

The Median Sales Price in February was $255,000, down -37.8% from $409,950 in February of 2011 and down -20.3% from $320,000 last month. The Average Sales Price in February was $334,171, down -30.2% from $478,588 in February of 2011 and down -7.0% from $359,331 last month. February 2012 ASP was at the lowest level compared to February of 2011 and 2010.

The Total Inventory of Properties available for sale as of February was 385, down -3.8% from 400 last month and down -23.9% from 506 in February of last year. February 2012 Inventory was at the lowest level compared to February of 2011 and 2010.

The February 2012 Months Supply of Inventory of 15.4 months was at a mid range compared with February of 2011 and 2010. A comparatively lower MSI is more beneficial for sellers while a higher MSI is better for buyers.

The average Days On Market (DOM) is how many days the average Property is on the Market before it sells. An upward trend in DOM tends to indicate a move towards more of a Buyer's market, a downward trend a move towards more of a Seller's market. The DOM for February was 115, down -4.2% from 120 days last month and up 9.5% from 105 days in February of last year. The February 2012 DOM was at its highest level compared with February of 2011 and 2010.

The Selling Price vs Original Listing Price is the average amount that Sellers are agreeing to come down from their original list price. The lower the ratio is below 100% the more of a Buyer's market exists, a ratio at or above 100% indicates more of a Seller's market. The February 2012 Selling Price vs Original List Price of 84.6% was down from 85.1% last month and down from 88.6% in February of last year.

The number of New Listings in February 2012 was 86, down 12.2% from 98 last month and down -12.2% from 98 in February of last year.

While selling your Glenview home may be just what you want to happen, showing your Glenview home is sometimes not so much fun. Always being ready for prospective homebuyers to come through your home, scrutinizing every little detail, noticing every thread that's out of place, can lead to some stress in your personal life.

Here are some tips and tricks for keeping your home "open-house ready" on a moment's notice (well, maybe more than a moment, but not much!) First of all, we will start with the assumption that your Glenview home is basically well-kept so that a quick once-over is all that will be needed for the next showing.

In the Kitchen: Put away food items, stash any and all dirty dishes in the dishwasher, then wipe down the countertops, stove top, refrigerator front, and the sink. A quick swish of the sink with cleanser and a good rinse will do wonders to add shine, so it's almost always worth the extra effort. A quick sweep and spot mop of the floor and the kitchen is ready to go.

In the Bathroom: Put away any clutter that's messing up the counter, and toss any wet, dirty or otherwise messy towels or laundry in the clothes hamper or washing machine. Wipe down the sink, countertops, and the toilet seat and rim. Clean the mirror and shine up the faucet. Wipe down the shower walls or rinse the tub. Give the toilet a quick swish. Spot mop the floor. Repeat in all bathrooms.

In the Bedroom: As part of the basics, pick up any laundry and make the bed Every Day, whether a prospective buyer is expected or not. Straighten up your dresser tops and end tables. Sweep if necessary. Repeat in all bedrooms, of course.

In the Living Room/Family Room: Neaten couch and chair cushions and be sure they're in their proper place, fluff pillows, and fold up any throws. Next, use a hand-held vacuum to dust and pick up crumbs, sweep the floor with the big vacuum if necessary, and spot mop if you have wood, laminate, vinyl, or tile floors. Organize the end tables and coffee table and put away anything that even closely resembles clutter.

In the Dining Room: Be sure the table is wiped off and all dining chairs are pushed neatly under the table. Sweep the floor if necessary.

Now take a quick walk-through of your tidy house, making sure all clutter is gone, closet doors are closed, toilet lids are down, and mirrors and door glass have no smudges. If you have pets, you may want to take them with you when you leave before a showing of your house.

If you want to sell your Glenview home, but don't have it listed yet, call the Marla Schneider Team today at 847-657-3790 or contact us online. We look forward to helping you sell your home and can also offer you more tips on how to make that sale a reality.