Andee Hausman

Just move in! Fabulous townhouse in Buffalo Grove's Hidden Lake! Brand new carpeting and fresh paint throughout the home. This beauty boasts a new granite eat-in kitchen with hickory cabinets, hardwood floors, and General Electric stainless steel appliances. The dining area has a custom ceramic inlay. The living room has a dramatic 2 story entry with a custom gas log fireplace, skylights all leading to the large deck outside! Newer systems and windows make this the ultimate low maintenance and move in ready home! You even get a two car garage, and are walking distance to the pool! Just in time for summer!!

985 Hidden Lake's School Info!

Tripp Elementary School :located right off Highland Grove Road at 850 Highland Grove Road in the heart of the subdivision.

Aptakisic Junior High School : located at 1231 Weiland Road across from soccer and baseball fields.

Stevenson High School : opened up its doors in 1965. Stevenson High School has earned a number of awards since its beginning in 1965. The school was the first public high school in Illinois to receive four Blue Ribbon Awards for Excellence in Education from the U.S. Department of Education. Stevenson was awarded Blue Ribbon Awards in 1987, 1991, 1998 and 2002. Newsweek, U.S. News and World Report regularly have included Stevenson High School in their lists of America’s best public high schools. Newsweek 2008 rankings put Stevenson at #153. Stevenson is known to base their standards of teaching around their Vision and Values Document which makes pertinent three ideas; Teaching and Learning Student Responsibility, Excellence in Education and Success of Every Student. Stevenson is also known for the extracurricular activities; boys gymnastics team just won the Illinois High School Association state championship May 14th, its fourth title in the past nine years. Stevenson has brought home many state and national awards over the years that has put this high school on top for sports as well as education.

With summer officially upon us, many homeowners will be confronted with rising electric bills as fans and air conditioners kick into high gear in an effort to keep cool. Demand for electricity can also increase if you have house guests or children home for the summer.

As a member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, I have access to lots of great ideas for planning ahead to control energy costs this summer. The following tips are from the experts at Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G):

• Use ceiling fans in the counter-clockwise direction to create a wind-chill effect, making you feel cooler. Also, whole-house fans that bring in cooler night-time air can pre-cool a house and reduce energy use in the daytime if heat is kept out by closing windows and shades.
• Install a programmable thermostat. If health conditions permit, raise the setting from 73 to 78 degrees. You can save 3-5% on your air conditioning costs for each degree you raise the thermostat.
• Close doors leading to uncooled parts of your home. If you have central air conditioning, close off vents to unused rooms and be sure to keep filters clean.
• Plant shade trees close to the house on the South and West sides.
• Seal holes and cracks around doors and windows. Eliminate air leaks between window air conditioners and windows with foam insulation or weather-stripping.
• Turn off power sources. TVs, computers and other electronic devices draw power when they are in standby mode or turned off but still plugged in. Plug electronics into power strips and turn off the power switch when the items are not in use.
• Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), which use 75% less electricity and burn more coolly than incandescent bulbs. Keep in mind that CFLs are especially handy in hard-to-reach fixtures and won't need to be replaced for about five years.
• Use timers and motion detectors on indoor and outdoor lighting.
• Delay heat-producing tasks such as laundry until later in the day. Wash full loads, using cold water whenever possible.
• Run the dishwasher at night, using the shortest cycle that will get the dishes clean. If manufacturers' directions permit, turn the dishwasher off before the dry cycle or use the air dry feature if your machine has one.
• Take short showers as they use less hot water than a bath.
• Replace old appliances with new energy efficient Energy Star appliances.
• Unplug the extra refrigerator in your garage or basement and use it only when necessary. Refrigerators that are only 10 years old can use twice as much electricity as new Energy Star labeled models.

For more information on preparing your home for summer, please e-mail me. I encourage you to pass this email along to your friends and family as well.

Sincerely,

Andee Hausman
RE/MAX Experts
Office: 847-353-7644
Mobile: 847-209-4287
AHaus@AndeeHausman.com
http://www.andeehausman.com

Top 5 Ways to Use a Tax Refund

Thousands of Americans are receiving income tax refunds from the U.S. government, with the IRS reporting an average refund of $2,940 this year. In the current economy, consumers can make strategic choices to make sure that refund pays off for them.

As a member of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network®, my clients often ask me about financial matters, including advice on smart ways to manage income tax returns. According to Freedom Tax Relief (www.freedomtaxrelief.com), many tax refund recipients might be thinking of creative ways to spend that cash as the economy starts to recover. But before getting carried away, they suggest thinking more long term.

Freedom Tax Relief suggests the following as the top ways to wisely spend an income tax refund:

1. Pay down credit card and other high-interest debts (including payday loans). Few investments can top the rate of return for eliminating debt. Paying off credit card debt at typical interest rates effectively makes an investment that returns 20 percent or more per year. The only caveat: Be certain you change your mindset as well. If you pay off debts, only to charge up the credit cards or sign for a new car loan a few months later, you have ultimately gained nothing. If credit card debt is your problem, cut up or freeze your credit cards to ensure you do not re-create the same problem you have left behind. Use a debit card for future purchases that require a card.

Ready to pay down your debt? List and pay secured debts first (mortgage, car). Mortgage payments should take absolute priority. Then list unsecured debts (credit cards, loans) in order of highest interest rates. Make minimum payments on all but the highest-rate card. Use every cent of available income to make large payments on the card with the highest rate. When that card is paid off, apply the big payment plus the old minimum payment on the next-highest rate card until it is paid off. Continue until all debt is eliminated.

2. Create an emergency fund. The Great Recession has pointed out the importance of an emergency fund. Those who do not yet have enough readily accessible money set aside to cover several months' worth of expenses should consider a tax refund a prime opportunity to create a fund that ultimately includes 6-9 months' living expenses. These amounts are not necessarily equal to salary. Instead, they should include only what the household would spend if it were in dire straits. House these savings in a money market fund or rolling CDs so that the money earns interest and cannot easily be spent -- but can be accessed in an emergency.

3. Make sure you have adequate insurance. Everyone should have health, auto, and home or renters insurance. If dependents rely on breadwinners' income, look into life insurance. Consider an umbrella policy to protect from additional liability. And if the household could not survive without an income, purchase disability coverage. This is a huge savings step – one trip to the emergency room or one minor accident can easily end up costing thousands or tens of thousands of dollars out of pocket.

4. Fund the future. Contribute to retirement savings, whether an individual or Roth IRA, 401(k) or other plan.

5. Invest in the home. Homeowners might consider using refunds to cover major or minor maintenance to make sure no bigger (and more expensive) problems arise down the road. In addition, these capital improvements can create additional equity in a home.

No matter how big or small the amount, and despite the temptation to celebrate and splurge, make your choice on what to do with any refund carefully, experts say. Take time to make sure your money works for you and helps build wealth.

For more information, e-mail me, and please forward this email on to anyone you believe will benefit from these tips.

Sincerely,

Andee Hausman
RE/MAX Experts
Office: 847-353-7644
Mobile: 847-209-4287
AHaus@AndeeHausman.com
http://www.andeehausman.com

With many homeowners unable to sell their home for a price that suits them, many are turning to renting out their homes. This is a nice alternative if your mortgage payments and taxes can be covered with a lessee's rent. Currently there are 133 rentals available in Buffalo Grove, Long Grove, and Vernon Hills. In the past 6 months there have been over 324 Homes rented in those areas. More and more real estate agents are aiding homeowners rent our their homes. In our office we take care of marketing the homes, putting up signs, and sending them out to our client base looking for rentals. This sector of real estate has been booming. Many people are renting because of job transfer, a loss of a home due to foreclosure or bankruptcy, or they have sold their homes too fast and havent found the perfect home yet.

There are many pros and cons to renting out your home in this market. For the right price they can rent within a couple of weeks. You must really work the numbers to make sure you wont be losing more money in the long run by renting. Make sure that the rental price works within your home budget. Also speak with your insurance agent to make sure your rates will be affordable. Keep in good contact with your tenant to make sure they are keeping the home nice and maintained. Terry Mutchler left her Illinois job with an Attorney General and had to rent out her place. After a bad renter experience she says "I am more engaged as a landlord. We talk by e-mail or phone. I want him to know that he can talk to me or tell me if he needs something," Mutchler said. "Be hands-on. Stay on top of what is going on. Try to rent to someone you know. It is important to go beyond the standard credit check for applicants. Get three references and call them." Finds tenants through a realty agent like the Andee Hausman Team, we can run credit checks, rather than putting up signs or ads on Craigslist.

LET US HELP YOU RENT YOUR HOME!! LET US HELP YOU FIND A RENTAL!