Kelly Sibilsky

Well, it doesn't look much like Easter, or Spring for that matter, because it is snowing like crazy outside right now!

It actually reminds me of an Easter when I was a child. We had driven from Michigan to Ohio to spend the Easter holiday with my Grandparents and other family members. That year, Easter came with a huge snow storm...so much for those cute little Easter dresses, lol...and we got snowed in. As a child, we didn't mind, because we got a few extra days to spend with our cousins in Grandma & Grandpa's big old house. But I remember all the adults complaining much the way I'm looking out the window and complaining about the snow we are experiencing today!

Regardless of the weather, here's hoping you have a safe and wonderful Easter Holiday!

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A few short months ago...

Who would've thought that my usually "neat as a pin" house would be littered with chew toys, a puffy pink bed, baby gate, and puppy treats (and that I wouldn't care)?

Who would've thought that I would look forward to waking up at 6:00 a.m. to puppy kisses & snuggles?

Who would've thought that when my husband comes home and says, "Where's my girl?" that he would not be talking about me?

Who would've thought that I would put so much time and effort into finding just the right puppy food and treats?

Well, Zoey has taken over our hearts and our lives. And she has a new favorite store! Page's Healthy Paws (formerly Thomas' Tails Page Two) in Lake Zurich is located at 249 N. Rand Road, Lake Zurich, IL. They specialize in natural pet products, including natural food choices, treats, supplements, toys and accessories.

From the beginning, I wanted to make sure that "Princess" Zoey would have high quality food and treats. I did a lot of research and decided to feed her Blue Buffalo puppy food, which is pretty much one of the highest quality foods you can get at the big stores, like PETCO and PETSMART. Zoey likes Blue Buffalo, with the exception of the little lifesource bits, which she would roll around in her mouth and then spit out. It seems like such a waste, so I decided I would research some other brands and also search out some small-sized puppy treats. Since Zoey is only 3.9 pounds right now, most of the puppy treats are simply too large for her. A bit of research led me to Zuke's Mini Naturals...which is carried by Healthy Paws. Zoey just loves them and they are just the right size for her. She's already learned sit, down, paw (shake) and is learning how to ring the Poochie Bells to go outside (BTW, Healthy Paws carries Poochie Bells, too!).

Healthy Paws took their time to explain to me the difference in dog foods and why it is so important to feed high quality food. Aside from the obvious overall health benefits, high quality, natural dog foods also have less fillers (grains) and are less likely to cause allergies. They gave me several samples of Fromm, Timberwolf Organics, and Evo foods. Zoey is having fun sampling these foods and thinks they are yummy!

If you have a pet and live in the Lake Zurich area, make sure to visit Page's Healthy Paws! They are a family owned store that really cares about your pets!

From the Seller's standpoint:

"The inspector is hired to find things that are wrong. The buyer is getting a great price. Why do I have to make these repairs?"

From the Buyer's standpoint:

"It's a buyer's market. I'm in the driver's seat and I know it. I want what I want and will push for it."

As you can imagine, this can result in another round of negotiations and a stand off between buyer and seller or even a complete derailing of the entire transaction. As an agent, it is my job to help negotiate a win-win situation, where both buyer and seller can feel comfortable about the transaction and moving forward to closing. This can be very tricky, because it is important that the buyer and seller understand the home inspection provision (what it is meant to cover) while making sure the party you are representing knows that you are supporting their decisions.

Here is an excerpt from the Multi-Board Residential Real Estate Contract 4.0 that is used in my area:

I've outlined in red the section that usually section that both buyers and sellers need to be aware of. As you can see, the inspection is meant to cover only the major components of the property...not the smaller routine maintenance items. Yet, time and time again, buyers will request that the seller make repairs or to replace items that are (or should) be outside of the scope of the inspection. Of course, who am I to say what is or should be important to a buyer? And if a seller gets upset when smaller items are raised as issues, who am I to say that they should not feel that way?

Usually, the seller will agree to make necessary repairs or will give the buyer a credit to cover these items. But the seller is not under any obligation to make any repairs or provide any credits for items raised as a result of the home inspection. Of course, the buyer can choose to walk away from the property if the inspection raises issues that make the buyer uncomfortable moving forward or if they don't get what they want.

Therefore, the home inspection and resulting repair negotiations can be very stressful to both buyer and seller (and agent, LOL!). Usually, I remind the party I am representing of their rights and obligations, encourage them to discuss the issues with their attorney, offer to help them obtain estimates, and encourage them to work very hard to obtain a compromise that both parties can live with. Neither party should feel "ripped off" or "taken advantage of" but that is sometimes unavoidable.

My best advice? Put yourself in the other person's shoes and do unto others as you would have them do to you. When that is your guiding principle, you can't go wrong.

Well, folks, more snow is on the way for the Lake Zurich area...another 1-4 inches this afternoon/evening. On top of the 6 or so inches we had earlier this week. Since I'm more of a sit-by-the-fire-drinking-hot-cocoa girl than an outdoor winter sports enthusiast, this is not welcome news. Even if it is pretty!

It also affects showings. Each new snowfall usually results in less showings on my listings until the snow and slush are cleared away and the sun comes out again. In addition, who wants to climb through a foot or more of snow to get to the brochure box?

The above information is courtesy of the National Weather Service. For more information on this year's snowfall records, click here.

If you are a seller in the Lake Zurich area, the only thing to do is hang in there and wait it out.

Only 22 more days until Spring!

You might be ready for condo living if...

...your snow-shoveling and lawn-mowing progeny have left the nest

...your precious BMW risks damage from flying baseballs when left in the driveway

...your idea of yard work is watering the flower-filled container on your front porch

...you have a busy lifestyle with little time for home maintenance

...you realize that the only person who goes into your living room, dining room, finished basement and three of your four bedrooms - is the cleaning person (every other week!)

These are all signs that you might be ready for condo living!

As with all housing options, there are pros and cons to living in a condominium. While turning over all of the yard work, snow shoveling and exterior maintenance to an association is probably one of the biggest benefits to condo living, you must also be prepared to live by the rules and requirements of that association. Are you willing to live in close proximity to other people? Can you live in a smaller space with less storage? Are pets allowed? What if you want to have a party? Will your condo retain its value? Do you need permission to renovate your unit?

As with all home purchases, you need to do your research about this style of living. Living in a condominium it is quite different from owning a typical single family home. Before you write an offer, you should ask to see a copy of the governing rules, regulations, bylaws and budget of the association. You should also research any and all additional information that may be important to you in the decision making process, such as school districts, location, crime statistics, neighborhood demographics, noise level, etc. I also recommend talking to neighbors in the condo complex being considered, as they can be your best source of information about how responsive the association is to the needs of the unit-owners and if they are happy living there.

Whether you are just starting out...or an empty nester, you might want to explore the possibilities of condo living. It may open the door to a whole new way of life you hadn't considered!