Below are some local Chicagoland Halloween Trick or Treat hours and links to their villages.
Trick-or-Treat hours are October 31 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. This is the only day Trick-or-Treating is allowed.
http://www.vhw.org/Calendar.aspx?EID=116
Trick-or-Treating hours are October 31 from 3 to 7 pm.
http://www.glenview.il.us/SitePages/halloween2011.aspx
Trick-or-Treat hours are October 31 from 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
http://www.mortongroveil.org/resident/about/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=267
Trick-or-Treat hours are October 31 from 3p.m. to 7p.m.
Teach your kids about not getting into strangers cars or talking to strangers, no matter what the person says to them. Know the route your kids will be taking if you aren't going with them. Make sure you set a curfew and your child has a pre-programmed cell phone number to call for help. Serve your kids a filling meal before trick or treating and they won't be as tempted to eat a lot of candy before they bring it home for you to check. Children and adults tend to be preoccupied and may not pay as much attention to safety as they should…drive defensively!
Helen Oliveri receives a congratulations letter from Keller Williams International for being named on the 2011 Real Trends Top Sales Professionals list. What great recognition from industry leaders of Keller Williams Realty including Gary Keller; Chairman, Mo Anderson; Co-Chairman, Mark Willis; CEO, and Mary Tennant COO.
Sadly, summer is officially over. However, if your home is currently on the market, now is not the time to bring your outdoor living space to an end for the year. If you do that, you’re taking away one of the selling features of your home.
At one time, buyers were just looking for a decent-sized yard. Today, on the other hand, they are reaching beyond just the basics. Buyers want attractive outdoor living spaces that they can use for both entertaining and relaxing. The longer you can keep this area set up for showings with outdoor furniture and accessories, the better.
Which one of these photos looks more inviting to potential buyers?
You guessed right — the photo of the staged outdoor space. Can you see yourself dining al fresco, curling up in a wing chair with a good book, or sitting by the fire with a cocktail?
The staging of this patio created three separate living areas within the space. In fact, each of these separate areas portrays a different lifestyle vignette; the goal being to present a certain level of comfort to potential buyers.
Sure, the photo of the patio after it was de-staged shows a great space, but you must go beyond that to capture your buyer and demonstrate how to maximize its potential.
If your outdoor space has a gas fireplace or gas fire pit, on a cool autumn day go a step further and light it for evening showings. Set out coffee mugs or wine glasses by the fire, along with a couple of blanket throws and you’ve just created a scene that will catch buyers’ attention and make them remember your home.
It’s all about making your home stand out among all of the competition and become the home that potential buyers talk about. So don’t put away that outdoor furniture just yet!
Source: realtor.org By Charlene Storozuk
Enter our Halloween Coloring Contest.Fun for ALL ages!Click on the pictures below to open a larger Version of the picture, that you can then print off and color. You may enter up to three times with one entry per picture. Anyone can enter, but the winner will be restricted to the Chicagoland Area. To see the official contest page visit our main website here.
When finished with your picture you can scan and email us the completed Picture to marketing@helenoliveri.com, or please call us at 847-967-0022, and we will give you our address to mail us your picture. Make sure to include your Full Name and Phone Number we can reach you in the email, in case your Artwork is the winner. The Prize: A goodie bag full of candy that would please any monster appetite. Entries Due by midnight Wednesday, October 26th. The winner will be chosen on Thursday, October 27th, at which time we will post the wining picture on the contest page and the winner will be contacted. The winner must pick up the prize at our office within one week. Directions to our office will be given when we contact the winner. Have Fun and Good Luck! |
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October 2011 Market Update Despite some pessimism pertaining to the global and domestic economies, the U.S. housing sector continues to show promising signs of stability and growth. Low levels of new home construction and gaining sales volume fueled by an inventory of affordable housing since Richard Nixon was president have reduced the number of homes on the market. This means home prices may begin to appreciate again. While there are many factors that can be barriers to buying a home, such as the tightening of mortgage lending rules by banks, consumer confidence in the job market is among one of the top obstacles to home ownership. In the 2011 Housing Pulse Survey conducted by the National Association of Realtors, 80% of respondents cited job security as their primary concern when deciding to buy. For only the fourth time since the beginning of 2010, home sales in August were up both year-over-year and month-over-month, posting an 18.6% gain from last year, with first-time home buyers accounting for nearly a third of all homes purchased. These indications of strength in the housing market may help to add to consumer confidence, which is an integral part of sustained growth. Even though there is still a long road to recovery ahead of us, there are opportunities to be had for both home buyers and sellers.
Home Sales in millions
August home sales were up 18.6% year-to-year, posting a 7.7% increase in sales activity over July despite Hurricane Irene, which struck the Eastern seaboard and New England regions at the end of the month. As a result of the hurricane, the Northeast experienced the smallest increase in sales. At the same time, persisting restrictions among banks affecting home lending are having the greatest constraint on sales levels. NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun stated, “The market can easily move into a healthy expansion if mortgage underwriting standards return to normalcy.”
Home Price in thousands
Homes prices were down, with a 5.1% drop in August compared to a year ago. The national median price for homes in August was $168,300, with distressed properties, foreclosures, and short sales still accounting for 31% of sales. The buyer’s market for residential property continues, as favorable prices, and record low interest rates offer the most affordable conditions for purchasing a home in the last 40 years.
Inventory- Month's Supply in months
The supply of homes measured in months on the market at their current pace of sales fell 10.5% in the month of August, to an 8.5 month supply of inventory, down from a 9.5-month supply in July. With homes being more affordable than they have been in a generation and the lowest levels of new home construction since World War II, this inventory is projected to continue to fall, which will eventually result in the appreciation of home prices and a move toward a balanced market.
Source: National Association of RealtorsInterest Rates Home ownership became even more affordable, with the average rate for 30-year fixed mortgages falling to 4.01% the last week in September. This drop came as a result of the Federal Reserve extending the average maturity of its holdings as a part of the Maturity Extension Program, an effort designed to put downward pressure on interest rates and yields on treasury bonds in order to stimulate the economy. It is hoped that this action will encourage banks to loosen lending conditions, as it becomes more attractive to loan money to home buyers, rather than invest in treasury bonds.
Source: Freddie MacThis Month's Video
Topics For Home Owners, Buyers & Sellers Since affordable pricing tops the list of motivation and criteria for buying, it is no surprise that many first-time home buyers purchase distressed properties, which can be up to 30% below market value. Cost-conscious buyers are the most interested in distressed properties, but it is important for them to take into consideration the additional costs and expenses related to damage or neglect that occurred during the foreclosure process. On average, distressed property prices for first-time home buyers are $185,971 with a median of $153,000. Another consideration for buyers is the transaction time. Short sales and foreclosures typically take considerably longer to close because buyers deal with institutions rather than individual sellers. Yet buyers who are patient can benefit by paying less. As a seller, it is important to understand the current real estate market, and a real estate agent is there to guide sellers every step of the way. Agents can help sellers understand what the level of distressed sales and competition look like in their area. This way, they will be able to price their home right and will more than likely be able to attract attention from potential home buyers.
Source: KW Market Navigator and KW Research |
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Over 500+ Career Closed Transactions #1 Agent on the North Shore; Keller Williams Realty Partners #1 Mid-American Region; Keller Williams Realty International
Welcome to the Best in Northern Cook and Lake County!
Specializing in Glenview, Hawthorn Woods, Morton Grove, Northbrook and all of Northern Cook and Lake County Illinois Real Estate...
Helen is "Your Best Move!"
Just featured on the cover and in a full page spread in Chicago Agent Magazines Who's Who in Residential Real Estate, with the Wall Street Journal and Real Trends naming The Helen Oliveri Team in the Top 250 Teams Nationwide by transaction sides, Helen Oliveri is a fierce leader in real estate. And with this reputation, Helen demands nothing less than a superb real estate transaction.
In this effort, Helen is proud to employ a full service team to assist in providing a complete real estate experience. With Helen as the driving force behind it all, she has her hand on the pulse of the company ensuring that every aspect of the business is running smoothly. From marketing to advertising to selling, to ground breaking technology and more, Helen oversees the team and guides all aspects of the process to ensure that every detail is perfect. With this team into place you can rest assured that you are in the best of hands. With our "It's my pleasure attitude" we guarantee that you will be pleased with the results. Helen's strong leadership guarantees the success you are seeking.
Without reservation, Helen is a consistent leading professional and she has been recognized both locally and nationally as a real estate leader. With career sales exceeding 500 properties, Helen is a consummate professional expert in the real estate industry. Helen’s extensive networking capabilities as well as a reputation for excellence in negotiation strategies; she is recognized as one of the strongest leaders in her field.
Helen consistently sells 150+ homes a year and in a short time has increased her inventory and sales figures year after year. Helen is the #1 Agent on the North Shore for Keller Williams Realty, #1 in Mid-American Region for Keller Williams International and is in the Top ¼% for Keller Williams International as well.
As a visionary leader, Helen has built a team of specialists to handle the minutia of the real estate process so that every aspect of the transaction is handled. With thorough training provided by Helen, every team member completes a rigorous training process to ensure that every mission of The Helen Oliveri Team is fully executed. And, training is a never ending process in Helen’s pursuit to provide the outstanding service and results she is known for. Her team provides nothing less.
In a changing market Helen is thriving more than ever and is sought after by clients who demand quality marketing and effective results. Helen's gift of planning is immaculate and her execution is accurate. She is an expert at anticipating, reacting and handling situations appropriately and professionally. She is extremely perceptive, dynamic, thorough and precise and her advice is multi-dimensional. With an innovative vision and an ability to plan for the future, Helen's mission is to constantly raise the bar in the profession of real estate. She utilizes the highest and most advanced technological tools to make her marketing of residential properties unbeatable. She has a targeted business plan for each property, provides exemplary service to each client, and ensures a results oriented seamless transaction.
In a competitive market with demands and challenges, Helen Oliveri does whatever it takes to produce RESULTS on behalf of her clientele'. She acts in their best interest and, in fact, puts their needs above all else. She does this with ultimate professionalism, first-class service and intense goal-oriented work ethic. Her results-driven program is productive and effective. Helen and her team is your ally in real estate.
Make "Your Best Move" today and call Helen Oliveri...
See why we create raving fans and call us right away!
Ph: 847.967.0022
E-fax: 847-574-7573
Email: helen@helenoliveri.com
Helen specializes in selling residential real estate including condos, town-homes and single family homes. She is an expert in resales, new construction and REO foreclosures. If you need a real estate professional who is dynamic, driven and customer centric, Helen is the agent with the team for you! When you work with Helen, consider it SOLD!!
We truly appreciate that Helen's entire team was engaging, helpful and committed to selling our home. In today's economy, we were SHOCKED at how quickly Helen had secured a buyer for our home. We would recommend The Helen Oliveri Team to anyone who serious about selling!
Angela Korompilas
My house had been on the market off and on for over two years with two different agents of one of the big area firms. The results: open houses where one person came, regular recommendations to lower the price (which they guided me to set in the first place), showings where I got no feedback.
I finally fired them and hired Helen. The first thing she told me is - this is the price you need to be at if you want to sell the house. I gulped a little, but I could live with that number... if it really sold. So we put it on the market. 4 days later, I had an offer, a good offer. 4 days. After almost two years with that other firm with not one offer of any kind, no less much interest.
To be frank, from my experience with the other firm, I wasn't expecting much. I didn't really know Helen or her abilities. She seemed smart and capable, but...
So, I was surprised that my house sold so quickly. I had to scramble a bit to find a new place. No problem; Helen's team found me a great place in a great neighborhood for a great price. I moved out of my old place on a Thursday and into my new place on Friday.
I know this all sounds like a story someone paid me to write, but it's not. It actually happened just the way I have described. Thanks to Helen and her team.
Dave Hamel
Helen and her team are the epitome of professionalism, organization, and efficiency. In the current market, having 35 showings in 10 days and going under contract after 18 days speaks for itself. I have told everyone in the area what a great job they all did and what a pleasure it was working with them. I could not have asked for better service!
Diane Hart
Helen was very personable and passionate about wanting to work with us. We were exceedingly happy that our home sold so quickly when all other houses in our neighborhood (NOT being offered by Helen!) have been on the market for months, some for well over a year. Helen and her team are real "go-getters" and seemed to want the house to sell as much as we did.
We GREATLY APPRECIATE all of your combined efforts! THANK YOU for making this such a pleasant experience for us, especially in this poor market. You work so well together, making a terrific team!Ray & Gail Chapman
My sale was not your average sale. I had a number of extenuating circumstances that made my deal difficult. Helen dealt with those circumstances and brought the deal to a successful close. I locked myself out of my house on two occasions and Helen's team was able to "beam" a code to the lock box and on a real time basis get me access. My overall experience with Helen Oliveri and the Helen Oliveri Team was excellent. We sold at 94% of the asking price.
Kevin Weller
Helen has a great business model. She does what she knows best, and her team does what they know best. Communication with the office was great, and we always felt that Helen was just a phone call or email away. I would highly recommend Helen for the selling of your home.
Ly Nguyen
Helen is very knowledgeable, very motivated, well organized and personable. Everyone on Helen’s team works well together and with the client to accomplish the objective – sell houses! Helen’s team gave me status reports and updates very frequently. I feel my home in Glenview was marketed excellent and the property sold so quickly. I rate my experience with Helen Oliveri and The Helen Oliveri Team just outstanding. At the end of the day, our house had been on the market for a year with a different agent and had not been sold. The house sold in 28 days after I listed it with Helen Oliveri and The Helen Oliveri Team and that is what it is all about.
Don & Linda Van Dyke
My experience with Helen Oliveri was excellent and she was very in tune with the market. She is a real professional. Helen's team was also excellent; the staff was constantly aware of what was going on with each individual deal. There was never any back and forth and everyone on the team was on the same page and the weekly calls and updates are great. Helen's marketing was tremendous! I have never seen anything like it. The brochures and CD's were great. My construction lender was at the property one day and was so impressed with the marketing materials. It gave me and her so much more credibility. My overall experience with Helen Oliveri and her team was just amazing. I have been building for 15 years and without a doubt she and her team is the best. Being in the business and realizing what the market conditions are, she was phenomenal. She has a true understanding of marketing and is not just going through the motions. She is highly self-motivated which makes me feel at ease as to not having to hound her or her team for answers. It truly feels like she is on my team. When dealing with Helen and her team you feel like she is only working for you. Danny and Alison are probably the best support staff I have ever encountered in the industry. I would recommend The Helen Oliveri Team to anyone with 100% confidence.
Kevin Walsh
Helen Oliveri and her team represent the highest professional level of expertise and customer service skills. Helen's knowledge of the current market helped us sell our house in a very short period of time, which is really amazing in today's difficult real estate environment. Being a real estate professional (as we own a title company) we can appreciate her expertise in the field. As our title company conducted the closing, we could first hand witness her professionalism. She not only knew the specific requirements of the market, but also handled the transaction with attention to detail to fulfill the needs of her clients. We will recommend Helen and her team to anyone looking for a qualified agent to sell their home.
Sincerely,
Agatha and John Piecha
National Title Center
We were so very pleased to have you as our selling agent and having your company represent us. You definitely exhibited the dedication warranted by your profession. You have a keen sense for knowing the right type of customer service required, advertising, presentations, customer base, financials, innovative approachs and market strategies. We were especially impressed by your personal touch and concern for our interest, market in-puts and follow-up, quick turnaround time, and knowledge of your field. Also, the extra care taken to keep an eye on our property and keeping the unit clean for us while we were out of town. You should be proud of what you do as you definitely stand out as a extremely highly qualified real estate agent, one who presents themselve as a top agent and expresses confidence in your profession. Your company should be very proud to have you represent them. You definitely get results. Once again, thank you for being our agent. We never felt you ever let us down and were always looking out for our best interest. Should you need us as a reference please don't hesitate to call.
Sincerely,
Elliot and Pat Bedrosian
Helen and The Helen Oliveri Team are simply the best real estate team I have ever known. I have built and sold many homes in my life and never EVER have I experienced such professionalism, market expertise and customer care as I have with Helen and her team. They were there always with a smile, handling literally every aspect of my sale without reservation. They even supervised my move, cleaned my home personally and even took care of all of my closing documents without question. Helen is always personally available and made me feel like her closest friend and confidant and she fought for me unlike anyone I know. I am so confident in Helen and her team and I would recommend them without hesitation. This has been a hard time for me and she was there both as my real estate professional and as my friend and her team is phenomenal. I will always use Helen Oliveri and her team for any and all future real estate transactions. Thank you for selling my home in such a tough market....Helen you are the BEST!!
Sincerely,
Jodi Westphal
I felt as though I had a trusted friend by my side each and every step of the way while buying my very first home. Helen is honest and genuine, an invaluable trait in a friend, so you can imagine how pleased I was to find it in an agent! She answered all of my questions and explained the things I didn't understand without making me feel silly or inferior. I feel confident that she treats all of her clients with the dignity and respect they deserve when buying or selling a home. When the time comes, I won't hesitate to entrust the sale of my home to Helen Oliveri. Working with her was truly a pleasure!
Sincerely,
Canella Mullins
We would whole heartedly nominate you for "Realtor of the Year". We are convinced that it was your superior skills as a realtor that enabled you to sell our townhouse so quickly in this extremely difficult market. Hiring you as our agent was really 'our best move'. Thank you very much.
Sincerely,
James & Lolita Cox
Thank you so much for all your help with my new condo! It has been a wonderful pleasure working with both of you. My new home is beautiful! Thank you also for the gift basket! The items will certainly come in handy and they were all on my shopping list! In addition, the closing was painless!
I will miss working with all of you. I certainly will recommend your team to friends and family every time the opportunity arises! You make a great team!
Sincerely,
Rosi Odulio
I asked if Julieann and I could write this letter because of the way the two of you saw us through a tough situation. The sale of our house was tricky at best. I had been in the house for 28 years, so I had no idea of the market or what to expect of the process. Your honesty and humor kept heads clear and things light.
Even with the purchase and closing of your own home, you returned every call within minutes so that we could ask questions and in most cases, got us the answers the same day. You told us what the marketing plan was going to be and you did everything you said you would.
I've been in sales most of my adult life and must say that I've never run into a team such as yourselves. The lines of responsibility were very clear between the two of you making it easy for Julieann and myself to feel reassured that you were ALWAYS on top of things.
We had made the mistake of first signing with another team.....their claims being much the same as yours. What we learned was claims are one thing, but living up to them is another thing altogether. That experience made us even more "gun shy" of your claims of service and attention.
You lived up to and went beyond every claim.
Your work ethics and attention to detail inspired us to ask if we could put this letter together.
I have never done one of these letters before, but I knew I would have been remiss if we didn't somehow try to offer the two of you the help that you gave us.
Thank you so much
Jerry & Juliann Wexler
Many thanks to you for being so terrific in selling our house. We've owned/sold seven homes in the past, and your knowledge and experience have surpassed all our expectations. No other realtor experience comes close.
We had our house up for sale six months with a limited service realtor, only to be constantly disappointed. You turned things around for us in six weeks! And for a selling price we were happy with.
Our only regret is that we didn't sign up with you in the first place. You people are serious - and it's so obvious that you love what you do.
Bottom line, we'll recommend you to anyone who wants to experience real professionalism and real action! You're the best Helen!
All of ours,
Ed & Gail Tossing
Thank you so much for all your help in selling our home. We have had a fantastic experience with you! We are still in shock that you sold our home before the sign was put in the yard!!
What a pleasure it has been to receive "play by play" communication. We felt secure & well-informed each step of the way. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Lovingly,
Steve & Misti Wiggins
We want to thank you for a job well done!
In deciding who would list the house, we were very impressed with your knowledge, professional presentation, but most of all, your enthusiasm.
We are Real Estate Brokers who relied on a broker familiar with the area and expected a high level of professionalism.
You exceeded every expectation.
We will recommend you at every opportunity.
Regards,
Earl & Margo Stafford
Karen Kudlinski
I really did not know Helen and her team too well, because Helen sold my house in a week! The first thing that Helen impressed me is her punctuality. Before I selected Helen as my realtor, I interviewed several others. A couple of them came late, though they called ahead. One of them was 30 minutes late and did not even bother to call me. Helen's follow-up is excellent. She kept me informed during the whole process and always returned my calls promptly. I would absolutely refer anyone to Helen for her real estate service.
Sincerely,
Benny Cheung
ActiveRain Corp. is not responsible for the accuracy of the site's content (which is written by members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network) and does not endorse the views of the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others listed here.
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