Chicago Real Estate – Page 153 – Rita Kerins-Neighborhood Expert Chicago Real Estate Broker

What You Should Know About Pending Home Sales This Month

Pending home sales fell in September by -5.60 percent, and were 1.20 percent lower year-over-year. This is the first time in more than two years that pending home sales have fallen below year-earlier readings. September’s reading was below August’s reading of -1.60 percent.

The National Association of REALTORSÂ®, which released the report, expects lower home sales for the fourth quarter of 2013 and flat sales into 2014. NAR provided good news in its forecast of 10 percent growth in existing home sales in 2013 as compared to 2012.

3 Easy Tips To Protect Your Deck This Winter

Barbecue season is all but over, and you won’t be spending as much time out on the deck. Don’t let it get you down, though. Spring will be here before you know it. There are a lot of things that can wear down and damage your deck, so protect your deck and make sure it stays in tip top shape over the winter.

Your Home List Price, Should You Lower It?

Are you trying to sell your home and finding that it is not selling very well? This might be due to a number of reasons that you can’t control, such as its location or the fact that the home layout is somewhat unusual. If you are struggling to sell your home, there is one factor that you can alter that might change things â the price.

Many homeowners are reluctant to lower the price of their home, because it feels somewhat like a defeat. However, while you want to make as much money from your house sale as possible â it is better to sell your home at a slightly cheaper price than to let it sit on the market for a long time.

How To Manage Those Fallen Leaves

The kids are back in school, the weather is getting cooler and your yard is covered in a layer of fallen leaves. Yep, it’s that time of the year again, but don’t think of fall leaves as a chore. They can be a useful resource for fertilizing your lawn or even decorating your home for autumn.

The Government Shutdown And Its Effect On Existing Home Sales

Existing home sales for September fell by 1.90 percent from August’s revised reading of 5.39 million sales to 5.29 million sales. Economists had expected 5.30 million sales for September, so a slow-down in existing home sales had been anticipated.

The National Association of REALTORS cited higher home prices and mortgage rates as factors contributing to fewer sales of previously owned homes.

Tips On Protecting Your Home From Sneaky Pests

As the temperatures start to drop, we spend less time outdoors and more time inside where it’s warm. Unfortunately fall pests have the same idea. This is the season when rodents and cockroaches seek shelter from the cold.

They can carry diseases like salmonella and Hantavirus as well as cause damage to your wiring; so make sure you take precautions to keep the pests away from your home.

Housing Market Index Shows Builders Continue To Have A Positive Outlook

The National Association of Homebuilders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index dropped two points to 55 from September’s revised reading of 57. Builder concerns over labor costs and availability and economic uncertainty related to the federal government shutdown were noted as factors contributing to the lower reading for October.

Remove Those Pet Odors With These Quick Tips

You might love your furry friends, but are their pet odors turning off potential buyers when you are trying to sell your home?

Many cat and dog owners are around their animal companions so often that they become immune to the smell and don’t notice it in their home, so you might not even realize that your home smells of pet odor.

Contact Rita
773-807-2387
rita@ritaestate.com

Rita Kerins
Real Estate Advisor

A Chicago Native, Rita Kerins is a realtor who balances her tech-savvy skills, with the personal connection of seeing her clients from the start of their journey, all the way to the closing table.

“We truly enjoyed working with Rita. She really understands the Chicago real estate market and helped us reach our end goal of selling. She was very friendly, straightforward, attended every showing in person and constantly provided immediate feedback on every showing.” - Robert and Tanya Eckl

Rita approaches each client with a personal touch. She takes her time to understand their needs and communicates with them every step of the way. Rita truly enjoys the close interactions she has with her clients. Being with her clients when they find the perfect home or sharing the news that their home has sold are the moments that make her truly passionate about her job.

“Rita Kerins is what every buyer and seller needs. She is always there for her clients. At no step of the process did I have to wonder what was next, or feel terrified that I didn’t know what to do, because Rita explained what was going on and what to expect. I’ll always recommend Rita Kerins to all of my friends and co-workers and will ask her to be my agent whenever I go to sell my property and buy my next place. She’s that good!” - Johanna Gonzalez

Let her help you find your perfect home. Contact Rita today!

Designations and Awards

- Graduate of the Realtor Institute (GRI)
- Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist (CLMHS)
- Certified Social Media Marketer (CSM)
- Chicago Association of Realtors Top Producer Award Winner