5 Tips To Decorate Your Luxury Home in the Chicago Suburbs

As a Chicago luxury home buyer, you’ve probably done your homework and have a long list of savvy interior decorators ready to turn your new home into the dream home it’s meant to be.  However, you need to shortlist your requirements first so you keep in line with budget, vision and lifestyle.  You were an ace organizer when you went through the purchase of the home, now it’s time to put those same skills to work and create your vision.

Decorating a home takes planning, taste, budget-consideration and livability.  You need to decide on your priorities, and move forward from there. Here are a few tips you can follow to help you:

1. Ambiance and Comfort

This is really a personal preference.  Ask yourself: Do you want a formal atmosphere with restricted access to children and pets?  In that case, you would want top-of-the-line, designer furnishings in your main sitting, living and dining rooms.  Live lavishly and display your Waterford or Baccarat crystal; those priceless paintings, and your exquisite Persian rugs.

Would you prefer a family-friendly atmosphere for relaxation and comfort, instead?  If yes, then the practical thing to do would be to get elegant furnishing that is within a decent price-range, functional and is easily cleaned.  You want to be comfortable, and not worry about scratching that imported flooring, or breaking your invaluable Ming vase!

2. Make Choices That Are Long-lasting

We get it; the inclination to splurge and get all your favorite things from your favorite stores is a strong and compelling temptation.  You will probably get emails and coupons enticing you to buy, buy, and buy.  Resist.  Avoid making impulse purchases.  You will see many things that you will just love but you need to figure out if it will fit in with your décor, vision and need for functionality.  The last thing you want is to fill your home up with mismatched pieces that once appealed to you but might not make you very happy a few months down the line.  Choose colors, furniture and accessories that you know will stand the test of time and fit the needs of your family.

3. Yes, Budgeting Is Important

Most luxury homebuyers are spoiled for choice when it comes to the finer things in life.  Still, that doesn’t mean that you can throw budgeting out of the window.  Set a reasonable budget and try to stick to it.  Once you are finished and have accomplished your ideal home setting, then think about what you’d like to add.  Anything over and above your budget is a gift to yourself.  Taking this one simple step, will prevent over-spending on useless stuff that you don’t need and will prevent clutter in your brand new home.

4. Measure For Success

Measure your space before going shopping for furniture and accessories.  Some larger items might look really great on the store floor but might not necessarily fit into your space.   Also, some pieces might need a certain lighting or ambiance – make sure you sketch out a floorplan and draw in the furniture so you get the perfect setting.

5. It’s All About The Personal Touch

At the end of the day, you are decorating your home and not an impersonal shop floor replica.  Bring your personal touch to the planning, setting and placement.  Yes, you will enjoy picking out pieces to your taste but make them personal – perhaps add a few pieces that you can hand down to the next generation. About those personal touches – do you paint art? Perhaps you prefer doing a refurb project at home – like painting an old dresser. How about collecting pieces when you traveled? Personal and timeless pieces become family heirlooms.

The most important tip of all is that you should enjoy yourself, have fun!  You have a wonderful selection of international and American-made products in Chicagoland. and are truly spoiled for choice with interior furnishings and accessories.  The possibilities are endless and less overwhelming when you have got a good idea of your personal style in mind.

Would you like to find the perfect Naperville luxury home or a premier estate in another Chicagoland suburb?  I can help. Don’t hesitate to contact me, Teresa Ryan – Managing Broker / Owner of Ryan Hill Realty on 630-276-7575 to get you in your dream home.  For a list of luxury properties available in all areas, please visit www.RyanHillRealty.com.

Featured Suburb and Home For Sale: Marengo IL

About Marengo

The City of Marengo is a hidden gem in the Chicago suburbs – between Rockford and Elgin, in McHenry County.  A nature lover’s dream, it is surrounded by conservation areas and plenty of nature.

For commuters, the City is located on the I-90 corridor providing easy access to the City of Chicago and Rockford.  Chicago’s O’Hare international Airport is only 40 minutes away.

It’s a City with a small population of around 15,000 residents.  Home buyers prefer the low cost of living but close proximity to the City of Chicago.  Marengo offers peaceful country living and a quaint community, many of the residents have lived in the area all their lives.

The City of Marengo is home to important companies, like UniCarriers Americas ‘s Nissan Forklift, Engineered Polymer Solutions, and Danahar Motion.

Marengo is in an award-winning school district, and boasts a private school as well as two colleges.

Agriculture has always been a part of Marengo’s success.  With beautiful and rich farmland, Marengo’s nurseries have supplied Chicagoland with trees, shrubs and flowers.  In addition, it also has several limestone quarries in operation.

Living in Marengo

To say that you can truly live out your dreams in Marengo is an understatement!

For both residents and businesses, it’s an ideal location for a spa, rehabilitation center or retreat – a place where busy people can just get away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

If a retreat isn’t what you need, then perhaps you’d prefer growing an orchard of apple trees or open a ski resort.

It’s a perfect home for nature lovers, retreats or centers that need to be away from a busy city atmosphere.  Although termed a ‘City’, residents can enjoy huge acres of land and wildlife as part of their daily living.

Featured Property in Marengo, IL

21913 Grossen Rd., Marengo 60152 offers its residents a truly wonderful lifestyle.

The Estate consists of:

Main Residence

Can be used as a private home, resort, retreat, church / spiritual center, rehabilitation facility or any other purpose you require.

The home spans 14,000 sq.ft. with a magnificent floor-to-ceiling herringbone brick fireplace, East and West Wings, Sklylights, a wall of windows and doors, spacious rooms and much more.

Guest House

An unfinished guest house of over 3,000 sq.ft. is just waiting to be revived.  Turn it into an art or photography studio, a guest house or anything else you’d like.  There’s a beautiful 34’ deep pond nearby, offering a beautiful view.

24 Acres of Beautiful Land

This estate spans over 24 acres (can be subdivided) and is extra special because Coon Creek runs through the property.  Coon Creek is the second largest tributary of the Kishwaukee River – a Class ‘A’ river which means that it supports a strong ecosystem of native species, including 34 different species of fish.

The property is home to an abundance of fruit trees (grow an orchard!), deer, birds and more.

For additional details on this luxury estate and home in Marengo please call me, Teresa Ryan at 630-276-7575.  You can view the property details at: http://bit.ly/21913GrossenRd_Marengo

A Rare Private Getaway in Marengo IL is For Sale

A Rare Private Getaway in Marengo IL is For Sale

For the Chicagoland real estate buyer looking for a large residence or retreat with over 24 acres of untouched land, 21913 Grossen Rd., Marengo 60152 will surpass your every expectation.

This unique estate includes a 14,000 sq.ft. residence; a 3,000 sq.ft. unfinished guest house; and over 24 acres of beautiful untouched land with a river.

This Marengo IL Home For Sale Is Perfect For A Church, Rehab Center or a:

• Large private residence
• Church or spiritual center
• Corporate getaway
• Medical or rehabilitation center
• Assisted living residence
• Bed and breakfast
• Special needs training and home center
• Assistant nursing home center
• Art gallery
• Women’s Shelter
• Children’s Camp
• Corporate Getaway
• Resort
• Lodge
• Hotel
• Health and Beauty Spa
• Weight Loss Camp or Fitness Ranch
• Meditation Center
• Any other use you might require…

Residential Building Description:

Be impressed by the bright and magnificent Great Room with its 38’ vaulted ceiling, Custom two story herringbone brick fireplace, tall tongue in groove wood ceiling, full wall of windows and door, 4 remote control skylights, and 4 ceiling fans. A loft bridge connects the East and West wing living areas on the second floor. The home offers large separate dining and living rooms, an office with library, and laundry room. The 42’ x 27’ Master Suite has 4 sliding doors to exterior porch, and master bathroom has Kohler fixtures, a Spa, Jacuzzi and handicap-­accessible shower.

In addition, enjoy a spacious kitchen with large eat in area, two countertops and tall storage custom cabinets. Quality wood work, high ceilings, large exercise room, radiant heated floors throughout, Open foyer, a 4­ Car Garage with a 51’ x 23’ Lower Floor, and many other custom benefits.

About The Guest House:

This amazing property offers a separate Guest House of over 3,000 sq.ft., that’s surrounded by beautiful views and offers private living. Use it as an art studio, a private getaway for your guests or anything else! The possibilities are endless.

The 24 Acres of Land

Enjoy your own nature preserve. Set on 24 acres (can be subdivided), the property features its own 38’ feet deep pond for fishing, an abundance of fruit trees, flower gardens and Coon Creek runs thru the property as well as Migratory birds – ducks, geese and finches.

Summertime brings camping, hiking, fishing, horseback riding, playgrounds, pedal boating, four wheeler sport and organic gardening. While winter months are perfect for ice skating, cross country skiing, and snowmobile fun.

For additional details on this luxury estate and home in Marengo please call me, Teresa Ryan at 630-276-7575.  You can view the property details at: http://bit.ly/21913GrossenRd_Marengo

Home Staging Your White Eagle Naperville Home For Sale

Tips on Staging Your White Eagle Naperville Home For Sale

You have taken all the right steps to put your White Eagle home for sale in Naperville on the market. Here are some insights to make your home stand out to prospective homebuyers.

There are two areas you need to pay extra attention to when inviting buyers over for a home tour. The exterior ‘curb appeal’ and the interior ‘home staging’. You will hear these words a lot as a home seller. There’s a good reason for that – these two factors will help your White Eagle home for sale stand apart – first impressions are everything!

To stage your White Eagle home for sale, keep in mind that you are making your home look the best it can. You may want to consider hiring a professional home stage, I have used many great stagers and can recommend someone. They know how to enhance the strengths of a home and work with the flow. They also don’t have an emotional attachment to the belongings and can objectively remove clutter, properly place furniture, and help you improve your curb appeal. However, if you would rather stage your home yourself, here are some steps you can take to create that perfect ‘first impression’.

Don’t Kick Curb Appeal To The Curb

The outside is as important as the inside. Especially since White Eagle is a golfing community, these homes always bring prospective buyers with high-expectations. Curb appeal is the first chance you get to make a great impression.

• Power-wash the deck, siding and rails.
• Clean the windows until they shine.
• Remove dead trees, shrubs, and flowers.
• Keep the lawn, flowers and other plants neat and tidy.
• Mow the lawn, weed the entire area.
• Once you’ve cleaned up, add special touches like hanging planters and large, lush flower pots to create an inviting welcome.

Staging Your Home Interior For Maximum Impact

The whole home has to be neat and clean. Deep clean if you have to, or hire a professional cleaning company. This is a very important step. Once the home is clean, stage your home with minimal furnishings.

The key to staging is to set the tone to something meaningful and suggesting its countless possibilities. Your buyer needs to imagine their own things in the home, and mentally make it their space. To do this, you will need to remove all personal items, and anything that could distract the buyers attention. Keep only what makes its functional. Put away remote controls, magazines, toys and everything else. Pack away things that you don’t use every day.

Arrange furniture to enhance the strengths of the room and facilitate traffic flow. If your furniture shows signs of age, consider borrowing pieces.

If you need inspiration, look online or better yet, visit some model homes to see how decorators have put rooms together. It’s not necessary for individual rooms to be used for their original purpose as long as the functions they represent are logical and show off the space well.

If you’re a Naperville homeowner who is looking for a change of residence, please do not hesitate to call me,Teresa Ryan at 630-276-7575. As a Naperville luxury real estate expert and Managing Broker/Owner of Ryan Hill Realty – www.RyanHillRealty.com, I have the experience and tools to help you sell your Naperville Luxury home.

Feng Shui Your Naperville Home

Feng Shui Your Naperville Home

This ancient Chinese practice is popular in Naperville, where homeowners have the benefit of Feng Shui consultants ready to help them bring positive energy flow into their homes and lives.

Feng Shui is the delicate balance of energies in a home and it has been practiced in China for over 3000 years.  Pronounced ‘Fung Shway’, its literal translation is ‘Wind Water’.   It is a practice based on Taoist philosophy, which puts a great deal of emphasis on living in harmony with nature.  The belief promotes that the land is alive and brimming with energy, or ‘chi’ (pronounced ‘chee’).  This in turn means that your Naperville home is alive and full of chi as well and needs to be arranged in such a way that the chi can be maximized.

Here are some steps you can take to improve the feng shui of your Naperville home.

Get Rid of Clutter
The very process of clearing out clutter is therapeutic.  When it applies to feng shui, it’s an essential step to remove objects that will block the path of good energy flow.

Bring In Light And Air
Open the windows often.  Add plants and air purifiers.  Allow ‘flow’ of natural light as much as possible and use full-spectrum lights.

Create Your Bagua Map
You will need a compass and a bagua map to determine the needs of your home.  A bagua map is the energy map of your home.  Drawing one specific to your home will help you determine which areas will help you maximize improving your Chi for specific areas of your life.

Use Feng Shui Elements in Harmony and Balance
Use a balance of the five feng shui elements: wood, fire, earth, metal, and water, for a healthy energy flow.  Specific elements and their positions in your Naperville home can be used to enhance health, love, wealth, career, wisdom/knowledge, reputation/fame, children/creativity and helpful people.

Get A Good Understanding of Feng Shui
There are different levels of Feng Shui.  You can easily learn the basics from online resources.  If you think your home needs some serious work, then contact a consultant.

There are many steps you can take to begin basic feng shui, a bit of online research will get you well on your way to making immediate improvements.

If you’re a Naperville homeowner who is looking for a change of residence, please do not hesitate to call me,Teresa Ryan at 630-276-7575. As a Naperville luxury real estate expert and Managing Broker/Owner of Ryan Hill Realty – www.RyanHillRealty.com, I have the experience and tools to help you sell your Naperville Luxury home.

6 Mistakes Naperville Home Sellers Need To Avoid

6 Mistakes Naperville Home Sellers Need To Avoid

Are you planning on selling your Naperville or Chicagoland home?  Avoid these mistakes to make sure you get the best possible results from the sale.

This video provides a quick guide to avoiding these 6 mistakes home sellers make.

1. Make sure your house is ready before you put it on the market.

If something isn’t presented well, chances are, it will be hard to sell or might not sell at all.  Make sure your home is ready for prospective buyers.  Think about curb appeal, interior presentation, and the overall ‘ambiance’.  Presentation is everything!

2. Don’t Over-Improve

When people are looking for a home, they usually like the look of a neighborhood.  Although some alterations are just fine, anything ‘over done’ might put them off and hurt your chances of selling.  Tastes are not always the same; leave it to your buyers to make any improvements they might prefer.

3. Hire The Right Realtor For The Job

Selling your home is a big deal.  Not only is it a large transaction, but there are many factors that only trained and seasoned agents are capable of navigating for you.  When you choose an agent, I urge you to choose based on business reasons rather than personal ones.  Although personal relationships matter, experience, expertise and a good success rate will determine the financial success of your sale.

4. Keep It Real - Disclosures

If there are any issues with your home for sale, please be truthful and show the information in the Disclosure.  Covering up any problems during the sale process will not help you in any way.  State disclosure laws are strict.  You can be sued after the sale for real problems that could have been disclosed.

5. Take Your Time

Before putting your home on the market, have you found a new home to move to?  Have you done your homework concerning your mortgage, pre-payment penalties, market conditions, trends and options?  Take the stress out of the process as much as possible.  Settle yourself first and then take the step of selling your current home. 

6. Your Home Sale Is A Business Transaction

Yes, you will feel emotional when you put your house on the market.  You have memories and are attached -- absolutely understandable.  Still, you have made this decision for a logical reason.  Also, when you bough the house, one of your intentions was investment.  Now is the time to switch your thinking.  Look at the sale as a business transaction.  Your attachment and own financial needs might negatively impact the sale.  You will need to be prepared to treat it as business and let go.  It might have been your home but when you put it on the market, but to the buyer, it’s a house.

Are you ready to sell your Naperville house? Call me, Teresa Ryan at 630-276-7575.  As a Naperville luxury real estate expert and Managing Broker/Owner of Ryan Hill Realty – www.RyanHillRealty.com, I have the experience and tools to help you sell your Naperville Luxury home.

5 Easy Tips To Prepare Your Naperville Home For Sale

5 Easy Tips To Prepare Your Naperville Home For Sale

When you get ready to put you home on the market, there are steps you can take to improve its appeal without spending a lot of money. Keep in mind that the buyer will want more for his/her buck. Several low cost improvements and renovations can make your house their dream house. When you add value to your home, it always pays for itself.

Here are 5 easy ways to make your Naperville home for sale stand out and grab attention.

Neutral colors go well with small spaces.

Highlights and accents like curtains, trendy light fixtures; new shelving should be used to infuse color and character to the space. When viewing a house, buyers should be able to envision their own taste and personalization of the space, not yours. They should not feel like they are inheriting any ‘baggage’ from you. Give them a clean palette. For color and its psychological effects a good article to read is http://teresaryan.com/naperville-homes/how-a-rooms-color-can-affect-your-mood/.

Create an interesting space in your home.

A study, a library, or a family nook – they’re all interesting hideaways, a little piece of privacy that people love. These spaces can be along a movement path, part of a room or an unused corner. They are inexpensive to create – get creative with a bookshelf, a divider, a rug or a vintage desk or piano. They are tasteful and will add culture and panache to an otherwise plain space.

Cooking and cleanliness.

Bathrooms and kitchens are the most analyzed spaces from a buyer’s point of view. Easy modifications include a coat of paint, new fixtures, lights and faucets will add new life to an existing clean but older space. For warm finishes, try a granite counter top or wood cabinets to enhance the value of your home.

First impressions last.

Is your yard and lawn well maintained? Make an effort to trim the grass. Easy do it yourself landscape projects are readily available at your local nursery. Go the extra mile, pull out weeds, sweep the driveway, and plant flowers.

Schools and Parks.

Have school district and recreational facilities information available for a buyer. Find out about the school’s test scores and keep a report and a leisure guide visible when a family is viewing your home. These two areas are amongst the most important factors that families look into when investing in property, according to this article in USA Today. (http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2013/04/28/24-7-home-features/2106203/)

These are just some of the steps you can take to improve the chances of getting your home sold fast. Ask me for advice about cost effective improvements you can make.

Are you ready to sell your Naperville house? Call me, Teresa Ryan at 630-276-7575. As a Naperville luxury real estate expert and Managing Broker/Owner of Ryan Hill Realty – www.RyanHillRealty.com, I have the experience and tools to help you sell your Naperville Luxury home.

Naperville Ladies, Stay Healthy With Better Sleep

Naperville Ladies, Stay Healthy With Better Sleep

Naperville ladies, are you getting enough sleep? Here are some important tips to get that much-needed rest you deserve.

It’s a fact that women, especially busy working mothers, deal with a lot of planning, stress, and sleep deprivation. From busy minds to waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to fall asleep again, your bad sleep patterns can cause many emotional and health issues.



SIGNS OF SLEEP DEPRIVATION

If it only takes you 5 minutes or less to fall asleep at night, it means that you’re already sleep-deprived. It normally takes 10 to 15 minutes to fall asleep, meaning you are not too exhausted that you feel sleepy the entire day.

Other signs of sleep deprivation are fatigue, mood swings, and irritability.

NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF NOT GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP

If you are not getting at least 7 hours of sleep every night, you are at a higher risk for depression, metabolic, and cardiovascular disorders like high blood pressure and diabetes.

According to a study, 17 hours of sustained wakefulness during the day leads to a decrease in performance equivalent to a blood alcohol level of .05%.

AS WE AGE, SLEEP BECOMES DIFFICULT

As we grow older, our circadian clocks which control our sleep-wake cycle become less efficient, making it harder for older adults to fall asleep or stay asleep. They also have difficulty being alert during the day. Insomnia also becomes more common during menopause, which is another challenge for women.

GETTING QUALITY SLEEP IS IMPORTANT

Sleep quality is as important for physical and mental health as are food, water, and exercise. The most critical part of sleep is the first two hours after you fall asleep and the two hours before you wake up. Any noise during that time can be disruptive and compromise the quality of your sleep. Light can also be disruptive to your sleep cycle even if you don’t fully wake up. The light turns off a neutral switch in your brain and causes levels of an important sleep chemical to decrease within minutes.

So, how do you ‘switch off’ and get a full night’s sleep naturally? It only takes some simple lifestyle changes to make sure you put an end to those sleepless nights.

NATURAL WAYS TO SLEEP BETTER

• Simple lifestyle changes and healthy habits during the daytime can help Naperville women get better sleep.
• Avoid caffeine in the late afternoon and evening.
• Do not drink alcohol within 3 hours of bedtime.
• Get plenty of sunshine or bright light during the day, especially in the morning and early afternoon.
• Avoid exposure to bright light two hours before bedtime. Following the lines on a page acts as a sedative.
• Avoid watching TV or playing video games before bedtime as this stimulates brain activity.
• Take a warm bath or shower before bed to release internal body heat.
• A cooler room temperature or about 68 degrees is the ideal temperature for sleep.
• Sleep in a dark room. If you want to sleep with lights, avoid blue lights since they are the most alerting. Red lights are best to induce sleep.
• Go to sleep and wake up at a regular time everyday.

If you wake up in the middle of the night, avoid exposure to light.

Getting enough sleep and quality sleep are important to your health, especially if you’re a Naperville women with a dynamic, active, and busy lifestyle. A balanced diet and exercise is not enough if you are not alert during the day due to lack of sleep. They say health is wealth, and it starts with enough shut-eye and rest. Let’s get healthy, Naperville!

If you’re a Naperville homeowner who is looking for a change of residence, please do not hesitate to call me, Teresa Ryan at 630-276-7575. As a Naperville luxury real estate expert and Managing Broker/Owner of Ryan Hill Realty – www.RyanHillRealty.com, I have the experience and tools to help you sell your Naperville Luxury home.

A Private Gym In Naperville For Overweight Women And Men

A Private Gym In Naperville For Overweight Women And Men

There is a gym in Naperville where membership is reserved for people who are at least 50 pounds overweight and are shy about attending a regular gym. It is private, specialized, customized and fun.

Downsize Fitness specifically meets the needs of people who really need customized fitness plans as well as a feeling of comfort to help them meet their weight loss goals in a healthy way – both, mentally and physically.

“Our trainers are focused on being supportive coaches instead of demanding drill sergeants, and workouts that can be tailored to any level of endurance, flexibility, and strength,” said Downsize Fitness Naperville’s General Manager, Jillian McAfee.

Kishan Shah, CEO of Downsize Fitness, says the gym is filling the need to empower more obese and overweight Naperville women and men to go to the gym and lose weight, and the company is hoping to open many more similar fitness centers focused on weight loss across the United States in the next few years.

Downsize Fitness put up a location in Naperville because most of their clients in their Chicago gym live in the suburbs and since Downsize Fitness’ founder, Francis Wisniewski was a Naperville resident for about 10 years, it was ideal.

“We design our exercise classes so everyone can do them,” says McAfee. “We make it fun because otherwise people wouldn’t come back.”

“There’s this magic of giving the member a fantastic workout that helps them lose fat and build muscle, but also provides a level of safety and comfort where you’re not going to get hurt,” said Shah, who had lost 200 pounds himself over seven years through diet and exercise. “The secret is the support community and empowerment we give our members. We understand it’s a difficult journey. Seventy-five percent of our staff have weight loss transformations themselves.”

The weight loss-focused strength and conditioning routines offered at Downsize Fitness cannot be found anywhere else. Classes offer functional training with exercise balls, free weights, resistance bands, and kettlebells.

The most popular classes among Naperville women in the Downsize Fitness gym are circuit training and cardio dance.

Downsize keeps class sizes small so trainers can closely monitor each client and give advice on proper techniques to ensure safety and optimal calorie burn.

Clients worked out through classes with alternating smiles and giggles, comfortably chatting about movies and other things in between sets of exercises.

Downsize Fitness’ Naperville gym client base is comprised of mostly women so far, but three men have also joined.

Privacy is not an issue at Downsize Fitness because the storefront has frosted windows and only a small sign to let Downsize Fitness clients know they arrived at the right place.

Many Naperville women who regularly go to Downsize Fitness have lost 10 to 20 lbs in 4 to 6 weeks of classes.

The hours Naperville women spend in the gym is guaranteed to help improve their health, whether they are dancing to cardio routines, doing modified jumping jacks, or laughing with their peers.

Downsize Fitness, launched two years ago in Chicago, calls itself  “the world’s first overweight-only gym.”

“But if and when clients succeed at their weight-loss goals, they’re welcome to remain members. We actually hope they stay on and act as mentors,” McAfee said. “It’s extremely motivating for new clients to see what they've accomplished.”

If you want to get more of the latest updates in Naperville women’s health and lifestyle, visit www.NapervilleHomesandLifestyle.com.

Are you ready to buy or sell a home in Naperville? Call me, Teresa Ryan at 630-276-7575. As a Naperville luxury real estate expert and Broker/Owner of Ryan Hill Realty – www.RyanHillRealty.com, I have the experience and tools to help you sell your Naperville Luxury home.

How Fannie Mae Could Boost the Value of Naperville Homes for Sale in 2015

How Fannie Mae Could Boost the Value of Naperville Homes for Sale in 2015

The real estate market could get an early kick start in 2015, thanks to Fannie Mae’s new guidelines on getting a mortgage.

Is it difficult to get a mortgage?

If you want to buy a home for sale in Naperville and have a good credit score, low debt, a well-paying job and are able to afford the 20% down payment, then it’s not really hard to get a mortgage. However, for hopeful borrowers without these credentials, it’s a bit more difficult, unless they want to pay for an expensive FHA loan.

In the past couple of years, the average credit score of an approved borrower for conventional loans was 754, which was already a drop from its peak of 764 in 2012 (but still considered a good credit score). This is not the case for most borrowers who went through a financial crisis when the economy crashed a few years ago.

The average credit score of a rejected mortgage applicant was 723, also considered a fairly good credit score. So why were the “fairly good” borrowers getting rejected?

Lenders were careful and set strict lending policies to lessen delinquencies, especially after the impact of the financial crisis.  Lending guidelines were also unclear as the market recovered, which did not help.  

However, with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s new guidelines in place, banks and other lenders now know exactly when they should approve and reject a loan.

Less strict guidelines for getting a mortgage

According to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s new guidelines, the new credit score minimum is 620 and a minimum down payment of 3% to 5% is acceptable.

However, there are a few drawbacks to this situation. Where borrowers have lower credit scores and lower down payments, buyers can expect an increase in home prices.

Buyers with a lower credit score and a low down payment of 3% can expect higher mortgage interest rates and higher mortgage insurance premiums.

What is the impact on values of Naperville homes for sale?

Lower credit scores and lower down payments which make mortgage loans easily available to homebuyers could have a pretty big impact on the Naperville housing market.

According to the Urban Institute, we could see an additional 1.2 million mortgage loans per year if mortgage availability stays at this level.

The new mortgage guidelines in place could increase homebuying to more than 20% in 2015.

This is good news for homeowners looking to sell their Naperville Il homes, as a 20% increase in potential buyers could mean an increase in market activity, more bids for homes, thereby pushing up home prices and faster sales.

How this benefits home buyers

Homebuyers who wanted to buy a Naperville Subdivision home for sale in the past but had trouble with the mortgage guidelines, can now get easier access to mortgage loans since lenders have clearer guidelines on what qualifies a borrower for a loan.

This clarity in mortgage guidelines is also a step forward in the recovery of the housing market by returning it to normal levels of accessibility for homebuyers and making it beneficial for both buyers and sellers of Naperville homes.

Check out www.RyanHillRealty.com for tips on selling homes in Naperville.

If you are ready to sell your Naperville Homes For Sale call me, Teresa Ryan at 630-276-7575.  As a Naperville luxury real estate expert and Managing Broker/Owner of Ryan Hill Realty, I have the experience and tools to help you sell your Naperville Luxury home.

Is Concierge Health Care the Next Big Thing In Naperville Women's Health?

Is Concierge Health Care the Next Big Thing In Naperville Women’s Health?

Concierge health care has become a preference for many middle-income households in the United States.  With several doctors in Naperville now offering what some refer to as ‘wealth care’,  we thought we’d explore what this ‘physician membership’ offers.

According to Wikipedia — Concierge medicine (also known as retainer medicine) is a relationship between a patient and a primary care physician in which the patient pays an annual fee or retainer. This may or may not be in addition to other charges. In exchange for the retainer, doctors provide enhanced care, including principally a commitment to limit patient loads to ensure adequate time and availability for each patient.

Concierge Health Care Services

What you get depends on what the practice offers.  At some, all visits are included.  At others, it might just cover an annual customized health exam, immediate visits, after-hours access and having the physician on-call.

Read through your plan and ask questions so you have all the facts before you join.

Keep in mind that these costs are in addition to your traditional health care plan, which will cover specialized care, MRIs and other services.

The Costs

Typically, the extra charge is anywhere between $1,000 to $2,000 a year; and this is outside the traditional insurance system.  The cost could be higher, depending on age.

Concierge doctors can spend more time with each patient to get to know them on a deeper level, they accept fewer patients — no more than 600 on average, compared to 2,500 or more for a typical doctor. Other concierge doctors charge a flat fee of $50 per month for consultations.

Instead of spending 10 minutes per patient, they spend at least a half hour and do comprehensive tests on the patient and even give them questionnaires, asking patients detailed histories like sleep patterns and sexual health.

Concierge doctors are also called private physicians or direct pay practices.

There are some practices that charge up to 5 figures in exchange for handling all aspects of the patient’s health care (from negotiating hospital bills to being with the patient in the operating room). Overall, concierge patients come from the upper middle class, with typical gross household incomes of  $125,000 to $250,000 a year, according to Michael Tetreault, editor in chief of Concierge Medicine Today, a magazine that covers the industry. Concierge patients are usually from the Baby Boomer generation, generally in their 50s to 80s, according to concierge doctors.

The Details and Benefits

For many, having the peace of mind knowing that they can contact their physician any time during an emergency and that someone is always there to take care of them is worth the extra thousand dollars they pay every year. Concierge doctors can call the emergency room in advance, thereby speeding up the process of having to go through the waiting room during emergencies.

Some patients are so impressed by the service that they are even willing to forego expensive vacations or cut back on entertainment expenses just to pay for the concierge doctor’s annual fee.

Many concierge doctors also offer testing that traditional insurance doesn’t usually cover. Some of these doctors order blood tests to check for inflammation associated with heart disease. Others run body composition profiles to measure fat levels and muscle mass.

According to concierge doctors, they actually save patients money in the long run by reducing their need to go to specialists and hospitals.

In Naperville, there are a number of physicians who are practicing concierge doctors. Concierge doctors are often excellent medical practitioners and some patients believe that $150 per month is a good deal for stress-free and immediate access to personalized medical care.

In conclusion, based on the research and patient reviews, a Concierge practice/doctor is a preferred option for people who can afford it. There is a negative aspect to this however, by limiting the number of patients they accept, these excellent doctors are not available to people who can’t afford the additional annual fee.

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