Licensed Realtor in Illinois and Indiana.
Call or text me at 708-307-3696
This link below is a resource for seniors looking for tips on aging in place. Most Americans want to stay in their homes as long as they possibly can. However, if you’re living in the home you’ve lived in for a long time, maybe raised your family there, it may not suit you anymore. The yard might be too big, too many stairs, laundry in the basement, many things. Maybe your health is starting to decline a little.
It might be time to look into right-sizing your place. But what do you look for? Do you want a bunch of amenities or maybe just a few? Do you want to stay close to family and friends or head off to someplace warm? There’s even information about low-income housing for seniors. I actually clicked on the link below and nothing bad happened to me. It’s a short read and includes a checklist to help you decide what’s important to you.
It’s time to sell!
What to do to get ready to attract the most buyers to your listing!
People who are considering selling their current home often find themselves sweating the details. And to a degree, yes there are some that need to be perspired about. But if you know what buyers are looking for when they tour your home, the following suggestions can take your home to the next level!
General
Replace all the light bulbs in your home to make your home appear larger and brighter
When lighting, have 2-3 low lights (lamps) in a room.
Now is the time to start packing away all your personal photos, diplomas, paintings. People touring your home need to be able to see their belongings in a room, not yours.
Dust off your ceiling fans and other ceiling light fixtures. If all that is cobwebby and dusty, it can paint an unflattering picture about general maintenance. If the ceiling fan includes a light fixture, take the shades off and wash with hot soapy water, dry and replace. You'll see the difference in the lighting immediately..
Flat surfaces need to be dusted. Get into the corners also. For real.
When was the last time you washed your windows? I thought so. It takes time and energy but will make a huge impression on a buyer. Hire someone if you can't face it.
People will open your closet and pantry doors. Do not make them have to jump back. Purge, pack and organize. This makes the home look as storage-friendly as possible.
Vacuum carpeting and dust/clean wood or vinyl plank flooring.
Baseboards need love too. Make sure to dust them.
Remove all silk flower arrangements as they tend to attract dust.
Remove all evidence of your pets. Beware of dog signs, litter boxes, food bowls, etc.
Raise all window shades to the same level. No need to bust out the ruler, just eyeballing is fine.
Kitchen
Remove all items from the top of your refrigerator and front of your refrigerator i.e magnets, photos, etc. Dust off the top of your fridge--tall buyers can see up there.
Clean off all counters. This includes any small appliance that can be put in a cabinet or even in a box--you are moving after all.
Make sure counters are clean and shining. Sticky counters--do I need to say more?
If it has a glass front, your oven door, microwave, smart fridge, etc, clean them according to manufacturer recommendations.
Buyers will look in your fridge, especially if you're planning to leave it. Clean up spills, and purge old food and condiments.
Make sure floor is clean (I stepped in dog pee once. In my socks. No one was happy)
Bathroom(s)
Get in there and clean. Toilet, sink, shower/bathtub, shower doors and the frame and floor. Make sure toilet is clean for all showings. I've seen things [shudder].
If you have long-haired people in your home (I am one) pick up shedded hair using dry toilet paper. It works, I don't know why.
If you have very hard water, like well water, and are plagued by rust stains, try Barkeeps Friend. I've found it to be a superior rust-stain remover.
Think spa-like atmosphere for bathrooms. Place a small basket of rolled white hand towels and some decorative hand soaps, maybe a scented candle or a Kirkland's sachet that makes you think plants or clean linen.
Replace mildewy shower curtains.
Living room and dining room
Make furniture and stained cabinets, window and door frames look brand new with Old English scratch cover. This comes in multiple shades and a little goes a long way. Even though you're taking your furniture, looking well-cared for speaks to the buyer mindset.
We've already talked about dusting, but cleanliness cannot be stressed enough here. Lamps, including shades, tables, the top of the drapes and blinds need dusting.
Remove the leaf from your dining room table--makes the room look a little larger. Move spare chairs to opposite corners of the room.
Some things to consider purchasing...
If you don't love it and want it in your new home, don't buy it. I can't stress this enough. Look for things that will appeal to current buyers.
Add a white or light colored soft/furry blanket to your sofa. Add new, current light colored throw pillows.
To make your home smell nice, use sachets from Kirklands. They scent just enough without being overwhelming.
How old are your smoke detectors? If they aren't wired in, they probably need to be replaced. This will help at inspection time.
Consider replacing coverlets, duvets, comforters with plain white or off-white ones.
Style specific curtains should be removed and replaced with something neutral
Freshen up the look of a room with a large-leaf plant such as philodendron, monstera or palm. They can handle a little neglect, which makes them a great addition if you're not around.
Now, I love a good jewel-tone. I have rooms in my home that are painted very brightly. I have NO illusions that my paint colors are going to fly with buyers when that time comes. That being said, consider painting rooms a very neutral white or off-white. Also, use a white matte paint for ceilings--avoid glossy paint which enhances imperfections.
Let's look outside..let's make that first impression
Put new mulch in freshly weeded garden beds. Prune back and remove overgrown or just plain ugly plants.
Power wash your house. Dirty siding is another item that speaks to maintenance of the home.
Pressure wash driveways, walks, decks anything that can stand it.
Remove window screens and and use your hose to clean the fuzzies out of them. You can leave them off or put them back up. They'll need to be in place for inspection.
Keep outdoor decor to a minimum. I think flamingos are a hoot. Most buyers won't.
These are all suggestions designed to enhance your home and get your place sold quickly and for the most money. I've garnered them from other realtors, blogs and my own personal experience showing homes. The Competition is always new construction. If we can make your current home appealing to a lot of buyers, that puts you that much closer to being in your new home, which is the single most important goal.
I am very happy for you to share this with anyone you know who needs it now or in the near future. That goes for any information or promotion I email to you!
Reviews!
These (and more) can also be viewed on my Google page.
“Maureen was my real estate agent and we worked together for about five weeks until I closed on a house in the middle of January. She was wonderful; I cannot say enough good things about her. She is very friendly and is really interested in learning about your needs and style so that she can pin down houses that are appropriate for you. I was surprised that she would offer very blunt opinions about houses, for example, pointing out defects and not, in any way, encouraging me to be interested in a house that wasn’t suitable for me. She was a really good sounding board and helped me as I clarified in my own mind the characteristics that were important to me in a house. I love the house I bought.
I also want to mention that Maureen is very personable and easy to talk to. She is also very funny and has a positive personality. I would highly recommend her to anyone.” Peter Turbek
“Thank you Maureen for all your help selling my home, you made the process as smooth as possible. I will share your contact information with confidence.”
Brian Zaylik—Steger, IL January 2023
“Maureen was professional attentive & made sure we closed early on our new home!”
Pat Burgin—Monee, IL August 2022
“Maureen has been the best! She answered all my questions, I had a million. She was calming when I was extremely anxious. Professional and kind. I would recommend her to all my friends and family!”
Cindy Lustig—Chicago Hts, IL August 2022
“It was a pleasure working with Maureen when it was time to sell my parent's house. She is very knowledgeable and hard working. Any questions we had were answered in a timely manner. I was grateful for her patience and compassion, as this was a very emotional time for us. I will definitely recommend Maureen to anyone looking for a great real estate agent.”
Cathy Gawczynski—Park Forest, IL August 2022
“Maureen was the agent selling my father's home when we reconnected after 30 years. While I was not involved in the process, I witnessed Maureen handled everything involved in the process with the utmost respect and professionalism. At the same time, my son was purchasing his first home in the Seattle area. Maureen understood my maternal concerns and offered to find us a honest, reputable agent to assist my son through the process. As soon as she put my son in contact with Shawn at Keller Williams, his buying journey started.
While I did not utilize Maureen for her home selling/buying services, she provided me a level of comfort during two stressful times. I would highly recommend reaching out to Maureen for your real estate needs. You can stop searching for the "perfect agent", you've found her. Give her a call today! Look for her on Facebook!” Annette Green—Schaumburg, IL August 2022
On being your authentic self
So much lip service is being paid to being our “authentic” selves and being perfectly genuine, but how often do we let ourselves off the chain and do that?
I may be going out on a limb here, but I am really curious. When you hear someone say they are being or that you should be your authentic self (it’s in all the self-help books now, it seems) is your first thought, “What if my authentic self is unlikeable?” Is my authentic self Mahatma Ghandi or Joseph Stalin? Who the hell is my authentic self and is there a secret to reaching that person? Or is my situation that I have buried that person so deep that I would do grievous bodily harm trying to dig them out?
When I was little, I was able to go up to perfect strangers, talk to them, give them compliments, run around and play with them and pronounce them my friend within minutes. I had zero inhibitions and was never labeled “shy.” Of course, as I aged and school slapped me into submission, that little girl started to fade. I could still manage unbridled sociability for a short time, but by the end of 6th grade and a particularly messed up bullying situation, two in fact, I was done trying. My mother would tell me things like I needed to stop wearing my heart on my sleeve. I didn’t have a clue what she meant and wanted her to shut up and stop lecturing me about how all of this was my fault (that’s how I took it, anyway for doing something gross like wearing my heart outside my body) and that these weren’t “real” friends. I learned to be alone, and defiantly so. I didn’t need friends, f*%k ‘em. I read a lot, spent time on my porch tanning (to my peril now, but who knew), and wondered what the hell had happened that people didn’t like me.
One incident really stood out for me. We had a community pool called the Park Forest Aqua Center. It was awesome, Badge pool (you had to know how to swim) Teen pool and Adult pools (obvious) and baby pools. I loved to swim and wasn’t letting the people who’d been bullying me take that away. So I walked there every nice day (yes, no one gave me a ride). Anyway, there was this girl, Kristen. She was a year younger than me and I noticed that she’d gotten the new Farrah hair style and it looked really good on her. I was still wearing my hair somewhat short and was apt to give out compliments anyway. So when I saw Kristen sitting on the stoop of the Aq (it’s what we called it, being very cool) I said, “Hi Kristen, I really like you’re hair.” Pretty tame stuff in my opinion.
She was sitting with two girls I didn’t know. They start giggling behind their hands and whispering to Kristen. Kristen, for her part, totally ducked her head and avoided eye contact. She said a quiet, “thanks” and since I’d always been pretty good at reading the room, I moved away and got in line to go to the pool. But not before I heard the word, “lez.”
I was 13 and I knew what it meant.
I knew I wasn’t gay. I’d already had a couple of serious crushes on boys. And for the life of me I could not figure out what saying Kristen’s hair looked nice and being gay had to do with each other. But it taught me an important lesson; that I wasn’t giving compliments to anyone anymore unless they were already an established friend, someone I could trust. And I didn’t. Not for a really long time.
I was going somewhere with this….. Ah, yes, being one’s authentic self.
I legit stopped being who I was. I had been friendly, trusting, funny, a little verbose (I used big, unusual words as a child. Like I said, I liked to read.) and I had it thrown back in my face so many times I stopped counting. I started reading the room like a crime-scene investigator—I took every measurement, watched every move and sought clues about fitting in. I modeled myself after every teen girl I’d seen in movies, trying some stuff and nixing the rest. I avoided the popular girls like the plague after being told by one that I just wasn’t dressed right enough to hang with them. It was the era of Jordache, Guess and Chic jeans (I know, right?) and we didn’t have the money for those brands. I wore Levi’s and the occasional pair of Lee’s. I didn’t get it, Chic jeans made you look like a pancake-ass.
I developed friendships with boys (way easier, less pressure). I was very cool, almost aloof (see? verbose) and then suffered the consequences of having guy friends by being called a slut. Nice, right? I couldn’t win. Call me what you want, I still preferred the guys. I hung with a few select girls who were into being cool with me and enjoyed hanging out with the boys too (and not for the most obvious reasons either). Like I said, those friendships were sooo much easier and are still maintained to this day. I didn’t return to being myself for so long. I forgot who that was.
Eventually, I made a choice. While I still feel the tug of trying to be cool (I know, at my age, it’s borderline sad), I’ve decided that being that 5 year old who can make a friend in an instant is who I want to be. And I do. I make connections all the time, just chatting with people. My daughter gives me crap for starting conversations with strangers in the grocery line, but I’ve learned I like talking to people and finding a little common ground, even if its just for a couple of minutes. I smile at strangers and they usually smile back. On occasion that earns me an odd look, but that usually just makes me laugh. I’m welcoming the 5 year old “social butterfly” in me back with open arms.
I hope those who are opening this are still enjoying it. I really enjoy writing it, catharsis is a good thing. Keep in mind my main gig is real estate, though, and let me know if you or someone you know could use the help of a communicative, funny, social, organized and committed real estate agent!
(708) 307-3696 or maureen.trlak@kw.com
It happens to every writer…
But this never happens to me…I swear
Deadlines schmedlines…When you write for yourself and a small group of people, you don’t HAVE to produce content on time. Or do you?
When I started this, I promised myself I would put something out there every two weeks. And except for a travel day after my Florida trip, I did just that (gotta give yourself a little grace here and there). But I have been wracking my brain for a week trying to come up with something compelling to say. I found two cute tops at Maurice’s a week ago and got $20 off…nah. Ummm….is everybody caught up on Ted Lasso? How about the Mandalorian? How about this weather, huh?
I can tell you this and it’s pretty big. I have changed real estate brokerages. I am no longer with Keller Williams NW Indiana but have switched over to Keller Williams Elite in Oak Lawn. So far so good. This doesn’t really change much. I am still licensed in Indiana and Illinois. I’m still getting to service my clients in the manner which I always have. I’m also getting to meet a whole new group of people and everyone has been very nice and welcoming. Huge plus. I haven’t introduced anyone there to this little beauty of a newsletter, but that may happen down the line.
Generally speaking I shy away from getting into the whole real estate thing. Yes, I throw the occasional market stat or something your way, and if you’ve read all the way to the bottom, you know I do ask for referrals. However, I will tell you about this. I had my very first First Time Homebuyer seminar. I leaped out of my comfort zone and voluntarily got up in front of people to talk about the process of buying a home. Public speaking can be rough, but this went very smoothly. Probably helped that the two people who made it there are people I know, but being well-versed in my subject matter and being organized made it a breeze. Well, I thought it went very well. I introduced 3 speakers who talked about lending, inspections and why you need a lawyer in Illinois. I admit, I overbought on food (especially candy) but I was very content with the result. So content, in fact, that I’m going to do it again. You can look for that email announcing a seminar in late May.
The real estate business is big on pivoting. Moving brokerages, switching computer systems, meeting new agents, learning the office dynamic, dialing in your business model to fit the changing market. Where I’m going with this is we have to roll with the changes. What changes have you had recently in your life? I would genuinely like to know. New job? New hobby? New in-laws? New baby? New grandbaby? Getting married or maybe un-married? Maybe you even found yourself stepping out of your comfort zone in a big way. When you email me, it stays between you and me—no need to bare yourself in the comments. This is just between friends and if you have something you’d like to tell me, I would be honored to hear from you.
So I managed to eke out a few paragraphs. And seriously, let’s catch up.
And, as always, if you have a real estate need, even if it’s just a question, please don’t hesitate to ask me. If you know anyone who could use my help, please send them my way. I’ll take great care of them.
Copyright (C) 2023 Maureen Trlak Real Estate Keller Williams NW Indiana. All rights reserved.
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I write a little bit…
The Big Ask
On those rare occasions where you can’t do it all or you just need help, how often do you say to yourself one of these:
Hmmm…I really should be able to do this on my own OR
I really hate to bother them, but… OR EVEN
How is my self-image going to suffer if I ask someone to help and they say no or even hesitate for a moment and what are they gonna think of me, consider me helpless and bothersome asking them to break up their day with something annoying… Uh, wow—that went dark.
Two people whom I consider to be good, good friends both hesitated to ask me for simple things. Well, I considered them simple things anyway. However, they both considered them to be big asks. When I was considering what to write in this newsletter, I talked to both of them about what they’d asked for and what prompted the hesitation.
My friend Anne asked me to meet her at a car alarm place in Park Forest when she dropped her car off and then bring her home to Steger. I live in Steger, I wasn’t working, it was all of 30 minutes so no biggie. She told me she actually gave herself a little pep talk to ask me. Like most of us, she really doesn’t ask for help. Of course, I immediately turned this on myself wondering what I had done or if something about me made her not want to ask. When we discussed it again, she told me that it’s hard for anyone to ask for help, even with the little things, because we always feel like we have to do everything and we don’t want to bother people.
I feel like there’s a couple of reasons for that. I’d like to blame it on being born in a specific generation, Gen Xers having reared ourselves, we have an innate tendency to “just do it myself.” Boomers tend to take the “if you want it done right, do it yourself” tack. Millennials, being the creative problem-solvers they are, work to figure it out on their own until they finally break down and ask someone. The jury is still out on Gen Z, though you do tend to collaborate better than your parents and grandparents.
The problem crosses the sexes too. Ask any man with a pickup. Yes, I realize women have pickups too, and trust me, they’re doing the same thing. No pickup-owning man wants to get the call, “Hey can you help me get_____from____?” He or she will likely get in their truck and do it anyway, but not without a lot of grumbling about, “I knew when I bought this thing, this was gonna happen all the time.” However, there are people driving down the street with large furniture hanging out of the back of a hatchback with a mattress strapped to their roof. With the number of pickups on the road, I sincerely doubt that person doesn’t know someone with one. They just didn’t want to ask, were afraid to ask, or the pickup owner saw their name on caller-id and decided not to answer.
Most of the men I know are hard-pressed to ask anyone to help them with something. Conversations with my husband in this vein usually go as follows:
Him: I need help with this
Me: I don’t know if I can lift that. Why don’t you call _______(fill in name)?
Him: I don’t want to bother ________(fill in name).
Me: But you’ll bother me? Wouldn’t you do this for him?
Him: Well, yeah, but he’s probably busy and you’re my wife. You’re strong enough.
Me: So?
Him:
Me: So what? Call him anyway—I’m not picking that up.
No, I’m not. In fact, I think men like to fix things and are adept at assisting their friends and even strangers in need. Secretly, I think they like it. However, they also like being self-reliant so it’s really about getting the asking part out of the way.
I mentioned two friends at the top of this article. My friend Michelle got this nasty-ass cold a few weeks ago. I don’t know who all got it, but it made you feel like you’d been hit repeatedly with a baseball bat. She had a closing she needed to turn into our real estate office. This is a very quick thing—scan it into the copier, receive it in an email, and turn in the check. Anyone can perform this. Because Michelle is a DIY woman, she dragged ass to the office and took care of it. She called me while she was at there performing this task to laugh about the fact that she’d worn her house shoes there without realizing it. I asked her why she didn’t call me. I wasn’t doing anything and would have been happy to save her the trip. Her answer was “That seems like a big ask. You would have had to drive here, pick this stuff up, drive to Schererville, take care of it and drive the statement settlement back. It never even crossed my mind to ask you.” I said, “I would have done that for you, no problem.” She paused for just a second and said, “I know you would—-I would have done it for you too.” And there, ladies and gentlemen, is the rub.
Why don’t we just ask for help? Are we afraid of being needy, or worse yet, being called needy? Or, and this is a big one, do you fear the tit-for-tat? If I ask you a favor, are you now owed a favor? What happens when that gets out of balance?
I am just as guilty as the next. I puzzle over people not asking me for help when I’m really bad about it. I will fret over something for hours (huge time waste) before I ask anyone about it. Even Google. It’s that bad.
So I guess the next question is how do we fix it? Motivational speaker Leslie Brown says, “Ask for help not because you’re weak, but because you want to remain strong.”
Here are some suggestions:
1) Make asking a habit. Any muscle needs a workout. Until recently, I wouldn’t even ask my husband to get me a glass of water. I don’t call him from the other room to do it, but if he’s headed there, I ask.
2) Recognize that asking for help is a strength, not a weakness. This is huge! Admitting you have a problem is the first step toward solving it.
3) Ask sooner rather than later. First, it’s a time suck. Second, waiting to ask can cause problems to multiply. Anyone who’s ever had to change a dirty diaper knows this.
4) Ask in your own way. Find a way to articulate your needs so it sounds like you. People tend to respond when it’s you in your most natural state. Unless that’s naked. Might want to wear clothes for this part. Just sayin’.
5) Don’t keep a tally. You know who you are. No one else is doing that so knock it off.
Let’s work to make asking for help the norm rather than the exception. I think we can all appreciate The Beatles sentiment “I get by with a little help from my friends…”
We can all use a little help right now. I know I can. If you know anyone who needs help navigating this bizarre real estate market, please send them my way. I love a good referral and will take care of them!
Quote from: Career-Intelligence.com LLC 2020-2022
Copyright (C) 2023 Maureen Trlak Real Estate Keller Williams NW Indiana. All rights reserved.
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I love to drive
Driving is sincerely one of my favorite things to do.
I live in the South Suburbs of Chicago. Actually it’s the far South Suburbs. While we have public transportation—busses, trains, ride shares, etc.—I really prefer to drive myself. Getting around down here is just easier when you have a car, but it’s really about freedom and not counting on anyone else to get me from place to place.
When I was little and played outside, we used to play “City.” In essence, my group of friends in my co-op court in Park Forest would set up a “business” on our porch. Mine was Maureen’s Motel (alliteration was big in this) which was a blanket and a pillow on the cement slab that comprised my porch. We would all ride around on our bikes and patronize each other’s businesses. People would stop at my motel and lie down on the blanket for a minute or two, snore, then get up and hit their bikes again. I don’t recall all the other “businesses” anymore, but I think Debra (my best friend) had a restaurant and one of the boys had a “garage” where there would be a cursory look at our bike tires and chains. Riding around our “city” is where I tasted the freedom of personal transport.
I chomped at the bit to learn to drive. My mother taught me the basics, but she was a timid driver. My boyfriend (now husband) was instrumental in teaching me to really drive. I learned to get a feel for a car, it’s capabilities for speed, when it might slide (learned that the hard way) and how to crouch into corners and come out of a turn accelerating. To this day I always approach highway driving without fear, barreling down entrance ramps like I’m joining a NASCAR race and exiting like I’m headed for the pits.
One of my fondest memories was during Driver’s Ed. I turned a corner just in time to overhear Coach Detmar, my driving instructor, telling another one of the instructors about driving with his two students. “I have one who stops at railroad crossings and rolls down his window to listen for trains, but the other one is taking turns at 25 miles an hour—and handling it!” The life of a driving instructor is perilous.
I also really love cars. I had my time with Barbie and Ken (and GI Joe, but that’s a whole other story) but I really loved my Tonka hot pink dune buggy and my Matchboxes. Since my mom was a 1970’s feminist, she was not a fan of Barbie, so she was willing to indulge the little cars with the opening doors and hood. Well, as long as she didn’t step on them. I wanted Hot Wheels. The boys I played with had Hot Wheels and tracks. My parents were very unwilling to entertain yards of track in their living room, plus the D-cell batteries required to “fuel” the little cars, so I had to content myself with playing “cars” at Tim and Todd’s house, or David’s.
As I aged, I was drawn to the boys who loved cars, finally finding THE ONE at age 15 who was and is the gearhead of my dreams. For our 29th wedding anniversary, he bought me a 1972 Buick Skylark Custom Convertible. I would drive it everywhere except that it’s a shameless fossil fuel burner of the first order requiring premium fuel. Well, that and I see no point in driving a convertible if you can’t have the top down.
I could go on and on with this subject, but I’ll close with this: I also love driving/car movies. Pretty much any James Bond film fits the bill, though I really adore Daniel Craig and the Astin Martin(s) he drives. Gone in 60 Seconds is another favorite. Baby Driver, Death Race 2000 (old and new versions), Christine (campy fun), Death Proof (if you can handle gore), Vanishing Point (old school), Heart Like A Wheel (girl power!) Drive (hello Ryan Gosling), Days of Thunder (obviously), The Last American Hero (Jeff Bridges early in his career) Smokey and the Bandit (who didn’t want a black Trans Am after that?) Greased Lightning (Richard Pryor was so cool), Road Warrior (even if they’re on the wrong side of the road and the car), The Italian Job (makes the Mini cool), Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry (beautiful green ‘69 Charger), and finally, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (too many hilarious scenes to list, but my favorite is digging a knife out of Will Farrell’s thigh using another knife).
Copyright (C) 2023 Maureen Trlak Real Estate Keller Williams NW Indiana. All rights reserved.
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