When it comes to selling a Evanston or North Shore home, the backbone of any successful marketing strategy is proper pricing. That's because the highest volume of potential buyers sees your home within days of it hitting the market. So if your home is perceived as overpriced right off the bat, you've already missed a huge opportunity.
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Up Next: @ Loves Local x AndySunflower Café in Beverly
19 Feb 2021 | 7:51 pmWho is ready for top-notch, creative, and delicious beverages? If that’s you, mark those calendars for Wednesday, February 24th, because @ Loves Local is picking up the tab at AndySunflower Café in Beverly from 9am – 11am. AndySunflower Café first began with owner, Andrea O. Robinson (Andy), treating her guests with freshly brewed coffees and teas. This snowballed into a custom coffee cart to now two AndySunflower Café locations! We can see why it has been so successful. Andy exudes sunshine and her innovative beverages seem to do the same (all we’re going to say is that there is one called the Bananas Foster latte and it sounds like pure magic!). We’re anxious for you to learn more about Andy and AndySunflower Café, so we won’t keep you too long in this introduction… Photo by Digital Segami @properties: What inspired you to open AndySunflower Café? Andrea O. Robinson: I was inspired to open AndySunflower Café by my family. I really love making coffee and was making it at home for years so opening my coffee shop was inevitable. Whenever someone visited my home for whatever reason they likely sipped on a fresh brewed cup of coffee that included me weighting and grinding my beans. They would always walk away with a delicious specialty latte or fresh iced tea. I still have my home café and I am always playing in coffee. Owner Andy O. Robinson Photo by Sylus Green @properties: You started as a mobile coffee cart in Chicago and we saw that you still have the option to bring the café to wherever your clients may be! We love that what started your business is still functioning today! How did you come up with this concept? AR: Yes, my business initially started out with my custom-made coffee cart. I[…]
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@properties Taps Detroit’s Top Brokerage Firm for First Franchise
17 Feb 2021 | 4:00 pmIt’s official! @properties is now in Detroit with the announcement that Alexander Real Estate has signed on as the first @properties franchise in the country. The news follows last September’s launch of @properties’ national franchise brand, a move that will eventually give homebuyers and sellers across the country access to the technology, marketing and services that made @properties one of the nation’s largest independent brokerage firms. The new Detroit franchise has 45 agents and offices in Midtown (downtown Detroit) and Royal Oak. Owners Eric Walstrom, Alex Irrer and Matt O’Laughlin plan to quickly expand into several surrounding suburbs and townships including Grosse Pointe, Birmingham, Rochester Hills, Plymouth and Northville. They also have their sights set on Ann Arbor. “As a company, we have ambitious goals, none more important than delivering the best client experience in our market,” said Walstrom. “We looked at a lot of different paths to take us where we want to go, and ultimately we decided @properties was the brand that would contribute the most to our success.” “This is such a great fit both culturally and geographically. It’s the perfect team to carry the @properties brand into the Detroit market,” said Thad Wong, co-founder and co-CEO of @properties. Walstrom and Irrer founded Alexander in 2016 in Royal Oak, a close-in suburb of Detroit. In 2018, they partnered with O’Laughlin to open the office in Midtown, where a massive redevelopment effort – driven largely by billionaire businessman and Detroit native, Dan Gilbert – was just getting underway. Over the next three years, the company tripled its sales volume and became the No. 1 brokerage firm in the downtown market, as well as the city’s No. 1 broker for new-construction and adaptive-reuse developments. “Detroit is hungry for something new,” said O’Laughlin. “There hasn’t been much in the way[…]
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@ Loves Local Next Stop: Sip & Savor in Bronzeville
8 Feb 2021 | 8:15 pmYou can’t go wrong with a great cup of coffee. Chicago coffee house, Sip & Savor, has made sure that they’re serving up the finest certified fair trade coffee with plenty of breakfast options. Aside from a drool-worthy menu, Sip & Savor is more than your local coffee shop. Founder and CEO, Trez V Pugh III has made community the forefront of Sip & Savor by spotlighting local talent, hosting a variety of events, and featuring menu options from local bakeries. With three locations throughout Chicago’s South Side, Sip & Savor continues to grow and bring positivity to anyone who walks through their doors. The passion for great coffee and community is evident and inspiring. We’re thrilled to bring @ Loves Local to Sip & Savor’s Bronzeville location (528 E 43rd St, Chicago, IL 60653) on Thursday, February 11, 2021 from 10am – 12pm CT for a 12-oz beverage of your choice on @properties. Read on to learn more about Sip & Savor and how to redeem your free drink. @properties: What inspired you to open Sip & Savor? Trez V. Pugh III: A need for something classy and elegant targeted toward entrepreneurs, business professionals, and your everyday worker in underserved communities who wanted to network is what inspired me to open my coffeehouse. What originally began in 2005 as Bronzeville Coffee House morphed into Sip & Savor. Photo by Sip & Savor @properties: You have three Sip & Savor locations in different neighborhoods of Chicago. @ Loves Local will be hosted at your flagship location in Bronzeville. Was there anything in particular that drew you here? TP: My first coffee house was started at 528 E. 43rd Street because I owned the building and it was convenient. Once we opened, all the other locations were suggested to me by developers that wanted me[…]
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How to Make Valentine’s Day 2021 One to Remember
5 Feb 2021 | 8:06 pmBy now, you’ve probably got the whole at-home celebration thing down to a science. But if you’ve found yourself fresh out of ideas for Valentine’s Day, we’re here to help. Whether you are spending the day solo or with a loved one, here’s how you can enjoy the holiday of love: Take a Cooking Class Show off your skills in the kitchen with a virtual cooking class. East Lakeview’s Get In the Kitchen has a whole lineup of events from February 10th – 14th, including cookie decorating, three-course dinners, a Valentine’s Day brunch party, and more. Likewise, Taste Buds Kitchen in Bannockburn is offering a virtual class for Valentine’s Day dinner on the 13th and the menu will include pan-seared steak and potatoes lyonnaise alongside an arugula salad. Go to the Drive-In What better way to celebrate the day of love than with a movie and popcorn under the stars? ChiTown Movies will feature several romantic films during Valentine’s Day weekend at the drive-in at 2343 S. Throop St. in Pilsen. The lineup includes favorites like The Notebook and Lady and the Tramp, and food is available for purchase on site. Reserve your tickets here. Enjoy a Wine Tasting Whether you are a wine connoisseur or just want to try out some new varieties, wine tastings are always a fun activity. Uvae Kitchen and Wine Bar in Andersonville is hosting a virtual wine tasting of Sweetheart Wines on February 13th. They are also offering Valentine’s Day dinners for two, a bubbles and cheese basket, and a wine and chocolate basket. Need something more flexible? Schedule a tasting with VIN312 at a time that works for you. Winemaker Warner DeJulio will guide you through the history of the Ravenswood winery and the inspiration for five of their wines. Be sure[…]
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Share the LOVE Sweepstakes + Official Rules
3 Feb 2021 | 4:00 pmIn the spirit of Valentine’s Day, our Share the LOVE Sweepstakes is back! We’ve partnered with Flowers for Dreams and CS Magazine to offer you the perfect date night-in package. Keep reading to learn how to enter for a chance to win essentials for a great date night at home; Vogses chocolates, Garrett’s Popcorn, and gift cards for a Flowers for Dreams bouquet and dinner from Gene Georgetti. How to Enter Complete the form HERE Official Rules SPONSORS. @properties’ Share the Love Sweepstakes is sponsored by @properties, 212 E. Ohio, Chicago, IL (“Sponsor”). PROMOTION PERIOD: Promotion begins at 12:00 p.m. Central Daylight Time (“CDT”) on February 3, 2021 and ends on February 15, 2021 at 12:00 p.m. Central Daylight Time (“CDT”). The Promotion computer, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion, is the official time keeping device for the Promotion. AGREEMENT TO THE OFFICIAL RULES: By participating in the Promotion, all entrants fully and unconditionally agree to and accept these Official Rules and the Sponsor’s decisions which are final and binding in all matters related to the Promotion. Winning a prize (described below) is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein. ELIGIBILITY. Individuals who reside in the fifty (50) United States or the District of Columbia and who are 18 years of age or older are eligible to enter. ENTRY. During the Promotion Period, visit https://bit.ly/3oEQ5Py and complete the online entry form. All required fields must be completed. Incomplete submissions are void. No purchase is necessary. A purchase will not improve your chances of winning. DRAWING. A random drawing will be held on or about 12 p.m. Central Daylight Time (“CDT”) on February 15, 2020 (“the Draw Date”) at a location designated by Sponsor to select the potential prize winners from among all eligible entries received by Sponsor during the promotion period. Non-winning eligible entries will[…]
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Black-Owned Businesses to Support in Chicago
2 Feb 2021 | 3:09 pmIn honor of Black History Month, @properties is excited to spotlight a variety of Black-owned businesses throughout Chicago. Following is a roundup of just some of the great businesses you can support year-round. And we’ll be making a stop at two of them over the next few weeks as part of our @ Loves Local Series. Keep an eye on our blog and our Facebook and Instagram accounts for details, and we hope to see you there! Batter and Berries Brunch fans, rejoice! Batter and Berries, with locations in Lincoln Park and the South Loop, is a favorite among locals for delicious omelets, homemade biscuits and gravy, and mouthwatering pancakes and waffles. Established in 2012 by Dr. Tanya and Craig Richardson, the restaurant is home of the world-famous French toast flight, which gives diners a taste of strawberry, lemon, caramel, and blueberry French toasts. There are even daily French toast specials on rotation featuring unique flavors and combinations. Photo by Batter & Berries Sip & Savor On the hunt for one of the city’s best cups of joe? Head to Sip & Savor, a coffee house that serves up certified fair trade coffee alongside a menu of breakfast options, as well as pastries and small bites from local bakeries. Trez V. Pugh, founder and CEO of Sip and Savor, Inc., has always been passionate about his community, and sought to create jobs and unify neighbors through his original coffee house venture over a decade ago. Today, Sip & Savor has three locations throughout the South Side in Bronzeville, in the Rosenwald complex, and in Hyde Park. Join @properties at Sip & Savor’s Bronzeville location on February 11th anytime between 10:00am and 12:00pm, and enjoy a 12-oz beverage of your choice free of charge! Photo by Sip & Savor Semicolon Bookstore[…]
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How Home Buyers Can Navigate Inventory Challenges
28 Jan 2021 | 10:43 pmWhether you’re in the process of buying or selling a home, or just keep up with real estate news, you’ve probably heard about the lack of inventory in housing markets throughout the country. While fewer properties on the market means increased competition for buyers, there are still ways for home shoppers to navigate inventory challenges and have an edge in the marketplace. Here are a few tips : Tap into Pre-Market Opportunities Pre-market (or private market) listings are homes that are for sale (i.e., there is a signed listing agreement), but are not yet publicly listed on the MLS. As a result, buyers won’t find these listings on major search portals like Zillow, Trulia, or Realtor.com, or national brokerage sites such as Redfin. This could be for a variety of reasons. For example, a seller may want to do some prep work to get their home ready for sale or may be waiting for spring market. In some cases, it’s the desire for more privacy. Pre-market listings make up a growing segment of the market, and they are typically on networks only available to real estate agents. And when inventory is low and there is strong competition among buyers, it’s so important to work with an agent that can tap into these networks and keep you informed on new opportunities. At @properties, all of our agents and their clients have access to Zenlist, a home search app that includes both active listings from the MLS and pre-market listings, all in one collaborative platform. Meanwhile, @properties’ internal @agent app is another resource that helps our agents match buyers with homes for sale. Reach out to an @properties agent to learn more about these networks. Get Pre-Approved An up-to-date mortgage pre-approval (or proof of funds if you’re a cash buyer) is essential if you’re[…]
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