One of the best things about living in a big city is the magnitude and proximity of delicious restaurants. This week took me to Tweet, a brunch-only destination in the Uptown neighborhood. Their website states, “Our goal at Tweet is to prepare and serve, with love, the freshest, hormone-free, antibiotic-free, organic when possible: eggs, dairy, vegetables and fruit, subject to market availability.” I was already sold before even looking at a menu, of which they have two. Tweet offers a sizable gluten-free menu in addition to their regular offerings. When seated, we were offered a complimentary, rotating house pastry to start our meal. We had a delicious chocolate chip coffee cake, a delightful complement to my cup of coffee. I was craving greens, so my mom and I decided to split two of their salads. Spoiler alert: the portions are huuuuge and we easily could have shared just one. My mom ordered the Spinach Salad: a generous helping (read: mixing bowl) of fresh spinach, red onion, walnuts, dried cranberries, goat cheese, strawberries, and blackberries. Every ingredient was crunchy and fresh and the house vinaigrette is very tasty. I tried the Southwestern Cobb: organic greens with spicy grilled chicken, bacon, roasted corn, organic black beans, cilantro, avocado, red onions, cheddar cheese, and cilantro lime dressing. A testament to how giant the portions are: there was half an avocado in my salad and they serve the dressing in a miniature pitcher. My salad was also fantastic and we had enough of both to take home leftovers.

Tweet’s menu is extensive, offering tons of breakfast favorites like benedicts, pancakes, and omelets. They also serve up sandwiches and burgers, if you’re in later in the day. Tweet is open daily from 8:30 am to 3 pm. We went on a Thursday afternoon and had no problem getting a table, but it is definitely a popular spot on weekends. Plan to wait on a Saturday or Sunday and grab a drink in their sister bar, Big Chicks (right next door). Tweet is cash only and there is an ATM inside the restaurant for your convenience.

RACHEL HOOVLER & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO

There’s nothing wrong with wanting to save some cash whenever you can, especially when it comes to operating your home. In fact, you’d be foolish not to take advantage of money-saving tactics if they’re simple and don’t come with consequences. But when it comes to staging your home for sale, skimping in this department in an effort to save a few bucks can actually cost you more in the long run.

There are certain tasks that are best left to the pros, and that includes home staging. Of course, your home stager will have to be paid for the services provided in furnishing and decorating your home in such as way that it successfully showcases its best traits. This is an upfront cost that will come out of your own pocket. In order to save some money, you might be tempted to forgo this service altogether.

But when you’re selling your house, your decision not to hire a professional home stager in order to save money on this cost may come back to bite you.

Here are some reasons why hiring a professional to stage your home for the market is worth every penny.

Your Home Will Stand Out From the Crowd

Most likely, your home will not be the only one up for sale in the area. While it may be a seller’s market with low inventory, homeowners are still finding themselves competing against neighboring properties, including new builds. One of the best ways to differentiate your home from the other nearby listings is to stage it.

Think about it – if there’s another similar home on the block that’s listed around the same price point, which one will buyers choose over the other? The home that’s decorated in poor taste, has an unkempt front lawn, and is cluttered? Or the home that has been professionally staged in such a way as to “sell” the potential lifestyle that buyers could enjoy if they purchased the property?

Common sense would suggest that buyers would go for the latter.

You’ll Be Able to Offer a Move-In Ready Home

A lot of buyers out there want a turn-key home that only requires their belongings to be moved into it. Unless they’re looking to make a profit by building equity and selling for a profit over the short term, today’s buyers don’t really want to have to invest a lot of time or effort into updating a home that they purchase. As such, buyers want a move-in ready home that they can enjoy right out of the gates.

In fact, about two-thirds of buyers are willing to pay more for homes that require no work. Given this statistic, it would make a lot of sense to get your home ready for the next owner, and home staging can help you prepare and showcase your property for sale so prospective buyers have the impression that they can just move right in.

Your Home Will Be Easier to Market

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 92% of buyers look online when they start their search for a new home, so those photos that you’ve taken need to be top notch. If your home is professionally staged, it will look a lot better in pictures. Not only will photos of your newly staged home spark an interest among buyers to learn more about your home, they’ll be more inclined to want to book an actual showing.

You’ll Be Able to Sell Faster

Nobody wants to have their home sit on the market longer than necessary. It can be very taxing to have to constantly keep your home clean, tidy and in pristine condition in order to accommodate short-notice showings, especially if you’ve got little kids or pets running around.

Then, of course, there are the carrying costs that will keep adding up the longer your home sits on the market. From the time that your home is listed to the time it sells and closes, you’ll be stuck with paying your mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities, and any maintenance and repairs that might be needed before you sell. If you’ve already purchased another property that’s closing soon, you could wind up having two properties to carry at once. That can get pretty pricey.

The sooner you can sell, the sooner you can stop these additional costs, and home staging can be instrumental in helping you sell quickly. In fact, professionally staged homes sell 88% faster than non-staged homes on average. A staged home is better able to generate more buyer interest, and with that comes more offers.

You’ll Be Able to Sell For More Money

If none of the other reasons enticed you enough to hire a professional home stager, perhaps the real possibility of selling for a lot more money will. According to NAR, most realtors believe that buyers offer more money for homes that are professionally staged compared to those that are not. In fact, buyers often offer anywhere between a 1% to 5% increase in the value of staged homes.

The Bottom Line

It can be tough to spend even more money on staging when there are already so many other expenses associated with selling your home. But done right, having a professional furnish and decorate your home to attract the specific pool of buyers who are looking in your area can actually help you make even more money when you sell. Not only that, staging can make the selling process a lot easier and quicker. If staging can generate the kind of interest that draws in offers at or even above asking price, that’s money well spent.

Buying a house is most likely the biggest investment you will ever make, so before you dive head-first into the deal, you’ll want to have some questions answered about your mortgage. After all, you’ll be responsible for making good on your mortgage payments every month for years, so make sure you’re well advised about your home loan before you sign on the dotted line. 

When speaking with your lender, ask the following questions before you commit yourself to a mortgage. 

1. What Mortgage Type is Ideal For Me?

There are several different types of mortgages available, each of which is suitable for a specific type of borrower: 

• Fixed-Rate Mortgages

• Adjustable-Rate Mortgages

• Federal Housing Authority (FHA) mortgages

• Veterans Affairs (VA) mortgages

• Jumbo mortgages

• Interest-only mortgages

• Reverse mortgages

These home loans differ in the loan amount offered, the amount of down payment required, interest rate, payment type, and length. The type of mortgage that’s best suited for you can be determined after you’ve filled out a mortgage application and your lender has had the chance to assess your employment status, income, assets, debt, down payment, and other factors. 

2. What Rate Will I Pay, and Can I Lock it in?

The interest rate is a critical factor to consider, as it will have a huge impact on how much you have to pay each month in mortgage payments. Even a fraction of a percent can make a big difference. One of the first questions you need to ask your lender is what rate you’ll be assigned.

An initial quote will help you estimate what your payments will look like, as well as help you compare packages from different lenders when shopping around for a mortgage. Having said that, an initial quote isn’t guaranteed, unless you’re able to lock it in. If you believe that rates will rise shortly, locking in may be a good idea. Ask if your lender offers a mortgage rate lock, as well as any costs associated with extending the lock if it expires before your closing date.

3. What Are All the Costs Associated With the Mortgage?

The overall cost of your mortgage involves a lot more than just the loan amount that you have to pay back. At closing, you can expect to pay the following costs:

• Credit report fee

• Appraisal fee

• Title search fee

• Title insurance fee

• Homeowners insurance

• Taxes

Generally speaking, as a buyer, you’ll have to pay anywhere between about 2% to 5% of the purchase price of your home in closing costs. Knowing exactly how much you’ll responsible for paying is critical in order for you to budget accurately.

Luckily, you’ll be given a Loan Estimate (which has recently taken the place of the Good Faith Estimate) which details important information about the cost of your home loan, including the interest rate, monthly payments, taxes, insurance, how your rate may fluctuate in the future, prepayment penalties, and total closing costs for your mortgage. This three-page document must be provided to you by your lender within three business days of receiving your mortgage application. 

You’ll also be given a Closing Disclosure (which has recently taken the place of the HUD-1 settlement document) which outlines the final details about your home loan and its costs. This five-page document will include important pieces of information about your loan, including all your closing costs. 

Both of these forms are specifically worded using simple and clear terms to help make it easier for you to understand the terms of your home loan.

4. How Long Will it Take to Process My Loan?

Many borrowers can become anxious about the length of time needed to process their mortgage, as this can delay and even kill a real estate deal. It’s important to have a good idea about how long it will take before your application is approved when you’re trying to coordinate the sale of your current home with your new home purchase, or if you have a certain amount of time during escrow to get mortgage approval before the time period expires.  

Ask your lender how long you can expect the mortgage approval process to take. The answer you receive will depend on a few things, such as how prompt you are at submitting the necessary documents and how busy the lender is. Of course, there are some things that you should not do during this time that could delay your approval, such as taking out a new loan or switching jobs. Only after your mortgage has been approved should you consider making any big moves that could drastically change your financial situation.

5. What Documents Do You Require?

In order to make sure the mortgage approval process goes smoothly without delay, be sure to promptly submit all documents that your lender requires. In general, you can expect to have to hand in the following paperwork:

• Employment letter

• Income statements

• Information about your credit history

• Information on debts and liabilities

• Proof of assets

• Personal I.D. 

The sooner you provide these pieces of information, the sooner your lender can start working on your application.

6. What Are the Qualifications Needed For My Home Loan?

In order to be approved for a mortgage, you need to meet specific criteria, depending on the type of mortgage you’re applying for. All lenders require that borrowers meet certain requirements before approving a mortgage application. For instance, conventional loans require at least a 5% down payment, while FHA loans can only be used to purchase a primary home (as opposed to a vacation property). Your lender can fill you in on which types of mortgages you’re eligible for.

The Bottom Line

Having these questions answered will help provide you with a much clearer idea of what is required of you and what your financial commitments will be with your home loan. Considering the magnitude of a home purchase, it’s essential that you take the time to have all your pressing questions answered. Your mortgage lender will be happy to answer all your queries and discuss all of your options with you before closing on a deal.

Normally when someone suggests a vegetarian or vegan restaurant, I’m hesitant to go along with it. I am so glad I didn’t shy away from Handlebar. Located at 2311 W. North Ave., this cozy spot is tucked into the busy Wicker Park neighborhood. Handlebar serves made-from-scratch vegetarian and vegan comfort food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. On a gorgeous Sunday morning, this was a perfect brunch place. The outdoor patio has lots of tables, but feels serene and quiet. Breakfast items are served until 3 pm every day. I started with a deliciously spicy Bloody Mary, topped with a fried pickle; Handlebar’s signature touch. My friend ordered the Roasted Mushroom Omelet: organic eggs packed with mushrooms, Wisconsin cheddar cheese, and scallions. The giant omelet was served with breakfast potatoes and sourdough toast. The potatoes were perfectly cooked, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. I couldn’t quite bring myself to order a vegetarian breakfast, so I went with the Smoked Paprika Shrimp and Grits. The shrimp were large and tender, nestled into a bed of cheesy grits, sauteed spinach, and sweet potato crisps. Before ordering, the sweet potatoes gave me pause, but they were my favorite part of the dish. I also added two over-easy eggs, making this a rich and tasty breakfast.

Handlebar has an extensive lunch and dinner menu as well. The kitchen is open from 10 am to midnight Sundays through Thursdays and until 1230 am on Fridays and Saturdays. Brunch is served from 9 am to 3 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Handlebar does not take reservations, so if you’re going at a peak time, I’d suggest showing up a titch early. You can also order online; check it out here.

RACHEL HOOVLER & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO

Having the only home on the block that’s up for sale means less competition for you. But what happens when one or more of the neighbors decide to follow suit and plant their own For Sale signs on their front lawns? How can you compete to make sure your home stands out from the crowd?

Going up against other listings in the neighborhood can make the marketing and selling process more challenging, but there are ways that you can beat out your competition and sell faster.

Keep the following tips in mind to help entice buyers to choose your home over your neighbor’s.

Boost Your Curb Appeal

It’s not uncommon for sellers to spend a lot of time and effort getting the interior of their homes ready for showing, but overlook the exterior. The first thing that buyers will notice before they ever step foot inside your home is the curb appeal. Is your home’s exterior well-maintained and welcoming, or is it in dire need of some TLC and sending buyers running before they even open your front door?

When you’re competing with other listings, you need to ensure that every aspect of your home has been prepped, and that includes your home’s exterior. Be sure to spruce up your landscaping, and ensure your front door and garage doors are in proper condition. When the competition is fierce, you can’t afford to leave any stone unturned, and that includes dealing with your home’s curb appeal.

Make Your Home Move-In Ready

Your home’s decor may be esthetically appealing, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing left for buyers to do when they move in. Leaky faucets, burned-out light bulbs, squeaky doors, and other little issues like these will need to be dealt with. You want to be sure that your home is in move-in condition so that prospective buyers have the impression that all they’ll need to do is move their things in and start enjoying their new home instead of having to fix it up first.

Have Your Home Professionally Staged

Many sellers have the impression that hiring professional home stagers is only something that the very wealthy are able to afford. However, home staging should be thought of as an investment. Whatever money you may have to pay a home stager upfront for their services will be recouped – and then some – when you sell your home.

Home staging is definitely not something you want to skimp on, especially if you’re competing with other listings on the block. By staging your home to make it more appealing to the masses of buyers looking in your area, you can boost your chances of making a really good impression and selling more quickly and for top dollar.

Price it Right

No matter how amazing your home may look to buyers, it’s still imperative to price it appropriately according to its current market value. Allow your agent to conduct some research and check out what other similar homes in the area have recently sold for to gauge what type of price your home should be listed at.

It’s essential that the listing price reflects what other comparable properties on the market are listed at. Pricing too high will just scare off buyers and send them right to the house down the street that’s also for sale.

Use Professional Photography

Given the fact that the majority of homebuyers are beginning their search for a home online, it’s imperative that your home’s listing photos show really well. These images will be the first glimpse that most buyers will get of your home, so make sure they’re high quality.

Your online photos will play a key role in whether or not buyers decide to book a showing, so make sure they stand out. Rather than snapping pictures with your smartphone, have the photos taken by a professional who uses the right camera and techniques to ensure the images are of the highest quality and show really well online.

Make Strategic Improvements

There are certain features in homes that buyers are really drawn to, such as an updated kitchen or new flooring. Bring your home up to snuff by investing in certain strategic updates that will impress buyers. Such updates can include a refaced kitchen or new hardwood flooring, which are among the more popular traits that buyers look for. Taking on this tactic can be even more effective if your home is lacking in other tings – such as square footage – and if your neighbor’s home doesn’t feature these traits. 

The Bottom Line

Contending with stiff competition can be tough, but there’s no reason why your home can’t sell any faster than other listings in your area. Take the time to prep every facet of your home, and heed the advice of your real estate professional, especially when it comes to the listing price. A little effort can go a long way at positioning your home to be the top contender in your neighborhood.