It might be too late now for some of these hints but you can surely remember them for next year. It’s best when young children are around to avoid decorations that have small removable parts or are sharp and/or fragile. You may think you’re keeping these out of little ones’ way but you’d be surprised how quickly a young child can climb into harm’s way. You might not have children of your own but it’s good to remember for guests.

The tree will be a natural magnet for the young ones. Be careful choosing ornaments. Stay away from ornaments resembling food or candy. They look real to kids that put everything in their mouths anyway. Ornaments and decorations may contain lead paint which is very dangerous causing irreversible brain damage. Place your tree in a sturdy stand made for its’ height and width, keep away from foot traffic. A good idea with very young ones around is to fence off the tree with baby gates or place in a pack ‘n play.

Each year hundreds of house fires are caused by Christmas trees and lighted decorations. This results in dozens of deaths and many millions in property damage. Keep fresh trees watered and away from direct heat and fireplaces.  Always use UL approved lights and extension cords.  Use lights rated for use, outdoor lights outdoors. Don’t overload extension cords. I am a big light person so I always use heavy duty cords and power strips. In any event, we never have lights on unless someone is home and watching. If you are an early sleeper use a timer.

Many festive greens like mistletoe, holly and Jerusalem cherry are common to see around the holidays but are poisonous to children and pets. Poinsettias are also dangerous. These should be kept out of reach or not used altogether. Keep an eye on any foods left out for guests. Pets can become ill quickly from just snatching a few treats off a table. Encourage guests to not feed the pets any people food. Chocolate is very poisonous to pets. Even a small amount can make them very ill.  Many pets are also not used to having so many people and activities in their home. Provide a closed off room where they can retreat when the excitement gets to be too much. Have their bed there or a warm blanket and some toys.

Have a safe and wonderful Holiday!

KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO

It can be a real challenge to find the perfect rental unit in the location your desire, in a complex you love, and at a price point you can afford. When you finally do land one, you might be a little over eager to sign the lease. But before you do, there are a few things you need to do first. After all, you’ll be stuck upholding your end of the bargain for at least 12 months, or however long the lease is in effect.

Take the following details into consideration before signing your lease to make sure you’ll be a happy tenant.

1. Read the Fine Print

A lease can be pretty lengthy, but it’s worth your time to read through all of it before you sign on the dotted line. A lot of the fine print might be boring legal terminology, but you just might find some details that are questionable. Many rental issues often result from tenants not understanding all the contents of the lease. Luckily, if you’re working with a real estate agent, you’ll have some professional help going through the fine print to make sure you’re not signing anything that could compromise your enjoyment of the property.

2. Inquire About Modifications to the Unit

After you move into your new unit, you’ll likely want to make some changes to it and personalize it to suit your tastes and lifestyle. Painting, hanging art work on the walls, or installing shelving units might go against what your landlord permits. Different landlords have different rules about making modifications, so you’d be well advised to find out exactly what you can do to the place before you sign the lease.

3. Find Out What’s Included, and What Isn’t

The monthly rent is one thing you’ll obviously be responsible for paying, but are there any other costs you’ll need to take care of? While many rentals are inclusive of utilities, gas, water, and even cable, other rentals are not. Make sure you find out what other charges you’re obligated to cover, and roughly how much you can expect to pay each month for them so you can accurately organize your budget.

4. Get Your Documents Prepared

Before a landlord agrees to rent you a unit, you’ll need to submit certain documents to make sure you’ll be a good tenant who will take care of the property, be a good neighbor, and pay on time and in full each month with no issues. In order to get a good idea of what you will be like as a tenant, your landlord will likely ask for paperwork such as a letter of employment, a pay stub,  acopy of your driver’s license, a tax return, a bank statement, and a letter of reference from previous landlords along with their contact information.

This can take a while to collect, so you’d be better off doing all that leg work before you find a unit you want to rent out, especially if the market is a competitive one where many qualified people have their eye on the same place.

5. Visit the Place at Various Times of the Day

What the place looks like at various times of the day will differ, which is why you might want to visit the place more than once. For instance, the bedroom might get wonderful light during the early afternoon, but could be annoyingly illuminated and loud all night if it’s directly in front of an all-night eatery. You’ll also get a sense of what the neighbors are like in the evening versus the morning. Visiting at different times of the day will give you a better sense of what life will be like as a tenant in that unit.

6. Take Note of Any Damage

You don’t want to be blamed for any damage to the apartment that you’re not responsible for. Look carefully for any issues with the unit, such as stains on the carpet, scratches on the walls, scuff marks on the hardwood flooring, or ill-functioning appliances. If you find anything, make sure to take note of these issues and bring them to the attention of the landlord before you sign the lease and move in.

7. Find Out About Any Rules About Subletting

Perhaps you enjoy taking month-long summer vacations, or are away on business a few weeks out of the year. If that’s the case, you might consider subletting the unit while you’re gone so you can recoup any money that you’re spending in rent when you’re not even there. Before you do that, you’ll need to find out if subletting is even allowed. If it isn’t, you could be slapped with a big fine or even face eviction if you do sublet when it’s against the regulations stipulated in the lease. 

8. Scope Out the Landlord

Your landlord can play a key role in how much you’ll be able to enjoy your rental unit. Check to see what the landlord’s policies are on making visits, dealing with issues with neighbors or the property itself, or where he or she is based out of. You will also want to find out how easy it will be to get a hold of your landlord, especially during emergency situations where immediate communication is necessary.

The Bottom Line

Use this checklist to make sure the decision you make about signing a lease on a specific property is the best one for you. Failing to do your homework and ask the right questions could put you in a precarious situation for a few months until your lease is up. Instead, a little due diligence can ensure that you get full enjoyment out of your rental.

There’s still time for last minute shopping and holiday festivities as we count down the days to Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa!

GOLD COAST

It’s not too late to register for tonight’s (Thursday, 12/15) free Holiday Party at Ministry of Supply at 900 N. Michigan Ave. from 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. There will be pie from Bang Bang Pie & Biscuits, drinks from Koval, and a free pair of socks for anyone who drops by while supplies last. Ministry boasts smart (and smart-looking) business attire for men and women made with “performance fabrics” that are constructed to withstand and move comfortably throughout your daily grind of commuting and working. Who couldn’t use a wardrobe upgrade?

EVANSTON

The CTA Holiday Train is scheduled to stop at the Davis Street Station only twice tomorrow, Friday 12/16, at 6:00 and 6:27 p.m. so Downtown Evanston is throwing an hour-long Celebration at Church Street Plaza with Christmas carols and free taffy apples while supplies last.  The party starts around 5:30 p.m. at the plaza outside of Urban Outfitters (921 Church St.) and Terra & Vine (1701 Maple Ave.) so you won’t be late to see Santa when he makes his first stop at Davis Street. Then continue in the holiday glow until 7:00 p.m.

LAKEVIEW

Lakeview East really knows how to entice folks to come and shop locally. They had a successful Holiday Shopping Extravaganza two weekends ago and this time, for one day only, they’re keeping shops open until 10:00 p.m. for tomorrow’s Shop Late Night. Several participating stores will be offering discounts on merchandise and gift cards plus there will be holiday treats and freebies along the way. Follow the link above to see the handy map and list of participating businesses and their offers compiled by the Lakeview East Chamber of Commerce. Get ready for an epic night of shopping from 7:00 – 10:00 p.m.

LOOP

This Saturday morning is the last opportunity for free Kid’s Cookie Decorating at the Hilton Chicago (720 S. Michigan Ave.) Hilton Chicago’s pastry chef and Santa will lead kids in a festive cookie-decorating session from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Don’t miss this one if you hadn’t made it to the past two Saturdays.

NORWOOD PARK

The Norwood Park Metra Train Station will be transformed into a WinterFest this Saturday 12/10 (2:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.) and Sunday 12/11 (2:00 p.m. – 8:00 pm.). There will be food trucks and $5 sleigh rides outside and holiday shopping indoors with local shops representing a diverse array of wares. Saturday night will be the most festive with the Taft School Choir singing from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. and the Tree Lighting ceremony at 6:00 p.m. Santa will also be visiting to take photos with the kiddies for $10 each on Saturday 3:00 – 8:30 p.m. and Sunday 3:00 – 7:30 p.m.

CATHY MALLERS & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO

As I write this we in Chicago are bracing for a foot of snow. Although these tasks would have ideally been done a month ago. Those of you who are still without major snow cover can stay a little warmer and save a few heating bucks with these tips.

Seal any cracks outside with silicone exterior caulk. This caulk is specially made to withstand temperature extremes. Check around doors and windows. If the crack is as wide or wider than a nickel dig out the old caulk and replace.

Check all your chimneys, flues and vents to ensure good air flow to ensure furnace carbon monoxide won’t build up. While up on the roof check for loose or missing shingles. Make sure gutters are free flowing. Clogged gutters will result in ice damming. Where the snow on your rook will melt from the warmth in the attic. The water then pools in the gutter and refreezes. This can cause severe roof damage not to mention inside leaks from ice creeping under shingles. Already have iced over gutters? Fill a nylon stocking full of ice melt and lay along the gutter. This usually does the trick.

Speaking of salt the regular rock salt can harm plants, driveways and walkways. It is also harmful to pets. Use sparingly. There are several alternatives on the market that are safe for pets and plants. They are more expensive but usually you need to use much less for the same effect. In any event read labels and follow directions.

Replace any worn out weather stripping around windows and doors. If you can see daylight around doors and windows you are losing heat. Even if it’s not that bad light a candle and hold it up to the door or window. You’ll see the drafts for sure.

Check all of your outside drainage. Any drains should be clean and clear. Downspouts need to empty at least 3 feet from the foundation. Add extenders if necessary. Test your sump pump per manufacturer’s recommendations. No owner’s manual? Look online. Or slowly pour a couple of gallons of water into the pit to make sure it turns on.

Prevent pipes freezing during the coldest months. Pipes along an outside wall should be wrapped. On the coldest nights simply let the faucets trickle. Not much less than a pencil width will do. Keeps ice from forming, no matter how cold the water it will not freeze if it’s moving.

Your furnace filter should be changed regularly. Every 90 days is sufficient but in heating season we change once a month. I have severe allergies and this seems to help. I’ve tried the expensive filters that claim to take out all the allergens but I find them not worth the price. We buy regular filters, not the cheapest ones but the next ones up. I believe more frequent filter changes do better than diamond encrusted ones.

KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH & DEAN’S TEAM CHICAGO

Many people might assume that being a real estate agent requires nothing more than making a few phone calls a day, putting up a couple of images online, and quickly negotiating a deal. These professionals might make the job look easy and glamorous, but there’s a ton of work that also goes on behind the scenes to ensure a successful transaction.

Here are just a handful of tasks that your real estate agent is doing that you may not be aware of.

They Prospect Tons of Properties

Real estate agents who represent buyer clients will work with a wish list of traits that their clients want in their future homes. After searching countless listings online, they’ll hit the pavement visiting various properties to see which ones their clients might be interested in seeing. All of these visits take a lot of time, especially if they’re covering a lot of distance.

They Hold Public Open Houses

Agents who represent sellers will often hold open houses on behalf of their clients in order to generate traffic to the home and hopefully find the right buyer. Often these open houses are held within the first week of a listing going live, and can often be repeated as necessary. Holding open houses takes up plenty of their weekends. 

They Attend/Hold Broker Open Houses

While typical open houses are open to the public, ‘broker open houses’ involve inviting only local real estate agents to attend. Seller brokers will often add a broker open house to their marketing strategy as another way to advertise the property they have listed to get more eyes on it.

They Take Calls For Showings

The phone can ring off the hook for agents, especially if they’ve got particularly hot properties that may buyers want to see. Seller agents will take calls from fellow agents to schedule showings on their listings.

They Market Their Properties Relentlessly

Marketing is a critical component to the home selling process, and takes up a great deal of time, effort, and resources. Seller agents will take all sorts of avenues to attract as many buyers as possible, whether it’s advertising in the newspaper or on their website, blogging, posting about the properties on their social media profiles, or networking with other industry professionals out there to get the word out.

They Analyze Comparables

One of the most important parts of the selling process is coming up with the right listing price. A home priced too high will scare off buyers and cause a listing to drag on and become stale, while a home that is priced too low leaves a lot of money on the table.

Priced just right, a home will sell in a relatively short amount of time for a fair price as dictated by the local market. The best way to come up with an accurate listing price is to study all the similar properties in the area that have recently sold – known as ‘comparables’ – which can be time-consuming and labor-intensive.

They Negotiate

Whether it’s on the buyer or the seller side – or both in certain circumstances – real estate agents put their negotiating skills to work to get the best price for their clients. For their buyer clients, real estate professionals will get the final sale price down as far as possible within a fair range, while seller agents do the opposite.

Either way, the negotiating process requires full knowledge of the local market and surrounding properties, not to mention cool nerves. The home buying process can be an emotionally-charged game, so having a third-party professional wheeling and dealing on behalf of the buyer/seller can help keep emotions in check while all the nitty gritty is ironed out on the table.

They Draft Up Legal Contracts

Offers on homes are drafted up on contracts that become legally binding when both parties come to an agreement and sign on the dotted line. Once the signatures are on the agreement, it’s a sealed deal.

As such, you want to be sure that the contract includes everything it needs to protect you, and avoids any clauses that might put you in a precarious position. Real estate professionals will generate these agreements and ensure that all pertinent clauses are inserted that will protect the best interests of clients.

They Show Up For Home Inspections

One of the more common clauses that are inserted into purchase agreements is a home inspection, which provides buyers with the opportunity to have a property checked out by a professional home inspector to uncover any potential issues with the home before the deal is firm. Buyer agents are typically present during these inspections, which can take anywhere from a couple of hours to half a day to complete.

They Get All Documents Delivered and Signed

Once a contract is signed, real estate agents will deliver the documents to the other party to look over and sign, or to make changes and counter. Whatever the case may be, real estate agents are tasked with the responsibility of delivering these documents to the appropriate party until an agreement has been made and a contract is sealed.

They Recommend Other Industry Professionals

Real estate agents typically have a network of professionals that they deal with from time to time. From contractors, to home stagers, to mortgage specialists and beyond, many buyers and sellers often rely on the recommendation of their agents to provide them the appropriate professionals that will offer them the services they require.

They Undergo Ongoing Education

Just because a real estate agent passes their initial courses and becomes licensed doesn’t mean the training stops there. Real estate professionals are required to undergo occasional training to ensure they remain up-to-date with the local real estate market and the tactics and tools needed to continue to be successful.

The Bottom Line

Being a real estate agent involves a lot more than just bringing a client to a home, planting a For Sale sign in the front yard, and drafting up a purchase agreement. There is a ton of work that goes on behind the scenes that clients are often not aware of. The reality is, real estate agents work hard to satisfy their clients, and are often working around the clock to make a deal happen.