Posts with tag 'home inspector'

As the chilly winds blow across Chicagoland, our real estate agents can see the writing on the wall: winter is coming. As much as we enjoy frosty mornings and the promise of snowy days ahead, we also want to ensure you stay cozy and warm in your Chicago home this season. 

It starts with making sure you're well-insulated. These simple DIY insulation tips are easy, fast and affordable. Best of all, they'll keep you warm this winter and help shave a few dollars off your utility bills. 

1. Put Weather Stripping Around Doors and Windows
   Drafty windows and doors are among the leading sources of heat loss in an average home. Luckily, gaps and cracks are easy to find around window and door frames and just as easy to fix. Finding them is often as simple as using your bare hands to detect incoming d...

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Spring vs Summer Deck Maintenance

There are two seasons when you really want to pay attention to outdoor deck maintenance: early spring and late summer. In early spring, the challenge is repairing your deck after a long, hard winter. 

End-of-summer maintenance is often less intensive but no less important. The purpose of deck maintenance this time of year is to make sure your deck is ready to weather...

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Updated February 2025

When the rainy days of spring arrive it's a safe bet that some homeowners will have to deal with damp conditions. 

Our brokers are here to offer some helpful advice for preventing and dealing with flooded basements. Here's what you need to do when the rain falls in Chicagoland neighborhoods. 

Before the Storm

Let's start with an ounce of prevention. Before the spring rains arrive, it's best to take some precautions to prevent basement flooding and to minimize the damage in case flooding does occur. 

• Inspect basement walls. Check your foundation and basement walls for cracks, indicating a possible leak. Small cracks are relatively easy to fix with hydraulic cement or epoxy, but larger cracks should...

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Kitchen appliances are often taken for granted. We use them every day, but we tend not to think about them too much — until they stop working. 

One of the questions our real estate agents get asked the most when showing homes is, "How long will the appliances last?" The good news is that in a new home with brand-new modern appliances, they should last quite a long time! If you're selling your home, upgrading and replacing old appliances can also help sell your home faster and fetch a higher price. Here's what you need to know about the lifespan of various appliances, how to make them last longer and how to know when it's time to upgrade. 

Refrigerator and Freezer - 10 to 18 Years

Refrigerators have one of the longe...

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