MRED Blog
REinventing MLS
Are there benefits to home staging? [Infographic]
Home staging can impact a buyer’s perception of a home and even persuade him or her to offer more money. Here are a few tips on home staging from National Association of Realtors®:
- 96 percent of buyer’s agents say that staging has an effect on at least some buyers.
- The living room is the room both buyers and sellers agents agree is the most important to stage, followed by the kitchen.
- 32 percent of agents saw a one to five percent increase in sales price with staged homes.
For more information on the benefits of home staging, check out NAR’s 2015 Profile of Home Staging.
Blog Post via NAR Newsline Blog
New Study Finds Buyers are Going Green
If environmentally friendly features are at the top of the list of must-have items for your Chicago new home, then you’re not alone. A 2015 study by the Washington-based National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) publishing arm, BuilderBooks, found that home buyers consistently look for green features when searching for a new home. The study, which surveyed homebuyers nationwide, looked at consumer preferences and attitudes toward green features and terms. The results determined that buyers are likely to make a purchasing decision based on eco-friendly features.
A recent increase in green and sustainable home building reflects homebuyers’ growing interest in efficient living. Out of the people surveyed by the NAHB, 88 percent expressed that energy efficiency was a top influencer in their home purchase decision. Eighty-five percent were interested in the lower operating costs associated with green homes. The trend towards more environmentally-friendly homes means that homebuyers are looking for houses that last and pay off in the long term.
If you’re looking at homes for sale in Chicago and are interested in green living, here are some features to consider:
- Site: Since green homes are designed to be durable, make sure you buy or build on a site you’ll be happy with for years to come. Access to lots of natural light is important, as well as plenty of room for gardens and outdoor space.
- Materials: Buy local! Buying locally-sourced, natural eco-friendly materials supports your community. Using reclaimed materials is another way to protect the natural resources around you.
- Windows: Windows are vital to energy-efficient homes. A house where the majority of the windows face south will reduce your heating bills in the winter, while window awnings and overhangs shade from excessive heat in the summer.
- Water Conservation: Recent trends show that homebuyers are looking for efficient features, including water-saving fixtures and low flow toilets. A variety of drainage systems are available to catch rainwater for everyday use.
- Roofing: Roofing is crucial to building an environmentally responsible home. Some buyers now opt for living roofs, which are covered with live plants and can be used to grow food and reduce storm water runoff. Others choose roofing materials that reflect sunlight and are specially built to accommodate for solar panels, which act as an electrical energy source and can help prevent both fires and short circuits.
If you’re interested in buying or building new homes in Chicago, consider the energy-efficient Chicago real estate options. These homes can save on electricity and water bills as well as providing a long-lasting, environmentally conscious place for your family to live. For more information on living and buying green, click here.
Blog Post via Chicagoland Real Estate Forum
![Fannie Mae Housing Market [INFOGRAPHIC] | Keeping Current Matters](https://i0.wp.com/www.keepingcurrentmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Fannie-Mae-Housing-Market-KCM.jpg)
House Hasn’t Sold Yet? Take Another Look at the Price
The residential housing market has been hot. Home sales have bounced back solidly and are now at their second highest pace since February 2007. Demand remains strong going into the winter. Many real estate professionals are reporting that multiple offers are occurring regularly and listings are actually selling above listing price. What about your house?
If your house hasn’t sold, it is probably the price.
If your home is on the market and you are not receiving any offers, look at your price. Pricing your home just 10% above market value dramatically cuts the number of prospective buyers that will even see your house. (See Chart)
Bottom Line
The housing market is hot. If you are not seeing results you want, sit down with your agent and revisit the pricing conversation.
Blog post via KCM Blog
The Difference An Hour Can Make [Infographic]
![The Difference an Hour Can Make [INFOGRAPHIC] | Keeping Current Matters](https://i0.wp.com/www.keepingcurrentmatters.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/The-Difference-a-Hour-Makes.jpg)
Infographic via KCM Blog
MRED Hacking Away at the Land of Lincoln Hackathon
MLS Giant Helping to Promote the Illinois Open Data Portal
LISLE, ILLINOIS (October 21, 2015) – Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED), Chicagoland’s multiple listing service (MLS), is participating with the Chicago section of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE Chicago) and other technology companies at the Land of Lincoln Hackathon, an event promoting the public data found at the State of Illinois open data portal.
The Land of Lincoln Hackathon looks to promote awareness of the great resources for the citizens of Illinois and foster innovation from the academic and professional communities. The 2015 Hack Challenge is for those who submit software solutions that creatively utilize the public data found at the Illinois open data portal. Prizes will be awarded at multiple levels: K-12, Collegiate, Professional, and a special “Women Who Code” award for teams that feature one or more women on their project (designed to help promote women in STEM).
Registration is now open for this month long event. A team of judges will award prizes to be handed out November 2nd at the IEEE Chicago Symposium @ Motorola Solutions Schaumburg Campus.
Chris Lambrou, MRED’s Vice-President of Special Projects/R&D, is Chairman of this year’s event. “It’s important to raise awareness of the State’s portal and bring the data closer to the consumer,” said Lambrou. “Events such as this give software developers the opportunity to utilize public data as a utility to innovate with and enhance the quality of life in the Chicagoland area.”
Sponsors for the event include MRED, IEEE and CVSHealth.
“We’ve had overwhelming support from the Chicagoland IEEE and tech communities.” said Vickie Peters, IEEE Chicago Chapter Chair. “The entire planning committee is excited about the process and can’t wait to view the apps that evolve from the Land of Lincoln Hackathon and interact with the development teams that submit.”
For more information about the Land of Lincoln Hackathon – visit http://ieeechicago.org/
About MRED
Midwest Real Estate Data (MRED) is the real estate data aggregator and distributor providing the Chicagoland multiple listing service (MLS) to more than 40,000 brokers and appraisers and nearly 8,000 offices. MRED serves Chicago and the surrounding “collar” counties and provides property information encompassing northern Illinois, southern Wisconsin and northwest Indiana. MRED delivers over twenty products and services to its customers, complementing connectMLS™, the top-rated MLS system in the country for two years running according to the WAV Group MLS Technology Survey. MRED is the 2013 Inman News Most Innovative MLS/Real Estate Trade Association, and for five consecutive years the MRED Help Desk has been identified as one of the best small business centers in the United States and Canada by BenchmarkPortal. For more information please visit MREDLLC.com.
MRED Blog 