Team Strouse Realtors - Baird & Warner

Top 🔟 things we see our buyers look for! What would you add to this list? 🏡

-Close to stores
-Proximity to area amenities
-Easy access to gyms
-Close to the downtown area
-Ability to quickly get to train especially for city commuting
-Proximity to dining
-Easy to get to highway access
-Proximity to schools
-Location within the neighborhood
-Does it “feel” like home!

Kristine Strouse & Terri Strouse
Team Strouse
Baird & Warner
Real Estate Brokers and Consultants
📲630.569.0623
💻[email protected]

Happy Monday! Ever wonder what all goes on before, during and after our photo & video sessions? Swipe through to find out!

Thinking about selling soon or next year? Let’s connect to get you started on home prep and potentially grabbing some exterior photos now so you “pop” against the competion in the Spring Market! 🌷

Shoutout to our awesome marketing content team:
📸
🎥

Kristine Strouse & Terri Strouse
Team Strouse
Baird & Warner
Real Estate Brokers and Consultants
📲630.569.0623
💻[email protected]

Venetian Plaster! This was a spotlight the other week and you were wondering how and where can you use this. We have the answers! ⬇️

This is a fun and fairly easy DIY project that you can do in your own space in a weekend.

If you’re tired of the typical “millwork accent walls” then this would be a great project for you!

One of my favorite ways to see homeowners try this out is with doing an accent fireplace to give it some subtle texture. We have also seen it used in powder rooms to give the smaller space a unique feel without being too overwhelming vs doing it in a larger area.

There are several different ways that you can apply this or get the “look”. Visit my link in bio for some helpful tips to get you started!

Oh! And did you know that we can also help you with this? The other half of Team Strouse (aka Topher King) helps with walking you through how to do some of your own DIY projects.

We are always here to help whether you’re buying, selling or staying!

Kristine Strouse & Terri Strouse
Team Strouse
Baird & Warner
Real Estate Brokers and Consultants
📲630.569.0623
💻[email protected]

Open House! Join us on Saturday, July 13th from 12pm-2pm to see this stunner for yourself!

•4 bedrooms
•3.1 bathrooms
•Rooftop terrace
•4 levels of living space
•2 car attached garage + storage space
•Smart home features throughout
•0.6 miles to Metra
•1 mile to Downtown Naperville

Kristine Strouse & Terri Strouse
Team Strouse
Baird & Warner
📲630-569-0623
💻[email protected]

312 Grape Vine Trail | Oswego • Coming to the market this week! This awesome two story townhouse is the perfect place to rent!

•2 bedrooms + a loft
•2.1 bathrooms
•Open concept main level
•Fireplace
•2 car attached garage
•Doesn’t back to other homes

Let’s connect to get you into this great rental home! Contact me for monthly rent price.

Kristine Strouse | Team Strouse
Baird & Warner
📲630-569-0623
💻[email protected]

Repost from — thank you for the shout-out! Thrilled to be one of the top ten with fellow rockstar agents! Team Strouse Realtors - Baird & Warner
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Congratulations to our TOP 10 Producers for Closed Volume In April! You all continue to do amazing work and we’re so glad to have you here!
Thank you to all of our incredible clients for trusting our agents with your real estate needs!
#1 Lisa Byrne, Realtor at The Byrne Group
#2 Michelson Integrity Dream Team, Baird & Warner
#3 Bill White Homes
#4 Penny OBrien Group
#5 Kristine Strouse
#6 Barbara Akkeron, Baird & Warner, Broker Associate
#7 Ross-Tandon Homes
#8 CTTeam Baird&Warner
#9 Carol Guist, Realtor
#10 Rich Hagmeyer, Broker with Baird & Warner

Friday Feature | 863 Plainfield Naperville Road, Naperville SOLD!

It was such a pleasure helping our seller with her recent home sale!

This space was far from cookie-cutter. It was the perfect blend of open and airy mixed with designated living spaces —
something that can be hard to find these days! The living room / dining room architecture was one of my favorites!

We were able to help our client go from “Just Listed” to “Under Contract” in only
3 days — and it was right during the pick-up of holiday season!

We always love helping all of our clients and can’t wait to assist you with your real estate goals.

Let’s connect!

Kristine Strouse & Terri Strouse
Baird & Warner
Team Strouse
Real Estate Broker and Consultant
📲630.569.0623
💻[email protected]

Huge thank you to all of our amazing clients and referrals for letting us help you with your real estate goals! We love being able to be part of your journey!

Sometimes my work-from-home office looks a little different — it’s using CJ’s trampoline as a desk while I work on tummy time with Wes and search for new listings for my buyers — and I LOVE it! ❤️

Feeling extremely lucky that I am able to get some fun time in with my family while also being able to work on my career goals all while helping our buyers and sellers with their real estate goals! Who says you can’t do it all?! Win-win!

*not pictured: Terri Strouse who is the other very important half of Team Strouse and keeps our business going! AND Topher King who is super dad having so much fun with the boys when I’m out at appointments 💗

Did you know our Spring Market historically starts right after the Super Bowl?!

Swipe through to learn more and make sure to check out our latest story to see how the Spring Market got an early start this weekend! 🏡🌷

We are getting ready to renovate our primary bathroom and I can’t wait to share before & after photos soon! 🛁

In the meantime, I’m sharing some helpful tips on creating or transforming your own space.

Drop a comment below for what you would have in your dream bathroom! ⬇️

Kristine Strouse | Team Strouse
Baird & Warner Real Estate Consultant
📲 630.569.0623
💻 [email protected]

Surprise surprise! You may be seeing more offers than usual again with lower rates!

Now it's time to make a game-time decision - which offer do you choose?! 🤔

Here are some tips to consider when looking for the best offer on your home:

Financing - If you have a cash offer, then you won't have to worry about the approval of the buyer's loan plus you could have a quicker closing. Remember, the offer price is important, but also weigh the pros and cons of each offer whether cash or financing.

Contingencies - The fewer the contingencies, the more serious the buyer could be and the more likely your home will make it to closing. Contingencies can be anything from the inspection period, a buyer securing financing, a buyer selling or closing on their current home, plus more!

Timelines — If you have a specific timeline in mind for when you want to sell, consider this when reviewing closing dates. Some buyers may be flexible with closing dates (or may even want to close and then rent the home back to you!) so be sure to check with the other agent.

Who's currently selling or planning to soon?! Drop a 🏡 below if you are!

Kristine Strouse | Team Strouse
Baird & Warner Real Estate Consultant

📲 630.569.0623
💻[email protected]

Today’s activity: Home selling prep and stay warm! ❄️

Now is the perfect time to get your home ready for a Spring sale! Did you know that the buyer activity is already picking up for our Spring market?!

Here are my tips to prep so you can get the most out of your home sale:

Start Spring Cleaning Early — Don’t wait for spring to do your deep cleaning and purging. This will get you ahead of schedule and make your life 10x easier when it comes time to sell.

Focus on Curb Appeal — Plan to buy spring flowers and get paint if you want to switch up your front door to make it more aesthetically pleasing. Trim your shrubs, and make your front yard overall inviting.

Repair Minor Issues Yourself — Think chipped paint, leaky faucets, light bulbs, hard-to-open doors, etc.
Bring in professionals for major repairs.

Get Your Home Ready for Photos —Photos are the #1 thing that’ll bring buyers to look at your home. Clean, stage, and hire a professional to get the best photos of your home.

If You Want to Upgrade, Focus on the Kitchen and Bathrooms — These are key selling points. Upgrade the hardware, backsplashes, cabinets and vanity to appeal to more buyers.

Highlight Outdoor Spaces — Once winter is over, people want to get outside and enjoy the weather. Highlight any areas that can be used for entertaining or gardening.

Who's ready to list this Spring?! 🌷🏡

📲630.569.0623

If 2024 is the year you're FINALLY going to organize your home to make your day a little less chaotic, then you're going to LOVE these ideas!

Swipe for the best tools to help organize the clutter ➡️

Don't forget to buy labels if you want to go the extra mile!

What's your favorite home organization tool or hack?

If you're Type A, go with the flow may not be in your vocabulary!

You probably love organization, pay attention to detail, and have a proactive approach to tasks

Being Type A, there are specific home features that you'll enjoy and find comfort in on a day-to-day

Here's what to look for in a home:

*Enough Storage Space

Look for homes with plenty of built-in storage solutions, such as walk-in closets, kitchen pantry space, and built-in shelving

*Functional Kitchen

Consider features like ample counter space, pull-out shelves, and a well-arranged layout so you can do your thing and not get frustrated in the kitchen

*Home Office or Workspace

Chances are you’re a hard worker, look for a home with a designated office or an area that can be easily converted into a home office

*Smart Home Technology

Smart home technology will give you greater control and automation of your home. Want the lights to be lowered a little? Alexa, lower the lights!

Who's a Type A here?! 🙋🏼‍♀️

Can you believe we are already a few days into the New Year?! So hard to believe!

Every year I love to pick a word that I am going to carry through the year - typically something that I’ll hang onto especially when having “one of those days”.

Last year that word was FOCUS. That was definitely a good one to pull me back last year with wanting to focus on continuing to build my career AND build our family - big success on both sides!

This year my word is PATIENCE. I find that there are times where we all need to sit back and take a beat while everything settles instead of trying to force or rush the process. I have always been a believer in everything happening for a reason and trying to “trust the process”. This year I am absolutely going to lean into that!

What is your word for 2024?!

Thinking about renting out your current home or purchasing an investment property to rent out?! 🏡💰

Swipe through to see some of our top tips to keep in mind and then let’s connect to get you started!

📲630.569.0623
👩🏼‍💻[email protected]

You can start finding the home of your dreams for free by doing these things!

Plus, these steps are all key parts of the homebuying process, so you’ll be making great progress towards buying your dream home.

All of these things are totally free to do–in fact, you won’t spend a penny on these until you enter the closing process and have lender’s fees, inspections, and all of the fun that comes along with home-purchasing.

Here are some quick ways to eliminate credit card debt. Overpay as much as you can to not only clear debt, but also avoid interest rate fees. For more tips, follow our page!

This is one of the best things about real estate!

Real estate is an amazing investment because it helps protect your money from inflation.

If your money is just sitting in a savings account, chances are that it’s decreasing in value each year because the interest rate isn’t high enough to compete with inflation.

But with real estate, property values and rental income rise with inflation (and usually exceed it!). This protects your purchasing power as a property owner and real estate investor.

Want to talk more and see if real estate is the right investment for you to protect and grow your wealth? Send a DM to get all the info you need to make a smart financial decision!

Looking for some extra ways to save money? While it may seem daunting to call up and ask for better deals, there are many cheaper plan options available if you just ask. What's the best deal you've negotiated?

Safety Alert! 🔋 Remember to replace the batteries in your smoke detectors every year. Even hard-wired detectors need their backup batteries changed. Don't wait until it's too late - check yours today!

What better gift than that of a new home this holiday season? If a new home tops your wishlist, let's make that dream come true! DM us when you are ready!

A home inspection is a visual examination completed on the home by a licensed professional. A home inspection is vital as it could result in surprise costly repairs down the road for homebuyers. For more information on how the process works, contact me at any time.

The holiday season is on the horizon! 🌟 To make it delightful rather than stressful, embrace these self-care tips:

🎄Be a planning maestro: meals, travels, and gifts need your foresight.
🎄It’s okay to say 'no'. If the schedule is tight, preserve your peace by opting out graciously.
🎄Be the boss of your holiday budget to avoid January's credit card blues.
🎄Craft a soothing ambiance with thoughtful decorations and kindred spirits.
🎄Keep those healthy habits in check, with an eye on portion sizes during feasts.
🎄Ditch the pursuit of perfection; holidays are to savor, hiccups and all!

Here’s to a season that’s as caring to you as you are to others!

Buyers are making choices, and that's OKAY!

Because inventory remains low, it's natural not to find “dream homes” that fulfill every single one of your criteria.

The numbers: A significant number of buyers find themselves making one or more choices when purchasing a home. Additionally, nearly three-quarters of homeowners are mulling over home improvements in the next year, with bathroom renovations (52%), kitchen updates (42%), or enhancing or adding a home office (31%) being top on the list.

Advice for homebuyers: If you’re on the fence about making an offer, consider the 80% rule. If a property meets 80% of your criteria, consider making a bid. Identify 10 crucial features, and if they hold equal importance, you can apply the 80/20 principle. If some features stand out in priority, focus on those and remember that other aspects can be negotiable.