Buying or selling a home comes with a hundred small questions and a few big ones. These are the guides I share with my own clients, in plain language, so you can feel informed and confident before we ever talk. Have a question that is not answered here? Reach out anytime, in English, Spanish, or Romanian. I am happy to help.
Your Buyer Timeline
Most people start touring homes too late and prepping too little. Here is the rhythm I walk my buyers through.
6 to 12 months out
- Pull your credit and check your score. Most assistance programs and good rates start around a 640.
- Start saving with a target in mind. You often need far less down than people think, and there is help available (see the first-time buyer guide below).
- Avoid big credit moves. No new cars, no new credit cards, no large unexplained deposits.
3 to 6 months out
- Get pre-approved with a trusted lender, not just pre-qualified. I can introduce you to local loan officers I trust.
- Set a realistic monthly budget that includes taxes, insurance, and any HOA or assessments, not just the mortgage.
- Make your needs versus wants list, and pick your top neighborhoods.
1 to 2 months out
- Tour homes with me and see what your budget really buys in each area.
- Line up your team in advance: lender, real estate attorney (Illinois is an attorney state), and inspector.
- Keep your finances steady and your documents handy.
Offer time
- We write a strong, clean offer and negotiate terms, price, credits, and timeline.
- Once accepted: inspection, attorney review, appraisal, and final loan approval.
- Closing day: keys in hand. My favorite part.
This is general guidance and not financial advice. Your lender and attorney will tailor the details to you.
Your Seller Timeline
Homes that sell quickly and for top dollar are almost always the ones that were prepped early. Here is how we get there.
2 to 3 months before listing
- Walk the home with me for a candid pre-list review. We decide what is worth doing and what is not.
- Tackle small repairs and deferred maintenance, the leaky faucet, the sticky door, the touch-up paint.
- Start decluttering and depersonalizing, one room at a time.
4 to 6 weeks before listing
- Deep clean, including carpets and windows.
- Consider light staging. Even rearranging your own furniture makes rooms feel bigger.
- I prepare your pricing strategy using real, current comparable sales, not guesses.
1 to 2 weeks before listing
- Professional photos, and video where it helps. This is what buyers see first.
- Boost curb appeal: mulch, trimmed bushes, a clean front door, a welcoming entry.
- We finalize your list price and launch plan.
On the market
- Stay flexible for showings. The easier to see, the faster it sells.
- We review feedback and adjust if needed.
- Offers come in, we negotiate, and I guide you through attorney review, inspection, appraisal, and closing.
Every home and market is different. This is a general roadmap, and I will customize it for your property.
Illinois First-Time Buyer and Down Payment Help
This is the money many buyers never hear about. Through IHDA (the Illinois Housing Development Authority), the state offers programs that help cover your down payment and closing costs. A few of the well known options:
- Forgivable assistance, roughly up to 4 percent of the price (often around $6,000), that can be forgiven over time so you may never repay it.
- Deferred assistance, roughly up to 5 percent (often around $7,500), with no monthly payment, repaid only when you sell, refinance, or pay off the loan.
- Repayable assistance, larger amounts (often up to $10,000), repaid as a low or zero interest second loan.
- Newer expanded assistance has offered up to $15,000 for eligible first-time buyers. Amounts and availability change, so ask me what is open right now.
Who usually qualifies: first-time buyers (generally meaning you have not owned a home in the past three years), a credit score around 640 or higher, a short homebuyer education course, and income and purchase-price limits for your area.
Tell me your situation and I will connect you with a lender who runs IHDA programs and help you figure out what you actually qualify for. No pressure, just answers. Get in touch.
This is general information, not lending or financial advice. Eligibility and amounts are set by IHDA and your lender.
How to Lower Your Cook County Property Taxes
Here is something most agents never tell you: a large number of Cook County homeowners are over-assessed and overpay on property taxes, and you have the right to appeal, for free. You do not have to be buying or selling to do this.
The basics
- There is no single county deadline. Each township gets its own roughly 30-day appeal window, set by the Assessor.
- Your official deadline is printed on the assessment or reassessment notice mailed to you. In 2026, the south and west suburbs are being reassessed.
- Deadlines are firm. Late filings are not accepted and extensions are not granted, so timing matters.
How it works
- First, you can file an appeal with the Cook County Assessor while your township window is open. This stage is optional but often worth it.
- If the Assessor denies you, or you skip that stage, you can appeal to the Board of Review during its session for your township.
- Helpful evidence: comparable assessments of similar nearby homes, photos of any condition issues, and accurate property details.
I can check your township window, help you find comparable properties, and point you to trusted property-tax attorneys (many only get paid if they save you money). Want me to take a look? Send me your address.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice. Filing rules are set by the Cook County Assessor and Board of Review.
