Easy Holiday Home Decorating Tips

Whether you plan to host holiday get-togethers with friends, family, and neighbors or plan to visit your loved ones this year, you can prepare your home with today’s best styles to get into the holiday spirit.

Here are three ways that you can decorate your home for the holidays.

Use Seasonal Centerpieces

Nothing says “festive” quite like seasonal decorations around the table. Prepare for Thanksgiving Day meals by setting out cornucopias, small pumpkins, and autumn leaves, and exchange them for holly wreaths or tiny Christmas trees close to December.

Try Scent-Sational Decorations

Cinnamon, vanilla, gingerbread — these are the warm aromas that define the holiday season. So light a few candles in the kitchen or bake some cookies to fill your home with seasonal fragrances.

Fill Your Windows with Winter Joy

Let the sun cast its rays on your holiday decorations.

You can hang decorative snowflakes from your windows and watch your room light up with the sparkles, or choose stylish window decals to give your home the look and feel of a winter wonderland.

Let Us Be Your Real Estate Resource This Season

Are you searching for a new home during the holidays? You don’t have to find it alone. We have a variety of free, helpful home buying resources that can help you discover the perfect place to call home in the coming months.

Contact us today to learn more about the area, find homes for sale, or to schedule a showing of your dream home. We are always happy to help.

The post How to Prepare Your Home for the Holidays appeared first on Peoria Area Real Estate Blog.

The Knell Group had the honor of representing nearly $13 Million Dollars worth of real estate sales during the third quarter of 2015!

The Peoria Area Association of Realtors report is in and the news is very promising! Home sales have risen 9.2% over the same quarter last year.

The area experienced an additional 141 homes sold this year for a total of 1,667 area homes sold. Average sales price also rose an additional $588 per home reaching $151,362.

This 8 year record breaking high is great news for the area, but sellers need to take note of the properties that are selling the fastest. Updated homes with neutral decor in the $125K to $175K price range in areas with the most desirable schools have been selling the fastest. For more information about helpful hints to sell your home please see our previous blog post on the topic here.

Inventory remains low, almost flat year over year. We need more homes to sell! If you have been thinking about upsizing or downsizing, now may be the perfect time to do it. If you’re curious about your own home’s value and you are thinking of jumping in to get it sold, visit peoriahousevalue.com and have one of our local experts put together a pricing report for you with no obligations!

If you are looking to sell or if you are just starting out with your first home purchase, right now could be an excellent time to get financing. According to a recent article in the Peoria Journal Star, Becky Peterson, PAAR Board President stated interest rates have maintained at historic lows and look like they will likely remain that way through the end of the year but its only a matter of time before they begin rising again (See full article here).

Prospective first time home buyers will benefit greatly from visiting the upcoming educational seminar hosted by PAAR. There is a “Buy vs. Rent” seminar for potential home buyers at 6 p.m. Oct. 27 at association offices, 7307 N. Willowlake Court. For more information, call 688-8591.

For all of your real estate needs, there’s no other group with as much class and experience as The Knell Group. We have been Peoria’s trusted real estate partners for more than 30 years and we are still growing.

The post Peoria, IL Real Estate Market Update for October appeared first on Peoria Area Real Estate Blog.

It might seem like all of the options for Halloween decorations are the same year after year: carve a pumpkin, light the luminaries, and set out a bowl of candy for trick-or-treaters. But with just a little paint and creativity in the right places, you can really make your Halloween decorations stand out.

3 Easy Twists on Traditional Halloween Decorations

Looking to modify your Halloween decorations this year? Here are a few simple twists on your traditional choices.

Carve Patterns Into Your Pumpkins

Who said pumpkins always had to have faces? Light up the night with swirls and stars from your illuminated pumpkins, and let your friends and neighbors admire your unique creation.

You can carve your pumpkin with as simple or intricate designs as you want. It’s all up to you.

Make Mason Jar Monsters

Turn your ordinary glass jars into simple yet spooky decorations with just a little bit of paint and cloth. You can paint a Mason jar orange with black eyes and a mouth to look like a jack-o’-lantern, or wrap a jar with gauze and stick on two eyes to look like a mummy.

And let your creations glow in the dark. Light a tea candle or put a battery-operated tea light into your Mason jar monsters and set it on a table or window sill to give your room a spooky effect.

Welcome Trick-Or-Treaters with Goody Bags

Turn the typical treat stop at your front door into a fun experience for both you and the trick-or-treaters — you’ll have fun decorating individual goody bags, and they’ll have fun choosing among delicious treats.

Fill a small Ziploc bag with orange jelly beans and draw on eyes and a mouth to make pumpkin treat bags, or draw a hairline and eyes on a bag filled with green jelly beans to create Frankenstein’s monster.

Or, if you want a spookier effect, you can make hand-shaped goody bags. Just fill transparent plastic gloves with candy or popcorn.

And if you’re selling your home this month, you don’t have to save these sweet tips for Halloween night; leave small goody bags for home buyers during a showing. It’s a great way to treat them.

Selling Your Home This October?

Let Halloween be the only spooky time that you encounter this month. We’re your real estate experts and are happy to help you stage your home, answer your questions, and determine a competitive listing price for your property, giving you peace of mind while selling.

Give us a call today and we can talk about your home selling timeline.

The post Unique Ways to Decorate Your Home for Halloween appeared first on Peoria Area Real Estate Blog.

If so, then we recommend you take a few moments to learn about an amazing home we recently listed at 3300 N. Bigelow. It’s a great home with a ton to offer prospective home buyers.

What’s more, this home enjoys a great location on the Peoria area real estate market, which is critical because, as many will tell you, real estate is all about location, location, location!

If this sounds like a home that might complement your lifestyle perfectly? Continue reading to know for sure!

What You’ll Love About This Peoria Property

When you tour our recent listing on North Bigelow, you’ll discover a truly one-of-a-kind mid-century that has everything you need to live comfortably in Peoria. Designed by Peoria’s Les Kenyon, this home boasts 3,180 square feet of living space, including 3 bedrooms, 2 full bathrooms and 2 half bathrooms.

Inside, you’ll find such impressive details as vaulted and beamed ceilings, built-ins, indirect and art lights and plenty of windows and skylights to allow natural light to flow inside all year round.

Some additional indoor features that home buyers are sure to love include:

• Taller ceilings
• Fireplace
• Spacious kitchen
• Three car garage
• Generous-size bedrooms

And did we mention this home has its own heated indoor lap pool and hot tub? That’s right! You can be swimming laps throughout the year if you wish!

What’s more, those with children will be happy to know that this property is served by some outstanding schools in the Peoria local schools district. This includes the high-achieving Peoria Central High School.

Plus, when you live here, you’ll live close to all of those everyday amenities you need, such as grocery stores and banks. You’ll also be just minutes away from such recreational amenities as outdoor parks, shopping plazas and more!

We’re Here to Help You Purchase This Peoria Home!

If this property sounds like everything you’ve been looking for and more, then please take a moment now to contact us at The Knell Group.

We’re your dedicated Peoria area real estate experts and we would love to take the time to provide you with every more details about this property. We’ll also be happy to schedule a showing of this home for you if you’re interested.

We also invite you to check out our virtual tour of this home, which is a great way to tour the property from the comfort of your own computer!

Until next time,

The Knell Group

The post Gorgeous Peoria, Illinois Home Can Be Yours for $335k appeared first on Peoria Area Real Estate Blog.

This property, located at 1027 Greenbrier in Washington has it all: A great location, fantastic upgrades, incredible amenities and more!

Sound like a home you might be interested in? Continue reading to learn more!

Top Reasons To Purchase This Washington, IL Home

Our recent listing on Greenbrier offers residents 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and a total of 2,748 square feet of living space.

Here are the most often cited reasons we hear about why this Washington home is so incredible:

• It offers a spacious three-car garage
• It boasts a well-designed, spacious kitchen
• It features a huge backyard

Of course, these top three reasons don’t even begin to cover all the incredible amenities that this home has to offer home buyers.

Some of the additional features that buyers will surely be impressed with include:

• Hardwood floors
• Upgraded light fixtures
• Fireplace
• Spacious front porch
• Large bedrooms
• Generous-sized deck

Meanwhile, this picture-perfect home also happens to be located in a great part of Washington, IL, giving residents easy access to exemplary restaurants, family-friendly parks and numerous shopping plazas.

Children of school-age children will also be pleased to discover that this home is served by such high-performing public schools as:

• Central Elementary School
• Central Middle School
• Washington High School

Take That Next Step Toward Buying This Washington Home!

This enviable single-family homes can be yours for just $329,900. That truly is a steal of a deal when you consider all of the amenities and perks that this home has to offer.

To receive more information about why this home is so great – or to take that next step toward making it yours – please take a moment now to connect with us at The Knell Group.

We would love to assist you by answering any questions you might have as well as providing you with some valuable home buying resources.

We also encourage you to request a showing today if you’re interested in seeing this gorgeous home in person.

Until next time,

The Knell Group

The post 3 Reasons to Fall in Love With This Washington Illinois Home! appeared first on Peoria Area Real Estate Blog.

Recently, we listed an exceptional home at 6306 W. Woodfield in Edwards, Illinois.

This beautifully crafted two-story home offers 3,225 square feet of living space, 5 bedrooms, 4.5 bathrooms and a lengthy list of interior upgrades.

Currently listed at $829,000, this home isn’t expected to stay available for long. Continue reading to learn more about why this home is in such hot demand among buyers.

This Excellent Home in Edwards Has It All!

The exquisite work of Jim O’Neal comes to life in this awe-inspiring home in Edwards.

Residents can expect nothing less than impeccable workmanship, quality finishes and a spacious design at this home.

Inside this impressive home, interested home buyers will discover such features as:

• Hardwood floors
• Crown molding
• Majestic stairs
• Lovely fireplace
• Gourmet kitchen
• Large center island
• Garden tub
• Built-in shelves
• Spacious bedrooms
• Stone fireplace
• Home theater
• And more!

An added bonus to living here is that this home is close to some exceptional public schools as well as such everyday amenities as grocery stores and banks.

You’re also just a short drive away from some of the beautiful outdoor parks that the surrounding area has to offer.

Is This The Edwards Home You Want to Own?

If this property sounds like everything you’ve been looking for as an Edwards, Illinois home buyer, then take the next step today toward owning it by contacting us at The Knell Group.

For years we have provided prospective home buyers like you with quality service and expert guidance in order to ensure them a successful outcome on the local housing market. And we would love to share that expertise with you!

We also invite you to take a moment to take a 3D tour of this property, which will give you an even better idea of what an amazing home this truly is. And when you decide that it is a home you’re ready to see in person, be sure to request a showing with us. We’d be happy to show you around this gorgeous home!

Until next time,

The Knell Group

The post Hurry! This Incredible Edwards, Illinois Home Won’t Be Available Long! appeared first on Peoria Area Real Estate Blog.

After all, what better way to bond with those who matter most to you than by enjoying an afternoon of hayrides, pumpkin patches, corn mazes and more.

But where is the best place in the Peoria, Illinois area to enjoy all of these things at a reasonable price?

Lucky for you, we’ve already done a lot of the legwork to determine which local business has the best deals in terms of fall-related family activities.

So without further ado, we present to you our top 3 picks!

Top Places in the Peoria Illinois Area to Enjoy Fall With The Family

Here are our top picks for having a great time with the family this fall in the Peoria Illinois area:

Tanners Orchard

• Open: Everyday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. in October and every day except Sunday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in November
• Background: Since 1947, four generations of the Tanner Family have provided an incredible country farm experience to families living in the Peoria area. Here you’ll find an orchard with more than 11,000 trees and 17 varieties of apples, 20 acres of pumpkins, an Apple Bin Bakery and so much more!
• Offering: Go pumpkin picking with the family, check out the farm’s darling ponies, pick various fruits and vegetables in the fields and enjoy some fresh homemade apple pie. There’s something or everyone at Tanners Orchard

Ackerman Farms

• Open: Now through October 31; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and Noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
• Background: This farm is definitely one that sees a lot of business during the fall time, especially during the Morton Pumpkin Festival in September.
• Offering: Here you can enjoy an exceptional corn maze, participate in pumpkin decorating contests, take weekend hayrides, meander around the Pavilion and more!

Rader Family Farms 

• Open: Now through October 31; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends
• Background: This farm’s motto is, “Connecting the Community to the Farm through the Influence of Faith, Family & Fun.” And they certainly live up to that, providing exemplary family-friendly activities that appeal to all ages!
• Offering: They have special weekends throughout the fall, including Grandparents Weekend (Sept. 12-13 this year), Columbus Day Special (Oct. 12) and Night Mazes (Sept. 26 and Oct. 24). Other activities they provide include a corn maze; pumpkin patches; Tire Tower (great for testing your outdoor climbing skills); The Schoolhouse (where you can learn about agriculture in Illinois) and The Crop Circle (which teaches you about eight different Illinois crops in a fun maze). Other attractions include Mountain Slide, Sandbox Dig, Cattle Chute & Haystack Run and so much more!

Peoria, Illinois: Your #1 Destination for Fall Fun!

We hope you get a chance to check out at least one of these incredible farms in the Peoria, Illinois area.

If you do get a chance to check one out, please let us know what you think of it!

For now, if you’re considering relocating to Peoria and making this your permanent home, please don’t hesitate to connect with us at The Knell Group. We would love to assist you by answering any questions you might have as well as telling you all about available listings.

Until next time,

The Knell Group

The post 3 Places You Can Buy Pumpkins and Celebrate Fall in the Peoria, Illinois Area appeared first on Peoria Area Real Estate Blog.

New regulations go into effect on Saturday, October 3rd, providing new loan disclosure forms that are designed to help you better understand the terms of your home mortgage before you close on your new home. That means if you applied for a loan on or after that date, you will receive the easier-to-understand forms.

What You Need to Know About the New Closing Disclosures

To summarize, these new rules combine mortgage loan disclosures from both the Truth-In-Lending Act (which informs consumers about loan terms) and the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (which deals with closings) into one simplified set of disclosure forms for home buyers who are getting a mortgage.

The official title to these regulations is a mouthful — Truth-In-Lending Act / Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act Integrated Disclosure Rule— so the regulations are just referred to as TRID. (The enforcement agency, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, also calls it “Know Before You Owe.”)

“Know Before You Owe” is designed to help borrowers clearly understand the costs and terms of their home mortgages. Here are the changes that you can expect from these new regulations, from the number of forms you’ll need to fill out to the time requirements that can alter your closing date.

You’ll Have Two Forms Instead of Four

If you’re getting a mortgage, you’ll receive two forms under “Know Before You Owe.” The first, a loan estimate, based on your financial information. You’ll receive the loan estimate 3 business days after applying for your mortgage. The second, a closing disclosure, which outlines all of the costs you will need to pay. You’ll receive that form 3 business days before closing.

These two new forms are more user-friendly, and are replacing four separate forms that home buyers received before — two Truth-In-Lending statements, the loan estimate, and a list of itemized fees.

With these new regulations, you will have time to review the terms of your mortgage well before closing, so you can understand exactly what fees there will be. You can read the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s full guide to the loan estimate and closing disclosure forms here.

There is a 3-Day Review Period Before Closing

Under the new “Know Before You Owe” rules, mortgage lenders must send you easier-to-understand information about your loan — the Closing Disclosure form — 3 business days before closing on your home, giving you time to review the terms of your mortgage.

However, some changes to the mortgage terms — like changes to your interest rate or the loan product itself — will mean that you will need another 3-business-day review period, possibly delaying your closing date. If you would like an overview of the details, the CFPB highlights the instances where the 3-day review period would be affected.

We Can Answer Your Questions About “Know Before You Owe”

If you are buying a home and have questions about these new regulations, and what it might mean for closing on your home in the future, contact our real estate experts today and we will be happy to answer your questions in detail.

The post “Know Before You Owe”: How New Rules Could Impact Closings appeared first on Peoria Area Real Estate Blog.

Want to know where to start looking?

Whether you’re just curious or are eager to find a competitive listing price, using the best resources to find your property’s value is crucial.

Today, we’re going to be talking about two types of home evaluation tools: neighborhood sold reports and comparative market analyses.

Comparing Your Home with Your Neighbor’s

A neighborhood sold report is a detailed list of homes that have recently sold in your area. They include information about the square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, address, neighborhood, and, of course, the sold price.

Since sales prices are determined in part by your home’s location, as well as a neighborhood’s housing supply and demand, honing in on your own neighborhood real estate market is the best way to determine what the housing market is doing and how it can affect your listing price.

How much did your neighbor receive for his 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom house down the street? Is your listing price thousands of dollars more?

If your home is priced too high, you’ll know immediately by looking at the comparisons in the neighborhood sold report. It’s better to learn sooner rather than later, when your home is on the market and you’re feeling frustrated by the lack of home buyer interest. The same goes with pricing your home too low.

Your Home’s Value in Today’s Market

A comparative market analysis, often called a CMA, is a fantastic tool to help you determine your home’s value. This report can include anything relevant about the current real estate market in your area, such as:

• recent neighborhood home sales
• withdrawn home listing prices
• unique property features

The important distinction between neighborhood sold reports and comparative market analyses is that the CMAs are more detailed, and can take into account any home improvements or unique property features that buyers would be more interested in (and therefore, would pay more for).

The bottom line: CMAs help you find that sweet, sweet selling price that’s fair to you but still attracts potential home buyers.

Don’t Settle for Estimates

If you’re serious about selling your home, the market value of your property is what you’re after. Don’t settle for estimates based solely on your address or outdated information.

You’ll want to do considerable research on the current state of your local real estate market to help you determine the best listing price for your home. If you need help along the way, our real estate experts are always happy to offer assistance.

Sell Your Property with Our Real Estate Experts

We offer both a neighborhood sold report and a comparative market analysis, and we can work with you to determine the best price for your property. And if you’re eager to get the results you’re looking for in your home sale, list your property with our dedicated real estate team.

Contact us today to get started!

The post Where to Find the True Value for Your Home appeared first on Peoria Area Real Estate Blog.

There are two ways to do this: with a mortgage pre-qualification and a mortgage pre-approval. As a home buyer, the pre-approval is more valuable to you during your home search.

How Pre-Approval Helps You as a Home Buyer

One of the main differences between mortgage pre-qualification and mortgage pre-approval is how the lender gives you the mortgage amount.

For pre-qualification, you give the mortgage lender your general financial history (including debts and income), and the lender gives you a mortgage estimate. For pre-approval, the lender digs deep into your credit report and gives you the exact loan amount.

If you’re choosing between getting pre-qualified for a home mortgage and getting pre-approved, choose to get pre-approved. Here are the top three reasons why:

3. You Learn Exactly What You Can Afford

There’s no estimates in a pre-approval. The lender has looked into your credit history and you’ve given the required documentation to go through with the pre-approval process.

A mortgage pre-approval is not a commitment to the loan, but it paves the way to transition into applying for a specific property — your dream home in your price range.

2.  You Can Narrow Your Home Search

Searching through online listings can be a tedious process, especially if there are hundreds of homes for sale in the area. How do you narrow down your home search?

When you’re pre-approved, you’ll know exactly what you can afford, and tailor your home search around the mortgage amount. Now you can easily search through the listings with confidence and renewed energy.

1. The Home Seller Takes Your Offer Seriously

Home sellers like to see that you’re pre-approved — it tells them that you’re serious about buying their home.

So when you’re competing with other home buyers to make the best offer on your dream home, being pre-approved will give you the competitive edge over buyers who are not. Then you can focus on moving into your new home!

We’re Your Real Estate Experts

If you want more information about the mortgage pre-approval process or about finding the perfect home that fits your lifestyle, contact us today and we can get started. We’d be happy to answer any questions you have about the mortgage pre-approval process.

The post Top 3 Reasons to Get Pre-Approved for a Mortgage appeared first on Peoria Area Real Estate Blog.