Happy New Year, we hope 2012 has started off great for you!

It is an exciting year for Chicago Real Estate. With 7+ new (and amazing if we might add) buildings containing 2,789 new apartments underway, there will be a lot of options on the horizon. Our agents are in the know with all of the building’s statuses and are looking forward to educating you on all of Chicago’s best and newest properties.

In this newsletter you will find our Urban Upgrade update of: You Want to Charge Me WHAT for My Lease Renewal!? and a decorating outlook of "Less is More".

All The Best,
Michael Krasman & Jeff Ellman
Co-Founders, Homescout Realty

Urban upgrade: "You Want to Charge Me WHAT for My Lease Renewal!?"
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First is first. We have all experienced price increases in some form or another.

Gas is ridiculous, and I am pretty sure my Honey Nut Cheerios cost twice what they were last summer. Yet, rent increases on your own home seem to really hit the hardest. This is your HOME for crying out loud. Well, the truth is, it is NOT your home.

Paying more tomorrow for the same exact home you are in today seems ridiculous. However, you are using a product that exists within a free market that is vastly changing before your very eyes. Yes, in this market, you may be paying more now. But, maybe you were underpaying previously. Or, you are now finally realizing that you are a participant of a world much greater than your own.

Here is a great list of questions to ask yourself to shed light on the big picture:

1. How long do I see myself living in this home?
2. How long am I going to stay in this city?
3. How would I rank my job stability?
4. Do I foresee any major personal, familial, or financial changes in the next 3 years?
5. What is my financial picture? Is my income increasing/decreasing, are my costs rising/falling?
6. Am I saving money each month, do I have savings built up, and is my debt in check?

Depending on answers, you may have a few options:

1. Negotiate rent
2. Move and save (do NOT move and spend more money if you can avoid it, and while staying sane of course)
3. Maybe its time you own your own home, and make the rules

You really need to ask yourself, "Why do I really want to buy and own a home now?"

Let the search to your new home begin now and always consider Homescout Realty to Upgrade Your Lifestyle. What questions do you have? Schedule your personalized consultation today with our Brokerage Manager, Joel Holland, Jholland@homescoutrealty.com or call us at 312-377-4663!

Less is More
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With the start of a new year, many people are feeling the urge to purge unnecessary items from their lives. Remove the excess, in all scenarios. A clean start, seemingly living our lives by the phrase "less is more".

Yet, why do we not apply this mentality to home décor? Far too often, an attempt at decorating simply turns into a heap of clutter. A lamp here, trinkets there, throws, rugs, drapery, floral arrangements, etc etc etc, until you have basically overstuffed the room. It is really hard to establish a point of interest in a room with so much sensory overload. And in addition, a room that is designed in a cluttered manner, never looks organized no matter how hard you try.

Therefore, in the spirit of a new beginning, I say lets make 2012’s decorating mantra, "less is more". Choose items for a room that are BOTH functional and unique. This way, you will automatically eliminate items that are simply there to be there. They serve no purpose. With solely purposeful items, you have fewer design decisions to make, making it easier to extend a cohesive theme throughout the whole space.

So if you are in the process of decorating a new home, or redecorating an outdated space, consider this advice before diving in head first. If you are simply looking to declutter a space, remember that it is ok to get rid of items, and that in the end, you will better appreciate the few treasured (and functional) pieces you held onto.