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Health & Fitness

There's No Place Like Home - It's Your Choice

We all make different choices throughout our lives. As Disney said "It's not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are."

We have many choices this time of year. During this season of giving we often contemplate making perfect choices for family, friends, colleagues and others. We then remind ourselves that what we choose may not be the same choice others would make. I may prefer blue but my receiver may favor red. We all have different preferences. The same holds true in the housing market as well.

Recently I was speaking with a gentleman who has been to several of my listings at either opens or private appointments. It is always helpful for my sellers and me to listen to the feedback of area buyers.  We discussed several market topics and specific properties that have closed in Winnetka. Our opinions on values of some properties were very similar however on a couple of others we were miles apart. When this particular buyer told me that a certain Winnetka home, no longer on the market, was in his opinion a great value and the perfect home I almost choked. As a professional in this industry I know the market very well. The home he was referring to has often been mentioned among real estate professionals as one of the most overpaid area home sales.

That’s the funny thing about this local market, it is very subjective. We don’t live in a square footage, subdivision type real estate market.  When comparing properties for discussions or for analysis for a seller, we are challenged to equate similar homes.  Often we are comparing apples to pears-somewhat similar-but more often apples to oranges to bananas to melons to kiwi to blueberries to watermelons. True values are often very subjective. One buyer may pay a premium because a home is a few blocks closer to the train and town.  Another buyer may see more value in a home that is closer to a certain school.

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In the past 6 months area housing inventory has lessened however there are still many desirable, well priced homes on the market to choose from. Traditionally most homes are put to market in the first quarter of the year therefore it is likely we will see more inventory or choices in the next couple of months. There will be blue ones, red ones, red and blues ones and plenty of choices.

Best wishes for a happy holiday season and a healthy and prosperous New Year. Please feel free to contact me at smolitor@koenigstrey.com with any comments or questions.

Find out what's happening in Winnetka-Glencoewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

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