7-Step Guide to Selling a House - Real Estate News

Millions of existing homes are sold each year and, while each transaction is different, every owner wants the same thing: the best possible deal with the least amount of hassle and aggravation. 

Home selling has become more complex than it used to be. New seller disclosure statements, longer and more mysterious form agreements, and a range of environmental concerns have all emerged in the past decade.

More importantly, the home selling process has changed. Buyer brokerage, the process in which REALTORS® represent home buyers, is now common nationwide and good buyer-brokers want the best for their clients.

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Neal Paskvan is a full time Realtor specializing in Downers grove, Darien,Woodridge, Westmont and Du page county Real Estate

What is a Grandfather Clause? (with picture)

Sometimes a new city ordinance or building code change will immediately cause hundreds of older buildings to be in violation. Rather than penalize the buildings' owners, the government will insert a grandfather clause into the language of the new regulation. A grandfather clause is an exemption which allows current businesses or property owners to continue operating under the previous laws. A historic restaurant may be exempt from modern sprinkler laws, for example, because the retrofitting would be too expensive or difficult. A new restaurant built next door, however, would be required to meet the current fire safety codes.





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Neal Paskvan is a full time Realtor specializing in Downers grove, Darien,Woodridge, Westmont and Du page county Real Estate

Snow Blower Maintenance Tip - ConsumerReports

Don't let caked-on ice slow your snow blower

Clear the blades and chute of snow before stowing your snow blower

A little bit of snow left around the auger and snow-blower chute might not be a concern even if you store your snow blower in an unheated garage or shed. But if packed-in snow freezes into a block, you’ll need to chip it out before you can run the snow blower again.





Your better bet: Remove the excess before it freezes. First, run the auger out of snow for several seconds to shake off what you can. Then shut it off. You can use a windshield scraper for breaking off anything caked on though the chute-clearance tool that comes with many models works just as well. If you happen to have one, an air compressor with an air-gun attachment works wonders for this purpose. Be sure to clear excess snow from the chute as well as the auger and, with a two-stage model, the impeller in back.

Another piece of advice relates to salt from the snow municipal plows leave at the end of driveways. Once temperatures rise enough that ice is less of a concern, turn on your outside water, connect a hose and water down the chute and auger box. (Be sure to let it dry before stowing.) If you store your snow blower without rinsing it off, the salt can promote rust.

















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Neal Paskvan is a full time Realtor specializing in Downers grove, Darien,Woodridge, Westmont and Du page county Real Estate

10 Reasons Seniors Hang On To Stuff | Caregiver Stress

And What To Do About It

Following, from the Home Instead Senior Care® network and Vickie Dellaquila, certified professional organizer and author of Don't Toss My Memories in the Trash, are 10 reasons seniors can't or won't give up their stuff and what to do about it.

1. The Sentimental Attachment
   The beloved prom dress represents the history and memories of the event; it's not the dress itself. Save only a piece of the dress to make a quilt or display in a shadow box. Scrapbooking and converting photos to DVDs are other ways to save treasured keepsakes without all the extra mess.
2. The Sense Of Loyalty
   Older adults who've received gifts from family and friends may be reluctant to part with them. Encourage your loved one to give unused gifts back to the giver or grandchildren.
3. The Need To Conserve
   Seniors are the original green people. Appeal to a senior's desire to help others. "You went through the Great Depression, now it's time for you to let go and help someone else." Counter a senior's inclination to conserve by appealing to their desire to give back.
4. The Fatigue 
   A home with a lifetime of memories can easily become too much for an older adult to handle. Help seniors manage clutter by establishing online bill paying. Also, get your senior off junk mail lists, which can put them at risk for identity theft, and buy them a shredder.
5. The Change In Health
   Seniors who have suffered a brain trauma or stroke, who are wheelchair bound or who are experiencing dementia may no longer be able to manage household duties, which could contribute to clutter. If you see a health change, encourage your senior to visit his or her doctor and consider a professional organizer and caregiver to help your loved one.
6. The Fear
   Seniors often fear what will happen if they give up their stuff, like the older adult who saved three generations of bank statements. Use logic and information to help seniors understand it's O.K. to let go.
7. The Dream of the Future
   Those clothes in the closet don't fit anymore, but your loved one is sure that some day she'll lose enough weight to get into them. Ask seniors to fill a box with clothing they don't wear much and make a list of the items in the box. Agree that if they have not gone back to the box in six months to wear the item, they will donate that to charity.

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Neal Paskvan is a full time Realtor specializing in Downers grove, Darien,Woodridge, Westmont and Du page county Real Estate

Cost vs. Value 2015 | Chicago, Illinois | Remodeling

Cost vs. Value 2015 | Chicago, Illinois | Remodeling

Neal Paskvan is a full time Realtor specializing in Downers grove, Darien,Woodridge, Westmont and Du page county Real Estate

Some plumbing materials shouldn’t be mixed | Inman

The problem is that the zinc used for galvanizing the threaded water pipes doesn’t get along very well with the copper. If you make a direct connection, these two materials will interact in a chemical reaction that will corrode the joint and eventually cause it to start leaking.



To safely connect copper and galvanized steel, you have two options. Since brass doesn’t react with either the copper or the zinc, one method is to make sure you have a threaded female end on both the copper and the steel pipes, and then connect the two by simply inserting a short threaded brass nipple between them.







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Neal Paskvan is a full time Realtor specializing in Downers grove, Darien,Woodridge, Westmont and Du page county Real Estate

Retired city bus converted into tiny living space | From the Grapevine

s will get a kick out of this clever bus conversion spearheaded by two enterprising Israeli women.

On a mission to create an attractive and affordable alternative means of housing, psychotherapist Tally Saul and ecological pond-water treatment specialist Hagit Morevski salvaged a decommissioned city bus from a local scrapyard and transformed it into a tricked-out micro-dwelling-on-wheels that boasts all the comforts of home, including flush toilets, air conditioning and modern decor.

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