Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Create Your Financial Strategy Before Buying Your New Buffalo Home

 After a great 4th of July celebration last week, residents and vacationers alike are enjoying the fun and relaxing summer on Lake Michigan’s shores in New Buffalo.  This quaint beach front town has always drawn in a wide range of people, from those looking to retire to its’ peaceful setting to families on vacation, and those who desire the community lifestyle that New Buffalo has to offer. 

As New Buffalo Real Estate agents and advisors here at Shoreline Property Advisors, we love to point interested Lake Michigan buyers to this energetic and well rounded city.  In the past few years, the New Buffalo Real Estate market (along with most cities across the nation) has experienced a lean towards buyers with great home prices and historically low interest rates.  And, while we do encourage potential buyers to take advantage of this opportunity, we like to remind buyers that low home prices shouldn’t be the sole determinate for purchasing a home.  Having a solid financial strategy will ensure great success in the New Buffalo Real Estate market now and in the future.

If you’re hoping to buy a New Buffalo home this summer, think through your financial strategy by asking yourself the following questions:

    - How long do I plan to live in this house?
    - Is this a vacation property I want to rent out?
    - Where do I see myself in five or 10 years?
    - Do I have to or want to make home improvements?
    - Do I want to keep cash on hand for other investments?
    - Can I take financial risks?
    - Do I want to be debt-free?

Once you’ve answered these questions, you can map out where you want to land financially after the home purchase.  If you’re buying a New Buffalo home as an investment or vacation property; determining these answers are especially helpful. Your financial philosophy will help you navigate through the process of getting a mortgage loan and other various options you’ll need to decide when buying your home.  Here are five tips to consider when searching for the right mortgage loan.

1. Shop for the best rates- Look at local banks as well as national lenders for find the best rates.  You may even want to consider working with a mortgage lender.

2. Decide on points- Decide if you’re willing to pay for point to get a lower interest rate, or if you want to take a higher rate in order to keep closing costs down.

3. Combine different loan features
- This allows you to feel comfortable with the loan as well as giving you flexibility to achieve your financial goals.

4. Don’t forget about additional costs- When applying for a loan you’ll want to factor in additional costs such as property taxes, insurance and possible homeowner’s association fees.

5. Ask about other loan terms- Oftentimes banks won’t advertise loan terms such as 20 years, but asking about it can ensure you find the right fit for your loan.

We hope these tips are helpful as you consider buying one of the beautiful homes on the New Buffalo Real Estate market!  As always, we would love to hear from you so feel free to contact us today!  We can answer your questions, show you some of the homes currently available in New Buffalo, and help you navigate through each step of the home buying process.

We look forward to talking with you!

Shoreline Property Advisors
@ Prudential Rubloff

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Quick and Easy Kitchen Updates for Your Evanston Home


A kitchen is a room that definitely can get cluttered.  However, there are many quick and easy ways to get your kitchen in perfect condition.  Your Evanston kitchen can be updated with just a few tips.

One way to update your kitchen is to paint it. Whether you paint the walls, or decide to paint your white cabinets, color always adds a spark. With white cabinets many homeowners are very particular about the other items surrounding them. A light color covering the cabinets can make a difference. Using a light blue or green will make them stand out and adds a special touch to the area. When painting your kitchen use bright colors. Yellows and reds will not just make the room bigger, but it has been proven that those colors trigger hunger. 

Hanging pots and pans is a great way to open up cabinet space, and a great way to decorate over a kitchen island.  A simple rack can be bought at a local Evanston hardware store, but also can be made from recycled materials. Making sure that the rack is hung securely on the ceiling is also a key factor to making it look great. 

Lighting is one of the most important aspects of your kitchen, and one clever and effective type is library lighting, small lamps that are hung under the cabinets and only hang 2-3 inches. With these lights cooking will be easier and will give you light for small projects you may be working on.  Another great way to light your kitchen is by using multiple smaller fixtures. A nice hanging light over the sink will be accentuated if the same fixture is featured in other parts of the kitchen. 

A few other ways to spruce up your kitchen is to add artwork. While homemade art is nice, buying a charcoal drawing or a vintage painting will feature different areas of your kitchen.  If windows are a large part of your kitchen, a nice way to cover them is with sheer curtains because it lets the sun shine through and covers up your windows at the same time. 

If you have any questions on updating your Evanston home, selling an Evanston home, or buying an Evanston home, your Shoreline Property Advisors would love to help! 

We look forward to talking with you!


Shoreline Property Advisors
@ Prudential Rubloff


Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Celebrate the 4th Along Lake Michigan's Shoreline!

It’s hard to believe that summer is here and that 4th of July celebrations are just around the corner!  Our nations’ birthday is often a highlight of the summer season for many and, for those living or vacationing along the Lake Michigan Shoreline; you won’t be disappointed!

As the team here at Shoreline Property Advisors and serving real estate needs along the Lake Michigan Shoreline in Evanston, Chicago, the Indiana Shoreline, New Buffalo and Harbor Country; we enjoy letting people know about these fantastic cities.  Buying a  permanent residence or vacation home is much more than the property, but about the way you feel in the home and in the community; it’s an entire lifestyle!  That’s why we’re excited to showcase a few of the 4th of July events taking place in some of our favorite cities along the Lake Michigan Shoreline.  Take a look!

Evanston 4th of July

Downtown Evanston

Wednesday, July 4th from 9am to 9:30pm

- Evanston’s 4th of July celebration has been taking place since 1921 and has been a favored event ever since! The Evanston 4th of July Association is run completely by volunteers and is supported through generous donations of Evanston residents, local businesses and organizations, which means no tax dollars are used!  This fun-filled day will feature children’s games, a tennis tournament, parade, live music, fireworks and much more!  To view the entire schedule, please visit the Evanston 4th of July Association website.

Navy Pier Fireworks
Navy Pier, Chicago

Wednesday, July 4th at 9pm

- Join Chicago’s best loved tourist attraction, Navy Pier, for an night of Independence Day Fireworks!  This is a great opportunity for those visiting to experience a true Chicago landmark, and for locals to gather with family and friends to enjoy this exceptional display of fireworks.  Dinner cruises launching from Navy Pier, such as The Odyssey or Mystic Blue Cruises, are also a fun way to take in the evenings festivities.  Check out the Navy Pier website for more information!

New Buffalo Independence Celebration

Various Locations in New Buffalo

Tuesday, July 3rd through Saturday, July 7th

- New Buffalo knows how to celebrate the 4th of July by offering five days of great events!  On Tuesday, listen to the sounds of the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra and watch fireworks on the beach at 10pm.  Wednesday offers you a chance to gather with family and friends for your own traditional celebrations whether you spend the day at New Buffalo’s beautiful shores or grilling out.  The excitement continues Thursday through Saturday with a Volleyball Tournament, live music on the beach, free rides at Lion’s Park, a free family movie night and much more!  View the full schedule of events on the New Buffalo website and pick your favorites to enjoy.

We hope you’re able to take part in the 4th of July celebration closest to you!  Of course there are many other activities for the 4th taking place along Lake Michigan’s Shoreline, but we wanted to highlight a few for you and give you the opportunity to get involved in your community.

As always, whether you’re considering buying a vacation home, selling your current home or relocating to the one of the scenic Lake Michigan Shoreline cities; we hope you’ll contact us for any of your real estate needs.  We would love the chance to talk with you more!

Have a safe and happy 4th!


Shoreline Property Advisors
@ Prudential Rubloff