Team Elite Realtors with Baird & Warner Real Estate

10/14/2026

Happy almost Halloween. We have seen some things out there. The appraisal that came in $25,000 low five days before closing. The sellers who had not packed a single box on closing day. The front door we unlocked that turned out to be the wrong front door.

Swipe through our Real Estate Horror Stories, then rest easy: every one of these deals still closed.

That is what a team is for. Buying or selling in the western suburbs?

Comment 777 and we will keep the scary stuff off your transaction.

10/14/2026

Why Most People Are Still Glad They Bought a Home

Don’t let today’s uncertainty make you lose sight of what homeownership can do over time. Most homeowners say they’d make the same choice again. And decades of home-price growth help explain why.
If you’re wondering whether buying makes sense for you right now, let’s look at the numbers together – and what owning a home could mean for you in the years ahead.

With everything going on, it’s understandable if you’re wondering if you’d regret buying right now.

10/14/2026

Three reasons our clients keep sending their friends and family our way.

Thinking about a move in Plainfield, Naperville, Oswego, Aurora or the Western Suburbs!

Comment 777 and let's set up a time to talk.

10/14/2026

Three reasons our clients keep sending their friends and family our way.

Thinking about a move in Plainfield, Naperville, Oswego, Aurora or the Western Suburbs!

Comment 777 and let's set up a time to talk

10/14/2026

Oswego voters: there is a $317 million school bond on your November 3 ballot. Oswego School District 308's board voted 6-1 on August 10 to put it there, and the money goes to facility improvements and maintenance across all 22 schools.

The district says a $300,000 home would pay $100 less in debt-service taxes in 2028 even if the bond passes, because the district's old debt payments are dropping as the new bond starts. More than 70% of the district's buildings went up between 2001 and 2008, and 77% of the identified needs are core infrastructure like HVAC, roofing, plumbing, and electrical.

If you're buying or selling in Oswego schools district comment 777 and we'll walk through what this vote means for your home and your taxes.

10/11/2026

Two Moves That Can Get You Into Your First Home Sooner

Your first home may not be as far off as it feels. When the numbers make sense for you, buying a starter home and putting down less than 20% can get you there years sooner.

Want to see which starter homes in our area could fit your budget? Let's connect.

For a lot of first-time buyers, owning a home can feel perpetually a few years out of reach.

10/10/2026

Your listing price isn't a guess. It's a formula. Sold homes, not listed ones. Three buckets: recent comps, adjustments, live competition.

September's price-cut share hit 20.8 percent, the highest in four years, and the sellers who priced to the comps on day one skipped the cut and moved a day faster.

Same story in Plainfield, Naperville, Oswego, and Aurora: the homes that move are priced to the comps from day one.

Comment 777 and we'll run the comps on your home.

10/09/2026

7.40%. That's where the average 30-year fixed landed this week, per Freddie Mac.

One year ago it was 6.30%, and the recent low was 5.98% back in February.

On a $400,000 loan, that's about $294 more per month than a year ago. But here's what we'd tell you at your kitchen table: don't let the headline number decide for you.

Run your numbers on your price range, because the right move at 7.40% looks different for every buyer.

Comment 777 and we'll set up a time to talk through what this means for you.

10/09/2026

Renovate or Relocate? What To Know Before You Decide To Age in Place

Staying and moving can both be good choices. What matters most is finding the place where you'll feel comfortable and at home for years to come.

If you'd like help weighing the two, let's connect. We can look at what your house could sell for and what 55+ communities in our area have to offer, so you can decide what feels right for you.

You've spent years making your house feel like home, celebrating milestones, making each room your own, and turning neighbors into friends. As you look ahead to the next chapter of your life, it's natural to wonder if this is still the place you want to spend it.

10/09/2026

Don't take our word for it. This is what working with Vickie looks like, straight from her clients.

Thinking about buying or selling?

Comment 777 and we'll set up a time to talk.