List, Laugh, Love: Seller Success Stories

• 1804 Bristol Walk, Hoffman Estates, IL 60169
• 2 bed, 1.5 bath two-story townhome style condo built in 1979
• Located in Hoffman Estates (northwest suburbs)

Because this condo is in a large development containing many other identical units with the same floorplan and features, the listing price of this home was largely determined by two things: What price similar floorplans closed for in the last 6-9 months within the community and what condition they were in (think flooring type, kitchen and bathroom finishes, and overall condition). This home was already nicely updated with plank flooring and fresh paint, but the AC was due to be replaced. Crotty Group agent Joe Deardurff discussed with the seller the implications of selling the home with an old AC vs investing in a new AC before listing to improve the sales price. Ultimately, the seller decided to make the investment and install a new AC. We then listed at a price just below the other recently sold and currently listed condos in the community, not wanting to be the most expensive or the least expensive. This strategy worked, and the seller received 16 offers in the first 48 hours and sold for 7% over the list price! 

• 1701 Shady Oak Rd, Joliet, IL 60431
• 4 bed, 2.5 bath single-family home with a finished basement
• Located in Joliet on the Plainfield border (far southwest suburbs)

This house was built in 2014 so all the major mechanicals like the furnace, AC, and water heater were still in great shape. The home already had beautiful curb appeal and a fully updated interior with neutral colors. The seller of this home was very motivated and was ready to do whatever he needed to properly prepare his home to sell, but at less than 10 years old, this is still very much a young house, so there wasn’t much to do other than ensure we were taking great photographs to highlight all this home’s best features.

Great photography starts with cleaning, decluttering, and neutralizing. In the Kitchen and Living Room, we cleared off counters, opened all the blinds and curtains, removed non-essential furniture, and limited décor to select items. The Office/Piano Room was formerly a playroom, so we removed all the toys and emptied the room except for the piano. In the Bathroom, we opened the shower, removed all personal items, and freshened up the bathmat and towels.

It may seem simple, but these efforts had the intended effect. The photography allowed us to create a beautiful online listing that produced a flurry of showing activity in the first 10 days and resulted in receiving an offer that the seller was very happy with. He closed less than 30 days later!

• 9510 S Kolmar Ave #304, Oak Lawn, IL 60453
• 1 bed 1 bath attached condo
• Located in Oak Lawn (south suburbs)

Just like the townhome condo in Hoffman Estates, this home is in a condominium building with other similar units. There weren’t many recent sales in the building, so we had to look at other condos in similar buildings within the Oak Lawn area to start formulating our price. In this area, there are two types of condos- renovated and non-renovated.  Almost all the condominiums in this area were built 30 to 60 years ago, with some being sold at lower prices in their original condition and others that were renovated selling at much higher prices. When first viewing the home, Joe reviewed with the seller these two options: we could list the condo in its current condition (unrenovated), or the seller could fully empty the condo and do a light remodel to refresh the appearance and garner a much higher price, as we saw with similar sales in the neighborhood. They brought in a remodeling contractor to go over upgrade options and prices and decided to replace all the floors, paint the cabinets, and install new appliances, countertops, doors, trim, and a new bathroom vanity. The result was a spectacular and beautiful condo that looked just like new. We priced it in line with other renovated 1-bedroom units that had recently sold in the vicinity, and our strategy brought in a nearly full-price offer that the seller was thrilled with!

Working with a real estate professional was crucial to each of these deals, as they not only consulted with each seller on their motivations and desired end goals but also made sure to lay out all the options and potential outcomes so each seller could make informed decisions before listing their property. With those two paramount factors in mind, Crotty Group agent Joe Deardurff created a strategic sales plan that worked for each seller’s budget and timeline and produced a successful home closing! Contact The Crotty Group when you’re ready to start writing your own seller success story!