8 Reasons a Realtor Should be Used: 2023 Buying or Selling Chicago Real Estate

1. Marketing power of your property. Real estate doesn’t sell due to advertising alone. In fact, a large share of Chicago real estate sales comes as the result of an agent’s contacts through previous clients, referrals, friends, and family. When a property is marketed with the help of a top Chicago REALTOR®, you do not have to allow strangers into your home. Your REALTOR® will generally prescreen and accompany qualified prospects through your property.
2. Interpersonal skills objective voice. A home often symbolizes family, rest, and security — it’s not just four walls and a roof. Because of this, Chicago home buying and selling is often an emotional undertaking. And for most people, a home is the biggest purchase they’ll ever make. Having a concerned, sincere, thorough but objective third party, helps you stay focused on both the emotional and financial issues most important to you.
3. Key negotiating skills. There are many negotiating aspects, including but not limited to price, financing, terms, date of possession, and inclusion or exclusion of repairs, furnishings, or equipment. In addition, the purchase agreement should provide a period of time for you to complete appropriate inspections and investigations of the property before you are bound to complete the purchase. Your agent can advise you as to which investigations and inspections are recommended or required.
4. Finding the best property that fits “you”. Sometimes the property you are seeking is available but not actively advertised in the Chicago market, and it will take some investigation by your seasoned and experienced Chicago REALTOR® to find all available properties.
5. Skill at navigating complicated processes. Buying, selling, or even renting a home usually requires disclosure forms, inspection reports, mortgage documents, insurance policies, deeds, and multipage settlement statements. A knowledgeable expert will help you prepare the best deal, and avoid delays or costly errors.
6. Information and opinions. Chicago REALTORS® can provide local community information on utilities, zoning, schools, and more. They’ll also be able to provide objective information about each property. A professional will be able to help you answer these two important questions: Will the property provide the environment I want for a home or investment? Second, will the property have resale value when I am ready to sell?
7. Someone who knows the language. If you are not sure what a CMA from a PUD is, you can understand why it’s important to work with a real estate professional who is immersed in the industry and knows the real estate language.
8. Background/Experience. Most people buy and sell only a few properties in a lifetime, usually with quite a few years in between each purchase. Even if you have done it before, laws and regulations change.  REALTORS®, on the other hand, handles hundreds of real estate transactions over the course of their career. Having a top-ranked, top-performing expert on your side is critical. More information HERE 
9. AND even HERE

Live, Love, and Take the Stress out of a Real Estate Transaction: Chicago Top Ranked Realtor

Just in time for the month of Love…Buying or selling real estate in Chicago doesn’t have to be a wig-out, stress-filled set of events.  Having a high-performing, top-producing, best-ranked real estate group to assist can help, but the tips provided below may provide volumes of valuable “no stress” information:

Find a Chicago real estate agent you connect with. Home buying is not only a big financial commitment but also an emotional one.  It’s critical that the Chicago REALTOR® you chose is both highly skilled and a good fit with your personality.

Start to plan ahead. Don’t wait until you’ve found a Chicago home and made an offer to get approved for a mortgage, investigate home insurance, and consider a schedule for moving. Presenting an offer contingent on a lot of unresolved issues can make your bid appear much less attractive.

There’s no “perfect” time to buy, just as there’s no right time to sell. If you find a home now, don’t try to second-guess interest rates or the housing market by waiting longer — you risk losing out on the Chicago home of your dreams. The housing market usually doesn’t change fast enough to make that much difference in price, and a good Chicago home, or any home for that matter, won’t stay on the market long.

First, choose a home because you love it; then think about appreciation. While U.S. homes have appreciated an average of 5.4 percent annually over from 1998 to the present, a home’s most important role is to serve as a comfortable, safe place to live and call home.

Accept it, no house is ever perfect. If it’s in the right location, the yard may be a bit smaller than you had hoped. The kitchen may be perfect, but the roof needs repair. Make a list of your top priorities and focus in on the things that are most important to you. Let the minor ones go.

Remember to include maintenance and repair costs in a post-home buying budget. Even if you buy a new home, there will be costs. Don’t leave yourself short and let your home deteriorate.

Don’t get overwhelmed with too many opinions. It’s natural to want reassurance for such a big decision, but too many ideas from too many people will make it much harder to make a decision. Focus on the wants and needs of your immediate family — the people who will be living in the home.

Become a killer negotiator?-Not. Negotiation is definitely a part of the real estate process, but trying to “win big” by getting an extra-low price or by refusing to budge on your offer may cost you the home you love. Negotiation is certainly given and take.

Your home doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Don’t get caught up in the physical aspects of the house itself — room size, kitchen, etc. — that you forget about important issues such as noise level, location to amenities, and other aspects that also have a big impact on your Chicago quality of life.

Accept it, a little buyer’s remorse is inevitable and will probably pass. Buying a home, especially for the first time, is a big financial commitment. But it also yields big benefits. Don’t lose sight of why you wanted to buy a Chicago home and what made you fall in love with the property you purchased.

Winter 2023 – Broker Ian Schwartz-The Ian Schwartz Group is comprised of top-performing team members.  They assist Ian in the daily happenings at the office and diligently follow through on all aspects of each transaction. As a buyer, no stone will be left unturned to find you the perfect Chicago home. If you are a seller, Ian and his team will pour their hearts and souls into effectively marketing your home on the internet and in print to have it seen by the largest possible audience. They will go above and beyond all necessary steps to bring qualified buyers in and efficiently close a sale. They can be found in Chicago’s Top Performing Coldwell Banker Lincoln Park Plaza office. See more HERE

Curb Appeal Holiday Quiz 2017-Chicago Real Estate

A job that should be done year round… the upkeep of curb appeal, a Chicago property staple for many. Take the Chicago curb appeal quiz (Holiday edition) and see if you’re keeping up with the 2017 season:

1. Driving home at night, you see a wide variety of Chicago outdoor decorations and cozy lit details. You then:

a. Enjoy the display and feel connected to the Chicago community.

b. Wonder how some people can afford to pay their electric bills!

c. Wishing your Chicago home looked that awesome!

2. The day after your holiday feast finds you:

a. Looking at a pile of dirty dishes and wondering if friends or family will help tackle them.

b. Reaching for your antacids and the remote.

c. Putting up your front yard holiday decorations.

3. You pull up in front of your Chicago home on a dark, windy and snowy night, and immediately:

a. Feel slightly uncomfortable that the front of the house hasn’t been tended to since the summer.

b. Are glad it gets dark early and you have no lighting to call attention to your home?

c. Feel a thrill of pride at living in a warm and welcoming Chicago home, graciously lit and beautifully decorated; ready for visitors, friends, family even buyers or sellers of Chicago real estate!

The following are tips especially for those of you who enjoy your holiday cheer — those who answered “b” we are talking to you! Make your Chicago home a joy to come home to and above all get noticed for all the right reasons:

• Light strands with battery packs make it possible to light potted porch plants with no fuss.

• Use battery-operated candles to create fire-safe luminaries to light your paths and driveway.

• Be sure outdoor lighting is on after dark. A timer or photocell can help with this.

• A natural wreath on the door made of fresh winter berries and foliage is a beautiful addition to any home. Colored garland over the doorway creates an added sense of welcome.

• Add a welcome mat, it helps keep your homes interior cleaner, and sends an instant assuring message when someone enters the home. More info HERE and HERE

 Happy Holidays from Ian Schwartz and The Ian Schwartz Group! Remember…everything we touch turns to SOLD!

2017 First Time Home Buyers: Top 9 Ways to Prepare-Chicago Real Estate

No time like the present when Chicago real estate is buzzing through the spring 2017 season. Interest rates are still fairly low, prices are attractive, and first time buyers are out and ready to buy. Use the tips below to determine if you are truly ready:

1. Know your credit landscape. Get a copy of your credit report to make sure it is accurate and to correct any errors immediately. A credit report provides a history of your credit, bad debts, and any late payments.

2. Do some saving. Do you have enough money saved to qualify for a mortgage and cover your down payment? Ideally, you should have 20 percent of the purchase price saved as a down payment. Also, don’t forget to factor in closing costs. Closing costs — including taxes, attorney’s fee, and transfer fees — average between 2 and 7 percent of the home price.

3. Figure in the costs of homeownership. This should include property taxes, insurance, maintenance and utilities, and association fees, if applicable.

4. Determine what you can afford. Generally, you can afford a Chicago home equal in value to between two and three times your gross income.

5. Explore your mortgage qualifications. How large of mortgage do you qualify for? Also, investigate different loan options — such as 30-year or 15-year fixed mortgages or ARMs — and decide what’s best for you.

6. Get preapproved. Organize all the documentation a lender will need to preapprove you for a loan. You might need W-2 forms, copies of at least one pay stub, account numbers, and copies of two to four months of bank or credit union statements.

7. Make your home wish list. Then, prioritize the features on your list.Select where you want to live. Compile a list of three or four Chicago neighborhoods you’d like to live in- Lincoln Park, Gold Coast, Old Town, Lakeview, Roscoe Village, Bucktown, Wicker Park, Lincoln Square, Ravenswood, Andersonville, River North, River East, Streeterville, North Center, Logan Square, West Loop, South Loop, Loop, Lakewood Balmoral, Edgewater, Old Irving Park, River West, Uptown, West Ridge? Take into account items such as schools, recreational facilities, area expansion plans, and safety.

8. Consider other sources of help with a down payment. Do you qualify for any special mortgage or down payment assistance programs? Check with your state and local government on down payment assistance programs for first-time buyers. Or, if you have an IRA account, you can use the money you’ve saved to buy your fist home without paying a penalty for early withdrawal.

9. Contact a Top Producing, Top Ranking Chicago REALTOR®. Find an experienced REALTOR® who can help guide you through the Chicago real estate process with ease.

More info HERE

The Ian Schwartz Group is a trusted resource for first time home buyers.  With more than 15 years of solid experience and results, this real estate group is ready to provide conscientious service; winning trust, loyalty and friendship all along the way!

3 Commonly Overlooked Areas Before a Home Purchase: Chicago Top Producing Realtor

When choosing a Chicago home or any home for that matter, housing experts say that buyers often overlook important factors that may keep them happy for years to come with their property purchase.

While many Chicago buyers may be swayed by a home’s appearance, financing, and location, a recent article in U.S. News & World Report lists tips for those often-forgotten aspects of home ownership that ring true for buyers across the country and also here in the Chicago-Lincoln Park area:

Remodeling Rules: Purchasers who are looking to have a house grow with their family’s needs through the years may want to investigate any such rules beforehand to make sure that they’ll be able to add onto their home as needed. Many community associations may set limitations on what you can do to property, particularly if the buyer ever wants to make exterior changes like adding a garage or guest house.

Stay Informed, Ask Questions, Test Your Knowledge: Keeping abreast of the intricate details and considerations of buying a Chicago home can make or break your home buying experience. Are you fully informed? Do your homework and take the financial literacy quiz to test your knowledge when it comes to making important decisions regarding your money. Ultimately, having the patience to carefully weigh these considerations and improve your education surrounding mortgages, negotiations, real estate language helps to create peace of mind on this big-ticket purchase. Above all, using your Chicago top selling realtor as a guide to save time and help you avoid costly mistakes.

Lifestyle Amenities: While some may not seem outwardly important at first, they contribute to heightened housing market values in the community and affect whether you’re satisfied with your home purchase. Choosing the right kind of amenities for your present and future plans can impact future savings in terms of convenience and commuting costs, especially if the prospective neighborhood is lacking in that facet. Exploring neighborhood amenities such as schools, public transportation, recreational parks, and proximity to entertainment are additional things to consider when buying a house. More info HERE

Ian Schwartz with The Ian Schwartz Group has been representing both buyers and sellers as a Licensed Broker Associate in Coldwell Banker’s Lincoln Park Plaza office, one of the top-five-producing Coldwell Banker offices in the United States. Ian has sold over 500 million dollars of real estate, including sales in excess of 55 million dollars in 2015 and sales in excess of 50 million dollars in 2014. He is consistently in the top 1% of agents in the Chicago Association of Realtors and in the top 1% of Coldwell Banker agents nationally. Look to Ian and his accomplished team to find out why…everything we touch turns to SOLD!

 

Top 7 Spring Home Maintenance Tasks: Chicago Real Estate

Click image for more 2015-16 season info!

We are part of the Midwest landscape. Our weather patterns may test the structures of our sturdy Chicago-Lincoln Park homes. So, certain property maintenance tasks should be completed each season to preserve value, prevent structural damage, save energy, and keep all your home’s systems running and humming like new. What maintenance tasks are tops for the Chicago-Midwest in spring or summer? Here are the major issues you should be aware of and critical tasks you should add to your list:

1. Double Check your GFCIs. (ground fault circuit interrupters) are electrical outlets that protect you from deadly electrical shocks by shutting off the power anytime even a minimal disruption in current is detected. They feature two buttons (“test” and “reset”), and should be present anywhere water and electricity can mix:  kitchens, bathrooms, basements, garages, and the exterior of the house. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends that you do this once a month. It’s a good idea to incorporate it into your spring maintenance routine.

2. Make sure gutters and downspouts are clear. Stuff accumulates even after your fall gutter cleaning. Items like pine needles especially, which fall all year long and are difficult to get out. Even children’s toys may find their way into gutters between cleanings, as well as nails and other debris from the roof. Look for any sign of wind or ice damage—has the gutter pulled away from the house, or bent so that there are depressions where water can stand? You can usually repair damage yourself for under $50 by adjusting or reattaching brackets and gently hammering out bent areas.

3. Examine your roof for winter wear. This is best done using a ladder, but if you’re allergic to ladders, use a pair of binoculars to check your roof from your yard. Look for loose and missing shingles. If anything looks unusual, investigate further yourself or call a roofing professional.

4. Inspect your chimney. High winds, rain, and snow can damage a chimney. Look for cracks, missing mortar, loose bricks or boards, and signs of rot. If any of those things are present, call a chimney sweep certified by the Chimney Safety Institute of America for a repair estimate.

5. Check on your drainage. Make sure soil slopes away from your foundation at least 6 vertical inches in the first 10 feet on all sides of the house and that there are no areas of standing water. If you have properly sloped foundation drainage but still have areas of standing water, consider a landscaping solution, such as a swales (contoured drainage depressions), berms (raised banks of earth), terraces, or French drains (a shallow, gravel-filled trench that diverts water away from the house).

6. Investigate your siding. Has any of it come loose or started to rot? Repair any damaged sections before moisture has a chance to settle in. No matter what your siding is made of (wood, vinyl, brick), it may need spring cleaning. The best DIY method for any kind of siding is a bucket of soapy water and a long-handled brush.

7. Setup biannual HVAC inspection. Get ready for the air conditioning season with your spring tune-up. If your system wasn’t running well last year, be sure to tell your contractor, and make sure he performs actual repairs if necessary rather than simply adding refrigerant. Your maintenance checklist should include checking thermostats and controls, checking the refrigerant level, tightening connections, lubricating any moving parts, checking the condensate drain, and cleaning the coils and blower. On your own, make sure your filters are changed and vacuum out all your floor registers. NOTE–duct cleaning, while it probably won’t hurt anything, is not necessary; be wary of contractors who want to coat the inside of the ducts with antimicrobial agents, as research has not proven the effectiveness of this method and any chemicals used in your ducts will likely become airborne.

Read more HERE and also see why The Ian Schwartz Team…everything we touch turns to SOLD!

Do You Know What You Want in 2016? :Chicago Real Estate Experts

Everyone has at least one..a wish list. But, what about when the time comes to purchase a home?  Do you know what you specifically want?  Are your wants and needs organized/recorded somewhere? What does your future Chicago-home look like? Where is it located? As you narrow in on your dream property, consult the details below as a guide to evaluate properties and keep your “must haves” top of mind:

Neighborhoods

What Chicago neighborhoods do you prefer Lincoln Park, Gold Coast, Old Town, Lakeview, River North, Roscoe Village, Bucktown, Wicker Park, Logan Square, Ukrainian Village, East Village, West Town, Lincoln Square, Ravenswood, North Center, Andersonville, River East, River West, Streeterville, West Loop, South Loop, Loop, Lakewood Balmoral, Edgewater, Old Irving Park, Uptown, West Ridge, Rogers Park, or maybe Evanston?

Schools

What Chicago school systems do you want to be near?

Transportation

How close must the Chicago home be to these amenities?

• Public transportation
• Airport (O’Hare or Midway)
• Expressway
• Neighborhood shopping
• Schools
• Other

Home Style

• What architectural style(s) of homes do you prefer (Brownstone, Chicago Bungalow)?
• Do you want to buy a home, condominium, or townhome?
• Would you like a one-story or two-story home?
• How many bedrooms will your new home have?
• How many bathrooms must your new home have?

Home Condition

• Do you prefer a new Chicago home or an existing home?
• If you’re looking for an existing home, how old of a Chicago home would you consider?
• How much repair or renovation would you be willing to do?
• Do you have special needs that your home must meet?

Home Features

Use the grid below to circle or highlight your ideal choices:

Front Yard	Must Have	Would Like	Willing to Compromise	Not Important
Back yard	Must Have	Would Like	Willing to Compromise	Not Important
Garage ( __ cars)	Must Have	Would Like	Willing to Compromise	Not Important
Patio/Deck	Must Have	Would Like	Willing to Compromise	Not Important
Pool	Must Have	Would Like	Willing to Compromise	Not Important
Family room	Must Have	Would Like	Willing to Compromise	Not Important
Formal living room	Must Have	Would Like	Willing to Compromise	Not Important
Formal dining room	Must Have	Would Like	Willing to Compromise	Not Important
Eat-in kitchen	Must Have	Would Like	Willing to Compromise	Not Important
Laundry room	Must Have	Would Like	Willing to Compromise	Not Important
Finished basement	Must Have	Would Like	Willing to Compromise	Not Important
Attic	Must Have	Would Like	Willing to Compromise	Not Important
Fireplace	Must Have	Would Like	Willing to Compromise	Not Important
Spa in bath	Must Have	Would Like	Willing to Compromise	Not Important
Air conditioning	Must Have	Would Like	Willing to Compromise	Not Important
Wall-to-wall carpet	Must Have	Would Like	Willing to Compromise	Not Important
Wood floors	Must Have	Would Like	Willing to Compromise	Not Important
Great view	Must Have	Would Like	Willing to Compromise	Not Important

For  more information visit HERE

The Chicago market is alive, thriving do doing well and very active!  This trend continues to dominate The Ian Schwartz group; with ongoing top performing, high ranking, best producing results with residential real estate client centered services.  Look to Ian Schwartz and his award winning team to find out why…..everything they touch turns to SOLD!

Top Tips to Make Your Home Shine on the Internet: Chicago Real Estate

With more national and local Chicago buyers shopping for homes on the Web, photos and/or virtual tours are commonly a must do. There are several things you can do to make your home show best on camera and improve the odds of a quick sale:

Remove the clutter. But leave three items of varying heights on each surface. For example, on an end table you can place a lamp (high), a small plant (medium), and a book  (low).

Make the home “white cloth clean.” Because the camera magnifies grime, each room must  be spotless. Don’t forget floor coverings and walls; a discolored spot on the rug might be overlooked by prospects during a regular home showing, but that stain becomes a focal point for an online audience.

Take pictures. This will give you an idea of what the home will look like on camera. Closely examine the photos and list changes that would improve each room’s appearance: opening blinds to let in natural light, removing magnets from the refrigerator, or taking down distracting art.

Know the camera’s perspective. The camera’s eye is very different from the human eye. It magnifies clutter and poor furniture arrangement. To make a home stand out in a virtual tour or video presentation, cater to the lens.

Ease up on furniture. Identify one or two pieces of furniture that can be removed from each room to make the space appear larger.

Move things around. Spotlight the flow of a space by creating a focal point on the furthest wall from the doorway and arranging the other pieces of furniture to make a triangle shape. The focal point may be a bed in a bedroom or a china cabinet in a dining room.

Accessorize with logic. Energize bland decor by placing a bright vase on a mantle or draping an afghan over a couch.

Maintain the “look”. You want buyers who liked what they saw online to encounter the same home in person.

Use The Ian Schwartz Group as your consulting resource for Chicago home buying, selling, marketing, and property staging information. They pride themselves on the ability to listen and to analyze the needs of their clients. The Ian Schwartz Group aims to give conscientious real estate service as well as winning trust, loyalty, and friendship. Top producing Realtor Ian Schwartz, has been the number one Broker in Resale Sales Volume in the Chicago-Lincoln Park Plaza office, averaging more than 25 million dollars in sales per year. Visit The Ian Schwartz Group HERE and HERE for more detail.

Chicago Housing Market, Has it Turned a Corner?-Top Producing Chicago Realtor

Here in Chicago, in places like Lincoln Park, Gold Coast, Old Town, and Lakeview to name a few; as well as across the nation, a buzzing topic still forms this question…has the Chicago area real estate market really turned a corner?  Based on four areas outlined by real estate analysts around the world the response is, OH YES!

1. Home Values

Locally-Nationally, according to various reports and forecasts, home values reached their bottom in February of 2012 and have since appreciated at very robust monthly growth rates. The Zillow Real Estate Market Reports cover 167 city areas including the Chicago metros- of which 98 showed quarterly home value appreciation. Overall, national home values are back to January 2004 levels, having decreased 22.9% since their reported peak in May of 2007.

2. Renting

The June Zillow Rent Index (ZRI) is up 5.2% from year-ago levels, and 68% of the 293 metropolitan areas including Chicago, underwent year-over-year gains. Markets that saw extremely strong year-over-year rent increases including Chicago (11%) are evidence that the forecast of continually rising rents will intensify consumer demand for home purchases, especially in this low mortgage rate environment.

3. Distressed Properties

The rate of Chicago homes foreclosed continues to decline in June with 5.8 out of every 10,000 homes in the country being liquidated. This is the lowest foreclosure pace we’ve seen since December 2007 when 5.5 out of every 10,000 homes were being liquidated. Across the nation, foreclosure re-sales also continued to decrease, making up 15.6% of all sales in June, down from 16.4% in May. This lower level of foreclosure re-sales is contributing to home value appreciation, as these are usually sold at a discount and influence surrounding non-distressed real estate sales.

4. Outlook-Predictions

Locally and nationally, it is believed that housing has finally reached a major milestone and turned a significant corner. Additional forecasts call for U.S. home values to increase by 1.1% over the next year! More info HERE and HERE

Let The Ian Schwartz Group be your guide. This top ranked, high performing team is dedicated and will ensure all bases are covered. From buying, selling, renting, or simply asking questions, they are your #1 resource for Chicago real estate.

Modern Kitchen Ingredients: Chicago Real Estate

Chicago real estate and other markets deem the kitchen as one of the most popular rooms in a house. If it’s well laid out and equipped, it becomes a magnet for friends, family and buyers!

Some of the top ways to woo — less cabinet ornamentation, durable materials, energy-efficient and green appliances/lighting, and stylish finishes usually do the trick.

Conversely, a poor design, dated appliances, high-maintenance materials, and an overly personalized palette can send buyers running, particularly since savvy shoppers know what they want, and can easily find out the cost to redo a kitchen.

But many kitchens don’t have to be gutted to work and look better. A few tweaks often can make it more Chicago buyer enticing, such as:

Green Paints and Finishes, Low-Maintenance

Whether it’s indoors on Chicago kitchen walls or outdoors on decks, finishes are going green as more manufacturers offer low- or no-VOC (volatile organic compounds) lines in a full spectrum of hues and sometimes faux finishes. Many also make them more durable and washable. Because the outdoor kitchen has become more sophisticated, companies are manufacturing decorative stains to embellish hardworking concrete patios.

Use of Sustainable Products

With more communities mandating recycling and composting, it’s no surprise that the home trash compactor is morphing into a home compost system that gets taken out to a bin when full to be composed. Many systems are getting integrated into the countertop to take up less space.

Incorporating Universal Design

Because of its potential to put everything within everyone’s reach, universal design is embraced more. Ovens can be set side-by-side rather than vertically, and microwave units can go under a cabinet rather than up high.

Zoned for Action

Besides separate cooking, prepping, cleaning, and eating stations, family friendly or task driven areas are flourishing. Add zones that make sense such as a desk zone or a smart-message center—with technology hidden behind cabinets — where home owners can watch TV or DVDs, look at digital photos, play music, retrieve recipes, and pay bills.

Ramp up Refrigeration

As an alternative to larger refrigerators, some companies offer models, often smaller and in drawers, to chill beverages away from the main unit in order to reduce congestion. Things like wine coolers, more popular than ever, can be recessed into walls for an integrated look and greater energy efficiency.

Enhanced Cooking

Though they haven’t caught on with everyone, induction cooktops offer energy efficiency and the ability to heat contents but not cookware. Several models come with a sensor that maintains a precise temperature and can automatically shut off when done.

Almost Hands-Free

Almost hands-free for ease is another trend, thanks to motion-activated faucets that simply require a light touch. There’s also lighting that comes on when you enter the room.

Making Clean-up Better

While sinks have never been among a kitchen’s most appealing components, a new generation is making home owners take note. Some models are so thin that it’s flush with the countertop to make cleanup easier. If home owners want a second sink, it’s likely to be larger today for doing more cleanup and prep. More info HERE