President's Message

Ayoub Rabah President Chicagoland, Northwest Indiana, Southeast Wisconsin and Southwest Michigan Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Coldwell Banker Realty

New Year. New Look!

Happy 2020!

In our first issue of the year, I’m excited to introduce a bold new name and logo, which we will be launching across the Chicagoland region over the next few months.

Our new North Star logo features the five-pointed star, a recognized mark of excellence that symbolizes the quality of service we’ve provided since 1906. The North Star also perfectly represents how Coldwell Banker has been guiding people home for more than a century – longer than any other national real estate brand.

With the new logo, we are also changing our name to Coldwell Banker Realty. Why the change? Most buyers and sellers would never know it, but our company does business under 12 different names across the country. So, if you sell a home in Austin with Coldwell Banker United, REALTORS ® and buy a condo in Chicago using a Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage agent, you would naturally assume these were two different Coldwell Banker companies. But we are all part of a powerful brokerage that has been #1 in the U.S.* for 22 years, with offices in all major cities from coast to coast.

What isn’t changing is the exceptional service, innovative programs and local market knowledge that Coldwell Banker agents have been providing for more than 110 years. These agents continue to be focused on ethical conduct, excellent service and using the newest technology to provide you with a better experience. They are also connected to a broad global network, with more than 92,000 agents across 44 countries and territories, so your property will be promoted out-of-state and internationally, greatly expanding your pool of potential buyers.

If you’re planning to sell or buy a home, contact one of our local offices today. We are excited about our brand-new look and would love to hear from you.

We wish you a happy, healthy and fulfilling year ahead!

Beyond

Face Value

Great Bone Structure Lures Buyers

By Tracy Ellison

As appealing as décor and objets d’art can be at an open house, home buyers are still

savvy enough to know that your decorative accessories will leave with you. They’ll be looking for what stays as the frame for their own design sensibilities. Architectural and aesthetic

elements can play a big part in sealing the deal of a home. If you’re planning to put your home on the market, consider some of these simple yet much-sought-after room accents

that make a powerful impact when prepping for selling – structural nuances can tip the sale in your favor.

The Divine Is in the Details The finishing touch, the pièce de résistance, the cherry on top in any room is all-important molding – it may not stand out and shout, but it

surely leaves an impression on a well-appointed room. Used smartly and creatively, molding not only hides little imperfections and seams, it also adds a clean, finished touch. Whether

we’re talking crown, band or dentil molding, and whether it’s capping the walls, rimming the baseboards or framing the windows, molding is a relatively inexpensive feature that quickly and easily adds an indefinable elegance.

What’s Underfoot? Peek at what’s hiding beneath gloomy old carpeting and linoleum – you might hit the

flooring lottery and discover a treasure trove of natural hardwood just waiting to be revealed. Pull up tired and dated surfaces to expose the gleaming gorgeousness of timeless maple, oak

or pine. Easily restored to their former glory, hardwoods never go out of style and represent quality craftsmanship home buyers seek. You can never go wrong going natural.

Heads Up Within your room’s four walls there is a fifth opportunity for design – on your ceiling. If you’re

a ravenous redecorator and have run out of places to primp, look up to this often-forgotten blank canvas. Expect to create different moods with different hues above. Surprisingly, dark

ceilings open up a room, giving the illusion of infinity, like the night sky. Lighter colors create visual interest and lend brightness. Give

a complementary nod to your existing wall color by adding a few drops of white paint and

take it up a notch or two for the ceiling tone. Or perhaps a moody monochromatic scene is more your vibe for an enveloping feel that wraps you in single-tone serenity from walls to

ceiling. Whichever way you turn the contrast dial, know that paint is an instant game changer and a transformative tool readily found in your DIY book of great ideas. Once you put paint

to ceiling, you’ll inevitably get necks cranking in awe of your ingenuity.

A Hit Below the Belt

Drum up some drama with wainscoted walls. This classic, lower-half wall detail, originally designed to protect and provide extra insulation, now lends texture and a touch of civility to an

otherwise uneventful surface. In the dining room, wainscoting serves up sophistication; in the living room it adds extra interest. Think about introducing this simple yet impactful

design element to any room in the house and leave ho-hum wallflowers behind.