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Contact
Info
Office Address:
2311 W. Schaumburg Rd.
Schaumburg, IL 60194
Direct: 847-230-7324 Office Fax: 847-985-8029
Toll-Free: 800-637-9345
Office: 847-985-7050 Email / Contact Me

Buying Advice
BUYERS AGENT - What Lyn can do for you!
Make sure your Realtor is a top local expert in the Chicago Northwest Suburbs. What is a buyers agent?
BUYERS - What a real estate agent can do for you!
Top 10 Tips to Successful Home Buying
House Terms Glossary
Common terms you might not be familiar with. Review the 'lingo'.
Real Estate Dictionary
All the buzz words you could ever want!
Buying a Home on a Fast Timeline
Need a home fairly quickly? Great advice on what to look for, the 'ins' and 'outs', doing it right!
The Basics of Making an Offer
What encompasses an offer? How is it handled? What do I need?
Agency in Illinois
Who works for who in the home buying process?
Mortgage Terms Glossary
Common mortgage terms that are guaranteed to give you a headache!
Mortgage Calculator
Mortgage Professors Calculator helps compare two fixed rate mortgages with the true costs of each. (FHA vs. CONV) into account all financing costs, tax bracket and holding period of the loan. Different from mortgage calculator located on right.
The 'El Supremo' of Mortgage Calculators
How to find or calculate: Consolidating Non-Mortgage Debt; Additional Payments to Principle; REFI yes or no with cash out; Adjustables with negative AM; Break even point on mortgage fees; Shorter term vs. 30 year term; Calculating APR. Punch in those numbers and these calculators will do the work.
Rent vs. Buy Calculator
Make sure that home ownership is right for you financially. Here's the calculator to make that happen.
Budget Work Sheet and 8 Steps for getting your Finances in Order
Income and expenses sheet with 8 great ideas on your finances. Get ready BEFORE you start looking for a home!
Components that make up a FICO score
What are the different parts? How is my score determined? Do I even have a chance against these b@$t@rds?
Understanding your Credit Score, FICO Score Info
Advice for increasing your FICO score and what not to do to decrease it! (PDF File)
8 Ways to Improve your Credit
10 Things you should know about Credit
Need some 'improvement?'
Credit Score Primer - What Buyers Need to Know
Explains your FICO score, components of a FICO score (percentages). This might surprise you!
How to Get Great Credit
10 Things a Lender Needs from You
Paperwork that you'll need for that loan application!
7 Creative Ways to buy your first house
A pricey market poses big challenges for the first time buyer - some helpful and unique tips you might not have thought of.
Home Affordability Guide (different from the payment calculator located at the right)
Chart shows how every 1/8% rate increase on a loan increases your payment by how much $. Sometimes it's the difference between a "GO" to a "NO".
Closing Costs
What are closing costs ..... types of closing costs ..... amounts of closing costs? Am I gonna get another headache?
Mortgage Closing Costs - Averages - State by State Ranking
Average closing costs for each state helps you budget for your home purchase.
Don't Cheat Yourself on Mortgage 'Points'
The rules of thumb on deducting points with the IRS, tax deductions of mortgage points.
Closing Documents You Should Keep
Ever wonder what paperwork is really worth keeping?
Reverse Mortgage Information
Securing your retirement with a Reverse Mortgage, Reverse Mortgage Tutorial. What's up with this new fangled idea?
What your Home Inspection Should Cover
Never give up your right to a Home Inspection.
When things go wrong - how come you didn't see that?
Defects and Disclosure
Know your rights before you inspect a house!
How to Date a House?
No, we don't mean meeting for drinks and dinner - how to tell how old a house is!
Wet Basements
Foundation Cracks
This house isn't going anywhere - or is it?
Plumbing System Explanation
How does your plumbing work in your house? What are those pipes for?
Outlet Buttons - GFIs
What are these little red buttons on my outlets?
Preventing Pest Infestations
Tips on Preventing Invasions - and we don't mean your in-laws!
Winterizing a Home
Roofing Concerns
Radon Explanation
What is this stuff?
Illinois Radon Law
As of January 2008 any party in a real estate transaction must be aware of this new law. Buyers will not become bound by a contract unless the seller provides two new pamphlets to the buyer regarding Radon.
Carbon Monoxide Law for Illinois
What you need to know about the leading cause of poisoning deaths in America! How to protect your family! This law went into effect January 1st, 2007 for all homes sold in Illinois.
Home Warranty? Is it a good idea?
You can be covered as a Seller ..... You can be covered as a Buyer. Exceptional 'Discount' given for all my clients!
Cost to Repair Guide
General approximate costs for smaller home repairs.
Home Component Life Expectancy
How long do things last anyway?
How long will it last?
Another example of Home Component Life Expectancy.
Life Expectancy of Home Components
PDF File from the National Assn. of Home Builders (NAHB) on life expectancy and product longevity of home components.
Fix it or replace it?
Consumers Report gives a guide on appliance replacements.
Home Project Info
Home Improvement & Home Repair Library. How to actually do the projects.
Home Improvement Costs
'Guesstimate' on costs for different replacements and improvements.
Maintenance Must-Do's
Maintenance Schedule for inside and outside tasks that will prevent small problems from turning into big headaches.
Need a Buyers Agent?
Advice from Lyn Sims a veteran real estate agent in the Northwest Suburbs near Schaumburg. How to choose a Buyers Agent to work with? Questions to ask and what qualities to look for.
10 things to take the trauma out of Home Buying
5 Common First-time Homebuyer Mistakes
10 Tips for First-time Homebuyers
What not to overlook on a Final Walk-through
Buyers traditional walk-thru and checklist before the closing!
5 Property Tax Questions Buyers need to Ask
Understanding Capital Gains
Two different articles presented on Capital Gains.
Home Insurance Tips
5 Things to Understand about Homeowners Insurance
10 Ways to Lower Your Homeowners Insurance Costs
Cost of Living Comparison
In three simple steps we'll provide a cost of living comparison. Just tell us your current city and where you'd like to move. We'll show your two cities side-by-side in all the categories you need, such as taxes, housing, food, and other costs.
Valuable Resources for Disabled Clients
See what special programs are offered in your area to help people with disabilities buy or maintain their homes.
State of Illinois Veterans Care
Illinois Programs to provide Healthcare for Veterans and links for Veterans information in general.
SITE MAP - Click here and I'll take you to more great website articles

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Lyn Sims, RE/MAX Suburban | 2311 W. Schaumburg Rd., Schaumburg, IL 60194 | 847-985-7050 | Contact Me by E-mail