In order to sell your home quickly, you will want to prepare it to make sure it is looking its best. This preparation is called ‘staging’ and is often the difference between a home selling quickly or instead languishing on the market for months. Staging a home takes a lot of hard work, care and attention to detail. The sooner you begin to prepare your house for the market, the more effective staging will be.
Three to Six Months Before Marketing Your House
Three to six months before you plan on putting your house on the market you will need to paint. Choose neutral colors with only one or two accent colors to break up the monotony. You will want to have all of the carpets and drapes cleaned or replaced. Neutral colors and patterns are the rule of thumb here as well. You will want to give the exterior a similar face lift. Finally, be sure to fix everything in need of repair. The dripping faucet, the broken drawer handle and the cracked light switch faceplate are a few examples of little touches that make a huge difference. You want to present a house looking brand new rather than lived in.
One Month Before Listing Your Home
One month before listing your house, consider getting a home inspection. Your buyers will do this anyway and it will help you to know what needs to be fixed up ahead of time. A few hundreds spent in advance will pay off dividends in the long term.
This is also the time to de-clutter. Pack away everything you can. Less clutter will help potential buyers to have a vision of what their tastes and styles will look like in their new home. Try to remove everything which makes the house yours. This will take a lot of effort, but it will help your house sell faster. Remember, you want the buyer to imagine the house is their home. That is not possible if the house already feels like it’s someone else’s.
One Week Before Showing Your Home
Your house must be clean. Your house must be clean enough to pass the inspection of the most critical mother-in-law imaginable. It needs to dazzle! Consider hiring a cleaning service to come weekly until the house is sold. A small investment upfront will be rewarded at the closing. Have a kind, but honest friend come over and give your home a ‘sniff’ test. Odors that you have grown accustom to will turn away a potential buyer. Cigarette odors, pet odors and mildew are just a few smells that can seep into a home without you realizing it. Finally, view your home from the street. This will be your buyer’s first impression. Try to look at your house with a stranger’s eyes. What do you see? Do you see any last minute improvements it needs? Make sure you take care of them right away.
The Day Before Your House is Shown
Besides making sure everything is clean, walk through the house and remove any signature items. A baseball glove by the back door, paperwork on the desk, a DVD left out near the TV, must all be tucked away before the potential buyers rings the bell. Open all the curtains to provide as much light as possible. Consider one or two friendly accents like fresh flowers on the table or a seasonal door hanging on the front door. Stand in the center of the house. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Open your eyes and look around. Does everything look and feel clean and welcoming? Yes. Then your done. Your house is ready to meet it’s soon-to-be new owners.
Staging your home will take time, effort and money, but it will pay off when your house sells quickly and at the price you want.
Dave and Candy are amazing. My situation waa a challenge and they were extremely kind, caring and compassionate from start to finish. They really know the market and use all resources. Top notch
Worked with Dave and Candy 3 times over the past ~15yrs, and will continue to in the future. They are very dedicated, pay attention to details, and make themselves available. I'd recommend them over any other agents.
We had the pleasure of working with Dave & Candy Goddard for the second time, and once again they went above and beyond in every area. From start to finish, they made the entire selling process smooth, organized, and stress-free. Their communication was clear, their guidance was spot on, and they were always one step ahead anticipating what was needed.
Dave and Candy truly care about their clients. They provided strong support, smart strategy, and constant follow-up that made a real difference. Every detail was handled professionally, and we always felt confident we were in good hands.
Thank you for helping sell our homes and for making the experience so seamless. We highly recommend them to anyone looking for knowledgeable, dedicated, and supportive agents.
Candy and Dave are the best. They went out of their way to show me homes and educate me on the process of buying a house couldn’t ask for better people
Dave and Candy were outstanding to work with. They were consistently honest, knowledgeable, and transparent throughout the entire process. It was clear they value integrity and client trust above all else. We always felt supported, never pressured, and confident knowing they genuinely cared about our outcome. If you’re looking for agents who truly care about their clients and not just the transaction, Dave and Candy are your people.
Dave and Candy were very knowledgeable, honest, and transparent. The whole process of selling my condo stress free. Would definitely work with them again and recommend them!
ACTIVE Property Inventory Count – Attached and Detached Homes
Total available homes in the MLS: 15,504
INVENTORY NUMBERS OF SELECT TOWNS AS OF May 6, 2026
💡 Weekly Overview
The broader Illinois MLS holds 15,504 active detached and attached listings — a solid inventory level heading into mid-May. Across our 24-town coverage area, we’re tracking 794 active listings, representing a focused slice of northwest suburban demand.
Elgin continues to dominate with 121 active listings, nearly 15% of all inventory in our tracked markets. St. Charles/Campton Hills follows at 84, and Schaumburg holds 82 — together these three form the deepest inventory pools for buyers in the region.
At the other end, Wayne sits at just 5 active listings, Itasca at 10, and Hanover Park at 13 — classic tight-supply markets where sellers still hold leverage.
💡 Weekly Highlights
St. Charles/Campton Hills leads the region in new construction activity with 27 new builds out of 84 total listings — that’s 32% of all inventory brand new. Elgin follows with 19 new construction listings, keeping pace as one of the area’s fastest-growing markets.
Bartlett’s attached-home inventory stands out at 28 of 46 listings (61%). That heavy attached presence, paired with 13 new construction units, makes Bartlett one of the most diverse markets for buyers looking across price points and home types.
Schaumburg’s attached-home dominance is striking — 54 of 82 listings (66%) are attached units, while only 28 are detached. This reflects Schaumburg’s condo and townhome-heavy development pattern and keeps entry-level options plentiful.
Wayne remains the tightest market we track at just 5 active listings, all detached. Itasca at 10 and Hanover Park at 13 are equally thin — these are buyer’s speed bumps where inventory moves fast and pricing stays firm.
Glendale Heights and Hoffman Estates both skew heavily toward attached inventory (16 of 21 and 30 of 53 respectively), offering strong options for first-time buyers or downsizers in the western suburbs.
Thinking About a Move? We’re Here to Help.
📞 Call: 630-310-8315 (voice only) 📱 Text Dave: 630-992-3283 📱 Text Candy: 630-992-5477 🌐 Visit: https://www.4ure.com
ACTIVE Property Inventory Count – Attached and Detached Homes Total available homes in the MLS: 15,248
INVENTORY NUMBERS OF SELECT TOWNS AS OF April 29, 2026
💡 Weekly Overview
The Illinois MLS is showing 15,248 active detached and attached homes across the region — a healthy inventory level for mid-April. Of our 24 tracked communities, Elgin continues to lead with 99 active listings, followed by Schaumburg at 79 and St. Charles at 84. On the tighter side, Wayne holds just 5 listings, Winfield has 9, and Itasca sits at 10 — these are the markets where sellers still hold the advantage.
New construction activity remains steady across the northern suburbs. Bartlett leads our watch list with 15 new builds among its 39 listings (38% new construction), followed by St. Charles with 23 new homes. Geneva and South Elgin are also seeing strong builder activity with 11 and 9 new construction listings respectively.
The attached vs. detached split favors detached homes across nearly every market. Bartlett is the exception with 27 attached listings against 12 detached — reflecting the town’s active apartment-style and townhome developments. Buyers looking for single-family detached should focus on Glen Ellyn, West Chicago, and Batavia where detached homes make up the majority of inventory.
📍 Active Residential Listings by Town ✨ Bartlett – 39 total (12 detached / 27 attached / 15 new construction) ✨ Batavia – 24 total (16 detached / 5 attached / 6 new construction) ✨ Bloomingdale – 25 total (15 detached / 10 attached / 1 new construction) ✨ Carol Stream – 37 total (14 detached / 23 attached / 4 new construction) ✨ Elgin – 99 total (78 detached / 20 attached / 21 new construction) ✨ Elk Grove Village – 20 total (13 detached / 7 attached / 0 new construction) ✨ Geneva – 34 total (22 detached / 12 attached / 11 new construction) ✨ Glen Ellyn – 35 total (28 detached / 7 attached / 6 new construction) ✨ Glendale Heights – 20 total (7 detached / 13 attached / 0 new construction) ✨ Hanover Park – 18 total (7 detached / 11 attached / 0 new construction) ✨ Hoffman Estates – 53 total (22 detached / 31 attached / 7 new construction) ✨ Itasca – 10 total (8 detached / 2 attached / 0 new construction) ✨ Medinah – 0 total (0 detached / 0 attached / 0 new construction) ✨ Roselle – 23 total (15 detached / 8 attached / 0 new construction) ✨ Schaumburg – 79 total (22 detached / 57 attached / 15 new construction) ✨ South Elgin – 29 total (15 detached / 14 attached / 9 new construction) ✨ St. Charles/Campton Hills – 84 total (56 detached / 28 attached / 23 new construction) ✨ Streamwood – 28 total (7 detached / 21 attached / 0 new construction) ✨ Warrenville – 12 total (5 detached / 7 attached / 0 new construction) ✨ Wayne – 5 total (5 detached / 0 attached / 0 new construction) ✨ West Chicago – 19 total (17 detached / 1 attached / 2 new construction) ✨ Wheaton – 43 total (30 detached / 12 attached / 3 new construction) ✨ Winfield – 9 total (3 detached / 6 attached / 0 new construction) ✨ Wood Dale – 18 total (9 detached / 9 attached / 1 new construction)
💡 Weekly Highlights
Bartlett’s attached home inventory is dominant right now — 27 of 39 listings are attached, with 15 of those being new construction. Buyers looking for brand-new townhomes and condos have excellent options in the $250K-$437K range, with several D.R. Horton builds hitting the market this week.
Elgin remains the inventory king at 99 active listings, but the detached segment is where the action is — 78 detached homes give buyers serious choosing room. Combined with 21 new construction options, Elgin is a buyer-friendly market across both existing and new home categories.
The tightest markets in our watch list are Wayne (5), Winfield (9), and Itasca (10). These communities are seeing quick turnovers — homes priced right are closing in under a week. Sellers in these markets should price aggressively from day one to capture the limited buyer pool.
New construction is pacing well across the northern suburbs. St. Charles leads with 23 new builds, followed by Elgin (21), Schaumburg (15), Bartlett (15), and Geneva (11). Builders are responding to demand with a mix of price points, from the $250K attached segment up to the $700K+ custom market.
The attached vs. detached ratio is shifting in interesting ways. Traditionally detached-heavy markets like Glen Ellyn (28 detached vs 7 attached) and West Chicago (17 detached vs 1 attached) are holding steady, while communities like Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates are seeing strong attached inventory growth — reflecting changing buyer preferences for lower-maintenance living.
Thinking About a Move? We’re Here to Help. 📞 Call: 630-310-8315 (voice only) 📱 Text Dave: 630-992-3283 📱 Text Candy: 630-992-5477 🌐 Visit: https://www.4ure.com youget2forthepriceof1 #teamgoddardrealestate #realestatemarketupdate2026
Bright, updated first-floor ranch end unit in desirable Willow Bay — fully move-in ready and loaded with upgrades! This welcoming 2-bedroom, 1-bath home features newer wood-look laminate flooring, a sun-drenched family room with a cozy gas fireplace (tile surround), built-in storage, and a large bay window with an oversized window seat — an ideal spot to relax with a book or enjoy morning light.
The kitchen has been thoughtfully refreshed with rich maple cabinetry (easy-close drawers), granite countertops, a stylish tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances. An adjacent eating area opens through sliding glass doors to a private brick paver patio — perfect for outdoor entertaining or quiet mornings with coffee.
Primary bedroom offers a walk-in closet and direct access to the full bath with dual sinks and tile flooring. The spacious second bedroom and convenient mudroom/laundry (washer/dryer combo) off the attached two-car garage make everyday living easy. Recent improvements include a new roof (2025) and three newer fan-chandelier light fixtures that add modern style throughout.
Prime ranch end-unit location provides extra privacy and abundant natural light, with quick access to shopping, restaurants, banking and I-90. This attractive Willow Bay home is priced to sell and won’t last long — $259,896.
Schedule your showing today and see everything this charming home has to offer!
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