Hi! Rochelle Vayo here, and I just want to thank everyone for watching over the last couple of weeks! We are currently in a tough real estate market and buying the home of your dreams isn't easy. But that's why we're here to help you.

We want you to be the most informed buyer (and seller) in this market. Check out after the jump about the importance of taking "great" pictures of the home you are trying to sell.

And if there's something you want to know more about ... post your question on this blog! If we don't know the answer, we'll find it for you!

This truly is a great time to buy a new home. Prices and interest rates remain low and there's a great selection of homes to choose from.

There's a new community for you to check out this weekend. Montalbano Homes is excited to introduce The Fields at Stone Mill Farms in Bourbonnais.

This new community offers 11 great floorplans at an affordable price.

Check out the video of the community after the jump.

Imagine having the city of Chicago surrounding your new home, but not hearing all the noise and traffic associated with a major metropolis. We've found that home on Chicago's North Side.

Edgebrook Glen is a 64 home community that exudes tranquility, a secluded entrance, wooded grounds and a private landscaped park.

Check out the video after the jump ... you are sure to be impressed.

Experts say the time to buy a new home is now!

Here's why:
1. Interest rates are low
2. The selection couldn't be better
3. Prices have dropped

But does that mean that now is the right time for you? If you're anything like me, and committing to an expensive pair of shoes makes you worry, then it's understandable that you might be a bit aprehensive to jump into the housing market.

What do the movies "Groundhog Day" and "Back to the Future" have in common? Both movies were partly shot in Woodstock, Illinois. The historic Woodstock Square was used for a number of scenes in the movies.

And now you can call Woodstock home with all it's charm and historic features.

William Ryan Homes is building a beautiful new community in Woodstock. Check out the video after the jump.

Yes, you saw that correctly. You can save $77,000 on an immediate delivery home from William Ryan. And this home is big!! 3,300 sq. feet of living space ... 4 bedrooms ... 2.5 baths.

See more details after the jump ...

Spring is finally here! With our first 70-degree days under our belts, many of you are probably gearing up to get your yards back into shape for summer. But all of those fragrant flowers and newly-trimmed shrubs are good for more than your neighborhood garden walk. According to the American Nursery & Landscape Association, landscaping actually increases property values by 7 to 14 percent!

All those years ago, Kermit may have had a point. But times have changed and these days it couldn't be easier to be green - especially in the most eco-friendly of the big cities, Chicago! Celebrate this Earth Day by taking a minute to think about your home and whether or not it might leave a big, gaping environmental footprint after you're gone. If you're looking for a new home, buying green is easy! According to the National Association of Home Builders new homes consume less than two-thirds the energy of older homes, per square foot. And if you have no plans to leave the home you've been in for years - fear not, Earth-lovers! Here are some easy tips to help you re-green your home!

Looking for a 1st floor master suite in your new home? Many builders today are adding them to their floorplans and that's good news for many of us.

So where should you look? Here's one great example to check out this weekend. More after the jump ...

For a first time homebuyer (and probably some 2nd, 3rd and 4th time buyers too!) the steps you take to secure a mortgage can be tricky. A lot of phrases get tossed around and if you haven't done your homework, then they're probably totally foreign to you! But, as a person who had absolutely no idea what she was doing when she set out to look for a new home, I can tell you, it's not as scary as it seems! There are 4 basic concepts regarding your mortgage that you should understand when you decide to buy a home. Here they are, explained:

It's time to once again go behind the scenes at HomesPlus and check out some of the outtakes from the show.

Hope you enjoy. Video after the jump ...