Okay, so maybe HomesPlus didn't get the scoop on this one, but we think Matt Lauer did as good a job as any at giving a tour of Michael Jackson's California home, affectionately known as "Neverland Ranch." And this home puts them all to shame. Forget the amusement park in the backyard, the house itself is incredibly impressive. Take a look -

So, you decided to play it low-key this year only to realize at the last minute that you actually do want to live it up for the 4th...you just don't want to fight the crowds or spend the big bucks that usually comes with it. Understood. So, why not enjoy your home tomorrow - and let your friends enjoy it too? All you need is a backyard or patio, a working grill and some creativity. You provide the grilling meat and some all-American accents and your friends provide the fun. Your backyard could transform into the party spot of the summer! Check out some ideas to host an Indepence Day bash on the cheap...

Just when we thought Google couldn't do anything more to secure its world-domination status, it went and added real estate to the mix. As of this week, Google Maps joins Trulia, Zillow, Realtor.com and other real estate search engines to help the wayward surfer narrow down his home search. And it's pretty impressive to see all of those for-sales pop up on a map (...or depressing, depending on your point of view) just check out what you get when you search "Chicago."

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In addition to showing you where the homes on the market are actually located on a map, the expanded search engine also allows you search by price, beds/baths and square footage. Plus, you can even specify foreclosures. Looks like real estate has a new home at Google.

In this weekend's HomesPlus, we're kicking off the show with our largest - and most expensive home tour yet. Words can't describe how exquisite this home, nay, mansion is... so for that you'll just have to tune in to the show this weekend and see it for yourself. Today's topic is the fascinating backstory to the estate.

The home was built as a wedding gift from John G. Shedd for his daughter, Laura, and her new husband, Charles H. Schweppe in the early 20th century. The story goes that the couple lived in the home, threw lavish parties hosting the high rollers of the time and raised two children there. Tragedy struck in 1937 when Laura passed away and was magnified a few years later when her husband, still troubled by his wife's death, took his own life.

For decades, the home stood empty. Rumors of sightings of Charles Schweppe's ghost spread and though they were probably just urban legends more than anything else, the stories can be found today in "Chicago Haunts" and North Shore Magazine.

Fast forward to the late 1980's when the current owner purchased the home and restored it to its original grandeur, bringing it back to life. No telling whether or not that put dear old Charles at peace, but perhaps if you're in the market for an $18-million dollar home with a little bit of history, you could be the one to fill us in on his current whereabouts...

Read more about the history of Mayflower Place here, or check out Dennis Rodkin's Deal Estate blog.

See the tour on HomesPlus this weekend!
Saturday at 9am and 1pm, Sunday at 9am

Or if you just can't wait to get a peek, take a look at the photo gallery.

In today's Chicago Tribune, you'll find a letter from Phil Vettel (Tribune's restaurant critic) to WGN Radio newbie Greg Jarrett listing Chicago's don't-miss restaurants. The list contails around 50 restaurants that Vettel deems un-missable.

But he did miss one thing. He forgot to mention that if there's anything better than a night out with great food and good company, it's a night IN with great food, good company...and NO COOKING! Let's face it, even if you love your kitchen, sometimes it's just better to stop playing host and enjoy the dinner party with your guests, right? It's only so often that your home is tidy enough for such a gathering anyway, why mess it up by cooking dinner? Let one of these places do the cooking for you! They are, afterall, the best of Chicago.

My go-to for home catering is Tarascas, in Lincoln Park. Great guac, spicy salsa and fresh-from-the-fryer chips are enough to make my house the hottest destination on party night...even at the last minute, which is my favorite time to call...

What's your go-to place for fine dining at home? Help out your fellow HomesPlus viewers and share here.

If you've ever wondered how royalty lives, then this tour's for you. The Lake Forest estate featured in this weekend's show was reduced just this morning to $15 million. So, you're about $3 million dollars closer to owning it!

Lake Forest is full of gorgeous, historic homes on acres and acres of green lakefront property. But this one is different. I'm sure those who are in the market for an $15 million dollar estate are probably quite used to walking into a palace-like home, full of intricately carved mouldings, artistically detailed ceilings and marble-and-gold toilets (with matching bidet, of course), but being unaccustomed to such a lifestyle, it was quite the interesting afternoon that Jordan (HomesPlus' fearless shooter) and I spent touring the place with the listing agent, Houda Chedid.

Let's run through the "basics":
-11 bedrooms - each "bedroom" is really a suite, complete with sitting room, fireplace, walk-in closet and full bath.
-Bonus rooms - 3rd floor boasts a ballroom and full size apartment-like quarters which housed staff many years ago. These quarters are larger than my condo...not that I'm bitter.
-Room to spread out - 21,000 square feet spread over three floors (four, if you include the basement)
-10 a/c units
-5.3 acres on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan
-Several large patios, including the one in the back of the home where the heir to the Swedish crown danced the night away and scenes from the movie "With Honors" were shot.

Are you primed and ready to see it now? Click here for the photo gallery or watch the tour after the jump...

And the winner is...Louisville, CO. Okay, so it's not a Chicago-area city, but fear not! We may not fall into the top ten, but a couple of Chicago 'burbs did make it onto the list. Included in the top 100 are two suburbs each located about 35 miles from the city.

Coming in at number 56, Batavia, IL. A favorite because of its combination of old town charm and close proximity to Chicago, Batavia is a summer haven for competitive runners, swimmers, bikers and even canoers as the host of the Batavia Sprint Distance Duathlon and Triathlon and the Mid-American Canoe Race.

Not far behind, at number 65 on the list is Buffalo Grove, IL. Noted reasons it made the list: its burgeoning shopping and local business communities and its hundreds of acres of natural park space.

Think your town was overlooked? Drop a line here to tell us what Chicagoland city you think should have made the list!

If you're facing foreclosure or even if you're just begining to feel the heat of a mortgage that you can no longer afford, you may want to check out this mortgage solution event at McCormick Place July 24 - 27th.

Cook County Board President, Todd Stroger has been working with the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America since last fall to secure some relief for struggling homeowners. This "Save the Dream" event will allow those homeowners to meet face-to-face with their lenders to restructure their loans and obtain lower interest rates in order to prevent foreclosure - all in the same day. Representatives from each of the participating lenders will be on-hand and homeowners wishing to avoid long lines can register ahead of time.

Keep reading to see participating lenders and requirements...

Ever wonder how the other half lives? Your favorite celebs may have a paparazzi tail everywhere they go, but their homes tend to be off-limits...unless they're trying to sell them. So, here's your opportunity to take a peek inside...

Celebrity homes photo gallery

Translation: the bird cage.
My most recent favorite home accessory! (Yes, I realize it changes almost weekly, but this is a good one.) I keep seeing antique-looking bird cages pop up everywhere from boutique windows to hotel lobbies, which wouldn't be so strange if they were pet stores or bird-friendly hotels, but that's never been the case. In these instances, they were simply used as a design element - and they worked.

Now, I'm not talking about the big, boxy bird cages that most people use to house their cracker-hungry Pollies.

Just...no.

But the delicate curves and designs of a vintage or throw-back bird cage is a fantastic accessory for nearly any room. You can find them in all different sizes and depending on the room you put them in they can be functional too.

No folles paux here.

For example - empty spot on your nightstand? Find a cute bird cage and use it to house a few mis-matched candles (following the advice of my mother who I've come to believe was a designer in her past life, I always do groupings of odd numbers).

Need a unique shelf-filler in your library or office? Grab a few of your favorite well-worn books to sit inside. Bird cages can also make attractive table centerpieces or can provide delicious soft light for your backyard dinner parties when you put tea lights inside and hang them from the trees.

Light done right.

Looking for more info on that Gold Coast home that we toured? In need of a landscape designer who can help out your sad home garden? If you've seen anything on the show that has piqued your interest, then be sure to head to our "featured partners" section to reach them directly. Here are a few that are new to the show this week...

Tina Shaw, from Botanic One Design gave us some pointers on how to keep your garden growing at home. Email her by clicking here.

In the market for a spacious city home? Click here to check out the listing for this week's home tour - a renovated Gold Coast carraige house with room to spare.

Or, if you're looking for something on a smaller scale, click here to find out more about the Lofts of Lemont, as seen in this weekend's show!

Did you follow your mother's advice and stash some money for a rainy day? If so, you're probably looking around at the world of possiblility that surrounds you right now - especially when it comes to real estate. As foreclosures become more commonplace, more and more average Joes are getting into the game and snatching up homes for bargain prices. But, there are some things you need to know if you're going to try to take advantage of the abundance of foreclosed homes out there right now.

According to Money Magazine, here are the top five tips to buying a foreclosure...

1 - Find the listings. Many banks see foreclosed homes through real estate agents now, so call around or head to the web to find listings in your desired area.
2 - Buy from a bank. It may be tempting to snatch up a home before the bank has taken possession, but hold your horses. Buying through the bank will allow you to inspect it beforehand and finance it with a mortgage.
3 - Have a contractor inspect the property. You might be excited at the idea of a fixer-upper, but it's best to get a pro's opinion on what you'll be spending on the fixer-upping before you buy.
4 - Put on your bargaining pants (or shirt, or glasses...). Some foreclosures may still be listed at market value, so if you're looking for a steal then you've gotta be willing to deal. Money Magazine recommends going in at 20% below the list price with your first offer.
5 - Be patient. If you're lucky, you'll hear back quickly. But it's more likely that you'll be waiting for a while. Many banks are dealing with a backlog of foreclosures and not enough staff to handle them, so be patient, follow up and have some alternate properties in mind if things don't work out with your first choice.

For more info on buying foreclosures, click here.

To find Chicagoland foreclosures, click here.

Some of Lincoln Parks finest outdoor spaces were showcased last weekend during the Sheffield Garden Walk. Since I find it difficult to keep my plants motivated to live more than a week or so, I was intrigued. And I was not disappointed.

Garden-lovers came out in droves to check out the event and some of the neighborhood kids even greeted them with lemonade stands. Plus, the plants weren't the only "green" thing about the walk - some homeowners incorporated recycled odds and ends into their gardens. The most unique example? One especially New Orleans-esque backyard garden used an old clarinet secured to the wall as a plant hanger.

Check out the gallery here.

Do you have ideas for what makes a great outdoor space? Share your comments!

During a time when we're all tightening our belts, inspiration is something we could use a little more of. Some people are inspired by nature, some are inspired by art and many of us are just envious of those model rooms in the Pottery Barn catalogue that hits the mailbox every week. Doesn't matter where your inspiration comes from, you can use it to create great design pieces in your home - without spending the big bucks to buy it from the store.

This morning on Today, Sarah Gray Miller of Country Living Magazine gave some tips on easy ways to create your own versions of those pricey designer items. With a little time and some creativity, who knows? Maybe your pieces will end up being the inspiration for your friends!

Normally in our Green Scene blog, we would hand out some tips on saving energy at home; but you all know about CFLs and you're probably no stranger to the energy-saving benefits of light timers and ceiling fans, so we're expanding a bit this week.

In honor of the cool summer we've been having (which makes for some pleasant outdoor relaxing), we're heading to the roof to find out if the "green roofs" that keep popping up in new construction are environmentally green...or just colored that way.

So, the big question is: can green roofs really help the environment?

Answer: Yes - in a number of ways.

First of all, green roofs collect rain water while regular roofs are designed to let rain water run off the building. The green roofs use living plants and grasses on top of a building to absorb, collect and reuse rainwater while preventing runoff. Plus, it's pretty.

Which brings me to reason #2 green roofs are beneficial to the environment. All of those lovely, colorful plants up there are actually functional. They help curb the urban heat island effect. Large metropolitans like Chicago can be significantly warmer than the surrounding, less populated areas. Adding green space to your roof helps to alleviate this in a couple of ways: it absorbs the sun's heat, meaning your home actually stays cooler and it filters pollutants like carbon dioxide out of the air.

This weekend on HomesPlus we talked with Chicago Magazine's Dennis Rodkin about Chicago real estate trends in July. You'll have to check out the video to see what he said, but the basic theme was foreclosures (cue scary music).

But the news actually wasn't so scary. There are some great ways to find incredible deals these days and Dennis filled us in on a couple simple ways to find something in the neighborhood you desire.

First - Google maps has a new real estate feature. Just head to google, click on maps, enter the city of your choice and the words "real estate" in the search bar and the option to specialize a search will come up on the left (including an option for foreclosures), with the map of all of the listings that meet your criteria on the right. Pretty impressive...or sad depending on how you look at it.

Another easy search tool is to head to Chase Real Estate's website where you can search the foreclosure listings in specific areas and according to your desired search crieteria. The site also schools you in the ins and outs of buying foreclosures. It includes an informative blog, videos and various articles about financing.

Tune in to HomesPlus to get tips on the market, buying, selling and design every weekend on CLTV!

According to the Associated Press, new home sales rose 11% in June, the most dramatic increase since December 2000. So, is the housing crisis over?

According to the AP article, experts say the worst is behind us and the situation should begin to improve...slowly. Housing prices still appear to be falling, but the low prices combined with low interest rates and the new buyer tax credit have encouraged buyers to get out there in a big way. Which is the first step to getting back on track.

Also, the number of homes on the market in June dropped 4% from May - good news for sellers just getting their home on the market at the end of the summer season.

Are you a buyer or seller who has been affected by the housing crisis? Do you really think the worst is behind us? Leave your comments and experiences here!

If your home has a grand fireplace featuring three lions, a crown and the phrase "Semper Eadem," then someone is looking for you.

Chicago Tribune is reporting that Martin Kirby, a British newspaper columnist is looking for the 500-year old fireplace which is said to have warmed the room where Queen Elizabeth I slept in 1574. Records show that it was purchased by a Chicago collector in 1907 and after that it seems to have fallen off the map.

So, take a good look at your fireplace before remodeling...this valuable piece could be hiding in plain sight!

If you're selling your home, I'm sure you've heard plenty about what you SHOULD do - keep it clean, get rid of the clutter, spruce up your "curb appeal." But has anyone ever sat you down and explained to you the things that you definitely should NOT do? Well, here's a little list, as compiled by Mary Umberger for the Chicago Tribune. And pay attention, because now is not the time to shoot yourself in the foot when it comes to selling your home!

Whatever you do, DO NOT:

-Be unrealistic about the price. Sellers these days should be in the bottom 30% of pricing when compared to the comps and in the top 30% for condition.

-Take lowball offers personally. All buyers are doing it, it's just a fact of the current market. Don't let it miff you - hit back with a counter offer and see what happens.

-Be present at showings. Honestly, for a buyer it's just weird. First impressions count and even if you're just the nicest host ever - the buyer needs to see themselves as the home's owners; not feel like a guest in your home. (This goes for pets too - take them with you.)

-Ignore common elements in a condo or apartment building. Yes, your place should be in top condition, but so should the lobby, courtyard, common stairs, etc...and the buyers are going to see that first.

-Overpersonalize. You may love those Precious Moments you've been collecting for decades, but overkill on the personal taste is a killer with buyers. Neutralize, neutralize, neutralize!

-Choose the highest offer without looking at the buyer. It's tougher for buyers to get qualified these days, so you have to pay attention to the quality of your buyer before you accept an offer. Otherwise you might end up with a sunk sale.

-Skimp on online photos. Big mistake. Buyers do their first home shopping online now, and if you don't have many quality shots (inside and outside) then they're not wasting their time on a showing.

For more do-nots, click here.

Unless I have at least a week of warning, I am usually completely unprepared for company. Every counter is cluttered with week-old mail and magazines, dishes sit unwashed in the sink and there's dog hair, well...everywhere. Yet, my friends and neighbors still somehow believe that we keep our home spotless. That's because when someone calls 5 minutes before they pull the pop-in, I've got my strategy ready. I've mastered the art of fake-cleaning. I know what rooms they'll see and what rooms they won't and more importantly, I know which spots send that "clean" or "unclean" signal to my guests (afterall, they're all the same things I notice in other people's homes). So, here's a quickie course on making your last-minute guests believe you have it all together.

1 - Make sure the first room/area they see is clear of clutter, maybe add a couple of accents if you've got 'em. My front door opens to the kitchen, so if my kitchen island is cluttered (which it usually is), I clear it and toss some fruit in a bowl as a centerpiece. The unopened mail and week's-worth of newspapers get tossed in the junk drawer (you know you have one) or in another room.

2- Figure out where they'll likely be hanging out - and do a once-over. For most people, it's the kitchen/family room area. Once again, clear the clutter, fold errant throw-blankets and fluff the pillows! If stinky dishes are filling the sink, load up the dishwasher to get them out of sight. A clear space reads as clean when your guests aren't looking too hard!

3 - Everyone needs to visit the loo at some point, so make sure yours is presentable. If you have a powder room or main bathroom that your guests use, do a quick wipe-down and put out clean towels.

4 - Scent is a powerful sense, use it. Keep a scented candle on hand and light it as soon as you get the "I'll be over in 5" call. If the first thing your guest smells when he/she walks in the door is your dog, then all of your fake-cleaning is for nought.

5 - Speaking of dogs...clean up as much evidence of your pet as time allows. My dog has claimed our couch as his home base, so it always has traces of dog hair (and sometimes, much more than just traces of it...) I keep a full lint roller and mini vac handy to clean it as best I can before someone stops by. If you have a feline friend, for goodness sake, put the litter box out of site!

These little tasks literally take me about 5 minutes to rush through before I get that knock on the door. And believe me, if I can do it...anyone can. Do you have your own tricks for making your home presentable at the last minute? Share them!