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.

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.

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!

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 ...

If you're thinking of entering the world of homeownership, right now is a great time! Prices are low, mortgage rates are good and the selection of homes on the market is pretty incredible. But for first-time homebuyers, the task of figuring out how much your new home is going to cost you can be intimidating. After all, presumably, this will be the biggest purchase you've made until this point in your life - and the costs can be staggering if you're not ready for them! According to the Federal Housing Administration, your mortgage payments should be no more than 29% of your gross monthly income if you carry some debt, or up to 41% if you have no debt.

Frustrated buyers, we have found a great tool for you! Beatyouthere.com is a real estate website that launched this week with over two million property listings - designed for the homebuyer who wants all of the info! Beatyouthere.com features a unique interactive tool, so that registered users can post comments and review listings, homes they've visited or even realtors that they've worked with. And it makes perfect sense. After all, we check out reviews of restaurants before we eat there, why wouldn't we do our homework on a purchase as major as a home?

Looking for a home that's as eco-chic as you are? Then maybe it's time to head out to Aurora and check out the latest from Bigelow Homes. HomeTown Aurora, an established community in the western Chicago suburb, is making it easier than ever to reduce your family's carbon footprint without sacrificing style. One of the latest additions to HomeTown is the Reserves, a neighborhood within a neighborhood, dedicated to green living.

Yes, it's a buyer's market right now - a fantastic time to buy, whether it's your first home or an investment property. But for every eager buyer, there's a seller doing his/her best to make their property tops on your list. If you're buying new construction - great! You should be in good shape! But if you're looking for a home with history, it's up to you to do your homework before you buy! Check out frontdoor.com's top ten red-flag items before you sign on the dotted line!

Okay, so now that I've got your attention...
If you're looking for a new home in Lincoln Hills, I'm about to make your day! Well, actually William Ryan Homes is, but you can still feel free to thank me! (I prefer dark chocolate...but I digress...) Right now, William Ryan is offering an incredible incentive on it's 2,800 square-foot, 4-bedroom, 2.5 bath Douglas model. Ready for it? It's $96,540 OFF of the purchase price! Which means, you can own it for just $349,990. This home is ready for immediate delivery and comes complete with...

It's a great time to buy, mortgage rates are low, yadayadayada...you've heard it all before and I'll spare you the spiel. But did you know that when you buy a brand new home - as in, from the developer - your bargaining power can get you way more than just a few bucks off the asking price? The thing is, when you buy new it's really hard to negotiate a lower price like you might try to do with a private seller. But what you can do is negotiate in upgrades that would normally cost you an arm and a leg - like granite counter tops, upgraded flooring and gorgeous master baths - for FREE! The current new home market is ripe with fantastic deals like this!

In the market for a big, beautiful new home where you can really spread out? The more spacious model homes you look at, the smaller your current home probably feels! Especially if you're in the city, space can be tight. So, until you upgrade to that 3,000 square foot spread in the suburbs, make the most of your space! Adding some color, picking up a few new pieces and re-arranging your old ones can make a small room look a lot bigger! Not to mention, more appealing to a potential buyer.

Whether you're buying or selling a home, I'm sure you've heard that neutral colors sell. For years, experts have pointed out that a house full of beiges and ecrus will allow the buyer to imagine their own furniture, styles and lives in the home - thus, speeding up a sale. But here we are, in the days of HGTV do-it-yourself design and buyers and sellers alike are breaking out of the safe world of black and white and painting a picture of their lives with COLOR!

You've heard it all before - it's a great time to buy a new home! This is especially true for first time home-buyers! If you're financially solid, there are some great deals to be had right now. But how much does it really cost just to get the ball rolling? Don't be scared off by that 20% down payment! While the days of no-money down are for the most part behind us, you can get your foot in the door for much less than 20%.

Have you found that beautiful new home of your dreams, but need to get out from under your current mortgage to move on? If so, then you've probably discovered first-hand that it's going to take a little more than it used to in order to find the right buyer for your home. Which is why it's important to remember Consumer Reports' five basic tips to selling in the current market...

If you're part of the population that currently has its home on the market and you're starting to lose faith, it's time to take stock. Stop seeing your house as your own and start viewing it as a buyer would. Do you see clutter? Lots of personal effects? Evidence that you own three great danes? Then perhaps it's time for some home staging!