Roman Builds Equity

10/13/2026

Your favorite paint color could be costing you buyers.

Planning to sell your home in Chicago or the suburbs? Before you grab a paintbrush or start a renovation, ask one question:

Will this actually help my home sell?

Beautiful and market-ready aren’t always the same thing.

After 12+ years in construction, finish carpentry, and remodeling, I’ve seen homeowners spend thousands on upgrades they love, only to discover buyers don’t value them the same way.

Here’s what matters when preparing a house for sale:

1. Neutral colors help more buyers imagine their own furniture, style, and future in the space.

2. Bold colors can work. Use them thoughtfully through accents, decor, and select focal points.

3. Consistency matters. A cohesive color palette makes rooms feel connected instead of competing for attention.

4. Finish the little things. Unpainted trim, patched walls, and incomplete projects can make buyers wonder what else needs work.

5. Think return on investment! A $15,000 renovation doesn’t automatically add $15,000 to your sale price.

Remember: buyers don’t just see colors and finishes. They see potential expenses, maintenance, and the effort required to make a house feel like home.

My advice? Don’t renovate based on trends alone. Look at comparable homes, your target buyer, and the condition of your property before spending money.

Selling is a strategy, not a decorating contest!!

Which would you choose: BOLD or NEUTRAL? Tell me below.

Selling in Chicagoland? DM me “SELL SMART” before investing in upgrades. Let’s protect your equity!

Save this for your pre-listing checklist!

Roman Nabiulin
Keller Williams ONEChicago
224-600-7120
[email protected]

10/12/2026

09/25/2026

Buying a bigger house does not automatically mean you are making a better real estate decision.

One of the most important questions home buyers should ask before buying a house is not simply

How much house can I afford

Ask yourself

How much house actually fits the life I am building

There is a difference.

It is easy to start your home search focused on more.

More square footage. More bedrooms. A bigger kitchen. A larger yard. A more expensive neighborhood.

But here is where the conversation changes.

Every additional feature has a cost beyond the purchase price.

A larger home can mean a larger mortgage payment, higher property taxes, more utilities, more maintenance, more furniture, and more time required to take care of it.

That does not make buying a bigger home a bad decision.

It means there should be a reason behind it.

Maybe your family is growing. You work from home. You need a yard. You want a different school district. You are planning for parents to live with you. Or the property better supports your long term financial and lifestyle goals.

Those are real reasons.

The goal of buying a home should not be to purchase the maximum house your financing allows.

It should be finding the right property for your life, finances, priorities, and future.

Especially when buying a home in Chicago or the Chicago suburbs, I want my clients thinking beyond the listing photos and asking what this property will actually do for them.

A home is more than something you can afford.

It is a decision you will live with every day.

Want to work with someone who cares and represents your best interests

DM READY

Follow me if you think real estate should build more than an image.

Build equity. Build people.

Roman Nabiulin
Keller Williams ONEChicago
224-600-7120
[email protected]

09/24/2026

If you are planning to buy a home in Chicago or the surrounding Chicago suburbs, I would be happy to help you build your buying strategy.

Send me the words SMART BUYER and let us start with a conversation.

Roman Nabiulin
Keller Williams ONEChicago
224 600 7120
[email protected]

09/23/2026

If I were buying my first home in 2026, I would not automatically assume a resale home is my best option.

I would seriously look at new construction.

And not just because everything is new.

Here is what many home buyers do not realize.

The price of the house is only one part of what determines whether buying that home makes financial sense.

New construction builders may offer incentives that can change the overall cost of buying.

That could include help with closing costs, upgrades, financing incentives, or access to promotional mortgage interest rates that may be below prevailing market rates for qualified buyers.

And that deserves your attention.

Because when comparing a new construction home to an existing resale home, do not compare listing price to listing price.

Compare the entire transaction.

What will your monthly payment be

How much cash will you need at closing

What repairs or improvements will the home need

What warranties are included

What incentives are currently available

And what will this property realistically cost you during your first few years of ownership

That is the conversation I want home buyers having.

But there is something else you should know before walking into a builder sales office.

The builder representative works for the builder.

Having your own real estate agent means having someone in the transaction focused on your interests, asking questions, reviewing the deal with you, and helping you evaluate the opportunity.

If you are looking for a new construction home in Chicago or the Chicago suburbs and want to explore communities, builder incentives, financing options, and available homes, let us talk.

DM BUYER to work with someone who cares and represents your interests.

Build equity. Build people.

Roman Nabiulin
Keller Williams ONEChicago
224 600 7120
[email protected]
Lennar Lennar Chicago

09/21/2026

If you are planning to buy a home in Chicago, Schaumburg, Arlington Heights, Palatine, Park Ridge, or the surrounding Chicago suburbs, I would be happy to help you build your buying strategy.

Send me the words SMART BUYER and let us start with a conversation.

Roman Nabiulin
Keller Williams ONEChicago
224 600 7120
[email protected]

09/18/2026

Looking for something to do around Chicago this fall?

Here’s one to put on your calendar.

Long Grove Apple Fest is coming back September 25 through 27 in Historic Downtown Long Grove, and if you live in Chicago or the northwest suburbs, this is an easy fall day trip.

Long Grove already has that small town, walkable downtown feel, but Apple Fest turns the whole area into a fall weekend destination.

Expect apple pies, donuts, caramel apples, apple inspired food and drinks, live music, carnival rides, local shops, restaurants and plenty to do with the family.

What I like about events like this is that you don’t have to plan an entire weekend around them. Grab the family or a few friends, make the drive to Long Grove, walk around downtown, eat something you probably shouldn’t, support a few local businesses and enjoy fall in the Midwest.

Sometimes the best part about living around Chicago is everything we have within a short drive of the city.

Save this for September 25 through 27 and send it to someone who needs fall weekend plans.

And follow me for more things to do, places to visit and real estate around Chicago and the suburbs.

Roman Nabiulin
Keller Williams ONEChicago
224-600-7120
[email protected]

09/17/2026

Chicago home buyers are asking the wrong question when they find a house they really want.

How much more should I offer to get this house

Instead, ask this.

What would make this seller choose my offer

Because the purchase price is only one part of a real estate offer.

When buying a home in Chicago or the Chicago suburbs, sellers may consider financing, earnest money, closing timeline, contingencies, inspection terms, flexibility, certainty of closing, and other conditions that matter specifically to them.

This is why the highest offer is not automatically the best offer for every seller.

Two home buyers can have similar budgets, similar financing, and compete for similar properties while getting completely different results.

The difference can be strategy.

Before automatically increasing your price, understand the property, the competition, the current market conditions, and what may actually matter to that particular seller.

As a Chicago Realtor with more than 12 years of construction and remodeling experience, I help my buyers look beyond the asking price and evaluate the entire opportunity.

Buying a home should not be about blindly throwing more money at every property you like.

It should be about making informed decisions, protecting your buying power, and understanding where you may have leverage.

If you are planning to buy a home in Chicago, Schaumburg, Arlington Heights, Palatine, Park Ridge, or the surrounding Chicago suburbs, I would be happy to help you build your buying strategy.

Send me the words SMART BUYER and let us start with a conversation.

Roman Nabiulin
Keller Williams ONEChicago
224 600 7120
[email protected]

09/17/2026

The Fed just changed the conversation again — but if you’re buying a home in Chicago or the suburbs, the interest rate shouldn’t be the only number you’re watching.

Everyone talks about price and mortgage rates.

Experienced buyers look at the entire structure of the deal.

In Chicagoland, inventory is still limited in many desirable neighborhoods and suburbs. Well-priced homes can move quickly, and buyers don’t automatically have unlimited negotiating power.

But that doesn’t mean your only strategy is:

“How much more should I offer?”

After 12+ years working in residential construction and now helping buyers navigate Chicago-area real estate, I look beyond the asking price.

A stronger question is:

“What matters to THIS seller — and how can we structure an offer that works for both sides?”

That can mean negotiating more than price:

Seller credits.
Closing costs.
Rate buydowns.
Repairs.
Closing date.
Possession.
Financing terms.
Inspection structure.
Overall certainty of the transaction.

Sometimes an extra dollar toward purchase price matters.

Sometimes better terms are worth considerably more to the seller.

And that’s the part many buyers miss.

The house doesn’t necessarily go to the person who wants it the most.

It goes to the buyer whose price, terms and overall offer the seller is willing to accept.

So instead of trying to perfectly time mortgage rates, build a buying strategy around what you can control: the property, the numbers, your financing, your risk and the structure of your offer.

If you’re searching for a home in Chicago, Northwest Suburbs, North Shore, Lake County, McHenry County or the surrounding Chicagoland market, I can help you evaluate the property and build the offer strategically.

DM me “SMART BUYER” and let’s build your buying strategy before you write your next offer.

Roman Nabiulin
Keller Williams ONEChicago
224-600-7120
[email protected]