Insights, tips & news

Real estate transactions are always unique. Each sale offers an opportunity to learn. Here’s a collection of thoughts, experiences, and lessons learned.

For Buyers For Sellers Homeownership Katie Gnau Market Update Staging Tips and Tricks Travel

The Most Important Room

The Most Important Room Your home has lots of rooms. Each one serves a specific purpose. Some are private spaces like bedrooms.  Others are public spaces like the living room. Have you ever thought about which is the single most important room?  While its function hasn’t changed over the many decades since our homes were built, how […]

Katie Gnau Knows

By: Katie Gnau, Elsafy Team Job interviews, new babies, big kids leaving the nest, changing relationship status … if any of these feel familiar to you, you may be thinking about a home sale. Dealing with these life transitions is a big job. I can help to make it easier by managing the steps in […]

Spring Market in February?

February isn’t exactly springtime in Milwaukee.  But if you’re considering selling your home, now is precisely the time to think spring.  Sure, your grass will be greener, the trees will look prettier, and the gardens will start to come alive in May and June.  But it’s also the time when there’s a whole lot more competition.  The best outcomes […]

7 Places You Can’t Miss This Winter in Wisconsin

This snow has us thinking of all the ways we need to embrace our Wisconsin winter! Check out this article featured on Travel Wisconsin’s website: https://www.travelwisconsin.com/article/winter-activities/7-places-you-cant-miss-this-winter-in-wisconsin

Getting Ready to Move

Congratulations!  You sold your home.  Now comes the difficult task of packing and getting ready to move.  Where do you start?  Here’s some to advice to get you on your way.   Secure Movers Early If you’re going to employ the help of professional movers or rent a moving truck, then your first step is to secure them early.  These services […]

Frozen Pipes?

Now that we’re in the thick of winter, I thought I’d share a few tips for keeping your pipes flowing smoothly during the colder months.  To prevent pipes from freezing… 1. When freezing temps are forecasted, let cold water slowly drip through faucets served by exposed pipes. This is especially important if your kitchen sink […]

3 Reasons to Consider selling before spring

You don’t have to wait until spring to put up your “for sale” sign! Even though interest rates have increased and post-pandemic demand has steadied, you don’t need to wait to sell if your home no longer meets your needs. Here’s why now *might* be the right time for you to start the process: 1) […]

Summer Backyard Fun!

We’ve come up with a list of some pretty awesome things you can do in your backyard to make summer even MORE exciting! But most importantly…. stop by the Whitefish Bay summer Ice Cream Socials that we’re happy to sponsor!

Negotiator or Dealmaker?

Negotiation is an important part of a real estate transaction.  Protecting the interests of your client is a fundamental duty.  Realtors are often hired to get the best deal possible. Clients expect you to be tough.  They expect you to be firm.  “Your job is to stare down the other side”, I was once told.  Which I did, and then […]

Are you ready to take the plunge?

Thinking of buying a house?  Welcome to the shark tank!  By now I’m sure you’ve heard stories of homes getting multiple offers.  Five, ten, or fifteen offers on a single home are not unusual.  First let’s understand why this is happening.  Then let’s consider important lessons for both buyers and sellers. What’s Fueling the Fire It’s not complicated.  Low inventory and […]