Radon A Silent Killer

Over the years as a Realtor in Evanston IL and Chicago land I have encountered Radon tests and

never have had levels high enough to cause a concern. Because of this I really did not give it much thought until recently. First a little background on Radon.
Radon is a chemical element with symbol Rn and atomic number 86. It is a radioactive, colorless, odorless, tasteless noble gas, occurring naturally as a decay product of radium. This gas is the 2nd highest cause of lung cancer in America right behind tobacco use. I want to quote the EPA for a minute.
EPA Radon Studies
The EPA offers a look at what they believe to be the risks of radon at different concentrations for 1,000 people who smoked and were consistently exposed to a certain level of radon during their lifetimes.
Radon Risks for Smokers

• With exposure to 10 pCi/L, about 71 would get cancer, equal to 100 times the risk of dying in a home fire.
• With exposure to 4 pCi/L, about 29 would get cancer, equal to 100 times the risk of dying in a plane crash.

Radon Risks for Non-Smokers:

• With exposure to 8 pCi/L, about 3 would get cancer, equal to 10 times the risk of dying in a plane crash.
• With exposure to 4 pCi/L, about 2 would get cancer, equal to the risk of drowning.

When  people purchase homes it used to be an occasional event to see a Radon test ordered but what

got me thinking about it was that in the last two property listings I represented for sellers a test was performed during the inspection period. In both cases the levels were so low that no action was needed but I had conversations with the testers and learned some interesting information about this deadly gas that I want to pass on. More and more people are getting the Radon test when purchasing a home. Both testers were certified Radon testers and told me some interesting and scary information worth hearing.
One of the inspectors told me that occasionally he had found high levels of Radon in homes around Chicago land. The fellow mentioned that he has seen levels very high in one area and almost none in another just a few feet away and because of that an accurate test taking samples of multiple areas needs to be done to assure the home is safe.
The scary part was that I was told that they had been hired after a person got lung cancer and never smoked or was around smokers. When the tests were done high levels of Radon were found in an area in which the person who got this horrible cancer spent many hours of their life. It was not always basements too.
The story makes me feel that I want to suggest very strongly that Radon air sample tests be preformed when I have a client purchasing a home. I will insist on the testing and tell my buyers this disturbing story.
Original post from Active Rain

Skokie IL Homes For Sale November 2015

Today we show you a market report for Skokie IL homes for sale and a market report of November 2015. The Skokie Real Estate situation is still quite busy considering it is almost Thanksgiving.

Old Orchard Mall

People are asking for appointments to see property and we are seeing some new homes and condos come on the market for sale. Everyone wonders if the mortgage interest rates will go up. We hope not but suspect they may go up slightly in the near future.

At this time and from data on the multiple listing service there are presently 210 single family homes for sale in Skokie IL and 82 under contract and waiting for their closing. In the last 30 days Skokie has had 38 houses close, they are now off the market. To take a look at condos, we currently have 80 condominiums for sale in Skokie and 46 condo properties under contract and waiting to close. In the last 30 days Skokie has had 14 condos close, they are now sold and off the market.

Why do people love Skokie? The prices are a bit lower compared to Evanston and the community  has a lot to offer. The school system is excellent and Skokie is a friendly community to raise a

Old Orchard Mall

family. You have easy access to I94 known as the Edens Expressway so a trip to downtown Chicago or anywhere in between is under 30 minutes depending on the time of day. People come from all over to visit the Old Orchard Mall, there is every major department store you can think of plus many unique and interesting one of a kind stores to visit. It is fun just to walk around Old Orchard. It is an outside mall and in the inner courtyard is a beautiful fountain and the area is always decorated to reflect the time of year.

If you just want to browse on your own click Skokie Illinois Homes For Sale and you will have direct access to all the local real estate inventory available. This is the most up to date property listing you can get and direct from the multiple listing service.

If you ever have any questions about Skokie IL, it's real Estate of want some help please give us a call at (800) 858-7917 or (847) 316-8529. Our team is here to help you. Enjoy your holiday season and have some fun.

A visit to Chicago's Botanic Garden

Time for a visit to the Chicago Botanic Garden which is not in Chicago, it is located in Glencoe IL. Regardless it is a beautiful place to visit, very peaceful and the flowers and plants really make me feel relaxed. If you ever get the chance to go I would recommend doing so and also bring your camera.

Orig blog at Active Rain

800 Elgin at The Optima Horizons Evanston IL 60201

The Optima Horizons at 800 Elgin is one of most popular condo buildings in downtown Evanston. Also the closest high rise building to Northwestern University it is often the favorite of NU students. Located right on the edge of campus people can easily walk to campus or to the many amenities downtown Evanston has to offer.

The Optima Horizons has an attached and heated garage, door person, huge swimming pool, exercise room and a terrace that can be used for enjoying the fresh air and steps away from your front door. The building has 246 condos ranging from one bedroom one bath properties, two bedroom two bath and a few three bedroom larger properties. Opened in 2005 and well maintained this is often the first choice of many people interested in downtown Evanston.
If you are interested to learn more about 800 Elgin, the Optima Horizons we have a web site set up to help you called 800 Elgin which also includes other popular condo developments in downtown Evanston.

The Downtown area has become so popular in the last 10 years, people are able to find anything they need to enjoy life and often without driving anywhere. You can walk to any stores, great dining and public transportation via the "EL" or the Metra. You can get to downtown Chicago in 20 minutes and all points in between.
If you would like to learn more about the Optima Horizons or properties in Evanston IL you can contact us at Coldwell Banker Evanston and we will help you with all your Real Estate needs. We can answer any questions or set up personalized searches and show you property at a time that works for your schedule

Understanding your Expectations and Exceeding them

Coldwell Banker Evanston

(800) 858-7917

from Active Rain