Best Place Real Estate

If you have a question for the City of Lake Forest or need to report a problem, go to GovPopulous.  This system has proven to be very effective because our City Manager not only reads all inputs but also holds his staff accountable for responding to all of them.

Periodically the City conducts a Resident and Business Satisfaction survey.  The last one was done in 2006.  Overall, the rate of satisfaction by residents for City services was 91% and for quality of life was 95%.  For businesses, the overall rate of satisfaction for City services was 86% and 79% of the businesses rated the business climate in Lake Forest as excellent or good.  And the City is constantly working to be even better.  GovPopulous is another way the City keeps in touch with the needs of its residents and businesses.  To use GovPopulous, go to: www.city-lakeforest.com/govpopulous.

Most buyers form an opinion of your house before they even walk through the front door.  You know the old saying about first impressions.  The front entry is a key part of that first impression.

The buyer often is standing on the front porch for several minutes while their agent is locating the lockbox, retrieving the key, and opening the front door.  Spending time fixing up the front porch is time well spent.

For a great looking porch:

• Keep the porch well swept as well as the walkway leading up to it.
• Remove dirt and cobwebs from the porch light.
• Repaint the front door if it shows wear.
• Make sure the door knob is clean and working properly.
• Put out a nice new doormat.
• Keep the porch clear of shoes, toys, and other clutter.

Staging Tip:  Adding potted plants with bright colorful flowers makes your entrance warm and inviting.  If you have a really large porch, a couple of chairs or a bistro table/chair set adds ambiance.  Just make sure the area does not look cluttered.