StephanieHofmanHomes.com - Highland Park & North Shore Real Estate

We are in our dream home because of Stephanie! As first time homebuyers we knew what we wanted, but were overwhelmed with the process. After looking at homes with Stephanie for a day and only having had a phone conversation prior to our meeting, we found our dream home, which was not even on our list of initial houses to see!"
--Cristin and Ryan Flood, Highland Park

I take pride in understanding each and every one of my clients' particular needs and desires to find them the perfect fit in a new home. From creating a weighted wish list to investigating what different communities have to offer, I strive to match my clients with the home that's best for them in every way.

Looking for schools? | Packing & moving | Search area homes | Financing

I believe in the power of information to help my clients make the best purchase decision possible and negotiate the best price for their new home.  To that end, I continuously educate my clients on the market and provide them with up-to-date information that specifically affects their home search.

Here's what I offer to help you find you perfect new home:

• A client-centric relationship based upon your individual needs


• Complete accessibility - call, text or email me anytime!


• Open and continuous communications and frequent updates on market conditions as they affect your home search


• An in-depth analysis of your needs to find the right community, home and amenities for your family


• An in-depth anaylisis of the current market conditions to effectively negotiate the right property for you


• Absolute confidentiality - my clients' privacy is of the utmost importance, and I keep all details of our relationship strictly between us


• Services from PHH Mortgage and American Home Shield Home Warranties, if desired


• A partner, advocate and resource throughout the entire home buying process, aiding you in every aspect of the transaction, from our preliminary search to our offer strategy and beyond...

Contact me today so we can get started on your home search!

6 Keys to a Better Home Buying Experience
"Once the house hunt begins or the offer is signed, emotions start to fray, tensions run high and stress-induced gray hairs begin to multiply (and/or get pulled out)." Tara Nelson offers excellent advice to keep panic and fear from fouling up your decision-making in her recent blog article.

1. Educate yourself. "The things that create the most fear and panic in a real estate transaction are the things that we don’t understand. Similarly, conflicts, questions and concerns that remain unspoken to your spouse, your agent or your mortgage broker also hold the potential to create deep anxiety and evolve or erupt into serious problems down the road," writes Tara-Nicholle Nelson. Read books, learn about personal finance, visit open houses, scout neighborhoods. Read your mortgage, contract, disclosure and inspections documents systematically. Ask questions.

2. Let your experts manage your expectations. Turn to your real estate agent and mortgage professional - and listen to them - to understand things like your offer, how longs things take, when to expect to bring in cash (and how much), and when you'll need to sign things in person.

3. Eliminate any "urgent deadlines" for buying and moving. "There are literally hundreds of moving pieces to a real estate transaction, any of which can cause things to fall behind. Your appraisal can come in too low, your inspector can recommend you have a specialist come do another inspection, your lender’s underwriter can take longer than expected, and so on and so forth," explains Tara-Nicholle. Having a dealine puts you in an inferior bargaining position - and it will drive you crazy. Ask you lender about extending your rate lock. Put aside extra cash. Plan on overlapping weeks where you can be in your old place and your new one. In short, give yourself some breathing room.

4. Don't expect to be the exception to the predictable home buying irritations and glitches. You won't get upset over and over again if you understand and accept that short sales take a long time; you might have to give your underwriter the same document what seems like a dozen different times; sellers tend to take the highest qualified offer they get - even if it isn't yours. If you expect the glitches and delays, your emotional experience during the transaction will likely be smooth.

5. Write out a clear vision statement for your post-buying daily life and your personal finances. Do this before you ever meet with an agent or a mortgage broker, so you can clearly communicate your wants and needs.

6. Manage your own mindset. Learn what things are within your power to control, and decide up front that you will not stress about those that are not. Consult with your experts and make decisions that best serve your personal vision and priorities.