IL Dog Realtor - Robbin Muhr

Every Great Dream Begins with Small Steps 🐾
Buying or selling a home is a big dream, but for 𝙋𝙀𝙏 𝙊𝙒𝙉𝙀𝙍𝙎, it’s more than that. It’s about finding the perfect space where all your family members can thrive, too. 🐾🏡

As a licensed Realtor® and a proud advocate for pets, I specialize in helping clients find homes with pet-friendly features, like big yards, cozy nooks, and nearby trails. If you’re selling, I’ll also help you showcase your home in a way that highlights its pet-friendly appeal, attracting the right buyers!

✅ Let me guide you through the process, whether you’re:
✨ Searching for a home with your furry best friend in mind.
✨ Selling your home while balancing life with a pet.

📲 Call, message, or DM to get started. Your dream home isn’t just for you, it’s for your pets, too!

BIG is my today - you’ve seen him before and will again. He’s suchagoodboy!!

Forget the checklist for a minute. What do you actually want your next home to feel like?
There’s something about fall that makes you want to put down roots. The leaves start changing, the days are getting cooler and suddenly you’re thinking about where you want to spend those nights.

Fall is starting to show up in Timber Trails, and this is the time of year when this home really makes sense. Maybe it’s time to cozy up by the fireplace in the living room, head downstairs to the full finished basement with another fireplace plus wet bar, or have friends over for the Bears game without everyone sitting on top of each other.
Maybe it’s a quiet walk on the paved neighborhood trail (maintained year-round and plowed in winter too!) and you have plenty of ways to enjoy the space beyond your front door.

A true home is what I think about when I walk through this Timber Trails townhouse in Gilberts, IL.
The original owner chose this particular premium lot because there would be no homes directly in front or behind it. There’s open space, another place to actually live, not just another room to decorate.

Fall has a way of making you appreciate a home a little differently. 🍂🔥

When you’re looking for a home it’s easy to get caught up in bedrooms, countertops and everything you’re supposed to want.
But sometimes the better question is: Can I see myself settling in here?
Maybe that’s what home really is. The place where ordinary Tuesdays start feeling pretty special.

If you’ve been comparing Gilberts area townhomes, don’t just compare kitchens and countertops. Look at what you can’t change after you buy.

Come see what the photos can’t show you, you may look at this one differently in person.
And maybe that’s the part that matters most. Not whether a house checks every box on paper, but whether you can picture your life happening here.

New neighborhood, new rules.
Your dog is getting a whole new life too. Before you settle into your new home, take a few walks around the neighborhood at different times of day. You might discover a busy dog-walking route, a surprisingly loud corner, or a fenced-in yard that sends your dog into overdrive. Pay attention to where your dog gets distracted, where they seem comfortable (or uncomfortable) and which houses apparently have a very active neighborhood watch.
And when you meet the neighborhood dogs, let them set the pace. Not every dog wants to say hello, even if yours is ready to make everyone their new best friend.

I’d also figure out the practical stuff early: Where’s the closest dog park? Which vet is nearby? Who does grooming? Where can you grab a coffee and bring the dog? If you’re new to a Chicago neighborhood or one of the Northwest suburbs, other dog parents can be one of your best sources of information. They know the places you may not find on Google.

And these four guys? They all found their people through Collie Rescue of Greater IL, Inc. and Cause For Paws Rescue, Illinois. So I guess finding a forever home was only step one. Finding the neighborhood crew came next. ❤️🐶

If you were moving with your dog tomorrow, what would you want to know about the neighborhood BEFORE you unpacked? I’ve got a list, let’s see if we can add to it.

Buying or selling a home can be stressful enough, how do you think your pets feel about it? They don’t know what’s really going on, only that their routine is changing.
New people.
New smells.
Short tempers.
Excitement. The list goes on.

Take a deep breath and contact a realtor who can guide you AND your pets through all the new changes.
This is more than a transaction - it’s a turning point in all your lives. You deserve to work with someone who realizes that, and treats it as such. DM for a strategy session.

Things you only realize after you move into a new house with a dog…

The floors can be louder than you expected.
A dog who used to nap all day might suddenly become obsessed with watching the street from a particular window.
The furnace might kick on in a spot that makes them jump.
The neighbor’s dog may become their new best friend… or their new nemesis (my neighbors dog Bogie is now besties with my Clyde, it took awhile though!)
They may refuse to use one patch of the yard because apparently the grass is unacceptable.

Then there are the things you really don’t discover until you live there:
Does the sun heat up their favorite spot in the afternoon?
Does the front door open directly onto the sidewalk?
Can they see every delivery driver who comes to the house?
Is there somewhere quiet for them when guests come over?

These aren't necessarily deal-breakers, but they can make a big difference in how your dog settles into a new home.

Those little details can make a new house feel like home a whole lot faster. And this guy knows a thing or two about new beginnings, he was adopted through Collie Rescue of Greater IL, Inc. an organization that helps Collies find their next homes.
❤️ If you’re thinking about adding a Collie to your family, they’re worth knowing about.

What’s one thing you wish someone had told you about moving with a dog? I’m collecting the answers for the next dog-parent home checklist. 🐶🏡

Think you know what a Realtor does? Ask a high school student.

Last night Gabriella Rastelli , Sally Sally Haynes - KW ONEChicago and I had a great time at the D207 Postsecondary Expo talking with students from Maine East High School , Maine West High School and Maine South High School about careers that don’t require a traditional 4-year college degree.
We asked them what they thought a typical day looks like for a Realtor and sure got some interesting answers! If your only exposure to real estate is what you see on TV, it wasn’t hard to understand why!

The three of us have been licensed for 4, 16 and 30 years, and we each took a different path to get here. Today, we own our own businesses, work as entrepreneurs and continue learning every single day.

Real estate is SO much more than selling houses. It’s sales, marketing, problem-solving, relationship building, business ownership and a whole lot of adapting with a little psychology thrown in. For sure there’s definitely no typical day.

We’re big believers in education whether that’s a 4-year degree, trade school, certification, apprenticeship or OJT.

There isn’t one right path. There’s YOUR path.

Last night was a great reminder to explore your options, ask questions and keep learning. You never know where one conversation might lead.

P.S. and if anyone is curious or wants to chat about anything real estate related, give us a call or check out KW Prep which will get you set up for success.