August 27, 2008
Feeling urban pioneerish? Uptown is the perfect neighborhood for those adventurous souls who truly value diversity (and not just paying lip service to it) and who want a kick ass bargain in an up and coming urban area, close to the Lake and the Loop. To get a feel for the real Uptown, check out these great blogs, DearHelen and UptownAvenger, written by those who know the area best - the people who live there!
And here I must add that if you’ve never been to the Montrose Dog Beach, you and your best 4-legged friend are truly missing out! I mean how much do you love a dog beach with its very own website?
Uptown is always chock-a-block with bargains and here a few of the most recent finds:
5000 N MARINE Dr #2C
Price: 89,900
$/SQ.FT.:$75
Beds:1
Baths:1.1
On Redfin: 22 days
1623 W WILSON Ave #3W
Price: $229,900
$/SQ.FT.: $153
Beds: 2
Baths: 1
On Redfin: 43 days
4107 N SHERIDAN Rd #G
Price: $159,900
$/SQ.FT.: $168
Beds: 1
Baths: 1
On RedFin: 26 days
August 26, 2008
It has been the hot topic of the past couple of years, and every builder has worked hard to exploit it as much as possible. While green building is as slick of a marketing tool as it is a contribution to energy conservation, it is a necessary change in the way we build homes. When we’re looking at the North Shore, however, we see a number of vintage homes with once-inefficient technology and no way to build green from scratch. The best we can do is work with what we’ve got, and many changes can be made without stripping the guts of a North Shore classic.
Here are some ways to “green” these older homes without installing geothermal heating and bamboo wood flooring, but these upgrades can take some installation and maintenance. In lieu of the housing market, these changes are still considered a positive, long-term investment in the value of your home:
Connecting gutters to a water collection tank: If you already have an expansive lawn that guzzles water, installing a rainwater-storage container will help cut down on your irrigation troubles. While the Chicago area hasn’t seen a drought in awhile, Atlanta has been struggling with a water shortage that is making green lawns the last on their priority list. Water conservation is high priority countrywide, and these tanks will “harvest” water and store it for later usage, particularly during the hot, dry summer months.
Really, really good insulation: While insulation and high-efficency windows have always been an energy-saver, Treehugger has some ways to use reclaimed materials to insulate your home. Old denim and recycled paper are just some of the ways you can re-insulate your home, including lofts and attic spaces, without using newly fabricated materials.
Low-Voltage, Halogen Lighting: Lighting your home with halogen lights can reduce your overall energy usage (especially if you have a lot of square footage to illuminate). These halogen lights aren’t built to blind you or catch fires, since their low-voltage makes them safe to use around the house.
Here are some older homes that have great potential for greening:
116 N WINONA Rd
HIGHLAND PARK, IL 60035
Price: $249,900
Beds: 3 On Redfin: 1 day
Baths: 1 Year Built: 1939
177 S DEERE PARK Dr
HIGHLAND PARK, IL 60035
Price: $1,849,000
Beds: 4 On Redfin: 127 days
Baths: 3.2 Year Built: 1930
727 DE TAMBLE LN
HIGHLAND PARK, IL 60035
Price: $225,000Beds: 3 On Redfin: 56 days
Baths: 1.1 Year Built: 1912
August 22, 2008
Open House Dates and Times:
Saturday, August 23th, 1-4pm
7653 N Bosworth Ave #A2
Chicago, IL 60626
Seller Comments
Coffee Shop of Choice:
Charmers Cafe on the corner of Jarvis and Greenview.
Favorite Restaurants in the Area:
Jamaica Jerk at 1631 W Howard and Grupo Di Amici at 1508 W Jarvis.
Favorite Places to Go:
I love walking to Dagel and Beli in the morning. They sell delicious steamed bagel sandwiches.
Best Features of the Home:
I think one of the best features of my home is the breakfast bar. You can prepare food and entertain guests at the same time.
Favorite Room:
I love lounging on my couch in the living room. It has plenty of natural light and a gas fireplace to keep you warm on those cold winter nights.
Any Remodeling Since Last Sale Price:
I put a back splash in the kitchen and tiled the fireplace with marble. I also had a hood installed on the fireplace.
Most Romantic Spot:
Grupo Di Amici is a fine Italian restaurant. I love it because it is very romantic and has great food.
What’s in the neighborhood?:
Dominick’s, Marshall’s, Subway, United Videos, Jamaica Jerk, the Howard “L”, Poitin Stil (Irish pub), Charmers Cafe, Dagel and Beli…
What I Will Miss the Most:
I will miss being so close to the beach. I love carrying my chair-in-bag to the beach and propping it under a tree so I can read. The beach at June Way Terrance is small and it has a semi-private feel to it.
August 22, 2008
It’s gonna be a great weekend! I’ll be out of town, and missing some seriously impressive showings of estates around Winnetka. Many of them have seen recently reduced list prices, and all of them have some serious square-footage and impeccable properties. Check out the full details for additional information on price reductions, specs, and perks. Here are just a few of $1M+ homes that are showing on Sunday, August 24: 
1:00 PM - 3:00 PM:
750 SHERIDAN Rd
WINNETKA, IL 60093
Price: $3,995,000
Beds: 6 On Redfin: 294 days
Baths: 6.2 Year Built: 2006
331 LINDEN Ave
WINNETKA, IL 60093
Price: $1,595,000
Beds: 4 On Redfin: 62 days
Baths: 5 Year Built: 1999
14 INDIAN HILL Rd
WINNETKA, IL 60093
Price: $2,995,000
Beds: 7 On Redfin: 101 days
Baths: 5.1 Year Built: 1918
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM:
459 SUNSET Rd
WINNETKA, IL 60093
Price: $2,250,000
Beds: 4 On Redfin: 52 days
Baths: 4.1 Year Built: 2003
August 21, 2008
First there was laminate, and laminate was good, sort of, but like wallpaper there were problems with upkeep and the colors just never seemed quite right. The 90s saw the dawn of the Euro-kitchen, and soon everything had to be white….hmmm, in the messiest room in the house. Maybe not. The dawn of the new Millennium saw a rush toward exclusivity, and expense, and before you could say ‘Martha Stewart Shorting ImClone Stock’ every kitchen in the land was rocking spiffy granite counter tops.
But that was then, and we’ve grown a little tired of granite. Sure, it’s stable and easy-to-clean, but it’s just gotten, well, sort of boring. Some of the new surfaces emerging to try and replace granite as the go-to material of choice for kitchens in 2010 and beyond include concrete, marble, lime stone, engineered stone and quartz, and ultra-sleek enameled lava stone (right). Even bamboo is being used as a renewable material on some counters.
For a rundown on prices, efficiency and sustainability for some over-the-top kitchen counter top surfaces check out The Sexy Kitchen.
Here are some good deals on properties that were built in the late-90s, and still maintain 90s-era kitchens, but just think about what you can do with the counter tops when you remodel the kitchens:
1443 N LARRABEE St #B
Price: $299,000
Beds: 2
Baths: 1.1
301 W GOETHE #203
Price: $314,900
Beds: 2
Baths: 1
August 21, 2008
In lieu of Cook County having the highest sales tax in the nation (we’re number one!), I grew curious about the biggest border dividing the North Shore: the Cook County line.
Property tax is one of the great levelers when moving into a new community. Growing up in Southern New Hampshire, I relished in the shopper’s heaven of that sales-tax-free state, while my parents dealt with property taxes that even the most wealthy Bostonian couldn’t shake a stick at. Property taxes are one tremendous dividing factor between the communities of the North Shore, since Evanston, Wilmette, and Winnetka fall within the Cook County lines. Highland Park, on the other hand, is in a different tax zone, despite its similarities to neighboring Cook County communities. The median property taxes in Lake County are between 1.9% and 2%1.3%. With Lake County sales tax at nearly 30% below its neighbor (nevermind the obscene Cook gas tax), Lake County is a much better place to shop.
If you are like me (a saver, a cheapo, a person who is willing to drive 15 miles to the cheapest gas station), I’d reap the benefits of a Cook County property with close proximity to Lake County or surrounding county’s shopping (Hello, Old Orchard). Always weigh out your tax differentials when you check out your community data.
2532 THORNWOOD Ave
WILMETTE, IL 60091
Price: $1,699,000
Beds: 5
814 HINMAN Ave #1
EVANSTON, IL 60202
Price: $462,500
Beds: 2
645 MAPLE St
WINNETKA, IL 60093
Price: $1,746,000
Beds: 7
Baths: 4.1
August 19, 2008
With one of the first rises in condo sales in the Chicago area, Wilmette is seeing some positive change in their market since this time last year. This brings us to a relevant question in neighborhood sales: how is condo market doing compared to the sale of single-family homes?
The current median selling price for condos is at $241 per-square-foot, a low point during a volatile year in home values. Note significant quarterly jumps in price during the first quarters of 2007 and 2008, followed by nearly identical drops during the summer and fall months. Even while the larger market has seen overall drops in price, condos have remained in a steady yearly pattern during a shaky couple of years.
While the single-family home prices remained fairly steady through the worst of the housing crash (dropping 15% at its worst), the real trauma happened in the past quarter, and home values are just beginning to recover. With a generally lower price-per-square-foot, condos in Wilmette have seen a boost in sales and a seasonal drop in price. The North Shore Insider, the condo prices are much lower that condo prices in Chicago. With a clear buyer’s edge and a stacked inventory, we see that this time of the year is a great time to buy. More importantly, you can capitalize on the suburban condo discount, living in a desirable area while avoiding the upward-creeping home prices. Lets take a look at a few, old and new:
205 RIDGE Rd #104
WILMETTE, IL 60091
Price: $207,500
Beds: 2 Year Built: 1966
611 GREEN BAY Rd #301
WILMETTE, IL 60091
Price: $819,000
Beds: 2 On Redfin: 61 days
Baths: 2.1 Year Built: 2009
1420 SHERIDAN Rd #7I
WILMETTE, IL 60091
Price: $335,000
Beds: 2 On Redfin: 418 days
Baths: 2 Year Built: 1969
August 18, 2008
I was watching the equestrian events during the Olympics the other night, and unfortunately one of the horses did not feel up to making a jump. He refused to go over a jump, and frankly I couldn’t blame him. It brought to mind the Quadrille show I sa
w once at the Noble Horse Theater. The performances of these animals and the trained professionals who ride them is truly impressive, and it is one of the most unusual nights of theater to be found in the city.
Orleans Avenue, in Old Town, where Noble Horse is located pulses with diversity and a sense of history. The theater was once a stable, and has housed horses in some capacity since 1871.
This building for this modern loft dates to 1890 but was fully converted in 2000:
1448 N ORLEANS #2A
Price: $399,900
Beds: 2
Baths: 1
This unit is in a much newer building (built in 2003) with a recent price adjustment:
1255 N ORLEANS CT, #1102
Price: $315,000
Beds: 1
Baths: 1
Sq. Ft.: 830
$/Sq. Ft.: $380
August 15, 2008
Open House Dates and Times:
Sunday, August 17th, 12-3pm
1620 TERRACE Rd
HOMEWOOD, IL 60430
Seller Comments
Coffee Shop of Choice:
Starbucks and Caribou Coffee are relaxing places to enjoy a cup of coffee or tea.
Favorite Restaurants in the Area:
There are many good restaurants in Homewood such as Aurellio’s Pizza, Chili’s, Applebees, and Bogarts, but my favorite place to grab a quick and always delicious meal is Panera Bread.
Favorite Places to Go:
Coldstone ice cream shop is only four blocks away from the house and fun place for the kids and family to find a quick treat. The town loves to gather at the local Dairy Queen, because it’s open only 6 months out of the year. The man of the house’s best hang outs are Home Depot and Menards any day of the week. The Brunswick Zone is always a great weekend or weekday place to go as well.
Best Features of the Home:
The best features in the house are the open floor plan with a cozy fireplace in the family room. The two laundry rooms, beautiful custom staircase, and vaulted ceilings in the living room and dining room area are great features also. The view of the huge backyard across the back of the house is tranquil. The house is very energy efficient too, because of the the upgrades in the insulation and mechanics.
Favorite Room:
Relaxing in the family room and gazing out the back window.
Any Remodeling Since Last Sale Price:
The house was built in August, 2007
Most Romantic Spot:
The water fountain at the Marie Irwin Center is very beautiful and romantic.
What’s in the neighborhood?:
A small town of beautiful parks and neighbors with the convenience of large stores to shop on Halsted Street. We have Best Buy, Kohls, TJ Maxx, Joann Fabrics to name a few. We also have gourmet coffee shops, great breakfast and dinner restaurants and spas. Plus award winning schools and more. The Homewood-Flossmoor Park District offers activities for infants, youth, adults & seniors. We also have two swimming pools.
What I Will Miss the Most:
The conveniences in the neighborhood while maintaining a very peaceful environment. Homewood is very friendly and makes you feel like your in a small town far away from the big city. The schools and teachers are awesome.
We enjoy taking walks to the park and most of all attending Homewood Days in the summer. It’s one of the best and most entertaining family weekends in the town filled with neighborhood restaurants, vendors and entertainment. The event even hosts a Homewood Idol.
Homewood is also centrally located around several shopping malls within 15 to 30 minutes away. We also have a Metra Electric Train Station that will take you directly to downtown Chicago.
The Homewood-Flossmoor school district is award winning and offers so many special programs and activities for the students.
August 15, 2008
Due to popular demand, Redfin has officially expanded its Chicago market service area! We have added all of DuPage County, northwest Cook County and beyond (see map).We appreciate everyone’s
interest in Redfin and your input on where and how we can best serve you.
A big “thank you” goes out to Bryan, Jamie and the rest of the team for the huge effort it took to accomplish this task.
Photo courtesy of danbailey on istockphoto
