Friday, May 24, 2013

New for sale! Three bedrooms town house in Lakeview's Southport Corridor $449,000

Take our video walk-through of 3543 N Bosworth Unit C!  The updated Southport Corridor town house has a huge rooftop deck!




This three bedrooms, two baths town house has a large family room, garage parking, great closets and a terrific private rooftop deck.  Fantastic location near the CTA Brown Line, grocery, boutique shops and dining all within a few blocks.

The home lists on the market today for $449,000.

Here's a video I shot a few years ago just a couple blocks from this town house along Southport Corridor.



 The home is presented by Eric Rojas and Bob DePalma, Kale Realty

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Northeastern Illinois University Campus Recreation

This way to the gym! (Photo, Eric Rojas)
The Northeastern Illinois University recreation complex offers affordable memberships to community members.  For discounted memberships as an alum contact the NEIU Alumni Association.   Contact the Campus Recreation at 773-442-4135 or stop in at 5500 N St. Louis Avenue in Chicago for program brochures and a facility tour.

The campus recreation center has tons of sports equipment to borrow for basketball, racquetball, soccer and specialized sports.  The gyms, indoor track and swimming pool facility are great and the fitness room well equipped.  The campus also host kid's summer camps and other third party programs on the NEIU grounds. 

NEIU also sponsors 5K runs, hosts various sports leagues and special events for adults throughout the year.

My love/ hate relationship with Chicago birds

I caught this scene of momma feeding her babies outside my bathroom window (photo Eric Rojas)
I mostly hate birds.  They make nests everywhere and in everything.  They zig and zag across my yard "doing their business" on my sidewalk, patio and furniture.  Every spring I wonder why it seems we have so many entitled birds in our yard... then I look across at the 100 bird houses in my neighbor's tree.

I don't trust the birds.  Any conspicuously close swoop can be deemed intentional.  But, how can you not love this little vignette above?  I opened the bathroom window just long enough to take this shot.  I figured if I took any longer that bird would be in the bathroom with me.

 

New contemporary house on traditional Lincoln Square block

We first mentioned this new construction on West Eastwood earlier this year.  The vast majority of new construction in the Lincoln Square neighborhood is very "American traditional" in exterior style and transitional in the interior.  This custom new build looks to be striking out on its own...which I think is great.

New contemporary construction on the 2100 block of West Eastwood

It may be following in the footsteps of double-lot contemporary home nearing completion of North Seeley Avenue pictured below.  I'd love to see the Eastwood house lean toward minimalist modern.

I spoke to some neighbors on this West Eastwood block last week.  Most seem to be happy with the way housing prices have been this year rather than concerned about the style of this house.  In any event, we wish the owners luck with their new dream house in a great location.  New construction houses in this area have sold from $1.3M to $1.8M in the last couple years.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Curious construction BOOM on West Farragut in Bowmanville

This standard lot home is being built at the corner of West Farragut and North Leavitt. The previous property sold for $250,000 cash and was quickly torn down (photo Eric Rojas)
2221 W Farragut was purchased this year for $250,000 cash and quickly torn down as well for a single family home development (photo Eric Rojas).
Two blocks of West Farragut Avenue in usually measured Bowmanville have gone willy-nilly with new construction.  The 2200 to 2400 blocks of Farragut have seen quite of action including re-sales and developments in the last year.

This exciting double-lot home above is a custom build by a current Bowmanville resident (photo, Eric Rojas).  The two separate lots sold for a total of $385,000.


This vacant lot at 2230 W Farragut was sold by the owners of the adjacent house for $190,000 last year.


It is rare to see so many new house being built at one time on a two block stretch. Bowmanville is very established and is not prone to quick turnover.  However, West Farragut has had far more sales and development than any other street in the neighborhood in the past year or so.  The sales are reflective of the current market demand for new construction homes and quality re-sale houses on the North Side.
 
 
 
There are a few gut rehabs in progress on adjacent blocks as well.  It's a big year for Bowmanville.
 Click the label link below for more of our posts on Bowmanville.  Check out our last single family homes sales on 2209 West Farragut and 4321 N Bell North Bell.

 

Under Contract! Buyers secure top floor unit in prime Lakeview location

The views from 2850 N Burling #4.  Our buyer clients are under contract on the home (asking price of the condo was $685,000).  The location on the border of Lakeview and Lincoln Park is outstanding!  Fantastic shopping and dining just around the corner...not to mention a Trader Joe's at the end of the street.
Tree-top views from North Burling in Lakeview...the trees in bloom are outstanding! (photo, Eric Rojas)

These large 3 bedrooms full-floor units on the 2800 block of North Burling in Lakeview are well sought after.  This in the second unit of this build and style we've sold as the buyer's agent within a year...both were very intense multiple offer situations.  Last year another one of our client's bought 2842 N Burling #2.  It was an almost identical layout to 2850 N Burling #4 with a few interior modifications and no front terrace.
 
We had mentioned these buildings and layouts to our client's months ago.  Finally, a top floor unit in with great upgrades came on the market in early spring.  Our buyer clients were very prepared with excellent knowledge of the local market. We secured one of the first showings and had an offer in within a couple hours.  The home is pending closing and we are excited for our clients.
 
 
 
 The peaceful location is a half-block from the Diversey/ Clark and Broadway shopping and dining district.  The location is about 5-6 blocks from the lakefront parks.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Epic Blocks! Sold on West Bradley Place in North Center, Chicago

There are primo blocks in every Chicago Community Area.  They reach legendary proportions for any number of reasons... great school district, amazing landscaping, beautiful homes and real estate agent hyperbole (!).

We show and sell a lot of properties in North Center.  The 2000 and 2100 blocks of West Bradley Place in North Center (between North Damen Avenue and North Leavitt Avenue) has reached epic proportions for their reputations.  They are highly sought after blocks for all the reasons mentioned above a more. Homes priced anywhere within reason of the marketplace sell immediately.


We showed two single family houses on the 2000 and 2100 blocks last Saturday...both new for-sale listings just before the weekend.  2129 W Bradley was listed at $619,000.  The house is totally cool "as is" in my opinion.  A "smaller" two bedrooms house with nice main floor, partially dug-down finished basement area and really great family room addition. It's not big... but the asking price reflects that.  Our clients would add on to the house.

It's truly a move-in ready house with great curb appeal and attractive yard.  It's under contract and my guess is it will sell for closer to $650,000...well over list price.  I'd love to see someone just get it "as-is" and be able to live on a great block.  My guess is that even at $650,000, a developer may have made the best offer and will tear-down or rehab the house.  Expect a re-sell price of  $1.2M to $1.7M depending on new or rehabbed.

 The other home is a gorgeous fully renovated house at 2153 W Bradley Place.  The house was listed at $1,059,000 and quickly under contract after multiple offers. The home will most likely sell for over the list price.  Our clients were very interested in both options to get on the blocks.  But the reality is single family homes on these these blocks - and North Center in general - are very desirable and tough to get.
 

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

I went to McKinley Deisgn for custom metal and wood

I took a quick trip to the Near West Side last weekend to visit McKinley Design.  Our general contractor Artistic Construction referred Mick's shop for our custom staircase rails.  We wanted metal and wood...they do metal and wood fabrication.



We sent some photos ahead the appointment.  The guys had some ideas in mind and walked me through the materials they could use.  We quickly got on the same page and they provided a proposal to my GC.


The shop at 2535 W Maypole


Mick and Mark
I look forward to posting the final product in a couple weeks or so. Thanks guys!


Closed! Our Lincoln Square three bedrooms condo listing sells for over list price

One of our latest listings sold for just over list price.  4709 N Artesian #2, located just off the Lincoln Square main retail and entertainment plaza, quickly received multiple offers and closed for $380,000 last week.
Images from Photo Light Chicago, owned by Eric Rojas, Broker

The three beds, two baths home has a huge kitchen awesome for gatherings.  The main living space is open, spacious and bright.

Check out the video walk-through!



We represent the sale and purchase of many Lincoln Square condos and houses.  If you are selling or buying a property in the area please consider consulting with us. See you in the neighborhood!

A few photos from Kids in the Square last week


Kid's in the Square 2013 last weekend.  Good times despite the gloomy weather.  Balloon sword and tiger!



Check out this and many other events Sponsored by the Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce.