Realtor on a bike easier in the city

My trusty 1998 Trek 7000 has been my city bike for almost 20 yrs!

I spent the last few days riding my bike to our showing and contractor appointments around Lincoln Square and Edgewater.  With four kids, listings and buyers in the suburbs and lots of variation in my schedule it has been more difficult to go "bike only" most days.  However the city affords me the option when available. The last three days have been car free. I wrote about riding on showings back in 2008 and organized an open house tour by bike in 2009 (when homes were a little tougher to sell!).

Lincoln Square and Edgewater are particularly easy to cycle. If my appointments are further south in Lakeview or Lincoln Park I may hit the lakefront paths. Being a career Realtor/ Broker has probably influenced me to ride around the city more than if I had a more traditional downtown job. Streetsblog Chicago and The Chainlink are go-to resources for cycling in Chicago and near burbs.

If you'd like a bike friendly Broker give us a call!

Top 10 winter bike riding tips from the Chainlink, YOU CAN DO IT

I'm inching toward more winter riding... but probably won't be this guy any time soon! Photo from my perch at the Wilson/ Lincoln Starbucks in Lincoln Square. The snow rolled in fast!

The Chainlink.org has winter riding tips for you an me. I mention from time to time I ride my bike for errands and work appointments whenever I can.  Some may not find it "professional" if I roll up to a showing on my bike but SO WHAT...LOL.  Riding (and walking) the neighborhoods for work and personal errands is one the top reasons our large family lives in the city. This past summer I took several trips from Lincoln Square to Lincoln Park for showings and inspections (I was a "little" sweaty once).

Best tip: Take it easy cheesy.

Follow the Chainlink  @thechainlinkorg

Real estate by bike

The bike lane on West Berteau cutting through northern portion of Lakeview and through North Center.  I rode from Lincoln Square to Lincoln Park to meet contractors at a property last week.

From time to time I like to remind clients (and other brokers) that I ride my bike as often as possible for showings, inspections, contractor visits and various trips related to our transactions. I'm a little surprised we don't see more brokers pedaling up to appointments.

Fall season is my favorite time to ride.  I get to stop easily and often to check out developments, new retail construction, parks and new listings. Clients often ride to appointments after I mention that I will be taking my bike.  They sometimes forget that's the better mode of transportation to get around nearby neighborhoods!

"Fixit" bike stations popping up at NEIU, around city

The new Dero bike fixit stations at NEIU. I visit the Northeastern Illinois University campus to work-out at the fitness complex, participate in conferences and to volunteer as an Alumni Association Board Member.  The university is always making improvements and adding new features.  I ride my bike often to the university and on work errands.  The stations send a great message for "car-less" commuting!

Johnny Sprockets bike shop "Biketoberfest" this weekend in Lakeview!

Johnny Sprockets will host an all things cycling "Biketoberfest" this Saturday October 4th at their Lakeview store 3001 N Broadway (at West Wellington). Beer, booths, bikes...sale!

I recently stopped by the Lakeview Johnny Sprockets store to size up my oldest kid and get him a quality bike we could pass down to our younger kids.  I also picked up some lights, grips, a strider for my youngest... and left my 1998(!) Trek 7000 for a tune up.

Johnny Sprockets has another location on the super retail and restaurant strip of Andersonville at 5434 North Clark Street. Both locations offer easy access to lakefront riding.

Photo Johnnysprockets.com

Johnny Sprockets is a proud Winnemac Park area neighbor and donor to the 15th Annual "Friends of the Grape" fest at St. Matthias School and Parish.  Thanks!

Chicago Local Green: Bike share at Daley Plaza

Bob took a couple shots of the new bike share program located downtown in Daley Plaza. These bikes were ubiquitous in France... very popular. It's no surprise Mayor Daley and the City Council would allow a private company to give it a try knowing his penchant for European cities.

Several news reports have suggested B-Cycle is looking to expand.





Chicago Local Green is our series that features environmentally friendly products, "green" buildings and simple living scenes found during our daily real estate dealings.



Click the LINK to view more more green posts!

Chicago Realtor rides bike on Earth Day

Happy Earth Day

I try and ride my bike as often as possible while working. Today, I rode over to a photo shoot of a new listing and to pick up some keys. Other than horrifying the Ravenswood neighborhood with my blinding white legs, it's a great way to work, get exercise and reduce my "carbon footprint". If you're a buyer open to riding bicycles rather than driving to condo or house showings, just let me know!

I make no claims to be greener than thou and I do drive an SUV. However, riding just makes a lot of sense when showing property, doing photo shoots, running errands...all in a days work. My partner Bob walks and takes public transportation for most of our day to day activities outside of buyer property showings.

Check out this Associated Press story I'm quoted in about riding as a Realtor.

Chicago Real Estate on a Bike

I'd like to thank Mary Umberger of the Chicago Tribune for including me in her real estate column today.
Cycling agents peddle green philosophy

Let's roll.

More Realtors on Bikes... Not just in Chicago

I was sent this story tonight by my moral supporters at cyclelicio.us

It's a nice take by two Boston Realtors doing their thing... selling real estate and riding bikes. Cool.

We are a small movement.

It's late tonight, but I promise to list some of the news stories being sent to me. For now, you can search my site with the keywords Realtors on bikes for the links.

Realtors on Bikes: A New Movement in Chicago?

My friend Yokota over at Cyclelicious sent me a Wall Street Journal story by Nancy Keates describing how Realtors around the country are taking clients on homes tours... by bike. I wish I had the peaceful environment of Colorado and Oregon! They did talk to an agent in New York City... that guy has it all over on me.

I was also interviewed this week by the Associated Press concerning riding as a Realtor. One point I brought up is that it's hard to be different and some clients may not want me to show up to their listings on my bike. One tends to dress more casual for example. For the most part, client's are supportive and like that I will ride over to show their homes on very short notice.

Look forward to a separate section in my side bar for Chicago cycling information and related links.

Thanks Cyclicious for the support and watch for the AP story soon!

Photo I took from the 1st Chicago Criterium race held in down town... not a house tour on bikes.

The Chicago Real Estate Local Makes Inman News: Realtor on a Bike

Me and my clients racing to buy your condo!

My buddy Ric over at www.ChicagoCondosOnline.blogspot.com pointed out I was mentioned in Inman News, the premeir real estate news source.

It seems biking on the job as a Realtor is big news...

"Realtor bikes while he works"-A Realtor shares his tales of trading in a car for a bike at The Chicago Real Estate Local blog site. The Realtor, Eric Rojas, notes that he took his clients out on a biking trip to view for-sale properties. "When looking at properties that are relatively close together, riding makes a lot of sense," he writes.-


Thanks for the plug!

Chicago Realtor on a Bike: Cycling to Showings with my Clients

Bob and Kim humoring me... shopping condos on our bikes!

Maybe it's the gas prices. Maybe it's due to the fact that I'm falling out of shape. But lately I’ve written quite a bit about ditching my car for my bicycle in my day to day duties as a Realtor. This weekend I really had the chance to flex my “Green street cred”. My clients and I set out for showings in East Lakeview on our bicycles rather than driving. We viewed property on the 500 block of West Melrose, 400 bock of West Briar, 3100 block of North Orchard and finally ended up at West Addison and North Southport.

These particular clients have worked with me in the past of a single family home purchase and now are looking for their parents. When I first met them in a non-real estate related situation, they were riding their bikes in the Lakeview neighborhood. They purchased in the winter making it a little more difficult to ride. However, they jumped at the chance this summer.

When looking at properties that are relatively close together, riding makes a lot of sense. In fact, I left from the Ravenswood neighborhood and my clients left from the Edgewater neighborhood to meet at our first showing in East Lakeview. It was about a 20 minute ride for each of us on the lakefront path.

A little helmet hair aside, it was a good day.

Bike the drive... I-355 style. Or, "I can't drive I-355!"

As long as I'm on the subject of cycling...

The long awaited for some, and bemoaned by others, south extension of I-355 is set to open. The only reason I know, or care, about this is my in-laws live in Lemont, IL. It's a growing burg on a rolling hillside once know for it's bad water quality in the past (according to a health study my wife did in college).

Lemont now is a really great place to live. There is a good variety of single family home stock, a new giant condo and town home development downtown, a continued growth is quality retail and restaurants (someone beat me to opening a boutique wine shop in the downtown) and a Metra stop.
Speaking of living there, my mother-and-law has been making the case for Jillian and I to buy a house there for years. I told them we'll move next door when we can turn their house into an old folks home for them and my parents... with hired help.

And now Lemont has the south extension of I-355. See the only way in and and out of Lemont really (to the highways) was Lemont Rd., which bottlenecked at the bridge. Now my father-and-law can cruise the open highway just outside there sub-division they built in just over 7 years ago.

So, hurry on over to the great southwest and bike I-355 on Sunday.

You may hear a chorus of
"I can't drive I-355!"