Under contract! Vacant lot listing in North Center finds a buyer

1801 West Cuyler is a vacant corner lot in North Center's Coonley Elementary School district.  The lot can be developed into a single family home, used as a yard or possibly combined for a larger development. 

Our rare vacant lot listing in coveted North Center of Chicago is under contract. The purchase contract is in attorney review. 1801 West Cuyler was priced at $249,000 at the time of the offer.

Check out the video of the property!

Lincoln Square: St. Matthias Itty Bitty Kick-Ball starts next week!

Kid's Kick-Ball starts Sunday May 15th at St Matthias Gym 

4910 N Claremont, Lincoln Square

St. Matthias School Itty Bitty Sports sessions include basketball, soccer and kickball on Sunday's throughout the school year. Photo Eric Rojas, Broker, Kale Realty

St. Matthias Itty Bitty Sports are a fun and inexpensive way to get the kids in a gym for exercise.  You do not have to be a student of the school to participate. Sign up at the link! 

If you are looking to buy or sell homes in the Lincoln Square or surrounding communities please give us a call or email!  

Long vacant Lincoln Park Einstein Bros finally redeveloped

My old Lincoln Park Einstein Brothers Bagels has long been closed near the very busy intersection of Sheffield and Diversey.  With my former office about three blocks away I'd walk down here for lunch a couple days a week. Yes, there are many nearby options but I like bagel sandwiches.

The former Einstein Bagels viewed from the CTA Diversey Brown Line platform.

The freestanding building with rare surface parking lot at 933 W Diversey is being renovated.  Permits show work approved from a physician's urgent car clinic. 
It's a great location adjacent to the CTA Brown Line. It's good to see a medical clinic near easy public transportation in a busy urban area. We hope it serves the public well.

Condos and rental apartments in this location don't come cheap.  Five condos recently under contract or have been sold within a couple blocks of the clinic range in price from $419,000 to $839,000.  A newer construction 3 bedrooms, two baths condo nearby rented for $3,400.

The Diversey/ Halsted, Diversey/ Sheffield intersections comprise a great place to live with terrific service, retail, food and transportation options.

Friends of Amundsen High School, Winnemac Park awarded Chicago Cubs $100,000 grant

Several ball fields at Winnemac Park can use a replay. Amundsen High School uses Winnemac Park diamonds for baseball and softball. (Photo of the northwest baseball diamond with Amundsen in the background, Eric Rojas, Broker, Kale Realty).

Patty Wetli wrote a nice piece on a $100,000 grant awarded to Friends of Amundsen to rebuild one of the Winnemac Park baseball diamonds. Neighbor and friend Stephen Reynolds worked for two years to bring home the grant that benefits all the park going public.

The southeast baseball diamond at Damen and Argyle will be refurbished using the Chicago Cub's grant. It's used for Amundsen Softball and Welles Park Baseball among other leagues.  Stephen Reynolds of Welles Park Parents Association baseball was instrumental in bringing "fall ball" to the Winnemac diamonds. All photos Eric Rojas, Broker, Kale Realty.

Neighbor and hero Stephen Reynolds pictured in center at the first day of fall ball in 2013. All photos Eric Rojas, Broker, Kale Realty.

Welles Park baseball has made Winnemac Park a virtual family fest on fall weekends while Friends of Amundsen has won big funds and support for our local high school students. The park has never been busier with activity. If you want to be a part of this thriving and rapidly growing Lincoln Square neighborhood just contact me!

Evanston single family home sales update, median price up $100,000 year to year

A gorgeous chalet style home on the 2100 block of Lincolnwood in Evanston, IL (not for sale) is just one of 100s of gorgeous houses in this leafy section of the Lincolnwood Elementary School district. All photos Eric Rojas, Broker, Kale Realty

We've been searching aggressively with our clients for a single family home in northwest Evanston that will meet their family needs. At least three bedrooms, a guest space and home office are major criteria.  It comes with a price well over $600,000.  Evanston is a large and diverse housing market however. Let's take a look at overall Evanston home sales this year.

Evanston single family home sales January 1st to April 27th, 2016
111 single family homes have closed thus far in 2016. The median price of a sold home is about $475,000.  The highest priced sold home thus far is 725 Roslyn Pl , Evanston, Illinois 60201 for $3,950,000.  The home sits on 140 feet of Lake Michigan frontage.  The lowest sold home is a foreclosure sale at 1327 Dodge Ave , Evanston, Illinois 60201 for $108,000.  The small frame two bedroom home is in need of major renovation.

A whopping 101 homes are currently under contract with a median asking price of $539,000. Prices are definitely trending higher this year.

We viewed this classic located near Ryan Field in northern Evanston.  The attractive but very dated home priced at $589,000 went under contract in a couple days after listing.

Past sales
In 2015, 108 single family homes sold over the same period with a median price about $372,000.
2014, only 81 homes sold with a median price of about $440,000.
In 2013 there was a spike of 121 sold homes with a median price of about $475,000 over the same four month period.
2012 saw 98 homes sell with a median price of about $415,000.

We'll be sad to see our Chicago neighbors and friends go. When shopping these Evanston beauties who can blame them?

Under contract! Our North Park condo seller gets "offer you can't refuse"

The well appointed kitchen at 5420 N Kedzie #3E (all photos Eric Rojas, Broker, kale Realty by VHT.com)

Our newest listing has found a buyer in the first day of showings. "An offer you can't refuse!"  5420 N Kedzie #3E was listed on Friday for $237,000 and first showings of the tenant occupied unit were scheduled for Sunday.  That's all it took for this attractive newer construction unit across from the state's perennial Top 3 high school Northside College Prep.

East facing exterior features a large balcony off the living room.

5420 N Kedzie #3E, Chicago IL 60625 listed at $237,000
Wow! Sharp newer construction three bedrooms condo across from Northside Prep (Illinois #1 high school) in North Park. This bright east facing condo has all the extras! Elevator, garage parking (plus tandem spot), big terrace, gas fireplace, organized closets and storage unit. Upgraded kitchen has tasteful finish level and breakfast bar. 

Large bedrooms including enormous master suite with walk-in closet, double vanity bath, separate tub and huge shower. Open living and dining floor plan leads to a great front terrace. Mechanical and finish level upgrades! Easy to 90 and 94 highways, Kedzie Brown Line stop and close to Lincoln Square. North Park University, Northeastern Illinois University, Legion and River Parks all steps away. Discover this great neighborhood and live the good life for less!

View 5420 N Kedzie property info here!

Exclusive listing by Eric Rojas, Vice President/ Broker

Kale Realty 

542 W Roosevelt Road

Chicago IL 60607

773-510-1597

 Call us to buy or sell your next home... don't be a day late and dollar short!

View overlooking the North Park neighborhood of  Chicago

Check out more of our North Park neighborhood posts here!

Ravenswood Run this weekend, major parking restrictions!

Look for the yellow signs today! (Photo Eric Rojas, Broker, Kale Realty)

Beware! The popular Ravenswood Run 5K is this weekend Sunday April 24th.  But it is not held without some consternation for area residents.  If you live in or around the vast Ravenswood, Lincoln Square neighborhood course please take note of the yellow parking restriction signs.

Click here for Ravenswood Run 5K information

Demo Alert! 2169 W Sunnyside in Lincoln Square sells "off market" for $750,000, new house coming

This Lincoln Square old frame home on a 37' wide lot sold off MLS for $750,000 last August. A permit was just issued for it's demolition. Photo from today. All photos Eric Rojas, Broker, Kale Realty

Another old gal's days are numbered.  This original yellow frame house shown above on a wide lot at 2169 West Sunnyside was sold in August of last year. It was issued a demolition permit this week.

Newer luxury construction on West Sunnyside has moved in at a high clip over the past few years. Most homes are harmonious in front but dominate the back yards of the original neighboring structures as they go deep on the lot.

The 2100 block of West Sunnyside is a popular, very walk-able higher-end location near Lincoln Square retail and restaurants , Ravenswood development and the CTA Brown Line.  Just this week my wife and I spoke to two separate couples who looked and bought in the area to live near the Lycee Francais de Chicago.  It would make a great study to see how many of the new luxury home buyers have (or will have) kids attending the newly built and popular private school.

New luxury construction on 37' wide lots sell upwards of $2 million dollars.

For Sale! New condo listing across from Northside College Prep (off MLS)

5420 N Kedzie #3E, Chicago IL 60625 is a contemporary newer construction three bedrooms condo overlooking Northside College Prep high school in the North Park neighborhood of Chicago. Balcony photo Eric Rojas, Broker, Kale Realty

Have a student getting into the top rated high school in Illinois?? Want to live next to Northeastern Illinois University, North Park University, River and Legion Parks while paying half the price of Lincoln Square?

We will list 5420 N Kedzie #3E later this week.  The spacious three bedrooms (or two bedrooms with large den) two baths condo with garage parking (+ one outdoor space) in elevator building will be for sale at $237,000. The last 3 units sold in the building have all gone quickly.

VERY flexible unit.  Rent to your college student and her roommates, have an in-town for schools, live near Lincoln Square and the highways for LESS.

Photos up Friday. 

Contact me direct for a showing 

erojas@kalerealty.com

Great north side location near many amenities and Lincoln Square.

 

Will North Center's Chicago Joe's finally go condo?

Chicago Joe's keeps serving while the fate of the restaurant has been in flux over the past couple years. Photo Eric Rojas, Broker, Kale Realty

Third time a charm? A new proposal for the Chicago Joe's restaurant site at 2250-2256 W Irving Park Road calls for two all residential buildings.  Twelve residential condo units total. 

The neighborhood put the kibosh on the originally proposed 5 story building a couple years ago.  The development site is in popular Coonley School district.  It is common for parents and/or caregivers to live in condos and apartments in the best school districts of Chicago.