Ravenswood Sears lot development: Second community meeting this Monday, May 3rd

Let's get this thing done!

Monday, May 3rd, a second meeting concerning the Sears parking lot mixed use development is being held. I have a vote in this. Here's the information I received in an email Wednesday from Alderman Schulter's 47th ward office:

Hello Resident of the 47th Ward,
You are receiving this email because you signed in at the last community meeting to discuss the proposed plan for the Sears parking lot.
Flyers were mailed out last week regarding the follow up meeting.
The date is Monday, May 3, 2010, at 7:00pm at McPherson School, 4728 N. Wolcott Ave. Please bring an ID or something to show proof of residency in case a vote is taken to determine the outcome.
To vote you must live within the following boundaries: Paulina (east) Winchester (west) Leland (south) Winnemac (north).Your attendance and input at this meeting is extremely important.
Sincerely,
Dan Luna
Chief of Staff for Gene Schulter
Alderman, 47th Ward

READ my past blog posts and comments concerning the residential and commercial development in the Sears parking lot at West Lawrence and North Ravenswood.

Survey: Buyers optomistic after April 30th first time buyers tax credit deadline. Are you?

Buyers still smelling the flowers...

Many of our Chicago clients (buyers and sellers) have been asking for some time now what affect expiring first time buyers tax credit will have on the real estate market. Will prices go down? We can't say, but Bob and I estimate that the under $350,000 priced properties near the downtown center will slow down in demand ( for example South Loop to Rogers Park with Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Lincoln Square, River North, etc... being key neighborhoods). However, pricing for well constructed, nicely appointed and nicely located properties in our opinion will remain fairly flat with already closed comparable properties from this year.

A Prudential Real Estate and Relocation Services, Inc. survey finds Americans are optimistic about buying real estate and are somewhat confident values will go up in the next several years. The expiration of the federal first time buyers tax credit today was low on buyers' concerns. As usual, mortgage interest rates and jobs are the major variables on peoples minds when deciding to buy. From the survey:

"The expiration of the 2010 Home Buyer Tax
Credits on April 30 is unlikely to put off Americans looking to
purchase homes who believe now is a good time to buy and are confident
that home prices will rise according to a survey released by
Prudential Real Estate and Relocation Services, Inc., a Prudential
Financial, Inc. company. The survey of 1,000 Americans between the
ages of 25-64 with at least $35,000 household income was conducted
during April 15-20, 2010."

Read the story HERE

First time buyers tax credit expires April 30th, but we ain't dead yet! Lakeview, Rolling Meadows Open Houses this weekend

While some folks are worried about the first time buyers federal tax credit expiring this Friday, April 30th, we're busy planning open houses for our clients this weekend. Life goes on.

522 W Oakdale #2 in Chicago's East Lakeview: Open Saturday, May 1st from 1PM to 4PM and Sunday May 2nd from 12PM to 3PM: Asking $369,900

Two beds, two baths, parking and storage included! View photos at this link!

107 Ironwood Court in Rolling Meadows Open Sunday May2nd, from 1PM to 4PM: 3 beds, two and one-half baths, full basement, garage. Asking $299,900

View photos at this link!

Call or email our contact information in the side bar for more information.

A Chicago tavern for any night of the week

I found myself at one of my favorite spots on the Near North side last weekend.

The Green Door Tavern is a good mix of tourists and locals, city and burbs folk, happy hour professionals and blue collar professional drinkers.

It's a good bet for a drink any night of the week.

Bridge up, so we wait

Here's a shot looking northeast at 505 North Lake Shore Drive, or Lake Point Tower as it's named. We're sitting on Lower Wacker Drive downtown heading east to LSD. Sometimes getting stopped for 15 minutes by a massive Chicago mechanical bridge is not so bad.

East Lakeview does vintage better

We were in love with this place before stepping inside!

East Lakeview is a special, bustling and eclectic place to live. And the buildings are a big part of that. Here's a pretty "half" courtyard building on the 500 block of West Melrose.

Good lookin' cornice!

This two bedrooms, one bath home had a terrific layout and one of the largest most attractive kitchens I've seen in a vintage condo in quite some time.
The asking price is $349,000 with a $400 assessment (includes heat).

My clients check out the back gardens... great building!

Enjoy! First Night Ravenswood, Friday May 7th

Party here! Beyond Design at 4515 N Ravenswood, Chicago will host a courtyard party with the Janes and Vamplifier May 7th at 8Pm...$5 bucks!

Take in several cultural and social events at First Night Ravenswood in the Ravenswood neighborhood Chicago. The series of activities and receptions will take place on Friday May 7th, 2010 from 6PM to 8PM
Click the link for here for the initial press release and some of the planned activities.

I live in Ravenswood for several reasons. The neighborhood area offers a more spread out feeling with large city parks. Yet, it's central to major retail, restaurant and entertainment centers. The neighborhood has awesome transportation in several CTA Brown Line stops and the Ravenswood Metra Station. I have long felt Ravenswood offers the best combination of affordable real estate with terrific amenity in Chicago.

The Ravenswood neighborhood boundaries are West Montrose to West Foster and North Clark to North Leavitt.

More to come! Contact the Ravenswood Chamber with questions

www.ravenswoodchamber.com

Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce

1756 W. Wilson Ave. Chicago, IL 60640
Phone: 773.561.5225 Fax: 773.878.0472

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 loves parking meters!

They don't build 'em like this anymore. I'm so happy to pull up on West Oakdale at North Broadway and pop a few (more than a few) quarters into this old fashioned meter and be on my way... quickly.

Buying in Buena Park

Inspecting Buena Park too... a recent client supervises her home inspector, Gene Bobrov of Accu-Spection, as he climbs off the roof.

We've been back in Buena Park quite a bit lately as our clients from $250,000 to $450,000 are finding great value in condos. The neighborhood's location offers lakefront lifestyle, access to CTA train stops and bus service, vintage homes and gorgeous tree-lined streets.

Buena Park is also home to one of Chicago's unique Historic Landmark districts on West Hutchinson Street.

You are HERE

My client nabbed a top floor unit... the clincher was the huge deck right off the kitchen and overlooking trees.