Watch the Video! Our new Lakeview single family home for sale

2911 N Racine asking $814,900. Check out some of the features of this move-in ready newer construction house on the Lakeview and Lincoln Park border.

Four bedrooms, three and one half baths, garage, stairs to the roof, great room, family room, two bedroom with baths in suite, wet bar, whole house speakers, home theatre wiring, security system...nice!

Updates at Lincoln Park 2520

www.YoChicago.com does a great job updating the public on various high profile new construction projects around the city. Recently, a unit has gone under contract for over $3,000,000. Check out their latest post and photos on Lincoln Park 2520. The luxury new construction development is exclusively marketed by Prudential Rubloff Properties...of which Bob and I are affiliated with.

Lincoln Park new construction town houses taking flight and selling

We were heavy on client showings and open houses this weekend. Between appointments Bob took a few shots of the new construction town house development Row 2750 while showing property in Lincoln Park. Construction is speeding along and several of the 11 units are under contract according to our MREDLLC.com listing service.

Bigger is better seems to be the motto at Row 2750 considering the over sized town houses at Diversey and Lakewood. The listing info says 9 units are town houses and 2 units are duplex condos (one over the other). These town houses range from 3500-4100 SF, 22'-28' interior widths, 2-3 car garages. According the the MREDLLC.com data 5 of the units are under contract from $699,000 to $1,399,000 pre-construction. Give the people what they want and it will sell.

We're busy!

Blog posts have been a little skimpy as Bob and I have been tending to client sales and purchases. The spring market is traditionally the busiest time of the real estate market and this year is no different. If you are thinking of buying or selling please call us with a few details about your situation for a prompt response.

The best way to keep "posted" is to sign up for new posts straight to you're email box. Just enter your email in the Subscribe Box on the right hand column (right hand side bar) on the blog. Just scroll down past our recent sold properties and subscribe to our posts. Your email is kept private and we don't share information with any third party vendors.

Open House! Wicker Park duplex with roof-deck, garage!

1250 N Wolcott #1, asking $439,000

Sunday March 27th from 1PM to 4PM

Features include:

Garage parking
Private roof deck on garage
Two bedrooms
Two large bathrooms



Hardwood on all floors
19 foot ceiling from living room
Side by side over sized washer and dryer
Security system
Walk-out terrace
Large linen and storage closets

Watch the video!

View photos and floor-plan here!

LOL!

Saw this sign walking past a dilapidated section of storefronts on North Clark Street in the Uptown neighborhood. With the recent street scape improvements and strong surrounding neighborhoods, this strip between Montrose and Wilson will see better days like a certain someone has...oh, how apropos.

New Photos! Lakeview duplex at 3127 N Clifton #1

NEW photos up! This Lakeview duplex home shows great and lives like a private house. View the floor-plan here.

Heart of Lakeview location close to CTA Red, Brown and Purple lines at Belmont stop. Enjoy restaurants, coffee shops, Wrigley Field, dry cleaners, grocery stores all a few minutes away.


3127 N Clifton #1 asking $449,000
-Two bedrooms, two full baths, one half bath
-Attached garage parking (yes!)
-Bright, spacious top floor family room
-Great private deck off family room
-Large common roof deck (only used by these owners!)
-Spacious open living room/dining room combo.
-Kitchen open to living/dining, breakfast bar, island sink, pantry Viking range and hood, KitchenAid and Bosch appliances
-Luxurious master bath with double bowl vanity, new separate shower and huge jet tub
-Security system


Low assessment of $103.00 and outstanding reserves over $20,000!

You are HERE!

A Wrigleyville hotel would be nice

I snapped this photo today of the forever under construction boutique Wrigleyville hotel slated to open this year. It'd be great to have a quality hotel -even the larger Hyatt plan they are talking about- close to Wrigley Field and in the Lakeview neighborhood.

I don't agree that the two hotel projects would take away from the "neighborhood feel". Unless you consider the giant McDonald's parking lot "neighborly". This strip of Clark near Wrigley is pretty much a solid block of bars, restaurants and some small retail... pretty dead in the off-season. On game day, Friday and Saturdays nights...it's a zoo.

A large quality hotel seems perfect to keep the dollars in nearby bars and restaurants, give parents visiting their kids and place to stay and even class up the strip a little.

Home Selling Tips: A sign won't sell your condo

A blog reader of ours, fellow blogger and real estate stats man Jeff Baird recently asked me a few questions about "for-sale" signs and condo buildings. Basically, do multiple for sale signs look bad to buyers? Is banning signs a good or bad idea? Will it help or hurt selling a condo? We get these questions often.

In short, a condo association should make decisions within the context of their by-laws and ownership. If the overwhelming population of a building does not like for-sale signs on the fence then proper steps can be taken by the board and ownership to ban them. Personally, I don't like the look of them and I think it takes away from the city and property aesthetic.

My personal opinion is a for-sale sign won't help sell your condo. In my years listing property not one qualified buyer has called on a for-sale sign on a condo building fence and then bought the home. Occasionally you will get calls from curious people for any number of reasons, nor are they seriously looking for anything to purchase. It's an inefficient way to shop for a condo and rarely if ever practiced.

Signs are more effective, however, on single family homes or small multi-unit buildings where serious buyers of those types of properties can identify with the home driving or walking by. In the city, there are fewer single family homes for sale in many neighborhoods. A sign going up in a hot neighborhood can help attract real buyers that know the location and average price of homes in the area. Still, if the price does not meet market expectations the home won't sell no matter how many showings a sign attracts.

There are many distractions that can consume sellers when the market has turned on them and their homes for the worse. No amount of signs or other tricks will make a buyer commit their dollars to a property. Price, condition, location and good Internet information are key ingredients to selling a property for top dollar. Top dollar is a moving target. A professional should marry those ingredients, set the proper market expectation for the client and handle all affairs of the transaction properly and legally. And a sign from above helps too!

Read more Home Selling Tips here!

Lakeview Median Price $1,000,000

Who wants to be a Lakeview Millionaire?! You just might be if you own a single family home in the Lakeview neighborhood of Chicago.

Over the last three months the median price of a closed or under contract single family home is $1,000,000 give or take a couple pennies. I'd expect that amount to go up after the usual uptick in closings in the traditional spring buying season upon us now. There are 39 single family homes closed or under contract in Lakeview over the last three months.

The highest closing was $2,694,375 at 1454 W Warner (a double lot 7300 sq/ft new construction home in the Graceland West hood).

You don't have to be a millionaire to buy a few rounds at Guthries's Tavern after a Cubs' game, but it wouldn't hurt either!

NEW for sale: Lincoln Square condo, two beds, two baths, parking!

2555 W Catalpa #2B asking $219,000

We just listed for sale a spacious two bedrooms, two baths corner condo with a parking space in northern Lincoln Square. The master suite with huge walk-in closet is rare at this price! Great kitchen with island and tons of natural light from the huge windows. Established, well managed condo association with elevator, bike room and extra private storage room.

Its a great location near the Lincoln Square amenities, new Dominick's grocery and a huge park system (Legion Park, River Park) in the Budlong Woods enclave. CTA Brown Line riders may take the CTA Western stop (hop the bus on Lincoln) and you may park and ride at the Ravenswood Metra station to downtown in minutes or ride up north to Evanston and beyond.

Assessment $200.00 Taxes $3200

Read more Lincoln Square posts HERE!

Want unique? Lakeview duplex condo in two unit coach house

We have just listed a duplex condo in Lakeview with a unique setting. The duplex-down is in a two unit coach house that sits to the rear and side of a front main house. The three units make up a condo association. The the building, the lot and landscaping are really attractive and the property has great curb appeal. Interior photos coming next week, but we have already had showings this week. Call/email us for an MLS information sheet and to view the home.

Heart of Lakeview location close to CTA Red, Brown and Purple lines at Belmont stop. Enjoy restaurants, coffee shops, Wrigley Field, dry cleaners, grocery stores all a few minutes away.

3127 N Clifton #1 asking $449,000
-Two bedrooms, two full baths, one half bath
-Attached garage parking (yes!)
-Bright, spacious top floor family room
-Great private deck off family room
-Large common roof deck (only used by these owners!)
-Spacious open living room/dining room combo.
-Kitchen open to living/dining, breakfast bar, Viking range and hood, KitchenAid and Bosch appliances
-Luxurious master bath with double bowl vanity, new separate shower and huge jet tub
-Security system

Low assessment of $103.00 and outstanding reserves over $20,000!

Lakeview OPEN HOUSE: Four bedroom single family home $814,900

Open House: 2911 N Racine, Chicago
Saturday March 19th
1PM to 4PM

We will host an Open House this Saturday March 19th from 1PM to 4PM. This house just went on the market and is move-in ready. Spacious, fresh, clean new family room carpet and newer neutral paint. Just drop your furniture in and decorate! Awesome Lakeview location and steps to Lincoln Park action too.

Four bedrooms, three and one-half baths, great room, lower level family room, wet bar, two fireplaces, staircase to roof (ready for roof-deck), security system, whole house recessed speaker system with home run, two car garage. Laundry room with side by side washer and dryer and additional storage.

Fully loaded open concept kitchen with GE Profile, KitchenAid, double-oven, island cook top, breakfast bar, disposal, dishwasher.


Master suite with tons of light, two walk-in closets, master bath with double bowl vanity, over-sized separate shower and huge jet tub. Three spacious bedrooms on same level.