Kale Realty East at Foster Beach (free WiFi)!

Free WiFi at many of Chicago's beaches means I'll be holding my office hours at Foster Beach from now until the first snowfall. Plenty of sand in the conference room!  The water is refreshing too.

North Center condo sales on the Belmont Corridor, median price $457,000

Many newer construction condos with front terraces line the "Belmont Corridor" of North Center. Watch the action from your perch!

Our clients looked at several condos on the "Belmont Corridor" of the Roscoe Village neighborhood in North Center.  The area between the 2000 - 2400 blocks of West Belmont is no stranger to condo construction since 2000.  Several more buildings are under construction now.  It is a vibrant mixed use commercial/ residential strip with lots of local business to keep city folk in the neighborhood. West Roscoe Street a few blocks to the north is more established and quaint but will cost more. Have it all for a little less on Belmont Corridor!

Condo Sales on Belmont Corridor
31 condo units have sold on the 2000 - 2400 Blocks of West Belmont in the past 12 months.  The median price of a closed condo is $457,000. The vast majority of condos sold over $450,000 are three bedrooms units.  Most condos have a similar layouts with combo open living room/ dining room to the front and bedrooms down a hall in the back.  No vintage condo units were sold.  All the units sold were built after 2000!

Many of the units we look at have private or shared roof decks with skyline vies.  On a clear day or night it looks great!

The lowest priced condo sold on the strip over the last 12 months is 2011 West Belomont #309, Chicago IL 60618 for $270,000.  The one bedroom loft condo included garage parking.

The highest sold condo is 2140 West Belmont Unit 4E, Chicago IL 60618 for $648,000.  The new construction three beds unit included a built-out roof deck.

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SOLD! Downtown Chicago condo steps to Millennium Park

We closed a great condo listing last Friday at 200 N Dearborn, Unit 1807, Chicago IL 60101 for $235,000.  Our seller clients prepped the unit with new carpet and paint to sell quickly for top dollar and avoid vacancy. As in all high rise units it pays to know the maintenance, rental regulations and rules and by-laws to market the home properly.  Lieberman Management at 200 N Dearborn was well organized and accessible to all parties of the transaction. Having a great relationship with the management company can save a deal! 

200 North Dearborn. All photos Eric Rojas, Broker, Kale Realty and VHT.com

Unit details
Downtown spacious one bedroom condo with DEEDED GARAGE PARKING INCLUDED. This sunny home with city views is freshly painted with new carpeting. Large closets throughout the unit. Bedroom features city views and organized Elfa closet. Updated bathroom tile. Building amenities include: Doorman, indoor pool, sundeck, party room, fitness room, laundry room. Assessment INCLUDES cable TV, WI-FI, heat, A/C, water, building amenities and doorman. Owner pays electric. Washer / dryer may be added to unit. Just steps to Michigan AVE and Millennium Park in the heart of the theater district. Pedway connects Macy's, Daley Center, hotels, restaurants, shops. State and Lake CTA around the corner. You're gonna make it after all at 200 North Dearborn! RENTALS and PETS OKAY!

Balcony view!

Call us to buy and sell downtown and surrounding Chicago neighborhoods!

Permits? We don't need no stinking permits! Lincoln Square 4 unit gut renovation shut down

5134 N Oakley, Chicago IL 60625

5134 N Oakley (shown above) is a four unit building in Lincoln Square that sold in 2017 for $550K. A steal! Yet, the new ownership elected to completely gut the building without permits. The City of Chicago Department of Buildings has stopped the work (see big yellow sticker on door).

A truck backs up over the sidewalk as construction debris is launched out the windows.

I still find it hard to believe someone would proceed with a large scale gut renovation in a desirable, tight knit neighborhood without building permits. Two brick bungalows in the immediate area were torn down in recent memory without permits (2236 W Carmen and 2237 W Winona). Both projects were delayed (shut down for a time) but my guess is the penalties were not steep enough.  How do you tear down a house illegally and still get to profit?

Former Lincoln Square Lanes site will be new Kiddie Academy of Chicago (of course!)

Former site of Lincoln Square Lanes and Matty K's Hardware store at 4874 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago IL 60625

There goes the neighborhood... for sure! Gritty, iconic Lincoln Square Lanes, the beloved bowling alley of Lincoln Square since 1918, burned down September 2015.  The building demolished and the site has remained vacant since. Many of my family now in their 70s and 80s bowled here during their youth! I had my 30th surprise birthday party there.  Sigh. 

Report from 40th Ward Alderman O'Connor is a new Kiddie Academy of Chicago will be developed.  Childcare is a much needed service in the neighborhood but still... ouch LOL

Before the renovation the quirky dive bar/ bowling alley was home to a great old school jukebox where aging punks, neighbors, musicians and all around characters could drink cheap beer and roll some terrible scores! After the 2012 renovation the Lincoln Square Lanes maintained some grit but was even fun for the whole family offering video games, music and lots of screens to watch the games.

Typical chocolate martini drinking clientele of Lincoln Square Lanes.  St. Matthias School families were big supporters of our local "go to" sports bar. 

There have been many condo units built near the Lincoln Lanes site over the past 10 years.  30 condo units have been sold along 4800 N - 5200 N Lincoln Ave over the last 12 months.  The median price of a closed condo is $560,000. 

More news and photos HERE

North Center condo sales

Hard to beat living near Dinkel's!

We've been hot on the trail of a three bedrooms North Center condo under $500K.  The sales are brisk, often with multiple offers.  Buyers who want to stay in the city and / or live in a well rated neighborhood school district are turning to larger condos.  Last week we found ourselves on the busy Lincoln Avenue / Belmont intersection loaded with restaurants, bars, grocery stores and services (not to mention mega Whole Foods, a Target and Dinkel's within steps!).

The Marshfield Trust and Savings Bank Building, 3301 North Lincoln, Chicago defines the character of this busy commercial/ residential strip.

North Center condo sales (attached homes, town homes) January 1st - June 15th, 2018

178 North Center condos have sold thus far in 2018.  The median price of a condo is about $431,500.  The median price of a three bedrooms condo is $528,000.

The highest sold condo is 2315 W Roscoe #1 in Roscoe Village for $949,000.  The new construction unit features four bedrooms on a wide 32' lot.  The lowest sold condo is 3406 N Bell #2 sold for $182,500. The one bedroom vintage conversion is in a great location.


Over the same period in 2017, 212 condos had sold with a medium price of $435,000. Over the same period in 2016, 217 units sold with a median price of $399,000.  Way back in 2012, only 94 units closed over the same period with a median price of $337,000.  

Call us to buy and sell condos in North Center and surrounding neighborhoods!

Sold! Logan Square house on The 606 for $538,000(!)

Wow!  Check out our latest Logan Square single family home sale right and drone video on the The 606!  We helped prepare 1803 N Fairfield for the market and listed "AS IS" at $499,900 due to older finish level and deferred maintenance. The home received multiple offers and we held a deal together for $538,000 with no concessions!

Call us to buy and sell in Logan Square and nearby neighborhoods!

The Hampdens Lincoln Park 60% and 70% sold pre-construction

We stopped by to check out a few Lincoln Park condo development sites this week. The Hampdens luxury condo development is 60% sold pre-construction at the 2753 N Hampden with four units listed on the MLS from $1.7M to $3M.  The second building is 70% sold pre-construction at 2773 N Hampden address with four units listed for sale on the MLS from $1M to $1.5M. 

The Hampdens construction site is cleared but no digging yet.

Call or email us to help you find or sell your condo in Lincoln Park! 

Kale Realty and partners supporting NEIU student scholarships

Kale Realty, Inkt marketing, Blueleaf Lending and our clients raising money for Northeastern Illinois University student scholarships at last year's golf outing.

After graduating from Northeastern Illinois University in the North Park neighborhood of Chicago I've had the chance to be involved with the university on many levels.  This year my colleagues and I took the opportunity to step up our contributions. Kale Realty, Inkt Marketing and Steve Dunnett of Blueleaf Lending are the Northeastern Illinois University Welcome Sponsors for this year's Chuck Kane Scholarship Golf Event this Monday June 18th, 2018.  

I joined alumni Ellen Larrimore and Chuck Good to establish the new Alumni Travel Study Scholarship.

Proceeds from our sponsorship will support the newly established Alumni Study Tour Scholarship. 

Some of my favorite NEIU people joined me at the annual Donor/ Scholar luncheon this year!

I'm happy to say I received my college degree from Northeastern Illinois University.  The many scholarship opportunities, affordable tuition, professors and administrators all helped achieve my degree in three years debt free. Contact me to support the NEIU scholarship golf outing or many other university initiatives!

Under contract! Avondale condo near hip restaurants, transportation (condo unit sales way up)

3234 N California #2S is listed at $339,000.  Our clients are under contract and in attorney review period.

Avondale has become a very popular area to live as bars, restaurants, retail and transportation options meet the needs and wants of buyers.  The condo market is tight!  There are simply few condos in the neighborhood relative to eastern neighborhoods like Lake View and Edgewater.  You have to act fast when a good value is listed on the market.

The group of sharp, newer condo buildings line California near Cafe Tola and Honeybutter Fried Chicken.  This section of Avondale is centrally located close to Roscoe Village (North Center) and Logan Square hot spots.

Our buyer clients need access to the highway and the CTA Blue Line.  Avondale is a great fit.  We found the two beds, two baths condo market very competitive.  When an upgraded newer unit hit the market we were one of the first to see it. Our clients secured the contract that evening.  They have completed attorney review and we are awaiting closing.

Views of Brands Park right off the back deck and roof! Awesome for some tennis, softball, basketball, kids/adult activities, exercise and dog walking!  Personally, I make living by a large city park a priority.

Avondale condo sales

102 condos (attached units) have sold thus far in 2018.  The median price is $350,000.  The highest priced sold condo this year is 3035 W Belmont Unit 1E, Chicago IL 60618 for $606,000.  The new construction duplex down is very close to the CTA Belmont Blue Line stop.  The lowest priced sold condo is 4010 W Nelson, Unit 10A, Chicago IL 60641 for $100K. The vintage two bedrooms conversion condo sold as a short sale.

In 2017, 84 condos sold with a median price of $312,000.  In 2016, only 66 condo units sold with a median price of $259,000.  Avondale median price of a condo is up 35% since 2016!

Looking back at 2012, 50 condos units sold with a median price of $118,000.