New Trier Living Real Estate

Is It Really A Buyer’s Market On The North Shore?

Word on the street is Chicago is a buyer's market, which is the underlying theme in this months edition of Chicago Magazine, Where to Buy Now by Dennis Rodkin. The premise of the article is, it's a good time to purchase local real estate since  home values are down in much of the Chicago metro-area on average -38%  in comparison to the national average of -19%,  since peaking in 2006.  Of particular interest  is the chart the author prepared, tracking...Continue Reading!

Where Are We Now: Change In Home Values For New Trier Township Since 2006

It's always helpful to have a local barometer, in terms of where home values are to the market high of 2006....although admittedly "our" high  (the villages comprising New Trier Township) was more like June of 2007.  As a whole, the North Shore and more specifically New Trier Township is down, in terms of property values however not to the degree of the Chicago Metro-Land area which is down approximately 33% since 2006.  The good news is the market is considered...Continue Reading!

Wilmette 2012 Year End Neighborhood Market Update

Wilmette Single Family home sales finished  the end of 2012 on an up-note, due to increased activity among buyers vying  for a shrinking pool of  inventory, as noted in Wilmette's Dearth of Housing Inventor . This past year turned out to be a mixed bag for Wilmette depending on the neighborhood in question, with some pockets faring significantly better than others; case in point, in the Romona elementary school district home values rose +18% based on median single family closed...Continue Reading!

New Trier Township 2012 Year End Market Update

The information above reflects the past 12 trailing months through December of 2012, tracking  single family homes sales for the villages comprising New Trier Township . The source for much of the local market date is through Midwest Real Estate Data. Interested in learning more about  local home values in your area feel free to contact me at [email protected]Continue Reading!

Wilmette’s Dearth of Housing Inventory!

Chicago Tribune  columnist Mary Umberger recently wrote an article, Chicago tops list of buyers' markets , siting Chicago as the top market in the nation for home buyers based on her recent interview with  Zillow's Chief Economist, Stan Humpheries, in which he identifies the top buyers'  and  sellers' markets in the country. Humpheries findings are based on an in-house index  gauging  the relative bargaining power of a buyer or a seller in a given area, concluding that the Chicago metro...Continue Reading!

For fun on the slopes this winter, head west …

....to Bartlett, Illinois! That’s right; just an hour or so west of the North Shore, you’ll find the Villa Olivia Resort, which opens its winter season on December 14th (weather permitting). Whether you’re an “old-fashioned” skier like myself, or a more trendy snowboarder, you’ll find hours of fun at Villa Olivia; including the ever-popular tube rides! While the “slopes” are man-made at Villa Olivia (Illinois has many wonderful features, but mountains aren’t among them!), they still provide a whole bunch of...Continue Reading!

Experience the magic of the Wonderland Express!

Whether you’re a kid, or just a kid at heart, you can’t help but be captivated by the Wonderland Express toy train exhibit at the Chicago Botanic Garden. If you’ve seen the exhibit before, I don’t have to tell you just how wonderful it is. And if you haven’t, well…what are you waiting for?! You’ll marvel as dozens of toy trains weave their way through miniature skyscrapers, bungalos, railway stations and towns – all painstakingly constructed of natural materials…and surrounded with...Continue Reading!

Wilmette’s Annual Holiday Parade & More!

Celebrate the holiday season this weekend in downtown Wilmette with two fun events the whole family will enjoy!    Friday night, November 16th,  is the  annual tree lighting ceremony, in front of Wilmette's Village Hall from 7PM - 7:30PM. Local children's groups will sing and Village President Chris Canning will light up the big tree to set the stage for the following day's festivities.......Wilmette's annual annual holiday Parade and Santa sighting. The parade will begin  at 10:30 AM, starting at 4th...Continue Reading!

Jump-start your Holiday shopping!

It’s never too early to start checking items off of your Holiday shopping list … especially if you’re like me, and have a list which seems to grow by leaps and bounds each year! The Kenilworth Club is making it easy this year with their “Taste of the North Shore Holiday Bazaar,” scheduled for Sunday, November 11th from 10 am until 4 pm. Over 30 North Shore vendors will be on hand, displaying a dizzying array of merchandise. Featured vendors will...Continue Reading!

Wilmette Neighborhood Market Update: Third Quarter 2012

The general sentiment surrounding the housing market is positive. I have had a  number of people express..…"the real estate  market is better right?!" My response is always measured…yes sales have picked up and inventory is noticeably down in Wilmette, which is usually a good sign  for sellers, due to less competition. Here's the catch…even with the lack of active inventory on the market, prices are down across all neighborhoods in Wilmette. Sellers came out the gate this Spring ready to...Continue Reading!