Evanston IL The Suburb That Killed The Car

An article in Politico Magazine has touted Evanston as a city that does not need cars. Everything is here and transportation of the four wheel type is not necessary. In the last 10 years Evanston

Evanston IL Sunrise

defiantly has changed into a thriving city that is attracting many people with different needs.

Politico says, at first glance, downtown Evanston, Illinois, doesn’t look revolutionary—just another a gentrifying urban core with the obligatory Whole Foods, the local organic sustainable restaurants serving $14 cocktails, the towering new, high-end luxury apartments filled with stainless steel appliances and granite countertops. The booming downtown feels increasingly hip; this summer it was featured as a “Surfacing” destination in the New York Times Travel Section. “I have everything here,” says Joanne McCall, pausing one evening on her way inside Sherman Plaza, a soaring, 26-story condominium building. “The post office, the dry cleaner, the movies, I work out upstairs, the Whole Foods is over there, the hair dresser over here. And the Uber thing is getting big here.”
It takes, in fact, a few extra minutes in the neighborhood to realize what’s different—and what’s missing. Downtown Evanston—a sturdy, tree-lined Victorian city wedged neatly between Lake Michigan and Chicago’s northern border—is missing cars. Or, more accurately, it’s missing a lot of cars. Thanks to concerted planning, these new developments are rising within a 10-minute walk of two rail lines and half-a-dozen bus routes. The local automobile ownership rate is nearly half that of the surrounding area.
Which again, may sound like so many other gentrifying urban areas. Who owns a car in Brooklyn, after all? But Evanston isn’t Park Slope—the city, now 75,000 strong, is quintessentially a suburb, somewhere to escape the density of nearby Chicago, a place to get extra room and, especially, a place to drive your car, jetting down Lake Shore Drive or the Edens Expressway to the Windy City. The houses in Evanston were so idyllic, in fact, that filmmakers came to use it as the beau ideal of postwar suburban life—it was where Hollywood came to film all-American suburban movies like Sixteen Candles, Dennis the Menace, Uncle Buck, and both Home Alone 2 and Home Alone 3.
I have lived in Evanston IL for many years and truly enjoy everything we have to offer. That is why I got into Real Estate sales. Before I was a Realtor I found myself always driving by beautiful homes and wondering what they looked like on the inside.

Understanding your Expectations and Exceeding them

Coldwell Banker Evanston

(800) 858-7917

Evanston IL Real Estate through September

Evanston IL Real Estate through September has seen an upswing especially in the single family home statistics.

Currently there are 137 houses for sale and 70 under contract and waiting to close. In the last 30 days 41 houses have sold. A look at condominiums shows 219 properties for sale and 92 under contract and waiting to sell. In the last 30 days we have seen 53 condos close. Not quite as busy as in the Spring but there is still an opportunity to purchase a property or sell your home if necessary.

Evanston has seen a lot of growth in recent years, recently the city has had a few rental complexes spring up but not any new condominium complexes. The rental buildings are luxury with many amenities and fairly expensive. Some of the 3 bedroom and 2 plus den units are well over the $3,000 a month rent price which could be equal or even more than a mortgage payment.

If you are interested to see for yourself, click Evanston IL Houses for sale and Condos for sale in Evanston IL and you will have a direct connection to the multiple listing service. This data is updated on the fly and very accurate.

In the last few years we have seen many people who have become interested in moving to Evanston IL. Many families, single people and young couples are moving from the city or other places because the city on the Lake Michigan lakefront has become so popular. The selection of downtown Restaurants has grown as has the entertainment available in the decade.

If you want learn more about Evanston IL give us a call at Coldwell Banker Evanston and we can answer any questions you may have. 

Understanding your Expectations and Exceeding them

Coldwell Banker Evanston

(800) 858-7917

418 N Northwest HWY Park Ridge IL Price Reduction

418 N Northwest HWY Park Ridge a new listing offered for sale by Noah Seidenberg of Coldwell Banker. This 3 bedroom and 3 bath Bungalow is now listed at $349,900. Charming Park Ridge Bungalow! 3 Bedroom, 3 Bathroom and 3 Car Garage! Just walking distance from uptown, parks, library and the Metra train. Extra deep fenced lot with mature trees and a new brick paver patio next to 24’ porch for great outdoor entertaining. First floor bed and full bath. Upstairs has 2 bedrooms and full bath. New kitchen with designer cabinets, granite counter tops and stainless appliances. Partially finished basement with full bath, laundry. Huge lot with sprawling back yard.

 

60203 Zip Code Real Estate Also Known As Skevanston

4 bedroom house

Today we are taking at look at 60203 zip code also known as Skevanston. The 60203 Zip code of

Evanston appears to a part of Skokie IL but is actually Evanston. People can get excellent value in Real Estate in 60203 because you get slightly lower taxes that lean toward Skokie's yet the services of Evanston including the Evanston Township High School or ETHS which is very desirable. Often when trying to find a good bang for the buck I will point my buyer clients to Skevanston.

Currently there are 17 single family homes for sale in Skevanston and 9 properties under contract and waiting to close. In the last 30 days we have seen only one single family home close in 60203. Regarding condos, there is currently 3 properties for sale and 3 condos under contract and waiting to close. The September average sales price for all properties within 60203 is $388,870 which is up 5.9% over September of 2014. It is a good time to buy or sell Real Estate in Skevanston.

Search 60203 property with these links, Skevanston House and Skevanston Condo. You will be directly connected to the multiple listing service and have access to the latest data, updated on the fly.

60203 Skevanston IL

Often when people read my Real Estate market reports mentioning Skevanston they think I made this up. I did not and if you want read more about it I can refer you to a 2004 Chicago Tribune article that talks about the area and its origin. 

If you are looking to live in Evanston and can't quite afford the often hefty price tag of its homes then you should consider Skevanston and zip code 60203. I have solved many problems by mentioning this to clients and it is surprising that not everyone knows about this great area.

If you are considering purchasing property in Skevanston, Evanston or anywhere in Chicago land for that matter give is a call at Coldwell Banker Evanston. We can set up a personalized home search for you and show you properties at a time that works for your schedule. After work, on weekends, you let us know what works for you. If you see yourself moving and want help we can create a comparative market analysis to determine your home's value and we have a plan to market your property and get it sold.

Understanding your Expectations and Exceeding them

Coldwell Banker Evanston

(800) 858-7917

West Rogers Park Real Estate Chicago IL

Today we are talking about West Rogers Park or West Ridge. For all properties there is 1.8% gain in closed sales of all properties and a 14.1% drop in inventory. A good time to list your home if you are wondering if it is a good time to sell. However August saw a 73% gain in new listings of single family homes but we saw a decline of new condos listings entering the market in August by 19.7%.

Currently we have 50 single family homes for sale in West Rogers Park and 26 under contract and waiting to close. In the last 30 days there have been 15 houses close, they are sold. In the Condo scene we have 129 properties for sale and 81 under contract and waiting to close. In the last 30 days we have seen 29 condos sell, they are now closed.

If you want to search, click on West Rogers Park Houses and West Rogers Park Condos. You will have a direct connection to the multiple listing service.

West Ridge or West Rogers Park is bordered on the north by Howard Street, on the east by Ridge Boulevard, Western Avenue, and Ravenswood Avenue, the south by Bryn Mawr Avenue and Peterson Avenue, and on the west by Kedzie Avenue and the North Shore channel of the Chicago River.

The site called Not For Tourists says, "As far north as you can go and still be in Chicago, Rogers Park and West Ridge have an intimate, residential feel drawing many families and retirees. Edged by Evanston, the neighborhoods are dotted with gardens, parks, sledding hills, baseball diamonds, tennis courts and jogging paths. Thanks in part to the spill-over population from East Rogers Park and Loyola University, Rogers Park has a tendency to attract academics and students." This is a great site to find wonderful restaurants and things to do in West Ridge, aka West Rogers Park.

"Most of the action in West Rogers Park occurs on Devon Avenue. Thanks to the culture clash of its residents, the international marketplace is supported by dozens of inexpensive Indian and Pakistani restaurants, Bollywood video rentals, the best saris you'll find in the States and a slew of Islamic, Russian and Jewish bookstores and bakeries."

This is a very interesting and sought after neighborhood of Chicago to call home. If you are interested in purchasing or selling property, give us a call at Coldwell Banker. We can answer any questions you have and also set up a personalized search and show you properties at a time that works for your schedule.

Understanding your Expectations and Exceeding them

Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate

(800) 858-7917

Evanston IL Real Estate September 2015

September sales for Evanston IL Real Estate were up 9.4% over 2014 at 1,104 properties sold as compared to 1,009 in the prior year. The sales are still quite strong. In single family homes there are currently 199 properties for sale and 68 houses under contract and waiting to close. In the last 30 days we have seen 48 single family houses close. In the condominium scene there are currently 213 properties available in Evanston IL and 93 under contract and waiting to close. In the last 30 days we have seen 51 condos close.

This all indicates a strong real estate market for Evanston IL. There is a great selection of property inventory for home and condo buyers and a great opportunity to sell if you want to move on or just upgrade your living situation. Typically we see a slow down at this time and that has not happened yet.

If you want to search properties click Evanston Houses for sale or Evanston Condos for sale and you will be directly connected to the multiple listing service and have access to the same properties that we Realtors view.

As time goes on Evanston IL is becoming more and more popular. There is so much to offer in the community. Many interesting restaurants, unique stores and great entertainment has become available as Evanston has grown by leaps and bounds in the last few years. Take that, the great schools offered for your children, the wonderful Lake Michigan Lake Front and you have a near perfect community to call home. Public transportation is easily accessible via the Metra and "EL" trains and will get you to downtown Chicago and all points in between in about 20 minutes. 

If you want to learn more about Evanston or Chicago's North Shore we can help answer any question you may have. Give us a call at Coldwell Banker Evanston. 

Understanding your Expectations and Exceeding them

Coldwell Banker Evanston

(800) 858-7917

Evanston's NU Sits On Lake Michigan

Northwestern campus has been extended into the lake via landfill. I did some research & discovered how this all came about.

By the 1950s, future expansion of Northwestern was stopped: lack of space. The university was faced with 3 choices:

1. Move west across Sheridan road into residential neighborhoods, tearing down beautiful homes.
2. Build an "asphalt campus", crowding new buildings by getting rid of the green spaces east of Sheridan Rd.
3. Extend eastward into Lake Michigan.

The decision was made to fill in the Lake. They purchased 74 acres; cost about $5.2 million. From the state they bought 152 acres of "submerged lake land at a cost of $100 per acre." I wonder what the price would be in today's money?
Only one issue occurred. The sand for the lake fill was to come from dredging of a "controversial harbor in the Indiana Dunes", & Senator Paul Douglas of Illinois accused the university of taking part in an act of "environmental vandalism"! It took time, but Douglas finally agreed.

The lake fill took more than 2 years & included a limestone retaining wall around the perimeter of the underwater expansion zone. 

In 1964, solid ground was established. The first building on the new land was Vogelback Computing Center. Then The University Library was built as well as the Frances Searle Building & the Norris University Center in about 1972. Pick-Staiger Concert Hall & James L. Allen Center came in the late 1970s.
Recently, the lake fill campus has seen Henry Crown Sports Pavillon, Norris Aquatics Center, Northwestern soccer & field Hockey fields, & Annenberg Hall built.

When you are walking near Lake Michigan on the NU campus, you are really walking on Lake Michigan!

Original Blog:

http://actvra.in/4JMQ

Wilmette IL Real Estate

Today we are looking at the Wilmette IL Real Estate scene as through September. We are seeing at 45% gain in the change in inventory of all properties. New listings have a slown down and it is a great time to list your property for sale if you are thinking of selling. Prices are great and buyers should take advantage of the opportunities in Wilmette IL too.

At this time there are 168 single family homes for sale in Wilmette IL and 54 under contract and waiting to close. In the last month we have seen 24 closed sales of single family homes in Wilmette IL. In the Wilmette IL Condo scene, there are currently 31 properties available and 8 under contract and waiting to close. In the last month 6 condominiums have closed and are sold in Wilmette IL.

Click Wilmette IL Homes and Wilmette Condos to see the current inventory or you can visit our site Coldwell Banker Wilmette and customize the search the way you want. All the data is from the multiple listing service and as accurate as what we Realtors see.

Wilmette IL is a beautiful community with cobble stone and tree lines streets, a wonderful place to raise a family. The public transportation via the Metra is accessible right in the downtown area of Wilmette, the "EL" trains at 4th and Linden. Your children will attend one of the best school districts in the country. The High School is New Trier where I graduated in 1976. There are so many activities for the whole family and in the last few years the downtown area has been booming with new restaurants and stores. You must check it out.

If you want to hear more give us a call at Coldwell Banker. I have lived in the North Shore since I was 11 years old in 1968 and a Realtor for 15. We can answer any questions about the amenities available to you and also any information about the buying or selling process. 

Understanding your Expectations and Exceeding them

Coldwell Banker Wilmette IL

(800) 858-7917