Cubs Win! Trump Wins! And Buyer Activity Down on the North Shore Housing Market!
Spring Market Minute 2018
Best Backyard on the North Shore
Cubs Win! Trump Wins! And Buyer Activity Down on the North Shore Housing Market!
Foot traffic through local homes for sale plunged more last month than in any of the previous four Octobers, according to data gleaned from local real estate agents.
That includes October 2012, the last time a presidential campaign was going on.
“You have the election and the World Series distracting buyers, or making them nervous,” said the data provider, Paul Lazarre, a co-founder of Chicago-based real estate site Truepad. The site gathers data from about 25 percent of the region’s real estate agents.
Lazarre gauges demand using data that essentially compares the number of homes on the market to the number of showings buyers’ agents request. In the three weeks that ended Oct. 29 (a popular day for open houses), Chicago-area showings dropped about 30 percent, he said.
In the comparable period in the past four years, the drop was from about 3 percent to about 10 percent, Lazarre said. Data for years before 2012 is available but not quite comparable, he said, because the real estate market was so depressed.
Conlon/Christie’s International Real Estate agent Ryan Preuett said the data stack up with his experience this fall.
“Showing requests have certainly slowed down,” Preuett said. “There’s still activity going on, but it’s not like the velocity it was.” He also concurs with Lazarre’s data showing that past October falloffs weren’t as steep.
“It always cools off, but it’s been more noticeable this year,” Preuett said. Along with the World Series and the presidential campaign, Preuett said, buyers also may have been cooling their jets because of Chicago’s recent property tax increase and talk of another teacher strike.
Lazarre’s system collects data from a booking system for real estate agents to determine how many showings a home gets. While his model measures homes differently based on average foot traffic for listings in its neighborhood, a 300 essentially means a house is getting three showings a week.
By Oct. 29, homes were averaging about 3.2 showings over the course of the past three weeks, Lazarre’s data show, down from 4.5 in late September and early October. As well as being the biggest drop, the figure is also one of the two lowest in the past five Octobers. In October 2012, it was 4.7, followed by 4.3 (2013), 3.2 (2014) and 3.6 (2015).
The figures are approximate because of the weighting of different neighborhoods and other technical adjustments in Lazarre’s data.
After the election and the World Series, “we could be in for a change,” Lazarre said. In 2012, showings soared beginning right after Thanksgiving.
Average Price by Wilmette Elementary Schools
Average Price by Wilmette Elementary Schools
Here is the latest data on how average sales prices have fared among the various elementary schools in Wilmette. You’ll notice the bump in early to mid 2015 for Central School. This is partly the result of a majority of $2M+ sales occurring in Central School district between December 2014 and December 2015. One lakefront sale, alone, garnered $6.2M in February 2015. Additionally, a healthy portion of Wilmette’s new construction closed in Central School District in early to mid 2015 (8 sales total) compared to just 3 new construction sales over the most recent 12 months in Central School. Interestingly, new construction activity has been robust in Romona District thanks to the lower cost of land and the Wilmette Circle subdivision. 8 new construction homes have closed in Romona district in the last 12 months which has helped to elevate Romona’s average sale price.
1630 Sheridan – Best Value on Wilmette’s Lakefront!
Incredible resort-like living on the North Shore! Amazing views of Lake Michigan from this gorgeous 3 Bedroom co-op unit with added Den, private balcony, in-unit laundry, 2.5 baths, many updates and every building amenity imaginable to make life as easy and enjoyable as possible for you. This premiere building offers attentive on-site management, 24 hour doorman, manicured grounds with BBQ grills, pool, heated garage with deeded parking space (#126), fitness room, private storage locker (#15), party room and rentable guest unit. Walk to Plaza del Lago, shopping and dining. NOTE: Property taxes INCLUDED in monthly assessment.
Video Tour of 5406 Crain – Home For Sale in Skokie, IL
Missed our open house?
No worries – check out our video tour of this fabulous home! Contact Lisa Finks or Lourdes Arencibia for more details or a private showing. 5406 Crain, Home For Sale in Skokie.
Welcome Home! This Must-See Georgian Home Boasts Traditional Style and Ease of Living. Meticulously Kept and So Many Updates! New Kitchen & All New Appliances (2012), Gut Rehab of Upper Bathroom (2012), New Doors Throughout (2014), New Tile, Sink, Toilet in Powder (2011), New Tile in Basement Bath (2016), New Fixtures Second Floor (2012), New Brick Paving (2015). On the First Floor, a Formal Dining Room, Large Living Room, Updated Kitchen, Large Sunlit Family Room, Powder and Mud Room Make Day to Day Living a Breeze. Home Features 3 Generous Bedrooms Upstairs and Lots of Closet Space. Basement is Finished with Second Full Kitchen, Rec Room, and Additional Office/Extra Bedroom. Basement Could Easily be Used as a Self-Contained In-Law or Nanny Area. Oversized 2.5 Car Garage and Large Yard with Deck Off Back of Home. Convenient Mud Room with Fabulous Storage. Gorgeous Tree-lined Street With Easy Access to Top Schools, Public Transportation, Shopping and Parks.
If You Move Out of the City Move to Wilmette
By: Lauren Stevens, Chicago News
There’s that cliché that once you get married and start having children, the days of city life are behind you. With better schools in the burbs, backyards and just more space to roam, Wilmette has all of the suburban qualities families are looking for while maintaining a small thread of city throughout the village.
BACKGROUND
Wilmette is one of the first technical North Shore areas, while some people consider Evanston the first North Shore neighborhood, others beg to differ. Wilmette offers simply spectacular views, has plenty of shopping, family friendly activities, plenty of parks and even a beach! The district has a rich history, stunning architecture and is home to the Baha’i House of Worship, recognized as one of the Seven Wonders of Illinois. The Village of Wilmette is also best known for its superior private schools and nationally renowned New Trier High School. In addition to its incredible school systems, Wimette has been awarded an AAA credit rating, the highest award proving the responsible financial management of its residents.
With a population of nearly 28,000 recorded in 2013, with only a little less than 6-mile radius, the village remains a very tight-knit and welcoming community. Personally I wouldn’t want to live in the suburbs, but I understand people’s needs change and sometimes the suburbs are the best alternative, but if I had to choose a suburb, I’d choose Wilmette.It has the cozy feel to it, while remaining relatively close to the city. (Sheridan connects you back to Lake Shore Drive and in turn the road back to the city.) With the Purple line ending in Wilmette at Linden, running express for daily city commutes, it’s possible to travel downtown in no time. This attracts me more than anything else, the fact that you are so separated, but if you so choose can have the city contact back in an instant.
CUISINE
French Market
In general I love a good farmers market, but Wilmette takes it to the next level with their French Market. Running every Saturday during the warmer months, the fun and vibrant French-style market gives you all the farmers’ market classics with a twist. You already know you’re going to find great cheeses and meats, but you will also be surprised with the quality of jewelry and craft items made available.
Walker Bros Pancake House>
A true classic! Do you remember the ending of the movie “Mean Girls” when Aaron Samuels offers Cady Heron two gift certificates to the Walker Bros Pancake House? It’s because this place rocks and delivers quality, delicious food every time. Dutch babies, Belgium waffles, breakfast food galore. If you can dream of a breakfast fantasy, chances are Walker Bros is cooking it up. A serious breakfast staple on the North Shore, if you haven’t gone yet, what have you been waiting for? They have bacon pancakes, people. You’re welcome.
AO Sushi<
A unique concept, AO Sushi serves up fresh sushi for all of your to-go needs. Not a standard sit-down restaurant, AO strictly gives your orders to-go or delivers them. The pricing is extremely reasonable, the fish is fresh and the concept opens up a whole new world of potential sushi parties. Just order up and get your sushi on with your closest buddies without breaking the bank. Try the Godzilla roll for a truly monstrously delicious sushi experience.
Rock House
Eclectic is one word you could use to describe the vibe at Rock House. With everything you’d get from a funky coffee house, you also can add music lesson space and small venue to the list of Rock House duties. You can hit all of your funky needs in one spot, start you afternoon with some coffee, take a guitar lesson and end the day with a live show in the small space while grabbing a beer. Oh, and don’t forget they sell candy here too. A true entertainment one-stop shop.
Gillson Park/Beach
A beautiful park and beach in Wilmette that gets you stellar views, clean beaches and good fun. Like most North Shore beaches, Gillson charges a fee, but you do get free parking, cleaner beaches and on-duty lifeguards for added safety. Definitely worth the $6-8 fee, you get what you pay for after all.
Baha’i House of Worship
As previously mentioned, the Baha’i House of Worship is known as one of the Seven Wonders of Illinois. >The truly spectacular building is breathtaking. You don’t have to be a member of the religion or religious at all for that matter to enjoy the beauty and marvel of the magnificent temple. This is the only temple of its kind in North America which is truly something to think about. Of all the cities and communities in the United States and Canada, Wilmette was chosen to house one of only eight Baha’i temples in the world. While in Wilmette it is absolutely essential to pay a visit, stroll through the gardens and take in everything.
Wilmette Hot Spots:
French Market
722 Green Bay Rd
Wilmette, IL 60091
Walker Bros Pancake House
153 Green Bay Rd
Wilmette, IL 60091
(847) 251-6000
AO Sushi
3217 W Lake Ave
Wilmette, IL 60091
(847) 256-4404
Rock House
1150 Central Ave
Wilmette, IL 60091
(847) 256-7625
Gillson Park/Beach
800 Gillson Park Dr
Wilmette, IL 60091
(847) 256-9656
Baha’i House of Worship
100 Linden Ave
Wilmette, IL 60091
(847) 853-2300
Source: If You Move Out of the City Move to Wilmette
Top 10 Scariest Haunted Houses on the North Shore and Beyond. . .
Scream Scene, 7:00 – 10:00 pm, daily through 10/31, 4701 Oakton Street, Skokie
Fright Fest, Six Flags Great America, weekends through 10/31, 1 Great America Pkwy, Gurnee
House of Torment, (13 and over) 7:00 pm – 12:00 am, daily through 10/31, 8240 N. Austin Ave., Morton Grove
Disturbia, Screams in the Park, (13 and over) 7:00 pm – 12:00 am, daily through 10/31, MB Financial PArk at Rosemont,
13th Floor Haunted House, (13 and over) 7:00 pm, daily through 10/31, 1940 George St., Melrose Park
Dungeon of Doom, (13 and over), 7:00 pm, daily throguh 10/31, (13 and over), 600 29th Street Zion
Statesville Haunted Prison, (13 and over), 7:00 pm daily through 10/31, 17250 S. Weber Road
Crest Hill
Midnight Terror, (13 and over), 7:00 pm daily through 10/31, 9531 S 52nd Ave, Oak Lawn
Insanity Haunted House, (13 and over), 6:30-10:00 pm weekends through 10/31, 3800 E Main St, St. Charles
Hell’s Gate, (13 and over), 7:00 – 10:00 pm weekends through 10/31, Lockport Metra Lot, 1300 South State St., Lockport IL 60441
Top 10 Kid-Friendly Halloween Haunts
Friday, October 21, 5:30-8:00 pm, Halloween Spooktacular, (kid-friendly), 2400 Chestnut Ave,
Glenview.
Saturday, October 22, 6-9 pm – Halloween Happenings (Kid-friendly), Wilmette Park District
Friday, October 28, 5:00-7:30 pm, Pumpkins in the Woods, (Kid-friendly), Tower Road Beach, Winnetka
Saturday, October 22, 1-2:30 – Spooky Skate (Kid Friendly), Wilmette’s Centennial Ice Rink
Saturday, October 22, 6:00 – 9:30 pm, Haunted Trail, Lloyd Beach, Winnetka
Sunday, October 29, Evanston Trick or Treat Trot, (Kid Friendly), 9:00 am, Evanston Lakefront
Friday, October 28, 10 am – 2 pm – Not So Scary Haunted House (Kid Friendly), Winnetka Community House
Saturday, October 15, 10:00-11:30 am, Boo Bash, (kid friendly) Glen Town Center
Friday, October 28, 7:00 – 9:00 pm, Haunted House (8 and older), Winnetka Community House (Halloween Party from 6-8)
Saturday, 10/22 and 10/29, 11:30 am – 2:00 pm, Scream Scene – Lights On – 4701 Oakton Street, Skokie
Saturday, October 22, Zombie Scramble Loraine Morton Civic Center – Evanston
