The evening air temperatures have been perfect for getting that restful night’s sleep – here are some additional tips for making sure every night is as restful as possible.
Great article from Houzz.com
Lisa Finks, Compass Real Estate
Lisa Finks, Lourdes Arencibia and Carolyn Duris, REALTORS on Chicago's North Shore.
The evening air temperatures have been perfect for getting that restful night’s sleep – here are some additional tips for making sure every night is as restful as possible.
Great article from Houzz.com
I remember declaring that I would raise my kids in the city and couldn’t imagine a move to the ‘burbs. We had our school, our friends, our church, our routine. But our excellent private school kept raising tuition, the kids got bigger, the house seemed smaller and without a yard, spontaneous play was a challenge. My husband pushed for it and in 2008 we moved our 3rd, 1st and Pre-schooler to Wilmette, Illinois (I, begrudgingly). Once on the North Shore, I was amazed at how much easier and cheaper our life became. An attached garage, free and plentiful parking spaces, top notch FREE public schools – all while still having access to the Lake, shopping and excellent restaurants (albeit not quite so many). Life is great in Wilmette and I am thankful we made the move when we did. This excellent article from the Chicago Tribune runs through some of the considerations and emotions of such a move. As a local Realtor, I especially love working with people relocating from the city. I feel a connection with what they are going through and, as a highly involved suburban resident and parent, I feel well qualified to walk buyers through all of the little details of finding that perfect home and creating a new life in the ‘burbs! Check out my website for lots of information on Wilmette and other North Shore communities.
Source: Relax. Take a deep breath. Moving to the suburbs is going to be OK. – Chicago Tribune
What if this was your backyard? A slice of the great outdoors in super convenient Glenview! I spent some time at The Enclave in Glenview before the official opening and I have the scoop! The Enclave features 48 gorgeous NEW construction homes (with first floor masters) starting in the $750’s!! The homes have tons of natural light and open plans. Really beautiful. Contact me for more details. I am happy to share floorplans, site plan, arrange a showing, etc.
Remember the Olsen twins? All grown up and buying real estate. . . Former child actress and fashion designer Ashley Olsen is in contract to purchase a condo at Greenwich Village’s 37 East 12th Street. (more)
Source: Ashley Olsen In Contract to Buy Greenwich Village Condo – WSJ
I am officially hungry now! I feel they have may have missed the mark with Illinois. You?? (more)
Source: Every State’s Most Important Food Innovation
As everyone knows, many factors affect a home’s value. Recently rehabbed and updated homes always sell faster and for a higher price since buyers are willing to pay a premium for a move-in ready home.
In the last 12 months, 93 homes have sold in East Wilmette, 32 of which were considered recent rehabs. The 32 recently rehabbed homes, on average, sold for 95% of the original list price and in 38 days while the non-rehabbed homes sold, on average, for 92% of original list price and in 51 days. (Based on Midwest Real Estate Data, as of 1st quarter, 2016). At $1,000,000, the difference between 95% and 92% is $30,000. We can help ensure you don’t leave money on the table!
Homeowners often ask Realtors to quantify the value of a home improvement they have made or plan to make. Check out an excerpt from the Remodeling Impact Survey: 2015, published by the National Association of Realtors. Take a look to see how home improvements compare. Sometimes, smaller projects such as paint, refinished floors and landscape deliver the largest returns!
As always, I welcome the opportunity to serve you with all of your real estate needs. Call or email any time – I’d love to hear from you!
Get your tape measure out because here is your blueprint for a bedroom that works! Steven Randel has shared the “science” of creating the ultimate bedroom retreat – right down to the slipper rest and circulation zone!
The backpacks will be overflowing in the next few weeks with all of the treasures from the schoolyear. Instead of letting your child’s drawings clutter your fridge door or countertops, hang a few artfully and don’t feel guilty about tossing the others. (More)
Source: 6 Ways to Display Your Kid’s Artwork | Real Simple
By: Rebecca Lee
Happy New Year, everyone! According to a study done by the University of Scranton Journal of Clinical Psychology, the following are some of the most common resolutions that Americans have made for 2016. Because we all understand how difficult commitment to these can be, here are resources and tips specific to the North Shore community that will hopefully keep you from breaking those resolutions within the first four days!
If you have resolved to stay fit and healthy this year, you have several resources here in Wilmette! Purchase a membership at the Center Fitness Club in the Wilmette Park District Center, located on 3000 Glenview Road. The Fitness Club provides members with state-of-the-art equipment for individual use. Members can also participate in a multitude of different group classes that teach all kinds of activities, from Zumba to Pilates to Conditioning. Clearly, there are options for everyone!
Although, experts do say that fitness is only twenty percent exercise, and eighty percent diet! Citizens of Wilmette enjoy and sometimes even take for granted the fresh and organic food that is readily available in grocery stores such as Fresh Market in Edens Plaza Shopping Center and the newly constructed Whole Foods Market on Green Bay Road. Additionally, the great majority of restaurants located in Wilmette, such as Depot Nuevo Restaurant and Walker Bros Original Pancake House, are locally owned and serve high quality meals. You do not see a lot of fast food around here!
There are plenty of opportunities around Wilmette for those who have resolved to get organized in 2016! If you are looking for simple supplies, check out the enormous Office Depot on Greenbay Road, where you can find everything from a planner that you’ll actually use to a filing cabinet that will help clear the mess of papers on your desk that you haven’t touched since last January.
Or, maybe you’re seeking to de-clutter your wardrobe, where you have trouble ridding of pants that haven’t fit in years. To make the experience easier for you, there are several locations where you can donate or even sell clothes that you no longer wear. Consider donating to Salvation Army on Oakton Street or Connections for the Homeless on Lake Street in Skokie, which are only fifteen minutes from Wilmette. You can sell gently used items to stores such as Plato’s Closet, conveniently located a couple of minutes away from Old Orchard Shopping Center in Skokie. Not only can you clear your closet, you can simultaneously earn quick cash or help another in need!
Those who wish to learn something exciting this year have an abundance of choices in the North Shore! For those looking to explore creatively, the Center for the Arts at the Wilmette Park District offers classes to everyone from children to adults in theater, dance, music, and art. Similarly, at the the North Shore Art League, teens and adults can learn to create different forms of art, or simply work on their own pieces in open studios.
If you are looking to push yourself out of your physical comfort zone, at Yogaview Wilmette on Green Bay Road, you can take all sorts of classes, from Prenatal Yoga to Trauma-Informed Yoga, where you will learn not only the activity, but the transforming philosophy.
Or, maybe you’re someone who struggles to boil water or successfully crack an egg. Then, take a culinary class at Sur La Table or Williams-Sonoma at Old Orchard Shopping Center, where you’ll learn to use your oven to do more than heat up leftover take-out!
There are so many opportunities to help others succeed in the North Shore! If you are a student at New Trier High School, you can attend one of the long list of clubs that provide opportunities for social service. Specifically, you can distribute goods to local food pantries, tutor at-risk children at schools in Chicago, or even simply work in a soup kitchen for a couple of hours. These are such invaluable opportunities that are so readily available to us!
Even if you are not a student, you can volunteer to do all kinds of work! Through the Winnetka Youth Organization, you can not only work with but mentor adolescents in this community. Similarly, you can work at programs at Angles, a clinic that provides sexual health and education services for teenagers. If you work well in the outdoors, volunteer for the Friends of the Green Bay Trail, who maintain (as the name suggests) the nature of the Green Bay Trail. If you wish to step outside of your comfort zone, you can work for the Night Ministry, which provides housing and health services to impoverished or homeless citizens of Chicago. Again, there are so many places in the North Shore where you can not only check off an item on your to-do list, but more importantly, give back to the community.
My new website offers Chicago’s North Shore residents (or those looking to move here) the most engaging community information and unique market statistics not found anywhere else!
For example, some of my favorite North Shore Living features include:
I want my friends and neighbors to stay informed. I want my clients to gain every advantage in this competitive marketplace. Wilmette homes, Glenview homes, Winnetka homes, Kenilworth homes, Northbrook homes and Evanston homes – find everything you need to live, buy and sell on Chicago’s North Shore!
Enjoy!
Lisa