North Shore Views

Does Your House Have Halitosis?

Nothing can turn off a potential seller like a house that smells.

Trouble is, when we live in a house, we get used to its particular “aroma” and we may not even realize that others find it noticeably unpleasant. And I know of what I speak. With 3 large dogs, 5 chinchillas and a guinea pig, my house is somewhere between farm and zoo on the olfactory scale. If I ever sell my house, I will have to do some serious odor remediation.

There are several smells that you want to avoid when your house is on the market: cooking aromas, cigarette and cigar smoke, pet odors, garbage and, last but not least, that stale smell typical of a vacant house that’s been closed up for an extended period.

The best way to know if your house does give off an unpleasant odor is to ask a trusted friend to come over and take an objective whiff. Remember that old air freshener ad where the neighbor comes over, sniffs the air and  and says, “Fish for dinner last night?” Of course, no one would actually say that to you, but in this case you really do want her to. Promise her you won’t be offended.

Here are some ways to minimize bad smells in your house:

• Take the garbage out every day and especially right before a showing or an open house.
• Quit smoking. You’ve been wanting to since forever. Well, now you have another good reason to do it. But there will still be smoke smell lingering on all the curtains and upholstery (which you probably won’t notice, but others will), so it might also be a good time to call the Stanley Steemer man.
• Watch what you cook while your house is on the market, and always use the exhaust fan in your kitchen. Certain foods have smells that linger: fish, lamb, broccoli, garlic, onions, curry and fried foods. If you want to eat those things while your house is for sale, go to a restaurant.
• Wash the dog and his bed often.
• Stash the litter box in the garage when people are coming through the house.
• Use a de-humidifier in the basement, especially in summer.

Before you run out and buy all those plug-in air freshener thingies you see advertised on TV, be warned that using them can backfire. First, because the scent may be overpowering, and some people are actually allergic or hyper-sensitive to the fragrances used in those products. And second, because if the scent is really noticeable, people will think you’re trying to cover up something (which you are).

Instead, try these ideas to freshen up your home:

• Open the windows for an hour every day and let fresh air circulate.
• Cut up some lemon wedges and run them through the garbage disposal before showings and open houses.
• Use an odor eliminator like PureAyre which eliminates rather than masks odors. It is completely safe to use around food, babies and people with allergies. It doesn’t cover up odors. Instead it breaks down odor causing compounds. It’s not cheap, but it works. You can buy it at Petco, Whole Foods or online.
• Put a small reed diffuser in the bathroom with a vanilla scent. Vanilla is one of the most universally appealing scents.
• You can bake cookies or you can just heat up some water and throw fresh cinnamon into it. Just turn it off before buyers come though, so it’s not overwhelming.

Related articles:

• Home Staging Works. Here’s Proof.
• How Photos Can Prevent Your House from Selling
  

Tags: eliminating house odors

Kohl Children’s Museum Celebrates its 25th Anniversary

I was reminded not long ago how fortunate we are to have the Kohl Children’s Museum so close by. We used to go there a lot when my kids were younger, but now my daughter is past the ideal age for the museum. Since we had friends in from out of town with a younger child,  off we went to show them this wonderful local gem. And my daughter, despite being the ripe old age of 9, had a blast. And it was the same exhibits that appealed to her before, that grabbed her attention now: the child-sized grocery store, the mini Potbelly restaurant, the veterinary clinic and the Water Works. And all of us were fascinated by the temporary Monarch Butterfly exhibit, where we could see close-up the four stages of butterfly development.

This year, the museum celebrates its 25th anniversary. It was founded in 1985 by Dolores Kohl. The museum was originally located in Wilmette and moved to its current and larger home in Glenview in 2005.  It offers a wide array of enrichment activities and exhibits where children can play, explore and learn in an environment built specifically for them. There are 16 permanent exhibits to enjoy and usually there are 2-3 temporary exhibits. Right now, in addition to the Monarch butterfly exhibit, there is one featuring Curious George and another featuring Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl to show children how to care for our natural resources.

To celebrate its 25 anniversary the museum has a number of special activities planned, most of them geared to younger children. Here’s a run-down of activities for the museum’s anniversary kick-off week:

Sunday, July 25- Free Admission Day

• 12-1:30                             WTTW “Readers are Leaders” performance with Miss Lori’s Campus

Monday, July 26 – Science Day

• 10:00 and 10:45 am       Very Hungry Caterpillar Appearance
• 10:00 – 12:00                   Anderson Pest Solutions Insect Zoo
• 2:00 – 4:00  pm              Botanic Gardens Wiggly Worms Activity
• 3:00 and 4:00 pm          Bubble Juggler Geoff Akins Performance

Tuesday, July 27 – Health and Safety Day

• 9:30 am – 1:00 pm          Firezone Fire Engine Exploration
• 10 am – 12 pm                   Gymboree
• 10 am – 12:30 pm             Little Legends Soccer Clinic
• 2- 3 pm                               Operation Railroad Tracks Safety Presentation
• 3 and 3:45 pm                   Smokey Bear Appearance

Wednesday, July 28 – Arts and Literacy Day

• 9 am – 5 pm                        Free Family Photo
• 10 am – 12 pm
  and 1-4 pm                          Blick Art Materials Activity
• 2-5 pm                                 Writers’ Theatre Children’s Acting Workshop
• 3 and 3:45 pm                    Clifford the Big Red Dog Appearance

Thursday, July 29 – Music Day

• 10 and 11 am                        Karen Banks-Lubicz Concerts
• 1, 2 and 3 pm                       Mindy Hester and the Time Outs Concerts
• 3-3:45 pm                             Curious George and the Man in the Yellow Hat

Friday, July 30 – Grand Celebration

• 10-10:45 am                          Very Hungry Caterpillar Appearance
• 11 am – 1 pm                          Free cake and ice cream sponsored by Bobtail Ice cream and Tetra Pak
• 1 – 1:45 pm                             Curious George and the Man in the Yellow Hat
• 3 – 3:45 pm                            Clifford the Big Red Dog Appearance

The museum is located at 2100 Patriot Blvd. in Glenview (in the Glen).You can get directions here.

Summer hours are:
Monday-Saturday 9:30 am – 5 pm
Sunday 12-5 pm

Admission is $8.50 (free for children under 1 year; $7.50 for seniors)

Tags: Kohl Children's Museum

Harper Neighborhood Home Sales – 1st Half 2010

The Harper School neighborhood is certainly one of the bright spots right now in terms of homes sales. While home sales trends in Wilmette in the first half of 2010 were quite positive (+85% over 1st half 2009), Harper’s trends are even better, with 150% more houses sold this year than last. Even more surprising is the improvement of median selling price. While the median selling price for Wilmette actually decreased by 1%, the median price in the Harper area actually increased 7.4%, from $745,000 to $800,000. We haven’t seen this kind of trend in quite a while!

Before we get too excited, we need to keep in mind that there is still a lot of inventory on the market: 52 active listings in the Harper area alone, and some of them have been sitting for a while. On the other hand, there have been a few cases where the home was in great condition and well-priced and it sold in a matter of days. Yes, it can still happen, even in today’s market.

Harper Neighborhood Home Sales (1st Half 2010 vs. 2009)

Source: MRED, LLC. Single family homes. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

If you’d like to find out what your home is worth in today’s market, you can get a free, quick, over-the-net evaluation here or you can call me at 847-687-5957. If you would like more specific data about home sales on your street or in the immediate vicinity of your home, you can email me and I will be happy to send it to you.

Related Articles:

• North Shore Home Sales Data – 1st Half 2010
• Harper School
• Kenilworth Gardens
• Indian Hill Estates

Tags: Harper Elementary School, Wilmette, Wilmette neighborhoods

Kids’ Dog Show in Northfield

OK,  these dogs may not be ready for the American Kennel Club Dog Show, but they do have their talents, and kids will have an opportunity to show them off at Northfield’s annual Kids’ Dog Show on Saturday, July 24 at 10:00 am.

The show will be held at Clarkson Park on Willow Rd. All dogs will be entered into either the smallest or largest dog category. In addition, contestants can choose two more categories to enter:

• Best costume
• Fanciest trick
• Best looking
• Best behaved
• Floppiest ears

I’m not sure which category any of my dogs would even have a chance to win, but I know they’d refuse to enter the “best dressed” competition. Way too embarrassing for a self-respecting lab!

If you’d like to enter, call 847-446-4428 to register.

Tags: kids' dog show, pets

5 Mistakes Buyers Make in a Buyer’s Market

If you have even a passing interest in the real estate market you know that we are, and have been for the last couple of years, in a buyer’s market; there are more houses for sale than there are buyers and, as a result,  buyers are in the driver’s seat.

In this environment you would think buyers could really make out. And they can. But they can also lose out by committing one or more of the following mistakes:

1. Trying to time the market

When home prices have been declining, it is tempting for buyers to wait as long as possible to make an offer in hopes that prices will decline even further. But just like trying to time the stock market, this strategy rarely works. It’s impossible to predict when prices will reach the bottom until they start rising again. And once a home is priced to what the current market will bear, buyers will make offers. Now that sellers have become more realistic about list prices, many properties are actually selling quickly.  And recently there have been more multiple bid situations, with some would-be buyers walking away empty-handed. The best strategy is to work with a real estate agent to make an offer based on what comparable homes are selling for.

2. Believing interest rates will stay low

Interest rates are still at 40-year lows right now, but that will not last forever. In fact most economists agree that rates will begin to rise sometime later this year. That will affect not only your monthly payment but also your purchasing power, or how much you can afford. For example, if interest rates rise 1% point, this almost offsets a 10% drop in price…so while you’re waiting to see if prices are going to go down any further, you may be shooting yourself in the foot. You could end up paying a higher price AND a higher interest rate.

3. Not getting lender pre-qualification

Things have changed since the real estate bubble burst. Lending standards are much tighter, both in terms of credit scores, down payments and salary history. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: home buying tips, Real estate

North Shore Market Update – 1st Half 2010 vs. 2009

Things are definitely looking up for real estate on the North Shore of Chicago. North Shore home sales were up 72% over last year for the first half of 2010. This increased activity was accompanied by a slight increase (+2%) in the median price of homes sold. Market time decreased slightly (-2%) over last year.

Every one of the nine towns covered in the chart below showed an increase in unit sales, with the big gainers being Kenilworth (+280% off a very small base), Highland Park (+99%) and Wilmette (+85%).

Pricing was more of a mixed bag. Kenilworth, Glenview, Highland Park and Lake Forest showed healthy increases in median price, while Winnetka, Northfield and Glencoe were down.

Market time was also mixed. Wilmette, Lake Forest and Evanston showed improvement, while days on market for Kenilworth Winnetka, Northfield and Glenview continued to increase.

Are we on the road to recovery? I sure hope so. The market seems to be turning the corner, but it will continue to be impacted by unemployment and short sales/foreclosures.

North Shore Market Update – 1st Half 2010 vs. 2009*

*Source- MRED LLC. Deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Single family home data.

If you would like to see more North Shore real estate data, you can go here.

Tags: North Shore market data, North Shore real estate trends, North Shore sales trends

Fuel Restaurant

If you’re looking for a change of pace from the usual fare at Panera and Corner Bakery, then you should try Fuel Restaurant at 1222 Washington Court in Wilmette (right next to the Metra parking lot). They have some unique and creative breakfast and lunch options made from locally grown ingredients. And they are quite tasty.

Ed and I stopped in for breakfast the other day and both of us ordered the Savory Strata. I got the vegetarian version with spinach and mushrooms and he ordered the one with Italian Sausage. I had never had a strata before but it was a yummy concoction made with Heavenly Hearth French bread, peppers, Crimini mushrooms, onions, low fat yogurt, Gruyere and Parmesan cheese, all topped by a garlic mushroom sauce and sun dried tomatoes. It was de-lish!

Fuel opened almost a year ago. Its owner, Tim Lenon, is an ex-trader and Wilmette resident, who is passionate about supporting local farmers and local businesses. His concept is “farm to table”, meaning that everything he serves is fresh off the farm and comes from within a 100 mile radius. The eggs are from cage-free chickens and the produce is grown using organic farming techniques. Fuel also claims to be the only green restaurant in town, as the space was built using recycled materials.

You can eat outside or in. The interior of the space has kind of an urban feel, not surprising given that its inspiration was some of the places Tim used to frequent in Bucktown and Wicker Park. It has cool colors and clean lines. I overheard one patron describe it as “small and concise.” And it is.

If you’re trying to make a train, or are otherwise in a rush, you can get “Fast Fuel” to grab and go: smoothies, pastries and muffins and breakfast burritos.

Fuel is open Monday – Friday from 6:00 am to 2:00 pm and on Saturday and Sunday from 7:00 to 2:00. Breakfast entrees cost $9.00-10.00 while lunch runs $8.50-10.00. Kids’ breakfasts are $5.50-7.50.

Tags: Fuel Restaurant

Summer Sidewalk Sales on the North Shore

Every year it seems like the sidewalk sales along the North Shore get better and better. Now it’s not just about shopping…the sales have turned into veritable street festivals, with food, music, games and other activities for kids. Here’s the line-up for the rest of July:

Wilmette

Friday and Saturday, July 9 and 10
9 am – 4 pm
Shopping, food and family fun, including DJ entertainment, magician, face painting, moonwalk and petting zoo on Saturday.
Call 847-251-3800 or visit www.wilmettechamber.org

Evanston – Central Street

Thursday to Saturday, July 15 to 17
10 am – 5 pm
Bargains from businesses located between the 1900 and 2100 blocks of Central Street. Central Street, located in North Evanston, is chock full of mom and pop run businesses and retains a local and distinctive charm which sets it apart from many shopping districts. There are women’s boutiques, flower shops, bakeries (including one for dogs), restaurants, a renowned spice shop, realtors, and much much more!
For more information visit www.centralstreet-evanston.com.

Winnetka

Friday and Saturday, July 16 and 17
9 am to 5 pm
This year’s theme is “Jazzing Up July”. In addition to shopping, listen to New Orleans jazz while the kids enjoy games, activities and face painting.

Phil Passen and Petra van Nuis will be performing live music during the two-day event. Passen, musician and singer, will perform a variety of traditional American music. Playing the hammered dulcimer, Passen says his music will “capture the essence of old-time music. The beautiful sound and versatility of the dulcimer shine in this captivating performance.” Consistent with the theme of the weekend, Chicago based jazz vocalist Petra van Nuis will perform several songs from her extensive repertoire on Saturday.

And some star power will be added to this year’s sale. Winnetka also will welcome Kathryn Stockett, the author of the best-selling novel The Help to the sale. The novel, set in 1960s Jackson, Miss., deals with the issue of segregation in the South a century after the Emancipation Proclamation.
Call (847) 446-4451 or visit www.winnekachamber.com.

Evanston – Downtown

Saturday, July 24
10 am to 5 pm

Close to 200 Evanston merchants in both downtown Evanston and the Chicago/Dempster district will offer deals on summer inventory, featuring the ideal mix of independent shops and your favorite national chain stores. Expect to find deals on apparel, shoes, one-of-a-kind accessories and decorative arts, including the best in specialty designed, hand-crafted goods. Resale shoppers and antique & vintage hunters will find a variety of shops to explore.

To get to the sale on public transit, take the CTA Purple Line “el” to the Davis, Dempster, or Main stop; or take Metra to the Davis or Main stop.
Call 847.866.6319 or visit http://www.downtownevanston.org

Highland Park

Thursday to Sunday, July 22 to 25
This is your opportunity to get clothing, shoes, jewelry, home décor, and other great stuff at 50 to 75 percent off regular prices. Great back-to-school bargains, too. Of course, early shoppers always find the best one-of-a-kind deals.

And this year, look for a balloonist, magician, face painters, and musicians to entertain the kids while you look for great buys.
To get there, just take the Edens Expressway – exit at Central Avenue East – travel about one mile – and you’re there.
Call 847-432-0284 or visit www.ehighlandpark.com

Tags: sidewalk sales

Thornwood Park Concert

There are so many things to love about summer on the North Shore, but for me one of the highlights has to be the Thornwood Park Concert, right here in Kenilworth Gardens.

In its sixth year, the annual concert is the brainchild of Terri and Tony Lorenz, who organized the first concert back in 2005 and have continued to be the driving force behind it. They had moved from the city and bought a house across the street from the park. And they thought, “Wow, wouldn’t this be the perfect venue for a fun neighborhood event.” And the Thornwood Park Concert was born.

The performers? Local dads (and one mom) who play in rock bands (for fun). It was a big hit that first year and has increased in popularity ever since. The concert is held on a Sunday afternoon and families wander over after nap time with strollers, wagons, bikes, picnics and coolers to enjoy the music and visit with friends.

This year’s concert features five bands. The first four are made up of Harper parents (and one Romona parent).

• Name It
• East of Edens
• Lucky Jackson Band
• Jimbo Jones
• Legs Akimbo

A new addition this year is the junior concert featuring local artists under 18, who will kick-off the event at 2:00 pm. There will also be other fun things for kids to do while parents enjoy the music: face painting, balloon animals and a bouncy house.

Last but not least, we’ll have a visit from the Wilmette Police in their squad cars and the Fire Department. For the kids, the highlight of the day is when the firetruck shoots a stream of water high in the air for the kids to run under and cool off.

This is truly a neighborhood event, and the $5000 cost of producing it is entirely funded by passing the hat among the folks who come to enjoy it, plus a couple of local sponsors.  (Most of the hat-passing is done online at the concert web site). Any money that’s left over after the concert expenses are paid goes to fund things for the playground or for maintenance of the beautiful  Prairie Garden along Kenilworth Avenue.

This year’s  concert will be held on Sunday, July 11 from 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Thornwood Park is in the Kenilworth Gardens neighborhood in Wilmette. It is bounded by Kenilworth Avenue, Dartmouth Street and Thornwood Avenue, catty-corner to Harper School.

You can get more info about the concert at www.thornwoodparkconcerts.com. If you would like to come and enjoy great music and a fun afternoon, please consider making a donation to help offset the concert’s cost. You can do this right on the web site.

Tags: Thornwood Park

Independence Day on the North Shore

This year the weather promises to be absolutely perfect for 4th of July celebrations – sunny, clear and warm (not hot) from now through Sunday. There are lots of fun things going on all up and down the North Shore, and if you’ve got the energy, you can spread your celebration out over three days. As always, Wilmette holds its celebration on July 3rd, while Glenview waits til the 5th. (Thunderstorms are currently in the forecast for Monday, so if you live in Glenview you may want to join the festivities in another town on the 4th, just to be on the safe side.). Also, note that, in Winnetka, the parade begins at 1:00 pm and not 10:00 am, as in previous years.

Evanston

July 4
7:30 pm – Twilight Concert featuring the Palatine Concert Band
9:00 pm – The musical fireworks extravaganza will be launched from Clark Street Beach and can be viewed from any part of the lakefront area east of Downtown Evanston.

Wilmette

July 3
4:00 pm -  Games and rides for children, entertainment, roving performers, and a Tastefest at Gillson Park.
7:30 pm – A traditional concert of patriotic music by the Palatine Concert Band in the Wallace Bowl. It will be preceded by a sneak preview of this summer’s Starlight Theatre musical feature.
9:30 p.m – Fireworks begin. In case of rain, the fireworks will be rescheduled to a later date.

The easiest way to get to and from the Independence Day celebrations in Gillson Park is by using the special Pace shuttle bus service. Motorists may park at Edens Plaza or at the METRA commuter lot. To see a complete listing of events or for additional transportation information see the Wilmette Park District’s website.

Winnetka

July 4
1:00 pm – The celebration begins with Winnetka’s annual parade. (Note the change in time from past years). The parade sets off from the corner of Elm and Glendale Streets, and heads east to the Village Green.
2:00 pm – -A flag-raising ceremony, children’s flag parade, and family races follow the parade on the Green.
6:30 pm -  “Fourth Fest,” featuring food, children’s entertainment, and a pre-fireworks concert at Duke Child’s Field
9:15 pm – Fireworks begin

Northfield

July 4
9:45 am -  Bike parade kicks off from two locations — Somerset and Old Willow or the Ameritech Lot. Both routes end at Willow Park.
10:30 am -  Bike judging, music and amusement rides begin. Family activities include relays, wheelbarrow races, a hula-hoop contest and an egg toss. For more information, go to northfieldparkdistrict.org or call 847-446-4428.

Glencoe

July 4
8:00 am – Fun Run starts at the train station, 724 Green Bay Road
10:00 am – Games in Kalk Park, Park Aveune and Green Bay Road
2:00 pm – Parade
6:30 pm -  Barbecue on the beach with children’s entertainment and music
9:00 pm – Fireworks on the beach
847-835-3050

Glenview

July 5

11:00 am -  Bike Parade starting at the corner of Glenview rd. and Church St.
11:30 am -  Main parade starting from OLPH parking lot and ending at Johns Park.
7:30 pm – Twilight Show with patriotic concert by the North Shore Concert Band. The show’s finale will be fireworks synchronized to patriotic music.
847-724-5670

Highland Park

July 4
11:00 am – Parade in downtown Highland Park
12:00 pm – Fourth Fest at Sunset Woods Park
9:15 pm – Fireworks at Wolters Field on Park Avenue West
847-432-0800

Lake Forest

July 4
6:00 pm – Beer garden with kids activities and live music by Sixteen Candles at Deerpath Community Park
8:00 pm – KC and the Sunshine Band
9:30 pm -  Fireworks sponsored by the Lake Forest Symphony

Tags: 4th of july, Independence Day