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Winnetka Congregational Church Rummage Sale

I love the whole concept of rummage sales. Far from being an anachronism as some might think, they serve several important purposes, all at once:

• They make low cost items available to those who need them.
• They facilitate the re-use and recycling  of usable goods, thus sparing our landfills from more trash.
• They provide a convenient (and tax-deductible) way to get rid of the stuff you no longer need.
• And (in many cases) the proceeds provide funding for local charities and social service agencies.

This week Winnetka Congregational Church will hold its 80th consecutive spring rummage sale. It’s one of the biggest one-day rummage sales in the area (if not the world!), with 31 “departments” including furniture, electronics, toys, hardware, clothing, books, china, crystal and more. It  involves hundreds of volunteers, many of whom have been working at the sale for decades.  And it raises hundreds of thousands of dollars which are donated (after expenses) to nearly 40 Chicago-area social service agencies.

Here are the details of this year’s sale:

When: Thursday, May 10 from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Where: Winnetka Community House, 620 Lincoln Ave., Winnetka

Two pieces of advice:

Come early for the best selection or come late for the best deals.

Parking in Winnetka on sale day is a nightmare…take public transportation or get someone to drop you off.

Tags: rummage sales, Winnetka Congregational Church

Kenilworth Gardens Neighborhood Yard Sale

I do love to purge my house of stuff we no longer use, though you’d never know that if you came over to my house right now and saw the piles of clutter everywhere. Normally I just haul everything over to the rummage sale at my church, but this year my daughter is dying to have a yard sale. Which got me to thinking that it would be a lot more fun to make it a neighborhood event.

So, our Come Home North Shore team has decided to sponsor the first annual Kenilworth Gardens Neighborhood Yard Sale. If you live in the neighborhood and want to participate, it’s easy.  All you have to do is drop us a line and tell us you want in, then put prices on your merchandise, drag it outside and welcome the hoards of buyers that are bound to show up on sale day. That’s it. We’ll supply the signs and the advertising to ensure we get a good turnout.

If you’re not from the neighborhood, we hope you’ll stop  by and check out all the wonderful “merchandise” we’ll be selling. I’m sure you’ll see lots of stuff you didn’t know you needed!

Here are the details:

When: Saturday, May 19 from 8:00 am to noon. (But you can start and stop whenever you want…we are not the yard sale police).

Where: Beechwood, Kenilworth, Chestnut, Thornwood, Greenwood and Elmwood Avenues (west of Ridge Rd.) in Wilmette

What to know more? Give us a call at 847-881-6657 or email us.

TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL YARD SALE

Tags: garage sales, Kenilworth Gardens, yard sales

Historic Wilmette Farmhouse

When this three bedroom house at 832 Chilton Lane in Wilmette goes on the market later this week it’s going to go quickly. Here’s why it’s such a great buy:

• It’s very well-priced at $629,000.
• It has loads of vintage charm and hardwood floors throughout.
• The kitchen and baths have been recently updated.
• It’s on a double-lot: 111′ x 159′ x 110′ x 153′
• It’s on a cul de sac street just a quick walk to Romona Elementary School

Built in 1920, we’re told this was the original farmhouse for the surrounding in this area. We’ll be having an open house this Sunday,  April 29 from 12:00 to 3:00 so stop by! .

Tags: Wilmette homes for sale

Lakefront Living in Highland Park

Go on vacation without leaving home!

Can’t you just picture yourself sitting on this porch on a warm summer evening, sipping a cold drink and gazing out at Lake Michigan? Follow Sheridan Road until it turns into a private lane and you’ll find this spectacular Highland Park home with its lake views and wide lawn that’s perfect for a game of croquet. Living here is like living in a summer resort, all year long.

The home is located at 2714 Sheridan Road and is being offered for $2,199,000. It has thirteen rooms, five bedrooms, four full and two half baths. It’s perfect for entertaining: whether it’s a holiday dinner with your entire extended family in the large formal dining room or a summer pool party out back, this house has plenty of room for everyone. And one of the best things about it is that you have all the advantages of a lakefront property without the sky-high taxes that normally accompany a home on the lake.

It’s going on the market later this week, but if you want more information about it please give us a call at 847-881-6657 or email us. And be sure and join us at our open house on Sunday, April 22.

Tags: 2714 Sheridan Rd., homes with lake views, lakefront properties, Luxury homes

Winnetka Neighborhoods: Hubbard Woods

Was There an Old Mother Hubbard?

There was an Old Father Hubbard, an early landowner, Gilbert Hubbard, who moved to Winnetka in 1871 after the Chicago fire, but no knowledge of his wife exists. The neighborhood that later developed on Hubbard’s land became known as Hubbard Woods and the elementary school (eventually) took its name from the surrounding neighborhood.

Hubbard Woods is located in the northern part of Winnetka. The neighborhood is bounded on the east by Green Bay Rd., on the north by Scott Ave., on the south by Pine St. and on the west by the Skokie Lagoons. The elementary school also serves a small part of Winnetka that is east of Green Bay between Tower Rd. and Woodlawn Avenue.

Homes in Hubbard Woods are typically traditional in style: Tudors, Colonials, Georgians, etc. Many were built between 1905 and 1930, though a few date from the late 1800’s. During the recent boom a number of smaller, older homes were torn down and replaced by new construction. Current prices for single-family homes range from $585,000 to $4,500,000, with a median list price of $1,498,000. In 2011 the average sales price was $1,392,000. Some of the most desirable streets with the biggest homes are Ardsley, Pelham, Laurel and Private Rd. Lot sizes for homes at the lower end of the price range are typically 50′x160′, while larger homes have lots as big as a half acre or more.

The neighborhood has its own shopping area along Green Bay Rd. with stores and a few restaurants, as well as a Metra station.

There are currently 46 homes for sale in Hubbard Woods. Here’s a sampling:

A little about Hubbard Woods School. Constructed in 1915, it was originally called Skokie School. (The name was changed to Hubbard Woods School in 1924, when the new junior high, named Skokie School, was opened.) Modern for its time, Hubbard Woods was designed to be a haven for students and less severe in appearance and environment than other schools of that era. To make each classroom feel like second home for the students, each had a skylight and its own outside entrance. To accommodate a growing population, the school was expanded and remodeled several times between 1918 and 1999. You can get information about Hubbard Woods School ratings and school reports here.

Related Articles:

• Hubbard Woods Neighborhood Home Sales
• Winnetka Home Sales by Elementary School – 2011
• Winnetka Neighborhoods: Crow Island
• Winnetka Neighborhoods: Forest Glen
• Winnetka Neighborhoods: Winnetka Heights
• Winnetka’s Indian Hill Neighborhood
  

Tags: Hubbard Woods, Winnetka neighborhoods

Thornwood Park Egg Hunt – Part Deux

What a perfect day we had for our 2nd Annual Egg Hunt in Thornwood Park! Sunny, warm, lots of kids, the best Easter Bunny ever (thank you to Spencer Olson!), prizes for everyone…and even some fun for the parents, who got to enter a drawing to win gift cards to Depot Nuevo and Fuel Restaurants (thank you to Ann Garrison and Tim Lenon for donating these wonderful prizes!).

We just wanted to share some photos of the event and wish everyone a very Happy Easter!

Tags: Easter egg hunt, egg hunt, Thornwood Park

2nd Annual Thornwood Park Egg Hunt

Our inaugural egg hunt was so successful last year we’ve decided to make it an annual event.

So grab the kids and hop on over for some eggs-citement at Thornwood Park this Saturday morning, April 7, at 9:45 (the hunt will start at 10:00).

The Come Home North Shore team is hosting our 2nd annual Thornwood Park Egg Hunt for kids 10 and under. It looks like we’ll have good weather for it. The forecast is for partly sunny skies and 65 degrees. Be sure and bring your camera to take pictures with the Easter Bunny. And don’t forget to bring a basket for collecting your eggs. We’ll have prizes for the kids and a drawing for the parents.

Who: Kids 10 and under (but don’t worry, we’re not going to card your kid)

Where: Thornwood Park in Wilmette (2400 Thornwood Ave.)

When: Saturday, April 7. The hunt will start at 10:00 am SHARP! ( If you are even 5 minutes late you will miss it.) So come early to meet the Easter Bunny,  guess the number of jelly beans in the jar and enter our drawing for a fabulous prize.

Why: Because it’s fun, of course!

See you there!

Tags: egg hunt, Thornwood Park

Winnetka Colonial Home for Sale

Here’s a great house in a wonderful neighborhood on the north end of Winnetka. This delightful brick home at 149 Glenwood has all the charm of a vintage house and all the modern amenities you’d find in a newer home. Listed for $739,000, it’s bigger than it looks from the street. Downstairs it has an elegant living room with floor to ceiling arched windows and a fireplace. The formal dining room opens to a cozy sunroom and to a comfy sunken family room. The eat-in kitchen has been recently updated with granite counters and stainless appliances.

On the second floor there’s a large new master bedroom and bath as well as two family bedrooms and bright and fresh hall bath. Up on the third floor is a fourth bedroom with sitting room/office and half bath, a perfect teenage suite.

Out back is a lovely shaded patio and a two car garage. Just across the street and down the block is a great little neighborhood park and playlot. You can get more info about this home here.

Tags: Winnetka homes for sale

Charming Glencoe Home for Sale

Come Home North Shore just listed this charming Glencoe home and, if you are looking for a three bedroom, two and one half bath house that’s been totally redone, this is the one for you!

With incredible curb appeal, the front porch welcomes you home. Sitting back from Green Bay Rd. on a lovely lot, the home features spacious and light-filled rooms and hardwood floors throughout. On the first floor there is a living room with fireplace, dining room, kitchen with granite countertops, cherry cabinetry and top of the line stainless steel appliances. The family room opens out onto the pretty yard with bluestone patio and pergola. Upstairs are three delightful bedrooms, including a fabulous master bedroom with cathedral ceiling and skylights, as well as a luxurious bath. The finished basement has a big rec room, laundry room and plenty of storage.

Here are the best things about this house:

• It’s been recently redone from top to bottom and has a fresh and young decor.
• It’s close to town and train and right next door to the Takiff Community Center, which offers activities  for everyone in the family.
• You will enjoy summer evenings entertaining on your patio.
• A two car garage is steps from your back door.

Perfection! It’s ready and waiting for you to move in. Go here for more information about this adorable house.

Tags: Glencoe homes for sale

Winnetka Neighborhoods: Crow Island

Crow Island: Where are the Crows? In Fact, Where is the Island?

Crow Island is named for a geographic feature that no longer exists. Originally, the western part of Winnetka bordered the Skokie swamp. Within this swamp were a few islands, one of which was called Crow Island because many crows nested there. During 1933 through 1940, the swamp was drained to form the present-day Skokie Lagoons. While most of the crows now nest elsewhere, the former island location, just west of Crow Island School, is now called the Crow Island Woods and serves as an outdoor laboratory for learning, where wildlife and wildflowers abound.

Crow Island neighborhood (and the school for which it is named) is located in the southwestern section of town. The school was opened in 1941 and expanded and remodeled in 1954 and 1975. Its attendance area (shaded in blue on the map) is defined by Pine Street on the north, Hibbard Road on the west, Winnetka Road/Hill Road on the south, and Green Bay Road on the east.

The houses here are mostly traditional in style: Colonial, Georgian and Tudor, plus a few Capes, Victorians and American Four Squares. The majority of the houses here were built between 1920 and 1940. However, during the recent housing boom many smaller homes were torn down and replaced by new construction. Lots sizes are typically 50 x 187 but vary greatly depending on where the property is located. In many cases the garages are detached and accessible via alleys.

Home prices in Crow Island range all the way from $425,000 to $3,500,000, but the typical price range is $750,000 to $1,000,000. There are currently 46 homes on the market in Crow Isalnd. Here is a sampling:

The Crow Island school building is considered by many to be the jewel of elementary schools, not just within Winnetka but within the nation. In 1971, the original architects received the American Institute of Architects’ 25-Year Award for the school. (The award had been given only once before, to the Rockefeller Center in New York City.) Further, in 1975 Crow Island School received architectural recognition when its recently completed Resource Center was awarded citations for excellence of design by a number of state and national organizations and was featured in a display at the AASA Convention in Dallas. More recently, the U.S. Department of the Interior designated Crow Island School as a National Historic Landmark in 1990. You can take a video tour of Crow Island School with Joe Zekas from Yo Chicago here.

Related Articles:

• Crow Island Neighborhood Home Sales
• Winnetka Home Sales by Elementary School – 2011
• Winnetka – Home of the First Jungle Gym
• Winnetka Neighborhoods: Forest Glen
• Winnetka Neighborhoods: Winnetka Heights
• Winnetka’s Indian Hill Neighborhood
  

Tags: Crow Island School, Skokie swamp, Winnetka neighborhoods