North Shore Views

Archive for the 'Glencoe' Category

North Shore Market Update: January-February 2010

For the first two months of 2010 sales of single family homes on Chicago’s North Shore were up 47% over the same period last year. The big winners were Highland Park and Lake Forest, which both more than doubled their sales vs. last year. Kenilworth, which only had one sale in the first two months of 2009, had five this year.

While prices were down 7% from this time last year, the rate of decline does seem to be slowing and the market may be nearing the bottom. Market times are up over last year but down versus previous months and there is less inventory on the market now.

North Shore Market Trends: Jan. – Feb. 2010 (vs. year ago)

Town	Units Sold % chg	Avg. Price % chg	Mkt Time % chg
Evanston	35%	18%	31%
Wilmette	20%	-14%	-27%
Glenview/Golf	16%	1%	3%
Northfield	-25%	-27%	84%
Kenilworth	400%	126%	65%
Winnetka	50%	-19%	11%
Glencoe	9%	-23%	1%
Highland Park	190%	14%	157%
Lake Forest	100%	-14%	-20%
NORTH SHORE	47%	-7%	8%

Source: MRED LLC -Deemed reliable but not guaranteed

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

Guide to Glencoe Preschools

In my first post about North Shore preschools I talked about some criteria for selecting a preschool. In this post I share my top picks for preschools located in Glencoe.

Children’s Circle Full Day Preschool

Takiff Center, 999 Green Bay Rd., Glencoe, IL 60022
(847) 835-3035

Children’s Circle is a program of the Glencoe Park District that serves children 15 months to 6 years old, offering a full day preschool program, as well as before and after kindergarten care. It operates year round and children may attend 2,3,4 or 5 days a week.

The Early Learning Center is a half day preschool, also at the Takiff Center, for 2 – 4 year olds.

The focus is on helping children learn to navigate their world by supporting healthy social and emotional development and an enthusiasm for learning.

St. Elisabeth’s Nursery School

556 Vernon Ave., Glencoe, IL 60022
(847) 835-0609
www.sensglencoe.org

St. Elisabeth’s Church runs a non-religious morning preschool program (9:00-11:15 am) for 3 and 4 year olds. The program is designed to give young children a positive social experience, laying the foundation for them to become enthusiastic lifelong learners.
It also offers an extended day enrichment program from 11:15-12:45, with music, art, math, science and language activities.

North Shore Congregation Israel – Gates of Learning Preschool

1185 Sheridan Rd., Glencoe, IL 60022
(847) 835-0724
North Shore Congregation Israel – Gates of Learning Preschool

Gates of Learning Preschool is a great place to play and learn about Judaism. The warm and nurturing environment fosters the social, emotional, intellectual and physical development of its students. The program integrates Jewish customs with conventional preschool activities such as arts & crafts, music, dance, drama, science and outdoor play.

The program serves children from 15 months to 4 years old, with a parent-tot class for children under 2 years old. Older 2’s attend either two or three days a week; 3’s attend three or four days and 4’s attend five days a week.

J.C.C. Early Childhood Services at Am Shalom

840 Vernon, Glencoe, IL 60022
(847) 835-0008
website

Children 2-4 years old have fun while learning Jewish values and practices, Hebrew vocabulary and honoring Shabbat. This unique program combines education about Jewish traditions and heritage with a best in class early childhood development program. It integrates Reggio Emila into the learning experience, which encourages learning through probrlam solving, exploration, discovery and experimentation. J.C.C.also offers a summer camp.

Related posts:

• Guide to North Shore Preschools
• Highland Park Preschools
• Winnetka Preschools
• Kenilworth Preschools
• Wilmette Preschools

Tags: Glencoe, Preschools

New Trier Referendum: Get the Facts Before You Vote

I realize that there are two sides to every issue and the referendum for the renovation of New Trier High School is no exception. I have my own point of view and I respect the fact that not everyone shares it.

Having said that, I do think that it is our responsibility as citizens to be informed voters. So, before you cast your vote this coming Tuesday, please make sure you have the facts. There is a lot of false and misleading information circulating. Here are some examples:

1. There will be a big balloon payment at the end of the project, at the taxpayers’ expense.
FALSE.
FACT: There is no balloon payment.That financing option was rejected. The increase to tax bills will be approximately $299 per $10,000 tax bill over the life of the project.

2. This is the largest school referendum in Illinois history.
FALSE.
FACT: This is NOT the largest school referendum in Illinois history. In 2006 alone, 4 larger capital referenda passed, approving bond issues of $185 million in Dundee, $225 million in Lincoln Way, $252 million in Plainfield and $450 million in Oswego. Also, it’s important to understand that new construction is cheaper than renovation because there is not demolition involved, nor the need to provide for continuation of classes and student activities while construction is going on.

3.At $300/sq ft. the cost of the renovation is more than the Trump Tower!
FALSE
FACT: When you compare apples to apples construction costs (not including furniture, temporary classrooms, demolition costs etc.), the cost of the New Trier renovation is $239/sq ft, which, needless to say, is significantly less than the Trump Tower.

4. This is just the first in a series of referenda that will increase our taxes.
FALSE.
FACT: The changes and upgrades being proposed are anticipated to see us through the next 20+ years without another capital referendum. In fact,  this is the first “bricks and mortar” referendum for the Winnetka campus since 1953. If the last one was 57 years ago, why do we think there are more planned in the foreseeable future?

5. The project is completely focused on athletic facilities and has nothing to do with improving the academic curriculum.
FALSE.
FACT: A new field house is one piece of the project…why? Because New Trier does not have adequate space for its athletic programs. It is virtually the only high school in the area that does not have a field house.

However, there will also be more and bigger classrooms that can use technology and are better suited to modern teaching methods,  a new cafeteria that can accommodate all students, a bigger library with more quiet study space, new science labs and new music, visual and tech arts classrooms.

It should also be noted that the renovation will correct a long-standing problem of inaccessibility: 30% of the campus is not ADA compliant.

5. The cost of the project will result in lower property values. (I got this one as a broadcast voice mail the other day)
FALSE.
FACT: One of the biggest draws for people to move to our township is the schools, particularly New Trier High School. As our high school gets more outdated and further behind the curve of what is the standard for excellence for high school education and facilities, New Trier township will become less attractive to prospective buyers, and THAT will cause home values to go down.

6. The renovation features excessive and frivolous things like heated indoor parking spaces.
FALSE
FACT: There are no heated underground parking spaces.  The new plan includes underground parking to replace current staff lots lost in the construction project and to preserve green space on the land-locked campus

To learn more about the proposed renovation, take the tour of the Winnetka campus. There are tours Saturday, January 30 at 10:00, 10:45, 11:30, 12:15, 1:00 and 1:45. Visit the New Trier facilities web site for a virtual tour and more details about the project. Read the top ten reasons to vote “yes” on February 2nd.

Then make your decision. If you still think the proposed renovation is wrong-headed, we can agree to disagree. That’s the beauty of democracy.

Tags: New Trier High School, New Trier Referendum

Glencoe Real Estate Trends

Glencoe’s data is fairly consistent with the other North Shore communities. Sales are up and so is market time. The good news is that prices appear to be stabilizing and inventory is shrinking, meaning that the worst is probably over and the recovery is taking hold. The wild card is the tax credit and what will happen once it expires. Stay tuned.

Glencoe Home Sales
December sales of Glencoe homes (including single family houses, townhomes and condos) rose 37% from November and 37% from year ago. Sales had been rising through the second half of 2009, but dropped off in November in anticipation of the expiration of the new home buyer tax credit. Once that was reinstated (and expanded), sales picked up again in December.

Housing Prices
Glencoe prices, which had been trending downward since early 2008, appear to be stabilizing. December’s average sales price was $1,337,882, up 78% over November and up 15% vs. December 2008.

Inventory and Months Supply
Inventory has been consistently declining since May, with December inventory of 108 homes down 3% vs. November and down 12% vs. December 2008. Months supply, which is a measure of how long it would take to sell all the inventory at the current rate of sale, was 9.8 months. This is a decrease over November’s months supply of 13.8 months.  The improving trend since May 2009 is good news for sellers, since prices and market time are affected by the supply of homes on the market.

Time on Market
Market time, which has been on an upward trend since the beginning of 2008, continues to climb. December market time for houses sold was 162 days, up 7% from November and up 34% vs. December 2008.

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

Looking for a Meaningful Way to Celebrate Martin Luther King Day?

I’ve always thought it a bit ironic that we have holidays to observe days that have special significance for our country (Martin Luther King Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Veteran’s Day, etc.), and yet we don’t actually observe them at all. For most of us, they’re just days off…opportunities for a long weekend in Florida or wherever. Wouldn’t it make more sense  for our kids to stay in school on those days and actually LEARN about the event or the person we are honoring?

Here’s the next best thing: if you’re lucky enough to have Martin Luther King Day off next Monday, why not take your child and participate in A Day of Inspiration and Service at  Am Shalom in Glencoe. The event is co-sponsored by Interfaith Housing Center and the Volunteer Center of New Trier and is open to the public. There are service projects to benefit the Night Ministry, Project Linus and Orphans of the Storm, as well as inspirational speakers and entertainment. You can get more information here or see the flier here.

See you there.

Tags: Glencoe, MLK Day event

North Shore Housing Inventory Snapshot – December 1, 2009

Here’s a snapshot of what’s on the market right now, including list prices and time on market. Not surprisingly, there seems to be a direct correlation between price level and time on market, with Winnetka, Kenilworth and Lake Forest being the priciest markets and also the ones where market time is longest, at well over 300 days.

Town	# Units for Sale*	Median List Price	Average List Price	Average D.O.M.
Evanston	225	$514,000	$695,154	240
Wilmette	155	$710,000	$887,632	280
Glenview	380	$664,950	$792,208	263
Northfield	64	$732,000	$885,750	314
Kenilworth	43	$1,899,000	$2,183,942	336
Winnetka	176	$1,499,000	$1,970,967	339
Glencoe	98	$1,099,450	$1,813,779	259
Highland Park	345	$679,000	$1,027,431	287
Lake Forest	316	$1,250,000	$1,911,778	320
North Shore	1802	$799,000	$1,236,879	288

* Detached single family houses (Source: MRED)

Tags: Glencoe, Glenview, Kenilworth, Lake Forest, North Shore market data, North Shore real estate trends, Northfield, Real estate, Wilmette, Winnetka