North Shore Views

Archive for the 'Northfield' Category

4 Fun Things To Do on the North Shore: August 3-5

If you’re not planning to hit the city for Lollapalooza this weekend, here are three fun things to do right here on the North Shore:

Calypso Music at the Wallace Bowl

August 3 at 8:00 pm
Performance by Mr. Myers presented by Starlight Theatre
Wallace Bowl, Gillson Park, Wilmette
My Myers blends the tropical sounds of Calypso and Ska, rhythms of Reggae and Rock & Roll. No Charge

Family Camp Out on Glencoe Beach

August 3 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 am on August 4
Hazel Ave., Glencoe
Spend an evening camping out with your family at Glencoe Beach! Beach staff provides hamburgers, hot dogs, pop and bottled water for an early evening cookout. After the sun sets, enjoy interactive musical show and roast marshmallows over a campfire. Coffee and cereal is provided at sunrise. Click here for more details. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: concerts, fairs and festivals, Ravinia

Downsizing? This Northfield Home May Be The Perfect Choice

Are you ready for a smaller, lower maintenance home, but don’t want to go all the way to a townhouse or condo? If so, this Northfield home could be a great choice for your next move.

Located at 1 Regent Wood (just off of Winnetka Avenue east of Waukegan), this home won’t make you feel claustrophobic if you are used to a larger house. Because it has all the rooms you need but none of the ones you don’t. Here’s what makes it a perfect fit for your new elegant but carefree lifestyle:

• A first floor master plus two additional bedrooms on the second floor. You still have room for your guests but day in and day out everything you need is on the main floor.

• Large formal rooms mean you can still entertain in style.

• Low maintenance: there’s no lawn to mow or snow to shovel. Like to travel? Have a second home? Just turn off the lights and lock the door behind you.

• Nothing to do -  this home was tastefully remodeled from top to bottom just four years ago, so you can just move in and start enjoying it right away.

• Tired of big house taxes? This home has an affordable tax bill of $11,911.

Before you sell your current home and make the move, be sure and consult your tax accountant about the tax implications of downsizing to a smaller home. In all likelihood you will be able to qualify for a tax-free capital gain up to $500,000 (if you file a joint return), but you should examine your options.

You can get more information about this wonderful house here. If you have any questions about it or would like to see it in person, just call us at 847-881-6657 or email us.  We’d be happy to show it to you.

We are North Shore real estate specialists and one of the top teams in the Wilmette, Winnetka and Glencoe area. If you would like to schedule a buyer or seller consultation with the Come Home North Shore team, please contact us at 847-881-6657 or send us a note here.

Tags: downsizing, Northfield homes for sale

Stormy’s Tavern and Grille

The other night after a hockey game in Winnetka, we stopped at Stormy’s in Northfield for dinner with another family from the team. Stormy’s, formerly Seul’s, changed hands last summer and reopened in September, and we had not yet had a chance to check it out. I guess we weren’t the only ones with that idea because, when we got there, we ran into three other families from our hockey team and discovered that one of Emma’s hockey coaches also tends bar at Stormy’s, so it was like old home week. Probably not surprising that it’s a big Wilmette Hockey hangout given that owner Chad Bidwell coaches Bantam AA for the club. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: restaurants

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

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

North Shore Housing Inventory

Here is a snapshot of active listings (single family detached homes) on the market as of April 5, 2010.

Source: MRED – Deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

Tags: North Shore market data

North Shore Market Update: 1st Quarter 2010

The North Shore housing market looks a whole lot better in 2010 than it did at this time last year. Driven by low interest rates, the home buyer tax credit, plentiful supply of homes to choose from and attractive prices, buyers have returned to the market. Prices are still soft but the rate of decline has slowed.

Housing sales on Chicago’s North Shore increased 56% in the first quarter of 2010 vs. the same period last year. All towns had healthy increases except for Northfield which had one less sale this year than last. The big winner in percentage terms was Kenilworth, which had nine sales this year vs. one last year.

Average prices for sold properties on the North Shore was down 7%. Lake Forest showed the biggest drop (-30%), followed by Winnetka (-21%). Highland Park had only a 1% decrease in average price, while Evanston and Wilmette actually showed increases. Kenilworth’s large increase in average price was driven by the fact that the only sale in 2009 was for an unusually low-priced property for this village.

Days on market for properties sold was down 8% for the North Shore, but the numbers varied widely across individual towns. The largest decreases in market time were in Wilmette (-70%) and Lake Forest (-58%). The largest increases were in Kenilworth (+48%) and Northfield (+38%).

North Shore Market Update – 1st Qtr. 2010 vs. Year Ago*

*Single family detached homes. Source: MRED – Deemed reliable but not guaranteed

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

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)

Source: MRED LLC -Deemed reliable but not guaranteed

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

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