If you haven't heard yet, live music is returning to the North Shore!  Winnetka's Music Festival is back this year and being billed as "Emerge Winnetka." Emerging, as in the hope that life returns to some normalcy with and after Covid.The original two years of 2018 and 2019 (skipped in 2020) were held over two days in various spots throughout downtown Winnetka (as shown in featured photo, above.)  This year, the fest will be just one day and located at the Skokie Playfields in Winnetka (part of the Winnetka Park District.)The music fest will be held from 2pm to 11pm.This year's line-up includes  This year's venue offers approximately five acres of space - plenty for safe social distancing. There will be a food court with food trucks offering an array of foods plus wine and beer.Please n... 08/31/2021

Fifteen homes closed this July compared to 19 in June. As you'll see below, 3 of the 6 new listings are already under contract, and 6 of the 15 closed listings went over the list price. So it's still a very good seller's market but the frenzy from the earlier part of the year has definitely dissipated. 6 NEW HUBBARD WOODS HOMES LISTED in JULY  1381 Asbury: $549,000 (under contract) 1507 Tower: $899,900 795 Locust: $1,345,000 (under contract) 700 Locust: $2,095,000 (under contract) 1304 Trapp:  $3,250,000     952 Pine Tree:  $4,195,000                2 NEW PRIVATE LISTINGS in HUBBARD WOODS  135 N. Sheridan: $1,549,000 720 Ardsley: $6,999,999    15 SOLD HUBBARD WOODS HOMES in JULY   1257 ScottList price: $799,000Sold price: 775,000Days on market: 8 1317 ScottList price: $850,000Sold price... 08/04/2021

An incredible 19 houses closed in June. To explain the imbalance of homes, only 1 new home was listed in Hubbard Woods during the whole month (and it had been previously listed in 2016.)Of particular note, 1159 Chatfield just closed for $1,765,000 (see below.) It was previously listed in 2016 for 527 days with the last list price being $1,549,000! Aren't they glad they couldn't sell then. SOLD HUBBARD WOODS LISTINGS IN JUNE 2020 972 Tower List price: 525,000Sold price: $530,000Days on market: 17 1290 ScottList price: $525,000Sold price: $500,000Days on market: 41 1367 EdgewoodList price: $689,000Sold price: $689,000Days on market: 4 1124 GageList price: $819,000Sold price: $795,000Days on marke: 85 1117 MerrillList price: $699,999Sold price: $850,000Days on market: 4 1443 EdgewoodList p... 07/04/2021

HUBBARD WOODS MAY 2021 With only 9 homes for sale and 27 under contract, Hubbard Woods is being squeezed for inventory. You can see below the quick sales times on almost all the closed sales in May. I've been asked how long this market will last. The pundits say that nationally, at least another year. I would agree that it would probably be the same here. Although it's only June, I'm seeing fewer homes come on the market. Buyers, however, are still searching and jumping on homes right as they're listed. Particularly in the under $1 million range, but higher-end homes as well. Too many buyers have been frustrated in the search and are still out there hoping they'll score a new home. So, yes, it's still an excellent time to sell your home. Just remember that if you need to buy something e... 06/07/2021

10 Ways to Keep Mosquitos Away  I’ve been looking into ideas that will help get rid of those bloodthirsty pests this summer. We’re fortunate to live in an area that offers an active response to mosquitoes through North Shore Mosquito Abatement District which serves 11 North Shore villages. Their work goes a long way in ridding the population before they ever hatch and come out to torment us. Humans despise these little fiends and I know we’ve all tried various remedies to avoid getting the dreaded bite. Certain people are more likely to attract them - we all know people who claim they are mosquito magnets! Not only is the bite painful, but mosquitoes also carry diseases.So here are a few ideas I came across that I will definitely try out this summer:  DAB ON SOME ESSENTIAL OILSThis one ... 05/12/2021

 HUBBARD WOODS April 2021 One sign of a hot market: regardless of price range, all seven homes listed in Hubbard Woods in April are under contract. Plus ten homes sold although you’ll see some long market times for some of them. This is because they were listed pre-Covid at inflated prices. 7 NEW HUBBARD WOODS LISTINGS IN April 2021 1257 Scott  $799,000 (under contract)    1443 Edgewood   $949,000 (under contract)  1152 Scott  $949,000 (under contract)     1190 Oakley  $1,299,000 (under contract)    840 Lamson   $1,550,000  (under contract)    877 Tower  - $3,499,000 (new construction home under contract)  910 Private - $6,300,000 (under contract) New PRIVATE LISTING in April 2021 1507 Tower - $950,000     1275 Asbury - $1,018,000     669 Walden - $1,595,000    660 Rosewood - $4,100,000... 05/12/2021

The spring market continues to see huge sales despite a lack of inventory. Homes are selling off the Private Network before they ever hit the market. Otherwise, the stats are the same as the past several months: seller’s market and we need more homes to sell! Here’s what closed in the North Shore in April 2021.WINNETKA   Current Winnetka Real Estate Market:Sold homes in March: 31Homes for sale: 45Price range: $525,000 to $6,300,000 Under contract/pending: 78Current months supply of inventory: 3.4Winnetka Homes for SaleWILMETTECurrent Wilmette Real Estate Market:Sold homes in March: 54Homes for sale: 48 Price range: $314,000 to $2,200,000Under contract/pending: 82Current months supply of inventory: 3.2Wilmette Homes for SaleKENILWORTHCurrent Kenilworth Real Estate Market: Sold homes in M... 05/10/2021

 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT EARNEST MONEYYou’ve just bought a new house - congratulations! So many things to think about, one of them being your earnest money. What is Earnest Money? Basically, your earnest money is delivered on or around the time you submit a contract to purchase your new home. It’s the way you say that you are serious about this house. Without a financial commitment, how does the seller know that you’re really interested in their home and not five others? How Much Earnest Money Do You Need to Put Down? This question will vary from state to state and even region to region. When I first started in the business in 1998, the earnest money was 10% of the contract price. With the huge increase in prices we saw running up to the recession, the number now hovers at around 3-... 04/26/2021

HUBBARD WOODS March 2021The Hubbard Woods area is down to inventory that would only last 1.9 months if no new inventory came on the market. That’s called an extreme seller’s market. If you have any thoughts of selling - why wait? However, if you sell, you’ll become a buyer . . .  7 NEW HUBBARD WOODS LISTINGS in March 20211117 Merrill - $699,999 (under contract)     1299 Hackberry - $1,399,000      1140 Oakley - $1,649,900     986 Asbury Ct. - $1,699,900     1159 Chatfield - $1,799,000    1347 Scott - $1,949,000    1040 Hubbard - $2,599,000          New PRIVATE LISTING1340 Asbury - $1,939,000   4 CLOSED HUBBARD WOODS HOME SALES IN December 2020  979 VineList price: $479,000Sold price: $341,000 (short sale)Days on market: 986      1152 AsburyList price: $849,000Sold price: $901,000% of li... 04/07/2021

What Sold in Your Village in March 2021?See the number of under-contract homes in the data below - it is much higher than available inventory. All North Shore villages are experiencing low inventory and a seller’s market. Wilmette, Winnetka, and Glencoe have the tightest markets. The spring market has been exploding but we need more inventory!Here’s what closed in the North Shore in March 2021.WINNETKA  Current Winnetka Real Estate Market:Sold homes in March: 23 Homes for sale: 45Price range: $560,000 to $6,250,000 Under contract/pending: 61Current months supply of inventory: 3.6Winnetka Homes for SaleWILMETTE  Current Wilmette Real Estate Market:Sold homes in March: 40Homes for sale: 45 Price range: $389,000 to $2,350,000Under contract/pending: 78Current months supply of inventory: 3.5... 04/05/2021

Real estate watcher and market predictor Keeping Current Matters has published some valuable graphs that will allay some fears that consumers have. Fears that the super hot Chicago North Shore market will create another bubble - like the pre-recession period leading up to 2007-8.Covid is one factor which stimulated the rush to buy, but there were key characteristics of that period that are simply not present this time.   MORTGAGESMortgages were extremely easy to get back then and lenders were willing to take on high levels of risk. Not so now where qualifying for a loan is much harder.   HOUSING PRICES  Homes in Chicago's North Shore communities of Winnetka, Wilmette, Kenilworth, Glencoe, and Northfield are selling very quickly. But the pace of inflation is much lower. This graph shows ... 03/10/2021

In the olden days (maybe just a few years ago) homes for sale in the Chicago North Shore suburbs were plentiful and took a long time to sell. "Long time"meaning it was a buyer's market with homes generally taking longer than six months to sell. We are now experiencing a seller's market with the median sell time around three months. But most homes are selling more quickly.In a corona virus world where everything has gone tipsy-turvy the real estate market rebounded spectacularly. Currently (March 2021) inventory is low throughout Winnetka, Wilmette, Kenilworth, Glencoe, and Northfield. Homes are selling within days of hitting the market, and in some cases, well before they become available on the Multiple Listing Service. Hot homes see frequent multiple offers.The real estate market expl... 03/09/2021

What Sold in Your Village in February 2021? Big storms and extreme chills kept buyers home - but just for a while. Now that March is here and we’re feeling the warmth, they are out pursuing their dreams of buying a home in the North Shore. Look at the current months-of-inventory shown below for each village. Winnetka, Wilmette, and Glencoe are under 4 months showing a strong seller’s market. Northfield is a seller’s market, and Kenilworth is not as strong but the number is more than half of what it was a few years ago.Here’s what closed in the North Shore in February 2021.WINNETKA  Current Winnetka Real Estate Market:Sold homes in February: 13 Homes for sale: 55Price range: $575,000 to $6,399,000 Median price ytd: $975,000Under contract/pending: 52Current months supply of inventory: 3.9... 03/08/2021

HUBBARD WOODS News February 2021 Inventory has been low - until February with the addition of 12 new homes for sale in Hubbard Woods. Good news: four are already under contract. And strangely, for those of us with devious minds, five of the homes are on Asbury. 12 (!) NEW HUBBARD WOODS LISTINGS IN February 2021  250 Woodlawn - $575,000          1124 Gage - $849,000         1371 Asbury - $849,000          1152 Asbury- $849,000 (under contract)        1255 Asbury - $949,000         1256 Asbury - $949,000 (under contract)        1409 Asbury - $989,000         1570 Tower - $1,150,000 (under contract)         792 Walden - $1,399,000        1015 Starr - $1,650,000 (purchased in September 2020 for $1,350,000 with the intension of tearing it down. The house is of some historic significance and ... 03/01/2021

The Hubbard Woods real estate market got off to a good start this January. Lots of activity (not just here but the entire North Shore housing market.) Buyers are coming out earlier despite cold and snow and the current low inventory is spurring quick sales and higher prices. 3 NEW LISTINGS HUBBARD WOODS January 2021 1270 Forest Glen - $1,299,000         877 Boal Pkwy - $1,599,999        1035 Starr - $3,299,900 (closed in June 2019 for $3,040,000)         COMING SOON LISTINGS (In private section of MLS) 1371 Asbury - $849,000          1256 Asbury - $949,000         985 Vine - $1,250,000           1380 Scott - $1,839,000         7 SOLD HOMES JANUARY 2021 1555 TowerList price: $874,000Sold price: $762,500Days on market: 296      1270 ScottList price: $899,000Sold price: $811,000Days on mar... 02/02/2021

 I've written several posts about the Covid-19 effect on North Shore housing in regarding to single family residences. But what about condo market sales in 2020 vs. 2019?Condo sales were not explosive in the same way that single family homes started selling in June of 2020 (after the lockdown was lifted.) In 2021 the North Shore Villages of Winnetka, Wilmette, Glencoe, Northfield, Glenview, and Evanston had a total of 1,020 condo sales. of that 1,020 - slightly more than half were in Evanston (533) Evanston had the lowest price condo sell for $63,000 Evanston had the highest price condo sell for $1,675,000  Here is a breakdown for each village's stats in 2020:  Glenview and Evanston have the lion's share of sales but those villages are larger, have more diverse zoning rules, and are des... 01/21/2021

2020 North Shore Housing Review We all know what made 2020 a wonky year - so I won’t belabor that point. The result, however, was a roller coaster ride for the North Shore housing market.  The year started out as most do - cold and slow. Just when the spring market started to awaken, along came a virus that put it back to bed. And so it went until the end of May when the economy was partially reopened and the floodgates opened. From a serious oversupply of homes we now have too few homes for sale. From sagging prices we have seen prices rise and it’s not uncommon now to have multiple offers on some properties. So it went until the holiday season and now we’re back in a Covid Tier 3 situation. The lack of inventory will continue as some buyers and sellers are not comfortable with the hom... 01/06/2021

Should You Ever Skip Doing a Home Inspection? Skip the inspection? Why would anyone consider doing that? There are actually a few valid reasons where home buyers might pass on adding that contingency to their contract. I’ll discuss that later. But 99.9% of the time I would strongly recommend and urge buyers to perform an inspection on their newly purchased home. Why gamble with such a big purchase? The reasons for performing the inspection are key to owning a home: To discover latent issues that the home sellers weren’t aware of and thus could not disclose. A structural fault is an example that could be incredibly expensive to repair. The home sellers might not have noticed any water issues, but a thorough inspection of the roof might show that water has indeed been coming in.  To give ... 01/05/2021

What Sold in Your Village in December? Here’s what closed in the Winnetka North Shore villages in December 2020.WINNETKA  Current Winnetka Real Estate Market:Sold homes December: 24Homes for sale: 49Price range: $350,000 to $6,399,0002020 Median price : $1,100,000Under contract/pending: 29Condos for sale: 6Price range: $235,000 to $800,000WILMETTE   Current Wilmette Real Estate Market:Sold homes December: 39Homes for sale: 54 (down from 72 in November)Price range: $319,000 to $4,175,0002020 Median price : $785,000Under contract/pending: 3Condos for sale:  32 (down from 45 in November)Price range: $95,000 to $1,395,000KENILWORTH Current Kenilworth Real Estate Market: Sold homes December: 3Homes for sale: 9 (down from 20 in November) Price range: $1,650,000 to $9,975,0002020 Median price:... 01/04/2021

HUBBARD WOODS December  2020 The Hubbard Woods real estate continued to be quiet during the holiday season - which is completely normal.1  NEW HUBBARD WOODS LISTING IN December  2020 1518 Edgewood - $1,899,000 (new construction)      3 New PRIVATE NETWORK LISTINGS 1347 Scott - no price stated             921 Fisher - no price stated          1095 Fisher - $3,600,000             2 CLOSED HUBBARD WOODS HOME SALES IN December 2020 1441 TowerList price: $939,000Sold price: $770,000Days on market: 445       1503 AsburyList price: $1,325,000Sold price: $1,100,000Days on market: 7          CURRENT HUBBARD WOODS REAL ESTATE MARKET:Homes for sale:  18Price range: $375,000 to $6,649,899Median 2020 sale price price: $1,085,000Under contract: 10 Condos for sale: 1Price range: $338,000 While you’re ... 01/03/2021