Going Green Matters Wilmette Community Environmental Fair Going Green Matters is a local environmental organization that was formed in 2006 by a small group of residents who wanted to provide Wilmette with fun and engaging ways to learn about environmental issues. This Sunday, March 10, will be the 7th annual fair at the Wilmette Women's Club. Some fun and different things are planned this year.  Outside the building, there will be the latest eco-cars, commuter bicycles, and electronic bikes on display.   Volunteers and donors sort electronics for recycling and re-use                                                                                                                               Highlights of the indoor activities:                 Conversations with policy makers          ... 03/07/2013

By Art Wilson, Realtor Wilmette's February Property sales were 12, down -20.0% from 15 in February of 2012 and -33.3% lower than the 18 sales last month. February 2013 sales were at a mid level compared to February of 2012 and 2011. February YTD sales of 30 are running -9.1% behind last year's year-to-date sales of 33. The Median Sales Price in February was $340,000, down -8.1% from $370,000 in February of 2012 and down -32.3% from $502,500 last month. The Average Sales Price in February was $549,500, up 30.0% from $422,767 in February of 2012 and up 12.5% from $488,331 last month. February 2013 ASP was at a mid range compared to February of 2012 and 2011. The Total Inventory of Properties available for sale as of February was 108, down -7.7% from 117 last month and down -40.3% from 181... 03/07/2013

Wilmette & Kenilworth IL Real Estate Market Report February 2013   With all the sales activity that I have seen, I was surprised to see very few sales in February - I'm sure they will hold over and close in March and April.  The local trend has been quick sales for well-priced homes, buyers walking away from homes that they don't see as a value, and home prices remaining steady but with a slight rise.  Wilmette has seen some especially fast sales, some with multiple offers. Wilmette - February 2013 Sold homes:  9 Average Sold Price:  $677,111 Average List Price to Sell Price Ratio:  94% Average Days on Market:  50 Current Homes for Sale:  64 Low Price:  $269,900 High Price:  $2,495,000 Current homes under contract:  76 Kenilworth - February 2013 Sold homes:  4 Average Sold Price: $1,18... 03/06/2013

  Downtown Wilmette IL Condos for Sale UPDATED 2022   There is an abundance of condo choices if you are interested in living in downtown Wilmette. Many new restaurants have opened and your choices are numerous. There is also the theater, shopping, a library, and the train station. Plus, Wilmette adopted the downtown revitalization program called the Master Plan several years ago and exciting new changes are occurring.Here's a rundown of condo and townhome availability in Downtown Wilmette: The Optima Building705 11th St.Built in 1998 and having 50 units, this building faces primarily south and has lots of sunlight.  Some units have a laundry but there is also a coin laundry. There is a party and exercise room and pets are allowed.     Corner of 11th and Central St. TownhomesThere are t... 02/19/2013

Once or twice a year I like to get really granular with the data and go to the neighborhood level to get a good picture of what’s going on in a given community. Wilmette is among the more diverse communitities when it comes to housing stock, with prices generally going up as you travel west to east. Despite the variety in housing stock, the good news is that all neighborhoods saw a dramatic increase in home sales in 2012 vs. the previous year. Avoca was up the most, with an increaae of 125%, followed by Central (+117%), Romona (+100%), Harper (+97%) and McKenzie (+70%). Price improvement has lagged sales everywhere. Median prices were up slightly in all neighborhoods except Central, while average prices stayed mostly flat. Market time decreased in all neighborhoods except Romona, with t... 02/18/2013

Wilmette, IL January 2013 Real Estate Market Report   January is never a blockbuster month, particularly with the current low inventory that we have in Wilmette. But week-by-week, that inventory is building up - and well-priced homes are flying off the shelves, sometimes with multiple offers. Wilmette had 11 single family homes sell in January and 8 condos.  For the homes, average market time was a very low 54 days which is excellent ( see above for reason.)  That number indicates a seller's market which has not been seen for many years. Condos took longer to sell at an average of 224 days.  From the statistics in the MLS, it would seem that many condos are coming on overpriced and going through several rounds of price reductions before they sell.  The average ratio of list price to se... 02/13/2013

Wilmette's January Property sales were 18, equal to 18 in January of 2012 and -21.7% lower than the 23 sales last month. January 2013 sales were at their lowest level compared to January of 2012 and 2011. January YTD sales of 18 are running equal to last year's year-to-date sales of 18. The Median Sales Price in January was $502,500, down -13.4% from $580,000 in January of 2012 and up 16.3% from $432,000 last month. The Average Sales Price in January was $488,331, down -41.4% from $833,972 in January of 2012 and down -7.9% from $530,304 last month. January 2013 ASP was at the lowest level compared to January of 2012 and 2011. The Total Inventory of Properties available for sale as of January was 112, up 1.8% from 110 last month and down -37.4% from 179 in January of last year. January 2... 02/09/2013

Townhome & Condo Stats for Wilmette, Illinois Currently for Sale   For Sale Avg. List Min. Max Avg. Days All 55 $347,705 $84,000 $1,240,000 174 1 bedroom 5 $119,400 $84,000 $159,000 255 2 bedrooms 19 $262,858 $90,000 $675,000 190 3 bedrooms 27 $433,498 $138,800 $1,240,000 129 4 bedrooms 4 $457,000 $335,000 $619,000 302 View All Townhomes & Condos For Sale in Wilmette Sale Averages - By Month   Sales Avg. List Avg. Sale Ratio% Avg. Days Jan 2013 8 $318,988 $272,664 81.4% 276 Dec 2012 7 $278,700 $246,571 85.5% 180 Nov 2012 9 $351,550 $288,833 85.1% 171 Oct 2012 8 $286,963 $260,250 90.7% 164 Sep 2012 4 $549,500 $509,500 92.1% 94 Aug 2012 11 $291,845 $254,727 85.4% 117 Jul 2012 9 $413,667 $342,222 79.1% 279 Jun 2012 1 $529,000 $499,750 94.5% 341 May 2012 10 $320,780 $260,338 81.3% 209 Apr 2... 02/06/2013

Single Family Home Stats for Wilmette, Illinois Currently for Sale   For Sale Avg. List Min. Max Avg. Days All 112 $860,423 $221,000 $2,495,000 138 2 bedrooms 4 $325,200 $255,900 $474,900 140 3 bedrooms 26 $433,862 $224,900 $775,000 84 4 bedrooms 43 $817,128 $221,000 $1,775,000 180 5 bedrooms 39 $1,247,428 $419,000 $2,495,000 127 View All Single Family Homes For Sale in Wilmette Sale Averages - By Month   Sales Avg. List Avg. Sale Ratio% Avg. Days Jan 2013 11 $648,536 $605,464 94.8% 97 Dec 2012 15 $713,307 $664,067 93.8% 154 Nov 2012 13 $664,215 $625,569 94.8% 110 Oct 2012 24 $748,279 $713,008 94.2% 103 Sep 2012 21 $851,657 $806,262 94.1% 90 Aug 2012 48 $840,340 $785,052 94.0% 112 Jul 2012 43 $825,758 $766,544 93.4% 114 Jun 2012 56 $691,923 $649,944 93.1% 128 May 2012 44 $818,403 $753,9... 02/06/2013

UPDATED 2022  The Cutest House in Wilmette That You Can Never BuyI can across this lovely two-story home with a skylight recently while driving through the Cage in Wilmette. Personally, I think the only good snow is found on a ski mountain, otherwise, it's a bit of a pain. However, I can appreciate those who really love the snow:  children. How can one want to deprive them of the fun of building snowmen, forts, tunnels, and two-store mansions. While not for sale, at any price, I just wanted to remind you that Wilmette and the North Shore have some really unique homes.  Well, someone else likes the snow too, apparently.  While you're here . . . SEE ALL WILMETTE HOMES FOR SALE  Sign up to get monthly North Shore real estate news delivered to your inbox.It's free, we'll never sell your inf... 02/06/2013

Village Centre, Wilmette, Illinois About Village Centre Village Centre is a mid-rise condominium community built in the late 1980's. Village Centre is located in Wilmette, Illinois at 724 12th Street which is south of Lake Avenue and east of Green Bay Road. Average taxes in Village Centre $0 Average association fees in Village Centre $0 Average home size in Village Centre 0 ft2 Average lot size in Village Centre 0.00 acres Average year built in Village Centre 0 Homes for sale in Village Centre None Sales Summary for Village Centre  (Jan 29, 2012 - Jan 28, 2013) # of Sales Average Days on Market Average List Average Sale Ratio% 4 315 $291,750 $219,500 75.2% Recent home sales in Village Centre Address Beds Baths Sold 724 12th St. 2 2.0 $222,000 724 12th St. 3 3.0 $220,000 724 12th St. 1 ... 01/28/2013

GILLSON PARK in WILMETTE, ILLINOIS UPDATED 2022Gillson Park is a magnificent 59 acres of open lawns, lighted tennis courts, playgrounds, and a beach.  Wilmette residents who live in the nearby CAGE can walk to the public beach which is located at the north end of the park.  In addition to the above, the park also offers.  Swimming - public beach Lakeview Center Sailing Sailboat Rental Softball Fitness Courses Picnic Areas Picnic Shelter Tot Lot Wallace Bowl Lighted Ice Rink Dog Beach  Typically, the park is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The park is ideal for biking, soccer games, volleyball, picnics, and many other summer outdoor activities. The Gillson swimming beach is wide and feels like a real beach with concession stands and bathrooms A fenced dog beach is available at ... 01/24/2013

 PLAZA DEL LAGO CONDOS FOR SALE WILMETTE ILUpdated 2022Along Sheridan Road across from the Plaza del Lago shopping center, lies the area known as "No Man's Land." Starting in the 1960s, five condos and two co-ops were built here. They have always been a popular place to live offering incredible views of Lake Michigan. In general, the assessments are high because of the proximity to the lake.   1630 Sheridan Built in 1964, this is one of two co-ops along the lake. It has 104 units, an outdoor pool, a doorman, and party, and exercise rooms. Some units have two levels. Mortgages are now permitted.    1618 Sheridan This newest midrise was built in 1993 and has just 6 units, each occupying one floor. The building is not strictly on the beach and some views are obstructed by the 1616 building... 01/17/2013

Wilmette is on a Roll! For those living in Wilmette it's no surprise that their town is getting some attention. With approximately 27,000 people, Wilmette is the quintessential Midwest town and is a popular place for people of all ages to call home.In April of this year (2010) Chicago Magazine's Dennis Rodkin wrote an article entitled "20 Best Towns and Neighborhoods in Chicago and the Suburbs."  Wilmette is one of the suburbs that he felt fit the bill (other nearby suburbs were Lake Bluff and Glenview.)  Wilmette offers everything that a suburbanite would be looking for, whether you are an unmarried person or a family with children.  Highly rated schools, great transportation, easy walkability, lots of restaurants, stores, beaches, outdoor activities and charm.  Downtown Chicago is jus... 01/16/2013

The CAGE in Wilmette IL Homes for Sale UPDATED 2022The Cage in Wilmette - why is it called that?  Because the four streets that comprise the CAGE run parallel to each other (like the bars of a cage) and are named Chestnut, Ashland, Greenwood, and Elmwood. The CAGE area is specifically the sections of those streets located between Green Bay and Sheridan roads. However, many people refer to the Cage area as encompassing several more adjoining streets going south. One of the CAGE's most unique features is the original brick streets - most other areas have been paved over but of Wilmette's 96 miles of road, 11 of them are brick. They were constructed of clay-fire bricks from the late 1880s.  Although driving on these streets can sometimes be well, bumpy, they do have two advantages:  they s... 01/15/2013

  Wilmette's December Property sales were 20, down -4.8% from 21 in December of 2011 and -13.0% lower than the 23 sales last month. December 2012 sales were at their lowest level compared to December of 2011 and 2010. December YTD sales of 412 are running 22.6% ahead of last year's year-to-date sales of 336.   The Median Sales Price in December was $492,500, up 16.2% from $424,000 in December of 2011 and up 31.3% from $375,000 last month. The Average Sales Price in December was $563,150, up 9.8% from $512,963 in December of 2011 and up 14.3% from $492,691 last month. December 2012 ASP was at a mid range compared to December of 2011 and 2010.   The Total Inventory of Properties available for sale as of December was 106, down -18.5% from 130 last month and down -38.4% from 172 in December... 01/08/2013

Wilmette, IL Housing Report Home Sales 2012   The news is coming at us from all sides, proclaiming, "Real Estate Market Comeback" or "Home Prices Increase."  Yes and no. As we know by now, real estate is very, very local and national trends may be quite different from what is happening here.  I just returned from a trip to Los Angeles where the market is hot, inventory is low, and multiple offers are common.  Lots of disappointed buyers. Our market in Wilmette and the North Shore is holding steady - not much difference in sales in 2012 over 2011.  Neither number of sales or prices have moved much.  Here are the exact numbers from the Multiple Listing Service of Northern Illinois:   Sold Homes 2012     2011 Avg. Sell Price 2012      2011 Days on Market 2012      2011 % of List to Sell P... 01/04/2013

UPDATED 2019   The Bottle Shop Wilmette, IL Did you know that women are in charge of most of the wine shopping? That is why the Bottle Shop in Wilmette came into existence!  Owner Amy Lafontant, with a background in finance and insurance, felt that the big box liquor and wine stores were run for and by men and did not cater to or understand women.  She was inspired to open the Bottle Shop in 2005 as a niche wine shop.  The Bottle Shop sets itself apart by offering handpicked wines, small selections, unique wineries and choosing wines they like as opposed to ones that are judged the best by anonymous panels of (men.)  The wines are organized by grape rather than by region and most wines are priced under $30 with the average around $15.  They carry around 400 different types of wine and ... 12/12/2012

Wilmette's November Property sales were 22, equal to 22 in November of 2011 and -31.3% lower than the 32 sales last month. November 2012 sales were at their lowest level compared to November of 2011 and 2010.November YTD sales of 391 are running 24.1% ahead of last year's year-to-date sales of 315. The Median Sales Price in November was $370,000, down -17.6% from $449,250 in November of 2011 and down -11.1% from $416,000 last month. The Average Sales Price in November was $458,268, down -10.9% from $514,564 in November of 2011 and down -23.6% from $599,819 last month. November 2012 ASP was at the lowest level compared to November of 2011 and 2010. The Total Inventory of Properties available for sale as of November was 126, down -16.0% from 150 last month and down -33.3% from 189 in Nove... 12/07/2012

Wilmette Real Estate Market Report November 2012   The market is beginning its annual end-of-year slow down but there are still lots of buyers looking for homes.  I just put a listing under contract this weekend for a 2013 close.  Inventory is low and well-priced homes are not taking long to sell.  Prices have not risen - rather they are just flatlined for now. Here are the statistics for Wilmette: Sold Homes:    14 Average List Price:  $663,200 Average Sell Price:  $623,743 List to Sell Price Ratio:  94%   Average Days on Market:  57 The list to sell price ratio is excellent at 94% although in most cases, there have been price reductions in between.  A market time of less that two months in Wilmette is excellent - definitely signs of a changing market. 12/04/2012