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Winnetka, IL Real Estate News

By Margaret Goss, Chicago's North Shore & Winnetka Real Estate
(@Properties)
Things to Do on the North Shore November 11-13, 2011 Winnetka,Wilmette, Kenilworth  Saturday, November 12 Wilmette - Comedy at the Mette:  Adam Burke from 9:00pm to 10:30 pm (aren't Midwesterners supposed to be asleep by then?) The Wilmette Theater, 1122 Central Ave, Wilmette 847-251-7424 This is a 21 and older event - beer and wine will be sold. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased at (www.wilmettetheater.com) or by calling Kenilworth - Wilmette Rotary - Wine & Dine Around the World from 6:30 to 9:00 pm at The Kenilworth Club, 410 Kenilworth Ave, Kenilworth A selection of wines and hors d'oeuvers from four different wine growing regions around the world will be showcased, plus a wine presentation and silent auction.  Proceeds go to the Wilmette Rotary's service projects.  The public is...
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By Judy Chapman
(Referral Network of Illinois LLC)
You earned it. You bought it. You loved it. Now you want to sell your Winnetka home. Last month, 26 Winnetka homeowners sold their homes. Currently, 226 are for sale. 9 months are required to sell current inventory. Data provided by the Midwest Real Estate LLC (MRED) multiple listing service and includes properties listed and sold by various participants in the MLS. Data supplied does not reflect all market activity in the area.   What does the future hold for Winnetka real estate? Only this … You can’t change the past. You cannot predict the future. You can only deal with the present. I know this isn’t the answer you were looking for. But if I told you anything else — like real estate is about to explode and prices will skyrocket through the roof — you wouldn’t believe me. I could tell...
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By Margaret Goss, Chicago's North Shore & Winnetka Real Estate
(@Properties)
Scary Things to Do in Winnetka This Weekend - October 28-30 and Wilmette and Glencoe Monday is Halloween so that means this is the weekend for spooky stuff in and around Winnetka: Friday - October 28 Not So Scary Haunted House Friday - 10am to 2pm Winnetka Community House 847-446-0537 For children under 10 years of age - no scary goblins jumping out! $2.00 per child - accompanying adults are free Traditional Haunted House Friday 7-9 pm Winnetka Community House 847-446-0537 A scarier haunted house experience with a maze. $5.00 for single visit, $10 for unlimited visits World of the Weird Monster Show Friday - 9:00 pm The Wilmette Theater 1122 Central Ave., Wilmette 947-251-7424 The theater is calling the event a "Spooktacular" with a double feature showing  "The Rocky Horror Picture Show...
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By Margaret Goss, Chicago's North Shore & Winnetka Real Estate
(@Properties)
PROPERTY TAX APPEAL SEMINAR for Cook County Now is the Window of Opportunity to File an Appeal! Cook County Board of Review Commissioner Dan Patlak is announcing a seminar that will be offered to taxpayers seeking to appeal their 2011 property tax assessments.The seminar will be hosted by New Trier Township Assessor JoAnn Shrier Gordon and will educate taxpayers on how to file and present evidence for a successful appeal.The seminar includes a presentation by Commissioner Patlak outlining the overall appeal process, followed by an opportunity for taxpayers to work with staff from Commissioner Patlak's office to address their specific questions.  Representatives from the New Trier Township office will also be present.The seminar is FREE to the public and there is no charge to appeal at t...
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By Margaret Goss, Chicago's North Shore & Winnetka Real Estate
(@Properties)
"Make a Difference Day" in Winnetka Saturday, October 22, 2011 The Baird & Warner Real Estate office in Winnetka is participating again in "Make a Difference Day" which takes place on the fourth Saturday of  October every year.  This is a day when millions of Americans are rallied into a single day of action to help change the world. This year, we will be at The Grand food market in Winnetka from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm collecting grocery items for the New Trier and Northfield food pantries. The emphasis will be on receiving paper products such as paper towels, toilet paper, tissues, and other items that can't be purchased with food stamps like laundry detergent or cleaning supplies. I spoke with Jeanne Rosser of the New Trier Food Pantry in Winnetka and she said that the profile of the need...
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By Anne West, Your Guide to Real Estate on Chicago's North Shore
(Coldwell Banker)
You can always come to this site to get home sales data for your own North Shore community. But even in a village like Winnetka, market activity and prices can vary significantly by neighborhood. So, once or twice a year, I try to get even more granular and show the data for three individual elementary school neighborhoods (Greeley, Hubbard Woods and Crow Island). Note: some Winnetka homes are in the Avoca School District (District 37), but this is a relatively small area. And a few Winnetka homes (part of Indian Hill) are in Wilmette’s District 39. Since Greeley’s footprint is exclusively in East Winnetka, it has the highest median and average price of the three schools, but had the lowest number of sales (32). Crow Island has the biggest footprint, with the highest number of homes for...
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By Margaret Goss, Chicago's North Shore & Winnetka Real Estate
(@Properties)
Two Fun Pumpkin Events in Winnetka and Glencoe   Yes - it's pumpkin time again and both Winnetka and Glencoe are hosting two family events this Saturday, October 15. Pumpkinfest in Winnetka The Winnetka Public School Nursery will be hosting their 17th annual Great Pumpkinfest at the Village Green park (corner of Maple and Elm.)  There will be entertainment, food, rides, games and of course, pumpkins.   The event runs from 10 am to 2 pm 847-446-5153 for more information. Great Pumpkin Day in Glenoce This event is hosted by the Glencoe Park District at Kalk Park (298 Park, just east of the tracks). There will be lots of family fun including food, entertainment, a petting zoo, games, and an opportunity to purchase pumpkins.   Glencoe Youth Services will be overseeing the activities the ven...
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By Margaret Goss, Chicago's North Shore & Winnetka Real Estate
(@Properties)
Let's Go to a Pumpkin Patch  Where to Find Them if You Live in Winnetka and the North Shore Suburbs No, there aren't any pumpkin patches in Winnetka or on the North Shore!  You'll have to travel a bit, but that's all in the fun of it. Most of these patches have other family activities like hay rides and corn mazes.  Make it a day - here are some good places to go that are not too far out:  Didier Farms                                                      16678 W. Aptakisic Rd Prairie View, IL 847-634-3291www.Didierfarms.com Susanna Farms 24153 W. Townline Rd Lake Villa, IL 847-838-0798 www.Susannafarms.com Patch 22 15900 W. Kelly Rd, NW Wadsworth, IL 847-336-0120 www.Patch22.biz Goebbert's Pumpkin Farm & Garden Center             40 W. Higgins Road South Barrington, IL 847-428-6727 www....
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By Margaret Goss, Chicago's North Shore & Winnetka Real Estate
(@Properties)
September 2011 Market Report for Winnetka, Wilmette, Kenilworth, Glencoe and Northfield September is not really a big month for real estate since August is not a big month for contracts to be written on homes for sale.  So total sale numbers are down, but between now and Thanksgiving we can often have a flurry of activity before the holidays.   Winnetka's sales were similar to August, however Wilmette was down from 41.  Kenilworth, Glencoe, and Northfield were also down from August (Kenilworth had 4, Glencoe had 14, and Northfield had 3 sales in August.)   Number Sold Original List Price Sold Price Ratio Days on Market For Sale/ Pending Winnetka - 24 $1,271,471 $1,151,804 91% 96 151/16 Wilmette - 17 $828,224 $746,593 90% 138 151/23 Kenilworth - 1 $1,499,000 $1,290,000 86% 364 35/1 Glenc...
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By Anne West, Your Guide to Real Estate on Chicago's North Shore
(Coldwell Banker)
After “Pawgust, this is my three labs’ favorite fundraiser. (Assuming, of course, that I don’t make them get dressed up in Halloween costumes). They get to go on a walk in the crisp autumn air, mark some new territory, meet and sniff other dogs, bark and wag at everything, and enjoy treats. And it’s all for a good cause. What’s not to like? Hounds for Hadley is an annual event to benefit the Hadley School for the Blind, which provides distance education  for people who are blind or visually impaired.  The benefit is a two-mile walk through Winnetka for dogs and their people. Even people without dogs are welcome. There will be complimentary refreshments, trick-or-treat fun and raffle prizes! Lots of people and their dogs come in costume so it’s a fun show. There will be a dog costume co...
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By Margaret Goss, Chicago's North Shore & Winnetka Real Estate
(@Properties)
Winnetka Real Estate Market Snapshot I discovered an interesting statistic today - there are 152 single-family homes for sale in Winnetka as of September 18, 2011 with an average list price of $2,100,000.  That seemed high to me so I wanted to see what made up this number. $225,000 - lowest price home in Winnetka - a teardown near the Metra line $32,000,000 - most expensive home for sale in Winnetka (see my recent post:  What Does $32 Million Buy You in Winnetka?) Okay, so now I get it, a house priced way off the charts has skewed the numbers. Like our teachers used to do in school, let's eliminate the lowest and highest priced homes and come up with a new average list price.   $319,000 - lowest price home in Winnetka (a foreclosure) $6,899,999 - 2nd most expensive home in Winnetka Now,...
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By Margaret Goss, Chicago's North Shore & Winnetka Real Estate
(@Properties)
What Does $32 Million Buy You in Winnetka? You could buy 53 $600,000 homes.  Or you could get 32 $1,000,000 dollar homes. Or you could get it all in one fell s-w-o-o-p by purchasing 68 Locust Road for $32,000,000.  But what's in a number anyway? This number may make sense to the sellers, they surely have a sizable investment in this home.  But I would venture to say with certainty that it will sell for considerably less when it is finally auctioned in October.   "Le Grand Reve" (The Grand Dream) as it is called was open by invitation last night for brokers, guests and potential buyers.  The open house was hosted by Concierge Auctions who will be auctioning the house at the end of October.  Guests were greeted with trays of wine, champagne or spritzer and allowed to tour the house on the...
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By Margaret Goss, Chicago's North Shore & Winnetka Real Estate
(@Properties)
Winnetka and Northfield Fashion Night Out! Did you know that the New York Fashion Week starts tomorrow.  Don't despair if you can't get there - Winnetka and Northfield have their own versions to offer savvy shoppers. Tomorrow evening - Thursday, September 8, select stores in Winnetka and Northfield will be participating in a global event by having their own fashion night from 5 pm to 8 pm with many offering various discounts.   Winnetka Bella Gypsy, 911 Green Bay Road - 15% off all items Crème de la Crème, 901-903 Green Bay Road - donate $20 to Hadley School for the Blind  and receive 15% off all items E Street,  908 Green Bay Road - donate $25 to Autism Speaks and receive 15% of all items Frances Heffernan,  810 Elm Street - 15% off all items Frannie, 808 Elm Street - 15% off all items...
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By Margaret Goss, Chicago's North Shore & Winnetka Real Estate
(@Properties)
Market Report - Winnetka, Wilmette, Kenilworth, & Glencoe August 2011 WINNETKA #  Sold Avg. Original List Price Avg. Sold Price Ratio Days on Market 27 $1,483,034 $1,332,371 90% 191 In August, Winnetka had 5 more sales than July but the average list and sale prices are around 4% lower than the previous month.  For this month at least, prices are still coming down, but just by a small amount. WILMETTE #  Sold Avg. Original List Price Avg. Sold Price Ratio Days on Market 41 $757,395 $684,973 90% 111 Wilmette also had higher sales this past month but the average sold price was down by 11% from July.   KENILWORTH # Sold Avg. Original List Price Avg. Sold Price Ratio Days on Market 4 $1,813,500 $1,644,394 91% 310 While it takes longer to sell a house in Kenilworth (average of 310 days) the s...
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By Margaret Goss, Chicago's North Shore & Winnetka Real Estate
(@Properties)
Housing Prices Show Increase in First Half 2011 Winnetka, Wilmette, Kenilworth, Glencoe, and Northfield "How's real estate?"  That's the question I hear often enough.  Now I've got some new and amazing facts to discuss (and crow about) in the Chicago North Shore communities of Winnetka, Wilmette, Kenilworth, Glencoe and Northfield.   The average sale price of homes in these towns increased by 5% this year in comparing January through June in 2010 and 2011.     Total Sales Original List Price Sell Price Ratio Days on Market 2011 331 $1,240,966 $1,065,246 86% 198 2011 322 $1,186,081 $1,015,414 86% 211 Plus, sales were up by 9 units, and days on market were down by 13 days.  These numbers are, of course, averages for all five towns (Winnetka, Wilmette, Kenilworth, Glencoe and Northfield.)...
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By Margaret Goss, Chicago's North Shore & Winnetka Real Estate
(@Properties)
Winnetka School District 36 2011-2012 School Calendar and Book List It's time to start planning for "Back-to-School" again in Winnetka District 36 schools Hubbard Woods, Greeley, Crow Island, Skokie and Washburn schools. School starts August 29 as a half-day and the following day, Tuesday, August 30 is the first full day.  Here are the links for the Winnetka District 36 school calendar and book list: Winnetka District 36 2011-2012 School Calendar Winnetka District 36 Book Reading List
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By Margaret Goss, Chicago's North Shore & Winnetka Real Estate
(@Properties)
Sentrilock?  Or Some Other Creative Way to Enter? Every week our local board (NSBAR - North Shore/Barrington Association of Realtors) emails a newsletter with updates, education information, and local and state news. Today, the newsletter included a survey of the top agents and their thoughts on using the Sentrilock lock box.   For those of you that don't know, the Sentrilock Lock Box is approved by the Board and has been determined to be the best and safest way to protect home sellers from unauthorized entry. Their answers varied widely from agents saying they never use them to others grudingly using them and opinions everywhere in between.  Our board has been very pro-Sentrilock -  our members, however, have been reluctant to get on board. Today I made seven appointments for tomorrow ...
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By Margaret Goss, Chicago's North Shore & Winnetka Real Estate
(@Properties)
July 2011 Housing Sales in Winnetka, Wilmette, Kenilworth, Glencoe and Northfield   Total Sales Average List Price Average Sold Price Ratio Average Days on Market Wilmette 35 $821,843 $764,842 93% 50 Winnetka 22 $1,425,364 $1,379,455 91% 134 Kenilworth 6 $1,874,667 $1,683,667 85% 356 Glencoe 10 $764,591 $734,090 90% 72 Northfield 6 $577,250 $563,052 83% 403 Total sales for all five suburbs in July was 79 single family homes, while June saw 101 closed sales. That makes sense as closings from the peak Spring selling season are winding down. August will certainly have fewer closings as well. Wilmette, while it is the largest of these five suburbs, continues to have strong sales with the highest list price to sell price ratio of 93% and an average of only 50 days on market.  That is incredi...
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By Anne West, Your Guide to Real Estate on Chicago's North Shore
(Coldwell Banker)
Forest Glen is a small neighborhood within the larger neighborhood of Hubbard Woods in the northern part of Winnetka. It is just north of the intersection of Tower Rd and Hibbard Rd., with two entrances onto Tower Rd. marked by pillars. A twenty acre rectangular parcel, Forest Glen was originally the estate of Thomas and Virginia Dennehy, a wealthy Chicago couple who summered here with their seven children during the 1920’s and 30’s. The estate included a mansion, stables and a large greenhouse which housed a swimming pool and exotic plant collection. The land was sold in 1939 to North Shore architect and builder C.A. Hemphill, who subdivided it into 57 lots and began building single family homes. Homes in the west section were built between 1939 and 1941, but building ceased during Wor...
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By Margaret Goss, Chicago's North Shore & Winnetka Real Estate
(@Properties)
Get Your Furry Friend Photographed for a Good Cause in Winnetka Classic Kids Photography in the Laundry Mall in Winnetka is hosting a fund raiser to benefit PAWS, Chicago's largest no-kill pet shelter.   Now through the end of August, bring your pet in for a "mini-photo shoot" which costs only $95 - of which $50 will be donated back to PAWS.  The prints will be black-and-white handmade fiber and can be ordered based on size.  Prices range from $110 for a 5 x 7, $130 for an 8 x 10 and $200 for an 11 x 14, plus larger prints are also available.   Call 847-446-2064 to schedule your sitting and help a very worthy Chicago pet cause.   Classic Kids Photography 556 Chestnut St. Suite #1 (exterior entrance is actually on Spruce St.) Winnetka, IL
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