Want to Know What's Happening in Chicago Real Estate?

Here's an easy-to-follow visual for you -- a three-year overview of listings and sales for Chicago properties November 28-December 4, 2006-2007-2008.

More condos were listed and sold than any other type of property. Median condo sale prices rose 11% in 2007 over 2006 (wow!). But they dipped about 6% for 2008 compared to 2007 (sigh...).

Five Great Things About Chicago

'Tis the season to reflect and, if we can, be grateful for what we have. Here are five things that make me happy about being in Chicago:

1) My home. I've lived at City View Condominiums in Streeterville for five years (six years as of January 17). I love my neighborhood, my building, my 500 square feet of quiet and comfortable living space. They'll have to carry me out feet first -- that's the only way I'm leaving!
2) Blommer Chocolate Company. This wonderful facility is perched at the corner of Kinzie, Des Plaines and Milwaukee. Thanks to Blommer, Chicago often smells like a giant hot fudge sundae. And there's no such thing as bad chocolate. Period. The day I discovered they had an outlet store was the day I had to upsize my wardrobe. lol
3) The CTA. Seriously! How many other modes of transportation can take you from downtown to O'Hare for just $2.00-$2.25 each way? Just slide your money into the big silver machine and you're off on your next adventure.
4) Stanley's Fruit Market at 1558 N Elston Ave. This place has to be one of the sweetest deals on the north side of Chicago. Five dollars will buy you 3-4 days' worth of grapes, canatloupe, sweet potatoes, kiwi and cilantro. You can also stock up on Intelligentsia Coffee beans. Such a deal!
5) BARACK OBAMA!!!

How about you? I invite you to click on the Comments link below, and list the things that make your life better or happier or worth living. Big things, small things, whatever feeds your soul. Share your list, and share your joy. 'Tis the season!

Thinking of buying yourself a home for the holidays?

If this isn't enough to persuade on-the-fence buyers to make the leap.....

Mortgage Rates Plunge to Record Lows

In response to the Federal Reserve's cut in the federal funds rate to near zero, Freddie Mac reports that the 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell to 5.17 percent during the week ended Dec. 18--down from 5.47 percent last week and the lowest since the survey's inception in 1971.

Interest on 15-year fixed loans slipped to 4.92 percent from 5.20 percent.

Meanwhile, the five-year hybrid adjustable mortgage rate dropped to 5.6 percent from 5.82 percent; and the one-year ARM dipped to 4.94 percent from 5.09 percent.

A year ago, the 30-year fixed rate stood at 6.14 percent, the 15-year fixed rate at 5.79 percent, the five-year hybrid ARM at 5.9 percent, and the one-year ARM at 5.51 percent.
Source: The Wall Street Journal, Steve Kerch (12/19/08)

Meet Ben: He's not just a banker!

This is Ben Weber. If you follow classical music in Chicago, you may recognize Ben as a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, a 90-member training orchestra comprised of Chicago Symphony Orchestra students and recent graduates. Music is Ben's passion; the viola is his vehicle.

Ben is a Chicago-area native. He grew up in Albany Park and Oak Park. After receiving his Master's of Music in Viola Performance from Eastman School of Music, which is part of the University of Rochester in New York, Ben weighed his musical options: the New World Symphony in Miami; the Civic Orchestra in his hometown of Chicago, or perhaps a position with a symphony orchestra in Mexico? Each option had its unique advantages.

Ben decided to return home and join the 90-member Civic Orchestra of Chicago. His position allows him to study and perform regularly, with sights set on one day joining the CSO. Ben occasionally also performs in chamber music groups around Chicago. Every once in a while he also picks up a guitar or a fiddle. A few years ago he stepped completely outside the classical box and performed with a rock band at the legendary Double Door in Wicker Park!

Ben's other occupation makes a striking counter-balance. He works 20-25 hours each week as a teller for Chase's Streeterville branch. The bank gig allows Ben to focus on something else when he needs a break from music. And of course, banking affords Ben some financial stability while he pursues his dreams.

Ben's performance schedule is pretty full over the next few weeks. You can spend New Year's Eve with him and the New Philharmonic at the McAninch Arts Center, College of DuPage. Or send Ben an e-mail for additional details on his upcoming appearances: weber.viola@gmail.com

Pretty. Nice. Pretty nice!

No matter the time of year, I love to be in City Scents!

This lovely shop at 209 E. Ohio in Streeterville, is a sort of floral Disneyland for grown-ups. They sell flowers, yes. But City Scents is so much more than that. The service and the displays are top-quality year 'round. But this season? Oh my! Vivid vignettes in scarlet, winter white (note that lovely arrangement above), hot pink and lime green.

Plan on spending at least a half-hour wandering through the wonderful-ness. Plan, too, on being met by one of the most responsive staffs you will ever encounter. They are the perfect blend of helpful, creative and attentive. Whatever your decor needs, the City Scents staff will gather it, gently assemble it, carefully wrap it and hand it to you with a smile.

Happy Holidays!

Wiley Roberts: Best Doorman Ever

Let me introduce you to my favorite doorman on the entire Gold Coast: Wiley Roberts of 189 E. Lake Shore Drive.

Wiley has been a Gold Coast mainstay since 1972. He spent many a year as doorman at the Whitehall Hotel. It was there that Wiley mastered the art of doorman multi-tasking. He learned how to manage a non-stop, in-and-out stream of patrons, private cars and taxi cabs. He skillfully navigated the delicate waters of beat cops on the take. Wiley's ability to see everything, miss nothing and say just enough, made him invaluable.

In 1997, Wiley joined the staff of 189 E. Lake Shore Drive as daytime doorman. That's where I met him, standing where you see him in this photograph. This high-end luxury condo conversion is first rate in every way. Wiley was a natural addition.

He became my instant hero when he shooed a ticket-happy cop away from my car. I had (LEGALLY!) parked on building property and was inside 189 LSD at the time. The cop, still in need of meeting his monthly quota, was prepared to write me a ticket. For what? Who knows? Wiley rushed outside. He told the cop I was conducting business inside his building and I'd be right out. Which of course was true. But how many times has the truth gotten you out of a ticket??? Wiley had the magic touch. I was in doorman love.

I still am.

Eleven years later, Wiley is still outperforming every other Gold Coast doorman from his post at 189 E. Lake Shore. He's just the best.

Spire on Ice

So there it is. The gloriously stalled-out Chicago Spire at 400 N. Lake Shore Drive. Heralded for years as the Next. Great. Thing. in world design and construction, it is now actually an abandoned receptacle for rainwater, and debris tossed out the car windows of vehicles traveling along the adjacent Lake Shore Drive. 'Tis a pretty lil' thing. Not.

Oh, did I mention that it's also in my front yard? Yeah, lucky me. We used to have a surprisingly delightful assortment of wildlife here. Bunnies scampered. Raccoons visited sidewalk trash cans in the wee hours. Squirrels scurried from tree branch to sidewalk and back again.

Then the Spire service trucks began barreling in, as early as 6:30 each morning. They left dust everywhere. To compensate, the developer brought in trucks to spray everything down with water. Which just left every. single. surface. muddy and messy. Somewhere along the way they also drove out all but a few sturdy squirrels and pigeons. How ironic: Two reasons people move to this neighborhood are its quiet and charm. Where's the charm in noise and mud and chaos? Apparently the wildlife agreed. They're still gone.

This big hole in the ground is what I get to look at until the developer finds more money. Or the economy picks up. Or something. In the meantime, my beautiful neighborhood is host to a fenced-off abandoned ghost worksite.

I'm a Realtor. I'm supposed to be universally excited about any opportunity to increase my business. But this? I wish they'd just fill in the hole, take down the fences, re-landscape what they made bald, and go away. Forever.

Pinot Noir in broad daylight!

I got an e-mail invitation for a pinot noir wine tasting at Lush Wine and Spirits at 2232 W. Roscoe for last Sunday afternoon, Nov. 9. I've never met a pinot I didn't like and in fact, it's about all I drink these days. And I hadn't been to Roscoe Village for a while. It was a good opportunity to see what new properties populated this hot little neighborhood.

Lush is a beautiful shop. The wine tasting was hosted by three young ladies who certainly looked similar enough to be sisters although I'm not sure they were. Tucker, the 3-yr-old Boxer mix, ushered patrons from the front door to the bar with much polite sniffing. lol

The flight of eight wines included two white pinot noirs. Seemed like an oxymoron. lol They were rather pungent. My friend and I agreed they were not at all the sort of "texture" we associate with the delicate-ness of pinot noir. Our palates also agreed: the flavor of the pinots improved as the color of the wine got darker.

All of the pinots were accompanied by knowledgable comments & descriptions offered by Rachel Driver. She knew the wineries, the various vintages, the best pairings for each pinot. The day's highlights? It was a tie: Rachel's informative comments, Tucker's warm and wiggly body which we couldn't help petting, and the delicious pinot noirs.

I confess a bottle of something fairly expensive followed me home. Bold & fruity. It will remain stashed away for a very special occasion. Right now I'm thinking it may factor into celebration of closing on my latest real estate listing: 440 N. McClurg Ct. #710-711. I know: shameless plug! :o)

My dawgs are barkin'

No offense to Little Miss Tabby. :o) Clients were in town yesterday from Milwaukee. It was a five-hour whirlwind tour of two-bedroom properties in some of Streeterville's most popular highrises: 505 N. McClurg Ct., 474 N. Lake Shore Drive, 160 E. Illinois, 440 N. McClurg Ct., 400 E. Ohio.

My clients were fun and lovely people; it was very enjoyable to be out with them. And thank heaven the weather cooperated. But perambulating the sidewalks of Streeterville for five straight hours without sitting and with no breaks of any kind...whoa, mommy!

I'm feeling the effects today. My feet have recovered but my legs are now on strike. Lucky for me I didn't need to go out today. This afternoon is all about negotiating an agreement between prospective buyers and sellers. All that requires is a comfy chair, a cell phone and some nimble dialing fingers.

Remember to VOTE on Tuesday!

No, you CAN'T sit on my new computer!

Today's big challenge is keeping Little Miss Portia from curling up on my brand new baby Dell, just two days out of the box! It's so c-u-t-e, and so very portable I can't wait to make up an excuse to take it somewhere! But I digress.

I have a new project, which I'm assembling while shooing Portia away from my new computer (NOT the one pictured here! lol). I'm sending clients information on a new construction, single family collection of homes on the Indiana shoreline just east of Michigan City: The Woodlands. Good grief, an entire brand new house on a big ol' plot of land for $400K! How on earth could they afford to build these things? Pretty, well made, fully equipped, environmentally friendly and just down the road. I'd buy one myself if I weren't happy living the city girl lifestyle in downtown Chicago. Gotta have my store-bought coffee within walking distance!

New week, new blog.

My background in advertising copywriting sort of compels me to wonder who my target audience is, and what they want to hear? What would a blog reader want to read, and what should I write?

OK, so I'm a Realtor in downtown Chicago. Me, and about four hundred zillion other people...or so it seems. lol But nobody else has a cat like mine. Portia: A grey tabby girl who runs my house and thinks she rules the world. I know she's outta here as soon as she figures out where I park the car. Give her the keys and a booster seat and she's gone.

So this blog is named in honor of Little Miss Portia. Because escape toward greater adventures is inevitable. And when it happens, she will need a tourguide. So come along with us as we venture through downtown Chicago. Architectural wonders, gardens, pet stores (ahhh the smells!), bakeries, wine shops, fancy schmancy car dealerships, and wherever Portia decides to wander.

C'mon. It's gonna be fun!

Karen
and Portia