ChitownLiving | Chicago Real Estate + Life

Couple pairs of paternal twins located in Lincoln Park’s, Wrightwood Neighborhood in Chicago.  You see this often as a developer will buy two or more lots side-by-side and put up two very similar looking homes. Can’t find the homes pictured above on the MLS but they would be priced into the $2,000,000 plus range.  The limestone fronts [...]

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The house pictured above is located in Lincoln Park’s, Wrightwood Neighborhood in Chicago.  I have passed it hundreds of times.  The finish is very interesting and looks like the natural wood exterior has been varnished or treated with some other type of protective coating.  Anyone out there seen this kind of exterior finish before?

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I had a fantastic meeting today with Joe Zekas, the mastermind behind Chicago’s YoChicago, a fresh look at Chicago real estate. Great insight into the future of real estate marketing. Unbloglike, I didn’t bring a camera to snap a few still photos, or put the discussion on YouTube. Just brought a pen for a few notes [...]

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After all the buzz over the Chicago Tribune article the other day, I’ve been doing nothing but blogging. According to some quoted in the article, blogging has little value and they may be right. Heck with this real estate thing, I’m too busy blogging. This clip was brought to my attention by condoDomain.com.  This is what [...]

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Left to right:  condoDomain.com’s Anthony Longo (Founder/CEO), Nick Sudano (SVP), ChitownLiving’s Jeff Kerr, and The Mortgage Report’s Dan Green.  Dear condoDomain.com, Chicago welcomes condoDomain.com!  Sorry for my late thank you post but I’ve been distracted lately.  You see, business is picking up in the Chicago market and I’ve been been tied up.  This is a [...]

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I’m often asked about the best map and city guide to pick up as a reference.  Have to say I’ve been happy with my Not For Tourists Guide to Chicago. You can purchase the Chicago edition but believe it or not, the guide is now available on their website with PDF maps for each neighborhood available for download. Hey, [...]

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Charlie Trotter cuisine may be available on United Airlines select first and business class flights according to a Crain’s Chicago Business article by Brandon Glenn…
(Crain’s) — Renowned Chicago chef Charlie Trotter’s cuisine may be coming to a seat-back tray table near you this summer. The award-winning chef, who runs an eponymous restaurant in Lincoln Park, has reached [...]

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The blog has been quiet recently.  My daughter brought a little holiday present home from play group in the form of a 24-hour bug.  For the past two days my wife and I have been sicker than we can remember. When I awoke from my trance-like state, I discovered I received a meme from Eric Rojas and Dan Green.  To my [...]

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This weeks Carnival of Real Estate is hosted by local site YoChicago.  Great reading on many aspects of real estate.

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My colleague, Nick Patterson over at NickBuysChicago, just brought a funny property listing remark to my attention.  The remark is as follows:
Sale includes current 951RACINE website domain !!! LARGER THAN MOST SFRs. 5 BEDRMS, 5 TOILETS, PRIVATE ELEVATOR, PENTHOUSE VIEWS!! 2 WHIRLPOOL BATHS, SAUNA, STEAM ROOM, HEATED DRIVEWAY, 2 CAR GARAGE + 1 ADDNL. SPACE, [...]

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The results of latest Zillow poll are in and I do not understand why Zillow is so disliked, feared, hated, etc.  I believe their goal is to ultimately commoditize the real estate transaction, but this is a programmatic feat that I do not believe can be achieved in the short term, or even long term.  As [...]

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Ok so I love Baseball, but I’m originally from Boston.  So naturally my daughter and I are Sox fans, Red Sox fans that is.  Wife couldn’t care less. Is my daughter holding up her middle finger after a loss to the Yanks?  Mom must have taught her that as I didn’t.  Kid has a fast finger, [...]

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The annual summer Chicago Air and Water Show was held this past weekend.  Saturday was a bit overcast with low cloud cover.  Sunday was a fantastic day for the aerial event.
As usual, I was out with clients.  In the photo above, those are jets, not birds.  The photo was taken from the roof-deck of a Lincoln Park [...]

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Recently took a Chicago Association of Realtors class at 200 S. Michigan.  Grabbed my Starbucks coffee and proceeded to walk north to the CAR offices on Michigan Avenue. Across the street was a sight to behold.  I thought we were being invaded by aliens.  There were about 30 folks wheeling silver vehicles down the street.  From now on [...]

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I am now a Chicago Certified Relocation Specialist.  Enjoyed the certification class, but struggled to see how the certification allows me to deliver services any different than I am already providing.

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It seems the busier I get, the more traffic tickets I rack up.  Comes with being an urban Chicago real estate agent, just another cost of doing business.  The past couple of months were particularly bad as I received a couple parking tickets and a ticket for allegedly not coming to a complete stop at [...]

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Take part in one or more of these great Chicago events in August.

Gold Coast River North Art Fair, Aug 4-6, 10:00AM-6:00PM
Retro on Roscoe, Aug 5, 12:00-10:00PM
Northalsted Market Days, Aug 5-6, 11:00AM-10:00PM
West Fest 2006, Aug 12-13, 12:00-10:00PM
Air and Water Show, Aug 19-20, 11:00AM-4:00PM
Ukranian Fest 2006, Aug 19-20, 12:00-10:00PM
Bucktown Arts Fest, 21st Annual, Aug 26-27, 11:00AM-7:00PM
Taste of [...]

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In Chicago hotel-condos seem to be popping up daily. A rendering of the new Solis Hotel Chicago Condominiums appears to the right. Exactly what is a hotel-condo anyway? The new hybrid housing phenomenon is hitting Chicago hard! Currently with 10 projects going up containing around 2,274 units you will soon be seeing condo/hotels throughout the [...]

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Take part in one or more of these great Chicago events in July.

Wrigleyville Summerfest, July 8, 12:00-10:00PM
Lake View Music Festival, July 8-9, 12:00-10:00PM
Ben Fest, July 14-16, 2:00-11:00PM
Rock Around the Block, July 15-16, 12:00-10:00PM
Chinatown Summer Fair, July 16, 10:00AM-8:00PM
Dearborn Garden Walk, July 16, 12:00-5:00PM
Sheffield Garden Walk, July 22-23, 12:00-10:00PM
Summer on Southport, July 22-23, 10:00AM-10:00PM
Venetian Night, [...]

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Take part in one or more of these great Chicago events in June.

Belmont-Sheffield Music Fest, June 3-4, 12:00-10:00PM
Ribfest Chicago, June 10-11, 12:00-10:00PM
Old Town Art Fair, June 10-11, 10:00AM-6:00PM
Wells Street Art Festival, June 10-11, 10:00AM-10:00PM
Taste of Randolph Street, June 16-18, 5:00-10:00PM
Lincoln Park Summerfest, June 17-18, 12:00-10:00PM
Pride Fest, June 24, 11:00AM-9:00PM
Chicago Antique Market, June 25, 8:00AM-4:00PM
Taste of [...]

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