About Chicago's Bowmanville

This is a Chicago home that one of my buyers purchased. What we didn't realize and this was a first for me and was missed by the inspector, was that the beam supporting the home had two problems: (a) one section was cracked and it wasn't straight. It looked like a jig zaw puzzle!

How could that have been? There where clothes hanging on both sides of this beam all the way from the front of the house to the back of the house.

The inspector even commented that he was amazed that the people were so organized that they were moving all packed stuff towards the middle of the basement (where the beam was!).

WARNING!!! Let that be the first clue that something is amiss in that area, whether it be the beam or whether it be the floor in the basement.

I had this with another home but the sellers put boxes like a step ladder effect design against an outside wall. That raised RED FLAGS for me. And yes, when I removed the boxes, there was this horizontal crack in the basement's foundation. My Dad and Uncles always warned me about horizontal cracks not being good but vertical, in most cases, you could deal with and make sure that they were repaired.

This particular Chicago home, my buyer was going to rehab and was considering adding some height to the basement by digging out the basement floor (most commonly known as excavation). Instead, I suggested that we remove the bad beams, elevate the height in the basement by raising the floor joists in thebasement ceiling. It worked beautifully. The cost to execavate vs replacing the center beam for a home is significant in costs.

Some things you need to consider when buying a Chicago home and an option should you like that home's location but want to do some serious reconstruction or rehabbing. My buyer had his own home inspector. He could have walked away when it was discovered because the seller nor the agent disclosed. But the location appealed to him and so he moved forward with the home.

Remember, a good home inspector is worth their weight in gold.

I wish I had pictures to share with you from Chicago's Bowmanville's Community Street Sale but I was pretty busy this morning and early afternoon selling. The Sale began at 9:00 sharp this morning and the license permits were up for every home participating. Merchandise, collectibles were displayed and people came from all over!

The Bowmanville Neighbors advertised in Ebay as well as Craiglist. We put flyers up at local stores, shops to promote the event. There were even passouts that people were walking around with identifying the locations of the homes participating.

What I noticed and appreciated from this Street Sale was the community. They got together, they work hard with the Green Space, keeping the neighborhood clean, Block Captains, and then, the flyers came out on the car windowsills reminding everybody this past Thursday that the 2100 to the 2200 Farragut Street Neighbors are having their annual Block Party.

If you haven't been to a Chicago Block Party, you are missing something. Better yet, this group of neighbors have a specified budget for entertainment, fun rides for the kids and well, the adults have their own special roundup later in the even with music, dancing and it actually beats some of Chicago's events.

One of the things you need to consider when buying a home, is the neighborhood community involvement. I think Bowmanville was one of the few neighborhoods that actually cleaned their own alleys during Chicago's past winter storm and put it at specific corner lots for the City just to go with a semi and take the snow away.

I love Lincoln Square because of it's diversity, community involvement ... although I must say that the "gig" last night in Lincoln Square left a few where they couldn't walk to straight. I think it was a beer fest.

What I love even more is the Bowmanville Neighborhood that is part of the Lincoln Square Community. People caring, watching out for one another and then getting together to ensure that communities viability.

My hat goes off to those Homeowners in Chicago's Bowmanville!

BOWMANVILLE COMMUNITY NEWS:

If you are not familiar with this small quaint community, Bowmanville which is north of Foster and whose boundaries are Western on the west, Ravenswood to the East and Berwyn and Bowmanville Avenues to the north.

Mark your calendars for Thursday, March 24th at 7 p.m. and join us to catch up on all the latest on the Bowmanville scene as the BCO ("Bowmanville Community Organization") will be hosting it's "Winter Warmup and Scooter Raffle" to be held at Scoitterworks, at 5410 N. Damen Avenue. All residents and friends of Bowmanville are welcome!

The Scooter Raffle is designed to support Bowmanville's Greenspace Chicago Program. What exactly is Green Space about?

It is a concept of creating a neighborhood yard. An area where it will serve multiple purposes and moods. It all began with the acquisition of a property that needed serious renovation work but the community purchased and acquired this property located at 5384 North Bowmanville Avenue. Demolition has taken place and now Bowmanville is collecting funds, having fundraisers, and getting the community involved. North Community Bank right now will donate $25 to the Bowmanville Community Organization's GreenSpace Initiative when you open a Checking Acocunty with Online Banking and Bill Pay* This offer is good until April 15, 2011. Take advantage and support LOCAL as well as BCO!

Thinking about that scooter still? Well, tickets are $10 each or 3 for $25. The net goal is $50,000 and right now BCO GreenSpace has taken in more than $13,000!

Bowmanville is one community in Chicago that is focused and has gone green!

Something to think about when you are looking for your next home. Think Green: Bowmanville

Nice mess, eh?

Accidents happen. Pure, plain and simple. There always is a percentage of fault based upon the rules of the road, who was doing what, when and where. This scene is actually from the Transformers movie and is staged.

One of the biggest bloopers and bleepers that I have seen here in Chicago in the Lincoln Square and Bowmanville neighborhoods is what the homeowner thinks, believes, that they can get away with gutting out rooms over the weekend without permits, get that dumpster in there for those three days and haul everything out. I saw a lot of it going on during the Christmas to New Years holidays and it is actually a smart time to try and get away with it because the City of Chicago is low on personnel and do you really think your neighbor would turn you in?


Here's what these homeowners/flippers don't understand:

Today, I was remembering when I was young waiting to take drivers education only to find out that I was so short that I had to sit on two telephone books to see over the steering wheel and had to adjust the seat forward as far as it would go. Talk about frustrating!

I passed drivers education, even with the dated phone books! I needed that ID because in my mindset, it gave me the right to drive and drive, and drive to where ever my little heart desired as long as the gas tank held out, that is. It didn't matter if my picture was nasty looking or what, I had that drivers license in my wallet and I felt validated.

Everybody at or near the age of driver education desires to have that card with the photo on it that allows us to drive. It gives us the ability ....

Today, I was looking at listings for a client when I saw a photo of a home. The photo had wierd numbers under it and I couldn't place where I saw those numbers from. Certainly wasn't from a drivers license.

Here, let me show you a photo of one of my new listings that is similar to what I saw on the MLS:

Well, guess what? Active Rain won't allow me to put it on the system because it is a photo that I have no right to post, yet, our MLS allows that photo to be posted.

So, the photo that some real estate agents are using is actually from the Assessors Office here in Cook County. That's right. That is what some of the agents are using to market your home. The "mug" photo from your local Cook County Assessors Office!

Now, we are in a tough market. This isn't like wanting to get your driver's license and it doesn't matter what that photo looks like because it allows you certain privileges and with those privileges come responsibilities.

The same thing holds true for the Realtor that you choose to sell your home. Look at his/her "mug" shots of other homes they have listed on the MLS. See if that is the quality you are looking for.

What you need to understand is that the consumer likes to look at homes with multiple quality photos. That same agent should also have numerous photos so that different photos are on different websites. Keep changing them. Keep the buyer's come looking at your home!

So, when you got your license it didn't matter what your photo looked like. When you are selling your home - it better matter what your photos look like!

So my question to you is: Do you have an ID?

Until Next Time,