In the Kenwood Neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago, the Obama Family House sits on a large, wooded lot (left, in photo). Is extensively renovated. Over 100 years old.
But it's not for sale!
However, the home of The President's next door neighbor, Bill and Jacky Grimshaw, at 5040 S. Greenwood Avenue, IS for sale. (Photo Copyright 2009 Wayne Cable/Self Made Photo.com).
In fact, it has been for sale for nearly a couple of months already - privately, not listed. Take heed, Realtors and Homesellers - even a house located right next to The Leader of The Free World won't sell if it is not exposed on the Multiple Listing Service!
Well, starting Tuesday, it will be listed!
As reported today by Chicago Tribune Real Estate Reporter Mary Ellen Podmolik, the house needs extensive renovation, but contains much of the hand-carved woodwork and vintage features typical of a Federal-Style House built in the late 1800's for the well-heeled. It has a romantic front porch. A parlor, separate living and dining rooms, a big kitchen. Seventeen rooms in all! (Here are a few interior photos, courtesy of The Trib).
And, think about this!
When the Grimshaw's bought this house back in 1973, virtually no one on earth heard of a man named Barack Obama. Well . . . he was only 12 years old at the time!
Larger, mansion-like homes in the Kenwood Neighborhood, as well as the affluent Hyde Park Neighborhood immediately south, can sell for upwards of $2.5 Million in move-in condition, even in a weak Chicago Real Estate Market, assuming one can find a Jumbo Mortgage Loan. A few local Real Estate Brokers peg the estimated value of the highly-upgraded Obama Residence at nearly $5 Million, although that famous owner may have moved its value up a notch or two
Wanna see the Grimshaw house? You'll have to get Security Clearance from the Secret Service first. Traditional Public Open Houses? Sorry, not happening!
Need some extra yams for your Thanksgiving dinner?
You'll have to yell over the back fence and ask Michelle!
See our post today via BlogChicagoHomes.com.
DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
Good Morning!
Here's our Chicago Market Stats Update, based on data compiled Sunday evening, October 25, 2009.
Most of the key numbers were flat this past week, although Expired Listings show their usual mid-month drastic dip. I am somewhat encouraged, however, by a seemingly-positive trend in Pending Sales, although at far lower prices than even one year ago.
Active Listings remain stable in the North and Northwest Side of Chicago Neighborhoods we serve most frequently. Average Sales Prices were level as well during the past week. Once again, however, Average Market Time fell - good news!
Absorption Rate - the theoretical time to clear existing homes-for-sale inventory, edged back up a bit this week, but not enough to cause alarm. The Percentage of Homes Selling in an Estimated Six-Month Marketing Time Frame also improved - to 45.3% this past week.
Here are archived annual Chicago Neighborhood Statistics, including Units Sold and Price Trends Data, for 1995 through 2008 courtesy of The Chicago Association of Realtors.
In addition, here is an Interactive Median Price Heat Map, from the Chicago Tribune Real Estate Section, covering Every Chicago Neighborhood. View the map for links to maps for Chicago Suburbs. It is updated as new data becomes available.
Communities and clients we serve, reside, or plan to reside, in the Chicago Neighborhoods of The Chicago Loop, The Gold Coast, River North, Lincoln Park, Lakeview, Uptown, Edgewater, North Center, Lincoln Square, Albany Park, Ravenswood, Wicker Park, and Bucktown.
Also, these Great Chicago Neighborhoods: Logan Square, Rogers Park , West Ridge, Portage Park, Jefferson Park, Norwood Park, Sauganash, Edgebrook,and Edison Park. Plus All Chicago Suburbs.
SINGLE FAMILY, CONDOS, AND SMALL MULTI-UNIT PROPERTIES - NORTH SIDE OF CHICAGO, NORTH OF ADDISON STREET, WEST OF ASHLAND AVENUE
ACTV LISTINGS JUST SOLD CLOSED EXPIRED
w/e October 25th 3,887 59 68 12
w/e October 18th 3,888 53 72 27
% CHANGE +-0.0% +11.3% -5.6% -55.6%
CLOSED PROPERTIES DATA
AVG SALE PRICE AVG DAYS ON MKT TOTAL VOLUME
w/e October 25th $243,523 138 DAYS $16,559,564
w/e October 18th $244,262 157 DAYS $17,586,864
% CHANGE -0.3% -12.1% -5.8%
THEORETICAL TIME TO CLEAR EXISTING INVENTORY (ABSORPTION RATE) -
w/e October 25th - LAST 12 MOS - 14.19 LAST 6 MOS - 10.95 LAST 3 MOS - 10.27
w/e October 18th - LAST 12 MOS - 14.20 LAST 6 MOS - 11.03 LAST 3 MOS - 10.20
PERCENT OF HOMES SELLING IN 180 DAYS -
w/e October 25th - 45.36% (UNSOLD - 54.64%)
w/e October 18th - 44.50% (UNSOLD - 55.50%)
SOURCE: MIDWEST REAL ESTATE DATA LLC, AREA MARKET SURVEY DATA
Review our Chicago IL Real Estate Stats Pack Archive via BlogChicagoHomes.com.
Call our Team anytime for current trends in any Chicago Neighborhood or Chicago Suburb!
DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
Here in Chicago, September, 2009 Housing Resale Figures mix good news with bad news!
The combined Units Sold total for condominiums and single-family-detached homes rose 5.9% last month, to a total of 6,862 homes, according to the Illinois Association of Realtors, in a story reported by Chicago Tribune Real Estate Columnist Mary Ellen Polmolik.
On the other side of the coin, however, median sales prices continued their free fall.
Across the nine-county Chicago Metro Area, the median sales price of homes and condos stood at $199,000 at the end of last month. That's down 10.8% from the same time last year, and is 22.7% lower than September, 2007 - two years ago.
Far-suburban Kendall County exemplified the opposite numbers. In Kendall, Condo and Single-Family-Home units sold climbed 26.2% for the month ending September 30th versus last year. However, the median home price county-wide fell 22% over September, 2008 - to $177,000.
In the City of Chicago, the number of units sold rose 5.8% last month, to 1,918 total properties closed. Since September, 2008, the median price for homes and condos sold in Chicago has fallen 16.2%.
Why the key numbers heading in different directions?
Many of the sold homes are held by distressed owners, many facing imminent foreclosure. Many other homes have already been foreclosed by the bank. Most sell to first time homebuyers, flush with promised cash from the Fed First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit of up to $8,000. That credit is due to expire on November 30th, unless extended or expanded by the U.S. Congress.
With no current house to sell, these first-time buyers have greater purchase flexibility, and more liquid funds, than move-up buyers needing to sell their old home before they pack up and move. According to National Association of Realtors Estimates, First-Time Buyers make up roughly 45% of all home purchases nationally over the past year.
How will the numbers fare in coming months? Will prices begin to turn up in addition to sold units.
Much depends on the improvement of the economy, reducing unemployment, and the level of increased stringency of mortgage lenders, hoping to make sure our credit crisis does not re-ignite once again.
Please read our post today via BlogChicagoHomes.com.
DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
Hope you had an enjoyable, relaxing weekend, folks. It's been cold in Chicago - but at least we got to see a bit of sunlight. Truth be told, however - Tom Skilling, the famous WGN TV Chicago Weatherman, says the clouds will be back soon, and for the rest of the week! Booooo!
It seems a bit curious to me when my wife and I go to parties, and folks start talking about what line of work they are in. The engineers, the lawyers, the doctors and accountants around the table seem a little proud of what they do.
Many Professional Salespeople, however, are a bit low key. Answering a little sheepishly. Perhaps a little embarrassed. Intimidated!
Kind of like what they do requires no skill, while the other professionals have finely-honed, learned skills.
Perhaps, in their minds, their hearing their friends think out loud, "Selling! I don't sell! I have a skill! Specialized training! I am a true PROFESSIONAL!"
If you've sold for a while, you know that is BUNK! Selling takes its own set of specialized skills, and often comes with a negative pre-disposition built in. In most situations, it is HARD, MIND-NUMBING WORK, and the good compensation the best of us earn does not provide complete comfort!
Consider an imaginary group of six professionals sitting in chairs at one side of a room. A doctor. An engineer. An attorney. A minister or priest. A CPA. And, lastly, a Professional Salesperson.
Most in the room would conjure all sort of top-of-mind images for the other professionals. Educated. Details-oriented. A shrewd business person. A trusted adviser. A numbers wizard.
But, that Professional SALESPERSON?
Only out to make a buck! Nothing special here!
Until you realize . . . EVERYONE SELLS! And I mean everyone!
The Doctor, selling you a course of treatment you are unsure about. The Attorney, not only to the judge and jury, but to the often-afraid and skeptical client. The religious leader - on morality, purity of thought, and compassion for your fellow man. The CPA - espousing the most profitable, but wholly legal, course of action among several options.
Do you have a SPOUSE? Most people our age do!
How did you get her (or him) to marry you! Likely, it wasn't because of your looks and charm alone. C'mon . . . a bit of good ole' salesmanship was involved here, wasn't it? Be honest!
So, if EVERYONE has to sell, EVERYDAY - why is it that Trained Sales Professionals often have such a bad rep? Makes no sense!
Inquiring minds want to know, as they used to say! Please share your thoughts!
DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
HALLOWEEN IS JUST OVER A WEEK AWAY, but it's not too busy to find Halloween Happenings here in Chicago. Our Team Member Sue Moss provides a rundown for Pre-Halloween Week, 2009.
Franken Plaza at the Daley Plaza will feature performances, movie nights and arts & crafts from October 23rd through October 31st. Don't miss the Monster Bash this Saturday along with trick or treating, hayrides and, of course, a costume contest. Click here for more information.
Monster Film Festival at Portage Theater (4050 N. Milwaukee Avenue) will be featuring the 1931 version of "Dracula" Friday evening at 7:00 p.m., with a special appearance by Svengoolie, and on Sunday, "Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein" followed by "Creature from the Black Lagoon". Click here for more information.
Trails of Terror at Peterson Park (5801 N. Pulaski Road) in the North Center/Sauganash neighborhoods of Chicago. Please note these trails are not suitable for young children. Click here for more details.
No Scare Children's Trails this Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Peterson Park. Click here for more details as well as a complete listing of all the Chicago Park District Halloween activities.
Nightmare at 63rd Street Beach House is a horror movie-themed haunted house located at the 63rd Street Beach (6300 S. Lake Shore Drive) in the Washington Park/Woodlawn neighborhoods of Chicago. Need more info - click here.
Disturbed is an audience participation theater event at the Oracle Theatre (3809 N. Broadway). Shows begin every 30 minutes. Curious about this one? - click here.
And now, Chicago suburban pre-Halloween activities -
Brookfield Zoo is scaring up the weekend with their Boo! at the Zoo and Dino Nites. Interested in attending both events? Click here for more information on purchasing a combo ticket.
HallowFest at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe. All aboard their "ghost train"! Click here for more details.
Haunted Harvest features a miniature golf graveyard, kids' activities, a haunted house and more at Lambs Farm in Libertyville. Click here to get more details.
Dream Reapers Haunted House in Melrose Park at 1945 Cornell Avenue. BEWARE of the unexpected! Click here for more specifics.
All Hallows Eve: A 19th Century Halloween at the Naper Settlement in Naperville (523 S. Webster Street). Not recommended for children under 8! Click here for more details.
Here's a link to Sue's This Weekend in Chicago Blog Archive, via BlogChicagoHomes.com.
Enjoy the weekend! Hope you get to spend at least a part of it here in Chicago!
DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
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If you or your clients need help anywhere in or near Chicago - we're your Real Estate Team! We specialize in Great Chicago Neighborhoods including Lincoln Square, Portage Park, Norwood Park - more!
Dean's Team - Chicago IL Real Estate Agents
Catch the Latest Buzz on Chicago Homes, Real Estate, Neighborhoods, and Things to Do in and around Chicago, at BlogChicagoHomes.com.
Dean's Team of four licensed real estate professionals, serving Chicago IL and All Chicago IL Suburbs, includes Dean Moss (far left), an Illinois Real Estate Broker, as Team Leader. Dean is a veteran in Chicago real estate, and a leading Realtor in our area since 1994. He received his Masters in Business from De Paul University, Chicago, and his Bachelor's Degree from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.
Over the years, Dean's Real Estate Team has won many highly-coveted awards and have received several respected designations. Dean is a member of the prestigious Council of Residential Specialists, a Graduate, Realtor's Institute, a Graduate of the Master Sales Academy and Starmakers Programs, and, along with Jeff and Kathleen, an Accredited Buyer's Representative. In addition, Dean, Sue, and Kathleen have received the prestigious Accredited Staging Professional Designation. Our Team has won the Centurion Award five times, and Floyd Wickman's 5/50 and 10/100 Sales Awards nine consecutive times.
Dean's wife, Sue (second from left) handles the myriad of administrative, client service, and marketing tasks so vital to providing a smooth flow of top service to our many seller and buyer clients. Sue received her Associate's Degree from Morton College near Chicago. Sue and Dean are diehard fans of the Chicago Cubs, and live on the northwest side of Chicago, in an octagon-style bungalow, with their two Pekingese dogs. Contact Sue through our TeamLine - (888) 770-TEAM (770-8326). In the City of Chicago, call Sue at (773) 290-8383.
Jeff Ardito (far right), our Listing Specialist, brings extensive customer service, marketing, and fundraising skills. Prior to joining our Team, Jeff worked for several years at his alma mater, St. Patrick High School, on Chicago's Northwest Side, in their Alumni Relations Department. He received his Bachelor's Degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Jeff and his wife, Concetta, live with their daughters Nicole, Allison and Grace in Bartlett, Illinois - about 20 miles west of downtown Chicago. Need help marketing your home, or finding a new one, city or suburbs? Jeff has TWO special Direct AccessLines. Throughout the suburbs, contact Jeff at (847) 686-TEAM (686-8326). In the City of Chicago, call Jeff at (773) 635-5333.
Kathleen Weaver-Zech (second from right), our Director of Buyer's Agency Services, as well as our Team's Chicago White Sox Fan, has worked in Real Estate since 1998. She has an incredible record serving her clients with skill and attention to detail. Kathleen lives with her husband, Ken, in the Gladstone Park neighborhood of Chicago. Both love fishing! Kathy has three beautiful grandchildren, Tori, Aidan, and Andrew. Contact Kathleen through our Buyer's Agency Direct Line at (773) 854-7167.
If you prefer to contact us via email, please use our special Contact Form.
Contact any of us on The Team anytime. We'll never be too busy to handle your most valued referrals!
Dean, Sue, Kathy, and Jeff
Our Specialty is Residential and Investment Sales within the City of Chicago, especially the North and Northwest Side Chicago IL Neighborhoods of Lincoln Park, Lincoln Square, Edgewater, North Center, Albany Park, Lakeview, Rogers Park, West Ridge, River North, River West, and The Chicago Loop. We also cover the growing residential neighborhoods of Portage Park, Jefferson Park, Norwood Park, Edison Park, Sauganash, Edgebrook, Forest Glen, Dunning, and Gladstone Park. Dean's Team Suburban Specialists can also help you or your clients in the towns of Naperville, Evanston, Oak Park, Niles, Skokie, Des Plaines, Bartlett, Schaumburg, Arlington Heights, Mt. Prospect, Palatine, and over 100 other towns and neighborhoods throughout the Chicago area. Check out the Dean's Team Web Center for information and statistics on some of the Featured Chicago Neighborhoods, Communities, and Suburban Towns and Villages we serve.
Check out our Success Stories page for some thoughts and kind words from the nearly 500 clients we have served, since 1994!
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