Maggie Finegan

We are not seeing too many new Single Family Properties entering the New Year Market but currently the summary for the first 15 days in February for the Andersonville/Uptown Market indicates:

Price Changes: 2

Closed: 3

No New Listings and nothing is currently Under Contract for Single Family Homes in the Andersonville/Uptown Neighborhoods.

The Condominium Market is extremely active for Chicago's Andersonville/Uptown Neighborhoods:

New 15

Price Changes: 14

A/I (Attorney Review/Inspection): 18

Pending (Means that the contingencies are met and awaiting to close): 10

Closed: 7

Short Sales: (means that the seller is awaiting approval from lender re default on mortgage):

Total Number: 7

So, what we are seeing the the Andersonville/Uptown condominium market is that some of the old inventory has adjusted in price, we had a large amount of properties in two weeks that went under contract, 10 properties are pending. So when you see the New and Price change we have 29 properties and we have 28 (Attorney Review/Inspection and Pending) which tells us that we have a balance of inventory moving and the market is headed in the right direction with respect to Condominiums as 7 short sales went under contract as well.

The number of closed sales is typical for this time of year whether we have a good economy or bad economy. Pretty much the inventory that closed has been on the pending table for probably 60 days and so that puts us back to November, early December.

Overall, when considering selling, place your property in the market (instead of chasing the market) with the most absolute in curb appeal and well maintained units.

Alderman Harry Osterman and the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce invite you for NEIGHBORHOOD NIGHTS - a weekly event for the months of February and March which will showcase neighborhood businesses through promotions, extended hours and special events.

This is a great way to discover Andersonville and visit some new and old businesses. The following are events and promotions are for the Andersonville Neighborhood:

Andersonville Galleria: 5247 N. Clark Street: Free wine; many vendors will be offering sales and specials

Andie's Restaurant: 5253 N. Clark Street: Stop on in a get a free Glass of Glogg with the purchase of any entree; half-off wine flights!

Alamo Shoes: 5321 N. Clark Street is offering 10% off on all non-clearance merchandise.

The Burger Philosophy: 1541 W. Bryn Mawr is offering 20% off the entire menu (but not to be included with any coupons or other promotions) - best part: dine in/carry out

Hamburger Mary's: 5400 N. Clark Street is offering $3 off on all Mary's signature martinis!

Iloilo Custom Framing: 1478 W. Berwyn: 10% off on specialty paper and 30% off on custom framing

Lady Gregory's: 5260 N. Clark Street: is offering 15% off on all food (you must mentioned "Neighborhood Nights" to receive the discount)

The Landmark of Andersonville: 5245 N. Clark Street asks you to sign up for their mailing list and get entered to win great prizes.

Mobile Generation - Verizon Wireless located at 5314 N. Clark Street is offering a 30% discount for three accessory bundles, 20% for two and 10% off for one.

Ranalli's: located at 1512 W. Berwyn is offering 50% off any bottle of wine!

Room Service: 10% off of any purchase plus complimentary delivery on any furniture purchase. They are located at 5438 N. Clark Street.

SHE ART Chicago located at 1519 W. Foster Avenue is offering a free fairy charm with every purchse and a raffle for a SHE ART Chicago T-Shirt (March 13th only)

This is just the beginning of great values being offered in Chicago's Andersonville Neighborhood. Support Local.

Valentines Day, one can sink or swim. I like swimming. So here are some really great ideas that would make your Valentines Day extra special:

1. Be Creative: Granted a card in the mail or an awesome email in your sweet hearts in-box is a great way to start the day. But get a little more personal by writing something personal in the email or the card besides your name.

2. Music: Nothing brings in relaxation after a hard days work then music. Whether you are planning an in home spa night with your significant other or a quiet dinner, alone, music really sets the atmosphere.

3. I always thought that going out to dinner was terrific but with our hectic days and budgets, nothing beats an in home cooked meal. Send the kids packing to grandma and grandpas for the night or out to a movie, preferably double feature. Let your sweet heart know not to make any plans for the evening and that the night is on you.

4. Every women loves flowers. roses are the big ticket item but if you really want to impress your sweet heart, bring home a flower bouquet that they really love, which just might not be roses!

5. Top it off with chocolates but if a box of chocolates doesn't seem original, then consider chocolate dipped strawberries.

6. When 3:00 hits tomorrow, give your sweet heart a call and let her/him know that you are so looking forward to the night with them.

7. Turn the cell phone off for the night.

Have an Awesome Valentines Day!

One of the items once your home sells is having a home inspection. I wouldn't wait until the home got sold to run this check list of items to make sure your home is running as smoothly as it can, so we need to back up the horse and cart just a bit.

Besides curb appeal, having a home that functions at its highest is the next best selling feature. So, before you get SOLD, make sure that you have the following checked for a smoother home inspection:

1. Mechanicals: Make sure that the furnace is cleaned and that the filter has been changed. Always, always, clean off the top of the furnace as well as the hot water tank.

2. Electrical Panel: Make sure that the outlets are clearly marked. In Chicago, it is illegal to have a tapped outlet and therefore, make sure that you get an electrician in to check your electrical box to make sure it is up to code.

3. Eyes, Nose: Eyes and Nose stands for the placement of your electrical outlets. You should always have 2 slits and then the hole (nose) and they should always be running the same way around the entire room. One of the biggest giveaways for "handyman" type of work is when the nose is first and then the eyes.

4. Are we grounded? You need GFI's in the kitchen area and the bathroom area. However, you don't need one by the washer and dryer as it will continually click off and the mechanics will stop every time you hit a spin cycle.

5. Electrical openings: always should have a cover. Doesn't matter if it is in the kitchen, the basement, the garage, outside ... you need covers over every outlet and box.

6. Water: How does your water run? The inspector will turn on the bathroom sinks, the bathtub and shower fixture at the same time to see if there is any less pressure and how things are draining. The same goes for in the kitchen area and the catch basin, if you have one, in the basement or laundry facility area.

7. Mold: If you have mold around the base of your tub and tile connections, remove it, clean it, dry it and let it air for about 24 hours before you reapply a good anti-mold silicone around the entire tub area. Do not use caulk as it is an inhibitor of mold.

8. Are we on? Light bulbs. Make sure all the light bulbs are working and/or replace.

9. Peeling paint? Scrap, sand, prime twice and paint.

10. Ceiling fans: Make sure your ceiling fans are secured to the ceiling.

11. Appliances: Your stove will be turned on and one of the biggest issues we face is that delay in lighting or uneven burning.

This is just a sample of what the inspector will be looking for when he is inspector your house once it has been sold. Waiting until the last minute, doesn't work because it does take time to make sure everything is in shape.

When one lacks curb appeal or have deferred maintenance on our home, you are decreasing the value of your home by 10%. Here are some maintenance chores (better known as "the Honey Do List") that will dramatically help the look and appeal of your house.

1. Starting with the front of your house: wash your windows insides and out, swipe cobwebs from eaves, and hose down downspouts. don't forget garage doors and parking lots.

2. Wash the dirt, clean the mildew, and general grunge from the outside of your building. Realtors say washing a house can add $10,000 to $15,000 to the sale prices of some homes. But I am going to take it one step further and suggest that if you have aluminum or old vinyl siding that has aged and/or the color faded, this is an excellent time to invest some money into updating the color of your home. Pretty basic as it requires either Gliddens Exterior Paint or a Low Lustre Oil Base Paint that can be sprayed over the current siding.

3. Neaten the yard and garden. A well-manicured lawn with fresh mulch, and pruned shrubs boost the curb appeal. Replace overgrown bushes with leafy plants and colorful annuals. Surround bushes and trees with dark or reddish brown bark mulch, which gives a rich feel to the yard. Put a crisp edge on garden beds, pull weeds and invasive vines, and plant a few geraniums in pots. Green up your grass with lawn food and water. Cover bare spots with seeds and sod, get rid of crab grass, and mow regularly.

4. Clean the carpeting in your condo entries and hallways and be sure the walls aren't marked up. Fresh paint in entries and on walls makes a huge difference. Shampoo the hallway and stair carpets twice a year, one in spring and once in the fall. Be sure the hallways aren't littered up with multiple pairs of shoes outside the unit doors.

5. Makes sure the name labels at the lobby door buzzers look consistent and professional. Handwritten labels of different styles and colors can mislead a buyer to assume it's a building with a lot of turnover.

6. Glam your address! Add a plaque with architectural house numbers to make your building stand out. If your building has wooden stairs leading up to the front door, you might consider adding some really great design style numbers to the riser on the second step to the top landing. Give your mailboxes a face lift with paint. These days, your local home improvement center or hardware stores has an impressive selection of decorative numbers. Architectural address plaques, which you tack to the house or plant in the yard, typically range from $80 to $200. Brass house numbers range from $3 to $11 each, depending on size and style.

7. Add a color splash to please the eye of would-be buyers. In spring, plant a tulip border . Dig a flowerbed by the mailbox and plant some pansies. Place a brightly colored bench or chair on the front porch if there is no room. These colorful touches won't add to the value of your house: appraisers don't lend value for them but beautiful colors enhance curb appeal and help your home sell faster.

8. Frame your back yard, deck or patio by adding a border or low fence. Be sure to maintain the gates in clean and working condition. Replace and tighten loose latches.

Until tomorrow,