This weekend is, of course, one of the holidays most anticipated by owners of Chicago real estate: St. Patrick’s Day! Okay, well, St. Patty’s isn’t actually until the 17th, but our city will be celebrating on Saturday, March 13th. Besides wearing green, having a Guinness, and saying “Kiss me, I’m Chi-rish,” what should be occupying your time this weekend if you live in a Chicago condo or home? Here are some ideas.
Events
We’ll start with something traditional: the Dyeing of the Chicago River. Go see the boats dump in the dye and take part in the Chicago tradition on Saturday at 10:45am. You can watch from the Michigan Avenue bridge, the Columbus Drive bridge and upper or lower Wacker Drive between Columbus Drive and Michigan Avenue.
In the Chicago real estate market, we know that home inspections are important for new home buyers. For your own safety and for the quality of your investment, you need to have a professional home inspector look at the property you intend to buy. However, there is also ample reason for sellers to get a qualified home inspection, too. For one, your city or village might require it.
A qualified inspector knows what to look for and can help you set an appropriate price for your home.
According to a recent article in the Chicago Sun-Times, a home, or point-of-sale, inspection can derail your closing, whether you are a seller or a buyer. Continue Reading…
Now, according to this article from BankForeclosuresSale.com, the focus of the rising number of foreclosures in Chicago isn’t centered in the city anymore — the suburbs are presenting high numbers of foreclosures, too: “In the northern and northwestern suburban areas of Cook County, where Chicago is the county seat, foreclosure filings have increased by about 40 to 49 percent in 2009 compared to 2008, indicating a shift in foreclosure intensity from the center of Chicago and in the southern suburbs to the more affluent neighborhoods in the north.” Continue Reading…
Highs in the mid-40s this weekend make it a great time to get out and take advantage of the city! For owners of Chicago real estate, a lack of clouds and snow in early March means a celebration. How can you take to the town this weekend? Here are our suggestions for things to try around Chicago.
Events
If the sunny weekend has you feeling particularly fortunate, why not spend some time helping those in our city who are less fortunate than you? You can eat dinner, explore the Lincoln Square art scene, and contribute to a charitable cause at the Empty Bowls Dinner, Friday at the Lillstreet Art Center from 5-8pm. Just $20 will buy you a bowl, specially made by a local potter, filled with soup and bread from First Slice Pie Cafe. Proceeds benefit the Cafe as well, an organization combating hunger in Chicago by providing wholesome, hearty and comforting meals to families around the city. Eat a great meal, take home a new bowl, and help the community! Continue Reading…
Sure, the weather in Chicago right now might be cold and a little gloomy, but the same season that has brought forth this weather has also rewarded those looking for Chicago homes for sale. As a recent report by RE/MAX states, Chicago homes sales in January are up from December and significantly higher than from the same period a year ago.
The significant jump from January 2009 to January 2010 is estimated at 25 to 30 percent. This could not only signal good news for the Chicago real estate market, it also continues the positive trend established by the market in the second half of last year. Continue Reading…
Sometime between Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day, there is a bit of a winter lull in activity. But this winter, which most people are saying is pretty mild for Chicago, the city offers just as many and varied activities and events as it does in the middle of summer! So if you’re a Chicago real estate owner, here are some of the great, fun and random things you can do in Chicago this weekend, February 26th through the 28th.
Events
Dog lovers of Chicago, come together Saturday and Sunday for the 2010 International Kennel Club Cluster of Dog Shows in McCormick Place. Tickets are $17 for adults and children under 12 attend free. There will be the shows, of course, but you can also see dog-related vendors, educational seminars, performance events and canine demonstrations. And if that’s not enough, this puppy dog face should convince you:
One of the Kennel Club's fierce competitors.
For theater lovers, this weekend you can see the directorial debut of Oscar-winning actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman as he directs the world premiere of Brett C. Leonard’s play The Long Red Road at the Goodman Theater. The play chronicles a man whose hard drinking does little to quell the devastating memories of a haunting past.
