Chicago offers so much throughout the year, but summer is when the city really shines.  For me one of the highlights is going to Millennium Park.

Millennium Park was originally built to celebrate the millennium.  What you might not know is that the area that makes up the park was once an industrial wasteland. 

From the mid-1800's until 1997 the land was controlled by the Illinois Central Railroad.  The area was covered with parking lots and railroad tracks until former Mayor Richard M. Daley devised a plan for a public space for Chicago residents.

Today, Millennium Park includes nearly 25 acres where residents can enjoy landscape design, sculpture and architecture in the heart of downtown Chicago.

Located downtown near Lake Michigan, this park has outdoor free concerts during much of the summer.  It's easy to get to and so much fun sitting under the stars with good friends, taking in the city lights and listening to fabulous music.   

Also when in Millennium Park,  walk to the surrounding areas like The Bean, Maggie Daley park, The Art Institute, Monroe Harbor and so much more.  

Chicago is a true gem and I am so happy to be living in such a wonderful city.  When I am taking out of town clients on city real estate tours, I enjoy sharing the city with them and all of its treasures, it puts a smile on my face. If you are looking for a great city to make your home Chicago should be a serious consideration.

Cash buyers skew the market by soaking up inventory that could be purchased by a young family looking for a first-time home purchase.

In many parts of the country, housing prices gave returned to pre-recession levels. That’s good news for sellers, bad news for buyers. But buried within the latest housing data is some good news for everyone — everyone on Main Street, anyway.

All-cash buyers seem to be finally retreating. The percent of homes purchased by all-cash buyers share in May was close to its long-term average going back to January 2000 of 24.8%, and well below its recent peak of 42.2% in February 2011, according to data released Thursday by RealtyTrac. It’s one sign that the housing market is on the road back to a normal, “how do we find a place to live?” market, and away from the “how do I make a quick buck?” market.

What’s an all-cash buyer? Someone — or something — with a lot of money. All-cash buyers don’t need mortgages, they just show up with a check and buy a home. Generally, they are big investors, like hedge funds and foreign entities, who have no intention of living in the homes. They skew the market by soaking up inventory that could be purchased by a young family looking for a first-time home purchase. They also make such buyers look bad. If you were a seller and had two offers — one all-cash, and one that still required financing to be arranged — which would you choose?

“As housing transitions from an investor-driven, cash-is-king market to one more dependent on traditional buyers, sales volume has been increasing over the last few months and is on track in 2015 to hit the highest level we’ve seen since 2006,” said RealtyTrac vice president Daren Blomquist.

The out-of-whack housing market has been suffering from a record level of all-cash buyers for the past several years – well above historical norms, according to mortgage expert Logan Mohtashami. He says the retreat of cash buyers is positive development.

“This is a positive as total sales are rising with less cash buyers as a part of the market place…Less cash means more traditional buyers in the system, which means the supply and demand balance is more correlated to Main Street economics,” Mohtashami said. “(This year) is trending between 24%-27% which is still very high, but this is the first time it’s under 30% in every report.”

Of course, the shrinking number of cash buyers doesn’t mean prices are going down. In Manhattan, for example, the average sales price for an apartment just hit a record high — $1.87 million. And it’s not just New York. Home prices in Dallas, Denver, and San Francisco are positively bubble-icious, rising about 10% last year, soaring past pre-recession levels.

But with more first-time homebuyers and fewer inventory, at least the dynamics of home buying might change a bit.

“The competition in the market place is … different,” said Craig King, COO at Chase International brokerage, covering the Lake Tahoe and Reno, Nevada, markets. “While inventory is tight many investors have dropped out of the market and cash deals are not as prevalent as they were. Even in multi-offer situations much has been equalized. This is great news for first-time buyers.“

If you’re looking to buy a home this year, make sure you know how much home you can afford (here’s a calculator that can help). And be sure to check your credit, since improving your credit scores can save you thousands of dollars in interest over the life of your mortgage.

Article curated from Time.com (embedded link - http://time.com/money/3944549/new-home-cash-buyers/#money/3944549/new-home-cash-buyers/)

The St. Ben's neighborhood is located between Addison Avenue and Irving Park Road and west from Damen to Western Avenues. It's just northwest of Wrigley Field and north of Roscoe Village. This north-side neighborhood has been recognized as one of the best by Chicago Magazine.

The blocks around St Benedict's Church have become a growing, family-friendly neighborhood called St Ben's. St Benedict?s is a Parish and private Catholic school with a tall Flemish Revival steeple just west of the Irving-Damen-Lincoln intersection.

St. Ben's is a typical Chicago neighborhood with mainly of two-flat walkups on clean, quiet tree-lined streets. It is home to many rehabs, both single family houses and apartments buildings with many quaint Victorian features. In recent years more home buyers have begun rehabilitating their buildings. These homes are a restorer's dream because of the original woodwork, stained glass windows and light fixtures.

The peaceful, family-oriented neighborhood has nice gardens, a lot of trees, and at night the streets are quiet. It?s close enough for a long walk to Wrigley Field. St. Ben?s now attracts residents from a variety of ethnic backgrounds into its neighborhood. Households reflect a diversity of heritage, age, and economics. Many young first-time buyers who would like to live in Lincoln Park or Lakeview but cannot afford one are drawn to the community for its affordable housing and convenient shopping and transportation. But like many other neighborhoods in Chicago, prices are steadily increasing.

St. Ben's is also home to Bell Elementary School, a well-regarded public school in Chicago. In 1917, Alexander Graham Bell attended the dedication of this Chicago public school named in his honor. Involved in the planning of the school, his goal was to educate hearing and deaf children together and all students still learn American Sign Language. The affordable homes in this area are a benefit to families with children attracted to the neighborhood.

Search For All Homes For Sale In St. Ben's!

Menard Johnson & Associates
2200 W. Roscoe
Chicago, IL 60618
Phone: 773-472-6016

http://www.menardjohnson.com/

What does it mean to be loyal?  Actually a lot!!  Loyalty goes two ways in real
estate.  The realtor must treat the client with respect and do everything in
their power to help them in their quest, whether it’s a purchase, a sale or a
rental, the realtor needs to act in the clients best interest.
When I think of loyalty,  for me it means that I am supporting my client
through the whole process, in the beginning in the middle and the end and
even after the close or rental is complete- So many times I am in
transactions with other Brokers that don’t show up for walk thru’ s, closings,
inspections and don’t have regular communication on the transaction.
As soon as the contract is signed they disappear.  These kinds of non- actions
Do not bode well for a good solid working relationship. What should a client
 expect from their real estate broker??
 
The broker should be in contact with the client on a regular basis.  If a  home is
under contract it is expected that the broker will negotiate on the behalf of the
client and work in their best interest.  The broker should be present at the inspection and
help mitigate issues with purchasers and the attorney.
The broker should act professionally at all times, returning all correspondence
in a timely matter The broker should attend the walk thru and make
certain the home is satisfactory condition for the CLOSING. The broker should attend the
Closing and assist with any issues that may arise during the Close. 
The Brokers are there to support their clients, this is part of their payment. 
It makes no difference the type of transaction, as it is important to maintain a
professional relationship through-out the process and after the completion
of a transaction.  Keeping the communication after the deal and checking in
with clients from time to time is a great way to keep loyalty on both sides. 
 
 
 
 
Charese David
Real Estate Broker
MenardJohnson & Associates
charese@menardjohnson.com
www.menardjohnson.com
773.472.6016 ex 17
773.472.9240
 
CAR TOP PRODUCER -2007,2009,2010,2011,2012,2013,2014
CHECK OUT MY REVIEWS ON ZILLOW AND YELP.

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Menard Johnson & Associates
2200 W. Roscoe
Chicago, IL 60618
Phone: 773-472-6016

http://www.menardjohnson.com/

You'll find real estate in Ravenswood located from Ravenswood Avenue west to the Chicago River, between Montrose and Bryn Mawr Avenues.

Ravenswood history began in 1837 when a Swiss immigrant came to Chicago and bought 100 acres of land to farm. Scandinavians, Germans and Irish first settled Ravenswood. The rural, wooded village of Ravenswood was annexed by the city in 1889. Poet Carl Sandburg who was inspired to describe Chicago as the "City of Big Shoulders", lived in Ravenswood on Hermitage Avenue.

Ravenswood is one of Chicago?s first planned neighborhoods, popular for its Victorian and Prairie School homes, brick row houses and wide lots. It is combination of grand old homes in residential areas and industrial warehouses along the railway tracks. Now known for its affordable homes, Ravenswood has experienced a real estate renaissance. Property owners have rehabbed the old, historic homes. Ravenswood also offers a great selection of well-maintained, renovated, spacious vintage apartments at reasonable rental rates, many in smaller courtyard buildings. The neighborhood's most expensive area is north of the Sulzer Regional Library.

After succeeding waves of immigrants and refugees from eastern Europe, Asia, Latin America and around the world, Ravenswood's shops, bars and restaurants represent a wide range of cultures.

Ravenswood is home to the Lincoln Square mall where there is a concentration of shops, which sell delicacies from Germany. Attractions such as the internationally known Old Town School of Folk Music and Welles Park are provide cultural and recreational activities. The large park is divided up into playing fields, tennis courts, basketball courts, and a playground. The fieldhouse has a pool and several gyms.

Public buses are available at almost every corner and the neighborhood is served by the Brown Line 'L' and the Metra Northwestern Line.

Search For All Homes For Sale In Ravenswood!

[idx-listing mlsnumber="08884871" showall="true"]

Menard Johnson & Associates
2200 W. Roscoe
Chicago, IL 60618
Phone: 773-472-6016

http://www.menardjohnson.com/

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It’s great living in a city where fresh produce is so abundant. We have great little stores and fantastic Farmer’s Markets but sometimes you just want to walk outside and build your own salad. Have you seen how outrageously huge people get with their container gardens? What if you don’t have room for all that, are you just S.O.L? Nope. We’ve got you covered.

Small Yard Gardening: Even the smallest patch of earth can grow a tasty salad. Mix in some containers and vertical planters you’ll soon have more produce than you know what to do with. A little ground and a wooden fence makes for an ideal vertical garden. Here’s the rundown for planting layer by delicious layer.

Onions: Not only do they take up minimal air space, they also keep bugs away. Plant and let them do the work.

Zucchini: Plant at your base level. It will grow fast and needs space to spread so it really needs to be dug into the ground.

Tomatoes: They’re more likely to grow up than out so you can plant them in a medium sized planter that will get plenty of sun. Spruce up your tomato planter with a border of chives.

Lettuce: There are several things you’ll want to plant on your third tier. Lettuce grows up so you don’t need tons of root space. A rectangle shaped box planter secured to your wooden fence will be perfect for mixing leafy goodness. Just make sure you leave your zucchini and tomatoes some clearance.

Balcony gardening: No yard? No problem. Beautify your balcony with a garden. There are plenty of options for growing your own veggies this year. Split pots that are made to hang on both sides of railings and containers you can easily tack onto a wooden post. If you can find a pallet, you my friend, have an instant veggie wall! Get yourself a medium sized pot and you have a perfect place for a tomato plant or two. Keep in mind that tomato plants are climbers so you’ll need a trellis. Nylons are great for tying stalks up without damaging the plant. Proper drainage is key with all plants so if your container isn’t sporting a hole make sure to drill one before planting. Lettuce is another salad staple that will conveniently grow on your balcony.

Inside Gardening: No yard and no balcony? You still have a few options. Bay windows and countertops go a long way when it comes to growing indoors. In fact, all you need to grow your own mushrooms is a little room in a dark cupboard. Peppers look great in a planter near your kitchen window. Herbs are a great way to start small. Mint, basil, thyme, and even garlic will grow inside. It’s nice to know your fresh herbs are just a pinch away while you cook. Carrots add texture to your room while they soak up the sunshine. You read right. Carrots. All you need is a planter that’s about a foot and a half deep and you’re set. They’ll be ready to harvest when they’re ¾ of an inch across the top (just below the green stem).

Healthy just got easier! Every yard, balcony, or home provides different conditions. Pay close attention to how much sun your space gets and ask questions. In a month, all you’ll need to buy is the dressing.

Menard Johnson & Associates
2200 W. Roscoe
Chicago, IL 60618
Phone: 773-472-6016

http://www.menardjohnson.com/
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