Real Estate In St. Ben's

This 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.

Real Estate In South Loop

The South Loop has been developing since the early 80?s and continues to experience a construction boom. A century ago, this neighborhood was Chicago's most famous gambling and prostitution district. Today the South Loop consists of three neighborhoods: Dearborn Park, Printer's Row and River City  and a new neighborhood called Central Station is being developed east of Michigan Avenue, south of Roosevelt Road across Lake Shore Drive from the Field Museum.

Dearborn Park is a 20-year-old condo development built on land that was owned by several railroads. It's just south of the Loop between State Street and Clark Street, and south of Polk Street to 15th Street. The neighborhood has a grammar school and housing for senior citizens.

Printer's Row is a condo and rental area in loft buildings. It is located directly southwest of the Loop. Every year the neighborhood hosts a large book fair. There are plenty of bookstores, restaurants, and bars. You?ll find this to be a very convenient location if you work in the Loop.

River City, a little further south, has arresting views of the city and also has docking facilities for up to 70 boats on the south branch of the Chicago River. This neighborhood is a city within a city. Containing 70 apartments, restaurants, a health club, and many other amenities, if not for all the other great attractions in Chicago, there would be no real reason to ever venture out of River City.

Central Station a 72-acre project boasts Mayor Richard M. Daley and his family who moved there after their longtime home in Bridgeport. With over 180 homes, and it's proximity to Lake Shore Drive, this neighborhood should see more development in the form of retail and office space in years to come.

With all the recent news about the rebounding of the real estate market nationwide and in the Chicago area comes news that Chicago apartment sales levels are down.  So why the conflicting numbers?

While it's still a sellers' market for apartments, it turns out that fewer landlords in Chicago are selling.  According to Appraisal Research Counselors, a Chicago-based consulting firm, sales of apartments have totaled $1.48 billion so far this year which represents a 12 percent drop from 2012.  On the other hand, suburban Chicago apartments are up 26 percent totaling just over $900 million.  Downtown Chicago sales have fallen to $580.2 million which represents a 40 percent decline.

Prices have skyrocketed and demand for apartments has been strong the past few years.  Rising rents, high occupancy levels and low interest rates have fueled demand.  Additionally, landlords are having a harder time filling their high-rises due to the development boom.

Seven new buildings this year and six more next year may end up resulting in more big buildings coming on the market soon but the overall market is unlikely to match its 2011 peak of $1.4 billion in downtown sales.

Meanwhile, rents hit a record high in the suburbs in the third quarter.  So it's really a tale of two areas when it comes to apartment selling and renting in the Chicago area.

If you'd like to learn more about how these numbers could affect a new apartment purchase, click here to contact the Chicago real estate experts at Menard Johnson.  They've been in the Chicago real estate business for over 30 years and can help you find your next home.

Real Estate In Sheridan Park

Located in Uptown - this Mid North Side community is home to Sheridan Park?which runs from Irving Park north to Montrose; Broadway to Clark. Sheridan Park is near to Buena Park (they meet almost corner to corner). On the west of Clark Street one enters gradually into Ravenswood. Its primary significance is architectural.

Sheridan Park was designated as a National Register Historic District in 1985. It exemplifies the distinctive characteristics of several periods in Chicago history: the large suburban home of the turn of the century, the Chicago six-flat of the period 1897-1916, and the Chicago common-corridor building of the 1920s. There are not many three-flats in Sheridan Park.

The streets in Sheridan Park are different from the standard Chicago grid in a subtle way. The neighborhood is wider at the north side than on the south. The bending or curving of the streets and sidewalks is very unusual in Chicago. This is due to the fact that the west border, Clark Street, follows along what once had been a prehistoric trail and leads out of the city in a direction somewhat west of true north. When street numbers and street names in Chicago were "rationalized" in 1909, most of the streets, which bend slightly to the west, kept their separate names.

A railroad station was built in 1891 called Sheridan Park and lent its name to the popular neighborhood. Many of the larger homes were divided into cheaply-priced rental apartments when Sheridan Park was hit by the Great Depression. Like much of Uptown, Sheridan Park became a port of entry for immigrants from rural areas of the U.S. and from other countries.

Today, the area is composed of an economic and cultural mix of people. Sheridan Park is a district of large homes, six-flats, larger apartment buildings, and courtyard buildings. There is currently high quality renovation going on to the Sheridan Park housing stock. Huge, gorgeous, vintage houses and many others have interiors with beautiful hardwood trim, fireplaces, built-in sideboards and window benches, and other quality features.

Real Estate In Roscoe Village

Located between Belmont and Addison Avenues and west from Damen to Western Avenue. Roscoe Village is within the larger neighborhood of Lakeview in the western portion.

Settled in the late nineteenth century largely by Germans, greenhouses covered much of Roscoe Village. After the 1871 Chicago Fire, there was some new construction to the area. On its western edge was Riverview Amusement Park, a Chicago landmark opened in 1904 and closed in 1967. Riverview billed itself as the "World's Largest Amusement Park." Roscoe Village was off and building!

Today Roscoe Village is a peaceful, working class /professional neighborhood that continues appealing to buyers and renters due to the tree-lined streets and reasonable prices. This area attracts working couples and families and a growing number of urban professionals. Over the past five years, Roscoe Village has increased its elementary rankings significantly.  With the community influence, Audubon elementary is now ranked extremely high and Hamilton continues to excel.  Bell Magnet school is also partial boundaries located in the Roscoe Village community. Jahn school district touches on the edge of Roscoe Village.

Roscoe Village has a charming small town feel on Roscoe Street from Damen to Western with variety of cuisines.  From mexican to Asian, delis and coffee Roscoe Village has something to fit everyone's taste. Trendy shops and boutiques also help make this neighborhood a destination.  Cinnamon, Kick'n and Apied to name a few draw people from all over to shop their fashions.  Belmont Street creates a a vibrant retail street where antique stores show off the treasures from years gone by.

Less crowded than other Lincoln Park and Lake View areas, Roscoe Village is a peaceful neighborhood comprised primarily of post World War II bungalows and 2 / 3 flats dating from the late 1800'a and early  1900's. Many have been converted to single family homes.  In recent years,because of the desire to live in Roscoe Villages, many new Single Family Homes have been built.  The Roscoe Village community brings a wonderful mix of professionals, artists, couples, children and pets together, making this a very special place to live .

Parking in Roscoe Village is relatively easy, with plenty of metered and free spots along Roscoe or nearby side streets. Roscoe Village is four miles north of the Loop. Lake Shore Drive and the Kennedy Expressway (I-90/94) are within easy driving distance. The Roscoe Village community takes pride in not having permit parking. It's nice to have free side street parking.

There are "L" stops on Addison and Paulina.  Bus stops all along Addison.  Very convenient to Wrigley Field.  Stop and grab something to eat or check out the boutiques.  You won't be disappointed

Real Estate In Ravenswood

Ravenswood is 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.

Real Estate In Old Town

Old Town is bordered from Division north to Armitage and from Clark Street west to Halsted.

German farmers and merchants settled this neighborhood in the mid-1800s. The great Chicago Fire destroyed this neighborhood, but the brick walls of St. Michael's Catholic Church remained and it was rebuilt. After WWII, North Town became known as Old Town. Over time, the area experienced a decline as the business mix and economic climate changed. This area was a hippie haven in the 1960s and 1970s. Then, with an aggressive beautification program, it began to revive itself and became one of Chicago?s first renovated neighborhoods. Today, Old Town is lively, city neighborhood with a strong residential and business base that continues to grow and prosper, yet somehow maintains a certain small-town feel.

West of LaSalle Street is the residential district of Old Town, boasting some of the best-preserved turn-of-the-century architecture. The neighborhood is known for its renovated historic charm of town homes, quiet courtyards, and walk-ups. The residential areas rapidly gentrified once the nearby housing project - Cabrini Green - was finally razed.

Shopping of all kinds is abundant, as well as cinema, theater, popular restaurants and bars. The center of nightlife in Old Town is Wells Street, where there is as well a string of reliable restaurants and bars. The major strips of commerce are definitely abuzz with the activity of a big city: Wells and Division streets, North Avenue, and the intersection of North and Clybourn avenues.

Old Town is home to the famous Second City, the training ground for such comedians as John Belushi, Joan Rivers and other popular stars. The Second City was started in a former Chinese establishment on the edge of Old Town in 1959.

Real Estate In Loop

The heart of the business district is the Loop, taking its name from the loop the elevated tracks make around downtown. Physically bounded between Franklin on the west, and Wabash on the east, Van Buren on the south and Lake Street on the north, the downtown area continually expands beyond these boundaries. This is the downtown area, the commercial and business heart of Chicago and lies largely south of the Chicago River. The city's rationalized street numbering system starts in the Loop at State and Madison.

During the 1950?s, just after the Second World War, the United States witnessed one of its largest suburban sprawls. Chicago's magnificent downtown--like those of other major cities--fell into decline as people fled to live in the suburbs.

Towards the end of the 20th century the downtown area began to turn around, as projects aimed at revitalizing got under way. As with other metropolitan areas around the country, Chicago's downtown is seeing a trend towards residential living. The 1996 renovation of State Street created a demand for retail, office, and residential space in the Loop. Executives are choosing to be near the office. Old office buildings are currently being renovated into luxury condominiums and hotel use. Additional structures are being turned into state-of-the-art high-tech office centers.

Increasing numbers of apartments are being developed around the fringes of the loop. Printers' Row, which extends south of Congress along Dearborn, may have started the trend in the early 1980s with its rehabbed vintage apartments and lofts. Chicago's New East Side can be considered part of Downtown. This area just east of Michigan Avenue has also had a resurgence in construction and residences are being built near Millennium Park.

The Loop is now one of the world's largest outdoor museums for contemporary art. Chicago 1967 Picasso marked the beginning of downtown Chicago becoming an open-air sculpture gallery, with hundreds of pieces spread all around the Loop, including Alexander Calder?s bright red ?Flamingo? in the Federal Center Plaza. Marc Chagall's mosaic sculpture ?The Four Seasons? depicts the changing seasons of Chicago.

Real Estate In Logan Square

Located west from the Kennedy Expressway to Kimball Avenue and north from Fullerton to Diversey Avenues.

The actual Logan Square, which gives the community its name, is at Kedzie and Logan (between Diversey and Fullerton). It really is a small hill with a classical marble column honoring the centennial of Illinois statehood in 1918.

Logan Square is famous for its wide landscaped boulevards that have remained virtually unchanged for 100 years. Many wealthy Chicago merchants and entrepreneurs built massive greystone mansions here. Recently, vintage lighting fixtures have been installed along the Boulevard. Logan Square prides itself on its excellent housing stock built predominantly during the 1920.

Real Estate In Lincoln Square

West of Andersonville and slightly to the south, where Lincoln, Western, and Lawrence avenues intersect, is Lincoln Square. The Lincoln Square neighborhood is bordered by Foster Avenue to the north, Montrose Avenue to the south, Damen Avenue to the east, and the Chicago River to the west. This East Ravenswood Historic District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

One of Chicago's first planned neighborhoods, the area?s character and quaint charm is due to the leafy residential streets and its remarkable architecture: from beautiful old wood-frame Victorians, to brick and graystone two- and three-flats. Lincoln Square is home to an assortment of residences, commercial and public buildings, some dating back to the 1850s. Its diverse architecture reflects traditions passed down through generations of immigrants. The area is lucky to have the last masterpiece from famous Chicago architect Louis Sullivan, now a museum devoted to the decorative arts.

And with all these types of properties, you will find cool lofts, vintage and modern condos, wonderful grey stones on large lots and beautiful Single family homes ranging from new and Victorian.  A truly unique flavor in city living

Lincoln Square is the only identifiable remains of Chicago's once-vast German-American community. For years, Lincoln Square has been the center of Chicago?s German community. The facades of the buildings further south on Lincoln still bear the names of the families that constructed them in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, but the majority of German shops are now concentrated in the Lincoln Square shopping district. In early September, the German influence is still very much alive as huge tents are erected on Lincoln and Leland avenues for the annual German-American Fest. There is also an authentic German maypole and a mural that depicts images from across Germany.

n recent years, many immigrants from Greece, Eastern Europe, Mexico, and Korean who have brought the character of their cultures to the neighborhood?s businesses have settled the Lincoln Square area.

The Western station on the El's Brown Line is located right in the heart of Lincoln Square. The 11 (Lincoln), 49 (Western), 81 (Lawrence), 92 (Foster), or 78 (Montrose) buses also serve the area.