News & Events

News, articles, maps, statistics...all at your fingertips!

We have collected articles and reports about Chicago neighborhoods, and statistics on the housing market in Chicago to build your wealth of real estate related knowledge.

What is the average home price in your desired area? Is the market better or worse than it was a year ago? What is the appreciation rate of 2-4 units over the last 2 years citywide versus in one neighborhood? What is the forecast for the market? When is the best time of year to sell?

Answer all these questions and more in the articles below.

Posting Date	Title	Summary	Attachment
07/06/2009	So Many Foreclosures, So Little Logic	While foreclosures have rose 22%, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency stated that 'amid the gloom, there is promosing data about loan modifacations'. They rose 55% in the recent quarter. Although this seems like promising news, lenders and taxpayers are losing out on money from the foreclosures.	So Many Foreclosures So Little Logic.pdf
07/06/2009	Track to the Future	Similar to Daniel Burnham's, architect famous for Chicago's structure, Plan of 1909, Chicago has created GO TO 2040. This plan has been opened to Chicago Residents who can post their ideas of how to restructure Chicago by 2040. Anyone can post their ideas at http://www.GOTO2040.com.	Track to the Future Article.pdf
04/24/2009	Food & Drink: Whats New	This article gives a run down of the newest, freshest, and diverse restaraunts that have recently opened. The restuarants that are featured include: Sunda, Pintxos Tortilleria & Bar, and Amelia's Bar & Grill. http://www.chicagoreader.com/features/stories/restaurants/090423/
04/20/2009	Bridgeport Basics	Bridegports own Tacos Erendira serves up straightforward Mexican food in a causual setting with excellent prices. Unlike some Mexican restuarants that puts eclectic touches on old classics, Tacos Erendira serves up nothing less than a well done version of the old classics.	Bridgeport Basics.pdf
04/10/2009	Home Sales Show Spark	In the last month, Chicago have had a 26% increase in home sales over February. Most of these sales are attributed to the increase in foreclosures and short sales. Another sign that the market is gaining momentum is that lenders are pre-qualifying more prospective buyers. While there is light at the end of the tunnel for this market, we still remain below last year's prices, as this year they continue to fall.	Home Sales Show Spark.pdf
03/27/2009	New-Home Sales Rise 4.7%	The increase in sales of new homes reveals how the housing market is starting to pick up a bit. Falling prices, low mortgage rates, and the $8,000 tax credit all give way to this increase in sales.	New-Home Sales Rise 4.7%.pdf
03/27/2009	First-Time Buyers Lift Existing Home Sales 5.1%	Due to the $8,000 tax break available to first-time home buyers, home sales have hit their biggest monthly gain in five years. Now that prices are low, middle-class home buyers are able to enter the housing market.	First-Time Buyers Lift Exisiting Homes Sales.pdf
03/23/2009	Chicago Grand Neighbor Association (CGNA)	An updated article that discusses updates on the neighborhood's accomplishments such as keeping the environment clean, and community meetings.	CGNA Update of 2006 accomplishments.pdf
03/23/2009	Chicago Journal- Cityside	This article offers a glimpse of a few neighborhood stories that include implementation of a new stop light, the new plans to replace an elementary schools' playground to a park, implementation of a graffiti abatement program, and information for vendors that would like to participate in the Wicker Park Fest this year.	Cityside.pdf
03/23/2009	Chicago Journal- Boys and Girls Club condos delayed	The Boys and Girls club West Town branch was moved to a nearby school to make way for a new 13-unit condo development that will help boost economic growth in the area and help spark gentrification. David Ramos, President of CGNA, says that the building that was vacated to build these units have yet to be converted.	Boys and Girls Club condos delayed.pdf
03/23/2009	Chicago Journal- New Sheriff in West Town	David Ramos was recently voted in as president of the Chicago Grand Neighbors Association. This article gives not only a brief bio of the new president, but also a few of the projects that are coming up in the area.	New Sheriff in West Town.pdf
03/16/2009	Market Statistics For 2009	These are the market statistics for the Pilsen area for the units closed from October 11, 2008 through March, 11, 2009.	PIlsenMarket10-11-08through3-11-09Stats.pdf
01/12/2009	Fourth Annual Polar Adventure Days	When: January 17 : 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. February 21 : 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. Price: Free Event Phone Number: 312-742-7529 Northerly Island 1400 S. Linn White Drive Chicago, IL 60605 The winter celebration features ice sculptures, crafts, arctic camping demos, storytelling, an up-close look at Siberian huskies and other animals and more. Also, rent snowshoes for free and trek about the grounds. The first 500 visitors receive a free mug filled with hot chocolate.
01/12/2009	Chicago Inaugural Ball	When: January 20 : 7 p.m. Price: $175 Event Phone Number: 312-791-7500 McCormick Place 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL 60616 312-791-7500 "Renewing American's Promise" is the theme for this gala, which includes appetizers, two glasses of champagne and multimedia presentations. Comedian Julianna Forlano and bands the Chicago Catz and Deal's Gone Bad perform live. Cash bar.
01/12/2009	More Money to Finance Daley's Olympic Dream By: Kathy Bergen and Laurie Cohen	Earlier in the bid process, officials said that no taxpayer dollors would be used to fund the Games. However, that is no longer the case. Approval of the use of more taxpayer's money has been passed, and the site where Olympic Village will be built is likely to be a TIF district (tax increment financing).	More Money to Finance Olympic Dream .pdf
01/12/2009	Burris Declares Fight Over, Praise Opponents By: Jill Zuckman	Newly appointed Illinois State Senator, Roland Burris, expects to be sworn in later this week. Despite mild uproar from republican senators, Burris met the requirements of the senate and was later appointed.	Burries Declares Fight Over, Praises Opponents.pdf
01/09/2009	Contemporary with capital 'C'	David Hovey is today's modern architect, building contemporary, modern, and sophisticated residential homes.	Comtemporary with capital C.pdf
12/13/2008	Risk Jumps for Taxpayers By: Laurie Cohen and Hal Dardick	Taxpayers were assured that hosting the 2016 Olympics would not affect any taxes. Patrick Ryan stated, "Chicago taxpayers will not be burned by hosting the Games...In fact, after reviewing the numbers, we are even more comfortable in making that assertion."	Risk Jumps for Taxpayers.pdf
12/13/2008	Olympic Imprint Raises Concern By: Blair Kamin	Blair Kamin, a Tribune Architecture critic brings the issue of what will happen to the venues once the Olympics are over to the table. In historic Washington Park, built in 1871 by a famous Chicago architect, residents are extremely concerned about any buildings that have plans to stay up instead of being torn down. Erma Tranter, President of Chicago advocacy group stated, "There should only be temporary facilities placed in Washington park....At the end of the olympics, they should be removed and the park restored."	Olympic imprint raises concern.pdf
12/11/2008	Where to Buy Now	Want to know where the best real estate bargins are in Chicago and surrounding suburbs? This extensive list will give you all you need to know about real estate pricing in city neighborhoods and suburbs.	Where to Buy Now.pdf
12/11/2008	Olympic Village Deal Salvaged	Chicago 2016 Chairman Pat Ryan restructured the deal for construction of the projection $1.1 billion Olympic Village.	Olympic Village deal salvaged.pdf
11/24/2008	Obama Lobbies for Chicago Games in 2016	President-elect Barack Obama spoke via video on Friday to European Olympic committees at a meeting in Istanbul in an effort to sell Chicago's bid for the 2016 Summer Games.	Obama Lobbies for Chicago Games in 2016.pdf
11/24/2008	For president-elect, a brief taste of normalcy at home By: John McCormick	There is some irony that it took winning the presidency for Barack Obama to settle into a schedule that borders on humdrum.	Brief taste of normalcy at home.pdf
11/20/2008	Long term: three el stations near United Center By: Ben Myers	New commerical development inthe Near West Side has caused for three new el stations to be built for better access to these locations.	Long Term three el stations near United Center.pdf
11/20/2008	Small Improvements Can Help By: Bill Healy	Making minor adjustments to a 'for sale' property can minimize the property's market time and can potentially get close to orginial asking price.	Small Improvements Can Help.pdf
11/13/2008	The Road Ahead By: Greg Hinz and Paul Merrion	New President Elect, Barack Obama, will have to work fast to help the American economy get back on it's feet. Alot is expected of Obama including a bigger budget for Illinois to help pay for roads and better transit options.	The Road Ahead.pdf
11/13/2008	Condominium Sales Fall to a 7- Year Low	In the third quarter, developers sold the fewest condos in a three-month period since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Sales are plunging as the supply of condos continue to grow, and developers with a high number of unsold units will have a hard time paying off their loans.	Condo Sales Fall To 7 Yr Low.pdf
10/24/2008	August Newsletter	See most popular listings, and read articles on today's market and how you, the buyer, can benefit. Don't forget to check out the 'Green' tips!	Draft 4.pdf
06/16/08	What If Hyde Park Hosta Midwest White House	What will happen to a certain mansion in hyde park if it becomes the next White House? Will this vanquish the Western White House in Crawford, Texas? Will Hyde Park's dining offerings improve? Many questions	SKMBT_C30008061813260.pdf
3/25	The Mayor in the Mirror	Mayor Daley held a press conference to announce that our property tax system is broken and he aims to fix it. In his speech Daley predicted that soaring property taxes would drive poor and working-class people out of their communities, particularly on the south and west sides.	SKMBT_C30008032516500.pdf
3/25	Some Are Spared The Slide In Housing	The real estate market these days is a tale of two americas, and one of them is not doing too badly. MILLIONS OF PEOPLE OWE MORE THAN THEIR HOUSE ARE WORTH	SKMBT_C30008032516530.pdf
3/25	A Glimmer of Relief in Housing	SURPRISE INCREASE IN SALES HINTS THAT CRISIS MAY BE HITTING BOTTOM - Home sales in Chicago and the nation, helped in part by steep price declines, took a surprise bounce upward in February, encouraging some to wonder whether the long awaited "Are we there yet?" moment in housing's downward spiral has arrived.	SKMBT_C30008032516480.pdf
2/21	Losing Our Landmarks	The city's architecural heritage is disappearing-with help from the people who are supposed to protect it.	SKMBT_C30008032417050.pdf
3/13/08	In Chicago, Tinted Green	A couple were married inside a florist's leaky old greenhouse who later on transformed it into a house that was built using a number of green technologies.	SKMBT_C30008032416450.pdf
3/04	Freeze Frame	As Chicago's real-estate market began to experience the big chill, homeowners worried that this was the beginning of the next ice age. But as our annual house survey demonstrates, there were a few bright spots in the year that was more frustrating than desperate.	SKMBT_C30008030416120.pdf
2/26	A year of options for city's renters	Apartment rents take biggest quarterly tumble since 2001. Landlord still have the upper hand on tenants in the downtown Chicago Apartmant market, but they lost some leverage in the fourth quarter, a trend that could continue in 2008.	SKMBT_C30008022615460.pdf
2/16/08	It's showtime for Olympics bid	Chicago 2016 facing crucial step in process	olympics.pdf
1/4/08	The scoop on Chicago's 'shh'	Although "ch" usually stands for the sound in "chick," English also uses it sometimes for a "K" sound, as in "character" the German guttural sound in "Bach," and yes, the "sh" sound in "champagne" and "chandelier."... -written by Nathan Bierma	shh.pdf