Real estate news & trends

News from around the Web - 6/18

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ChicagoDowntown / Loop

Market for MLS-listed downtown homes and condos remains stable

Aerial view of Gold Coast

There are currently 824 MLS-listed homes, apartments and condos for rent in the 14 downtown ZIP Codes that we track periodically. That’s a little more than 1% below the number available for rent a year ago at this time, an 11.5% increase over the same time in 2011, 37% below ...

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Posted by Joe Zekas on June 18, 2013
ChicagoWest / Southwest

Racial discrimination at Galewood Crossings?

Galewood Crossings

The Tribune recently wrote about a lawsuit brought by the CHA against board members of the master association at the Enclaves of Galewood Crossings in the Austin neighborhood. The CHA had contracted to purchase a number of townhomes in the community, and recently closed on the purchase. The lawsuit alleges ...

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Posted by Joe Zekas on June 18, 2013
ChicagoNorthwest Side

Avondale Closeout still not closed out

Avondale Closeout

Back in October of 2010 Red Seal Homes held a grand opening event for its curiously named Avondale Closeout development. Plans called for 19 homes base-priced from the $560s to the $600s, with a first phase of 9 homes. Since that time, according to Redfin data, two homes have sold. ...

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Posted by Joe Zekas on June 18, 2013
News & trendsMarket conditions

Metro Chicago condo sales surged in May, highest since 2006

Kardas Photography

The following market update arrived via a news release from RE/MAX Northern Illinois: A renewed appetite for condominium purchases has become apparent in the metro Chicago real estate market through the first five months of 2013. That trend was especially clear in May when a 35 percent increase in sales ...

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Posted by Joe Zekas on June 18, 2013
ChicagoDowntown / Loop

Divergent architectural styles book-end Divergent set

Divergent movie set

One of the sets for Neil Burger‘s adaptation of Divergent, a sci-fi flick starring Shailene Woodley and Kate Winslet, is appropriately sandwiched between two of Chicago’s architectural icons. No word on whether the set was designed by Burger’s architect wife. Pictured above, to the north of Divergent’s bleak homes, is ...

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Posted by Joe Zekas on June 17, 2013
ChicagoDowntown / Loop

Iron workers put on a show at Catalyst

Tower crane, Catalyst

When we looked in on Catalyst in early April drilling rigs were sinking the caissons for the apartment tower’s foundation. The 22-story building, when complete at 630 W Washington, will host 223 apartments, 175 garage parking spaces and 15,168 square feet of ground floor retail space. Foundation work was complete ...

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Posted by Joe Zekas on June 17, 2013
North ShoreEvanston

A first look inside Evanston’s 1717 Ridge apartments

1717 Ridge, Evanston

The recently-opened 1717 Ridge apartments held its ceremonial grand opening last Wednesday, and drew a crowd despite the storm system that swept through the area that evening. Evanston Mayor Elizabeth Tisdahl keynoted the event. I attended the event and stopped by again on Friday, in better weather, to shoot some ...

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Posted by Joe Zekas on June 17, 2013
ChicagoDowntown / Loop

A stalled 1K Fulton and Google rumors

1K Fulton

Ever since Crain’s reported that Google is considering a move to the new 1K Fulton development in the West Loop commenters at various websites have treated the deal as a fait accompli that would precipitate imminent change in the area. Here’s how Crain’s phrased the impact: If a deal is ...

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Posted by Joe Zekas on June 17, 2013
ChicagoDowntown / Loop

An up-to-date list of River North apartment rents

Montgomery Ward Park

If you’re looking to rent an apartment in River North, you can see all of your managed apartment building options on YoChicago’s availability list, below. Apart from the new buildings, there are currently only twelve large apartment complexes in River North, and we’ve listed all of them in this Google ...

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Posted by Joe Zekas on June 14, 2013
North ShoreEvanston

Tour a Georgian Revival home near Evanston’s Lighthouse Beach

705 Milburn Evanston

Koenig & Strey’s Sally Mabadi is our guide to this elegant, 5 bedroom, three-story Georgian Revival. The home, at 705 Milburn St, is beautifully situated in northeast Evanston, just steps to Lighthouse Beach and the award-winning Orrington School. 705 Milburn perfectly captures the old world craftsmanship of the 1920s with ...

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Posted by sponsored post on June 14, 2013
ChicagoNorth Side

Spacious renovated apartments steps from Lincoln Park

420 Surf Chicago

The vintage high-rise at 420 W Surf in the Lake View neighborhood is on a tree-lined street, but just steps from Lincoln Park and Diversey Harbor. The building has spacious studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments with hardwood floors, crown moldings, and updated kitchens and baths. The fitness room and ...

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Posted by sponsored post on June 14, 2013

YoChicago approaches 2,000 followers on YouTube, Twitter

twitter logo

Many of our visitors would rather learn about what’s new here by following us on Twitter or subscribing to our videos on YouTube rather than going directly to YoChicago. If that’s your preference, visit our YouTube channel and Twitter feed to get started. You can, of course, also find us ...

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Posted by Joe Zekas on June 14, 2013
ChicagoDowntown / Loop

An up-to-date list of South Loop apartment rents

South Loop lakefront

In South Loop apartment news, buildings at 619-631 S LaSalle were recently acquired for conversion to 80 to 90 loft apartments. We’ll keep you up to date on the progress. http://yochicago.com/are-new-south-loop-apartments-a-sign-of-a-rental-market-downturn/30500/ If you’re looking to rent in the South Loop, you can see all of your managed apartment building options ...

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Posted by Joe Zekas on June 13, 2013
News & trendsMarket conditions

Bank repossessions rise 44 percent in Illinois

Belmont & Western

The following arrived via email from RealtyTrac: RealtyTrac today released its U.S. Foreclosure Market Report™ for May 2013, which shows foreclosure filings — default notices, scheduled auctions and bank repossessions — were reported on 148,054 U.S. properties in May, an increase of 2 percent from the 75-month low in April ...

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Posted by Joe Zekas on June 13, 2013
ChicagoNorth Side

Large renovated apartments on a quiet Lake View block

660 W Barry

660 W Barry is in a quiet, tree-lined location with great proximity to several lively commercial strips. Broadway is a half a block to the east, Clark St a half block west and Belmont Ave a short block north. You’d be hard-pressed to find three more lively restaurant, nightlife and ...

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Posted by sponsored post on June 13, 2013
ChicagoDowntown / Loop

Apartments with a dog park at the edge of the Gold Coast

1000 N LaSalle

The contemporary high-rise apartment building at 1000 N LaSalle is adjacent to a tranquil private dog park. The tree-shrouded area is a favorite among dog-owning residents and residents who just want a cool place to sit outside on a hot summer day. The grassy areas of the dog park were ...

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Posted by sponsored post on June 13, 2013
ChicagoDowntown / Loop

A look at Division Street, from Wicker Park to Humboldt Park

1900 block Division St

Division Street from Ashland Ave almost to Western Ave – a stretch that divides Wicker Park from East Village and Ukrainian Village – is one of the most vibrant, attractive, pedestrian-friendly strips in Chicago. The vitality of Division Street comes to an almost complete halt just east of Western Ave ...

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Posted by Joe Zekas on June 12, 2013
ChicagoDowntown / Loop

West Loop’s Pure now almost purely rental

Pure, 24 S Morgan

Back in December of 2009 we took a retrospective look at our coverage of Pure, a much-discussed failed condo turned rental at 24 S Morgan in the West Loop. Since that time a grand jury indicted the building’s developers for running a Ponzi scheme that burned banks and investors to ...

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Posted by Joe Zekas on June 12, 2013
ChicagoNorth Side

A Lincoln Park brownstone on Fullerton Parkway

614 W Fullerton

Chicago’s Fullerton Parkway between Clark and Halsted is lined with historic mansions, many dating back to the 1800′s. These blocks are the heart of Lincoln Park and, some would say, revelatory of its soul. The handsome brownstone at 614 W Fullerton was beautifully restored and updated in 1996 and has ...

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Posted by sponsored post on June 12, 2013
ChicagoNorth Side

Renovated apartments across from DePaul University

828 W Fullerton Chicago

If you want an affordable apartment with vintage character close to DePaul University, you’ll find 828 W Fullerton hard to beat. The location is directly across from the eastern stretch of DePaul’s campus, with great proximity to the Fullerton El stop. There’s a CVS pharmacy next door and a stunning ...

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Posted by sponsored post on June 12, 2013