Not so hot, says Google.

Google recently launched Insights for Search, a tool for comparing search volume for specific terms across different regions, categories and time frames.

The volume of searches for Chicago new homes peaked in March of 2005 and is currently at about 30% of peak volume. Not a promising sign for home builders. On a little brighter note, the volume of searches for Chicago new construction closely tracks the volume for Chicago new homes, and it's ticked up recently to nearly 40% of peak volume.

In the August issue of New Homes (out this week!), we review some of the latest developments in Chicago's high-rise market. The info in this feature piece will be familiar to Yo regulars, but if you're not a daily reader, or if you're looking for a one-stop run-down of some of the high-rise homes currently available or under construction, click here or pick up a copy at one of these locations on Thursday.

Don't forget about our high-rise map, either!

Every morning, we comb through scores of local and national newspapers and magazines, amateur and professional blogs and other interesting Web sites in search of stories that are relevant to Chicago home buyers. We add those stories to own news feed, thereby creating a one-stop news source for anyone interested in Chicago's neighborhoods and new-home market.

Click here to read YoChicago's news feed.

Mobile Chicago.  Long have we been a hub for the railroad industry.  We're also known for having the most movable bridges in the world.  As usual, they're not all operable anymore, but yo, that's Chicago!  That being said, if we factored in all the other bridges and railroad transports in the city, you could be searching for days.  Be the first to name the neighborhood where this stationary bridge resides and win a Yo yo-yo.

The first person to correctly name the neighborhood  of these nicely manicured lawns will be a lucky new owner of a YoChicago yo-yo.

If you can name the nabe of Lucille the trailer, you will win a date with IrishPirate in Avondale . If you play your cards right on the date, you might get to "hook" up with Irish.

Name the nabe of the lovely perching gargoyle and you will be the final lucky owner of a Leona's gift certificate.

Buyers who equate lakeside property with hefty price points could find a pleasant surprise simply by heading south. In North Kenwood and Oakland, they will find Lake Park Crescent, where the prices of condominiums start in as low as the $180s. Dana Dubriwny writes about Draper and Kramer's new multi-phase project in the April issue of New Homes Magazine.

The residences are part of a whole new neighborhood emerging on the south lakefront. The first phase of the ambitious development includes 55 market-rate condos and 13 affordable units.

According to Draper and Kramer, the new community offers the same opportunity as previous “emerging neighborhoods” like Wicker Park or Logan Square. What makes Lake Park Crescent different, however, is its proximity to Lake Michigan and the historic nature of the surrounding area.

North Kenwood-Oakland occupies a spot along the south lakefront just north of Hyde Park. It’s a prominent neighborhood with a little bit of everything, from graystone mansions to contemporary high-rise towers. Lake Park Crescent will build on that sense of community with several different new-construction options.

Read the entire sponsored article about Lake Park Crescent here.

The Signature Residences, a 36-unit new-construction condo building at 207 E 31st St, is about a year away from delivery, according to a sales agent I spoke with yesterday.

I cruised past the site last week and managed to snap a few totally useless photos of the construction in progress, so I'll get back down there this week if the weather continues to cooperate. The rendering above was swiped from the development's Web site, and it's almost too small to be of any use.

Here's what Yo knows about the project: It's on the northern tip of Bronzeville, across the street from Dunbar Park and just a couple blocks away from the Illinois Institute of Technology. The development's 36 homes include one-, two- and three-bedroom units. All have at least one balcony or deck; some have two or three. According to the most recent specs, the smallest home is a 650-square-foot one-bedroom residence; the largest is a 1,700-square-foot three-bedroom / two-bath home.

Prices start in the $150s and top out in the $380s. Two homes have sold as of this week, and a furnished model is expected later this fall.

I'll check back with some photos of the recent construction activity.

Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture maximized the east-facing views at Superior 110 by extending the building's west face a bit farther north than the east face - perfect for the balconies that punctuate the tower's sleek design.

For buyers who want a little more rooftop space, there's even a pair of terrace units situated on the seventh floor, where the building steps in above the parking deck. Sophie Bidek, a senior associate with HPA, says this layout was a natural byproduct of the building's parking element.

The floor plan for the three-bed / 3.5 bath unit shown above features almost 1,500 square feet of terraced space; the price is just under $1.5 million.

The seventh floor brings residents above some of the low-rise stock in River North - but not all of it. If you're curious about what the views might look like, check out the floor view tool on Superior 110's Web site.