Sleek and chic remodeling on Elston
You've gotta appreciate bold design, particularly in bleak locations, so it's a pleasure to point out the almost-finished remodeling [really more of [...]
The priciest 2-flat in Chicago
It's $199,000,000, and it's at 36 W 112th St. Who knew price appreciation was that crazy. Or maybe not - it has updated kitchens and baths, and those [...]
Bodacious abodes balance Bucktown street
How's this for a neighborly pair? We found these voluptuous beauties on our hunt for new Bucktown houses with a difference. The sightly single-fami [...]
The first-time buyer: Victoria's Secret to the rescue
When I decided to start looking for a home, I thought I'd better start pumping up my credit rating so that I could get a decent mortgage rate. My cred [...]
Finding a Realtor in a haystack
It sounds great in principle: search Homethinking.com to find the best real estate agent in your area. Compare agents based on their active listings, [...]
Nearly 75% of South Side subsidized units in jeapordy
At the same time that public housing is being dismantled and the cost of renting and buying is on the rise, nearly 75 percent of the 12,400 low-income [...]
Chicago moves up to 5th in sustainability rank
The couple of million square feet of green roofs Chicago has created in recent years didn't help any, but the city still rose to 5th in a ranking of [...]
Signs of a buyers' market in Chicago
Gone are the days when buyers fought over coveted condos, bidding themselves well above asking prices and snatching up homes the week they went to m [...]
How long does it take to design a high-rise?
This particular Yo-deler has always wondered how long it takes for an architect, or a team of architects, to design a high-rise. My uneducated guess w [...]
Chicago townhouse roundup: Northwest Side
We recently gave you a rundown of new townhome developments on the South Side. The Northwest Side also has its fair share of sizable townhome projec [...]
New Homes Magazine names Zen best new residential mid-rise
New Homes Magazine has named Zen Chicago's best new residential mid-rise. "Finally, the West Loop appears to have had enough of bland brick mid-rises [...]
Apartment occupancy rates rise in Chicago suburbs
Just as occupancy rates in apartment buildings are rising in the city, so too are occupancy rates in the suburbs, according to a recent report by Appr [...]
City resurrects mortgage program for 1st-time buyers
With interest rates on the rise, Chicago has resurrected its City Mortgage program, which offers first-time buyers discounted mortgage rates and help [...]
Bohemia in Lincoln Park
The house at 2202 North Orchard, across from Oz Park, has been a wonder of deterioration for over 20 years.
Paul Vranas reports that it's now demolis [...]
The first-time buyer: the Peter Pan complex
A little over a year ago I decided it was time to start the mental preparation necessary for buying my first home. I use the term 'mental preparation' [...]
Chicago's best and worst balconies
This balcony, at Belmont and Sheffield, has to be our favorite. Why? Oh, there are almost too many reasons to list. For one thing, it's the only bal [...]
Contemporary $3.1M Bucktown home a sight for sore eyes
We love a house that stands out from the rest, as evidenced by today's strange home sighting. But if you're looking for a unique house that doesn't [...]
Urban streetscapes on view at MCA expand photographer's reputation
Catherine Opie gained fame and generated controversy in the 1990s with her photographs [many self-portraits] depicting Los Angeles' leather / S&M / [...]
Strange home sighting in Noble Square
We found this bizarre antidote to cookie-cutter single-family homes on the 1500 block of West Chestnut Street. [...]
Paying dearly for a one-bedroom condo in the West Loop
Well, it officially sucks to be a first-time buyer in the West Loop. According to Keller Williams Realty, the average (not median) price of a one-bedr [...]