Chicago

Porch Piracy

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I hadn’t heard of the term “porch piracy” until recently when I read an article about it. Basically it involves the theft of packages delivered to a home and left at the front door. Thieves look for opportunities such as this, some even following Fed Ex and UPS trucks as they make their deliveries. This is a very real problem in much of the country, and it’s growing.

Crime in The Glen is not a common occurrence. In fact, there is little of it in this beautiful residential and retail development in Glenview Illinois, about 18 miles north of downtown Chicago. This is an upscale area with home prices ranging from around $400,000 to over $2,000,000. That’s not the community profile one thinks of as a high crime area. But what makes the community so lovely also can make it a target of porch piracy. In an area like ours packages left at the door are likely to be filled with expensive items such as electronics.

I decided to ask the Fed Ex delivery guy who regularly delivers in The Glen how he decides whether to leave a package if there’s no one home to receive it. He told me that the company provides some guidance based on historical data of porch piracy by location, and as a person familiar with the various streets in the The Glen development he uses his best judgment as to whether a theft may occur. I’ve never had a problem myself, and none of my immediate neighbors have ever mentioned it. But all of us in The Glen should be aware of the potential problem.

The most effective way to ensure that your packages won’t be stolen is to require signatures for items that you’ve ordered. Alternatively you can ask that packages only be delivered during hours that someone is likely to be home.

Margaret Ludemann

Glen homeowner and @properties Realtor

margaretludemann@gmail.com         847-401-1802

Great schools serve children living in The Glen

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A dozen years ago my family and I were moving back to the Chicago area after living in Boston for a few years. We began our home search in downtown Chicago where we had previously lived. But the more we thought about it the more our focus turned to school quality, and that led us to The Glen in the near-by north shore community of Glenview.

We have been thrilled with the schools here. Our son recently graduated from Attea Middle School located in The Glen, and one week from today he’ll start high school at Glenbrook South. GBS, as it’s known, is one of the highest ranked high schools in the country. Academics are strong, and the offerings go well beyond the normal curriculum one finds in most high schools. For instance the foreign language program offers courses in five languages. Five! French, Spanish, German, Japanese, and Mandarin Chinese. Oh, and American Sign Language. I guess that makes six languages. My son will be taking Japanese, and he can’t wait. Many of his friends will also participate in the Glenbrook Academy of International Studies in English, Social Studies, and World Languages. And the results? Well, 95% of graduates go on to college; the average ACT score is 25; and 89% of students earn AP scores to qualify for college credit.

The GBS experience, though, goes well beyond the classroom. There are 48 clubs at GBS. My son will be joining the fencing club and a few others. Yes, there is a fencing club. Imagine that. And it gets even better. If a student wants a club that doesn’t yet exist, he or she is encouraged to start one. In addition to clubs, GBS offers 8 boys sports and 14 girls sports. There is something for everyone in this outstanding high school.

So, if you are thinking about a move, you should take a long look at The Glen. Homes of all kinds are available including single family homes, condos, townhomes, row homes, duplexes, and two-flats. Home prices range from the $300’s to over $2 million. If you would like to know more about The Glen, the schools, and homes currently listed for sale, please give me a call at 847-401-1802. Or you can email me at margaretludemann@gmail.com.

Margaret Ludemann,   @properties Realtor and Glen homeowner

The Glen’s art fair was a huge success…again!

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The annual Glen Art Fair was held this past weekend, August 8 and 9, and as always it was a huge success. This prestigious (and fun!) event attracted scores of artists from throughout the United States to Tower Drive, Glen Town Center’s “main street”. Attendance was high, and as they say, a good time was had by all.

The Glen is the north shore’s premier lifestyle community, meaning it has beautiful homes, an outstanding array of restaurants, upscale shopping, jogging trails, golf courses, tennis courts, and a picturesque lake.  It is located on the site of the former Glenview Naval Air Station in Glenview, Illinois, approximately 18 miles north of downtown Chicago.

Visitors to the fair were treated to art of many genres including paintings, photography, sculpture, glass works, folk art, crafts, cartooning, digital art, and even what is known as “wearable art”. In fact, as I’m typing this blog, I’m wearing a striking blouse that I purchased at the fair. I live in the Glen’s Tower Crossing development only a block away from the fair!

This will all occur again next August. You might want to jot it down in your calendar. I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as much as those of us who are fortunate homeowners and residents of The Glen. And if you may be interested in living in the Glen, please give me a call. I am a local realtor who specializes in Glen properties – single family homes, row homes, town homes, two flats, duplexes and condos.

Margaret Ludemann

@properties Realtor   847-401-1802   margaretludemann@gmail.com

Walk to Glen Town Center’s restaurants and shops from your new condo at Patriot Commons

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Condos in the Glen have always sold well. And why not? After all, not only do you get a beautiful home, but you also get the incredible lifestyle that only the Glen has to offer. Let me tell you more.

The Glen is the premier lifestyle community on Chicago’s north shore in Glenview Illinois. The focal point is Glen Town Center with its 17 restaurants, scores of shops including a great book store, a 10 screen movie theater, and much more. There are 9 residential neighborhoods with all types of luxury homes including single family, townhomes, row homes, condos, duplexes, villas, and two-flats. And…new construction is still available!

I would highly recommend the Patriot Commons development which offers breathtaking condos ranging in size between 1050 and 1400 square feet. One and two bedroom units (some with dens) are for sale offering hardwood floors and stunning chef’s kitchens with granite counters, stainless steel appliances, and Kohler faucets. Some units have dramatic views of The Glen Club Championship Golf Course; and all homes have private balconies. Indoor parking is available for all units.

But the homes are only part of the story. Patriot Commons homes are only a few steps from Glen Town Center, so your “commute” to an evening out is – if you’re walking slowly – about a minute or two. You can also walk to The Glen’s Metra Station with train service to Chicago’s Union Station in about a half hour.

Patriot Commons FINAL PHASE is over half sold out, but there are still 14 striking homes available with delivery expected in the fall of 2016. Home prices range between $325,000 and $482,000. If you would like to see Patriot Commons please contact me. I am a Glen homeowner and an award winning Realtor affiliated with @properties.

Margaret Ludemann   847-401-1802   margaretludemann@gmail.com

The Glen is a commuter’s dream…train to the city in about a half hour

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“There’s something about the sound of a train that’s very romantic and nostalgic and hopeful.”  So said singer/song writer Paul Simon. To that I would add – though less poetically – that they beat sitting for hours on the Edens and Kennedy expressways to downtown Chicago.

The Glen, a prestigious north shore development in Glenview Illinois, has frequent Metra train service to the city. In fact commuters can travel from the Glen to Chicago’s Union Station in as little as 34 minutes. By driving standards, that’s warp speed. The men and women who designed the Glen wisely decided that the development should have its own train depot (a beauty, I might add). Because of their foresight, on weekdays Glen residents can board any one of 25 trains to the city beginning as early as 5:37 a.m. and as late as 11:03 p.m. There are also 24 weekday trains that return to the Glen, some of which are express trains that leave Union Station in the late afternoon and early evening. The Glen is a commuter’s dream. Not only do Glen residents live in beautiful homes, golf on two great local courses, and eat in any of 17 restaurants in Glen Town Center, they can get to their city offices quickly and enjoyably.

Weekend service is also available for Glen residents who love to go into the city for shopping, dining, sporting events, and Chicago’s many wonderful cultural offerings. 10 trains go to the city on Saturday and again on Sunday. They leave as early as 6:28 a.m. 9 trains return to the Glen throughout the day and evening.

The nearby Glenview train station provides Amtrak service, particularly beneficial for locals who want to catch the Bulls or Cubs when playing in Milwaukee where tickets are more readily available. It takes an hour and 7 minutes, and there are only 2 stops. One of those stops is at Milwaukee International Airport (a 52 minute ride from Glenview), a less busy travel option that many locals enjoy rather than using O’Hare or Midway.

There are countless benefits to living in The Glen including easy access to the city and points in between. If you are interested in living in this incredible community, please contact me.  There are many homes for sale and rent.  I am a Glen resident and an award-winning Realtor affiliated with @properties.

Margaret Ludemann                        847-401-1802  margaretludemann@gmail.com