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Where the kids are…in The Glen

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The Glen is a housing and retail development in Glenview Illinois, on Chicago‘s North Shore. It’s filled with luxury homes, restaurants galore, boutiques, a book store, a movie theater, and (drum roll please)…a lot of kids! In my most recent blog I wrote about the new Glen census which tells us that roughly one-third of the 3,921 residents in privately owned homes and rental housing are children. I’ve had a few emails asking which specific Glen neighborhoods have the most.

There are 9 such neighborhoods in The Glen (not counting Navy and senior housing). Naturally the neighborhoods with the most single family homes have the most children. In these neighborhoods about 40% of residents are kids. Chapel Crossing (43%), Landings (44%) and Southgate (40%) have only single family homes. Cambridge (42%) offers single family homes, town homes, duplexes, and two-flats.

2 neighborhoods offer only attached homes and have roughly 20% children:  Tower Crossing (18%) and Patriot Commons (19%). Another neighborhood, Regency, has a high percentage of town homes; and 19% of its residents are children.

Aloft (5%) offers rental apartments in Glen Town Center, The Glen’s shopping and restaurant “main street”. And Glenshore (7%) has condo apartments.

Obviously the large single family home neighborhoods are great for kids. Lovely homes. Big yards. Did I mention BIG YARDS? But before you get the wrong impression, Glen neighborhoods with attached housing are also great for the little ones. I live in Tower Crossing, a development with 154 4-story town homes with 3,031 to 4,105 square feet. We moved here 11 years ago when my son was 3 years old. Our development has a wonderful common area which, to my son, represents his back yard. The additional benefit is that he’s grown up barely one block from all of the fun in Glen Town Center. He walks to the movie theater, meets his buddies for hamburgers at Mooyah, and wanders our wonderful book store.

The bottom line? The Glen is a great place for children whether your preference is for large single family homes or for attached housing. If you would like to learn more about The Glen please email me at MargaretLudemann@CBexchange.com or call me at 847-401-1802. I am an award winning Realtor living in and selling Glen homes.

Margaret Ludemann, @properties Realtor

Westgate at the Glen Update

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It has been a couple of months since I last blogged about Westgate, the new construction housing development in The Glen in Glenview Illinois. At that time I told you about the “reservation event” which allowed early registrants to receive more information about the proposed development and arrange appointments with developer E.R. James Partners to select home types and locations. Two months later the vast majority of homes have been sold, though many are still available. Home construction has not yet begun, though as you can see from the attached photo, the builder has initiated grading. Work on underground infrastructure should begin soon.

Westgate, which is located on nearly 30 acres of land at the northwest corner of W. Lake Avenue and Shermer Road, offers 173 luxury homes. There will be 71 row homes, 68 mews townhomes, and 34 single family homes with first floor master bedroom suites. The development will have professionally landscaped common areas; and it will provide nearly maintenance-free living.

The early interest in Westgate suggests that this will be a popular addition to The Glen which already has 8 lovely neighborhoods with a wide variety of home types including single family, townhomes, row homes, duplexes, two-flats, villas, and condo apartments. In addition to beautiful homes the Glen offers two golf courses, upscale shopping, and over 20 restaurants in Glen Town Center. A local Metra station gets residents into downtown Chicago in 44 minutes. The development is also convenient to O’Hare International Airport by car.

If you are interested in living in The Glen, please contact me at 847-401-1802 or by email, margaret.ludemann@gmail.com.

Margaret Ludemann, Glen homeowner and @properties Realtor

Home sales in Southgate at The Glen

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Southgate is a housing development with 237 single family homes in The Glen. It also has 62 townhomes and villas. The Glen is the premier lifestyle community on Chicagoland’s North Shore in Glenview Illinois with 9 distinct neighborhoods offering luxury homes of all kinds, including single family homes, townhomes, row homes, villas, apartment condos, duplexes, and two-flats.

I haven’t blogged about Southgate since February 3rd, so I’m devoting this blog and my next to that wonderful neighborhood. Today I’ll address the sales of its single family homes, comparing with last year-to-date. Next week I’ll write about home prices. (Hint, they’re going up this year.)

So, analyzing sales data from January 1 through June 15, I’ve found that overall activity is similar to last year. That is rather amazing given the fact that we experienced such a long and severe winter. Real estate sales throughout the country were down through March, but started to pick up thereafter.

HOMES SOLD: In this 5.5 month period 4 single family homes have sold, meaning that the transactions are not only under contract, but they have actually closed. In the same period last year, 5 homes had closed.

UNDER CONTRACT HOMES: In addition to the homes that have closed, 5 are under contract (at June 15th) waiting to close sometime in the next couple of months. Last year, 4 were under contract on that date.

FOR SALE LISTINGS: Both in 2013 and 2014 there were 2 homes listed for sale at June 15th.

While activity has been similar in the two years, I’ve noticed that the real estate market in Southgate picked up last year after June 15. In fact, while 5 had closed by June 15, 2013, 8 more closed the rest of the year. Perhaps Southgate will experience a similar increase the rest of this year, though my guess is that 2014 may see somewhat fewer sales as compared with the red hot market in 2013.

If you would like to know more about living in Southgate or anywhere in The Glen, please contact me at 847-401-1802 or by email MargaretLudemann@gmail.com. I am a long time Glen resident and a @properties Realtor.

Margaret Ludemann

Glen Town Center Sold

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Glen Town Center has recently sold. Owned by the Oliver McMillan Company out of San Diego since inception, it sold to Dallas, Texas based Tabani Group, Inc. last month. Glen Town Center is The Glen’s shopping and dining hub, basically the neighborhood’s “main street.”

The Glen is an upscale residential and retail development in Glenview, Illinois; and it’s generally considered the finest lifestyle community on Chicagoland’s North Shore. Nine residential neighborhoods reside in The Glen offering homes of all kinds including single family homes, town homes, row homes, apartments, duplexes, two-flats, villas, and condos. Home prices range from the $400,000’s to well over $1,000,000.

At the center of it all is Glen Town Center’s excellent restaurants (many with outdoor dining in the summer), shops & boutiques, a movie theater, a book store and a spa. Some of the popular spots along Tower Drive (main street) include Von Maur department store, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Glenview Jewelers, Hot Mama, and numerous small boutiques. Restaurants include Bravo Cucina Italiana, Yard House, MooYah, Jamisons, Ted’s Montana Grill, RA Sushi, and The Curragh Traditional Irish Pub. 90% of retail space is filled.  It is only Glen Town Center that sold, not the residential areas.

Glen homeowners love the lifestyle created by the vibrancy of Glen Town Center. It’s not just the restaurants and shops that attract area residents; Oliver McMillan sponsored many activities including an annual art festival, classic car days, weekly concerts on the green, and many things for children. The new owner promises even more activities in Glen Town Center.

The real estate market in The Glen is strong. Most homes sell rather quickly here and at a very high percentage of asking price. If you may be interested in living in The Glen, please contact me at MargaretLudemann@gmail.com. I am an original Glen homeowner and an award winning Realtor affiliated with @properties.

Margaret Ludemann

“It’s a Wonderful Life”…at Tower Crossing in the Glen

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Every now and then as I walk from my Tower Crossing townhome to Glen Town Center (all of one short block away) I half expect to see Frank Capra and Jimmy Stewart, the director and star respectively of the Christmas classic, It’s a Wonderful Life. Why? Well, it’s obvious. Living here is indeed wonderful. In fact, it’s as good as it gets.

The Glen, as most of my readers know, is an upscale residential and retail community on Chicagoland’s North Shore in Glenview Illinois. It is composed of several distinct neighborhoods with single family homes, condos, apartments, townhomes, two-flats, villas, and duplexes. At the center of it all is Tower Drive, Glen Town Center’s main street with scores of shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues. It’s also home to an annual art festival, antique auto show, and weekly outdoor concerts in summertime.

Surrounding Glen Town Center – literally SURROUNDING these lovely boutiques and eateries – is the Tower Crossing development, 154 striking townhomes, every home within steps of all the fun. These breathtaking 4 story brick homes, depending on model, offer between 3031 sq ft and 4105 sq ft of luxury living. The Georgian architecture, professional landscaping, superb floor plans, hardwood floors, and top-of-the-line everything make these among the finest townhomes to be found anywhere in the country…yet they are right here in lovely Glenview…convenient to downtown Chicago’s cultural and sports venues, Ravinia, the Botanic Garden, and O’Hare Airport.

But there’s even more. Within a very short walk of every Tower Crossing home you’ll find Battery Park, Lake Glenview, Little Bear Garden, Glenview Park District’s pools and health club, walking trails, and two stunning golf courses.

Life in Tower Crossing is indeed wonderful, I think even better than Capra’s fictional Bedford Falls. If you are interested in living Tower Crossing’s “wonderful life” please contact me. Not only do I live here, but I am an award winning Realtor who sells many of its homes. Tower Crossing townhomes sell for between $650,000 and $850,000.

Margaret Ludemann, @properties Realtor

847-401-1802, margaret.ludemann@gmail.com