housing sales

Regency at The Glen sales are picking up steam

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Judging from 2015 real estate sales in the Glen’s Regency development, it’s obvious that this new’ish neighborhood is already turning over to second owners. While the development only sold out last year, several homes of early buyers have re-sold and others rented in the first half of this year. This is good news for buyers looking for Glen properties at somewhat smaller sizes with more modest price points than many other local neighborhoods.

Here’s a little background. Pulte Homes constructed 104 luxury townhomes, 38 ranch villas, and 2 single family homes in the Regency at the Glen development in Glenview Illinois. The townhomes are offered in 4 different models ranging in size from 1523 sq ft to 1835 sq ft. There are 2 models of villas (duplexes) ranging in size from 1883 sq ft to 2493 sq ft. Regency is located literally across the street from two wonderful golf courses, The Glen Club (18 hole championship course) and Glenview Prairie Club (9 holes). It’s also a short walk to Glen Town Center’s many shops and restaurants.

Six Regency homes have already been sold by their original owners in the first half of 2015, 4 of these were townhomes and 2 were villas. The townhomes each sold in the $400s, and the villas sold in the high $600s. There are 4 more Regency homes (all townhomes) under contract between their original owners and new buyers; these are expected to close in the third quarter of the year. Four townhomes have also rented this year.

So now is a great time for buyers who want to live in the Glen. Regency homes are on the market as well as single family homes, row homes, townhomes, and condos in other areas of the Glen including Chapel Crossing, Cambridge, Landings, Tower Crossing, Patriot Commons, and Southgate. I’ve lived in the Glen for 12 years, and as a leading Glen realtor I am familiar with each neighborhood and housing type. If you may be interested in living in Regency or any other area of the Glen, please contact me.

Margaret Ludemann, @properties Realtor

MargaretLudemann@cbexchange.com   847-401-1802

Home prices in The Glen…by Neighborhood

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Home prices in the Glen vary by neighborhood, and they range from the $300,000’s to over $2 million. There are ten subdivisions within the Glen development. Each was conceived, designed, and built by its own developer between about 2000 and…well, two neighborhoods are still being built. I’m frequently asked about home prices in these various neighborhoods, and that’s the topic of today’s blog.

But first a little background. The Glen resides on the land which was formerly Naval Air Station Glenview. When the base closed the land was sold to the Village of Glenview for development. In addition to privately owned residences, the Glen has an exciting retail area known as Glen Town Center. There are also parks, a lake, golf courses, a middle school and so much more. It has become the North Shore’s premier residential and retail community.

OK, now for housing prices; and I’ll break them down for you by neighborhood:

Cambridge has 244 single family homes, townhomes, row homes, duplexes, and two-flats. Prices range from the $400’s to over $1 million depending on housing type.

Chapel Crossing has 167 single family homes with prices between the mid-$800’s to approximately $1.4 million

Glen Shore offers 31 condo apartments priced in the $300’s to $500’s.

Landings’ 143 single family homes reside adjacent to Chapel Crossing with similar price points.

Patriot Commons currently has 68 completed townhomes and condo apartments; and more are under construction. These can be purchased from the $400’s to $700’s.

Regency is a newly completed subdivision with 149 townhomes and attached villas (duplexes), and two single family homes. Price points are in the $400’s to the high $700’s.

Southgate is composed of 237 single family homes ranging from $1 million to over $2 million. This community carries the highest price points in the Glen.

Southgate (on Langley Circle) has 62 townhomes and villas selling in the high $300’s to $500’s.

Tower Crossing’s 154 townhomes offer several models with prices in the mid-$600’s to mid-$800’s.

The Westgate neighborhood (currently under construction) will have 171 homes, a mix of single family, townhomes and row homes. Price points are between the high $400’s for townhomes to the low $800’s for single family homes.

So as you can see there is a great deal of variety in neighborhoods, home types, and pricing in the Glen. If you would like to learn more about homes in the Glen, please contact me at 847-401-1802 or margaret.ludemann@gmail.com.

Margaret Ludemann, Glen homeowner and @properties Realtor.

What if your realtor doesn’t know the Glen neighborhoods?

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Home purchases can go south when buyers are ill advised by uninformed realtors. I run into this all the time here in The Glen (in Glenview IL) where there are ten unique neighborhoods with different types of homes, different sizes, and different price points. This is especially true for attached homes such as townhomes, condos, and duplexes because there typically are multiple models within a development that have their own unique characteristics and price histories.

The Regency at the Glen development is a prime example. Regency offers 104 townhomes, 38 duplexes, and two single family homes. There are four models of townhomes with sizes ranging from 1523 square feet to 1835 square feet. The beautiful duplexes come in two basic models, and like the townhomes there are many upgrades that add value. I was recently involved in a deal in this development where I represented a townhome seller. Another realtor brought a potential buyer to the home, and an offer was made. The offer was extremely low, but the buyer and his agent didn’t think so. Why? Because the realtor found “comps” (the prices of recent sales of supposedly similar Regency homes) that were incorrect. The realtor was not intimately familiar with that market and didn’t realize that he was finding comps for the wrong model which was much smaller than my listed property. The buyer was ill advised, being told that the home should sell for $X. So his expectation was set at an unrealistically low price. I had to educate the buyer’s realtor about the various models, their sizes, their upgrades, and price histories.

This happens frequently in Tower Crossing at the Glen as well where there are six basic townhome models and significant variations even within each model; and some of the upgrades make material differences in price. For instance some models have expensive elevators while others do not. Tower Crossing’s homes vary in size from 3037 square feet to 4105 square feet…a significant difference. Home prices range, based on model and upgrades, between the low $600’s to nearly $900,000. So for a buyer to be properly advised, the realtor has to understand Tower Crossing intimately.

The bottom line is this: If you are buying a home be sure to find a realtor who is very, very familiar with the specific neighborhoods in which you are looking at homes. If you choose the wrong one, you may be making a costly mistake.

Margaret Ludemann, @properties Realtor

847-401-1802  margaretludemann@gmail.com

Many neighborhoods and housing types in The Glen

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There are 1,255 privately owned homes in The Glen in Glenview, Illinois. I’m frequently asked questions about the Glen real estate market, and my answer often surprises people. I tell them that there is no Glen housing market. The fact is that there are ten real estate markets within the Glen development. Ten? Indeed, and here is what I mean.

The Glen is composed of ten neighborhoods built by several different developers. Each has its own unique characteristics. Different kinds of homes…such as single family homes, townhomes, row homes, duplexes, two-flats and condos. The homes are of vastly different sizes ranging from about 1200 to over 5,000 square feet. There is also great diversity in price points. They range from the mid-$300,000’s to well over $2 million. Because of these differences the demographics of Glen homeowners and prospective homeowners vary widely. Hence, ten unique Glen real estate markets.

The nine neighborhoods with completed homes (the 10th, Westgate, is currently under construction) are large…and small…and in between. By that I mean that, for example, Glen Shore has 31 homes while Cambridge has 244. Here is a list of the ten developments, along with the number of completed homes and home types in each.

Cambridge: 244 single family homes, townhomes, row homes, duplexes, and two-flats

Chapel Crossing: 167 single family homes

Glen Shore: 31 condo apartments

Landings: 143 single family homes

Patriot Commons: 68 completed townhomes and condo apartments; and more are under construction

Regency: 149 townhomes, attached villas (duplexes), and two single family homes

Southgate SFH: 237 single family homes

Southgate TH: 62 townhomes

Tower Crossing: 154 townhomes

The Westgate neighborhood will have 171 homes, a mix of single family, townhomes and row homes.

So you see, the great diversity of home types, sizes, and prices make The Glen an attractive choice for many different prospective buyers. If you are interested in living in The Glen, please contact me. I am an original Glen homeowner and a Realtor affiliated with @properties.

Margaret Ludemann

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

Glenview home sales in perspective

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In my blog a few weeks ago I provided a Cliff’s Notes summary of housing sales in Glenview Illinois (on Chicago‘s North Shore), comparing 2014 to 2013. A little longer view is interesting because it shows the result of the real estate market collapse and the subsequent rebound. This blog will deal with Glenview, not merely The Glen which is the upscale housing and retail development on the grounds of the former Naval Air Station Glenview.

Real estate sales and home prices increased rapidly in the early 2000’s peaking roughly in 2006 and 2007, when the home price “bubble” burst. 382 single family homes sold in Glenview in 2006. From there the decline was rapid and severe. 348 homes sold in 2007, a decline of 9%. In 2008 the story was even worse with only 290 homes sold, a decline of nearly 17%. From this point through 2013 home sales rose, as follows:

2009   305

2010   373

2011   394

2012   447

2013   536

So, from the low of 290 sales in 2008 to 536 in 2013, single family home sales increased 85%.

2014, however, was a different story. Home sales declined to 472. The question is why? Well, I suspect it was largely a hangover from the huge number of sales listings in 2013. In other words, as economic conditions improved in 2013 many homeowners – those who had been waiting to sell for years – finally listed their homes. With so many homes sold in 2013, there were fewer homeowners wishing to move in 2014. Some perspective is helpful, though. 2014, while having fewer sales than 2013, experienced the second highest number of sales in 10 years. So…was it a disappointing year? I say not. The market merely corrected a bit as a response to 2013.

I don’t yet have full year sales data for The Glen, but having analyzed two of its neighborhoods in depth, I believe we will find a similar pattern to greater Glenview. When I’ve completed my analysis, I will write about it in a future blog.

Glenview is an incredible place to live. If you are interested in living here – and perhaps in The Glen where I live – please email me at Margaret.Ludemann@gmail.com or give me a call at 847-401-1802.

Margaret Ludemann, @properties Realtor