Tower Crossing

“Shoot for Steiner”, a fundraiser for a great kid

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A short blog this week.  But an important one.

Three years ago a really terrific kid living in the Tower Crossing townhome development in The Glen had a severe stroke.  He almost didn’t make it.  He was 17 years old.  His name is Patrick Stein.

After weeks upon weeks of hospitalization, more operations than one can count, therapy, and the prayers of his family, neighbors and friends, Patrick came home.  He was (and remains) paralyzed, with the blinking of his eyes as his only method of communication.  Patrick needed 24/7 care.  Still does.  His parents and two sisters are at his side except when work and school make it impossible.  Home care was expensive.  Still is.

Patrick was a great high school athlete, and continues to have many friends from school.  As an athlete I’m sure he is especially happy with “Shoot for Steiner”, a basketball free throw shooting contest which is a fundraiser to help defray costs of his care.  On May 18th the third annual “shoot” will take place at the OLPH Playdium Gym at 1775 Grove Street in Glenview from 1 to 4 p.m.  To those reading this blog, I hope you’ll attend, shoot, and donate.  If you cannot attend you can make a tax-deductible donation to “Crush It! Foundation” P.O. Box 8617, Northfield, IL 60093.

Margaret Ludemann,  Glenview, Illinois

 

Must move quickly to buy in The Glen

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If you want to buy a great home in The Glen (Glenview, Illinois) you need to be prepared to move quickly and decisively.  That’s the theme developing in The Glen’s real estate market in the early months of 2014.

The inventory of Glen homes for sale is extremely limited.  Sellers know that prices are appreciating, and many are waiting to list until prices rise even further.  When a well maintained home comes on the market, chances are that it will receive buyer visits on the first day and up to a dozen or more visitors during the first week…unless it goes under contract immediately.

2299 Thistle is a good example.  This stunning single family home resides in the Landings neighborhood of The Glen, adjacent to the Chapel Crossing development and particularly close to Attea Middle School and the Glenview Park Center.  Built 13 years ago the home was meticulously maintained and offers 5+ bedrooms.  I listed this home on March 20, a Thursday.  I had agreement with buyers within 24 hours at 99.5% of the asking price.  Buyers hoping to see the home that weekend found the property already under contract.

2068 Valor Court is another example.  I listed this luxury townhome in the Tower Crossing neighborhood on January 7.  There was strong interest from day one.  One potential buyer expressed interest, but waited too long to make an offer.  Meanwhile a couple who was prepared to move quickly came in with a strong offer and flexibility in negotiations.  The home was under contract barely 17 days later.

The take aways are these:  1)  If you are serious buyer who wants to live in the North Shore’s premier lifestyle community you need to see newly listed Glen properties immediately, and 2) come to the table with what I call a “Godfather offer”…one that the seller can’t refuse.

If you would like to live in the Glen please give me a call at 847-401-1802 or send an email tomargaretludemann@gmail.com.

Margaret Ludemann, @properties Realtor

The Glen, not just a home, a lifestyle

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The Glen in Glenview Illinois.  Perhaps you’ve driven through it at one time or another.  You’ve seen our lovely homes…townhomes, row houses, duplexes, two-flats, condominium apartments, and of course single family homes.  Many are quite large.  In fact the townhomes in our Tower Crossing neighborhood are between 3031 sq ft and 4105 sq ft.  These are townhomes!  And the single family homes in Southgate and Chapel Crossing are typically over 4000 sq ft.  Other homes in the Glen are more modest in size, and quite wonderful.  Some in our Cambridge neighborhood have lovely front porches, tidy back yards, and picket fences.  Yes indeed, we have homes!  1,255 of them currently with more on the way.

Our real estate market, however, is only part of the Glen’s story.  People select homes because they like their style and appearance.  But they select neighborhoods based on community lifestyle.  And that’s where The Glen really shines.  Whenever I meet a prospective home buyer I always point out that buying here is much more than buying a home, they are buying a vibrant lifestyle that is unequaled on Chicagoland’s North Shore.  Within walking distance of nearly every Glen home you can find scores of restaurants and shops, a book store, Glen 10 movie theater, art gallery, spa, heath club, Gallery Park, Lake Glenview, Kohl Children’s Museum, walking paths, jogging and biking trails, 2 golf courses, paddle ball courts, tennis courts, playgrounds, our own Metra station, and a feeling of…well, a feeling of community.

My neighbors in Tower Crossing, for instance, have what we call “mailbox parties”.  We drag out our tables and chairs, and set them up in our beautiful common area near our community mailboxes.  We share stories, catch up on one another’s lives, and enjoy the setting sun.  In winter our get-togethers move to one of our homes or perhaps to the Glenview Prairie Club (open to the public) across the street.

Here in the Glen we have the best of both worlds.  There is the vibrancy of urban living yet enveloped by the beautiful suburban setting of the North Shore.  If you would like to know more about living in the Glen please contact me.  I’ve been a homeowner here for over a decade, and I am a leading Realtor specializing in Glen homes.

Margaret Ludemann, @properties Realtor

margaretLudemannl@gmail.com    847-401-1802

Home sales in The Glen by neighborhood

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The Glen is an upscale residential and retail development in Glenview Illinois on Chicagoland‘s North Shore.  It is home to 1,255 privately owned residences in 9 distinct neighborhoods.  The Glen’s “main street” called Glen Town Center offers scores of restaurants and shops, as well as a movie theater, coffee shop, book store, and Kohl Children’s Museum.  The development also boasts a lake, park, recreation center, playgrounds, and two golf courses.  Recently I did an accounting of all home sales in The Glen in 2013 by neighborhood using MLS data, and here is what I found:

Cambridge is the development north of W. Lake, and it runs from Patriot Blvd to The Glen’s Metra train station.  It has 278 homes (townhomes, duplexes, two-flats, and single family homes).  14 homes sold in 2013 totaling $7,702,500, an average of $550,178.

Chapel Crossing is a development east of Patriot Blvd and south of Chestnut.  It has 168 single family homes.  9 homes sold totaling $9,283,750, an average of $1,031,527.

Glen Shore is a condominium development on the north side of Chestnut, nearly bordering Lehigh.  It has 31 units.  3 units sold totaling $917,500, an average of $305,833.

Landings is a development south of Chestnut and east of Chapel Crossing.  It has 143 single family homes.  8 homes sold totaling $7,110,000, an average of $888,750.

Patriot Commons is a development west of Patriot Blvd and south of Chestnut.  It borders The Glen Club golf course to the west. It has 68 townhomes and condo apartments.  1 home sold at $465,000.

Regency is the new Pulte development a quarter mile north of W. Lake and west of Shermer Rd.  149 townhomes and ranch villas (and 2 SFH) are planned.  All but 9 units have been sold as of 2.15.14.  29 sales totaled $13,397,485, an average of $461,982.

Southgate Single Family Homes is a development south of W. Lake, and it is bordered on the west by The Glen Club’s golf course.  The southern boundary is Independence Avenue.  It has 237 homes.  11 homes sold for a total of $13,037,000, an average of $1,185,181.

Southgate townhomes are in the confines of the Southgate development.  There are 62 units.  6 homes sold totaling $2,320,000 an average of $386,666.

Tower Crossing is a luxury townhome development bordering Glen Town Center on 3 sides.  It has 154 units.  20 homes sold totaling $13,673,900, an average of $683,695.

Obviously it was a very successful year for home sales in The Glen.  For information about homes for sale in The Glen, please contact me at 847-401-1802 or by email margaretludemann@gmail.com.

Margaret Ludemann, Glen resident and @properties Realtor

The Glen’s Tower Crossing townhomes saw a 6.1% increase in prices in 2013

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In a blog about a month ago I wrote about the substantial increase in sales of Tower Crossing townhomes in 2013.  Today I would like to tell you about the increase in prices.  Tower Crossing is a townhome development in the larger development called The Glen in Glenview, Illinois.  The Glen is home to several luxury housing neighborhoods, a “main street” called Glen Town Center with numerous shops and eateries, a lake, park, and two golf courses.  Tower Crossing has 154 stunning brick homes with 2 to 5 bedrooms and 3031 sq ft to 4105 sq ft, depending on model.

The developer began selling Tower Crossing’s luxury townhomes in 2003 and sold out by 2007. Nationally the housing bubble began to burst in 2005/06 with prices peaking in July 2006.  A steep decline followed.  2007, the year of the collapse of the sub-prime mortgage industry, saw the first year-over-year decline in home prices nationally since 1991.  Like the national downward trend, Tower Crossing suffered a sizable and rapid decline in home values.  From peak to bottom, Tower Crossing homes lost approximately 25% of their market value.

Homes in Tower Crossing currently sell in a range from the mid-$600,000’s to about $800,000 depending on size and model.  Prices in 2009 averaged $179.43 p/sq ft.  They rose to $189.02 in 2010 and stayed relatively flat in 2011 ($188.86) and 2012 ($186.88).  In 2013, however, prices in Tower Crossing rose 6.1% to $198.28 p/sq ft.  This represents an increase of 10.5% since 2009.

The Tower Crossing rental market also saw an increase in prices.  11 MLS-listed townhomes rented in 2013 vs. 12 in 2012 and 13 in 2011.  The range of prices paid in 2013 was $3400 to $4400 p/month.  The average rental price paid p/sq ft (using 1 month rental price) was $1.24 compared with $1.15 in 2012, a 7.8% increase.

Tower Crossing is a very popular development in The Glen, and it had a great 2013 in terms of home sales and prices.  If you would like more information about Tower Crossing please contact me at 847-401-1802 or margaretludemann@gmail.com

Margaret Ludemann, Glen resident and @properties Realtor