Tower Crossing

All 6 models of Tower Crossing townhomes are currently for sale in The Glen

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It’s rare that all six models of Tower Crossing townhomes are for sale at the same time, but that is currently the case. So buyers can view the various floor plans available in this very popular Glen development.

The Glen is the most exciting and popular luxury residential and retail development on Chicago’s north shore. It resides on former Glenview naval air base land in the heart of Glenview, Illinois. Tower Crossing is the ultra-popular townhome development which borders Glen Town Center, the Glen’s retail hub with restaurants, shopping, and entertainment venues.

There are 6 basic models of townhomes in Tower Crossing ranging in size between 3031 sq ft and 4105 sq ft. You’re probably thinking…those are quite large for townhomes…and you’re right. These are magnificent brick homes with stunning Georgian architecture and high end amenities. Depending on the model and upgrades they may have two, three or four bedrooms. Several models offer elevators, and others have roof top decks.

Perhaps the most compelling advantage of Tower Crossing townhomes, however, isn’t really the beauty of the homes. You’ve heard that real estate is about location, location, location. Well, that is what sets Tower Crossing apart from any other suburban neighborhood that I know. Each home is within a few steps of 15 restaurants, dozens of stores and boutiques, a ten-screen movie theater, and a lovely book store. Plus they are an easy walk to two golf courses, Lake Glenview, Battery Park, walking trails, and so much more. The lifestyle, as you can tell by my description is quite urban, yet Tower Crossing is in suburban Glenview.

As I wrote at the start of this blog, there is at least one of each Tower Crossing model currently on the market. So for those who desire luxury townhome living with an urban lifestyle in a suburban setting, please contact me for a tour. I am a long time resident of the Glen and a Realtor affiliated with @properties.

Margaret Ludemann

847-401-1802  margaretludemann@gmail.com

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

Prices increased in The Glen in 2014

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Home prices in The Glen (in Glenview, Illinois on Chicago’s north shore) rose again in 2014. While I haven’t completed my analysis of the entire Glen, I do have information about two of its neighborhoods.

Tower Crossing is the development adjacent to Glen Town Center (the shopping and dining “main street) with 154 luxury townhomes. If you’ve been to the Glen you will remember seeing them because the homes are 4 story, brick homes of Georgian architecture. These homes are large, ranging in size from 3031 sq ft to 4105 sq ft. In 2014 prices increased 3.9% after rising over 6% in 2013. The average price p/sq ft in 2014 was $206.01 compared with $198.28 in 2013. In the prior 3 years (2010 through 2012) prices were relatively steady at approximately $188 p/sq ft.

Prices also rose in Southgate. This development contains 237 large single family homes and 62 row homes. Among the single family homes 55 border The Glen Club’s 18 hole golf course, and 182 do not. I have analyzed the prices of single family homes. Prices for the homes that are not on the golf course increased 7% in 2014 to an average of $315.42 p/sq ft compared with $294.61 p/sq ft in 2013. There was only 1 home sold on the golf course, so I did not reach any conclusion as to pricing trends for golf course properties. Home sales (the number sold) in both developments were down last year, but I’ll save that discussion for a future blog.

When I complete my analysis for the entire Glen I believe I’ll find the same thing…home sales down, home prices up. That’s essentially what occurred in the real estate market nationally and in Glenview.

If you are interested in purchasing a home in The Glen, please give me a call. I am a long time Glen homeowner and a leading Realtor in the Glen and greater Glenview.

Margaret Ludemann

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

21 homes for sale in The Glen

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There are currently 21 beautiful homes for sale in The Glen, in Glenview Illinois. The Glen is the premier lifestyle community on Chicagoland’s North Shore with over 2,000 luxury homes, and a vibrant community of 17 restaurants, numerous shops and boutiques, and a movie theater in Glen Town Center.  The Glen also offers 2 golf courses and Kohl Children’s Museum.

6 of the current listings are single family homes. The price range is from $869,000 to $2,795,000. They are located in the following Glen neighborhoods: Southgate, Chapel Crossing, Cambridge, and Landings.

15 listings are of attached properties (townhomes, duplexes, and condos), and they range in price from $561,000 to $810,000. They are located in the Tower Crossing, Southgate, Westgate, Regency, Patriot Commons, Glen Shore and Cambridge neighborhoods. In addition to these homes being sold by current homeowners, there are new construction homes available in Westgate and Patriot Commons.

A description of each neighborhood may be found at www.homesintheglen.com. A description of each property for sale may be found on the same website.  There are also numerous rental homes available.

I am a long time Glen homeowner and an award-winning Realtor affiliated with @properties, the #1 producing real estate company in Glenview and on the North Shore. If you may be interested in living in The Glen, please email me at margaret.ludemann@gmail.com or call me at 847-401-1802.

Margaret Ludemann