On Tap This Week: Harbor Point, 155 N. Harbor Drive

I have clients who are strongly interested in seeing available properties in this wonderful lakefront highrise.  We’re seeing four units this week.

Harbor Point is a well-established residence highrise building, part of the Lakeshore East neighborhood at the north edge of Chicago’s Millennium Park. Frequently confused with “that other Lake Shore curvy highrise” to the north Lake Point Tower, HARBOR POINT is a well-managed, beautifully maintained building with amenities including:

• Indoor Pool
• Extensive Fitness Center
• Private Garden and Terrace
• Sunroom
• Bockwinkel’s Grocer

Oh yes, and some of the most magnificent lake views in the city.

How about you?  Are you in the market for  a wonderful, reasonably-priced lakefront home in a beautifully-managed building?  Drop me a line!  I’ll set up some showings!

Photo courtesy of A View on Cities.com

Shop Streeterville this Weekend!

It’s time for one of the newest Streeterville holiday traditions.  Stop by this weekend to find beautiful, unique gifts for everyone on your shopping list!

FREE Energy Efficiency Kits Available at Alderman Reilly’s Office

ComEd and Niagara Conservation has provided Alderman Reilly’s Office with a limited number of Energy Efficiency Kits for 42nd Ward Residents.

The kits contain the following items to help reduce energy usage and protect the environment:

* CFL Light Bulb: 13 Watt CFL bulb – 60 Watt equivalent. This energy-saving CFL bulb lasts 13x longer and averages 78% less electricity than its 60 Watt incandescent bulbs equivalent.
* Air Filter Whistle: Snap this product onto air filters to hear a whistle when the air filter is full. Cleaning your air filters regularly saves energy and money.
* Refrigerator/Freezer Thermometer: Use in the refrigerator or freezer. Comes with a magnet and has adhesive backing so it can be mounted virtually anywhere. Recommended temperature setting for refrigerators should be 37-40 degrees Fahrenheit. Freezers at 5 degrees Fahrenheit and stand-long freezers for long storage at 0 degrees Fahrenheit
* (12) Draft Stoppers: (4) switch gaskets, (8) outlet gaskets. This product replaces the empty space behind switches and outlets with insulation to prevent drafts.
* Energy Wheel: A convenient energy conservation tool, the energy wheel gives users helpful tips on ways to conserve energy every day.

In order to receive your FREE Energy Efficiency Kit, please stop by Alderman Reilly’s Constituent Services Office located at 325 W. Huron Street, Ste. 510 during regular business hours.

House artwork courtesy of http://www.realestateclipart.com/Free/free1.htm

H1N1 Vaccination Clinics in Chicago

From Alderman Brendan Reilly’s office:

The Chicago Department of Public Health is sponsoring walk-in immunization clinics for Chicagoans who are included in the high priority groups defined by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

* Pregnant women
* Household contacts and caregivers of children younger than 6 months of age
* Health care and emergency medical service personnel
* Children and young adults ages 6 months through 24 years
* Persons aged 25-64 years who have medical conditions which put them at high risk for complications or death from influenza

Shots are given on a first-come, first-served basis at the following locations:

* Kennedy King College, 6301 S. Halsted Street
* Olive Harvey College, 10001 S. Woodlawn
* Richard J. Daley College, 7500 S. Pulaski
* Truman College, 1145 W. Wilson Ave.
* West Side Technical Institute, 2800 S. Western Ave.
* Wright College, 4300 N. Narragansett Ave.

These clinics will be open on the following days:
Saturdays from 9:00am – 2:00pm

* October 31
* November 7
* November 14

Tuesdays from 3:00pm – 8:00pm

* October 27
* November 3
* November 10
* November 17

Thursdays from 3:00pm – 8:00pm

* October 29
* November 5
* November 12
* November 19

For additional info, please call 311 or visit the Chicago Department of Public Health.

Chicago Area Pet Stores Take ‘Puppy Friendly’ Pledge

Chicago Area Pet Stores Take ‘Puppy Friendly’ Pledge

October 23, 2009

Thanks to the efforts of local animal advocates, nearly 50 Chicago area pet stores have signed The Humane Society of the United States’ puppy friendly pet store pledge — committing not to sell puppies, but instead support local animal adoption programs or provide literature that helps customers learn how to locate a reputable breeder. The HSUS applauds these independent retailers because their actions prove it is not necessary to support the cruel puppy mill trade to operate a successful pet-related business.

“These stores have set a positive example of corporate responsibility for other businesses to follow,” said Stephanie Shain, senior director of The HSUS’ puppy mills campaign. “Pet stores that profit from the cruel puppy mill industry need to step up and do the right thing by stopping their puppy sales. Shelters and rescues are brimming with all types of dogs in need of homes.”

Store owners and managers who sign The HSUS’ pledge receive a placard proclaiming, “We love puppies; that’s why we don’t sell them,” to display in the store, as well as materials about adopting a dog or finding a responsible breeder. The HSUS encourages shoppers to purchase pet supplies at stores displaying the puppy-friendly sign.

The independent retailers in the Chicago area that have most recently signed the puppy friendly pledge to not sell puppies are:

* Animal Feeds & Needs (Arlington Heights)
* Bark Bark Club (Chicago)
* Barker and Meowsky (Chicago)
* Bentley’s Corner Barkery (Arlington Heights)
* Birds and Beasts Pet Shop (Crystal Lake)
* Cody and Carl’s Blvd (Barrington)
* Dog-A-Holics (2 locations Chicago)
* Doggy Style Pet Shop (Chicago)
* Earth Pups (Chicago)
* Famous Fido (Chicago)
* Fetch! Dog Boutique & Spa (Chicago)
* Follow Your Nose (Evanston)
* Four Legs Pets (Algonquin)
* Groomingayle’s Pet Salon (Glenview)
* Kriser’s Feeding Pets for Life (three stores in Chicago, Park Ridge and South Barrington)
* Liz’s Pet Shop (Chicago)
* Orland Pk Boarding Kennel & Natural Pet Food Center (Orland Park)
* Pans Pet Place (Morton Grove)
* Parker’s Pets (Chicago)
* Paw Lickin’ Good Treats (DeKalb)
* Pawprints of Richmond, Ltd (Richmond)
* Pet Central Inc. (McHenry)
* Pets Etc (Naperville)
* Reeses Barkery & Pawtique (McHenry)
* Ruff Haus Pets (Chicago)
* Suburban Pet City (Oak Park)
* Tails in the City (Chicago)
* The Animal Store (Lincolnwood)
* The Barking Lot (Chicago and Deerfield)
* The Dog House of L.G. Ltd. (Long Grove)
* The Houndry (Chicago)
* Thomas Tails (Crystal Lake)
* Three Dog Bakery (Chicago)
* VIP Pet Salon (McHenry)
* Wet Nose (Geneva and Oak Brook)
* Wicker Pet (Chicago)
* Wigglyville (Chicago)

Policy Helps Dogs Across the United States

The majority of pet stores that sell puppies carry dogs from puppy mills, which are mass production facilities that churn out large numbers of puppies under inhumane conditions. The breeding dogs at puppy mills spend their entire lives in cramped cages or kennels with little or no personal attention or quality of life. Consumers who purchase puppies from pet stores or over the Internet without seeing a breeder’s home firsthand are often unknowingly supporting this cruel puppy mill industry.

Facts

* About one-third of the nation’s 9,000 independent pet stores sell puppies.
* The HSUS estimates that 2 million to 4 million puppy mill puppies are sold each year in the United States.
* Documented puppy mill conditions include over-breeding, inbreeding, minimal veterinary care, poor food and shelter, crowded cages and lack of socialization.
* Dogs kept for breeding in puppy mills suffer for years in continual confinement. They are bred as often as possible and then destroyed or discarded once they can no longer produce puppies.
* Pet stores and online sellers often use attractive Web sites to hide the truth and to dupe consumers into thinking that they are dealing with a small, reputable breeder.
* Reputable breeders never sell puppies over the Internet or through a pet store and will insist on meeting the family who will be purchasing the dog.
* Puppy mills contribute to the pet overpopulation problem, which results in millions of unwanted dogs euthanized at shelters every year.

The above information was released October 23, 2009 by the Humane Society of the United States. For more information, contact Loraine Miscavage at (301) 258-1483.

Smart Off-Season Tips for Buyers

Everyone’s been saying “Now’s the time to buy,” for quite a while, but for many who’ve been waiting on the sidelines, the autumn “off-season” of real estate may indeed be the right time to act.

“Anybody who is trying to sell a house going into the winter months has to be flexible, and you should be able to get good deals,” says Guy Cecala, publisher of Inside Mortgage Finance. With mortgage rates at record lows and favorable home prices, buyers should be active.

Here are some tips for buyers to help ensure a successful close:

• Secure Employment: Buyers must have a stable job in order to feel comfortable about the purchase and to get approved for a mortgage.
• Spotless Credit: Credit scores above 720 still get the best mortgage rates, as lending remains tight. Help buyers to correct any errors on their credit reports.
• Build Cash: Let house hunters know that the days of no-down-payment loans are a relic of the past. Depending on the situation, they’ll need to put down at least 3.5 percent of the purchase price.
• Follow Uncle Sam: Though the first-time home buyer tax credit is set to expire November 30th, there’s talk it may be extended into 2010. Buyers may still be able to take advantage of this opportunity, but pay attention to the news out of Washington to see if eligibility will be extended.
• Be Ready to Bargain: Purchasers are in a position to ask for a lot more if a seller needs to move. If you think the floor needs to be replaced, ask for it. “In my market, buyers still have a great deal of influence and sellers will do just about anything, assuming it is doable and legal,” says NAR First Vice President Ron Phipps, a broker with Phipps Realty in Warwick, R.I.

Free Real Estate Clipart obtained from RealtyClipArt.com

Source: U.S. News & World Report, Luke Mullins (10/14/09)

Homeownership Still A Good Investment

Some encouraging news from the National Association of Realtors’ “Daily Real Estate News.” The American dream of homeownership is still a good bet, financial advisors say firmly. Despite the downturn in the last couple of years, homes have still appreciated an average of 4 percent a year since World War II. Plus, it’s a leveraged investment; a 10 percent down payment yields a 1,000 percent return if the price of the home doubles. There are also valuable intangibles. Owning a home provides independence, security, community, and a roof over the owner’s head. No one can say that about investing in stock. Source: Associated Press, Dave Carpenter (10/12/2009)

Show off your creativity here!

SOAR, the Streeterville Organization of Active Residents, is now accepting applications for artisans who would like to participate in this year’s Artisan Market, open to the public on Saturday and Sunday, November 14 & 15.

Applications and more detailed information is available at Soar Chicago

You can also contact artisans@soarchicago.org or call 280-2596, ext. 2.

Looking for a Fab Streeterville Apartment? Welcome Home!

One-Bedroom/One-Bathroom

Extra-spacious living/dining room // Brand new top-quality carpeting throughout// Private Balcony w/ lake & city views

Rent includes heat, a/c, basic cable, well-equipped fitness center, landscaped sundeck w/ grills, bike room, 24-hour doorstaff

Available now for just $1,425/month!  Schedule your exclusive showing now.  (312) 296-9249.

REALTOR® Magazine-Daily News-Men, Women Vary on Home Shopping

When it comes to buying a home, women are in a bigger hurry, according to a national survey for Coldwell Banker Real Estate that delved into the homebuying psyche.

Coldwell Banker wanted to understand the difference between men and women in the homebuying process so it could help its practitioners do a better job of guiding first-time homebuyers who must make up their minds before the tax credit expires on Dec. 1.

Here are some key findings:

* When asked how long it took before they knew their home was “right” for them, almost 70 percent of women had made up their minds the day they walked into the house vs. 62 percent of men. On the other hand, significantly more men needed two or more visits (32 percent of men vs. 23 percent of women).

* 55 percent of women find it more important to be closer to their extended family than to their job, compared to only 37 percent of men.

* 64 percent of women said that if they found the home of their dreams but had concerns about its security, they would no longer be interested. More than half of men agreed (51 percent).

* When the respondents were asked how they would use an extra 12×12 room if it could be anything they wanted, men and women agreed on the top three responses: Bedroom, office/study, and family room/den.

* 8 percent—nearly all of which were men—said they would use the extra space for recreation/entertainment.

* 70 percent of couples said the responsibility for making major financial decisions–such as homebuying–are shared equally.

Source: Coldwell Banker Real Estate (08/17/2009)