Experience the North Shore Town of Winnetka This Weekend!

Chicago’s North Shore is a great place to call “home” for a wide variety of reasons.  If you currently live in Northbrook, Winnetka, Highland Park, Glencoe, Deerfield or any of the other North Shore cities, you know that the excellent quality of life, stunning North Shore homes, top notch schools and vibrant communities are just a few reasons many want to settle in permanently to this ideal location.

If you’re considering moving to the North Shore this year, figuring out which community best suits your needs and lifestyle is important.  Of course, the commute to a job or schools can be a main priority, but each city has a unique atmosphere and you’ll want to discover the area that feels most like home.

Today I wanted to take a few moments to highlight the North Shore town of Winnetka.  This charming region dates back to 1836 when the first homes were built in the area and was officially incorporated in 1869 with a population of 450.  Rich in history, Winnetka sits today as one of the wealthiest and most exclusive suburbs in the nation.  And, even though it made the list of America’s Top Earning Towns, there’s a strong community oriented culture in Winnekta that provides a comfortable atmosphere and a sense of belonging.

Whether you live in Winnetka or want to get a better feel for what this North Shore town has to offer, you may want to take advantage of a few events taking place this weekend!  A great asset to Winnetka is the Winnetka Community House which serves the community with a wide variety of programs, performing arts and much more.  Take a look at a what’s going on at the WCH this weekend!

The 2012 Winnetka Community House Party

Winnetka Community House
620 Lincoln Ave, Winnetka
www.winnetkacommunityhouse.org/houseparty

Friday, January 27 at 7pm

Cost- $50/ $65 at the door

- The Winnetka Community House is celebrating its’ 100th year!  Join in the fun this Friday evening which features Homemade Pizza Company pizza, Finch’s Beer, wine and live music from Molly’s Suite 7.  The house party is sponsored by The Private Bank with all proceeds going to benefit the Winnetka Community House.  You can learn more about this community favorite by visiting the Winnetka Community House website. 

Rapunzel
Winnetka Community House
620 Lincoln Ave, Winnetka
www.winnetkatheatre.org

Saturday, January 28 at 11am & 2pm

Cost- $12

- Part of the Winnetka Theatre’s “Just For Kids” series, this rendition of Rapunzel is written by two of the creators of the hit TV show Friends, and is an interactive production kids are sure to love!  Enjoy an afternoon out at the Winnekta Community House by seeing this unique twist on a classic tale.

I hope you’re able to take part in one, or both, of these events this weekend in Winnetka.  If not, be sure to take the time to discover this town on your own!  There’s a wide variety of restaurants, events and things to do that will allow you to get a better feel for this community’s lifestyle.  

As always, if you’re interested in buying a home in Winnetka, feel free to contact me today!  I’d enjoy showing you around the area as well as some of the beautiful homes currently available in Winnetka.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert

North Shore Real Estate
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5 Mistakes to Avoid When Refinancing Your North Shore Home

Chicago’s North Shore is a wonderful place to call home, and many have found the beautiful homes, excellent schools, wide variety of things to do and close proximity to the metropolis of Chicago to be more than enough reason to permanently settle in this vibrant area.  

However, the economic downturn of the past few years has caused some North Shore homeowners to turn to selling their home or to think through their finance options.  Some home owners simply want to be able to cash in on the currently low mortgage rates and have turned to refinancing their North Shore home.  

If you’re one who is considering the refinancing option, you’ll want to be aware of five mistakes that are common with those taking this route.  As a North Shore Real Estate agent, I want to make sure you’re on the right track and fully prepared to venture through the refinancing process.  Take a few minutes to review these avoidable mistakes.

1. Over-estimating the value of the home- Although home prices have fallen over the past few years, homeowners still put high value on their homes.  As a result, they receive higher-than-expected loan offers. Your North Shore Real Estate agent will be able to show you what comparable homes in your neighborhood are currently selling for so you can get a better idea of what your home is worth.

2. Hesitating to lock in low rates- Waiting for rates to drop even lower can be the biggest mistake as there’s no promise that rates will remain low.  Take the opportunity now to lock in these historically low rates before it’s too late.  

3. Focusing only on interest rates- While interest rates are important, those aren’t the only factors to consider when refinancing your North Shore home.  Lender fees, loan terms and even lender reputations will play a role in refinancing.  Using online tools, such as Mortgage Professor to run all the numbers can be useful to determine if financing is even the right choice for you. 

4. Overlooking shorter-term loans-  Although the 30-year mortgage loan is the most popular, remember that there are 20 or 15-year mortgages that may be a better option.  These shorter loans can save significant amounts of money since you’ll be reducing the amount of paid interest over time. 

5. Not knowing what documents are required to refinance- It’s important to know which documents are needed before you begin to refinance.  For those of you who haven’t taken out a mortgage or refinanced lately, you may be surprised to find there’s more documentation needed than in the past.  Pay stubs, two months of banking and other financial statements, two years of W-2’s are just some of the documents required to refinance. 

Of course your North Shore lender will be able to walk with you through the process, and as a North Shore Real Estate agent; I’m always here to help answer any questions you may have!

If you’re thinking of selling your current North Shore home or looking to buy in Winnetka, Glencoe, Northbrook, Highland Park, Deerfield or any other North Shore area, I would love the opportunity to work with you!  Feel free to contact me anytime to get started!

Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert

North Shore Real Estate
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Highland Park Market Stats for December 2011

Highland Park Active Listings: There are a total of 299 properties actively on the market with the average price of $850,904 in Highland Park.

Highland Park Sold Listings: 21 properties closed last month in Highland Park with an average sales price of $713,629, the average time on market for these properties was 151 days. 

To view the complete report including additional detailed data, charts ad graphs, please view the Highland Park market statistics! 

Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert

North Shore Real Estate
View North Shore Listings
Visit My Website

Glencoe Market Stats for December 2011

Glencoe Active Listings: There are a total of 84 properties actively on the market with the average price of $1,539,501 in Glencoe.

Glencoe Sold Listings: 11 properties closed last month in Glencoe with an average sales price of $800,136, the average time on market for these properties was 88 days. 

To view the complete report including additional detailed data, charts ad graphs, please view the Glencoe market statistics! 

Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert

North Shore Real Estate
View North Shore Listings
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Northbrook Market Stats for December 2011

Northbrook Active Listings: There are a total of 285 properties actively on the market with the average price of $542,554 in Northbrook.

Northbrook Sold Listings: 37 properties closed last month in Northbrook with an average sales price of $311,935, the average time on market for these properties was 145 days. 

To view the complete report including additional detailed data, charts ad graphs, please view the Northbrook market statistics! 

Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert

North Shore Real Estate
View North Shore Listings
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Winnetka Market Stats for December 2011

Winnetka Active Listings: There are a total of 120 properties actively on the market with the average price of $1,851,737 in Winnetka.

Winnetka Sold Listings: 16 properties closed last month in Winnetka with an average sales price of $823,568, the average time on market for these properties was 103 days. 

To view the complete report including additional detailed data, charts ad graphs, please view the Winnetka market statistics! 

Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert

North Shore Real Estate
View North Shore Listings
Visit My Website

Deerfield Market Stats for December 2011

Deerfield Active Listings: There are a total of 173 properties actively on the market with the average price of $459,157 in Deerfield.

Deerfield Sold Listings: 21 properties closed last month in Deerfield with an average sales price of $413,071, the average time on market for these properties was 79 days. 

To view the complete report including additional detailed data, charts ad graphs, please view the Deerfield market statistics! 

Janie Bress
Your North Shore Real Estate Expert

North Shore Real Estate
View North Shore Listings
Visit My Website