http://www.yourwindycityguide.com Your local expert on Chicago Real Estate Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:55:51 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Real Estate Guides are available from YourWindyCityGuide on Buying a New Home in Chicago, Investing in Chicago Real Estate, and Starting Out as a Chicago Landlord.  Order Yours Here. http://www.yourwindycityguide.com/?p=794 Are you one of the brave souls who will be putting your home on the market in 2009? Here’s your guide to navigating the challenging market that the coming year has in store for you. The new realism Prices in Chicago have settled between seven and fifteen percent. Get an ... http://www.yourwindycityguide.com/?p=1006 Visit the Lincoln Park Zoo on January 2, 3 and 4 before the Zoo Lights Festival ends.  Free admission!  The lights are on until 9pm each night through this weekend. http://www.yourwindycityguide.com/?p=1003   From the Zillow press release... A December 2008 survey of more than 2,000 U.S. adults reveals which pop culture celebrities and politicians Americans think would make the most appealing neighbors, and who isn't welcome anywhere near the backyard. And in first place, Alaska's Governor, Sarah Palin.  ... http://www.yourwindycityguide.com/?p=1000 The Case-Shiller price index for homes was released today and the figures show that prices are down - November 2008 compared to November 2007. In the 20 markets in the index, Chicago winds up in the middle, with prices settling 10.8% from last year. The composite is down 18% for the 20 ... http://www.yourwindycityguide.com/?p=990 Your guides hear that the development of apartments and retail along Clybourn - south of North Avenue - is still in the works despite the rotten economy. Sun Times article here. On the site of the land owned by the New City YMCA along Clybourn (and also facing onto ... http://www.yourwindycityguide.com/?p=987 In an AP article today, we're being warned that the re-sale market for recyclables such as glass, aluminum and paper is plummeting along with everything else in this recession. Cardboard that sold for about $135 a ton in September is now going for $35 a ton. Plastic bottles ... http://www.yourwindycityguide.com/?p=982 Inventory is still holding steady.  This is actually a slight decline from last week.  But who'd put their house on the market the week before Christmas? Interestingly this is a slight increase in closings from last week.  But you can see closings are down by more than 1/3 ... http://www.yourwindycityguide.com/?p=979 While working with a client this week, we stumbled upon this investment gem.  No, it's not sparkly.  Or pretty.  Or even glamorous.  The basics. This is a two bedroom, 1 & 1/2 bath condo in a building where condo's used to sell for around $180,000 before the economy ... http://www.yourwindycityguide.com/?p=977 Zillow - the home valuation website - emails me regularly to tell me about the values of homes I "claimed" either as a listing agent, or as the owner.  Month after month, I receive cheery emails about how my home has lost some more value. Check it out! This month, the system ... http://www.yourwindycityguide.com/?p=974