New Home Notebook

Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood is one of several on the North Side seeing a flurry of build-and-buy new home and condo construction. The above video tours one of these hot properties in its infancy.

Marketed by Sergio & Banks, the featured 3-flat and two 5-flats in a prime location at 2115-23 W Wabansia St will range in price from the high $300s to the mid-$600s. Three of the 13 have already been reserved, even though occupancy isn’t slated until April and May. A model opening is scheduled for March. If past practice is any guide, the units won’t be listed in the MLS until that time.

“It’s going to be very urban classic in nature,” says Melissa Govedarica in the video.

Brook Furniture Rental, and Naperville-based Simply Staging, recently worked with Ryan Hill real estate agent Tonia DeWaele and builder Frank Miulli to transform a newly-built luxury home at 3 Baker Ln in Naperville by staging the home.

Although still a relatively new phenomenon, home staging is proving to be a valuable marketing tool when it comes to selling a home. By accentuating the available space, not to mention creating a decidedly homier atmosphere, realtors who use stagers maintain that it can have a dramatic impact on the market time for a home, with staged homes selling months faster in some instances. In today’s highly competitive housing market, any edge a seller can gain over the competition should be viewed as a major plus.

We took some before and after shots of the home, as well as stopping to chat with Tonia and Frank in its bright, open family room. As you’ll see in the video, an initially skeptical Frank finds himself pleasantly surprised by the results.

It is true. Chicago’s neighborhoods are seeing new construction, particularly among rental buildings. Long a popular Chicago structure, six-flats like the one in the above Sergio & Banks‘ video are part of the growing roster. As Melissa Govedarica explains, this building nearing completion at 1846 N California Ave offers 4 simplex and 2 duplex units with condo-quality features. 2-bedroom rents are starting at $1,500 a month.

The units include in-unit washers and dryers, balconies or patios. Garage parking comes with it, an asset in the building’s Logan Square neighborhood, bordering West Bucktown.

YoChicago.com recently sat down with Zev Salomon, the project manager for Belgravia Group‘s CA23 to chat about the Phase II.

After successfully selling through Phase 1, Zev and his team were able to commence  work on Phase II, based on the popularity of of CA23′s location, its high-end finishes, and open floor plans.  The 24-unit West Loop project was able to begin construction well ahead of its anticipated schedule.

According to a Yahoo Real Estate poll released last month, four out of five Americans say that owning a home is still a big part of the American Dream. While perhaps surprising to some, these results speak to how deeply engrained home ownership remains in our culture. Beyond the feeling of pride that comes with ownership, not to mention the luxury of having control over your own space, it remains a very good long-term investment. Despite a difficult few years in the housing industry, statistics still support the notion that owning a home for the long term is an excellent way to grow your personal wealth. The same cannot be said about renting.

Even as the housing market has dropped, Chicago area home builder J. Lawrence Homes continues to see steady interest among a wide range of demographics from young couples to growing families to downsizers. Even in difficult economic times, people are still getting married, having kids and seeing those kids grow up to buy homes of their own, all of which means that buyers continue to have needs for new homes to fit their current lifestyle.

One thing that has changed in recent years, however, is the type of homes people are looking for.

Homebuyers today don’t want to be pigeonholed by homes designed as a starter or downsizing home. They ultimately desire the flexibility of a home that will evolve along with their needs, meaning that flexible floor plans are a must. The first home for a young couple today should be one that can accommodate the needs of an expanding family, while the empty-nester home may need a place for the return of an adult child, or merely being able to provide space for hosting a visit with grandchildren.

Today’s buyers are also increasingly interested in eco-friendly features for the reduction of their carbon footprint – not to mention their energy bills.

Over the past several years, we have greatly improved the energy efficiency of all our homes. With an 80-percent efficient furnace, Tyvek® House Wrap, double-paned windows, R-13 insulation in the walls and R-38 insulation in the attic as well as designs that maximize the natural light, buyers are often sold on a J. Lawrence Homes by all of these green features offered as standard in each home.

Savvy homebuyers are also making their own rules when it comes to new home financing. After the hard lessons learned from the housing fall-out, they are no longer willing to let lenders call the shots. Possessing a complete understanding of their lending options, as well as feeling comfortable with their payment plan, has become a must for buyers.

If finding your new home is part of your plans for 2012, John Wozniak, the 2011 president of the Home Builders Association of Greater Chicago and president of J. Lawrence Homes, offers these three tips:

1.) The key to having a home that will grow along with you and your family is to seek out floor plans with multi-function rooms. Great rooms, basements, lofts and other gathering areas, like an eat-in kitchen, all offer this much-desired flexibility.

2.) Ask your builder what green materials and features come standard with their homes. Three to five eco-friendly features should be included in the base price.

3.) Create a budget. Come to the table with your builder knowing how much you can afford each month and work from there. Don’t be afraid to tell your builder what you would like to afford, as builders such as J. Lawrence Homes will often work to get help you get exactly what you want.

Boldly blue at 27 stories, luxury condo tower Superior 110 catches all eyes along Chicago’s River North skyline. Recent penthouse and half-floor unit sales have put what the locals call “the blue building” within six units of selling out.

Designed by Hartshorne Plunkard Architecture to be a “gleaming gem amidst a sea of beige concrete”, this new construction high-rise carries the designer’s intent with a visual impact unrivaled by its dull-looking neighbors. With recent price reductions, remaining units are available from the $500s to upwards of $2 million.

Greg Eldridge of @properties has the listings. He details Superior 110′s immediate neighborhood in the following video:

Engineering News Record recently granted top honors in its Best Projects 2011 regional competition to Oakwood 200 Squared, a new luxury high-rise in the heart of downtown Chicago’s Loop. With design quality, construction quality, innovation, safety, and teamwork used as criteria, Oakwood 200 Squared will move on to compete nationally in the Best of the Best Projects 2011.

Designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz, this 42-story luxury apartment building offers a variety of floor plans ranging from spacious studios, convertibles, 1-bedrooms, 1-bedrooms plus den and 2-bedroom/2-bath units.

Amenities include a fitness center, indoor pool and steam room, as well as a private pet walk, whirlpool on an outdoor garden deck complete with a fire pit and gas grills, party room, lobby café, storage lockers and more. Every in-unit amenity you’d expect in a luxury community, including in-unit washers and dryers, is also present in these apartments.

A smoke-free building, services such as 24-hour door staff, concierge, package reception, bike storage, and Zipcar availability are also offered at Oakwood 200 Squared.

For information regarding pricing, rental options and availability, e-mail or call 877-388-9116.

When we visited the Loop’s 235 Van Buren, we were initially struck by the architectural details and layout, from exposed concrete walls to a recessed balcony. A deeper look, however, revealed much more.

Scott Hoskins of CMK Realty described this condo as among the best values for a 2 bedroom, 2 bath, new construction unit in downtown Chicago, and the numbers seem to support his case. Priced at $249,900, and containing nearly 1,050 square feet (breaking down to roughly $238 per square foot), it’s easy to see why many still consider it cheaper to own than rent. With warranties, not to mention an outstanding high rise location, Scott estimates that owning Unit 1419 works out to be $500 to $700 per month less than renting a comparable unit.

A more detailed breakdown of the numbers, in addition to a video testimonial from two of their buyers, can be found at YoChicago.

With Phase I units all but sold, the new home development CA 23 is moving forward with Phase II. Belgravia Group plans to break ground on Phase II, on Carpenter St in Chicago’s West Loop, by the end of 2011. Several Phase II units are already under contract. Hear what two satisifed Belgravia buyers have to say about the project in the above video.

CA 23’s Phase II consists of twenty-four 3-bedroom, 3-bath, appx 1,900 square foot single-floor units with high ceilings. These new condominiums have larger front and rear balconies than the Phase I units, and penthouses will have private roof decks. Pre-construction prices range from $499,900 to $609,900.

YoChicago‘s Joe Zekas went on a video tour of Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood with Sergio & Banks’ Tina Culver to check out this historic area.

The north side neighborhood is right on the lakefront between the Oak Street and North Avenue beaches.  The area is rife with a variety of restaurants, boutique shops and luxury real estate. Gold Coast real estate is comprised mostly of high-rise condos, many with amazing views of the lakefront.

During Chicagoland summers getting enough sunlight is usually not a problem. But come winter, sunshine is at a premium and a lack of it in your home can affect everything from your mood to the resale value. Forward-thinking homebuyers can consider any number of brightening options – from siting the direction of their home to skylights and transom windows. Homebuyers working with J. Lawrence Homes can tailor their new construction for maximum natural light.

At J Lawrence’s Remington Landings development in North Aurora, buyers can site bay windows in their choice of rooms, soaking up the sun for their favorite space – be it the living room, dining room, etc. The bathrooms feature long horizontal windows, high up for privacy but bright for grooming, dressing or your daily dose of Vitamin D.

Like most builders, J. Lawrence wants to make buyers fall in love with a new home, said John Wozniak, president of J. Lawrence Homes. “Light makes them fall in love.”

The loop location, the incredible views, the space – what’s not to like about the penthouse at the new condominium tower in the loop at 235 Van Buren?

Well, that’s what a couple of business guys decided when they took their home search to HGTV earlier this year.  The video takes the partners through a search for a home base for their Chicago visits.

OK, so they had a sizable budget, but see video clips of what your more average home buyer has to say about their condo purchase at 235 Van Buren.

Grand Bend at Green Bay condominiums at Green Bay and Sherman in Evanston is offering a contract for deed program, while continuing to offer units for sale.  The program assists buyers who may need to accumulate a down payment and secure financing.  Participants will have the option to buy the condo at the end of a lease term, with 25% of their rent being put toward a down payment on the purchase price.

And the purchase prices have been reduced as well.  Large one-bedroom units start in the $170s and two-bedrooms in the $250s.

Robert Matthews of Bluewater Assets Group talks about the program this video.

The Midlane Club is nestled amidst the Midlane Golf Resort in Wadsworth IL, in Lake County. Community residents are entitled to the use of a slew of club-like amenities including a fitness center, a large pool and wading area, the driving range and a decked-out clubhouse. The clubhouse, ideal for parties and events, has a lounging and activity area, a bar, a TV lounging area, and a full kitchen.

J. Lawrence Homes offers a wide variety of home designs at the Midlane Club. This 4-bedroom, 2.5 bath home is available right now and priced at just $219,000. J. Lawrence Homes offers awide variety of available homes starting from the low $200s.

Joliet is home to this incredible value at the Silver Leaf new home community. This Greensward model from J. Lawrence Homes is completely decked out as a model with brick elevation, custom brick paver walkways and patio, totally upgraded kitchen, custom fixtures and decorating.

It’s a 4-bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2600+ square foot home with an open floor plan that’s loaded with light. Originally priced at $340,000, you can have this home for $245,000 and be entertaining for the holidays.

Silver Leaf is in a great location between and minutes from both I-80 and I-55. You’re walking distance from schools, Middle Rock Run County Forest Preserve and a short drive to a bevy of shopping and dining opportunities.

A builder typically knows what to look for as far as design and construction quality are concerned. Apparently Doug, a real estate developer featured in this video found what he was looking for at Grand Bend at Green Bay in Evanston after viewing 20 to 30 other condos in the area.  Get the details of that Evanston home search in this sponsored video.

Grand Bend is located at Green Bay Road and Sherman Streets in Evanston and features one-bedrooms from the $170s, two-bedrooms in the 250s and three-bedrooms starting at $499,900.

Whether you are a first-time buyer, growing family or empty-nester, you can’t go wrong with a bonus room. According to builders and buyers alike, it provides the extra space and flexibility that make a home more livable and functional. And 2nd floor bonus rooms give you a host of options.

“We found that by putting the bonus room on the second floor, the space became more versatile,” said John Wozniak, president of Wheaton-based J. Lawrence Homes. “Because it’s tucked up by the bedrooms, it is a quiet spot to create a homework station, sitting room or library. But it also makes a nice game or toy room because it keeps all the clutter out of sight from the main living areas of the home.”

Plans with a bonus room also have a main-floor family room open to an eat-in kitchen. Other features, per plan, include a formal living and dining room, mud room and den.

Second-floor bonus rooms can be found at most of the home builder’s communities, including Ambry Estates in Lynwood, Silver Leaf in Joliet, Remington Landing in North Aurora and Midlane Country Club, a clubhouse community in Wadsworth. Base prices for the homes range from the $140,000s to the high $200,000s.

Contractors for the City of Evanston will be making pedestrian safety improvements at the intersection outside Grand Bend at Green Bay, where Green Bay Road intersects with Emerson Street.

According to EvanstonNow.com, the work will include tightening the turning radius at the intersection and moving the pedestrian crossing on Green Bay Road closer to the intersection with Emerson. In addition, the lanes on Green Bay will be realigned and the pedestrian signal post will be relocated closer to the intersection.

The project is slated to be finished in the third week of September and will remain open to traffic during construction.

Grand Bend at Green Bay is a 49-unit boutique building that offers large homes and high-level finishes in 1-, 2- and 3-bedroom condos priced from the $170s, $250s and $490s after recent price reductions.

Inbound marketing has been a part of Data Based Ads’ client value proposition for years, through YoChicago, our video channels, or social media marketing, and here at New Home Notebook.  As we expose our clients’ news and video to the substantial traffic on our sites, we also perform an important SEO function.

The inbound links we provide to our clients through the coverage on our sites not only sends real traffic to their websites and their sales offices, but it goes a long way toward helping those websites rank better in the search results in the form of off-page SEO. DBA Inbound will specialize in helping our clients reach traffic and SEO targets with our blend of content, news, SEO and website design – or any mix thereof.

Through the formation of DBA Inbound, Data Based Ads has expanded its SEO marketing efforts to include website development and on-page SEO that will augment and enhance our off-page efforts for our clients. The melding of the SEO efforts will make each more effective.

Ask your SEO specialists about the value of inbound marketing or visit Data Based Ads’ updated website and read about our capabilities there.

Or follow our the DBA Inbound blog: Inbound marketing tips for real estate SEO, where we give easy-to-understand insight and SEO tips that you can easily implement on your own or through your web specialist.

Lookout and walkout basements brighten below-grade space

With today’s new-home buyers wanting to maximize the value and function of their home, many are turning their focus to an often overlooked space – the basement. To make the most of their below-grade space, buyers are increasingly interested in lookout or walkout basements.

After the long winter we had and a rainy spring, no one wants to spend time in a dark basement, especially on a bright sunny day. The larger windows bring sunshine into the basement, creating a more inviting space. And the practicality of the walkout door from the basement to the back yard is especially appreciated in the warmer months, with kids running in and out or for people hosting backyard cookouts

.J. Lawrence Homes has homesites offering lookout or walkout basements at several of our communities throughout suburban Chicago including Midlane Country Club in Wadsworth and Tanner Trails in North Aurora, as well as at our partner builder’s, Smykal Homes, communities of Ravine Woods in Channahon and River’s Edge Landing in Minooka.

Parents really appreciate the direct access to the backyard afforded by the walkout basement, especially in the summer months when kids are wet from playing in the pool or sprinkler or sandy from digging in the sandbox. This way they bring their mess into the basement, rather than through the back door into the kitchen.

The basements, at the base price, come unfinished, but both Smykal Homes and J. Lawrence Homes can work with buyers to complete the space to suit their needs. It is far more cost effective to finish the space when constructing the home, rather than years down the line. Plus, as more young buyers purchase homes for the long-term, completing the basement allows plenty of room for the family to grow.