RE: Something's happening here.....

And what it is I'm not exactly sure....or so goes the song.

During a walk around my neighborhood recently, I noticed that some builders are back! There are two homes; on Birchwood and Washington in Wilmette that are going up. "For Sale" signs adorn the front of each lot.

A few years ago, I would have felt irritated and inconvenienced with the sights and especially noise associated with new construction. Now, I am filled with hope. It is possible that these builders have found a way to venture back into the home building business?

The house on Birchwood has 14 rooms;4 bedrooms; 6 baths. It is brick and stone on a 50 X 177 lot. It's listed for sale at $1,399M and if you buy now, you can select the finishes you like. The house on Washington has 15 rooms; 4 bedrooms; 4.1 baths. It is also listed for $1,399M, with the inducement of buyer choice on the finishes if purchased early enough.

Many builders prefer to select their own finishes. It's just easier and quicker. Often, the buyers may linger over their own personal choices, after all, they will be living with it. But, it often has the effect of slowing down the process of finishing the house on time. Occasionally there will be disagreements on how much the builder should allot for finishes, thus causing tension throughout the remainder of the project. Most builders would rather avoid the potential headaches, and do it themselves. This should be viewed as a concession on the builder's part.

Houses of this magnitude would have been listed for a least, $1.5M and up a few years ago. This too, is a sign of the times. More for you money mixed in with motivated builders......a great combination for a buyer looking to purchase new construction.

If you are interested in more information about these homes, send me an email.

RE: Bravo to the Brave Buyers

I've been off-line for a while. I've been mourning the loss of so many great and memorable celebrities: Ed McMahon.....heeeeeeeeere's Johnny; Farrah Fawcett, who proved to be so much more than a stunningly beautiful Charlie's Angel (RIP), Billy Mays, whose enthusiasm made me buy cleaning products I didn't want to, and the never to be forgotten, man-child Michael Jackson.
I could devote an entire column to the greatness of Michael, and the alternate reality in which he existed. Let others sort out what this means, my life has been enriched by each and every song that Michael wrote, sang and danced through....God Bless.

Here's a story that's all too rare for these times: Designer/Builder Diane Wilson from Wilmette sold her lovely new creation in East Wilmette during the construction stage. This beautiful cedar shake exterior home with front gazebo was originally listed for $1,679M. It closed yesterday for $1,597M.
Diane acknowledges that several changes were made to meet the Buyer's specifications. A first floor walk-in shower was added to what had previously been designated as a powder room. The center hall closet was sacrificed in the process. French doors were added to the living room entry, so that it could also be used as a guest room for an aging parent. The Buyers also made their own selections of color, lighting and granite.

During the housing boom, the house might not have been listed until all of these choices were in place...that is how quickly new construction sold. Now, Diane's house was listed shortly after the permits were issued. A longer market time, more concessions and possibly more negotiation on the price are also factors that have changed the dynamics of home buying in this economy. Fortunately, Diane was able to attract qualified buyers and work successfully with them.

On the other hand, kudos to these buyers and all others who are purchasing homes. Since they are relocating, renting is option this family could have chosen, but instead, they bought a home. In return, they were able to customize the home to the accomodate their lifestyle. Welcome to Wilmette!