See every new construction home

You can learn a lot about a neighborhood by visiting its restaurants. Francesca Rose, a Streeterville expert and a real estate agent at Prudential Rubloff, talked to Joe Zekas last fall about some of her favorite places to eat in Streeterville, including the best places to fill up before a morning open house .

Posted 3/9/2010 by Joseph Askins

The second half of my pre-open house drive through Margate Park in Uptown took me around Ainslie Street and Margate Terrace, down Castlewood Terrace and past Studs Terkel's old home, up to the site of a Dominick's under construction at Sheridan Road and Foster Avenue, and finally past the fields and beaches of Lincoln Park.

Mayfair Crossing is CA Development's latest successful community of single-family homes in the Old Irving Park neighborhood on Chicago's Northwest Side.

Safe, convenient, and picturesque, Mayfair Crossing provides an urban haven within easy reach of everything you need. It's difficult to imagine a more convenient location in Chicago, and with new energy-efficient three- and four-bedroom single-family homes starting at only $449,000, it is as economical as it is convenient.

At Mayfair Crossing, you can walk for groceries without crossing a busy street. Located at the corner of Berteau and Kilpatrick avenues, the development is within walking distance of the Six Corners Shopping District.

Two Metra lines or the CTA Blue Line are all within walking distance. Although a vehicle isn't necessary in a neighborhood rich with public transportation, car owners will appreciate the convenience of the Kennedy and Edens expressways, both located just blocks away, and the two-car garages that come standard with every home.

Four unique floor plans with three to four bedrooms and 2.5 to 3.5 baths are offered at Mayfair Crossing, including the charming 2,483 square-foot, three-bedroom Hickory, the thoughtful 2,736 square-foot, four-bedroom Avondale, and the luxurious 3,080 square-foot, four-bedroom Mayfair and Berteau, each with an endless choice of finishes and selections.

Buyers may choose from three levels of finish to reflect their budget and taste, but all homes feature granite countertops, marble finishes, stainless-steel appliances, wood floors, and fireplaces.

A fully decorated three-bedroom Hickory model from the new Smart Choice series is available for viewing. This Victorian-style home with stone and cedar trim has soaring 13-foot-high ceilings in the living room, an elevated dining room, and a great room with a fireplace. The granite and cherry kitchen opens to a 20-foot deck for outdoor entertaining. The large master suite features vaulted ceilings, a private balcony, and a master bath with soaking tub, separate shower and dual marble vanities.

The Hickory at Mayfair Crossing is located at 4225 N Kilpatrick Ave and is open from 1 to 3 p.m. on weekends or by appointment. For more information, call Barbara O'Connor of Koenig & Strey GMAC Real Estate at 773-491-5631 or visit www.CADevelopment.com.

Posted 3/9/2010 by Joseph Askins

A sales associate at a downtown condo development told me last week that she was facing some stiff competition from Emerald, Senco's twin-tower development at 123 S Green St in the West Loop.

That's because Senco recently cut prices on select one- and two-bedroom condos by 25 to 36 percent. The development's Web site currently advertises three examples:

• A one-bedroom that was $344,000, now $224,700 (36 percent off)
• A one-bedroom with den that was $408,300, now $266,700 (35 percent off)
• A two-bedroom that was $471,400, now $352,000 (25 percent off)

Deeded indoor parking spaces, once priced at $35,000 apiece, are now included with the homes.

Senco has not updated the site's price sheet (PDF), nor does it list condos on the MLS, so it's impossible to tell if these units are loss leaders or if they reflect the new norm at Emerald. Judging by the comments from the competition, I'd wager it's the latter.

(Image courtesy of Emerald and Hedrich Blessing.)

Posted 3/8/2010 by Joseph Askins

Apparently people are actually living in Flair Tower now. The leasing staff has set up shop in the building, too. Sounds like it's time to pay our new neighbor a visit.

Flair Tower's apartments range in price from $1,385 a month for a 595 square-foot convertible to $5,455 for a 1,779 square-foot three-bedroom. Amenities include a full-time concierge, clubroom, billiards room, fitness center, business center, outdoor pool, whirlpool spa, outdoor fireplace, and dog run.

Posted 3/8/2010 by Joseph Askins

On Sunday more than 20 agents hosted 40 open houses in Margate Park, the area of Uptown bounded by Lawrence and Foster avenues, Sheridan Road, and Lake Shore Drive. The "Explore Margate Park" event, coordinated by Koenig & Strey agent Brandon Vejseli, featured homes ranging from a studio at 846 W Ainslie St listed below $60,000, to a $1.59 million single-family home at 920 W Castlewood Terrace, just a few doors down from Studs Terkel's old home.

Before touring some of these properties, I set up the camera in my car and filmed my drive around the neighborhood. Here's the first segment, in which I enter Uptown on Montrose Avenue and pass Wilson Yard before approaching Margate Park via Clarendon Avenue.

We've taken in some great views of downtown from 235 Van Buren in the past, but last week was the first time I had ventured up to the tower's top floor. The owner of unit #4601, located on the tower's northeast corner, gets these sights of Chicago and Lake Michigan every time he or she walks into the condo's living / dining area.

Unit #4601 is a three-bedroom / three-bath home with 1,879 square feet.

Rock Creek Homes announces the completion of two lavishly decorated ranch models at Henning Estates. Located in a country-like setting west of Huntley, Rock Creek's semi-custom homes are priced from the high $290s (including homesite) and provide 1,800 to 2,260 square feet of living space.

Rock Creek's 103 homes are set on 1/3-acre conservation lots that open to woods, tall grass prairies, or ponds and wetlands. For privacy, none of the homes back to another home; only open green space prevails.

One of Rock Creek's decorated models is the 2,260 square-foot South Haven ranch home with fireplace, three-car garage, and 9-foot English basement. Base priced at $418,990, this home features stone and masonry exterior accents and low-maintenance LP SmartSide engineered wood siding.

The main living area of the South Haven has an open floor plan and standard large-volume ceiling. Space is emphasized by a 12-foot-high cathedral ceiling encompassing the kitchen, dinette, and great room. A dramatic open foyer, dining room, and 9-foot ceiling heights throughout rest of the home makes for a comfortable lifestyle.

The 17-9" x 14' master bedroom suite with cathedral ceiling has access to a private bath with soaking tub, separate shower, and walk-in closet. Also included in Energy Star rated South Haven is custom cabinetry with crown molding and a GE Profile stainless-steel appliance package with double-oven, cook-top, refrigerator, dishwasher, microwave, and laundry washer and dryer.

Other upgraded amenities on display in Rock Creek's model are a sunroom, granite countertops, and a surround sound system with an iPod docking station.

Rock Creek's second decorated model is the Newcastle, a 1,803 square-foot ranch home with optional three-car garage. Priced at $347,900, this home features LP SmartSide wood siding with masonry accents, and a 12' x 14' deck constructed with composite decking, cedar rails and iron balusters.

Henning Estates is located on Church Road, 1/4 mile east of Route 20 and 2 miles north of the I-90 Tollway. From here residents can commute easily via the tollway or Metra's Union Pacific Northwest Line trains.

Models are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. For more information, call 847-338-3821 or visit www.HenningEstates.com.

Posted 3/8/2010 by Joseph Askins

A new leasing center has opened at 215 West, the new 50-story apartment high-rise at 215 W Washington St in the Loop.

The 389-unit tower, designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz, is expected to be the first LEED-certified high-rise apartment building in the Loop. Its apartments will feature ENERGY STAR-rated appliances, water-saving plumbing fixtures, granite countertops, in-unit washer / dryer, and floor-to-ceiling windows.

Jupiter Realty has posted rental rates for 215 West's studios through three-bedrooms on Apartments.com. I've updated our old 215 West spreadsheet to incorporate those prices.