Are you curious as to what Long Grove sales were in  July and August in 2008?

Whether you are in the market to buy a home or to sell your current home, it is important to keep abreast of market statistics (or at least to work with a knowledgeable REALTOR who does). Newspapers, national magazines, and television news report on regional and national trends, but don't do a very good job of explaining the local real estate market in Long Grove.   

Many of the transplanted employees of new companies relocating to the Chicago area are facing this dilemma.... suburbia or city living- which one is best for you?

Just recently three major companies moved their headquarters to the Chicago area...  Coors and Miller have recently merged and have chose Chicago proper as the new headquarters for their combined company.  Chicago attracted Miller Coors because it has "access to an attractive base of talent, transportation and business resources," company president Tom Long  said.  Additionally, HSBC North America Holdings, one of the 10 largest financial services companies in the United States, selected Mettawa, a  small suburb west of Vernon, Hills Illinois as its new home base.

So if you're an employee who now calls the Chicago area your new home, where should you choose to live? Whether you live in Chicago's city proper,or the burbs is a personal decision and depends on the many factors.

First you must consider your own needs and values.  Would you like your children to be exposed daily to the city's wonderful culture experiences, or would you like them to grow up with a big yard to play baseball and Capture the Flag. Do you want  to walk to work, have a short drive, relax on the train  or spend an hour each way driving to and from work?  Does your budget afford you private school costs in the city, or do you want to move to a suburb that has the best schools in the state?  Are your children grown and the school system isn't your first priority?  All of these questions, are important in your decision as to whether you choose Suburbia or City Living.

Seventeen years ago, my husband and I waffled over the decision to move to the suburbs. However when it became very difficult for me to drag the laundry from the building's laundry room to our unit on the 26^thfloor  with baby in tow, my husband agreed to move.

Yes, it was hard decision to move... we knew we would miss our wonderful views of Chicago's SkyLine from the 26^thfloor of a Lincoln Park High rise, the easy commute to our jobs downtown, the walks through Lincoln Park Zoo, the wonderful restaurants, etc..., but we felt it was time.     We had just had a baby boy, our friends were already living in the burbs, and we had run out of space in our 2 bedroom condo.

Our family's  priorities  changed. We now wanted great schools, a bigger home and privacy. One aspect that appealed to my husband and I when we chose to live in Long Grove  is that our property was so spacious but only 5 minutes away from all the conveniences of life, ie grocery store, cleaners, etc.

When we first drove through many of the neighborhoods of Long Grove I actually had the chills that I would be living in a beautiful place like this.  I remember the day we drove through the neighborhood we ultimately moved to  and I said to myself- I would die to live here.  Its been 17 years and I still love living in my house that we bought.

 If you would like a guided tour of Long Grove, you can give me a call or travel through my  previous blog posts.  I have also wrote a detailed analysis of all the Long Grove subdivisions for future transplantees to read

Will I ever move back to the city? Yes, probably after my children graduate from Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, and we send them to College (6 years from now- but who's counting).    I love the City of Chicago and all it has to offer.   I love the great restaurants, museums, plays, and of course the shopping. Actually I'm going to take the train downtown tomorrow to go to dinner and Jersey Boys .  I'm really looking forward to it.   

Where you ultimately find your dream home depends on your priorities at the time.

If you are considering moving to the Northwest Suburbs and are considering either Buffalo Grove, Long Grove, Mettawa, Lincolnshire, or Vernon Hills, don't hesitate to contact me at 847-602-5435. 

www.buffalogrovehomes.com or www.movetolonggrove.com will give you more information regarding the Chicago Northwest Suburbs.

As the number of Illinois residents renting homes dramatically increases, new survey released today by Allstate finds most Illinois renters are inadequately prepared to protect homes and belongings. Although homeowners coverage is required as a part of most mortgages, the approximate 1.2 million Illinois residents who rent their homes face no such insurance requirement. Without that requirement, just over half of Illinois renters (51 percent) report they have renter's insurance to cover their property in case of loss.   In my opinion, if a disaster strikes, whether a fire, robbery or other tragedy, you will be devasted enough and won't want to worry about replacing your belongings. 

In addition to purchasing the renter's insurance, I recommend protecting yourself by taking the following actions. 

•1.      Do a home inventory checklist. 

•2.     Take photographs or videotake your possessions to help document what you own.  A picture is not only worth a thousand words, but it is worth a lot of headaches and aggrevation.....

•3.      Go to www.allstate.com/renters-insurance to download a home inventory checklist and for more important information. The home inventory list can also be accessed directly here I'm not trying to push Allstate by any means, but they do have a good checklist.  You can check other insurance companies for their own personal home inventory list.

•4.     After you complete steps 1 and 2 place these important documents  and pictures in a safe deposit box.

My job is to protect my clients in the entire rental experience.I recently wrote a blog post about protecting the lessee from the possibillity of the Lessor's foreclosure

 Whether you are an executive of Motorola, HSBC, Allstate, CDW or any other company located in the Northwest Suburbs, contact me and I will find you the perfect rental opportunity.   Currently, I have a penthouse rental available in Rivers Edge (425 Benjamin )in Vernon hills.  It is completely furnished with stunning furniture.  Call me or email me if you would like to see this gorgeous spacious condo.

If you want more information regarding specific real estate sales in the Vernon Hills area please do not hesitate to call me at 847-602-5435 or email me at info@buffalogrovehomes.com .   I can help you in the purchase or sale of Vernon Hills real estate.     I am available 24/7 to make appointments!

Visit my website www.buffalogroveareahomes.com  or www.movetovernonhills. com and you can search for more information on any listing

Are you looking for a home in Long Grove, Illinois?    

I have included below all of the homes which came on the market in Long Grove in August of 2008.  There are great buys in  the Long Grove market in all the different price ranges, Whether you are looking a home in the $300,000's to a home over two million. 

Whether you are looking for a home in Herons Landing, Prairie Trails, White Oak Estates, Ravenna or Royal Melbourne you can click on my Long Grove Subdivision Blog to obtain more information about each community.

Two of the homes that went on the market this month are my own listings....  One of my listings located at 8048 Orchard is beautiful and priced to sell at $619,900.  You can make an appointment by calling my cell phone at 847-602-5435. 

The other listing located at 4719 Wellinton is located in Royal Melbourne of Long Grove has been extensively and exquisitely rehabbed.  

If you want more information regarding specific real estate sales in the Long Grove area please do not hesitate to call me at 847-602-5435 or email me at info@buffalogrovehomes.com .   I can help you in the purchase or sale of Long Grove real estate.     I am available 24/7 to make appointments!

Visit my website www.buffalogroveareahomes.com  or www.movetolonggrove.com and you can search for more information on any listings

Are you looking for a home in Buffalo Grove?  As mentioned in a previous blog about Buffalo Grove, it is a wonderful town and many people are relocating to Buffalo Grove , Illinois because of the price of real estate, award winning schools, location to public transportation, etc. 

I have included below all of the homes which came on the market in August of 2008.  There are great buys on the market in all the different price ranges, from homes in the $200,000's to those over $900,000.  One of my new listings at 731 Dunhill came on the market this month for a price of $429,900.  It is absolutely a beautful home !

If you want more information regarding specific real estate sales in the Buffalo Grove area please do not hesitate to call me at 847-602-5435 or email me at info@buffalogrovehomes.com .   I can help you in the purchase or sale of a Buffalo Grove Condo, Buffalo GroveTownhouse, Buffalo Grove single family home or a Buffalo Grove rental.   I am available 24/7 to make appointments!

Visit my website www.buffalogroveareahomes.com and you can search for more information on any listing.

Are you looking for a home in Vernon Hills? As mentioned in a previous  Vernon Hills post, it is a wondeful town and many people are flocking to Vernon Hills, Illinois because of the price of real estate, schools, parks, and scenery.

I have included below all of the homes which came on the market in August of 2008.  There are great buys on the market in all the different price ranges, from homes in the $200,000's to those over a million dollars.

If you want more information regarding specific real estate sales in the Vernon Hills area please do not hesitate to call me at 847-602-5435 or email me at info@buffalogrovehomes.com .   I can help you in the purchase or sale of a Vernon Hills Condo, Vernon Hills Townhouse, Vernon Hills single family home or a Vernon Hills rental.   I am available 24/7 to make appointments!

Visit my website www.movetovernonhills.com and search for any listing!

Looking for good food, good music, good fun, and good fireworks?  Check out Buffalo Grove Days this weekend! It's already Saturday morning at 9:00 so I am only going to post the activities from this time forward. 

During the Buffalo Grove days,  16 Buffalo Grove restaurants will be on hand. Those restaurants include: Brother Ribs, Buca di Beppo, Cold Stone Creamery, Continental Restaurant, Culver's, Dominick's, Dorfler's, GrillWorks at eSkape, Kaleidoscoops Ice Cream, LasPalmas, Lou Malnati's Pizza, The Melting Pot, Nino's Pizzeria, Penguino's Pizza, Village Bar and Grill, and Yen Yen Restaurant.

Live entertainment will be available all weekend long. I'm only posting Saturday to Monday .

You can find me at the American English Band on Sunday night because I have  recently  heard them play , and they are excellent.  Also right after the band, there will be the wonderful Buffalo Grove fireworks.

The Buffalo Grove  parade will begin on Sunday, Sept. 2 at 1 p.m. rain or shine and travel along Bernard Drive and head east to Raupp Boulevard. Once on Raupp, the direction will shift north and end at St. Mary's Parkway. Ols Every year the participants of the parade throw candy to the spectators, so kids of all ages love this yearly event.

Besides the carnival rides, children will be able to enjoy arts and crafts, clowns, and characters such as "Shrek" and "Strawberry Shortcake" walking around greeting people.

Hope to see you all there!

If you are considering a move to Long Grove Illinois you can choose from many great subdivisions.

If you are looking for new construction and want to be East of route 83, consider the brand new development of EastGate Estates of Long Grove. One of the best and most reputable builders in town can build you your absolute dream home- just call me  at 847-602-5435 for his information... 

This new neighborhood will feature 9 luxury home from 4000-7500 sq ft on over 22 acres in prestigious Long Grove.  When completed it will become one of the prettiest neighborhoods in Long Grove in a beautiful country setting surrounded by natural wetlands, prairie grass, walking paths, ponds and trees.

EastGate  Estates will be conveniently located on the East Side of Long Grove near great shopping, schools and parks. 

East Gate Estates of Long Grove is serviced by two award-winning school districts.   The residents of this new neighborhood attend the District 96 schools. (Prairie Elementary and Twin Groves Junior High).    They also attend Stevenson High School District 125 

If you want to know more about other Long Grove subdivisions, you can read a previous post  Long Grove Real Estate- Which subdivision best suits your needs?   Currently I have stunning listings available in Royal Melbourne and Prairie Trails. 

Long Grove, Illinois  "The Village with the charm of  yesteryear" is how Long Grove is described.   More than 100 retail businesses consisting of antique shops, specialty shops, restaurants housed in  Victorian-era houses and barns are clustered around the intersection of Old McHenry Road and Robert Coffin Road. The Village strives to preserve its pristine rural charm as it retains large open spaces and extensive natural groves of trees.

In the town of Long Grove, you will find quaint shopping, great restaurants and unbelievable and unique boutiques.  Just a few miles away, you can find other fine shopping in Deer Park or Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills.  Long Grove residents are served by the Long Grove, Lake Zurich and Buffalo Grove Park District which has a long menu of events and activities for children, adults, and seniors

If you want more information regarding specific real estate sales in the Long Grove area please do not hesitate to call me at 847-602-5435 or email me at info@buffalogrovehomes.com .   I can help you in the purchase or sale of Long Grove single family home or a rental.   I am available 24/7 to make appointments!

Visit my website www.movetolonggrove.com and search for any listing!

If you are considering a move to Long Grove Illinois you can choose from many great subdivisions.

The Royal Melbourne Subdivision is a prestigious gated community located off of Route 83  and Half Day Road in Long Grove.  This spectacular neighborhood boasts exquisite custom homes with both security and privacy for its residents. 

The Royal Melbourne County Club offers all of the of the charm and elegance of a traditional country club with a a warm and welcoming attitude that fits today's lifestyle.  The club is distinguished by its diverse membership, phenomenal golf experience and year-round social events. There are different types of membership available at the Royal Melbourne Country Club,including regular golf , social, or clubhouse membership, depending on the specific needs of the individual members.  Seventy Percent of the residents of the Royal Melbourne Subdivision in Long Grove  are members of  the Royal Melbourne Country Club, however,  you don't have to be a resident of Royal Melbourne to become a member of Royal Melbourne Country Club.                   

If you are a golf fanatic like myself, ( see my previous blog about golf courses in the Long Grove area)Royal Melbourne Country Club offers a truly unique golf experience.  Their championship course created by Greg Norman, takes advantage of the wide variety of natural landscape, ponds, prairies and woods that create a wonderful golf experience. 

There are unbelievable homes for sale in Royal Melbourne at the present time. This spectular home pictured below will go  on the market  this Friday.  You can call me at 847-602-5435  for your own private showing.  This home has been  extensively renovated  and has every bell and whistle you would  ever imagine.

Royal Melbourne of Long Grove is serviced by two award-winning school districts.   The residents of this new neighborhood attend the District 96 schools. (Country Meadows Elementary, and Woodlawn Junior High).    They also attend Stevenson High School District 125 

If you want to know more about other Long Grove subdivisions, you can read a previous post  Long Grove Real Estate- Which subdivision best suits your needs?

Long Grove, Illinois  "The Village with the charm of  yesteryear" is how Long Grove is described.   More than 100 retail businesses consisting of antique shops, specialty shops, restaurants housed in  Victorian-era houses and barns are clustered around the intersection of Old McHenry Road and Robert Coffin Road. The Village strives to preserve its pristine rural charm as it retains large open spaces and extensive natural groves of trees.

In the town of Long Grove, you will find quaint shopping, great restaurants and unbelievable and unique boutiques.  Just a few miles away, you can find other fine shopping in Deer Park or Hawthorn Mall in Vernon Hills.  Long Grove residents are served by the Long Grove, Lake Zurich and Buffalo Grove Park District which has a long menu of events and activities for children, adults, and seniors.

Grade School children living in Long Grove attend kindergarten at Willow Grove Elementary School in Buffalo Grove, first through 5th grades at Kildeer Countryside Elementary School or Country Meadow Elementary School in  Long Grove and 6th through 8th grade at Woodlawn Middle School in Long Grove.(District 96)  A smaller percentage  of children living in Long Grove attend either Diamond Oak for elementary school and West Oak Junior High(District 79)or the Fremont Schools.