July on the North Shore was good for home sales with a spike in closed sales for all communities listed here.  The sales are also an improvement over 2008 before the recession started.

Winnetka

Winnetka had 30 sales in July, an improvement over June which had 21 sales.  The sale prices ranged from $380,000 for a 50 x 160 lot on Scott St. to $4,350,000 for a lakefront home on Hoyt.  The average sale price was $1,434,260 and the median was $1,100,000. 

Wilmette

Wilmette's housing turnover improved with 26 sales in July, compared to June where 23 houses sold. The range was from $200,000 for an REO property on Illinois up to $1,665,000 for a 6-year old home on Forest.  The average sale price was $813,000 and the median price was $643,000.

Kenilworth

5 sales in Kenilworth - a great improvement over June where only 1 house sold.  The low price was $435,000 for a 2 bedroom farmhouse on Sterling and the high price was for $3,350,000 for a beautifully remodeled 1912 home on Woodstock. The average Kenilworth sale price in July was $1,867,000 and the median was $1,750,000.

Glencoe

Glencoe held fairly steady with 14 sales in July compared to 13 sales in June.  The low price was $210,000 for an old farmhouse on Park up to $2,125,000 for fully renovated brick home on Hazel.  The average sale price in July was $933,850 and the median price was $837,000.

Northfield

Northfield had 7 sales in July up from June sales of 4. The low price was $437,500 for a nice 3 bedroom ranch on Jeffrey, and the high price was for $1,287,500 for a house on an acre lot overlooking Sunset Ridge Country Club.  The average sold price in Northfield was $749,000 and the median price was $650,000.  These numbers have Northfield and Wilmette running pretty close as far as home prices go.

According to the National Association of Realtors:

"For the first time in 2 years existing home sales in the Chicago area have shown a year-over-year improvement. Media outlets such as the Chicago Tribune tout the news as a possible “sign that the local housing market may have, from a sales volume standpoint, bottomed out.”

Bottomed out in sales volume perhaps, but unfortunately for sellers (and very fortunatley for buyers) sale prices have not yet bottomed out.  But this is surely a good omen!