Evanston Wins $800,000 Grant to Improve its Downtown Aesthetic and Public Safety

It may seem impossible to improve upon the charm and character of downtown Evanston, but plans are in effect to do so! Last week, Evanston City officials announced that the city has received $800,000 in state grant funds from the state of Illinois' Transportation Enhancement Program to go towards the Chicago Avenue Streetscape Improvement Project.

This project, to be completed in the fall of 2011, will focus on the area of Chicago Avenue, between Lee Street and Greenleaf Street. Evanston's director of transportation and city engineer, Paul Schneider states, “This important gateway corridor is rapidly redeveloping and in need of functional and aesthetic upgrades. The intended results outlined by the public are to create a tree-lined parkway, improve linkages with nearby neighborhoods and preserve automobile flow and parking while at the same time making it safer for pedestrians." Improvements such as sidewalks, benches, street lights, plants, extended sidewalks and much more will lend to the enhanced appeal and safety of the area. You can read the full article on Evanston Review.

Are you considering a move to Evanston? I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have or show you some of the beautiful homes or condos that are available! Whether you’re buying or selling in Evanston- I’m here to help in any way possible.


Judy Newton
Your Evanston Real Estate Expert
Coldwell Banker

Evanston Real Estate
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Evanston- Continues Its History of Stunning Architecture and Beautiful Homes

Whether you are currently a resident of Evanston, or are just searching for a great new place to live; it’s always good to know the history of the town in which you spend your time.

Evanston was not founded as a town simply for the sake of being a town, but it sprang from a desire to grow the community that surrounded Ivy League school, Northwestern University.  In 1851, Northwestern was founded and four years later opened its’ doors to a mere ten students.  John Evans who helped found the school thought that to have a city associated with the school would be a step in the right direction and thus submitted his plans for “Evanston” to the county judge in 1854.  Evanston was officially named and established in 1857.

Throughout the 1860’s and 70’s, Evanston experienced tremendous growth after the war.  This city established itself on solid principles and fought to retain it’s independence from the quickly growing city of Chicago, which sat in close proximity.   Known for it’s exquisite architecture and beautiful homes along the North Shore, Evanston saw another surge of people flocking to its’ community.  The population grew a staggering 70 percent between 1920 and 1930, as many were drawn to its’ unique blending of style and community.


Today residents are still drawn to the lakeside homes and charming downtown.  If you are considering a transition to Evanston; I would be happy to show you around!  From expansive residences to modern condos- there is something for every taste!  Contact me today for more information!


Judy Newton
Your Evanston Real Estate Expert
Coldwell Banker

Evanston Real Estate
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Ideal Market Conditions Make 2010 the Perfect Time to Buy!

If you have been considering taking the plunge into the Real Estate market- now is the perfect time to do so! Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist with the National Association of Realtors (NAR), points out a few reasons that make 2010 an ideal time to buy.

1. The Extended and Expanded Tax Credit- First time home buyers were encouraged to take advantage of the $8,000 tax credit before the end of November 2009. However, this great deal has recently been extended to April 30, 2010! Not only are first time home buyers benefitting from this offer, but current home owners are as well. Those whom have owned their homes for at least 5 years are being offered a $6,500 tax credit when purchasing a new home. You can read more about it here.


2. Foreclosure and Short Sale Properties - These types of homes account for 30% of sales in October of last year. With such dramatic price decreases on these distressed homes, buyers flocked to take advantage of these amazing deals. This, however, caused many homes on the market to drop their prices in order to compete with the foreclosure and short sale homes.

3. All Time Low Interest Rates- As stated by Yun, interest rates are the third lowest they've been on record since 1971. Recently, the 30-year rate dropped to 4.83%.

As you can see, these conditions are spurring buyers to take advantage of purchasing a home this year! The tax credit, low home prices and extremely low interest rates are factors that will also not be around for long. With the tax credit ending in April- it is strongly encouraged to begin your home search right away. Also, trends show that prices have evened out and are expected to rise next year.

If you aren't quite sure where to start, let me know! I'd be happy to explain these conditions further. If you are interested in making Evanston your permanent residence, take a look at some featured listings currently for sale in this great community! Don't let the amazing opportunity for ideal market conditions pass you by!


Judy Newton
Your Evanston Real Estate Expert
Coldwell Banker

Evanston Real Estate
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View the entire Realty Times article.

Evanston's Community Evironment Is Taken to the Next Level

Evanston continues to prove to be a town that values its residents and draws the community together. As cities across America attempt to deal with their budget issues; Evanston decided to take a different approach. They chose to ask the audience (well, residents). This seems out of the ordinary as most cities would never even make their budget issues public knowledge. This community-driven city not only posted their budget issues online, but asked for input!

This allows the people of Evanston to gain a sense of ownership in their community as they provide input as to areas that are important to them or those which are not as necessary. It seems that this approach is somewhat experimental, but residents are in full support of this open door concept.

If you are looking for a great place to call “home” in 2010- why not try Evanston? This modern city with a small town feel is ideal for so many walks of life. Browse through some of Evanston’s current listings and let me know if any interest you- I’d be happy to show you around!
 

Judy Newton
Your Evanston Real Estate Expert
Coldwell Banker

Evanston Real Estate
View Evanston Listings
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Read the Full Story on Evanston's Social Experiment