Curbed Chicago: All Posts by Sara FreundLove where you live2020-05-01T13:23:00-05:00https://chicago.curbed.com/authors/sara-freund/rss2020-05-01T13:23:00-05:002020-05-01T13:23:00-05:00Curbed Chicago’s greatest hits
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<p>We’ve closed up shop for the time being</p> <p id="bL0o8N">Dear readers,</p>
<p id="gynWJr">We’re writing with some news: We’ve closed up shop at Curbed Chicago for the time being. So, we’re leaving our homepage curated with our some of our best and most resourceful stories.</p>
<p id="AVqxfy">Meanwhile, our <a href="http://www.curbed.com/">national site</a> will continue to report on <a href="https://www.curbed.com/2020/3/6/21163523/coronavirus-economic-impact-housing-market">how changes in the housing market could affect you</a>, feature <a href="https://www.curbed.com/2020/4/28/21239790/house-for-sale-historic-charleston">striking homes</a> from around the country, and distill the <a href="https://www.curbed.com/2020/3/27/21194747/tile-interior-design-trend">latest design trends</a>. And because we’re all spending more time at home lately, we’ve also got ideas for <a href="https://www.curbed.com/2020/3/25/21184365/best-home-improvement-projects-coronavirus-quarantine">easy home projects to tackle while you’re hunkered down</a> and tips on <a href="https://www.curbed.com/2020/4/15/21212102/grow-green-onions-in-water-at-home-scallions">how to turn veggie scraps into houseplants</a> and <a href="https://sf.curbed.com/2020/3/5/21165483/how-to-sleep-tips-bedroom-interior-design-better">transforming your bedroom into a sleepy minimalist cocoon</a>. </p>
<p id="u2qqz5">You can also follow Curbed on <a href="https://twitter.com/Curbed">Twitter</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/curbed/">Instagram</a>, and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Curbed/">Facebook</a>—where we also host groups for fans of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/MidcenturyHousesInteriors/">midcentury modern houses and interiors</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/CamperVanRVsTrailers/">campers, vans, and RVs</a>. </p>
<p id="R6LZQO">And now, we present you with some of Curbed Chicago’s greatest hits:</p>
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<li id="6zKaeh"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/4/9/21209071/coronavirus-buying-house-chicago-real-estate">What Chicago homebuyers need to know during the coronavirus pandemic</a></li>
<li id="asaunj"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2019/12/5/20976351/chicago-architecture-guide">An illustrated guide to Chicago architecture</a></li>
<li id="45WnZV"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2019/12/11/21010885/fulton-market-transformation-neighborhood-decade">How Fulton Market lost the last of its grit</a></li>
<li id="9d9uI6"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2019/5/30/18643264/chicago-neighborhood-name-history-lincoln-park-logan-square">Chicago neighborhoods: How they got their names</a></li>
<li id="PqwWrd"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2019/3/29/18281378/chicago-apartment-home-tours-new-rental-buildings">Feast your eyes on Curbed’s favorite Chicago apartment tours</a></li>
<li id="VDnDOj"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/3/20/21186694/best-books-chicago-history-architecture-gifts">10 essential books about Chicago</a></li>
<li id="kM4crs"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/2/28/21150827/how-to-research-home-history-chicago">How to research your Chicago home’s history online</a></li>
<li id="C0IWsh"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/maps/best-vintage-shopping-furniture-home-decor">15 best vintage furniture stores in Chicago</a></li>
<li id="Eqd0nY"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/maps/chicago-brutalism-architecture-history-design-buildings">16 Brutalist masterpieces that every Chicagoan should know</a></li>
<li id="YYTNRT"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/3/11/21172286/chicago-land-bank-program-affordable-homes">From abandoned properties to dream homes: Buying a house through Cook County’s land bank</a></li>
<li id="INbhcn"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/2/21/21147084/chicago-tool-library-homeowners-renters-bridgeport">Why every renter and homeowner should join Chicago’s tool library</a></li>
<li id="lKHyZz"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2013/12/23/10161692/chicago-illinois-landlord-tenant-renter-rights">10 Chicago renters’ rights your landlord doesn’t want you to know</a></li>
<li id="CkTvZY"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/2/11/21115365/chicago-best-neighborhoods-where-to-live">Where to live in Chicago in 2020</a></li>
<li id="FFHHeP"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2019/6/5/18644715/chicago-moving-tips-renting-buying-homes-neighborhood">The Curbed Chicago moving guide</a></li>
<li id="ALZG3M"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/3/20/21188477/virtual-tour-chicago-museums-cultural-institutions-home">Enjoy Chicago’s best museums and cultural institutions from home</a></li>
<li id="tmkAce"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/4/6/21202150/chicago-home-closing-real-estate-coronavirus">How the coronavirus is forcing Chicago real estate pros to think outside the box</a></li>
<li id="EDj6yi"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/3/3/21161396/lofts-in-chicago-for-sale-best-neighborhoods">Want the Chicago loft of your dreams? Look at these 5 neighborhoods.</a></li>
<li id="chTAAG"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/maps/high-rise-tower-skyscraper-construction-map">Mapping the 34 high-rises under construction in Chicago</a></li>
<li id="LdqGhX"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/2/28/21152809/adu-chicago-legalization-coach-house-granny-flat-affordable-housing">How ADUs could transform Chicago into a more affordable, accessible place to live</a></li>
<li id="S5EEAf"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/maps/preservation-chicago-most-endangered-buildings">These are Chicago’s most endangered buildings in 2020</a></li>
<li id="ceM6jh"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/2/14/21137768/forum-bronzeville-preservation-historic-development-south-side">Saving Bronzeville’s Forum: Preservationists look to future by honoring the past</a></li>
<li id="W5NWk7"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/maps/gilded-age-historic-mansions-map">Chicago’s greatest remaining Gilded Age mansions</a></li>
<li id="hbczVJ"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/maps/historic-chicago-demolitions-senseless-buildings-lost">Chicago’s 10 most senseless demolitions, mapped</a></li>
<li id="1fwOYR"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/maps/chicago-historic-interiors-beautiful-architecture">The most interesting historic interiors in Chicago</a></li>
<li id="IN7iC6"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/maps/ferris-buellers-day-off-filming-locations-chicago">A tour of Ferris Bueller’s Chicago</a></li>
<li id="YuIftU"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/maps/chicago-most-iconic-buildings-map">Chicago’s most iconic buildings, mapped</a></li>
<li id="ADnUys"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/1/21/21075361/chicago-development-affordable-housing-requirements-aro-lightfoot">The debate over how Chicago should build affordable housing, explained</a></li>
<li id="ReaGY4"><a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/maps/chicago-developments-lincoln-yards-78-one-central">13 megadevelopments that will transform Chicago</a></li>
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https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/5/1/21235179/curbed-chicago-publishing-pauseSara FreundJay Koziarz2020-04-30T09:17:40-05:002020-04-30T09:17:40-05:00What to plant in Chicago for a thriving garden this spring
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<p>From native landscaping to container gardens and plants with Midwestern sensibilities</p> <p id="kUVMmx">Signs of spring are peeking out in Chicago. There’s more daylight—thankfully. Daffodils are blooming in front yards. Magnolia trees are showing their pink and white flowers. Forsythia plants are glowing bright yellow. </p>
<p id="o3bj38">It might have you itching to go freshen up your own outdoor space. Whether you’re in a <a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2017/3/9/14857234/chicago-vernacular-architecture-neighborhoods">bungalow with a backyard or courtyard apartment that has a little deck</a>, there’s a way to get beautiful greenery. </p>
<p id="t7U9L8">“Don’t be afraid to just try. People always talk about a green thumb, but all that matters is a brown thumb. As long as your digging in the dirt, you’ll succeed,” says Connie Rivera of City Escape Garden Center and Design Studio in East Garfield Park.</p>
<p id="eTBfb3">We’ve rounded up Chicago gardening experts to give you tips for curating a native, diverse landscape that can withstand a Midwestern climate. You’ll find out how to DIY a yard that looks professionally designed, how to execute a garden that blooms all season, and what plants to select now.</p>
<h3 id="fWAh8P">Prep and clear out your space </h3>
<p id="YNmxjU">Spring is the perfect time for planning. March and April are perfect for figuring out layouts and style before planting in May. It’s important not to plant anything too early since the season in Chicago can be a bit unpredictable with warm sun one day and light snow the next.</p>
<p id="b6Lnfi">“It doesn’t have to be any great creative design. When I want to visualize something in a landscape, I actually take soccer balls or empty plastic containers and I physically place them in the garden to help see where I would want to put things,” says Jackie Riffice, who’s been a master gardener for more than 30 years in Illinois and has designed landscapes for the Chicago Bungalow Association. </p>
<p id="hhv5tD">Really focus on what kind of soil you have and the type of light the space gets. Is it wet or dry? Lots of morning sun or is it shady all day? At the very least, it’s a great time to start clearing out the area where you’ll be working. It’s doesn’t all need to get done in one weekend either, work on a little piece at a time and tidy up what you can, says Riffice. </p>
<p id="gig1qt">“Those who are gardening now can pull away old debris, take off the dried hydrangea tops, give the soil a fresh turn, and add compost,” says Rivera.</p>
<h3 id="V2EU9t">Shop for locally grown plants</h3>
<p id="igJMNO">While going to a big box store will offer a lot of options, there’s a downside to that convenience, says Amanda Thomson, who has written several gardening guidebooks, teaches classes, and consults on landscaping design. It’s best to buy plants without pesticides and those that are locally grown—so that almost entirely excludes giant, commercial garden centers.</p>
<p id="byBZAy">Plus, there’s a bigger chance you’ll get stuff you don’t actually need. Or try to purchase everything in one trip. Typically, garden centers and plant shops sell things that are near peak bloom, so if you get everything in one swoop then your garden will look really colorful in spring but maybe a bit boring the rest of the year. </p>
<p id="zlNk8y">“There are a few things I try to teach people—one is to shop a couple times a year and buy the plants you like,” says Thomson.</p>
<h3 id="FURDYo">Pick hearty plants that can withstand the city’s climate</h3>
<p id="sTnUCd">For a low maintenance gardener, select perennials over annuals, says Riffice. Those are the ones that come back every year and will require a bit less work. Indigenous and native plants are also great choices because they’ve withstood the test of time. </p>
<p id="QbptWt">“They were here before you, they can stand a hot summer and wet winter. They have Midwestern sensibilities. They aren’t the most colorful but they bring back the birds and butterflies,” says Riffice.</p>
<p id="m0i1Za">She recommends ornamental allium plants which are part of the onion family (it makes sense that those would do well in Chicago—our <a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2019/5/30/18643264/chicago-neighborhood-name-history-lincoln-park-logan-square">city was named after wild onions and leeks</a> that thrived in the marshy land). The flowering alliums come back year after year and do really well in full sun, Riffice says.</p>
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<h3 id="e6wltx">Group your garden in odd numbers</h3>
<p id="4bIKZF">We all know those brick two-flats and greystones that have picturesque front yards. While they might hire professional landscaping services or a designer—here’s how you can DIY your outdoor space to look its best.</p>
<p id="wwvRZt">Make sure you get plants with different heights and ideally you’ll have at least three layers, says Rivera. It’s important also to check the plants’ full height at maturity—it might be small in the store and then grow to be five feet later on.</p>
<p id="Vjt9ey">Position plants in groups of three or five throughout the space. “The uneven number is visually pleasing and catches the eye. It keeps the aesthetic interesting,” says Rivera. </p>
<p id="6UEG47">Lots of people only think about color, but don’t forget texture. Rivera is all about textured plants such as ferns, blue leaf hostas, and all types of lettuce. It’s wonderful to have a fabulous mix of color, size, feel, she says. </p>
<aside id="rVvFLm"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"A gardening guide for small-space dwellers","url":"https://www.curbed.com/2019/4/18/18485032/urban-gardening-products-supplies-to-buy"}]}'></div></aside><h3 id="uts8Nx">Make your small space a lush escape</h3>
<p id="gyOZfh">There are lots of renters and homeowners that only have a small shared backyard or back porch for their outdoor space. Don’t fret—there’s still a lot you can do. </p>
<p id="WByz0v">Container gardens are the best choice for small spaces. There are lots of plants that grow really well in containers such as tomatoes, mini variations of peppers, sugar snap peas, and all kinds of herbs, says Thomson. Many shops have dedicated sections for patio plants and seeds, too. </p>
<p id="Tf03tN">“I have tomatoes in little hanging baskets. They’re such fun tiny little plants that look pretty. You won’t get the biggest tomatoes but you can get a lot of them,” says Thomson.</p>
<p id="mk7a2b">The best part about a container garden is that you can get pretty creative. Almost anything will work as a planter says Riffice.</p>
<p id="MRDYSL">“Your container garden can be anything from a clay pots of various sizes to an empty shoe or boot. It’s only limited by your imagination,” says Riffice. </p>
<p id="XyLIgG">If you’re looking for something a bit more decorative in a container garden she recommends layering here as well. “Thrill, fill, and spill,” advises Riffice which means starting will a tall, exciting plant in the center along with filler plants that add dimension and then finally something that will spill over the edge of the container.</p>
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https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/4/10/21215759/chicago-landscaping-urban-garden-midwestern-plantsSara Freund2020-04-16T10:59:36-05:002020-04-16T10:59:36-05:00In less than a week, this charming $355K Oak Park home finds a buyer
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<figcaption>Photos courtesy of Jennifer Cummings of Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty</figcaption>
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<p>Plus, it has the backyard we’re all dreaming of.</p> <p id="marketing-remarks-scroll">This adorable home in Oak Park’s historic district was on the market for just seven days before it went under contract.</p>
<p id="nAo9Vb">The home is currently listed for $354,900 which puts it about $40,000 under the area’s median home sales in the last month, according to Redfin. In 1995, this home sold for $157,000.</p>
<p id="6g4yxN">Built in 1941 on a spacious lot, the home comes with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and 1,478 square feet of space. There’s a front yard with mature trees and other landscaping which gives this property some cute curb appeal.</p>
<p id="1TDIIJ">The interior features arched entryways, separate dining and living rooms, beautiful leaded glass windows, and vintage brass hardware. The main floor contains an updated kitchen with beautiful natural light. There’s also a lovely built-in hutch that’s been refreshed and was original to the home. And, just off the kitchen there’s a hidden laundry room.</p>
<p id="9QLfJm">If you love a backyard—this one is not to miss. It’s a fenced-in, wide grassy space. There is floral landscaping around the edges, several large trees, and a stone-paved patio. </p>
<p id="qc3AGX"><a href="https://www.sothebysrealty.com/eng/sales/detail/180-l-1253-chktzy/1019-division-street-oak-park-il-60302">1019 Division Street</a> is listed for $354,900 with Jennifer Cummings of Jameson Sotheby’s Intl Realty.</p>
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https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/4/16/21223644/chicago-oak-park-home-for-sale-historic-districtSara Freund2020-04-15T09:54:11-05:002020-04-15T09:54:11-05:00What Chicago renters need to know during the coronavirus pandemic
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<p>We’ve compiled resources and answers for renters and homeowners most urgent concerns</p> <p id="mZD9ak">The rent is due and millions of Americans <a href="https://www.curbed.com/2020/3/24/21191545/coronavirus-stimulus-rent-housing-apartment">could have trouble paying it for the next few months</a>. If you’re worried about what will happen when you can’t make next month’s payment—there are a few concrete actions you can take.</p>
<p id="w00Ejt">The first step is talking to your landlord—it’s important to have a realistic conversation about your circumstance. And know that evictions can’t be enforced during the stay-at-home order (lockouts by your landlord are illegal, too). There is also emergency assistance from the city where renters can get help.</p>
<p id="hFYzoB">Curbed has information on all of that right here. While there’s a lot of uncertainty right now, we’ll keep you updated on resources, financial assistance, and how things are changing.</p>
<aside id="SsVJ9j"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"What to know about getting around Chicago during the coronavirus pandemic","url":"https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/4/9/21215123/coronavirus-chicago-cta-metra-divvy-transportation"},{"title":"83,000 Chicagoans applied for emergency housing assistance in five days. Only 2,000 will get help.","url":"https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/4/7/21212392/chicago-housing-assistance-rent-mortgage-payments"}]}'></div></aside><h4 id="7fvHKn">Are there any resources to help pay rent?</h4>
<p id="3OfOkm">Yes, the city currently has a <a href="https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fss/provdrs/serv/svcs/how_to_find_rentalassistanceinchicago.html?fbclid=IwAR2Gpz9YR92TernnWkGc4AsVSBfBAjbq5H-l3JoDAd3GwPmKtcCr6LwTXYU">rental assistance program</a> that was in place before the coronavirus pandemic. In order to apply, you’ll need to submit a physical application. Call one of the <a href="https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fss/provdrs/serv/svcs/how_to_find_rentalassistanceinchicago.html?fbclid=IwAR2Gpz9YR92TernnWkGc4AsVSBfBAjbq5H-l3JoDAd3GwPmKtcCr6LwTXYU">city’s community service centers to request the forms by mail</a>.</p>
<p id="Jy84fY">In the first week of April, the city also distributed emergency $1,000 payments from the COVID-19 Housing Assistance Grant to 2,000 applicants for housing costs. The administration is working on raising money for a second round and all applicants who did not receive funds will still be considered. </p>
<p id="QsJFse">The Chicago Housing Authority is giving thousands of its tenants a bit of break by deferring April’s rent until the end of the month, too. Mayor Lightfoot asked other landlords in the city to do the same.</p>
<p id="u2M0Ub">It’s important to remember that landlords can’t remove tenants, even during this crisis, says Philip DeVon, Eviction Prevention Specialist with <a href="https://www.tenants-rights.org/">Metropolitan Tenants Organization</a>.</p>
<p id="VWOVEb">“If you have been given notice to vacate, but you can’t move out, you might be worried the landlord will come change the locks or remove your belongings. Remember that landlords can not just kick people out, even if they don’t leave at the end of their lease. If they try to do it, they can be arrested. Lockouts are illegal,” DeVon says.</p>
<h4 id="R123Bn">What will happen if I don’t pay rent? How do I talk to my landlord?</h4>
<p id="Q6tGHB">The lease agreement means your landlord can’t kick you out without just cause, according to Morgan Schumann, the staff attorney at the <a href="https://www.lcbh.org/">Lawyers Committee for Better Housing</a>. If you fall behind on rent then you might start getting 5-day or 30-day notices. Not paying rent without talking to your landlord first means that if you do end up going to court over an eviction, it’ll make your defense weaker. It’s important to be upfront with your landlord and get conversations in writing.</p>
<p id="vBBu0u">The federal CARES Act also provided some protections for tenants if your landlord has a mortgage that’s backed by certain lenders.</p>
<p id="JoqNmM">“[It put] a moratorium on filing eviction cases until July 25 for non-payment of rent and prohibiting late fees for tenants living in properties with a federally backed mortgage (Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and other situations). But, this is a bit tricky because tenants may not know if their landlord’s mortgage makes them subject to the CARES Act.”</p>
<p id="OWbCMy">Schumann advises that tenants should apply for unemployment, getting rental assistance through the city’s emergency programs, or delaying payment of utilities to free up cash for rent.</p>
<p id="k0gFlp">“If there is just no way for someone to afford rent, the best thing to do is to talk to the landlord and try to work out a payment arrangement with the landlord to try to avoid an eviction filing,” Schumann says.</p>
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<h4 id="z6tjnm">Can I be evicted right now?</h4>
<p id="hiJvZA">Under the stay-at-home order, the state won’t allow evictions, according to Gov. Pritzker. In Chicago, the sheriff’s office won’t enforce evictions or foreclosures until after May 18. </p>
<p id="triIyW">“There is a common misconception that landlords cannot file eviction cases right now due to the moratorium, and that’s not actually the case. Landlords can still file eviction cases,” says Schumann. “However, tenants are damaged as soon as a case is filed against them because it becomes a matter of the public record.”</p>
<p id="K8okm7">Even if you can’t make rent, it’s illegal for your landlord to lock you out, remove your belongings, shut off utilities, or kick you out. Evictions must be filed with the court and enforced by the sheriff’s office.</p>
<p id="IH1r8C">“No judges are ordering evictions in eviction court, and the Sheriff is not carrying out eviction orders in the streets. But, this does not stop a landlord from filing an eviction against a tenant. So it’s still in the tenants’ best interest to come to an agreement with their landlord. And always put it in writing,” says Devon.</p>
<p id="TTXbMZ">MTO and other community and legal organizations work on eviction issues. Staff can give tenants guidance as they navigate the coronavirus crisis. MTO will also provide sample letters and agreements about rent payments during the COVID-19 pandemic.</p>
<h4 id="Ic97hn">What should I do if I’m worried about an illegal lockout?</h4>
<p id="KT2iwj">Schumann and other advocates at the Lawyers’ Committee for Better Housing have noticed that eviction filings seem slightly lower than normal. That isn’t surprising though with the moratorium, she says.</p>
<p id="DuUacS">“However, we are concerned that this will lead to an increase in ‘self-help’ evictions (lockouts) by landlords that want to skirt the legal process. Of course a lockout involves changing the keys to prevent a tenant from accessing their unit, but it can also include things like disconnecting utility services, removing a door or window, or removing personal belongings,” Schumann says.</p>
<p id="seHk4s">If this does happen to you, call the police who will be able to give you access to apartment again. Under <a href="http://directives.chicagopolice.org/directives/data/a7a57be2-12b780f4-30412-b788-27ebe6c87d2d6a56.pdf">this special order</a>, an officer should let you into your apartment despite the landlord’s objections. Those who are worried about a situation like this should carry a copy of their lease or utility bill to show proof of tenancy. </p>
<h4 id="ajjDB7">Will my heat or electricity be shut-off if I can’t pay utility bills?</h4>
<p id="TPCmCe">The Illinois Commerce Commission ordered all public gas, electricity, water and sewage utility companies to stop service disconnections and waive late fees until May 1, or until the state of emergency is lifted. While ComEd and Peoples Gas are private, both of these companies have also agreed not to shut-off service or charge late fees until May 1.</p>
<h4 id="HUHMCS">Should I organize a rent strike?</h4>
<p id="2S0ayD">In Chicago, a group of tenants in a Hyde Park apartment building have asked their landlord to cancel rent—so far <a href="https://www.hpherald.com/news/tenants-ask-mac-properties-to-cancel-april-rents-threaten-rent/article_8dee3d0a-6892-11ea-9e8f-d3163c106da0.html">Mac Properties hasn’t agreed</a> and renters rallied on Sunday demanding that rent be waived for those who couldn’t afford it, according to the Hyde Park Herald. </p>
<p id="UH0hYx">“We have seen an increase in calls from people who are being told they must pay rent no matter what. Many landlords, like MAC Properties, have been sending out mass emails telling tenants preemptively that they need to pay rent, or else,” says DeVon.</p>
<p id="R6ya5v">However, a rent strike isn’t a good idea for everyone. It’s even possible to do more harm than good if the plan isn’t well executed or have the support of everyone in the building, Devon says.</p>
<p id="6FbsOA">“This is a very difficult question to answer because we know so many tenants are struggling to pay rent due to reduced incomes at no fault of their own. A rent strike can feel like a way for tenants to come together in solidarity with each other. However, tenants should understand that they are taking a significant risk by participating in a rent strike,” says Schumann.</p>
<p id="BlG6eI">For those who are considering such a measure, it’s best to get advice from a trusted community source or through some of the free legal aid resources. A few of those include the <a href="https://www.lcbh.org/get-legal-help">Lawyers Committee for Better Housing</a>, the <a href="https://www.tenants-rights.org/">Metropolitan Tenants Organization</a>, and <a href="https://www.uplcchicago.org/resources/">Uptown People’s Law Center</a>. </p>
<h4 id="gbyBO8">Will a rent freeze happen in Chicago?</h4>
<p id="eAfB52">Thousands of <a href="https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/rent-freeze-in-chicago-now">residents have signed a petition</a> that calls on local and state leaders to enact a rent freeze. It means officials would halt the collection of rent, mortgage, and utility payments throughout the coronavirus pandemic. The freeze would mean that both residents and landlords aren’t penalized.</p>
<p id="tuD3mS">“It’s hard to say how likely the city or state is to enact a rent freeze, however, there is growing support for putting a pause on rent and mortgage payments (among other things) that would help protect renters and landlords from the financial fallout of this crisis. So, it’s possible,” says DeVon.</p>
<p id="z5fdgg">However, according to a report from the <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-re-coronavirus-rent-strike-20200326-20200328-ul36wyjsofaopmxig4obi4z4pa-story.html">Chicago Tribune</a>, Mayor Lightfoot isn’t able to enact a rent freeze. Chicago passed a <a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2019/2/13/18223521/chicago-rent-control-regulation-illinois-ban">ban on rent control</a>, and that legislation also restricts the city from using such a measure. Organizers with the Autonomous Tenants Union (ATU) are now asking for Gov. Pritzker to repeal the Rent Control Preemption Act.</p>
<aside id="rx8SGU"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"If the coronavirus has you worried about your mortgage, do these three things","url":"https://www.curbed.com/2020/3/18/21185463/coronavirus-mortgage-tips-lenders-servicers-covid-19"},{"title":"10 Chicago renters’ rights your landlord doesn’t want you to know ","url":"https://chicago.curbed.com/2013/12/23/10161692/chicago-illinois-landlord-tenant-renter-rights"}]}'></div></aside><h4 id="AKquvM">Is it safe to move?</h4>
<p id="Jk9NBZ">The good news here is that movers are considered essential services—so if you’ve hired a company to help, they are still allowed to do that. Hardware stores are also still open if you need supplies like boxes and packing tape. </p>
<p id="PC9Kpt">“If you must move, take extreme precautions, including gloves, masks, and sanitizers. Practice social distancing is very important, which is why we are also urging landlords to postpone apartment showings, and work with tenants in the case of emergencies where entry is necessary. We are getting too many calls from tenants who are shocked that their landlords want to show apartments during a pandemic,” DeVon said.</p>
<h4 id="jfGwKj">Can I ask my landlord to extend my lease if I don’t want to move?</h4>
<p id="pX3abg">Yes, this is an option. If you are worried about moving into your new place, or can’t find a new apartment, it’s a good idea to talk to your landlord now. </p>
<p id="mnW67G">“Practical advice we would give tenants with leases that are ending is to open communication with their landlord. Landlords may be willing to offer short-term lease extensions, particularly because the demand for new housing is likely lower than normal for this season because many people do not want to move during the current shelter in place order,” says Schumann.</p>
<p id="VW01Kl">If your landlord isn’t renewing your lease or offering an extension you only option is to move out. Staying at your apartment without an agreement with your landlord means your landlord could make a strong eviction case. </p>
<p id="Anja4D">“Tenants may be able to continue to pay the rent, and if the landlord accepts it, a month-to-month tenancy may be created. But, tenants should read their lease carefully because some have holdover provisions that might make them liable for more than their normal rent amount,” she says.</p>
<h4 id="cWEs39">Can my landlord ask whether I have COVID-19?</h4>
<p id="7YssHR">Typically, tenants aren’t required to disclose medical or health issues to their landlords. Also, landlords cannot suddenly terminate a lease or demand to know if you’ve been exposed to COVID-19 before you move into a new apartment. </p>
<p id="sNqf4s">“I’ve talked to restaurant workers facing issues and pushback, despite having been approved to move in already. We are seeing calls from people whose landlords are making unreasonable demands. I just emailed a woman this afternoon, a mother of three children, who reached out because her landlord told her she can’t use the laundry room unless she tests negative for the coronavirus. How absurd and cruel.”</p>
<h4 id="ROHvie">As a renter, what legal protections do I have?</h4>
<p id="cHJYpQ">Most renters are protected under the city’s 1986 legislature, the <a href="https://www.chicago.gov/content/dam/city/depts/dcd/general/housing/RTLOEnglish.pdf">Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance</a> (RTLO). The ordinance covers most housing, except for renters who might be in owner-occupied condos, co-ops, and buildings with six units or less. However, this doesn’t mean those tenants aren’t safeguarded—a lease agreement will offer many of the same protections.</p>
<p id="ScuIFd">Most tenants aren’t aware of how they can advocate for themselves, DeVon said. The ordinance outlines protections and responsibilities for both renters and landlords. </p>
<p id="q3pRdZ">We’ve compiled the most useful information in this rundown of <a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2013/12/23/10161692/chicago-illinois-landlord-tenant-renter-rights">renters’ rights everyone should know</a>.</p>
https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/3/27/21197094/coronavirus-chicago-rent-mortgage-emergency-assistanceSara Freund2020-04-14T11:20:27-05:002020-04-14T11:20:27-05:00What Chicago homebuyers need to know during the coronavirus pandemic
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<p>We’ll help you navigate each step of the process</p> <p class="p--has-dropcap p-large-text" id="f0To6l">Come spring time, Chicagoans are ready to burst out of their homes into the warm air and sunshine. Normally, open houses are packed and real estate agents hustle from house to house during the city’s busiest homebuying season. That isn’t the case this year. </p>
<p id="jO7Qb2">The housing market has taken a hit due to the <a href="https://www.curbed.com/coronavirus-covid-19">coronavirus pandemic</a>. New listings are harder to find and potential homebuyers want to know what’s going to happen next week, next month, or even next year. The circumstances are unprecedented, but there are still people who—for various reasons—need to find a new home.</p>
<p id="w0jEy5">In this unprecedented situation, the homebuying process has changed. Agents are hosting open houses via FaceTime. Attorneys are managing contracts from their homes. And title companies are now doing <a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/4/6/21202150/chicago-home-closing-real-estate-coronavirus">curbside closings</a>. It’s a lot to process if you’re in the middle of making the most significant purchase of your life. </p>
<p id="P8eMnS">We’ve sourced expert opinions from real estate industry pros so you know what’s happening every step of the way. Here’s what homebuying looks like in Chicago in the middle of a pandemic.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="SYB0UY">
<h3 id="l30vfj">Can you buy a house under a shelter-in-place order?</h3>
<p id="B18Wup">The short answer is yes. But the entire process has changed quite a bit, from house hunting to <a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/4/6/21202150/chicago-home-closing-real-estate-coronavirus">closing on a new house</a>. Right now, agents are still allowed to show properties because real estate is considered an essential business. Most agents are only touring homes that are vacant because sellers don’t want people coming through their home if they’re still living there.</p>
<p id="qF9jXk">Agents are also much more selective about who they’ll work with. In some cases, a buyer will need to be fully vetted and have a pre-approval letter for a mortgage in hand. </p>
<p id="YMtewf">“We don’t do meet and greets anymore. We’re only doing showings with past buyers that we know are serious. And the same thing is happening for our clients, there’s more screening online than ever before,” says Compass real estate agent Jill Scott.</p>
<p id="TwOfQW">There’s also a lot of hesitancy. Potential buyers who are worried about financial security are waiting to see how things turn out. Sellers, too, are hitting the pause button, which means there are fewer homes to choose from. For now, Scott is still busy and grateful to be in a large city like Chicago where people are still moving. More rural real estate markets will have a harder time bouncing back.</p>
<p id="Ts66Tr">“If a buyer needs to buy, then they will. And low interest rates are moving those people along,” Scott says.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="KWtko3">
<h3 id="RbQXxb">How are people touring potential homes? Has that decreased? </h3>
<p id="NcqOst">The number of open houses have been cut in half since the stay-at-home order was issued, according to data from MRED. Agents are now relying heavily on virtual tours through FaceTime, Instagram Live, and Zoom. Buyers are able to see some homes in person, but most agents will only tour homes if they’ve been vacant for at least a day.</p>
<p id="NlYiwJ">For some vacant properties, it is “business as usual,” says Ted Kuhlmann, an agent with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. Sellers who have vacant homes that show well—professional listing photos, nice natural light, thoughtfully staged—are moving along, he says.</p>
<p id="pvGMFk">“Showings in general are down, but the interest we do get is from serious buyers, a higher quality,” says Kuhlmann.</p>
<p id="Z3gLKI">Across the board, online traffic for listings has spiked for real estate agents. But, the number of actual inquires and leads is less than normal, says Scott, indicating that the buyers that are out there are ready to purchase.</p>
<p id="jpoHKZ">“Buyers are making a decision after seeing one or two properties instead of 10. They are doing all the screening online,” says Scott. </p>
<p id="zfqbnz">Efficiency is an upside. But Annie Coleman, managing broker of Living Room Realty, says it’s hard to really know you’re making the right decision without seeing a place in person. </p>
<p id="xxdMZ6">“I have found that people prioritize certain things and then fall in love with a house they didn’t expect to,” she says. </p>
<p id="CqB3WQ">The moment of discovery may be dampened by viewing properties through a screen, but dig into the floor plans and measurements, Coleman says. Measuring your own familiar place will help you better judge new homes. Plus, you’ll get an idea of what square footage you need and if your furniture will fit. </p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="bsj73s">
<h3 id="KQLOM9">Are prices coming down? By how much? When do you expect to see prices change, if at all?</h3>
<p id="J7W0aa">So far, it doesn’t appear that home prices are dropping too much. Chicago’s housing prices weren’t over-inflated before the coronavirus crisis hit, says real estate attorney Joan Maloney. </p>
<p id="IISzhE">Scott agrees that prices probably aren’t headed downward and doesn’t think it will trend in that direction.</p>
<p id="StdXHe">“In months, I don’t know where we’ll be. That’s where the uncertainty lies. April will be okay, but June, July, August—sellers might be more eager to sell and don’t want to wait. That’s going to increase inventory and allow buyers an opportunity to negotiate. But right now, that’s not the case,” says Scott. </p>
<p id="I2Ebx0">Coleman has seen drastically fewer listings on the market and properties temporarily going off the market. Across the board, she hasn’t noticed significant price reductions but there are a handful of homes where “the pricing is very aggressive.” </p>
<p id="ZOFq40">Kuhlmann explains that new inventory isn’t coming on the market like it usually does in the spring. He estimates that there are about 50 to 60 percent fewer homes on the market because sellers that are living in their homes aren’t listing their properties. Even still, prices aren’t falling because sellers are in a wait-and-see mindset.</p>
<p id="dLOYSB">“Buyers are trying to come in a little lower now. The standard offer is usually 3 to 5 percent under asking. But now, buyers are trying to lowball but sellers haven’t reacted,” he says. “There’s strong demand still, the same supply and demand curves are there but there is just less activity.”</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="M343v3">
<h3 id="NoZzGO">Are sellers reconsidering listing their homes? When do you think people will start listing their homes?</h3>
<p id="ZsEahl">Normally in spring, the number of new listings jump by 62 percent from March to early April. But now, new listings are <a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/4/13/21216361/coronavirus-housing-chicago-real-estate-report">down by 38 percent year-over-year and have dipped by 19 percent since March 1</a>, according to Zillow. </p>
<p id="iKTuhn">The first week of March saw 8,743 new listings and 4,795 homes went under contract, according to data by MRED. After the stay-at-home order from Gov. Pritzker went into effect on March 20, the following week saw a drop in these numbers. There were only 4,288 new listings and 3,095 homes that went under contract in the last week of March.</p>
<p id="26mywC">Sellers are feeling the impact of the coronavirus crisis. If a family is currently living in their home, they don’t want potential buyers, inspectors, and agents walking through their property. For those that need to sell, there is less of an opportunity to negotiate a better offer. And the people that can afford to wait? They’re hitting pause on the process entirely or temporarily delisting. </p>
<p id="l9ujef">“I have listings we’re waiting to put on the market. No one is backing out, but we’re just on pause and waiting it out for a few months,” Coleman says. </p>
<p id="WvAj2r">For clients that planned to list their home in the spring, Scott is advising them to wait. She has privately listed homes or marketed the properties as “coming soon” on Compass’s website to generate interest. In one case, a privately listed home started getting offers so they officially listed it and received eight offers over asking price. While that was a unique situation, Scott does believe there are serious buyers out there.</p>
<p id="lHDWfi">People are spending a lot of time at home. Noticing that your family is on top of each other in your condo? Do you wish you had a backyard? Or are you actually grateful for your space? Kuhlmann thinks that people will be thinking about these questions. “There will be a big boom at the end of this. People are cooped up now and later there will be a surge of people,” he says.</p>
<p id="Pf8R9E">As for when that happens? Scott is hoping that the busy season will just get pushed further down the line. “Instead of April and March being the busiest months, it could look more like July and August,” she says.</p>
<p id="Vgy9Tb">Maloney says it all depends on when the shelter-in-place order is lifted. If the state has to extend it again past the end of April, not many people will be want to buy or sell until there’s more information.</p>
<p id="BnL40o">“Could be two weeks or three months maybe. Even so, people will still buy and sell, but it won’t be anything normal, it’ll be like the slowest possible January you could imagine,” Maloney says.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="5PG5Co">
<h3 id="GASFX7">Because of all the financial uncertainty, are banks tightening up even more? Are banks slower than before?</h3>
<p id="lSJ0vM">In Chicago, lenders are busier than ever between refinancing and mortgages, says Scott. Low interest rates set before the coronavirus crisis are keeping them occupied, too.</p>
<p id="DUAUB1">Banks are prioritizing purchase loans for homebuyers over everything, according to Kuhlmann. So there’s no lag there. </p>
<p id="VjM2AR">However, lenders are starting to get backlogged on refinancing requests. The time it takes to turn that around is typically 30 days, and now it’s closer to 60, Kuhlmann says. He’s also seen lenders that are hiring a new processors to get things into the system more quickly.</p>
<p id="BguBFg">Whether you’re on the buy side or sell side, it’s a go in terms of financing, Kuhlmann says. </p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="Gpi7E9">
<h3 id="yuI76l">Are buyers pulling their offers more than usual?</h3>
<p id="xR3uL0">Those that already had deals in the works are bending over backwards to make sure the sale or purchase is successful, says Scott.</p>
<p id="Uoq1sD">“Buyers and sellers are working together more than ever. They’re being flexible with the timeframe and they have more understanding.”</p>
<p id="cU6E1h">But it’s clear some buyers <em>are</em> pulling offers. Deals are falling through. Most of that is because people are uncertain about the future and their job security. Some have noticed first-time homebuyers are pulling offers more frequently. An attorney, Kelli Fogarty of Fogarty & Fugate law offices had 11 deals fall through in one week. </p>
<p id="j6kaKL">“I feel like a triage nurse. Talking people off of the ledge. Prioritizing which is the biggest fire I need to put out now,” Fogarty says. “I do a high volume in the city normally, but I’ve never had a week where I’ve been this exhausted moving from depressing conversation to the next.”</p>
<p id="ipg9Ju">Most recently she was working with two clients who were breaking up and selling their property. Based on that sale, they were planning to buy two new homes—but all of that fell through. The buyer for the first place was denied a mortgage from a lender; Fogarty believes they did that intentionally by opening multiple new lines of credit so they wouldn’t get penalized for backing out. </p>
<p id="Qd28Lu">As for Fogarty’s clients, they’ll probably cut their losses and end up listing the property again since they need the sale to happen.</p>
<p id="86xRFG">Buyers backing out, through loopholes or not, is something other attorneys are noticing too. Maloney won’t take on buyers as new clients, she’s only working with sellers right now. She’s worried that buyers will want her to get them out of a commitment last minute—and once you’re far enough down the road it’s tough to legally do that. </p>
<p id="9Zk7dq">“I just can’t do it right now because I don’t know how to council buyers through this. We advise based on experience and we’ve never seen this before,” Maloney says.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="rLVDfd">
<h3 id="D3Z3u5">What should I do when an offer falls through? </h3>
<p id="0KXs1S">Ask yourself: Do I need to sell right now? For those who can’t wait, it’s okay to put your home on the market. There was a lot of demand until this hit, which means there are a lot of buyers waiting to see how this turns out. So, if you can get creative and list your home online with as much information as possible, it could yield additional offers.</p>
<p id="dr0n3v">Scott is advising her clients who haven’t listed to wait. If her current clients have an offer that falls through, and they don’t need to sell immediately, she thinks it’s best to pause before listing again. “Hold off and worry about health first,” she says.</p>
<p id="uOWcbU">Kuhlmann hasn’t encountered many offers falling through for his seller clients. Although he’s “heard rumblings of that” happening throughout the city. Last week, he had five buyers closing on homes. All of them were worried, mostly about still being able to close under a stay-at-home order, but none wanted to back out.</p>
<p id="CTiJes">“Buyers are a premium right now and sellers are worried. If you do have a buyer, you want to keep them,” he says. </p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="KM4GE4">
<h3 id="ffXdem">Are we in a “buyer’s market”? </h3>
<p id="Zml59g">Typically in the spring months, sellers have the upper hand in Chicago. After a long winter, people are excited to get out and look at homes. There are plenty of buyers and chances are good that they’ll be able to get what they want price-wise. In the midst of the coronavirus crisis, things have flipped.</p>
<p id="9geUxh">“We’re in a temporary buyer’s market. Whether it stays that way for long, who knows. We were in a sellers market and slowly heading away from that. It’s a healthy change since we were in a sellers market for quite a long time,” says Coleman.</p>
<p id="jt4zft">There are a lot of sellers waiting to list though—so even though buyers have more leverage, they could also have fewer options. That’s usually similar to what happens in the fall season when buyers have more of an advantage. </p>
<p id="1yLDp5">“It’s always best to buy in fall or winter when home prices are at the bottom. Those who want more bang for their buck will wait until then,” Kuhlmann says.</p>
<p id="cRo7pH">When sellers do decide to list their homes will determine how long this buyer’s market lasts. If people are eager to put their home on the market and there’s a flood of new listings when the city possibly reopens in July—that’ll be good news for buyers, Kuhlmann says. If most sellers chose to wait until the following spring, it will mean that inventory and activity stay low.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="iB41QN">
<h3 id="ZsMbPp">Because homes will be getting fewer offers overall, should I make an offer that’s lower than recent comps?</h3>
<p id="jts0IH">It’s clear that some buyers out there are trying to take advantage of sellers who are worried about securing an offer on a place they need to sell. But, that happens outside of a pandemic, too, says Kuhlmann. Just because you send a low offer now doesn’t mean you’ll get it. </p>
<p id="8jgweb">“A seller will accept what a seller wants to accept. Buyers can go in lowballing 25 percent off a listing price but most people will say no to that even now,” he says.</p>
<p id="Eo0jsg">Buyers do have a little bit more power, so if his clients like a property they’ll go after it with an offer that’s a little bit lower. If enough sales are made that way, home prices could start to tick down in the following months.</p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="SwNnHx">
<h3 id="fZ2Nzp">What protections should you put in your contract? Is there a COVID-19 clause? </h3>
<p id="zFZeRO">The Chicago Association of Realtors (CAR) sent out a coronavirus <a href="https://chicagorealtor-12462.kxcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/CAR-COVID-19.pdf">addendum</a> that is currently being added to sale contracts. It essentially protects both parties from delays due to COVID-19. Buyers aren’t required to use the addendum in their sale contracts, but if they do, attorneys on both sides will need to negotiate the exact terms, CAR says.</p>
<p id="QMG8NH">“Everyone wants to be protected. You don’t want a buyer to walk away, skip out, and get away scot-free,” Kuhlmann says. </p>
<p id="S29ewA">While the addendum is a safety measure, it does make the closing process a bit more complicated, says Fogarty. When attorneys come into the process, each side will propose modifications to the contract. That isn’t unusual as some of the form sale contracts have weaknesses in them. So, a brand new legal clause to incorporate means that there’s more to worry about.</p>
<p id="DMqVWC">“Some of the contract clauses I’ve seen just aren’t always well thought out or well intentioned,” she says. “I’ve never had so many puzzles thrown at us, we’re finding really creative ways to keep things moving.”</p>
<p id="OGF4O1">Overall, it’s important to address potential uncertainties in contracts. You’ll want to be protected if there are any delays, loss of employment, or even hospitalizations. </p>
<hr class="p-entry-hr" id="ULZ7bw">
<h3 id="FCflMV">How have inspections and closing processes changed?</h3>
<p id="Xjp3SZ">Appraisals, inspections, and closings have all shifted towards minimal contact and essential parties only.</p>
<p id="hHgoZr">“Last week I had a place under contract and the buyers didn’t want to physically show up for the inspection. So, I got to the property after the sellers had left and met the inspector. He was wearing gloves, a mask, and did the walk through all by himself,” says Kuhlmann.</p>
<p id="eRNrct">It’s important to hire a good inspector who will take the time to explain everything he saw and what it costs to fix, says Kuhlmann. Especially now, since buyers and their agents can’t all be in the same room for that conversation. </p>
<p id="qRGzEM">As for closings, there are big differences. It’s usually a joyous occasion where buyers will invite friends and family, but that <a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/4/6/21202150/chicago-home-closing-real-estate-coronavirus">can’t happen anymore</a>, says David Zawadzki of Proper Title. “Only required signees can come into the closing office—that means the buyer and the attorney via FaceTime or over the phone,” he says. Attorneys can also still come into the office because they are required for the closing and in that case everyone practices social distancing and minimal contact. His office also started curbside closings where buyers can sign all the documents in their cars.</p>
<p id="ylbtdH">When Fogarty saw the stay-at-home order, she knew her clients would be affected and wanted to ensure that they could close.</p>
<p id="2gvpkj">“We immediately sent out power of attorney documents to every single buyer closing in the next week and a half. They all signed it, got it notarized, and dropped it off at my home. That way I could attend closings on their behalf—other than that I just didn’t see a way to feel comfortable closing,” she says.</p>
<p id="cnQIet">“It’s supposed to be a happy, exciting time, and now they’re just feeling overwhelmed and not full participants in the process.”</p>
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https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/4/9/21209071/coronavirus-buying-house-chicago-real-estateSara Freund2020-04-14T10:54:10-05:002020-04-14T10:54:10-05:00Stately home in Kenwood with Colonial details asks $995K
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<p>This light-filled house has tons of space, too.</p> <p id="marketing-remarks-scroll">In Kenwood, a lovely Colonial-style home has come on the market just under a million. </p>
<p id="LtZQYB">Overlooking the neighborhood’s namesake park, this home comes with five bedrooms, five bathrooms, and 3,725 square feet of space. It features an elegant foyer with a large staircase, a spacious sunny living room with a fireplace, and a cozy reading library.</p>
<p id="RbEcYF">Despite the home’s classical exterior style, the rooms are refreshing with white walls, well-maintained light hardwood floors, and modern furniture that provides pops of color. In the kitchen a bank of west-facing windows were added to brighten up the space. There’s also all-white Mauser cabinets, black Brazilian granite countertops, and a farmhouse sink.</p>
<p id="ZUteQE">The upper floor has four large bedrooms and two bathrooms that have been remodeled. The very top floor features another bedrooms and a family room with a vaulted ceiling. There’s an enclosed sun room along with a spacious backyard.</p>
<p id="0GJuRA">Interested in 1364 E. 49th Street? <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7i-CQdhNO8&feature=emb_title">There’s a virtual tour here</a>. It’s listed for <a href="https://melioraregroup.idxbroker.com/idx/details/listing/c019/MRD10689307/1364-E-49th-Street-Chicago-IL-60615">$995,000</a> with Madelaine Gerbaulet-Vanasse of Meliora Real Estate Group.</p>
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https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/4/14/21215719/kenwood-home-for-sale-chicagoSara Freund2020-04-13T17:38:59-05:002020-04-13T17:38:59-05:00As a protective measure, Chicago shelters homeless people in hotels with plans for more
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<p>“Stopping the outbreak in the homeless population has been challenging,” said Dr. Allison Arwady</p> <p id="op8Ghv">Homeless Chicago residents “cannot close their doors to this virus,” said Mayor Lori Lightfoot at a press conference Monday after announcing additional efforts to help the city’s most vulnerable population including moving them into hotel rooms.</p>
<p id="E0AwFQ">In mid-March before the stay-at-home order was announced, advocacy groups and nonprofits were already anticipating a <a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/3/24/21191896/chicago-coronavirus-homeless-protections">sharp increase</a> in the number of people who’d be seeking their services. If coronavirus shows up at shelters and encampments, “it will spread like wildfire,” Neli Vazquez Rowland, president and co-founder of A Safe Haven Foundation said at the end of March.</p>
<p id="FWlIqF">The city’s health department doesn’t normally provide housing, but back in January when Chicago only had one case officials were already working to find extra shelter space and isolation facilities, said Dr. Allison Arwady, Commissioner of the Chicago Department of Public Health.</p>
<p id="e5hCGa">Last month, the city partnered with the YMCA to create additional shelter space which helped decrease shelters that were near-capacity, according to the mayor. Since then, the city has worked with the Salvation Army to bring 699 more beds with some of the spaces dedicated to women and children.</p>
<p id="exnn36">For homeless people who test positive for COVID-19, there is an isolation facility with 100 individual rooms. Support from A Safe Haven, Rush University Medical Center, and Heartland Alliance allows the facility to offer counseling for mental health and substance use, too. </p>
<aside id="QMR2y4"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Chicago rents thousands of empty hotel rooms for people who can’t isolate at home","url":"https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/3/24/21191894/chicago-coronavirus-hotel-hospital-beds"},{"title":"How can Chicago protect its homeless population from coronavirus?","url":"https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/3/24/21191896/chicago-coronavirus-homeless-protections"}]}'></div></aside><p id="INtwFj">“Stopping the outbreak in Chicago’s homeless population has been one of the most challenging aspects of this response. We are not done. We’re working very hard to limit the spread where we can. There’s some really innovative work being done where we are moving individuals into hotels that the city secured,” said Dr. Arwady. “The best thing to do is to take these high risk folks and give them a safe place to be.”</p>
<p id="e5iNNX">As a precautionary measure, the city has started housing homeless residents who also have underlying conditions or are over the age of 60. The Christian Health Center has helped the city move at least 100 people into hotel rooms. In the coming days, more will be placed in hotel rooms, the mayor said. </p>
<p id="Bo2pyO">“The current COVID-19 pandemic, like the opioid overdose epidemic, has accentuated the need for supportive housing to improve the health of those experiencing homelessness,” said Thomas D. Huggett, medical director of Mobile Health at Lawndale Christian Health Center, who has provided primary care in West Side shelters for the last 24 years. “We have patients asking for cleaning supplies to clean their own rooms, while they make significant progress with their medical and even mental health issues. Our model contributes more evidence that people experiencing homelessness, like any of us, do better when they have safe, supported housing.”</p>
<p id="Yt2chI">There are also a number of protective measures that are protecting shelter staff and homeless residents. First, testing is more accessible which could help prevent a case from rapidly spreading throughout an encampment or shelter. Workers with the Department of Family Support Services are looking for those who might be sick and quickly moving them into a place they can isolate if they are positive for COVID-19. </p>
<p id="Th535o">In addition to more testing, there are 12 portable washrooms and hand-washing stations which staff check regularly. All shelters also get regular visits from nurses who provide education about COVID-19 and health screenings. The health department and medical students from Rush University Medical Center also distributed 25,000 pieces of personal protective equipment donated by Project Hope to shelter residents, staff and outreach teams.</p>
https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/4/13/21219806/coronavirus-homeless-chicago-hotels-isolationSara Freund2020-04-13T14:39:58-05:002020-04-13T14:39:58-05:00Home sellers in Chicago are ‘hesitant’: New listings are down 19 percent since March
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<figcaption>Getty Images/EyeEm</figcaption>
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<p>Normally, the spring season brings a flood of new homes for sale with inventory spiking 62 percent. </p> <p id="YecPVa">After the stay-at-home order, <a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/4/9/21209071/coronavirus-buying-house-chicago-real-estate">a lot changed in the housing market</a>. For those still house hunting, it’s primarily now an all online process. <a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/3/9/21171723/chicago-real-estate-coronavirus-home-buying">Open houses switched to virtual tours</a> via FaceTime and Zoom. Many <a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/4/6/21202150/chicago-home-closing-real-estate-coronavirus">closings are done curbside</a> without the celebratory moment at signing.</p>
<p id="wYHvGO">If you’re purchasing a home, usually spring is the one of the best times to start looking. Since sellers wait for this time all year, it’s when some of the best houses become available. On average the total number of homes that come on the market jump by 62 percent from March to early April. </p>
<p id="pKoifg">The uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic has brought on a hesitancy among sellers in Chicago. New home listings are down 38 percent year-over-year and have dipped by 19 percent since March 1. </p>
<p id="udFQog">“It is clear that many would-be home sellers are adopting a wait-and-see approach as uncertainty continues to rule. Our understanding of U.S. economic conditions is changing weekly, if not daily, and early unemployment figures are striking, so it’s understandable that some are hesitant to put their home on the market,” said Skylar Olsen, senior principal economist at Zillow in a statement.</p>
<p id="MSI0E4">In Chicago, real estate agents are hoping the <a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/4/9/21209071/coronavirus-buying-house-chicago-real-estate">season’s busiest shopping time is pushed back into late summer</a>. However, Olsen says it’s possible that homebuying won’t pick back up until winter.</p>
<p id="WXFxxC">It seems that the housing market in Chicago is on pause. While there isn’t the usual flood of new homes for sale, most of the homes that are for sale are staying on the market. Since March 1, the total inventory for sale has only falled 1.9 percent. In total, it’s down 11 percent from a year ago. </p>
<p id="ZsEahl">In March, the number of active listings (this doesn’t include those privately listed or that were temporarily taken off the market) peaked at 68,905 homes in mid-March, according to MRED. Then after the stay-at-home order inventory started decreasing with it at 63,591 homes in mid-April.</p>
<p id="NLZf67">Many real estate agents were expecting a banner year. The first week of March saw 8,743 new listings and 4,795 homes went under contract, according to data by MRED. After the stay-at-home order from Gov. Pritzker went into effect on March 20, the following week saw a drop in these numbers. There were only 4,288 new listings and 3,095 homes that went under contract in the last week of March.</p>
<p id="CD6v5R">What spiked was the number of listings that went temp—this is when listings temporarily go off the market. There were only about 2,500 listings that temporarily delisted, but now that number is increasing each week. After the stay-at-home order, temp listings jumped to 4,933 the last week in March and have been increasing every week since.</p>
<p id="7bKAcr">While the number of open houses have been cut in half since the stay-at-home order, there are still people looking at vacant properties in person. Plus, real estate agents have seen their online traffic jump, they think homebuyers are doing a lot more house hunting online before making a serious inquiry. </p>
<p id="XBsGra">“Activity continues from those who need to buy or sell for a job move or another major life event. What’s not likely is that the bulk of potential home sellers and buyers simply throw up their hands and pull back from the market entirely,” Olsen said in a statement. </p>
https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/4/13/21216361/coronavirus-housing-chicago-real-estate-reportSara Freund2020-04-13T12:27:39-05:002020-04-13T12:27:39-05:00The most beautiful historic interiors in Chicago
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<figcaption>City Hall | Shutterstock</figcaption>
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<p>There’s beauty everywhere: Theaters, fieldhouses, apartments, lobbies and libraries</p> <p id="nm0QJT">Chicago’s innovative skyscrapers, Prairie School style homes, and Miesian Modern buildings are stunning. But what about our historic interiors? It’s hard not to wonder what’s on the inside of the next steel-framed or terra cotta-clad building you see. There are lobbies, atriums, libraries, and theaters that are truly dazzling once you step inside.</p>
<p id="nNbtBB">We all know and love the old favorites like the Tiffany-glass dome at the Chicago Cultural Center or the handsome Palmer House Hotel lobby. So, here are a few more historic landmarks that might fly under the radar. </p>
<p id="JOURAr">We’ll continue to add to this list of beautiful and interesting interiors in Chicago—by no means is this an exhaustive list. So go ahead, share your favorite interiors in the comment section.</p>
https://chicago.curbed.com/maps/chicago-historic-interiors-beautiful-architectureSara Freund2020-04-13T10:52:29-05:002020-04-13T10:52:29-05:00Built in 1929, stunning ‘octagonal bungalow’ asks $669K in Oak Park
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<figcaption>Photos courtesy of Laurie Shapiro of Gagliardo Realty Associates</figcaption>
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<p>The yellow brick home features stained glass windows and original crown molding</p> <p id="241UQN">Oak Park is home to a number of incredible Frank Lloyd Wright designs, Prairie School style homes, and, of course, bungalows. Typically, bungalows were homes built for the working class, but in the 1920s those modest homes doubled in size with rich ornamentation. </p>
<p id="LnipxC">Last week, we featured a <a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/4/7/21211948/chicago-rogers-park-bungalow-home-for-sale">massive bungalow in West Rogers Park</a> that was first owned by an Olympic boxer. Continuing the mega bungalow theme, this Oak Park bungalow is <a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/3/18/21185035/for-sale-historic-brick-bungalow-oak-park">still on the market</a>.</p>
<p id="hc5lnm">This octagonal bungalow is named as such for its eight-sided front exterior window. It’s nearly 2,000 square feet with four bedrooms and two and a half bathrooms. Before coming on the market in mid-March, it was most recently listed in 2017 for $627,000, according to property records. Back in 1991, the home sold for $210,000.</p>
<p id="TSYU2d">This home has natural birch woodwork, decorative fireplaces with vintage wall sconces, and stained and leaded glass windows. The original details of the home are well-maintained and the modern upgrades don’t feel out of place. For instance, the brand new kitchen features off-white, classical style cabinets and a farmhouse sink.</p>
<p id="QvdA4u">There are two bedrooms on the main floor and then two upstairs. All of them have excellent closets, gorgeous windows, and plenty of space. One of our favorite details is the all lavender-pink bathroom tile. There’s also a basement with a fireplace and bar that would be easy to finish into a perfect loungey living room.</p>
<p id="BYZuQs">And for the gardeners out there, this home has a space front and backyard that’s already landscaped with perennials and outfitted with brick-paved walkways. (Want to know how to get a little green in your home? We’ve got an <a href="https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/4/10/21215759/chicago-landscaping-urban-garden-midwestern-plants">easy Chicago gardening guide</a> for any type of home here.)</p>
<p id="Q1y55L">1210 N. Grove Avenue is listed for <a href="https://laurieshapiro.gagliardorealty.com/ListingDetails/1210-North-GROVE-Avenue-Oak-Park-IL-60302/10668194">$669,000</a> with Laurie Shapiro of Gagliardo Realty Associates.</p>
<aside id="O0WHgQ"><div data-anthem-component="readmore" data-anthem-component-data='{"stories":[{"title":"Built in 1926, West Rogers Park ‘bungalow mansion’ asks $685K","url":"https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/4/7/21211948/chicago-rogers-park-bungalow-home-for-sale"}]}'></div></aside> <figure class="e-image">
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https://chicago.curbed.com/2020/4/13/21219007/chicago-bungalow-oak-park-home-for-saleSara Freund