July 27, 2009 by Jason Hartong
Recently, I was interviewed by the Chicago Tribune for a story about the fall in property values. The market that sticks out like a sore thumb, is the upper-bracket multimillion $ homes dotting the shores of lake Michigan. I have seen property values in this sector plummet by nearly half their values from the market peak. Just a few years ago these homes were selling for top Dollar, with multiple offers as the wealthy had to find places to secure their investments.
Now, with the stock market and property having gone through major corrections, most potential buyers are finding it hard to come up with the cash to invest in property. Many have their capital tied into their own property and over the last couple years, many of the properties they own have lost significant value, making it hard to trade up the property ladder.
For more on this phenomenon, here’s a link to the Chicago Tribune.
Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Chicago North Shore, Chicago Tribune, evanston, glencoe, jason hartong, kenilworth, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Lisa Black, real estate, realtor, Rubloff, wilmette, winnetka | Leave a Comment »
June 27, 2009 by Jason Hartong
The Fountain Square Arts Festival is one of Evanston’s top events of the Summer season. It runs from 6/27/09 to 6/28/09. The hours are from 10am to 6pm. It’s a free festival with an optional $5 donation.
Sunday’s weather is predicted to be pleasant with plenty of sun. I can’t think of a better way to see a multitude of artists with fine art for sale. I’d highly recommend having a look. For more details, click here.
Posted in Chicago Festivals, evanston real estate | Tagged Art, Downtown, evanston, Living in Evanston, Summer Festival | 1 Comment »
June 7, 2009 by Jason Hartong
Open House 6.7.09 from 2pm-4pm. 807 Davis Street #410, Evanston, Illinois. Recent price reduction!
Bright 2br. 2bth. condo in the heart of downtown Evanston. Live within steps of Evanston’s lake, restaurants, shops, public transportation and Northwestern University. The condo offers several luxury upgrades and custom Italian lighting fixtures. Large 1601sf floor plan with a private master suite, includes two walk-in closets, large second bedroom with wall to wall closet, separate laundry room and bright eastern exposure. Come have a look, it offers everything you would want in a condo. Click for more details.
Posted in Chicago & Evanston Loft Living, Living in Evanston, Luxury House & Condo Living, North Shore Living, North Shore Real Estate, Home & Garden, evanston real estate, evanston realtor | Tagged Focus Development Evanston, LA Fitness Evanston, Luxury Condo, Northwestern University housing, open house, Rubloff Evanston | Leave a Comment »
May 14, 2009 by Jason Hartong
Open house Sunday May 17th 2009 from 1pm-3pm, located at 807 Davis Street #410, Evanston, Illinois 60201.
Highly desirable 1,600 sq ft loft condo in downtown Evanston. This East facing luxury unit overlooks an inviting rooftop terrace garden. The floor plan provides an open kitchen and living room facing floor to ceiling windows. Separate dining room, laundry room, two bedrooms, two bathrooms all finished with top of the line fixtures and finishes. Spotless hardwood floors, stainless appliances and stone kitchen surfaces. Reduced taxes for 2008. Please ask for more information.
For details, contact Rubloff Residential Properties, 1 847 512 2781 or click here.
Posted in Chicago & Evanston Loft Living, Living in Evanston, evanston real estate | Tagged evanston condo, Evanston open house, Evanston Realtor Jason Hartong, Living in Downtown Evanston, Luxury Condo Evanston, North Shore Real Estate | Leave a Comment »
April 21, 2009 by Jason Hartong
Interested in a yacht or a fine set of teak terrace furniture? Well, the Luxury Living Expo 2009 is the perfect event to taste the good life. There will be interactive displays and plenty of eye candy to delight the senses. The event is going to be held from Friday, April 24th through Sunday, April 26th at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Centre in Rosemont, IL. The show hours are from 9:30am to 5:00pm for all three days. For further details and directions to the event centre, visit www.luxurylivingexpo.com.
Posted in Chicago Festivals, Luxury House & Condo Living, North Shore Living, North Shore Real Estate, Home & Garden | Tagged Bentley, chicago, Ferrari, Gardens, Jewelry, Luxury Homes, Luxury Living Expo, Maserati, Rolex, Yachts | Leave a Comment »
March 30, 2009 by Jason Hartong
Hartong International Landscape Design has updated it’s website with more project photos in the portfolio section. Looking to build a garden/landscape to enjoy the outdoors and entertain guests? Hartong International provides landscape design services to meet the needs of many homeowners. Whether it’s a small city space or a large suburban property, Hartong International offers design experience to make the most of your outdoor living space. No property is to small or large for maximizing it’s function and beauty. While based on the Chicago North Shore, Hartong International has been commissioned to create landscapes in both Europe and North America. For more information about setting up a consultation, visit Hartong International Landscape Design.
Posted in Garden Design, Green Design, Landscape Design, Living in Chicago, Living in Evanston, North Shore Living, North Shore Real Estate, Home & Garden | Tagged Autumn garden, chicago, evanston, glencoe, gloucestershire, Highland Park, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, landscape architecture, landscape designers, Landscaping, london, oxfordshire, spring garden, Summer garden, Surrey, wilmette, winnetka | Leave a Comment »
March 30, 2009 by Jason Hartong
The original Mini Cooper was anything but perfect. It would easily stall if it went through a large puddle or leak through the door seals in heavy rain. Regardless of the original Mini’s faults, the concept of a fuel sipping street legal go-kart was anything but boring to drive and well beyond it’s time in 1959. It won many Ralle Monte Carlo events throughout the 1960s and lived on in production until 2000.
When BMW acquired the iconic nameplate, it redesigned the entire car but kept the core beliefs in place, high performance in a small package, exceptional handling abilities, excellent fuel economy and unique appearance. It was a smart combination for BMW to improve on. It did just that. In 2001, the new MINI was released in Europe to rave reviews for it’s design, performance, fuel economy and fun to drive feel. Now in it’s 8th year of production, the MINI has retained the character of the original but with the sturdy feel and build quality of the other models under the BMW badge. Sitting behind the the wheel of a MINI and racing through the six speed gearbox is always a pleasure and makes driving exciting and engaging. The smart design of BMW never seems to disappoint even in it’s smallest package.
Here is a link to theAppleBlog. They recently wrote an article comparing the BMW MINI Cooper to the Apple Computer. It’s an interesting comparison as both products are designed around the philosophy of “less is more”. You don’t need to have a massive car or computer to get high performance and smart design is what allows the “less is more” concept to work. It’s a great way to design and is almost always aesthetically pleasing when accomplished.
Posted in design | Tagged Apple Computer, BMW, design, Less is more, mini, MINI Cooper | 2 Comments »
March 23, 2009 by Jason Hartong
On Thursday, April 16th 2009 from 5-9pm, The Willow Festival Shopping Center in Northbrook, Illinois will host The Eco and Wellness Expo. The event will feature products and services with an emphasis on environment and personal health. Many local businesses, including Whole Foods and REI will provide seminars, activities, product sampling and entertainment for the entire family. A raffle will be held with a large selection of prizes. Admission and parking are free to the public. For more information about the event, contact event planner Candice Kuhnen, 847.835.0121. Click here for event directions.
Chicago North Shore Home & Beyond representing Rubloff North Shore, will be present at the event. We welcome you to chat with us about green trends for the home and North Shore real estate.
Posted in Green Design, North Shore & Chicago Property, North Shore Living, North Shore Real Estate, Home & Garden | Tagged Chicago North Shore, Eco Expo, Environment, Events, Home & Garden, Northbrook, real estate, Wellness | Leave a Comment »
March 21, 2009 by Jason Hartong
The days are getting longer and warmer. Here on Chicago’s North Shore, Spring happens quickly and is a short season crunched between Arctic Winters and Sahara Summers. It’s one of the best times of year to get cracking with implementing plans for your outdoor living space. Contractors love doing the heavy hardscaping, terraces and garden structures in cool Spring weather.
For a successful outdoor living space, also known as a garden, it’s best to consult a trained Landscape Designer. There’s a lot more to landscape than just throwing in a few trees and shrubs. When designed properly, a garden should reflect the style, geometry and scale of the property. The outdoor living room when successfully designed will extend the function and comfort of your indoor space.
As designer for Hartong International, I offer several levels of service in the design process. I can arrange sketch plans, planting plans and construction specifications for a recommended landscaper to construct your garden. If you wish to hire Hartong International for just the drawings and specifications, you can arrange and manage your garden at your own pace. It’s all a matter of preference and budget. For more details about garden design, visit Hartong International.
Posted in Garden Design, Green Design, North Shore Living, North Shore Real Estate, Home & Garden | Tagged chelsea flower show, chicago, english garden, landscape, landscape designers, perennial, spring garden | Leave a Comment »
March 5, 2009 by Jason Hartong
A Spring tradition is just around the corner. The Chicago Flower and Garden Show is due to start on March 7th 2009 and runs through March 15th 2009. There are always fantastic displays, showing hardscaping and landscape design ideas for your home. If you have interest in attending this years event, click here for more details.
The Chicago Botanic Garden will be displaying a 4,800sf exhibit titled, “Hope for the Healing Planet”. From what I hear, it will be a remarkably interactive display with a focus on sustainable landscaping. The public will get helpful advice on creating a healthier future for the environment and humans alike.
Posted in Chicago Festivals, Garden Design, Green Design | Tagged Chicago Botanic Garden, Hartong International, jason hartong, Landscape Design | Leave a Comment »
Older Posts »
