Looking for a new home? Before you sign on the dotted line, you’re going to want to have a chance or two to scope out a few homes in detail first. That means you’ll either want to schedule a private showing, or visit an open house. But which route should you take to find out if that home is right for you?

Let’s dig deeper to find out which of the two is a better approach for you when you’re ready to buy a house.

The Open House

If you’re not ready to buy just yet, and aren’t sure about exactly which neighborhood you want, open houses can be great.

Open houses can be an effective way to chat up the listing agent and find out important information about the home, and even the sellers. You might be able to find out why the sellers are moving in the first place – whether it’s a job relocation, divorce, or other reason. If you discover that the seller is highly motivated, you may have more negotiating power when it comes to wheeling and dealing on an offer.

Open houses can give you access to a lot more pertinent information than you might think. Besides getting to stroll around every room of a home and scoping out all the details, you can also get a sense of the competition that you might be facing and get a grasp of prices in the area.

Assessing the type of traffic might be tough to figure out, however. If there are tons of people venturing in and out of the house you happen to be in too, it could mean that there is some serious interest in that particular property, and that you may need to think about whether or not you should be putting in an offer before someone else does. On the other hand, the traffic could be just a bunch if nosy neighbors or people who enjoy spending their Sundays having a gander at how others live.

The Private Showing

When it comes to really getting a sense of what a home is like, you’ll ideally want to have a private showing scheduled. That way, you can take your time looking about without having to be distracted and interrupted by hoards of traffic.

It’ll also give you a chance to speak frankly about the property with your agent, come up with a strategy for submitting an offer, and ask all the pertinent questions about the place that you might be apprehensive about asking with others within earshot of your conversation.

Scheduling a showing also allows you to see the exact house you want, when you want (for the most part). There’s no need for the home buying process to be a gamble – instead, you can schedule a showing for a particular home you are interested in, during a time frame that’s more convenient for you.

Private showing allow you the freedom to really explore a home, which you usually can’t do during an open house. It would be sort of awkward to crawl into attic spaces or turn on faucets and flush toilets with a bunch of strangers around. With private showings, you can eliminate this concern.

At the end of the day, whether or not an open house or private viewing is better than the other depends on how serious you are about buying. If you’re half-hearted about purchasing, then start off with an open house or two. But of you’ve already scoped out a bunch of listings and have gained a focused sense of what you want, and you’re ready to make the move, private showings are absolutely the way to go.

Ach du liebe! Tis the season to celebrate a tradition that stretches all the way back to the Middle Ages…gathering in celebration and community, bringing light and laughter to a traditionally dark, cold season.

Christkindelmarketswill be openingat Daley Plaza, 50 W. Washington Street, from November 17 – December 24. Sundays through Thursdays, they’ll be open 11am–8pm. Fridays and Saturdays, the hours are 11am–9pm. 

In Wrigleyville, Gallagher Way, 3635 N. Clark Street, Christkindelmarketwill openNovember 17 and run through December 31. Their hours are Monday through Thursday: 3pm – 9pm, Friday through Saturday: 11am–10pm, and  Sunday: 11am–7pm

But as Smithsonian Magazinerecounts, Christmas markets evoke nostalgia, with their glowing lights, sugary smells and joyful sounds reminding visitors of yuletides past. 

Shop the Holidays!

In Downtown Chicago:

On Thanksgiving (November 23) they’ll be open 11am–4pm, and on Christmas Eve (December 24) from 11am–4pm.

In Wrigleyville:

They’ll be open on Thanksgiving from 11am– 4pm, Christmas Eve from 11 am– 4pm, Christmas Day (December 25): CLOSED, and December 26 through December 28: 11am –9pm, and New Year’s Eve (December 31): 11am–4pm.

The Christkindlmarket Chicago, according to their website, “is the most authentic traditional holiday market of its kind outside of Europe, offering a unique shopping experience, family-friendly events & intercultural activities.”

History of Christkindelmarkets 

Christmas markets, according to Wikipedia sources, have been a German tradition since at least the mid 1500s. Seasonal markets were held in Germany year around. Christmas markets were an especially joyous, anticipated event, as they brought light and laughter to a cold, dark season.

However, Smithsonian Magazine traces the Christmas market’s roots back to Vienna in 1296, when Duke Albrecht I authorized 14-day fairs in the month of December. Despite the timing of these festivities, the fairs weren’t directly connected to Christmas and did not appear to be religious in nature.

Another early example of an Advent month—but not necessarily Christmas-themed—market was found in Bautzen, Germany. In 1384, Wenceslas IV, King of Bohemia, gave the city the right to hold a free market, allowing butchers to sell meat until Christmas.

Travel & Leisure Magazine says The Dresdner Striezelmarkt is considered the first genuine Christmas market in the world, dating back to 1434, when it was held for just one day. Today, it’s a massive multiday event where over 200 stalls can be found selling sweet treats, Christmas tchotchkes, and more.

Chicago’s Roots 

In Chicago, according to their website, Christkindlmarket  was first conceptualized in 1995 when The German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest Inc.(GACC Midwest) was seeking alternative ways to promote bilateral trade between the USA and Germany. Peter Flatzek, former Vice President of GACC Midwest, and Ray Lotter, then Manager of Commercial Services for GACC Midwest, initiated the partnership with city officials of Nuremberg, Germany.

The inaugural event took place on Pioneer Court in 1996. By special invitation of former Mayor Richard M. Daley, it moved to Daley Plaza in 1997 and has become a staple event on the plaza ever since. With the support of the City of Chicago and their Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, Christkindlmarket Chicago has grown to become one of the most popular winter attractions for locals and tourists alike.

In 2023, Book A Stammtisch! 

According to their website, ‘Stammtisch’ loosely translates to a ‘regular’s table’ in English. The tables are traditional wooden beer tables and benches, typically found at restaurants and beer gardens around Germany that can be privately reserved for exclusive use. 

At the Christkindlmarket in downtown Chicago, the heated, alpine-style Timber Haus can be booked for an exclusive experience with friends, family or colleagues at  12 festively decorated tables which can be reserved individually or together, depending on availability. Four different packages are available for an authentic German tasting experience. The food, including pretzels and variations of sausages, is prepared by German vendors and served family style. For more information, click here.

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago

The temperatures may be dropping, but a beautiful view of Chicago is year-round, thanks to restaurants perched high atop Chicago’s iconic skyscrapers.

Take, for example, Cindy’s, on the 13^th Floor (no room for superstition here!) of the Chicago Athletic Association. 

Previously a club-only option, the restaurant overlooks Millennium Park through a glass-topped atrium.

I’ll agree with their assessment that it’s a remarkable backdrop for Chopped Grand Champion and Executive Chef Kaleena Bliss‘ inspired menu, featuring local wild and seasonal produce and fresh seafood. 

For starters, try their STRIPED BASS AGUACHILE  with Aji Amarillo (Peruvian yellow chili pepper), coconut milk, and ginger, cucumber, pickled shallot, sorrel, Nori and sesame rice crisp, or a CHILLED KING CRAB & LOBSTER SALAD, with soy ginger aioli with mint, scallion, celery, cucumber, citrus pickled fresno chile, radish, and toasted Nori. Or their GRILLED EGGPLANT SALAD with green beans, shaved radish, mint, miso Tahini vinaigrette, eggplant puree, Fromage Blanc, and  crispy shallot.

Some of their imaginatively prepared entrees include a POTATO GNOCCHI, served with ramps & mint pesto, with foraged mushrooms, asparagus, green bean, cashew cream, and parmigiano. PRAWNS NAYARIT are served with cherry tomato, cucumber, pickled Cipollini onion, fish sauce, lime, cilantro, and grilled sourdough. TROUT has warm gazpacho, pickled plum, roasted Cippolini onion and fennel.

Not to be missed are unique desserts like their ROASTED CORN PANNA COTTA with candied corn, maple glazed pecans, five-spice caramel, and brown butter ice cream, or their CHOCOLATE MOCHA CAKE with Mocha Crémeux, and malted milk ice cream.

Google reviews were spectacular:

“This is one of the gems of the city. Very nice posh restaurant with a beautiful view over the lake, the skyline and the famous bean. The food is quite well prepared and all dishes are very tasty and well presented. Raw materials are also of quality. Good selection of spirits, wines and beers. Definitively recommended for a nice evening in a lovely place. The building which hosts the restaurant is also remarkable with beautiful marbles and mosaics. I think it was an old athletic club for the city of Chicago.”

“Went to Cindy’s for supper this Thursday evening! A special thank you to our server Anthony, who was attentive, thorough and personal! A special credit to the entire staff for taking care of celiac needs. From the front desk to the chef, I had confidence that the food was going to be safe for me. This communication and attention to details is unique and made for a spectacular night out. And… the view did not disappoint!”

There are lots more selections on their lunch, brunch and Thanksgiving Day menus. Cindy’s is located at 12 S. Michigan Ave. They are open Monday-Thursday 11am – 11pm, Friday 11am-12am, Saturday 10am – 12am, and Sunday 10am-11pm. 

Walk-ins are welcome. Reservations can be made through RESY. (NOTE: they are unable to take reservations by phone or via email as a credit card is required to book due to our cancellation policy.) For reservations, click here. 

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago

It’s understandable – after finally selling your home, it can be tough to fork over the commission fee to a real estate agent. But before you fall into the FSBO trap, consider one very important thing: real estate agents can actually save you money.

While a commission is due at the end of the deal, the cost will pale in comparison to how much you can save through the process. Here are just a handful of ways how agents can save you cash when selling your home.

1. They’ll Price Your Home Right

Who wouldn’t want to list their home for millions of dollars, regardless of what it’s actually worth? Everyone wants to get as much money as possible for their property, but buyers aren’t dumb – they’re probably working with their own agents who are telling them what they should and shouldn’t offer on a property. There’s this little thing called ‘comparables’, and agents use them to gauge what homes are worth in a specific area. And while buyers’ agents are using these comps, so are sellers’ agents.

Here’s the rub – price your home too high, and you’ll send buyers running in the opposite direction. That leaves your home sitting on the market for weeks and even months without a bite. And the longer your home remains unsold, the more it costs you in the long run.

The other end of the spectrum is just as ugly – price your home too low, and you’re basically leaving a ton of cash on the table. The goal here is to make as much money as possible, which means you need to find that sweet spot as far as a listing price is concerned. With an experienced real estate agent on your side, you’ll have the expertise and tools necessary to price your home perfectly to get you the most money come sale time.

2. They Give You Awesome Staging Tips

The look of your home can be totally transformed with a few key pointers from your real estate agent. If you’ve had the same set-up and decor for years, that doesn’t necessarily mean that your home shows well to sellers. A seasoned agent will come in to your home and objectively gauge the space, then (nicely) tell you what’s working, and what’s not.

He or she will make suggestions about what you should get rid of and what you can keep, as well as how your present furniture should be arranged to maximize flow and functionality. Rearranging furniture to its optimal visual appeal will make your home more attractive to buyers.

Real estate agents can even bring in a professional home stager to make major changes to the space. These pros bring in their own furniture and accessories, and can make your home look like something that jumped out of a magazine. It’s a fact that homes that are well staged sell faster, and for more money compared to homes that are left as is. So it’s totally worth it to listen to staging tips from your real estate agent or stager if you want more money in your pocket at the end of the day.

3. They’ve Got Ties With Other Pros in the Industry

The savviest agents are the ones that have an arsenal of experts on the back burner to help you in all sorts of ways along the home selling journey.

Need a few repairs to your home before you put it up on the market? An agent can set you up with a contractor. Apprehensive about the mortgage process? Your agent can put you in touch with a trusted mortgage specialist. And what about all the legal stuff that comes along with selling a property and transferring title? Agents have a lawyer they can recommend to you.

Trying to find professionals such as these that are both experienced and trusted can be a full-time job. Luckily, that’s a hefty chore that you can strike off your list when you work with a competent real estate agent. Forget about throwing money in incapable hands – the experts you work with will come highly recommended, and maybe even with a discount.

4. They’ll Negotiate More Money on the Sale Price

The art of negotiation comes in really handy at the home selling table. Real estate agents are masters of this skill, and will pull all the stops to help you get the highest dollar for your home. The more money you make on your home, the more money goes into their pocket, so you can be sure that they’ll do their darnedest to squeeze every dollar out of the deal possible.

Whether the strategy is to sightly under-price the home to stimulate a bidding war, or to focus on super-motivated buyers that put up a sizeable deposit and offer a quick closing, agents are there to help put the most money in your pocket. And when it comes to deciding whether or not to accept an offer, counter it, negotiate the closing date, or change the contingencies, your agent is there to navigate these negotiations to get you the best deal.

5. They Save You Time

You’ve heard the saying before – time is money. Well, this phrase doesn’t ring any more true than during the selling process. Those who are inexperienced with the ins and outs of selling a property have no clue about how incredibly tedious and time-consuming it can be. It’s certainly not as simple as slapping up a For Sale sign, throw up a few photos online, allow the heards of buyers to flock, then accept the first offer that comes in.

There’s a lot more to it than that, and it can really suck the time out of your schedule. Who has time to take care of all the back-end stuff that comes along with successfully selling a home? Instead, leave it to a real estate agent to take care of all of that – after all, this is their full-time job, and they’re good at it.

Do yourself a favor – avoid the temptation to go the FSBO route in an effort to “save” some money. If you really want to save yourself some cash, work with an agent. Besides saving you money, real state agents will also save you a ton of hassle and headaches. That alone is well worth enlisting their services.

Merry holiday season to one and all! Welcome also to the season of travel, which is also upon us. 

Criss-crossing the country is commonplace these days. But before Midway and O’Hare International Airport, travel for the ordinary person or family was primarily by train, bus or car. While business  flights had been around since the mid-1920’s, it’s fair to say that the modern era of commercial flight in the United States started at O’Hare Airport.

Wait…that’s in Chicago?

O’Hare is situated at the farthest Northwest corner of the City of Chicago, between Bensenville and Rosemont, on land that was annexed from Western DuPage County and was largely fields prior to building O’Hare.

Beginnings…

During World War II, the land  was home to a Douglas aircraft assembly plant. Over 600 C-54s were built there during the war years and flown out to various deployments. After the war, the plant was torn down and renamed Orchard Field. Its code has remained ‘ORD’ in reference to its original name of Orchard. 

Up to that time, the world flew to and from Midway Airport on Chicago’s Southwest Side. But constraints on building out or adding additional runway spaces caused Chicago’s City Council to look elsewhere for expansion.

According to Wikipedia sources, O’Hare International Airport was the first major airport planned after World War II. In 1945, Chicago mayor Edward Kellyappointed a committee to choose and negotiate the rights to the land. In 1949, according to FlyChicago.com, the Chicago City Council renamed Orchard Field to honor naval aviator Lieutenant Commander Edward H. “Butch” O’Hare, a Medal of Honor recipient from Chicago. When O’Hare opened, it had just four intersecting concrete runways, and was primarily used by the Air Force during the Korean War. 

As Wikipedia tells it, architect Ralph H. Burke devised an airport master plan based on the pioneering idea of “split finger terminals”, allowing a terminal building to be attached to “airline wings” (concourses), each providing space for gates and planes. 

Burke’s design also included underground refueling, direct highway access to the front of terminals, and direct rail access from downtown, all of which are utilized at airports worldwide today.

In 1955, according to FlyChicago.com, O’Hare officially opened to commercial air traffic; the airport served 176,902 passengers in its first year. In 1957, a fifth parallel diagonal runway was added to the west side of the airfield.

O’Hare’s first international terminal opened in August 1958, and by April 1959 the airport had expanded to 7,200 acres with new hangars, terminals, parking and other facilities. 

Two factors contributed to its ability to surpass Midway:  1) Midway Airport could not handle the new Boeing 707 and the Douglas DC-8, and the expansion in the use of jets. 2)  The expressway link to downtown Chicago, now known as the Kennedy Expressway, was completed in 1960.  Simpleflying.com recounts that by 1961, it was the second busiest airport in the US, with 9.62 million passengers that year. 

Innovations

O’Hare’s innovative design pioneered concepts such as concourses, direct highway access to the terminal, jet bridges, and underground refueling systems.

Today 

O’Hare continues to be owned and operated by the City of Chicago. The airport is managed by the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) and is of the busiest airport systems in the world.

United Airlines’ Terminal 1 (dubbed “The Terminal for Tomorrow”), was designed by architect Helmut Jahn, as Wikipedia tells it…it was built between 1985 and 1987, and is best known for its futuristic curved glass forms and its connecting tunnel,  illuminated with a neon installation titled ‘Sky’s the Limit (1987)’ by Canadian artist Michael Hayden, which plays an airy, slow-tempo version of George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue.’

While you await your flight, they’ve made sure that you’ll have a taste of Chicago as well. Local, well-known restaurants such as Frontera, Billy Goat Tavern, and the Publican provide travelers a sample of Chicago’s diverse food scene. 

O’Hare flies non-stop flights to 214 destinations in North America, South America, the Caribbean, Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Oceania, and the North Atlantic region as of November 2022, according to Wikipedia sources. As of 2023, O’Hare is considered the world’s “most connected” airport, and remains in the top five busiest airports internationally.

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago