Chicago's Home Weblog

Streeterville Happy Ending

2009-11-29T17:31:00.010-06:00

I would hope , at the very least, a sponge bath is included in the price (although I suppose price gouging is one way to keep unwanted 'overnight guests' away). Ah Chicago.... and her user fees.

One thing is for sure...somebody should be getting a happy ending for the fifty bucks.

(It's just this downtown Realtor's not so humble opinion.)

Geno Petro

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A Forest Glen Thanksgiving 2009

2009-11-26T16:11:00.026-06:00

November 26, 2009...in no particular order...

Peace, Love, and Family.

Geno Petro

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Northside Sneak Eater

2009-11-23T12:37:00.005-06:00

Apparently, pumpkin 'tastes better than skinny feels.' So there, Kate Moss.

Geno Petro

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Prime Chicago Real Estate

2009-11-14T07:34:00.009-06:00

A view from the vestibule of a Pre-War apartment building on the lakefront; prime Chicago Real Estate, to be sure. Expand your horizons on LSD---Lake Shore Drive that is.

Geno Petro

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Coach Baggage

2009-11-06T15:03:00.015-06:00

So I'm sitting in Coach (the part of the airplane, not the store) licking my downgraded wounds. I've been shunned from First Class, my Amex Rewards Points depleted to salted peanuts and weak tea for the remainder of the traveling year. The 6:25 am Departure sits on the tarmac in Philly. The talky dude next to me speaks first...like he always does.

"Live in Chicago?" Him.

"Yes," say I.

"Me too," Him. "...Naperville," he adds.

"Nice." Me.

Awkward middle seat silence generally ensues. Note to self: Charge More on the Gold Card Next Year!

"Which suburb do you live in?" He presses...And so it goes.

The following is a good example of how the remainder of the urban myth verbally plays out. If you actually live within the city limits of Chicago and you travel often, you know what I'm talking about:

* If you're seated in Coach and someone says they're from Chicago this really means they're probably from DuPage County. Not a bad thing. I'm just saying.

* If the dude says he's from the Northside, this generally means Norwood Park or maybe even Lincolnwood. At least we're in the proper county now. (That would be Cook)

* If the twenty-something girl with the Diet Coke in the middle seat happens to mention that she lives in the Gold Coast, rest assured it's a Rental Property of some sort and she's not sweating the Property Tax bill this semi-annual go round. Her boyfriend might be but she's not. (Or, vice-versa, I suppose.)

* If the lass says she lives on Astor, bet the farm it's not in one of the 10 million dollar mansions in the 1200 block....

....because...if she lived in one of the ten million dollar mansions on Astor, in the 1200 block...she wouldn't be sitting next to you in Coach to begin with...nor would she be telling you where she lives at all. People on Astor just don't share these things with strangers on the tarmac. Not at 6:25 am. And certainly not in Philly. They're just not that talky.

Just saying...

Geno Petro

follow me on twitter@genopetro

Chicago Street Peeps

2009-11-02T14:55:00.011-06:00

I must say... I've been stepping over and around these two lost souls on the sidewalk outside my Lincoln Park real estate office for as long as I can remember. It both saddens and pisses me off at the same time that they continue to ask me (and everyone else in the lakefront neighborhood) for booze money. The Chicago Fire Department, just steps away, is called to their aid at least once a month by unsuspecting, well intentioned passersby on the corners of Diversey and Halsted.

"One is too many and a thousand is not enough..." (Drinks, that is.) Or, so I've heard. Saddens and pisses, to be sure.

And so starts November, 2009, on the windy Chicago city streets. Nothing so bad that a drink of whiskey couldn't make worse. (Or, so I've heard...)

Geno Petro

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Autumn in Chicago R.F.D.

2009-10-26T15:14:00.005-05:00

Check out the pumpks and foliage in Forest Glen.

Geno Petro

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AMERICA'S HOME GRANT

2009-10-22T11:16:00.013-05:00

Hey Chicago Real Estate Buyers, TAKE NOTICE...More $$$ for you AND Existing Homeowners!!!!

NEWS FROM BANK OF AMERICA:

My good friend Ed Hahn, Mortgage Loan Officer at Bank of America, just informed me about a new incentive program called America's Home Grant for Buyers AND existing Homeowners which could potentially yield a buyer $2,500 for a purchase and $1,250 for an existing homeowner on a refinance.

(He might not be the handsomest of the Hahn brothers but he can sure get a loan done.)

Qualification is based on either being a low income borrower or buying a property in qualifying census tracts in Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, McHenry and Will counties. This money is non-repayable and is yet another incentive for buyers to move forward and purchase this year.

Geno Petro

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Chicago Bungalow Beauty

2009-10-21T15:43:00.010-05:00

The circa 1920's checkerboard brick bungalow has for generations been a resale staple of the Chicago Real Estate scene. This particular example, just around the corner from my own house, is one of my faves---especially in the Autumn. They just don't make windows like this anymore.

Geno Petro

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HaLOLween Chicago!

2009-10-14T14:22:00.029-05:00

Every hound in Forest Glen lifts it's leg on these four pumpkin heads during their daily strolls including...

ahem,

'You Know Who'

No, not me....!!! THEM ....!!!

ps...I also just updated my Geno From Chicago 'Best Of' Archives from around the internet.

Geno Petro

follow me on twitter@genopetro

Forest Glen October

2009-10-12T15:38:00.009-05:00

My Scary Forest Glen 'Hood...

Prime Chicago Real Estate on the Great Northwest Side

Boo on you,

Geno Petro

follow me on twitter@genopetro

'Take you down...to Chinatown'

2009-10-08T14:05:00.012-05:00

Little did I know, when I stumbled into the Nam Bac Hang herbal medicine store in Chinatown yesterday, that I would soon thereafter comprehend the true meaning of 'PROMOTES DETOXIFICATION.' When I embarked on this brief occidental Chicago Southside journey all I had in mind was a box of herbal tea and a plate of chow mein. No jing luo meridians. No happy endings. Just some some tea and some chow, that's all.

OMG. The neck bone's connected to the knee bone...and an hour later. OMG. (did I just say that?)

Anyway, I don't know if it was the 1400 mgs of Senna, the Chinese rhubarb, or the licorice root but let me just say...O.M.G.

living the clean life,

Geno Petro

follow me on twitter@genopetro

Clark & Halsted Chicago

2009-09-29T14:48:00.013-05:00

In a single autumnal sweep, the Summer of 2009 slips into the late September shadows, the White Sox (as well as others) become mathematically eliminated, and the old equine guard at Arlington shutters its racetrack grandstands until the next maiden season.

Here I stand above the crossroads of Clark and Halsted on Chicago's North Side observing The Plan---perhaps even as Burnham envisioned it over a full century ago. Look closely and you'll see the Clark Street Dog looming directly below. Ten blocks ahead and to the left marks the site of the St. Valentines Day Massacre---and to the right, The Biograph Theater where John Dillenger stole his last Midwestern breath.

I love the eclectic windy cityscape from this high Lakeview angle. It makes me consider how history might have played out differently if Dillenger would have simply turned left onto Clark and Bugsy Moran's crew, right onto Halsted, on those respective blood red letter days in Chicago history. After all, the road less traveled by makes all the difference from what I've read.

And I'm sure to be discussing this and other bits of Chi Town Real Estate fodder as I head back east to my college reunion this weekend. I'm excited to re-connect with all the other Slippery Rock Theater/Literature majors who, likewise over a thirty year period, never found a way to turn a real buck with their Liberal Arts degree(s).

Geno Petro

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Chicago Squeeze Play

2009-09-25T10:42:00.006-05:00

It's the Two Six signature: innocent enough looking little bunny with a floppy ear, upside down Latin King crown (just to piss them off) and the star of David dotting the i of the Six. They started out as a baseball team in the 1960's on 26th Street but became a legitimate Southside Chicago street gang after sweeping the Cubs one weekend in intra-league play. (lol) Most recently they are known for shooting first and inquiring later. It's a Chicago Real Estate territory thing, I hear.

Anyway, I shot (okay, photographed) this tagged garage door in an East Village alley while showing Condos the other day. My client thought it was cute. I asked him if he was ever in a gang, reminding him that the Jewish Defense League didn't count. After a long pause, we decided to cross Ashland and look in Bucktown instead.

Geno Petro

follow me on twitter@genopetro

My Chicago Smarter Agent Text Code!

2009-09-17T10:59:00.013-05:00

Here's the latest real estate dealio, as they say on my corner:

Clients, past present, and future: Simply text my broker code, G23 and enter 87778 to download the entire Chicago Multiple Listing Service (MLS) application right to your cell phones – stored and ready to go via Smarter Agent!

Click the link below for more info:

http://www.smarteragent.com/page_shell.php?thepage=cvideosa&page=10095100011000110001

Geno Petro

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Chicago Wrecking Crew

2009-09-14T16:29:00.002-05:00

Look closely at the first few frames.

Lincoln Park, A Cafe Latte Society

2009-09-14T10:59:00.014-05:00

I'm not sure I even need to comment on the above photo but I will since I nearly got clipped by a CTA bus as I dashed through the intersection of Diversey and Sheffield in the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago to get the shot. I'll provide the parameters. You can draw your own double latte conclusions (hint...it is not a Volvo XC 90 dealership);

* Lincoln Park

* Athletic Club

* Parking lot

* Kid's Club morning programs

* Moms/Housewives

* Kids

* Volvos

* Starbuck's across the street

Again, I'm just the 3G messenger. And yes, I do make a Chicago Real Estate living providing shelter to the safety minded residents of this upscale lakefront community, so please, accept my fun poking as good natured commentary. It's just that it gets a little, I don't know, Stepford around here sometimes. That's all I'm saying.

Geno Petro

follow me on twitter@genopetro

"Chicago to Vegas and Back"....

2009-09-02T12:38:00.037-05:00

or

...."From Sh*t to Sugar Back to Sh*t Again"
(quicker than you can blink an eye)

^ Of course, there are those who barely escape Sin City with the shirts on their backs. This humble couple was not praying but rather, passed out in front of 'Slots-A-Fun,' their bankroll, I suspect, greatly diminished. Thus, (just as in the Chicago real estate market) there are those who LOSE...

^ Likewise, there are those who WIN....

^ There are those who OBSERVE...

^ Those who make a lot of NOISE...

^ And then...there are those lucky enough not to have to pawn the good luggage for airfare back HOME....

Cha-ching,

Geno Petro

follow me on twitter@genopetro

Chicago Trash Talk

2009-08-20T10:20:00.014-05:00

But, is it Art?

Approximately 11,000 Chicago City workers (including the trash dudes at this Lincoln Park location) slept in last Monday in celebration of our city's newly enacted Furlough Day cooperative. An estimated $8 million is expected to be saved this year as a result of three such days throughout the year. BTW, same deal for Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.

(I like the Starbuck's cup next to bag of dogshit)

Geno Petro

follow me on twitter@genopetro

2009-08-17T13:50:00.009-05:00

...I'm just saying.

Geno Petro

follow me on twitter@genopetro

Hey Chicago Real Estate Peeps

2009-08-13T16:21:00.010-05:00

Be a 'Friend' and visit my Facebook page. I post a mini-blog several times a week via Twitter and iPhone so check it out. It's not all about real estate but it's definitely Chicago. You just need to Add me to your Friends List and we'll be Kool and the Gang.

Geno Petro

follow me on twitter@genopetro

The Promo Sapien

2009-08-10T16:39:00.008-05:00

The Promo Sapien is a direct descendant of the more popular and easily recognizable species known as the Homo Sapien--latin meaning: "wise or knowing man {or woman}." The PS, while similar in many ways to the HS, is generally a more smiley yet slightly condescending sort of creature who, in recent years, migrated en masse to the real estate business and enjoyed fleeting success until Global Warming and Web 2.0 set in and all the remaining unlicensed regular Sapiens learned how to find properties on their own on Zillow. They usually can be spotted these days in Starbucks with Blackberry in hand and Bluetooth in ear somewhere between the moms and the toddlers. At least, that's where you can usually find me.

This social glacier calving, as it were, spawned yet another subspecies, the Self-Promo Sapien--Chicago meaning: "any Realtor who constantly professes his or her superiority over any other qualified but less self-promoting PS as well as all HSes in general--and can be found on most any page of Chicago Agent Magazine (or any other industry ledger that will publish a 'Feature Article' if enough accompanying ad space is purchased), sic." And again, that's where you might one day find me as well, if someone can ever convince me it's worth the advertising ruble.

But for now I think not. The truth is, if no one else is offering up the accolades, I don't feel the need to make that superlative declaration myself. Now I will publish all compliments and 'attaboys' in my sidebar on the right; verbatim, referenced of course, and unsolicited all-- but I am not inclined to utter the words of praise myself, to be set apart from and above, all other PSes and SPSes with a Blackberry and an earpiece. Besides, the best Realtors in this town have already switched over to iPhone...

Geno Petro

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My Favorite Color

2009-08-08T09:53:00.006-05:00

...until they invent something darker.

Geno Petro

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Chicago City Tramp Stamp

2009-08-07T19:44:00.005-05:00

2009-08-07T19:43:00.008-05:00

As one might expect, the lone 'Foreclosure' in our bucolic Northwest Chicago neighborhood is a Single Family Rental House a few blocks away---complete with a cast of COPS characters as occupants and a piss green meth-mobile as transport. I must say, GM pushed some monkeyshit brown product out of Detroit in the 70s and 80s.

(adjective descriptive credited to wordman and fellow Realtor, Austin Bader)

Geno Petro

follow me on twitter@genopetro