During the sweltering summer heat, keeping cool on the inside and out is very important. Make these yummy summer treats to stay cool:

1. Frozen fruit: Watermelon, blueberries, strawberries...you name it!
2. Yogurt cups: Fill a small dole paper cup with your favorite yogurt and fruit, stick a Popsicle stick in, freeze and enjoy.
3. Iced Tea: Great way to stay hydrated. Make the tea with your tea of choice. Consider sweet flavors, such as hibiscus. Pour hot tea in jug with tea bags and add cool water 10 minutes later. Add some juice and Stevia to sweeten it up.
4. Iced Teacicles: Freeze the above tea in a Dole cup with Popsicle stick.

Black marble hallway leads to this open floor plan ready for immediate occupancy. New, spacious Living Room with marble earth opens to huge Dining Room with Parkay wood floors. Recently redone Kitchen with white cabinets , newer appliances  and granite countertops. Front Den has elegant wall of built-ins. Second Bedroom has 2 Built-in walls for desk space. High-tech Baths. Private view within subdivision. Close to pool.

Taxes: $5,265
Assessment: $35,596
MLS #: 07566202
Status: Active
Type: Condo
County: Cook

Of course it is tempting: an enormous 5 bed, 6 bath home of over 5,000 square feet in Northbrook for only $550,000? However, home buyers have to be very careful when purchasing in a short sale or foreclosure situation.

When you walk into a foreclosure, it is often a huge mess. People are angry and frustrated (rightfully so) when they have to leave their houses, and many of them do things that destroy the house.

Short sales will always attract buyers on the financial aspects, but oftentimes they end up being hassles because of all the paperwork required by the banks.

Other negative factors of buying in a short sale or foreclosure include:

- unplanned expenses before buying (repairs, inspections, certifications);
- uncertain and long wait time;
- homeowner is usually not cooperative;
- last-minute changes made by lenders;
- homeowner can file for bankruptcy and foreclosure process needs approval from the bankruptcy attorney;

If you have any questions regarding short sales and foreclosures, please feel free to contact Marlene.

* Marlene was quoted on "Make it Better," Chicago North Shore's premier online resource and magazine! Click here to see the article.

Pristine Unit W/ Basement Pond Views From Every Window, Rarely Available 1rst Floor + Finished Room In Lower Level That Has Private Entry To 2 Car Heated Garage Space-pretty White Kitchen W/ Slider To Patio, Pretty Great Room Combos, Luxury Master Bedroom W/ Walk In Closet, Great For Relaxing. Don't Miss This One!

Taxes: $6,328
Assessment: $429
MLS #: 07523419
Status: Active
Type: Condo
County: Lake

Whether you need to furnish an entire home or buy a new piece or two, furniture shopping is not an easy task. First, you have the question of price range, then style and then fit. There is a lot to think about. 

In terms of affordability and modern style, IKEA is always a great choice. But if you're looking for something more unique, make sure to check out some of the following furniture stores unique to Chicago North Shore:

• 57th Street Bookcases & Cabinet, Evanston: 604 Davis St, Evanston. Custom bookcases and full range of ready-made hardwood cases and furniture. Called "a hidden treasure of Chicago" by the Chicago Magazine.


• North Shore Bedding, Highland Park: 1374 Old Skokie Road, Highland Park. Easy shopping with an experienced sales staff and low pressure environment. Great selection of all natural and organic mattresses.


• Toms-Price, Lincolnshire: 725 Milwaukee Ave, Lincolnshire (also in Skokie and Wheaton). Wide collection of sofas, dining furniture, bedroom furniture, home office furniture as well as accent pieces.

• Garden House of Casual Furniture, Wilmette: 521 Green Bay, Wilmette. Outdoor furniture, sunroom furniture, and casual dining.

• Sawbridge Studios, Winnetka: 897 1/2 Green Bay Rd, Winnetka. Fine, handcrafted home furnishings with exquisite craftmanship at realistic prices.

Have a favorite furniture store in your neighborhood? Feel free to share and leave comments!

Spectacular views of the pond and beautiful vistas from every window. One of a kind 1 Bedroom + Den with newer carpeting and many updates. Move right into this comfortable condo. Salceda Del Norte features pool, tennis courts, club house and management on site for convience. Remodeled kit, newer furnaces , storage on 4th and 5th floors, washers/dryers located on 2nd floor. Open feeling and many updated features throughout condo.

Taxes: $498
Assessment: $368
MLS #: 07511940
Status: Active
Type: Condo
County: Cook

Lowest priced unit on market. 2425 sq.ft of living space close to the elevator. Features 2 large balconies overlooking golf course-west view. See sunsets from sunny living room + den that is open. Separate dining room. Gourmet Kitchen with extra counters and separate breakfast room. Master Bedroom has redone dress area and master bathroom. Mission Hills at its best with 24 hour guarded gatehouse.

Taxes: $3,970
Assessment: $600
MLS #: 07509766
Status: Active
Type: Condo
County: Cook

Please feel free to contact me for more information on how you can take advantage of this extended tax credit!

(Image by First Sterling Mortgage Services, LLC)

Awaken to private views of wooded conservancy from your master bedroom, or enjoy nature from the extended backyard deck. Spacious and flexible floorplan offers nearly 2000 square feet of living space. End unit with private entry. First floor laundry. 2 car garage. Full basement. Convenient to 294, shopping, restaurants, District 103 and Stevenson High Schools, and so much more.

Taxes: $7,146
Assessment: $270
MLS #: 07380767
Status: Active
Type: Townhome
County: Lake

To provide extended relief for the U.S. housing market, President Obama signed into law a new legislation this month that allows first-time homebuyers to receive the $8,000 credit until April 30, 2010. The credit was due to expire on December 1, 2009.

Buyers also have an additional 60 days to close after April 30, 2010, meaning: if a homebuyer enters into a contract to buy a home on April 1, 2010, then they have until June 1, 2010 to close on the purchase and are still able to claim the $8,000 credit.

The legislation also provides a new credit for homeowners who purchase a larger residence between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010. Up to $6,500 in credit will be available to new buyers who have lived in their residence for at least five consecutive years during the eight-year period before the purchase of the new residence.

For more information, please click here.

Until October 19, 2009, the Kohl Children's Museum in Glenview is hosting a fabulous exhibit called Watch Us Grow: Monarch Butterflies.

Perfect for children and adults, the Monarch butterflies exhibit shows the lifecycle of these delicate creatures in all four stages: eggs, caterpillars, pupas, and adult butterflies. The transformation of a tiny white 1-millimeter egg to the bright orange and black-veined beauty is a rare, one-of-a-kind experience that is often missed in visits to the various Monarch butterfly santuaries throughout the country.

I recently saw a documentary about these butterflies and was truly awed to discover that they migrate both north and south as birds do, traveling from Washington D.C. to Angangueo, Mexico. That's nearly 1,900 miles! Scientists have yet to discover how these butterflies navigate themselves.

Monarch butterflies are also known to be the only butterflies that make transatlantic journeys, as some have been found on islands and oil rigs in the middle of the ocean. The fragility of their exotic wings beating against the rough winds is truly amazing to think about!

Don't miss this wonderful exhibit! Look for other exhibits perfect for the family on Kohl Children's Museum website.

The warm rays of the sun, the earthy smell of the vineyard, the cold wine glass in your hand as you walk through the beautiful winery ... could it be that you've been transported to Napa Valley? Fortunately, Chicago North Shore residents can forego the 4.5 hour plane ride and head to Evanston for a truly remarkable wine tasting experience.

Now We're Cookin' has planned an evening dedicated to wining this upcoming Friday, September 18th from 7pm to 9pm. Their event is titled "Food-Friendly Wines at Budget-Friendly Prices" where all bottles are less than $15 each. In addition to tasting various wines of high quality, guests to the event will also be able to sample foods that create the perfect match to the taste palette.

This would be a great opportunity to find the bottle that could become your favorite house wine. In addition to enjoying it with your family, it's always a lovely gesture for a friend, relative, or co-worker to receive as a gift a bottle that you highly recommend!

Now We're Cookin' also has other fabulous events for those who enjoy great cooking. Make sure to look at their website's calendar for demonstrations at the Evanston Farmers Market, hands-on cooking seminars, and future wine tasting events.

For more information and ticket prices, please visit the Now We're Cookin' website at http://www.nwcookin.com/.

Bon appetit!

First off, here is a chart for the average selling price of single family homes in the North Shore from January 2005 to July 2009. Overall, we see that closing prices have decreased steadily since 2007. Among these homes, 3-bedroom homes have been hit the hardest in terms of price decrease and is going at $363,645 average selling price, whereas luxury homes (5 bedrooms or more) have held up the steadiest price throughout the years and are going for $1,274,230 average selling price.

The graph below shows the trend of average selling price to listing price ratio from January 2005 to July 2009. Sellers are getting less than what they expect, but as long as they are working with a realtor who continually helps them come up with a strategic price, most sellers will on average get at least 90% of their asking price. So the market may be performing less vigorously than previous years, but it is still capable of a satisfactory return.

Here are some key things to remember. Even though you might hear reports about home markets picking up, there is still a huge amount of inventory of homes in the North Shore. Due to abundance of homes, prices are still going down on a monthly basis. It's the old story of supply and demand.

For a buyer to purchase a home, a seller needs to have a house that is 1) the winner of a beauty contest and 2) the lowest priced home in the area.

If there is more specific information you would like about your home or your area, or if you have any friends and neighbors who are unsure of their positioning in the market, I'm never too busy for any of your referrals.

This is a spectacular event you don't want to miss--if you haven't attended one yet, don't miss out on this year's show! The Chicago Air & Water Show will be celebrating its 51st anniversary this August, and it's the oldest and largest free admission aviation event in the country.

It started in 1958 with the goal of creating a show that would bring great entertainment for both parents and children in order to celebrate "Family Day." Apparently the first show had a budget of $88 and featured air rescue demonstrations and water skiers! Lucky for us, the event has grown larger ever since, and with increasing corporate sponsorship, it has become one of the largest spectacular events in the world.

Many top names in aviation have gathered for a breathtaking show throughout the years, and this year, we'll have the opportunity to see a great performance by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and the U.S. Army Golden Knights.

This year's Chicago Air & Water Show will be held on Saturday, August 15th and Sunday, August 16th at North Avenue Beach. Admission is free! For more details, click here.

Of course, Ravinia is no secret for our music lovers in Chicago North Shore. When summer makes its way here, it's accompanied by the world's best music! The experience of sitting down in your favorite lawn spot, listening to Tchaikovsky, Gershwin or John Legend, and gazing up at the stars is truly a bliss.

This summer, Ravinia will be hosting "An Evening with Diana Krall" on Saturday, June 27. Diana is a Grammy Award-winning jazz pianist and singer with a deep, whispery voice that's alluring and perfect for a quiet evening.

Through July and August, there will be impressive performances by Lang-Lang and Yo-Yo Ma. For Ravinia's event calendar, please visit: http://www.ravinia.org/Calendar.aspx.

Custom open look in 10 year old home situated on a 1 acre lot on cul-de-sac street. Entry features 2 story foyer + Family Room with fireplace. First floor den/office/hobby room. Separate Living Room has 9 ft ceilings and sunshine streams in. Kitchen has granite counters with island and loads of gourmet features. Many hardwood floors. Master bedroom has high ceilings and luxurious mbbath with jacuzzi and separate shower.

Taxes: $19,146
Assessment: $ 0
MLS #: 07458117
Status: Active
Type: House
County: Lake

Very special 3 bedroom, 2 bath spacious end-unit tri-level in tucked away location siding to forest preserves in walk-to-everything location. with large, private, fenced yard. Kitchen redone 2.5 years ago. Living room with cathedral ceiling. Well-maintained. 2 parking spaces.

This boutique is an absolute gem. It's my favorite! Everywhere you look, you'll spot gorgeous clothing, jewelry and home accoutrements.

Rachel, the owner of Stella, looks for unusual items that have a one-of-a-kind feel and looks for items that are well-priced. She is attracted to items that have a whimsical or exotic look. 

The boutique is jampacked with treasures offering special gifts, interesting clothing and artisan jewlery and handbags. A real Bohemian feeling in the North Shore Suburbs.

Just give it a try. Tell Rachel that Marlene sent you!  Her store address is 2116 Central Street in Evanston and hours are Mon-Friday 10-6, Sat, 10-5 and Sundays 12-5. You won’t be disappointed!

Visit Stella's website: www.stellaevanston.com.

BEST LOCATION on cul-de-sac. Center Entry Colonial with newer carpets, Updated Kitchen with Separate Dining Room. Fabulous floor plan for entertaining. Decorator Amenities in more than 3000 sq. ft. Beveled mirrors in extra large luxurious Master Suite Bedroom with jacuzzi and steam shower+ 2 Custom Closets! Upstairs bedrooms with large closet space. New roof, 2009. Newer furnaces and A/C. Full basement, partially finished. Near parks, schools & transp.

Present all offers. For a virtual tour, please click here.

Taxes: $13,321
Assessment: $ 0
MLS #: 07386171
Status: Active
Type: House
County: Cook