The 4th of July is the unspoken halfway point of summer. Street festivals are well underway and abundant with delicious food and beverage. Lollapalooza tickets are arriving in the mail. You’re avoiding thinking of back to school. Whatever it may be, we all take it easy during the hot months and indulge in our favorite Chicago activities. (Ahem, Uptown Ribfest was this weekend June 29th to July 1st)

You might have the perfect Independence Day picnic planned… or perhaps totally forgot. What can we say? Time flies when you’re having summer fun! Hearon Fitzpatrick Marketing decided to rally 5 last minute ideas for a fun-filled holiday. The only sweat you’ll be breaking is over the grill or on the dance floor.

1. Go to Grant Park. If you want a traditional downtown 4th of July experience, skip the Navy Pier fireworks and check out the Grant Park Music Festival. From 6:30 to 8:45, hear the Independence Day Salute with patriotic favorites including Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. With the 8:45 end time, you have plenty of time to walk around downtown, grab some ice cream and head to the beach for some fireworks.

2. Eat Smoque BBQ. To this day, Smoque is one of our personal favorites when it comes to barbecue. Everything from brisket, pulled pork, and their mac & cheese is heavenly.

You can even add a taste to your plate to mix and match meats including ribs and Texas sausage. Regardless of what you get, we highly recommend that you get their peach cobbler and bread pudding. You’ve earned both amazing desserts.

3. Drink Wine and Popsicles. With the weather in the high 80s, you may want to keep it simple on the drinks. Popsicles in wine glasses are a colorful and refreshing way to treat yourself. You can even pair combinations of popsicles and wines for a mixture of fruity, tart, and sweet. This article features popsicles from Whole Foods and helps with a few pairings for stress free, delicious mixing. A bonus? They look super cute and the wine glass cuts down on the messy, melting popsicle. If you’re feeling creative and have popsicle molds – try these recipes for boozy popsicles that include bourbon and other liquor.

4. Dance at Big Whoop-De-Doo! at Theater on the Lake. Square dance and do-si-do the night away with your family by joining Theater on the Lake! Its their first summer back at the newly renovated lakefront venue. Did you know that in the 30s and 40s, Theater on the Lake served as a popular summer barn dance space? With cool history, a cash bar, and a view of the Navy Pier fireworks this will be a guaranteed fun night. No dancing experience required.

5. March with Chicago History Museum. From 10 AM to noon, the Chicago History Museum is offering a free event that is family friendly and educational. Kids can enjoy face-painting, themed arts and crafts, and a parade with the world’s tallest Uncle Sam. Check out the full schedule including a cool guest speaker here. We’ll let you see for yourself!

We hope you have a wonderful holiday!

 

 

 

By: Emma Gonzalez | December 4th

There are many surprising benefits to selling during the winter season. You can bring in motivated buyers that are flexible. There is overall less on the market than in previous seasons. Plus, the curb appeal of a cozy home is just delightful.

However, selling your home during the holiday season can be stressful. Whether it is personal celebrations or simply finishing off the year, it can be tricky to navigate the holiday season with offers and showings. Stores are more crowded, you’re invited to holiday parties, you’re looking forward to days off, even Christmas music starts playing after Halloween – you’re in full holiday mode.

Maybe you didn’t originally intend on selling during the winter season.

You just woke up and all the sudden it was the holidays

Everything you must do this month hits you- gift shopping, holiday parties, hanging out with your family, packing for vacation, cooking, decorating everything

Seriously… Everything hits you

You remember that there are showings this week, but you haven’t picked up your home

You decide to shovel your sidewalk, and do as much as you can to increase your curb appeal

Buyers come and go and yet… no one sees how wonderful your home is

You just have to be patient

Your agent is working hard to schedule every showing possible and woo the buyers 

The year is almost over and no buyer in sight. You just focus on enjoying the holidays

Finally, after one last showing there’s an offer. Someone loves your home as much as you do

The price is where you want it, a huge wait is lifted off your shoulders, and it looks like the year will close on a positive note

Your agent on the other hand… will answer any questions and guide you through the process

The right real estate agent will help. At Hearon Fitzpatrick Marketing, we will help you manage the hectic holiday season to really capture the spirit and give you the best gift of all.

Happy Holidays!

By Emma Gonzalez, photos by Janet Fitzpatrick

What are the most important parts of a home? Ask several different people and you might get several different answers. We all have rooms and features that we are on the look out for. If House Hunters has taught us anything, it’s that we all have a list of items that we want for our homes. Sometimes, we just need to envision home as well. In this blog series, we are focusing on two of the biggest features that we often hear the most about: bedroom and ‘breakfast’ aka the kitchen.

BrokerBnB will take you through the intimate spaces of sleeping and eating. Enjoy pictures of our beautiful listings and see the space where you can possibly call home. In the age of apps like airbnb, we want to bring the listing to you so you can view the details and envision home. 

 About 1158 W Armitage Ave. Unit 302 

Welcome to Hedman  Lofts, a well maintained condo building in the heart of Lincoln Park. Nestled in the Armitage Boutique District, 1158 W Armitage is near an abundance of cute little shops, fine dining, and cozy cafes for your enjoyment. With the fall season upon us, 1158 Armitage is located in a very scenic neighborhood to fully enjoy the season.

The Kitchen 

The kitchen has always been described as the heart of the home. We spend hours perfecting dishes for the holidays, exploring the fridge for a nightlight a midnight snack, use the islands as a paradise of food for potlucks, and create memories that can last a lifetime.

Open floor plans can be particularly intriguing by tying your living room to your kitchen. When you are working on whipping up a kick snack for game day, you can still converse with your family and friends. 1158 Armitage, offers an extensive, stunning floor plan to meet those needs. Even a space with a classy dining room table, open to the kitchen and the living room – decorated with a fireplace. With stainless steel appliances and Italian marble counters, 1158 Armitage Unit 302 will help you capture the best parts of living.

 

The Bedrooms 

1158 Armitage is definitely a spacious home. With three bedrooms, you can have the adequate space for your family and friends. A true home to grow in. The master bedroom is truly a suite with a California closet that can house your shoes and all your prized clothing items. The master bathroom is also completed with Italian marble,  a double vanity, and a gorgeous pedestal tub with a separate shower.

Enjoy a dedicated seating area in your master suite. Envision a cool, Chicago fall day or one of our rainy weather storms. This sitting area is perfect for relaxation, nestling up with a new book, or even a workspace in your bedroom that is closed off to the rest of the place. The master suite also has that second private terrace, which is accessible through the room. With Chicago’s weather, you can be soaking up sun or feeling a cool breeze.

The other two bedrooms are also great spaces. With windows and hardwood flooring, the possibilities are endless. Whether it is your plan to utilize all three bedrooms, or fill them with other aspects of your life (like a home office, playroom, or even a home gym), 1158 Armitage is generous as a home for your creativity.

The Space

• 2 parking spots closest to the lobby entrance
• Well maintained building
• Common roof deck space with amazing views
• Additional private terraces
• In unit washer/dryer
• Located near the brown line and other forms of CTA
• Amazing location in Lincoln Park

The Price

• Offered at $998,000
• Assessments are $754 a month including heat, water, gas, common insurance, security, exterior maintenance, and scavenger

See the full report here for the ending of August 5th, 2017.

“As we reach into August, we’ll begin to see the volume of activity wane in anticipation of the school year. Although not every buyer or seller has children, it’s no secret that homeownership is a popular housing option for those with kids. In bulk, this has historically been enough of a factor for turning down the summer’s market heat before lower temperatures take hold.”

Source: CAR

June could not get here fast enough! As summer on the lake horizon, we remember why we put up with the cold, desolate months. From art fairs to even a technology festival, we have a full calendar to keep you busy and making the most of your summer so far.

While not on the calendar, Time Out Chicago highlights the best comedy shows for the month of June.

Chicago Magazine rounds up 62 things that you must do in June including some awesome plays and music.

 

By: Emma Gonzalez / April 26th, 2017

Spring cleaning can mean a lot of different things. For some, it can be the metaphorical deep clean at any time of year. For others, it can mean a literal cleaning at the start of spring. The warm weather is a lovely change from the bitter winter months which often make us lethargic. As the flowers bloom, so do we to with energy and rejuvenation. This energy can lead to newfound productivity to clean our space. While we could just dust and vacuum, one overlooked aspect of cleaning is decluttering.  As a matter of fact, decluttering your space has numerous benefits to your mental health. As for your physical health, it can remove toxins and dust that can offset allergies and lead to harmful health outcomes in the long term. More importantly, decluttering and practicing mindfulness can help you appreciate your home and your belongings. Sounds ideal to us!

However, when we get the urge to reorganize and clean, it can feel overwhelming.  We want you to feel excited to revamp your closet space or organize that beautiful kitchenware. What are some cute, easy ways to organize and declutter your home? More importantly, how can we maintain a decluttered space so those cleanings are as easy as the spring breeze?

Compartments and Storage

When we think of storage, some of us think about that eerie storage locker in our condo building. Others think about buying what feels like 300-piece drawer from Ikea. It can hard to imagine ways to use those cute, catch-all trays or baskets sold at H&M or Urban Outfitters.

However, with the power of the Internet, blogs and websites we have narrowed down tips and hacks that streamline easy DIY ways to help you compartmentalize. Even through the smallest ways, it can leave you feeling at ease to know where things are. Here we have listed our favorite articles on storage and decluttering.

Real Simple picks the brains of expert organizers for 9 secrets to declutter. Tackle the huge messes of toys to the smallest drawers containing candles and other random items. This is perfect if you like projects or are into the details of home maintenance.

HGTV will take you through the common mistakes of organization that tend to make your home look more cluttered than mindfully at peace. This article reminds us that while things may be “clean” it certainly does not mean they’re organized.

Let Martha Stewart do what she does best and let you create an ideal kitchen space. Showcase and properly organize your kitchenware to get the best possible use. More than that, this article will take you room by room to give you a good idea of how to stack, pack, and bring organization into your personal spaces.

Downsizing and Tidying

As humans, we tend to acquire a lot stuff. These items can be handed down from family, purchased on trips, or simply carried on from one phase of life to the other. However, sometimes we start to question if we need this or that. Maybe you want to move to a smaller space. Sometimes, it’s just time to donate things and downsize.  Whether the reason may be, downsizing can be great to practice mindfulness and appreciating what you have.

The good ole fashion Wikihow gives you a step by step guide on where to start and where to look. The process of sorting through what you love and what is reasonable to keep can be exhausting as the article outlines.

Real Simple gathers 8 methods on how to get started with downsizing and toss it tips for each method. Things like envisioning how someone else will benefit from donated items or enlisting your friends to assess what to keep or toss.

For more of a behavioral approach, Fast Company helps you understand why you might hold onto certain things. For some, understanding your behavior and patterns can be the first step to beating the clutter madness.

If you don’t know who Marie Kando is, check out her book on mindfulness and decluttering. More importantly, Kando talks about appreciating your belongings and even the correct way of folding your clothes (hint, it works). Psychology Today also delves into myths debunked by Kando in order to rethink how we’ve been taught to tidy up.

Striving to be Sustainable 

Finally, there is sustainable shopping. Even though this post mainly talks about decluttering and removing items, we eventually must replace or fix them too. After you purge, tidy, and store the pieces of your life, it’s important to envision a way to move forward. Sustainability is healthy for the economy and especially the environment. Living in Chicago, you have tons of options to shop locally.

The Green Heart Shop is located in Chicago and is the only fair-trade nonprofit shop. With everything from home to clothing, support fair trade that provides adequate wages, safe working conditions, environmental sustainability, and opportunity to the world’s populations.

Apartment Therapy curated an in-depth guide of stores that offer sustainable stores with building supplies, furniture, and home décor and accessories. Instead of buying new storage, maybe you’ll build it with the supplies and tools of sustainable shopping.

If you have big dreams of decluttering and being sustainable, Green Home Chicago offers an array of services to help you achieve it. As interior designers, their goal is to be ecological with sophistication, uniqueness, and elegance.

Now that you have some tips and resources, it’s time to pick a day on your calendar and put your plan into action. Work within your means to declutter your space and we promise you will feel better.

Another done deal by HFM. 900 Kingsbury Unit 706 featured a sought after floor plan with amazing spacious additions from a den to closet space fit for an urbanite. 706 was an ideal condo and home.