April 2013 Vol. 33 No. 4 Visit Beverly Hills/Morgan Park at www.bapa.org HOUSING ISSUE Published by BEVERLY AREA PLANNING ASSOCIATION Now is the Best Time EVER to Buy Current Housing Market Picking Up, Homes Still Affordable By Marcia Walsh Prices seem to have hit bottom, and as Median Single Family Home Prices BAPA Housing Coordinator the inventory starts to move through in BAPA Service Area According to local real estate we should see some increase in prices,” professionals the Beverly/Morgan Park $350,000 2003-2012 said Mary Ellen Fitzgerald, owner of housing market started to pick up steam Fitzgerald Real Estate Inc. $300,000 at the end of 2012 and the trend continues. “Most experts expect interest rates and “Business is booming!” said Bernadette $250,000 home prices to rise, making this the best Molloy, owner of Molloy and Associates. time ever to buy a house” according to “We’re seeing an increase in showings and $200,000 Randy Papp, owner of Pacor Mortgage. homes are going under contract swiftly.” Interest rates are currently around 3.5% Bill Biros, owner of Prudential Biros $150,000 for a 30 year fixed rate mortgage. Real Estate, said “Activity has picked up; houses are selling faster; prices are more $100,000 BAPA Welcomes Homebuyers BAPA housing efforts, in addition realistic.” 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 to collecting and reporting the annual According to data collected by BAPA 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 from the Cook County Recorder of sales data, include welcoming all new homeowners to Beverly Hills/Morgan Deeds, 227 single-family homes sold Park with packets of information about during 2012 in the BAPA service area. neighborhood historic districts, civic The median price of homes sold here associations, special events and coupons in 2012 was $210,000, the same as the from BAPA Business Members. Every year before, but down 31 percent since new household is also sent a survey that the peak in 2007. The housing market is designed to help collect demographic in Beverly/Morgan Park is fairly typical. and marketing information. According to S&P/Case-Shiller Home BAPA has been surveying new Price Indices, as of the fourth quarter neighbors since the early 1980s. The of 2012, average home prices across the survey is voluntary, but the results are United States are back at their autumn very important - survey responses help 2003 levels. BAPA focus on strategic initiatives According to sales data, the number of that are most important to current and year-over-year single family home sales prospective neighborhood residents. in Beverly/Morgan Park in January 2013, Results are also used to market this however, was the highest since 2004! community to prospective homebuyers Monica Fox, broker/associate at PRS and businesses. This year, 72 completed Associates said, “The market is perking! surveys were returned. It’s better than it’s been in the last six Survey responses offer a snapshot of years!” Lance Loiselle (right) leads the Community Choir in a practice for the Apr. 14 concert. our new Beverly Hills/Morgan Park “We’ve been very busy since the end neighbors. Choir Offers Praise in Song of the year; lots of homes are selling. CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 By Janelle Richmond millennium in song under the auspices “I’m honored to participate in an of the Beverly Morgan Park Community organization with such a rich history,” of Churches. The first concert was so said Lance Loiselle, director of the successful that it’s become an annual Beverly Morgan Park Community Choir. event each spring. The choir is composed “They are such talented people, which of amateur singers from churches of makes it very enjoyable.” all denominations throughout Beverly/ The Beverly Morgan Park Community Morgan Park and surrounding suburbs. Choir began in 1999 to celebrate the CONTINUED ON PAGE 23 Rosen Shares Insights at Breakfast With the Experts WSCR 670 “The Score” Program “Chicago Eddie” Schwartz, and later Director Mitch Rosen will be guest followed Schwartz to WLUP in 1992. speaker at Breakfast with the Experts, Two years later, Rosen was named general Tues., April 23, Saint Xavier University, manager of the Continental Basketball Butler Reception Room, 3700 W. 103rd Association’s Chicago Rockers. But he St. Rosen’s talk, titled “Chicago Sports soon returned to his first love of radio and Radio 2013,” will examine how content was placed in management at WKTU in MPHS player Billy Garrett in the basketball playoffs. (Photo by MPHS student Julian Tripp) interaction with sports fans has changed New York. Later that year, Rosen was the way they follow Chicago teams. named Program Director at WMVP, and The event, which is jointly sponsored in 2005 he was named Program Director by SXU and the Beverly Area Planning of WSCR “The Score.” Congratulations, Champs! Association (BAPA), begins at 7:30 a.m. Under Rosen’s leadership, WSCR By Keith Majeske Although the lead see-sawed early in with breakfast and networking followed acquired the broadcast rights for the The Morgan Park High School the first quarter, the Mustangs never fell by the keynote address. Registration is Chicago White Sox and has without Mustangs boys varsity basketball squad behind after the first minute-and-a-half $10 for the general public and free for fail remained one of the nation’s most picked up their first state championship of play. BAPA Members. Space is limited and popular sports talk stations. in nearly four decades in last month’s Although the Mustangs appeared to be reservations are required. For more The Breakfast with the Experts IHSA Class 3A final in Peoria. on the verge of a blow-out midway in the information or to register, contact BAPA, speaker series brings notable business, The boys team fulfilled the high second, leading by as many as 13 with 773-233-3100 or www.bapa.org. community and civic leaders together to expectations of many fans and sports two minutes remaining, the Comanches Rosen embarked on a radio career that share insights, experience, and industry experts, handing the Cahokia Comanches put an 8-point run together to close the started at WGN in 1988. He produced knowledge with area business people. (32-3) a 63-48 loss after winning 11 first half, 29-24. the late night radio show of the legendary straight. CONTINUED ON PAGE 18 April 2013 Page 2 Village Viewpoint By Matt Walsh, BAPA Executive Director Every issue of The Villager is filled new neighbors that paints a demographic information on what they can do. Our works closely with the ward office to with information about what’s going on picture of our population. goal is to give the homeowner as much monitor problem houses, including in the neighborhood and about BAPA This article is just one of the many opportunity to remain in their home as those not in foreclosure, and works with programs. This edition of the paper is no ways that BAPA works all year round possible while they work with the lender. homeowners to improve their property. exception. It features our annual in-depth to maintain housing values in Beverly/ The last thing we want is an empty house. Finally, nothing makes a neighborhood report on the state of the neighborhood Morgan Park. Some of the other ways However, when this does occur BAPA is more attractive to buyers than safe streets. housing market written by BAPA’s include our work in foreclosure outreach, there as well. BAPA is always working to ensure that Housing Coordinator, Marcia Walsh. problem housing remediation and The recent economic downturn has we keep crime low in Beverly/Morgan As always, she has done a great job on community safety. resulted in some houses being either Park. We do this by following up with it. I hope that you will spend some time Sadly we do see homes in Beverly/ abandoned by their owners or being the police on crimes that have occurred, reading Marcia’s article. It is the most Morgan Park facing foreclosure. BAPA taken over by the lender. Happily, this offering educational articles with comprehensive information you will find subscribes to a service that alerts us is a rare thing in our neighborhood. But safety tips, supporting court advocacy on where our housing market is today and when this happens in our community. when it does happen these houses can volunteers, reaching out to neighbors how it compares to the past several years. When we find a home in this situation fall into disrepair and become a safety who have problem houses on their blocks You will also find data gathered from we contact the owner with resources and hazard. Properties like this can affect and by securing empty houses. the look of an entire block and are not We all benefit from this work. Whether attractive to people looking to buy. Alice you own a house or rent an apartment you Collins, BAPA’s Safety and Problem benefit when the value of neighborhood Housing Coordinator, investigates the property is going up. BAPA is here, NEIGHBORHOOD NOTES ownership of these houses and contacts working each and every day, to keep our News from around Beverly Hills/Morgan Park the appropriate person to maintain the community strong, and to keep our housing site, even if they are out of state. Alice prices moving in the right direction. Roaring Twenties Adventure. Participants in the Platinum Adventures trip Tommy Gun’s Garage Wed., Apr.3, will travel back to the Roaring Twenties, the era of prohibition, rd speakeasies, and hotbox entertainment.