Because I live and work in Addison, Illinois and am active in the Addison Chamber of Commerce, I frequently look at data relating to the Addison Housing Market.  Today, I reviewed all single family home sales in Addison over the last four months (October 2011 through February 1, 2012.  55 single family homes sold ranging in price from $49,000 to $416,000 with 78% of the home selling for under $200k.   The three bedroom ranch home located at 104 Iowa was pretty decent on the first floor, but the basement was definitely built for Mayans – the ceilings are lower than 5 feet high, and the basement was full of mold and it sold for $50k.  On the other end of the spectrum, the buyers who paid above $400k (two of them ) got beautiful new construction homes at bargain prices!

On average, the homes were for sale in the Addison, IL real estate market for 180 days – the majority of the homes were 3 bedrooms with 6 or 7 rooms with a few having more or less rooms.  Still staggering is the number of distressed sales, which is 48%.  While its down from the 2011 rate of 51%, it still is a huge factor in the home values in Addison, Illinois.  For comparsion sake, the rate of distressed sales in Elmhurst for 2011 was 15% and in Lombard, distressed sales account for 32% of the single family homes sales.

Midwest Club, Oakbrook

This month another luxury home sold in the Midwest Club in Oak Brook. 302 Midwest Club sold for $905,000 on January 13th. Listed at $800k, 302 Midwest Club Parkway is a bank owned home built in 1986 with 5200 square feet of living space, 5 bedrooms and six bathrooms. The home was once listed with a sales price of $2,999,850 and in 2007 had a mortgage against the property of over $2mm dollars.

The listing agent described the home as:

Wow! 2 story grand foyer, 1st flr master, hdwd flrs, & tray ceilings. 2nd flr w/ 4bdrms incl a master. Screened porch. 24 hr gate guard. Clubhouse w/ pool & tennis courts. OB/Hinsdale Schools! Come live the lavish life in MidWest Club! The most desirable gated community in Oakbrook!!! HOME IN MID REHAB COME TAKE A LOOK WITH ALL YOUR PERSONAL IDEAS!

Between the first time the home was listed and this last time someone started a major rehab project and then abandoned it. At the time of this sale the house had no flooring, the basement was gutted, and all the appliances, cabinets, and fixtures had been removed. The home was a shell of its former self.

Interestingly enough, the listing agent represented both the buyer and the seller in the transaction. The Midwest Club home was listed on the MLS December 14th with a demand for all offers by December 18th. Four days. Is that the best way to find the buyer willing to pay the highest price? Probably not, who knows what drives decisions on bank owned properties. Definitely notable is that the listing agent was also the buyers’ agent. One might wonder about the possible conflict of interest with dual agency in a case like this since the listing agent knew all the bids.

While this home was bank owned, most of the sales in Midwest Club over the last year have sold at significant discounts whether they were bank owned or not. If you are already searching the Oak Brook Market for a home, then it would be a good idea to set your upper price threshold around 25% higher than what you are willing to spend, especially if you are looking in the Midwest Club subdivision.  My partner wrote about the huge discounts on Oak Brook homes.

There are two additional homes under contract in Midwest Club. My guess is both will close at significant discounts off the current list price. Will sellers get the picture and adjust their prices downward toward what the current market bears? The smart ones will.

Recent Home Sales in Midwest Club, Oakbrook

2011 Elmhurst Real Estate Market

Elmhurst Condominium Market

In 2011, Elmhurst Condo sales were down drastically over 2010 with nearly $25mm dollar in volume sold in 2010 reduced to just over $11mm in  condo sales in 2011. In 2011, just 50 condo and townhome units sold in Elmhurst, compared to 108 in 2010. In 2010, distressed condo sales (short sales or foreclosures) accounted for about 20% of the sales in Elmhurst which were at 15% in 2011.

On average a condo stays on the market for 240 days and as of January 1, 2012 there are about 18 months of inventory on the Elmhurst condo market.

Elmhurst Single Family Homes

The Elmhurst single family home market faired much better in  Elmhurst in 2011 than the condo market did. In 2011 there was $155mm of home sales up over the 2010 volume of $142 mm. A total of 383  homes were sold in 2011, with fewer than 15% of the sales being distressed, in 2010 there were 343 homes sold in Elmhurst with 20% of the sales being distressed, so an increase in  homes sold and a decrease in distressed sales, which is quite a bit different than Chicago as a whole.

2012

My expectation for the 2012  real estate market in Elmhurst is that there will be an increase in the sale of distressed properties along with an increase in total number of  homes sold. Already the phone is ringing with showing requests and buyers ready to get out and start looking. March is historically the month where the most  home inventory hits the market in Elmhurst.

Comparing the one year period of time ending on September 24, 2011 and the same period of time the prior year, the volume of sales has been pretty consistent, with 52 sales of condos/townhomes in Elmhurst this year and 54 at the same time last year.  Sales of distressed properties (foreclosures and short sales) have increased from 15% of all units sold to 21% of units sold.

Prices for condos and townhomes that sold this year range from $15,000 – $609,000 and last year at this time, the range was similar, but note the floor decreased dramatically from last years $55,000 – $ 615,000. There were three properties that sold under $55k this year.

The average price per square foot has decreased from $176 to $158, even though the mix of properties sold were built in 2000 or later went from 30% of the units sold to 46% of the units sold.

So what can you get for under $225k in the Elmhurst condo market? Located at 136 N Haven is a vintage one bedroom, one bath 828 square foot condo located a short walk from the train listed at $219k. For $215,000 you can get a 1,486 square foot new construction 2 bed, 2 bath condo and it comes with heated garage space located in the Essex Place condos which are located just a stones’ throw from the new Elmhurst Hospital campus at 175 Brush Hill.

For the big spenders who like the biggest and brightest of everything, there are six new construction townhomes located on First Avenue in Elmhurst within walking distance to downtown and the train. Several models with three bedrooms and 3 ½ baths are for sale priced between $565k and $625k. Check out 359 W First to see the most expensive townhome option available in Elmhurst.

Overall Elmhurst Market Conditions

As of September 1, there was about an 18 month supply of condo inventory on the market, which is the lowest it’s been in the last 2 years at this time. The time a condo/townhome stays on the market has remained consistent at about 200 days, though we’re moving into the slow selling season, which should present some buying opportunities as sellers compete for fewer buyers.

2011 has been a tumultuous year for home sellers, and here in Addison, there’s no exception; 57% of the properties sold were distressed sales -that almost a 10% increase over last year at this time. With nearly 60 % of sellers in trouble or already gone, prices are on the decline.

Between 1/1/11 and late August, 106 single family homes and 48 condo/town-homes have sold. At the same time in 2010, there were 127 single family and 38 condo sales. On homes where square footage data is included the average price per square foot on single family homes is $110,  and around $80 on condos. That’s about a 10% decrease in single family and a whopping 50% decrease in last years condos over last year’s average square foot price of around $120 (condos and single family homes)!

The highest priced home to sell this year was $530k. The home was built in 2004, w/over 5900 Sq ft., 5 BR& 3 ½ baths. It was the only home in Addison to sell for over $500k in 2011, but it represents a tremendous value with its location, square footage, and amenities. There were 2 sales in 2010 of homes over $500k. Of the 175 single family homes for sale in Addison, 13 are priced above $500k.With only 3 buyers in this price range in the last year, you can see why it’s tough to sell homes at this price point.

On the other end of the spectrum, the lowest priced unit was a 1 bed/1 bath condo selling at $23,500 when a similar unit sold last year for $49,900. There are a ton of opportunities to own condos at prices far below $100k.  In fact, there are decent single family homes available for around $150k.  There are great new construction options as well at Armitage Pointe where you can have a home built on one of several available lots, or buy one of the builders models.