Save gas, take public transportation!

Wherever you choose to go around Chicago, it is as easy as 1-2-3 from Eastgate Village!

With gas prices rising, it’s great to know that at Eastgate Village, you are close to everything! Not only does Chicago have a variety of different ways to get you where you need to be, but it also can save you both time and money.

Want to catch a Bears Game? Hop on Bus 3 at King Dr & 26th Street towards Northwestern Memorial Hospital and get off at Michigan & Roosevelt. Walk the rest of the way until you hit Soldier Field. And it only takes 28 minutes!

Not a sports fan? You are in luck, because there are plenty of other things to see and do! Maybe you are into comedy, and want to catch a show at Second City. Get back on Bus 3 at King Drive & 26th Street, and take it to Michigan & Randolph. Hop on the Brown Line, and take it toward Kimball until you get to Sedgwick. At Sedgwick, hop off and walk to Wells Street and enjoy the show! From Eastgate Village to a show at Second City, in under an hour, and you didn’t even have to search for a parking spot!

Live at Eastgate Village? Don’t know where to vote? Let us help!

Early voting avoids problems that may arise on Election Day.

Are you registered to vote in the upcoming election? Not sure where to cast your vote? Don’t worry if you live at Eastgate Village, we’ve got you covered. We did all the research, so you don’t have to.

Eastgate Village is located in the 2nd Ward and on November 4th your polling place will be held at the Mabel Manning Library at 6 S. Hoyne Avenue. If you are unsure of the exact location, click here for a map.

For those who wish to vote early, now through October 30th, you can go to any voting site in the City of Chicago. Early voting avoids problems that may arise on Election Day. All Chicago early voting sites are 100% accessible and are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Saturday. All you need to bring is a government photo ID. Click here to learn how to cast your ballot.

For more information visit the Chicago Board of Elections Commissioners for the City of Chicago online.

Don’t get stuck in the house this season, look what’s going on near you!

Staying active is healthy for everyone and there are plenty of things to do around Eastgate Village for all ages.

Well, its sad to say that the warm weather won’t be back for a while and finding fun, warm, and worth-while activities always seem harder to find during these colder months.  But we’ve found them for you, so there’s absolutely no reason to sit on the couch waiting for next summer’s arrival.

Whether your nine years old or 90, staying active is healthy for everyone and there are plenty of things to do around Eastgate Village for all ages. Aside from Chicago’s popular attractions the Near South Side has some of its own great places that are a must do and see.

It wouldn’t be Chicago without music, sports or food, check out these events:

Yelloween

A costume party features $50 Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label bottles and $10 flutes, live music, DJs and prizes for best outfits.

When: October 31 : 5:30 p.m. – 2 a.m.
Price: $10
Cuatro
2030 S. Wabash Ave.
Chicago, IL 60616
312-842-8856

10 Facts You Should Know About Today’s Illinois Real Estate Market

We found a great PDF over at the Illinois Association of Realtors web site, outlining 10 important facts you should know about the real estate market in Illinois. Without further delay:

Here are ten reasons why buying and owning a home now is a good idea.

1. There is no such thing as a national real estate market. What happens in Las Vegas…well, as far as the housing market there, yes, it tends to be very different than Illinois. Real estate markets are local, so don’t get too concerned about what’s happening outside of where you are selling (and want to buy). Pay attention to local pricing trends, volume movements and changes in inventories, rather than misleading news headlines about national sales trends.

2. Over the long term, Illinois home values are relatively stable. From 2004 to 2007, the median price of an Illinois home increased 10.3%. In the Chicagoland area, the news is even better — the median price rose 13.9%. Owning a home remains a smart investment over the long term, especially for those who keep their home for six to ten years.

3. Your house is your home, not just a place to make a quick buck. While speculators and investors certainly were present during the recent housing boom, most homebuyers don’t buy their home to flip it. Remember that there’s value in the local community, your neighborhood and the piece of mind of owning your own home — things that are hard to measure, but certainly of value.

Twitter: A Silly Name, But a Great Way to Keep Connected

What’s a Twitter?
If you’re like most online consumers these days, it seems like every time you fire up your Explorer, Firefox or Safari web browser, there’s another oddly-named web site staring you in the face. Or, perhaps you’ve heard your kids talking about “tweeting” to their friends, your younger cohorts at the office giggling about a viral posting being passed around online or you’ve read yet another article lamenting the end of the common telephone call.

Twitter, one of a set of tools calls even more cryptically, microblogging, is fast becoming one of the must-have methods of staying in touch and in the loop online. But what exactly is it, why would you want to use it and what are the benefits?

The Shopping Mall
One of our favorite methods of explaining new online technologies and tools to the common man is to use the shopping mall analogy. In a shopping mall, you’re blitzed with messages coming at you from all sides, at all times and in a variety of ways.

Think of being on the Internet as walking through a shopping mall.

Still with us?