Laurie Christofano - Realtor, RE/MAX in the Village

09/22/2026

This is the reality for many blocks in the city too. What ideas do you have to help shift things forward?

Here are just some of the examples of the obstacles I’ve encountered recently.

The property owner who can't afford to renovate but has no interest in selling.

The property owner who can afford renovations but doesn't feel like the hassle.

The property owner holding onto a blighted building out of spite.

The out of state owner who just doesn't care.

All the incentives in the world won't motivate certain owners. And while they sit on their hands, every other property owner downtown suffers for it.

A handful of bad actors can hold an entire downtown hostage.

09/06/2026

Stroll through this vintage condo Open House til 1pm today on your way to experience the new Blackberry Market in Oak Park Arts District today ☕️🤌

09/03/2026

Vintage. High first floor. Sunroom. In-unit laundry. And somehow… parking for TWO cars. 👀 Coming soon in the Oak Park Arts District ✨ This is a good one 😉

09/03/2026

Envisioning this for your family’s future? Do the math and see if it pencils out for your situation here: https://www.oprfhomesforsale.com/multigenerational-home-planner/

08/09/2026

GREAT RATE. WRONG HOUSE? 👀

If you bought or refinanced around 3%, I know the conversation happening in your head.

“I’d love to move, but have you SEEN my mortgage rate?”

Yep. 😂

But comparing 3% vs. today’s rate doesn’t actually tell you whether moving makes sense.

Your equity matters.

So does the amount you’d need to borrow next.

And your taxes. Insurance. Maintenance. HOA. Repairs. Utilities.

And, perhaps most importantly, what would you actually gain by moving?

Fewer stairs?
Less maintenance?
A smaller house?
Chicago condo life?
Closer to family?
A different neighborhood?
Freedom from the 100-year-old house that would like another $8,000 please? 🙃

So I built the 3% Mortgage Escape Plan to let Chicagoland homeowners compare the actual scenarios:

🏠 Sell + Buy
✨ Downsize
🔑 Keep + Rent
🛠️ Stay + Renovate

No email required. No “free home valuation” bait-and-switch.

Just plug in your numbers and see what happens.

🔗 Try the 3% Mortgage Escape Plan⁠

Maybe you’re stuck.

Maybe you’re not.

08/06/2026

It’s a good time to sell 🤙📲

07/29/2026

BERWYNNING!

You're invited! The Bungalows and More Tour is Sunday September 27th!

Join the BHS and step inside 5+ private homes for an exclusive look inside Berwyn's vibrant tapestry of architecture and history. We are excited for this curated tour to explore living history and see how these historical structures have been preserved and adapted for modern life. Tickets on-sale now at https://berwynhistoricalsociety.org/bungalows-and-more/

07/23/2026

The planting plan is a starting point. The garden gets a vote. 🌿

Mid-install nursery run because once we started laying everything out, we could see exactly where the design needed more rhythm, repetition and layers.

So naturally, I returned with the car looking like this.

This is one of my favorite parts of designing gardens with Julia Mammoser in real life: responding to the actual space as it comes together. A little more grass here. A repeated plant there. Something airy to knit two bigger moments together.

Design, plant, stand back, squint, buy more plants. Repeat. 😂

07/21/2026

07/11/2026

BEFORE | Think your front yard is too small to make a big impact?

A small front yard can still do big things.
For your home. For your neighborhood. And for the wildlife that lives here, too.

We replaced rapidly growing shrubs + underused lawn with layered planting designed to soften the architecture, add movement, and make every square foot work harder.

Evergreens create structure.
Grasses add movement.
Flowers bring color, texture, pollinators, and life.

And this is just the beginning. Next up: the parkway. 🌿

Because even the smallest Chicago lots have room to become greener, more beautiful, more alive, and more supportive of the birds, squirrels, pollinators, and other wildlife that share our neighborhoods.

We have a few installation spots remaining for late summer + fall 2026, and we’re now pre-booking Spring 2027.

Ready to rethink your little patch of Chicago?

Let’s grow something good.

Spoke Pockette Gardens
spokepockettefarm.com
Julia Mammoser