Despite a slow start, 2014 is proving to be an eventful year for housing. Here at @properties, we’ve been keeping a close watch on local market conditions, and all signs point to a very busy second half of the year. Let’s take a closer look at some first half highlights and what to expect this summer and fall:

At @properties, innovation has long been the key to our success. That’s why we’re teaming up with Chicago-based PointDrive, an innovative sales application that allows our agents to create and share custom presentations without email attachments. Read more about the new partnership here.

Crain’s Chicago Business reporter Dennis Rodkin writes that Old Irving Park is emerging as a “new hot spot for homebuilders” as residential construction and renovation activity picks up steam in the neighborhood. Rodkin reports that at least a dozen homes are under construction or in the process of being rehabbed in the area, including the home of Ted Squires and Ranya Verson. Squires and Verson’s broker, @properties’ own Derek Disera, weighs in on the flurry of activity he’s seeing in the area. Click here to read the article.

Skokie Mayor and Streetscape Development will break ground on new neo-traditional community on Friday, June 27

Streetscape Development and Skokie Mayor George Van Dusen will host a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, June 27 for Floral Avenue, a new breed of American housing that is part of the continuing revitalization of the village’s downtown.

Floral Avenue will include 20 new single family homes, starting at $465,000. All homes will feature StreetScape’s nationally acclaimed vision for new urbanism and will be engineered for energy efficiency and comfort.

In the real estate business, time is money. That’s why @properties keeps a close eye on two important performance measures: Days on Market (DOM) and Selling-Price-to-Original-Listing-Price ratio (SP/OLP).

DOM is the market time between a home’s listing date and the day it goes under contract, while SP/OLP is the percentage of the original asking price (i.e. prior to any price reductions) at which the home sold.

@properties ranks #1 among the top brokerage firms in Chicagoland in both of these categories.

Entrepreneurs are, of necessity, visionaries. You see opportunities where others see difficulty (or nothing at all), and your eyes are always open for the next innovation or investment.

So what if there was an investment you could make that would pay dividends while you owned it, and then provide a capital gain if you decided to sell it? What if that same investment provided huge tax deductions? What if you could increase your estate while someone else pays off the mortgage?

There are a lot of benefits to investing in real estate. Like all investments, there are risks involved, but if you know what you’re getting into ahead of time, you can make a profitable decision.

@properties, the largest independent real estate brokerage firm in Illinois, has been named to Crain’s Chicago Business annual Fast Fifty list of the fastest-growing companies in Chicago. This is the third time @properties has made the list. The firm first appeared on the list in 2007, ranking fifth. The following year, they were No. 24.

@properties made the 2014 list at No. 49, based on five-year revenue growth of 172 percent. The firm had the 12th highest revenue among the Fast Fifty and was the only residential or commercial real estate brokerage firm on the list.

Logan Square has a ton of great spots to grab a drink and/or a bite to eat. Whether you’re looking for a cocktail bar, brunch spot, pie shop, or microbrewery, look no farther than this list for Logan Square’s neighborhood favorites!

Technology company Uber is changing the way @properties brokers and clients do business with the help of its innovative mobile app.

@properties and The Lyric Opera recently hosted a cocktail gathering to celebrate The Sound of Music, starring actor Billy Zane. More than 100 guests attended the event, which was held in the White Room at 850 Lake Shore Drive. Check out Michigan Avenue for photos and details.