Just because the Taste of Chicago and July 4th weekend have come and gone, it doesn’t mean the partying has stopped. These amazing events this weekend are sure to fulfill your desire for entertainment.

If the thought of standing more than 1,000 feet above the world with nothing but three layers of half-inch thick glass separating you from gravity makes you a little loopy, then The Ledge may not be for you. It’s on the 103rd floor of the Sears Tower, and it’s made for thrillseekers, both tourist and Chicagoan.

The designers of The Ledge at the Sears Tower Skydeck say the new attraction is also made for non-thrillseekers who are looking for a great story to tell friends about or even for people who want to overcome a fear. It’s pretty apparent from the above photograph that if you have a fear of heights, your legs might be shaking as you step onto The Ledge. But according to the Sun-Times, that fear is negated by fantastic engineering. From the Sun-Times:

“The best engineering minds at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP, the tower’s original architects, designed the Ledge…each one is designed to hold 5 tons, about the weight of three Toyota Camrys, while the city code required only a 2-ton limit.”

In a nutshell, each retractable Skydeck bay is equipped to hold fifty 200-pound people. It costs around $15 to visit The Ledge, but it seems the experience is well worth it. To read the full Sun-Times article, click here.

1555 Wabash has beautiful condominiums available in the heart of Chicago, making it easy for you to see what you want to see, be it the Museum Campus, Michigan Avenue, or The Ledge. Click here to request more information or to schedule a showing with New West Realty!

On the heels of the news that Eastgate Village, New West Realty’s classic neighborhood in the near South Loop, got Federal Housing Administration approval comes the news that 1555 Wabash has done the same thing. The striking condos with lake and city views recently received FHA approval, and closings on condominiums at 1555 Wabash will begin shortly.

Don’t miss this opportunity to live in a home with the lake and city views that you’ve always wanted! To request more information about New West Realty or to make an appointment for a 1555 Wabash showing, simply click here! And finally, click here for some background information on the Federal Housing Administration and to find out why exactly it’s so important to both lenders and homeowners.

Click here for the full article from msn.com

In some welcome news on Tuesday, the Commerce Department reported a surge in new U.S. housing starts and permits for the month of May. For three straight months new housing has increased steadily, indicating that the housing market could turn around if the trend continues.

The best news from the Commerce Department could be the increase in single family starts, which had its biggest monthly increase since January of 2006, just about 40 months ago. This news obviously shows that families are finally starting to spend wisely and without fear once more, which is exactly what’s needed to turn a recession around.

Now is a great time to take the first step toward owning your own home, and with FHA financing on its way, 1555 Wabash is the perfect place for you to start your new life as a homeowner. Click here to make an appointment or to request more information from New West Realty and 1555 Wabash.

Chicagoan rapper Lupe Fiasco is rewarding his hometown fans with a free show exactly two weeks from today. The concert will be taking place at Grant Park on Friday, June 26th at 5:30 pm. If you want a great view, you can upgrade to the “reserved viewing” area for a reasonable price.

Click here for all the event details on Metromix, and below is a video of a live Lupe Fiasco performance to tide you over until the 26th. This is a great start to your weekend if you’re anywhere near the South Loop, so don’t miss it!