Old Town Renovated 2-Bedroom Vintage Home on the Market Again: 240 W. Willow
We’ve chattered about this 2-bedroom vintage single family home at 240 W. Willow in Old Town several times over the years.
Read our July 2009 chatter here.
Built in 1873 on a 25×100 lot, the home was renovated in 2008.
The kitchen has white cabinets, granite counter tops and Viking appliances.
It used to be listed as a 3-bedroom but now is a 2-bedroom plus library.
The listing says it is “landlocked” so there is no garage or parking.
It also says a local bank appraised the property for $1.1 million and will be willing to finance to a qualified buyer.
What will finally sell this property?
Dana Gerstenschlager at @Properties still has the listing. See the pictures here.
240 W. Willow: 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, no square footage listed
- Originally listed in November 2007 for $1.199 million
- Went off and then back on the market several times
- Reduced in May 2009 to $850,000
- Under contract
- Back on the market
- Was listed again in December 2010 for $999,000
- Reduced
- Currently listed for $899,000
- Taxes are $9334
- Central Air
- No parking
- Bedroom #1: 18×14 (second level)
- Bedroom #2: 15×12 (second level)
- Library: 12×12 (second level)
Who needs garage parking when you have a beautiful back yard? Sorry, but woodchips + 2 trees + concrete pavers + rocks + mismatched fence + grandma’s spindles + neighbor’s window + some phone wires maketh not a beautiful back yard.
Telling that Redfin listed this is a “Nearby Similar Listing” — http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/7515-S-Luella-Ave-60649/home/13922531
HA! no.
I love Old town but this place is at least 300k overpriced, terrible layout, no garage or parking at all, and only 2 usable bedrooms. The rehab is ok but nothing spectacular. next!
Appraised for $1.1 million, but because I like you, I’ll sell it to you for $899!
Appraisals nowadays are worth the paper they are printed on.
I am not sure this place is priced so high. It looks terrible on the exterior and pretty unimpressive inside. I would not even pay 700K for it.
That purple house with 5 or 6BRs that was totally renovated and a 1/2 block away sold for $1.575MM. Why should this sell anywhere near $900,000????
$675,000 – and that’s being generous for the neighborhood (which is stellar).
“It also says a local bank appraised the property for $1.1 million and will be willing to finance to a qualified buyer.”
They left out the part about the appraisal happening in 2006, but otherwise this is completely believable.
Jon, I just looked at your link and laughed, not ‘lol’ but actual, real laughter. You’ve been on a roll lately. keep it up….
“That purple house with 5 or 6BRs that was totally renovated and a 1/2 block away sold for $1.575MM. Why should this sell anywhere near $900,000????”
This has an actual yard and the same amount of parking. Call the lots a wash, if you like, both at $500k (under valuing this one, overvaluing the purple house lot). Then this structure at ask is ~$200 psf, and the purple house was about $235 psf.
Seems about right, assuming this one was reno’d well–which I would question simply on the dryer vent. Anyone who is interested should over-inspect it.
Note the shady open house listings — every Sunday from 6 – 6:15 am — to ensure maximum Redfin search potential.
I love the ‘hood and really wanna like this house but can’t get over the below grade living. I walk by this place regularly and the paint in already peeling badly on the West wall, which, in my mind, raises some questions about the quality of the rehab. But, hey, it’s got Viking appliance so it must be all good.
“I walk by this place regularly and the paint in already peeling badly on the West wall, which, in my mind, raises some questions about the quality of the rehab.”
Anyone have the third strike on the quality of the workmanship?
I don’t know about the quality, but both bathrooms and the kitchen look quite ugly to me and the sad thing is that they are upgraded so one will not get a lower price on the place and then change them to match her/his taste.
Of course this is my personal taste, I am sure some will like it.
um, backdoor sunken into the rear room floor? that’s just lazy
@ anon “Seems about right, assuming this one was reno’d well–which I would question simply on the dryer vent. Anyone who is interested should over-inspect it.”
What is wrong with the dryer vent? Have no clue about that stuff…curious.
Too bad it looks uninhabited. If people lived there I would show up every Sunday at 5:55am for my showing! =)
“Note the shady open house listings — every Sunday from 6 – 6:15 am — to ensure maximum Redfin search potential.”
BLACKLIST!!!
“What is wrong with the dryer vent? Have no clue about that stuff…curious. ”
Flexible ductwork for venting. Lint builds up more rapidly than with rigid (metal) ducts and increases the risk of fire. And it’s against building code (I think) — not that that ever stopped anyone. @ anon, do I win?
p.s. We haven’t seen very many properly vented dryers here.
Location is everything, I suppose.
In the Ravinia neighborhood of Highland Park, where I live, a house this size would not be listed above $350,000. And it would have a good back yard and two-car parking.
Oh well if a local bank appraised it for $1.1MM it must be a steal at 900k…BWHAHAHAHAHA!!
My buddy said I am a 10 on the hotornot.com website. Which means I should at least be an 8…BWHAHAHAHAHA!
“Flexible ductwork for venting. Lint builds up more rapidly than with rigid (metal) ducts and increases the risk of fire. And it’s against building code (I think) — not that that ever stopped anyone. @ anon, do I win?”
Yeah, that’s my objection.
I think (w/o checking) that the flexible line is allowable under certain lengths and (more certain) when not enclosed. Lint build up and fire risk is the big problem, and it’s harder to clean, and then the dryer doesn’t work as well, because the exhaust doesn’t flow smoothly. Also a problem with kitchen and bath exhaust lines–with the volume of air moved decreasing and the noise increasing (yeah, from experience, on both).
Devil’s Advocate: This place has curb appeal. The location is about as good as it gets. There are several houses on this block with curb cuts and a parking pad, so maybe with the right campaign contribution this house could get one too. I’m going to guess (without research, so flame away), that if this sells under $800k it would be the cheapest single family to sell within two blocks in the last 5, maybe ten, years.
To be honest, I used to have a condo in this hood and walked by this place every day when they were remodeling it. I wasn’t in the market at the time, but it always caught my interest. Not because it’s a perfect house, but because it was the only house in the neighborhood I thought I’d ever be able to afford. I’ve since moved on, and I’m glad I didn’t buy it, but I can see the appeal.
“I’m going to guess (without research, so flame away), that if this sells under $800k it would be the cheapest single family to sell within two blocks in the last 5, maybe ten, years.”
Cheapest *renovated* *habitable* SFH, yeah, probably so, or at least darn close, at least for the last 5, even if you expand to the whole, official OTT.
“Cheapest *renovated* *habitable* SFH, yeah, probably so, or at least darn close, at least for the last 5, even if you expand to the whole, official OTT.”
I only said 2 blocks to exclude Fern Ct, which I know has cheaper sales, but which I don’t think should count because it’s basically an alley.
“I only said 2 blocks to exclude Fern Ct, which I know has cheaper sales, but which I don’t think should count because it’s basically an alley.”
Only one under $787,500 (in 2002) per redfin (yeah, imperfect, but easy!) that’s categorized as an SFH, and that one just closed last week–1749 for $660k, which (a) is across from the temple, so much less alley-like, (b) makes a *very* tough comp for this one, and (c) seems like a pretty decent deal, with 1.5 baths being the downside.
“Note the shady open house listings — every Sunday from 6 – 6:15 am — to ensure maximum Redfin search potential.
BLACKLIST!!!”
It’s an hour after the 4a bars close Sat night so I might show up on my mosey home..if just to vomit. But I have a suspicion the vomiting won’t be wholly alcohol induced from touring this place.
just to weigh in on comps in the neighborhood, 1734 Sedgwick (a two flat) just closed at the end of last year at just under 400k.
I don’t understand why everyone loves this neighborhood so much…personally I like parts of the GC, RN and LP better.
^^
anonny likes to go swimming in the South Pond so this location works out very well for him.
“I don’t understand why everyone loves this neighborhood so much…personally I like parts of the GC, RN and LP better.”
Where in the GC or RN can you get a SFH for ~$1 to 1.5mm surrounded by other SFHs (ie, not loomed over by mid/high rises)? I don’t think they are genuinely comparable from that perspective.
Some other parts of LP might be “better”, but that’d be a general feel/personal preference thing, I’d guess.
“Only one under $787,500 (in 2002) per redfin (yeah, imperfect, but easy!) that’s categorized as an SFH, and that one just closed last week–1749 for $660k, which (a) is across from the temple, so much less alley-like, (b) makes a *very* tough comp for this one, and (c) seems like a pretty decent deal, with 1.5 baths being the downside.”
That’s the one I was thinking of. And it’s sold twice in that time period. Someone bought it a few years ago (I think in the low $600’s), did some work (I think I saw them at least remodeling the kitchen and replacing the windows), then just sold it for only slightly more than their orignial purchase price. Hard to compare the two properties. In a lot of ways they are very similar. But the location makes a big difference. $200k difference? I don’t know. But consider that any buyer of the Willow house will only be interested in it for one reason: it’s on Willow.
I would certainly pay a million bucks for some of this house’s neighbors… man, really cool homes on this street, very unique
240 W. Willow 60614
The kitchen and dining room are both in the basement, so where do the front stairs lead into? the master bedroom? from outside. I saw a bathtub like that in a mobilehome somebody had parked on their grandparents summer/lake property, and from the picture looks like the shower is a foot off the floor. Do you get on your hands and knees or just sit on the floor to get anything out of that microwave? Really? Is that the best they could do in that kitchen? No mirror in the powderoom, but at least that floor somewhat matches the sink, the full baths not so much. Picture eleven looks like stairs go right up into a wall. Backyard? haHaHA Yuk. That walkin closet looks like childheight, maybe a leprichan who lost his pot of gold lived there.
“and from the picture looks like the shower is a foot off the floor.”
That’s the bench, with space for a steam generator.
“Do you get on your hands and knees or just sit on the floor to get anything out of that microwave?”
This is pretty common in current kitchen design. What you use your micro for, anyway? Popcorn, melting butter, warming a beverage, the occasional defrost, right? Are you 12 feet tall, so it’s hard to reach something at normal-person knee-level?
Anon – you must be a man, right? We ladies have mastered the art of using the microwave for lots of cookery, with the exception of meat.
“Anon – you must be a man, right? We ladies have mastered the art of using the microwave for lots of cookery, with the exception of meat.”
I am a highly trained, eunuch chimp, so interpret that how you will.
And sure, vegetables, too, but they’re never actually *hot*, as the micro only excites the molecules in limited planes, rather than omni-directionally like other cooking methods. So if I don’t mind my food tepid, sure.
mirco is awesome when you are rocking all 4 burners and want to knock out some frozen veggies.
and how do you warm up the kids nuggets or hotdogs?
“mirco is awesome when you are rocking all 4 burners and want to knock out some frozen veggies.”
Better is the electric kettle plus 5 minutes in the 200 deg water. Then they’re actually hot.
“and how do you warm up the kids nuggets or hotdogs?”
toaster oven or boiled water. Then they are actually cooked/hot.
“Better is the electric kettle plus 5 minutes in the 200 deg water. Then they’re actually hot.”
will forward this idea to wifey for a trial. i assumed 5 minutes covered correct?
“toaster oven or boiled water. Then they are actually cooked/hot.”
i do boiled when doing more than on dog, but 20 seconds in the mirco if mr picky only wants one and i am not down for a dog.
we have a small kitchen so no toaster oven because of no counter space.
also there has to be more reasons than “but they’re never actually *hot*, as the micro only excites the molecules in limited planes” for you to know so many other routes to avoid the micro?
“i assumed 5 minutes covered correct?”
plus or minus depending on what veg we’re talking about. but easy enough to check, as it’s sitting in a bowl.
“also there has to be more reasons than “but they’re never actually *hot*, as the micro only excites the molecules in limited planes” for you to know so many other routes to avoid the micro?”
Nope. I’ll sometime pre-warm things in the micro then finish reheating on stovetop or oven. Speeds cooking time, but I like my warm food to be genuinely warm.
cool its a personal preference thang, was worried you were going to link some medical studies or something 🙂
since wife cooks 4-5 days a week there are always leftovers and i dont mind cold and emergancyroom hot in one container so mirco is my bet.
though i still wonder about the BPA thing with tupperware and mirco’s
but back to the original point, having a microwave in that spot for us is better than using counter top space or above counter top cabinet space.
back in my rental days i put mine above the fridge.
This is an old post but just thought I would add a comment. I went to an open house here (which was not at 6am, thank God). The house has now been dropped to 850K and I wanted to know what the deal was. The finishes are very nice, and in my opinion the location is stellar, but the layout is totally screwed up. Someone should be fired. The realtor claims they went around and around as to whether to put the bedrooms upstairs or down, and that they eventually decided to put them upstairs, but allegedly were not aware that the front door and steps had to be reattached to the house for historic reasons.
So as someone guessed, the front door leads directly into one of the bedrooms (not the master but another bedroom, which would have otherwise been a nice third bedroom with a big closet but can’t really be called that now, since you can’t exactly put your little kid in a room containing the front door to your home). Not to mention the fact that even if you could turn that into some sort of reasonable entry, after you walk through said bedroom, you are in the upstairs part of the house. To make the house usable at all, you will need to always enter through a door at ground level, which is under your main staircase and obviously detracts from the experience of entering the home. You would also have to explain to everyone that ever comes to your house that they need to use that door and not the main staircase, which is more than a little awkward. Plus, worst of all, your entire main living level is halfway under ground, and there is very little natural light downstairs because the structures to the left and right are so much taller than this house. The back yard is cute but of course you have to go up about 5 or 6 stairs from your kitchen to even get there. I know nothing about architecture, but I nevertheless give this an F.
But for the horrible goof, the house would be cute. The exterior is nice and the kitchen is much better than it looks. Really nice windows and doors and ample closet space. There’s a skylight in the master bath. They apparently owe a lot of money on this house and I seriously doubt they are going to get it.
“The realtor claims they went around and around as to whether to put the bedrooms upstairs or down, and that they eventually decided to put them upstairs, but allegedly were not aware that the front door and steps had to be reattached to the house for historic reasons. ”
+
“They apparently owe a lot of money on this house and I seriously doubt they are going to get it.”
=
developer fail.
How can someone buy a property in the OTT and be “not aware” that the exteriors need to remain (essentially) the same.
Mari:
If you could re-imagine it, if they had put 3 BRs (and 2 baths) downstairs, would it be an appealing property, or would it feel too much like sleeping in the basement?
I think so, yes. If they had put the bedrooms downstairs, I don’t think the house would be sitting at this price range. It’s a great location and the facade is very cute. I don’t think you can find comparable space in this area anywhere near this price range, but I’m sure other CC’ers know much more about this than I do. I think there was one house on Fern Court that went under contract recently for under 750K but it only had one bathroom so I don’t know if that really counts.
Even though the downstairs level is halfway underground, there are plenty of windows. I would sleep halfway in the basement any day to have a move-in-ready, completely rehabbed, detached SFH in this area in this price range (if I could afford it) and I think other people would too. It would still be a little awkward having to go up so many stairs to get into your home and having your backyard off a bedroom, but it’s much more workable and reasonable than the way it is now. Also, I think this would put the fireplace in one of the bedrooms. Anyway, the upstairs has enough light for a nice living area and kitchen, and I personally don’t care if the bedrooms are a little dark, as long as they have windows. This unforgivable goof is the reason the house is not selling. Will be interesting to see what happens.
Its not a SFH and I have not been in either place, but as much as
I like Willow…for this price point…I’d might go for
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/1717-N-Crilly-Ct-60614/unit-3/home/26810275
This house is now under contract. Last list price was 850.
Interesting. I wonder what it will sell for.