4-Bedroom Lincoln Park Duplex Down Reduces Another $76K: 2629 N. Southport

We’ve chattered about this 4-bedroom duplex down at 2629 N. Southport in Lincoln Park several times in the past several months.

2629-n-southport-approved.jpg

See our March 2011 chatter here.

It is a short sale and has now been reduced $270,000 since its original listing in 2009.

The unit is also now listed $40,000 under the 2005 purchase price.

If you’ll recall, at 2800 square feet the unit is larger than many single family homes.

It has 2 bedrooms on the main floor and 2 are in the lower level.

The kitchen has cherry cabinets, and Dacor and Bosch stainless steel appliances along with granite counter tops.

The master bathroom is marble and the shower has body sprays.

Previously, at least one of you thought this wouldn’t sell until it was around $600k (it was then listed at $675,000).

Is this now finally priced to sell?

Nancy Finley at Keller Williams Lincoln Park still has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #1: 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, 2800 square feet, 1 car garage parking

  • Sold in January 2005 for $639,000
  • Sold in November 2005 for $704,000
  • Originally listed in September 2009 for $869,000
  • Reduced several times
  • Was listed in February 2011 for $799,900
  • Reduced
  • Was listed in March 2011 as a “short sale” for $675,000
  • Reduced
  • Currently listed for $599,000
  • Assessments of $239 a month
  • Taxes of $8983
  • Central Air
  • Washer/Dryer in the unit
  • Bedroom #1: 17×13 (main level)
  • Bedroom #2: 10×10 (main level)
  • Bedroom #3: 17×12 (lower level)
  • Bedroom #4: 12×12 (lower level)
  • Family room: 28×17 (lower level)

54 Responses to “4-Bedroom Lincoln Park Duplex Down Reduces Another $76K: 2629 N. Southport”

  1. Can anyone comment on how bad or good Mayer Elemantary is?

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  2. *elementary* HA!

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  3. I kinda like this place at the price point its at now, first thing I would do is replace the carpet in the living room with some good lookin hardwood floors

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  4. “Can anyone comment on how bad or good Mayer Elemantary is?”

    Mixed reviews at this point. Mostly positive stuff about the Montessori program.

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  5. Doesn’t sound good enough. It’s a shame. So much more for the money west of Halsted.

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  6. “Doesn’t sound good enough. It’s a shame. So much more for the money west of Halsted.”

    hence the popularity of the British School, which i am still to lazy to get info about.

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  7. “hence the popularity of the British School, which i am still to lazy to get info about.”

    It’s pretty much the same cost as Parker/Latin for elementary, then is slightly less than those schools for high school. The students wear uniforms. I’m not sure that there’s been a graduating class yet.

    The couple of people I know with kids at British seem pretty happy about it.

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  8. 23,000 a year. Forget that. That would pay for Private High School, College, and the cliche 4 months in Europe.

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  9. not too many private colleges these days…

    “23,000 a year. Forget that. That would pay for Private High School, College, and the cliche 4 months in Europe.”

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  10. That is a big plus to me as they don’t waste time trying to look good for school. Not as much of problem with younger kids of course.

    “The students wear uniforms.”

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  11. 9*23K= 207,000. Plus some reasonable returns should get you closer to 250,000. You’d have to have some very high earners to pull off the cost of both the savings and the private school. Plus there are the summers. I’d rather save the money and supplement the education annually over the summer. Plus I think those high cost private elementary schools are just too insular, but I wouldn’t send JR> into a cluster-**ck either. Tough!

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  12. “It’s pretty much the same cost as Parker/Latin for elementary, then is slightly less than those schools for high school. The students wear uniforms. I’m not sure that there’s been a graduating class yet.”

    1. But *no* fundraising pressure/obligation.
    2. There have been graduating classes since 2005.

    “not too many private colleges these days…”

    Where’s the private, accredited, four-year institution that has *tuition* of merely $23k, nevermind total cost of attendance, and is actually someplace that you would like to send your kid(s)?

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  13. “1. But *no* fundraising pressure/obligation.”

    Other than the $2,000 “new student fee.”

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  14. Anon, I am talking the cost of 9 years private education compared to saving the money for Private High School and College. I think 250K plus the 23K annual should cover it.

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  15. “Anon, I am talking the cost of 9 years private education compared to saving the money for Private High School and College. I think 250K plus the 23K annual should cover it.”

    Yeah, didn’t catch that the first time.

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  16. gringozecarioca on May 3rd, 2011 at 2:05 pm

    “I am talking the cost of 9 years private education”

    And the’re not even going to call you when they get older…. 🙂

    Dan.. most drivers/pilots are tiny. Massa is 5’4″, Schumacher and Hamilton are 5’8″. Those teams spend small fortunes shaving fractions of seconds. Every pound, I guess counts.

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  17. OK for all you obessed with education chew on this:

    http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704132204576285471510530398.html#articleTabs%3Darticle

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  18. “I’d rather save the money and supplement the education annually over the summer. Plus I think those high cost private elementary schools are just too insular, but I wouldn’t send JR> into a cluster-**ck either. Tough!”

    As we all know, it’s all about high school (I realize that assertion reflects the bias of my living in the Lincoln elem attendance area, but you can worry about your elementary school options from the comfort of your home that is most likely larger and nicer than mine!). And the top few private K -12 schools know it, which is why it becomes increasingly difficult to get admitted to such schools the closer the kid gets to high school. I almost wish that I could start paying one of those schools about $10k/year while my kid remains in Lincoln elem, in exchange for guaranteed admission in high school.

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  19. “Anon, I am talking the cost of 9 years private education compared to saving the money for Private High School and College. I think 250K plus the 23K annual should cover it.”

    Please see my previous post. But perhaps $250k would cover private high school (i.e., $100k for the tuition, and a $150k gift to the school to let your kid in as a high school applicant).

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  20. OK for all you obe$$ed with education chew on this:

    Product Description
    “We’ve needlessly turned parenting into an unpleasant chore. Parents invest more time and money in their kids than ever, but the shocking lesson of twin and adoption research is that upbringing is much less important than genetics in the long run. These revelations have surprising implications for how we parent and how we spend time with our kids. The big lesson: Mold your kids less and enjoy your life more. Your kids will still turn out fine.”

    http://www.amazon.com/Selfish-Reasons-Have-More-Kids/dp/046501867X/

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  21. gringozecarioca on May 3rd, 2011 at 2:13 pm

    “I almost wish that I could start paying one of those schools about $10k/year while my kid remains in Lincoln elem, in exchange for guaranteed admission in high school.”

    That’s actually a great f’n idea!

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  22. “and a $150k gift to the school to let your kid in as a high school applicant”–Is it really that bad???

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  23. “And the top few private K -12 schools know it, which is why it becomes increasingly difficult to get admitted to such schools the closer the kid gets to high school.”

    According to Parker’s own admissions FAQs, it’s 54 pre-K spots, “up to” 15 at 6th grade and 15-20 at 9th.

    Latin has about 62 Pre-K spots, adds about 10 at 6th and about 35 for HS.

    Lab says *specifically*: “Nursery 3 and Grade 9, typically, are the best points of entry into Lab. Nursery 4, Kindergarten, Grades 1 – 7 and Grades 10 – 11 will have openings only through attrition. Special circumstances determine the consideration of applications to Grade 8 and Grade 12. ”

    So, really, your best chances are (1) paying for 14 (or 15 at Lab) years or (2) jumping in at HS.

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  24. I guess it is silly to think “I am a paying customer, everything else should be fine” Good thing he is only 4. Bad thing is I hate the Suburbs(and have lived there to prove it).

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  25. British School is for profit and owned by a private equity firm. Make sure you check those debt covenant calcs — you wouldn’t want your child getting assigned for the benefit of the creditors, or article IX foreclosed upon. Sorry, just a deal wonk joke.

    I still get a kick out of the level insecurity city parents show about schools. It makes the case for why Chicago is a bad bargain for families.

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  26. Interestingly, neither Latin nor Parker show up on the G20 K-12 schools.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G20_Schools

    There are some very good schools on the U.S. portion of the list. I’d pretty much support the view that those are the top private schools in the U.S… Not a surprise that only the coasts are represented.

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  27. On second though, I think St. Marks and Hockaday get sort of screwed not being on there, but maybe you need to be co-ed.

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  28. 500k sells it. Mayer is now a very good school – people are moving into the district for it.

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  29. OM elementary is improving, largely thanks to implementation of a middle years IB program and a free Montessori daycare. They are adding one year more of Montessori every year. Seems like the goal is to lure LP parents with babies to the daycare in the hopes that they will keep their kids in and thereby improve the school. Potential is looking good but it’s not there yet. For those who are concerned about high standards for education, this is still considered a private school zone for now.

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  30. “500k sells it. Mayer is now a very good school – people are moving into the district for it.”

    What northside elementary do people not say this about? Every school that isn’t a magnet or isn’t Bell, Blaine or Burley on the northside is #1 with a bullet right?

    Check the statistics. Mayer is average at best, maybe worse than average.

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  31. “What northside elementary do people not say this about?”

    Haven’t heard anyone say it about Jahn, yet. But, yeah, pretty much every other elem from Grand to Foster, the river to the lake has that said about it by someone.

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  32. ‘I still get a kick out of the level insecurity city parents show about schools. It makes the case for why Chicago is a bad bargain for families.’

    I get a kick JMM at parents who *think* that a private school equals a smarter child. Observing my friend’s kids, nieces/nephews, and neighborhood kids, grow into their 20’s, has been a lesson on years of money spent… poorly in most cases. What I’ve witnessed from birth to adulthood: the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Certainly nobody wants their kids in a gang/drug infested environment, but to think that the difference between say OM and a private school is the difference between ‘welcome to Burger King, how may I help’ and ‘ladies and gentleman, the President of the….’ is pure arrogance. The folks at Parker, Latin, British, etc., would love to have you think otherwise, in the same way the folks at The East Back Club would love you to think a ripped body is only a membership away. Good parenting (and genetics) = smart kids.

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  33. gringozecarioca on May 3rd, 2011 at 7:36 pm

    “Good parenting (and genetics) = smart kids.”

    If I grew up in Ampipe, PA I bet I wouldn’t have even graduated High School.

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  34. Still 100K too high.

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  35. “G20 K-12 schools”

    I don’t follow UK very closely but do places like westminster and st paul’s not belong on there ahead of some others if this is supposed to be a top schools listing (not sure that it is)?

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  36. “British School is for profit and owned by a private equity firm.”

    that’s an absolutely fascinating tibdit JMM. I guess you can slap an English name (Sussex, Belgravia, etc.) on anything in an attempt to create an image of pedigreed credibility. Like they say sex sells, just name your company off some town in England or Scotland. I’m going to have a field day researching and pulling back the layers of onion on this one. I expect to find something like the case of Ralph Lauren, who’s real name is Ralph Lipshutz.

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  37. I don’t think British School’s intention was to just convey pedigree Dan, I believe it’s a style of teaching/learning, in the same way Montessori and Parker are.

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  38. gringozecarioca on May 3rd, 2011 at 8:04 pm

    “I expect to find something like the case of Ralph Lauren, who’s real name is Ralph Lipshutz.”

    Yep, now the arbiter of good taste… you should see the store on 72nd and Madison…. My dad tells me he used to sell ties on the street in the schmata district. Great story.

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  39. “Yep, now the arbiter of good taste”

    He’s still copying and mimicking good taste, not being an arbiter.

    I thought the British school was somehow connected with the official government/consul’s office, like the Lycée Français purports to be (that too probably needs a good background study to see if there’s BS).

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  40. Dan you must not be english. My mother’s maiden name is english and can be traced back hundreds of years in this country. Once upon a time, the brits were considered the very definition of culture and civilization. Their empire spanned 1/4 of the earth, London was the capital of the world and english, long before american television, was the lingua franca. Even today among americans, all things brit

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  41. “What northside elementary do people not say this about? Every school that isn’t a magnet or isn’t Bell, Blaine or Burley on the northside is #1 with a bullet right?”

    JMM- maybe they have to say this because they are stuck living there due to the housing bust. I’m just saying. Not everyone with cribs in the second bedroom is going to be able to sell (or will want to walk away in a short sale/foreclosure.) So they have to make the best of the situation (and most won’t be able to afford private school either.)

    Maybe it will improve some of the schools.

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  42. gringozecarioca on May 3rd, 2011 at 8:39 pm

    “He’s still copying and mimicking good taste, not being an arbiter.”

    5 Billion a yr in revenue and first picking up steam globally… call it what you want.

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  43. “He’s still copying and mimicking good taste, not being an arbiter.”

    The thing about Americans copying English ‘good taste’ and the upper class lifestyles is that in the UK they’re both rather tattered, and nowhere near as polished and pristine like the RL imitations.

    I once asked the wealthy north shore party hostess why she didn’t have any antiques in her parvenu house. She said old pieces reminded her of where she came from, not where she’s at. You’d never hear that from an old American wasp, nor the old British guard.

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  44. gringozecarioca on May 3rd, 2011 at 9:20 pm

    Ze: “No, you keep insisting that the market is more volatile than it ever was before, that there has been a structural/fundamental change to daily price movements”

    Chuk: And it’s true.

    I thought I asked in a way that would be hard to leave much room for doubt as to interpretation.

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  45. gringozecarioca on May 3rd, 2011 at 9:22 pm

    sorry about the location on that one..

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  46. “I thought I asked in a way that would be hard to leave much room for doubt as to interpretation.”

    You seem to be confused between “daily price movements” and “one days price movement”.

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  47. gringozecarioca on May 3rd, 2011 at 9:45 pm

    “You seem to be confused between “daily price movements” and “one days price movement”.”

    Said like that, yes, I am confused. I thought what’s discussed as volatility was calculated by daily price change.

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  48. Wow Dan there is something I agree with you on. RL is a sad excuse of a designer. I don’t his designs at all but it is because they are not exciting not because of dude’s last name.

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  49. Well, you can certainly have price volatility present within a day that is not captured by end-of-day changes. Not sure if that movement would be more accurately described as “daily” vs “one day’s” but it is in interesting linguistic question.

    “#
    gringozecarioca on May 3rd, 2011 at 9:45 pm

    “You seem to be confused between “daily price movements” and “one days price movement”.”

    Said like that, yes, I am confused. I thought what’s discussed as volatility was calculated by daily price change.

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  50. an

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  51. gringozecarioca on May 4th, 2011 at 8:58 am

    roma… 2 specifically different things. Both have a purpose to know but one is a common usage term and the other refers to something no one is talking about unless they specifically say so. What you would be suggesting is an increase in amplitudes with a decrease in wave length while underlying volatility remains constant- makes about as much sense as a wookie living on endor. Both would *almost* always have to increase cause you are increasing vol in one place. Now back to driving!

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  52. $600K is a good place for offers to start coming in. Thats a lot of space for the $$$. I’d pay $475-500k, which means someone out there will probably pay $550K.

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  53. ze,

    i was following the principle of interpretive charity in parsing this:

    >

    obviously, it raises the question of a distinction between technical, field-specific vocabulary and a more general, or more unorthodox, one (in this case, regarding the term ‘volatility’). that’s why i said it’s an interesting *linguistic* question.

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  54. missing quote:

    “You seem to be confused between “daily price movements” and “one days price movement”

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