12 Months on the Market and a $85K Reduction For This 4-Bedroom North Park Victorian: 5227 N. Christiana

This 4-bedroom vintage Victorian single family home at 5227 N. Christiana in North Park has been on the market for a year.

In that time it has been reduced $85,000 to $359,000.

Built in 1911 on a 124.3×37.5 oversized Chicago lot, the house has 1600 square feet.

There’s no garage, but there are two parking spaces (so presumably a garage could be built.)

The listing says there is an updated kitchen and baths.

3 of the 4 bedrooms are on the second floor with a 3 room master suite consisting of a bedroom an office and a full bath.

The house has maple floors and central air along with a full basement.

This property is now listed $30,000 under the 2005 purchase price but is still $109,000 over the 2001 price.

What will this house sell ultimately sell for?

Shai Wolkowicki at Shai Town Realty Group has the listing. See the pictures here.

5227 N. Christiana: 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1600 square feet, 2 parking spaces

  • Sold in April 1989 for $100,000
  • Sold in July 2001 for $250,000
  • Sold in April 2005 for $389,000
  • Originally listed in February 2011 for $444,000
  • Reduced several times
  • Currently listed at $359,000
  • Taxes of $4315
  • Central Air
  • Bedroom #1: 13×12 (second floor)
  • Bedroom #2: 12×12 (second floor)
  • Bedroom #3: 12×10 (second floor)
  • Bedroom #4: 10×10 (main floor)
  • Full basement

 

28 Responses to “12 Months on the Market and a $85K Reduction For This 4-Bedroom North Park Victorian: 5227 N. Christiana”

  1. Updated when?! That kitchen would absolutely need to be replaced, and they didn’t even show the bathrooms.

    I like the house, and the yard. I don’t like that all three 2nd floor bedrooms share the master bath, it’s nice to have a full bathroom for guests but I’d prefer to have another upstairs bathroom.

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  2. It’s a cute house but I have no idea where it is…seems reasonable

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  3. I think that kitchen is perfectly servicable. It isn’t new, but you could definitely live with it at this price.

    I’d love to see a floorplan. Could you combine the office and master bedroom to make it a decent sized room, or is the office considered a bedroom even though it is one room of the “3 room suite” that includes the only upstairs bathroom? (Unless there is no downstairs bath…)

    I don’t know much about prices in this neighborhood but around $300k for 1600 sq. ft. with two full baths doesn’t seem too bad, although someone is more than welcome to find me comparables cheaper. I’m just too lazy to research. 🙂

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  4. “Updated when?! ”

    When they deconverted it? Looks like they took the cabinets from two older kitchens, refinished em and nearly doubled the storage space, while replumbing for the dw, and putting in newer appliances.

    I’d be surprised if the “master suite” actually includes a private bathroom entrance–note that the master suite office appears to double as one of the bedrooms.

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  5. Rather than cabinets from two kitchens, isn’t this just the vintage way of doing 42″ cabinets? I’ve seen many older kitchens with two rows of cabinets. Lately we’ve just merged the two rows into one set of taller cabinets I think.

    “Looks like they took the cabinets from two older kitchens”

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  6. “Rather than cabinets from two kitchens, isn’t this just the vintage way of doing 42? cabinets?”

    Okay, then. we’re back to “updated when?!!?!!#&@(*!??!%$@$?”

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  7. Updated=new appliances within most people’s lifetime?

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  8. I like the kitchen, it works well with the house. This is a nice house with a nice laid back and casual feel.

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  9. from the streetview picture i wonder if you could put in a driveway?

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  10. also a cute house especially if it’s in good shape. Is it the ideal perfect floorplan, no of course not. Houses built in 1911 weren’t designed with Jennifer and Jenny in mind. Just having indoor plumbing was probably a big deal.

    Sounds like you could finish the basement and expand the attic if you really wanted.

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  11. Icarus, from birdseye view, there is a car in the driveway and it doesn’t look like it could make it between the house and the building next door. I bet it is for the building next door anyways. 🙁

    Also, for anyone that doesn’t like this house, you could buy it’s sister property in an “excellent location” and save money!

    http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/5227-S-Christiana-Ave-60632/home/14017951

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  12. Benjamin, you’re looking to the left (north) of the house next to the apartment building. This house has a bump out that would prevent that. I was looking a little south (right) of the house on the street view. It looks like it could be done, just don’t know if the city resists that sort of thing, or if its uber expensive.

    Just seems like a lot of apartment buildings on this street which means guests might have to hunt for parking when they come visit or park a block away!

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  13. “Shai Wolkowicki at Shai Town Realty Group has the listing.”
    Hahahahaha!
    Cute.
    I like it.

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  14. I thought getting new curb cuts were very difficult…but I am far from an expert on this. I may have learned that about Oak Park too instead of the city….I just can’t remember any more.

    Either way, a driveway would be nice!

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  15. “just don’t know if the city resists that sort of thing”

    “I thought getting new curb cuts were very difficult”

    Property has alley access (and no existing curbcut) = nearly impossible (ie, Alderman requires a *large* bribe, from somebody somebody sent).

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  16. hahaha,

    was just at Tre Kronor last week, its a beautiful pocket hood.

    “Just seems like a lot of apartment buildings on this street which means guests might have to hunt for parking when they come visit or park a block away!”

    the hood does have a higher number of apt buildings, but parking is way easy for guests. in fact when i go eat at Tre Kronor on weekdays or weekends i park on the side streets over here.

    oddly very many driveways around here eat into the parking

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  17. anon (tfo) (February 8, 2012, 1:41 pm)
    “just don’t know if the city resists that sort of thing”
    “I thought getting new curb cuts were very difficult”
    Property has alley access (and no existing curbcut) = nearly impossible (ie, Alderman requires a *large* bribe, from somebody somebody sent).

    ———
    Agreed you won’t get a curb cut for a 37.5 Ft Lot these days

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  18. well if its been on the market for 12 mos and only 10% off the 2005 price its over priced.

    Probably looking at high 2’s to get this sold – Im thinking 285K. Also no garage and that F’d up rear porch doesn’t help.

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  19. The house next to it appears to be in poor repair. That would concern me.

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  20. How do ppl feel about the casement vs. double hung windows on a Victorian? I think either works, but the inconsistency (having both types of windows) in this house bothers me.

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  21. Kitchen cabinets look like plywood, constructed in-place and not installed as individual cabinets. This type of cabinet was very popular in 50s. Casement windows in a victorian or farmhouse venacular are architecturally inappropriate. Why consider this house when there are nicer brick North Park bungalows nearby priced much lower and with more potential. Looking at MLS listings for North Park, I think this is overpriced by at least $75,000.

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  22. Well, there’s 5443 Bernard, which is a short sale, smaller lot, and 3 beds/1 bath; and there’s 5256 Bernard, which is 3/2 but with only 2 bedrooms up, and is equally (over?)priced. And a bit more south of Foster. Architect, are there houses in particular you have in mind?

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  23. I’m looking at comp pricing, not to buy today.

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  24. Benjamon9, the comparable property you listed is on South Christiana which is a whole different ballgame.

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  25. I am NOT a fan of the casement windows on the house. They should definitely be double-hung.

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  26. benjamon9 (February 9, 2012, 6:04 pm)
    I am NOT a fan of the casement windows on the house. They should definitely be double-hung.

    I got 2 casements in my crib. They are OK but I prefer Double Hung too

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  27. I saw this property when we were looking for a house and thought it was really cute. My husband thought the living room had a funny shape and was small (and pointed out the lack of a family room), but I liked it. The 4th BR on the main floor could easily be used for a t.v. room/family room. The kitchen is usable but definitely old, with little cabinet space. There is no basement access inside–you have to go outside and down some steps to get in. But, it’s a good sized basement. There are big porches on both levels (with outside stairs connecting them), with a cute porch swing overlooking the great back yard. There would be room to build a little garage, but it might block some sun to the yard. I don’t remember the master bath, but I remember liking the master BR with adjoining office and back deck. House is a bit overpriced, we both agreed. But I fell for its charm regardless.

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  28. I know the current owners of this house. It’s a lovely space, and a lot of work has been done by them, as well as the owners before them. The layout is a bit odd (especially upstairs), but it’s an old house, so it is somewhat to be expected.
    The downsides:
    * Laundry is in the pantry, as you have to go outside to get into the basement.
    * The four upstairs bedrooms (one of which was most recently used as an office) share a full bath.
    * “Full bath” is a loose term, as the tub in that bathroom is half-size (not sure of the exact term). Very cool if you’re into the charm of the era in which the house was built. Not cool if you like to stretch out and take leisurely baths.
    * The fourth bedroom is very small. Okay for a baby’s room or a small office.
    * The full bath on the first floor is right off the kitchen.
    * No garage currently, but there is room to build one.
    The upsides:
    * It OOZES charm.
    * The bathrooms are both in great shape.
    * There’s a den or TV room off the dining room.
    * There would be the possibility of putting an interior stairway to the basement using one of the upstairs closets, allowing someone to put laundry in the basement and open up the pantry more for kitchen storage.
    * The basement is huge. Great for storage.
    * There is also some decent attic storage space.
    * Beautiful hardwood floors
    * Incredibly huge yard (rare for this neighborhood)
    Other notes:
    * Some of the rooms have great closet space; others not so much. But they should balance each other out.
    * The house next door is in good condition. It’s a tan stucco, which doesn’t photograph well, but it’s lived in and take care of by wonderful people.

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