Looking For a Painted Lady? Try The Oldest House in West Lincoln Park: 2029 N. Seminary
Mrs. O’Leary’s cow didn’t burn down this 4-bedroom Victorian at 2029 N. Seminary in Lincoln Park.
Built in 1861 on a 25×124 lot, the house pre-dates the Chicago fire (making it among the oldest houses we’ve ever chattered about) and the oldest in West Lincoln Park.
The listing says it was originally a farmhouse.
With 3 fireplaces it still has its antique mantles and leaded glass.
It also has the modern amenities of central air and a 2-car garage.
The extensive listing says it was last renovated in 1992 (when it also last sold.)
The kitchen has white cabinets and black appliances.
The house has been on the market 20 months and has been reduced $174,100 in that time.
On the listing page on Coldwell Banker, it says this property has been viewed 2,690 times (and that’s before all you chatterers took a look.)
Clearly it’s garnered publicity in the past.
What kind of price will it take to finally get this property sold in today’s market?
Jennifer Ames at Coldwell Banker has the listing. See the pictures and floorplan here.
2029 N. Seminary: 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, no square footage listed, 2 car garage
- Sold in May 1992 for $560,000
- Originally listed in June 2010 for $1,749,000
- Reduced
- Currently listed at $1,574,900
- Taxes of $16573
- Central Air
- Bedroom #1: 15×19 (second floor)
- Bedroom #2: 15×12 (second floor)
- Bedroom #3: 11×11 (second floor)
- Bedroom #4: 13×15 (lower level)
- Recreation Room: 19×14 (lower level)
Kudos to the RE agent for not photographing the front to make it appear that this property included the vacant lot next door.
I think the place is great. I love the layout and the whole vibe. Obviously it is overpriced given the time on the market, and too bad it isn’t on a wide lot to give is some space. But I like it.
2 thing that on face value worry me;
1. its an old frame house, so the structure needs a fine tooth comb look over
2. the lot next door owned by the other house, is it possible it would be sold and turned into a lot line to lot line mcmansion
the rest gets a groove’s two thumbs up, price is high for location and/or updates needed but groove would happily pay 1.5 mil for this place (if above bullet notes are up and up), so can groove borrow 1.3mil from someone
nothing screams low maintenance like “oldest house in west lincoln park”!!!! are….you…..kidding…me?!!
I was all set to get my checkbook out until I looked at the pictures. They painted/replaced the wood trim throughout. 🙁
I like the kitchen/family room vibe of this place too. Were it located at least 7 blocks farther east (ideally more like 12 or 14 blocks farther east), I wouldn’t be troubled by the house’s age (subject to serious inspection) or the fact that a McMansion could be built right next door.
if this is West Lincoln Park, what are you calling the millionaire’s row on the 2700 block of N. Paulina?
“Were it located at least 7 blocks farther east (ideally more like 12 or 14 blocks farther east)”
Even using the “crossing a street = a block” convention, 14 blocks puts this place *in* the park.
nothing about this place screams million and a half bucks, and since when is “oldest house” a good thing? This isn’t the east coast, nobody cares about some house built in the middle of nowhere before the Civil War
“if this is West Lincoln Park, what are you calling the millionaire’s row on the 2700 block of N. Paulina?”
Isn’t that where “Park Ridge” is? I’ve never quite been able to figure that out.
Serious answer: That’s East Costco.
You can see the home’s exterior and learn some of its history beginning at 3:30 in this video, first of a two-part walk down the block:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp2SGGewZQg
Beautiful, historic house in perfect condition, with most of the vintage trim intact. Love the fireplace in the kitchen and love the architecture.
Very few houses this old left in the Midwest. But they are usually jewels when you can find them. The architecture is usually beautiful and classic, with clean lines and a lot of symettry.
I wonder if this house has been thoroughly winterized. Probably not.
Seems priced right and the taxes are in line with the price.
Dennis “top schools” Rodkin did a video for this place, check it out.
http://www.chicagomag.com/Radar/Deal-Estate/February-2012/A-Pre-Fire-Farmhouse-in-Lincoln-Park/
btw when did real estate journalists turn into grader of school performances?
Serious question:
What makes this old frame house in West LP worth almost twice as much as 437 Arlington which recently sold for only $850k (saw it on http://www.chicago.curbed.com).
This Arlington place is simply amazing (in the photos-never set foot in it). WAY better location, greystone/brick, mostly original. simply beautiful. It only lacks a garage (a big deal generally, but can be forgiven in this case).
I think this subject property is bubblicious.
http://www.urbanrealestate.com/property/437-W-Arlington-CHICAGO-IL-60614-MI4T2EGOH5VLU.html
What you don’t get is that people who really love vintage are willing to accept the amount of maintenance needed to live in a vintage home. If you want low maintenance, buy a McMansion.
“nothing screams low maintenance like “oldest house in west lincoln park”!!!! are….you…..kidding…me?!!”
“What you don’t get is that people who really love vintage are willing to accept the amount of maintenance needed to live in a vintage home”
that is…. until they realize how much it costs. I have lived in vintage brownstones for many years in Boston. True, they are incredibly beautiful and wonderful to look at – but if something goes wrong, you better get ready to sell your first born…..
“but if something goes wrong, you better get ready to sell your first born…..”
Ah, so you used to have three kids…
Was it rote learning at UIC? you have no credibility…
http://cribchatter.com/?p=13485
goto: chichow (January 24, 2012, 11:07 pm)
the sh(r)ill lies all the time
TB:
Parking is EVERYTHING. I’m not paying a million dollars and then renting a space at the end of the block (in a city like Chicago with hundreds of other options). So- yeah- the house on Arlington is going to go for a lot less despite its location. I’d rather buy on Arlington on the west side of Clark and get the garage (and pay a bit more.) We have chattered about rowhouses for sale on that block in the past (at least they had a 1-car garage.)
Because carrying the 8 month old in the car seat down the block in the middle of winter from the rental parking (or being dropped off in front of the house every darn time we go out somewhere) is a real pain in the a*s. No thanks.
1861? Hrrrrummmph.
I see nothing in this place that echoes the idea of Aunt Josephine March’s house in “Little Women”. Subject house is typical mcmansion rehab on the inside, not historic.
really HH you read little women? you must be the first male I have ever “known” to do so. Not that there is anything wrong with it…lol
miu miu,
thank you for the giggle LOL
“Parking is EVERYTHING. I’m not paying a million dollars and then renting a space at the end of the block (in a city like Chicago with hundreds of other options). ”
that like most is subjective, even i would sacrifice parking for a perfect location. that arlington place is a great location and IMO better home than this.
i cant believe parking would have that big of a monetary value.
but pricing shows why this place is still on the market and why arlington place has sold.
on a somewhat comp setting note, if the arlington place went for 850k how can someone still list this for 750k?
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/2408-N-Burling-St-60614/home/13368360
I really like the Arlington and Burling places but I agree with Sabrina. Who wants to carry a newborn or 3 month old or 6 mon. a block to the car? This place may not be worth 1.6 but I’d pay 1.2 for it long before i’d pay $750-850 without parking.
Miu, you have a baby….thoughts if this were your first home?
“What you don’t get is that people who really love vintage are willing to accept the amount of maintenance needed to live in a vintage home. If you want low maintenance, buy a McMansion.”
I live in a 100 year old home, rehabbed 11 years ago. The only thing that goes wrong with it is with the stuff the previous owners did 11 years ago. They knew how to build 100 years ago. The new work is horrible. I’d buy a 100 year old house before I bought new construction, unless I really knew the builder.
“I really like the Arlington and Burling places but I agree with Sabrina. Who wants to carry a newborn or 3 month old or 6 mon. a block to the car? This place may not be worth 1.6 but I’d pay 1.2 for it long before i’d pay $750-850 without parking.”
You carry your kids until, what, 3 years old?
Wow, $150K per year for parking. I have a spot I’d like to rent to you.
“that like most is subjective, even i would sacrifice parking for a perfect location. that arlington place is a great location and IMO better home than this.”
I agreed. Its not that big of a deal whether I am parking in my own garage or renting parking down the street. I would take the Arlington property ten times out of ten over the subject property, even at the same pricepoint. For a home of that quality, at that price, in that location, concerning myself with “where am I going to park my car” would be one of the very last things to cross my mind.
” I would take the Arlington property ten times out of ten over the subject property”
One thing to note: we don’t know *why* they closed $240,000 below their last list–could be that there was a major defect, and they agreed to reduce the price rather than get into credit back shenanigans.
The Burling place is not a good comp for either, with the narrow short lot and 3/2-ness of it. Nice place; were it 1/4 east, might hit anonny’s radar.
All that said, agree that this place is a bit rich, hoping for someone who values (somewhat highly) a sesquicentennial house.
“Wow, $150K per year for parking. I have a spot I’d like to rent to you.”
thats a great way of putting it. its funny that everyone wants uber-walkabilty but always complains of no parking.
i will say that in LP the annoyance factor is not walking to you parking spot its actually DRIVING in LP. i was perfectly fine walking ~1 block to my car, it was driving to and from the spot that had my blood pressure up.
“I agreed. Its not that big of a deal whether I am parking in my own garage or renting parking down the street. I would take the Arlington property ten times out of ten over the subject property, even at the same pricepoint. For a home of that quality, at that price, in that location, concerning myself with “where am I going to park my car” would be one of the very last things to cross my mind”
i bet many people are kicking themselves on that arlington place, it just goes to show if you dont ask the answer is always no
“The Burling place is not a good comp for either, with the narrow short lot and 3/2-ness of it. Nice place; were it 1/4 east, might hit anonny’s radar”
not really a comp but more as pointing out the burling place is listed to high for the small lot, no parking, right up next to main drag shops
For a couple of years, we rented a parking space that was a block from the place we rented. It wasn’t so bad, but I can’t see buying a place and not having onsite parking (even if it’s a rented space in the building’s garage). And that’s at the lowly $400-$500k range. In the $750k+ range, there’s no way I’d buy a place without at least the ability to have an onsite spot. Leaving aside the obvious benefits of having one, for resale purposes alone, it just strikes me as a must have in Chicago (having lived in NY, we sold our car upon moving here, figuring we’d do just fine without one; but this is a car town, and once a kid is involved, it’s really a car town).
* I should clarify that we didn’t move here directly from NY (having spent intervening years in a car town).
“For a couple of years, we rented a parking space that was a block from the place we rented. It wasn’t so bad, but I can’t see buying a place and not having onsite parking”
“it just strikes me as a must have in Chicago”
really? arlington or even here on seminary YOU DONT NEED A CAR. we had an on site spot when we rented and i rent a spot a block away. if i didnt work where i do and it was our primary residence we wouldnt have a car if we were there.
and actually i think this seminary place is more walkable to staple type things than the burling or arlington place.
also this may throw you into a tizzy but to me the seminary place is better suited to walking than ELP (sorry had to use the E infront to make a point)
to add to the car thing this house on seminary is faster to the loop (non car) than your place anonny.
and if a stroll to your precious lake (its a lake not an ocean) is to far, ride a fricken bike!
seriously annony,
i was all hyped up to argue with you about location and cars but you go MIA on me.
Groove, a few things.
First, you can try and discount or downplay the value of the lake all you want, but that won’t change the fact that the lake is the single most significant environmental attribute/amenity in the Chicagoland area, as reflected by the facts that (i) the most expensive communities, from the north shore to Millennium Park, are immediately adjacent to the lake (i.e., there is no other residential community between such community and the lake); (ii) droves from throughout the area (and tourists) flock to the lakefront (hence your traffic frustrations) to enjoy their free time; (iii) the lake is bordered by, among other things, a golf course, skate parks, a free zoo, a free conservatory, a nature museum, a running/cycling trail system, a boating canal, two nature sanctuary ponds, ball/playing fields, an estuary, a children’s museum/amusement park/port/Shakespeare theatre, harbors, an amphitheatre, numerous fountains, museums, an aquarium, the Loop, the Mag Mile, and, of course, beaches; (iv) lakefront areas are generally cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter; and (v) many, if not most, people think the lake’s pretty nice to look at. No ocean coast in this country has as much going for it in such a compact area, at least in terms of the things listed in (iii).
Second, and further to point (i) above, believe me, I really wish the real estate market saw things the way you do. In other words, I wish the market deemed it more desirable to live out west, and that things actually became cheaper the closer one gets to the lakefront in LP. Were I to drop (or merely loosen, to allow for WLP, SoPoCo, etc.) the location Criterion from the Unicorn Criteria, my housing options would be vastly improved, mindblowinglyso.
Third, obviously, one doesn’t NEED a car. But if one wishes to easily get the most out of life in Chicago, especially in the winter and certainly with small kids, it sure is a mighty fine thing to have. And that’s just the pure pleasure aspect. Doing a big shop at the Yuppiest Whole Foods, running errands, and completing all manner of chores is also greatly aided by having a car.
Lastly, (Are you still with me? Good.), as it’s optimal to have a car in this city, which is preferable, a parking space located immediately at one’s residence, or down the street in a rental spot?
I trust that clears everything up.
Annony – you need to stop being so location centric about the lake. You completely forget that Rogers Park, a relatively inexpensive community, is right on the lake as well. Up there, it’s the locals who frequent the lakefront, not the tourists.
Try expanding your horizons for once instead of thinking that the entirety of Chicago is found between Congress and North Avenue. Otherwise, you’re going to keep coming across as a snobby DB who won’t bother to leave his safety zone.
Anonemoose: I was replying to Groove’s assertions that (i) there is limited value of having a car in Chicago, (ii) there is limited value in parking one’s car onsite, and (iii) living in west LP is more desirable than living in east LP. If challenging such assertions makes me a DB, consider me Captain DB.
Anonny,
the argument mood has sailed.
dont get me wrong i like you and think your a cool guy, plus like that you have a different viewpoint than me, so dont take my arguing with you as negative.
“(i) there is limited value of having a car in Chicago,”
i meant that just for THIS area not all chicago
“(ii) there is limited value in parking one’s car onsite,”
there is huge value with that i am just saying that driving in this AREA is more of an ANNOYance than walking one block to your parking spot
“(iii) living in west LP is more desirable than living in east LP”
WLP is way closer to the things you need a car to do and closer to transit, the extra ~.75 mile from the lake can be made up by RIDING A FRICKEN BIKE to get there.
“consider me Captain DB.”
you do know that will now stick, right?
“Doing a big shop at the Yuppiest Whole Foods, running errands, and completing all manner of chores is also greatly aided by having a car.”
if your in WLP then you could walk to those things
“Third, obviously, one doesn’t NEED a car. But if one wishes to easily get the most out of life in Chicago, especially in the winter and certainly with small kids”
if i didnt have to lug the squirt in and out of a car it would save time and my sanity.
“Lastly, (Are you still with me? Good.), as it’s optimal to have a car in this city, which is preferable, a parking space located immediately at one’s residence, or down the street in a rental spot?”
nothing a Biweekly Zip car rental cant solve?
“if your in WLP then you could walk to those things”
I’m that interested in lugging 4 or 5 jam-packed bags (at least a couple of which are the insullated kind). Once upon a time, my trip to the neighborhood Whole Foods/Wild Oats/etc. involved my filling up one hand-held shopping basked, maybe a couple times a week. Today, the weekly trip to the YWF involves filling up a shopping cart. And these days, I think stores place auto locks on the carts, such that you can’t wheel it all the way home.
“Today, the weekly trip to the YWF involves filling up a shopping cart.”
The GC WF offers delivery ($10, $20 if they shop for you, and the $20 is waived if you order over $300), but the YWF (strangely, imo) does not.
“The GC WF offers delivery ($10, $20 if they shop for you, and the $20 is waived if you order over $300), but the YWF (strangely, imo) does not.”
I’d guess the GC offer in response to what its competitors do around there. I know many (most/almost all?) of the supermarkets around there offered that before the GCWF existed.
I tell ya what as a recent car purchaser it certainly has made running errands and jaunts to the burbs so much easier, i wouldn’t bother though if my parking was not attached or covered. Too spoiled I am
“I’m that interested in lugging 4 or 5 jam-packed bags (at least a couple of which are the insullated kind)”
if you have a kid then your stroller handles the weight, if kid is older than 3 then a chicago company radio flyer has your back.
but when you live that close to MANY grocers its easy to make a few small trips a week as your walking around anyways, so the zip car every other week is for the big loads.
dont see an issue there?
“The GC WF offers delivery ($10, $20 if they shop for you, and the $20 is waived if you order over $300)”
and really who does ALL there shopping at WholeFoods? if so then the delivery charge is just a drop in the bucket
“and really who does ALL there shopping at WholeFoods?”
A family of three, filling a cart every week, is doing *basically* all its shopping there.
“and really who does ALL there shopping at WholeFoods? if so then the delivery charge is just a drop in the bucket”
Someone who lives on top of gcwf and is v lazy? There were probably many months I didn’t buy anything significant from another store. I used to be of the view you could shop reasonably there. Their stuff also used to be better.
“A family of three, filling a cart every week, is doing *basically* all its shopping there.”
to his credit WF carts are small and he could be using the two tiered ones
“to his credit WF carts are small and he could be using the two tiered ones”
You know the deal with the little shopping carts they got… (I know it’s way overplayed now but that’s one of the line my son will come out with.)
“You know the deal with the little shopping carts they got”
no i dont?
similar not TJ’s need to get rid of the kids carts, my son will only shop there and other peoples kids are f’ing hitting the back of my foot one day i going to back hand little jaden/timmy/jacob
“Someone who lives on top of gcwf and is v lazy? ”
that i can understand but then the issue of 17 loaded bags wouldn’t be an issue then
“no i dont?”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2UFc1pr2yUU
“TJ’s need to get rid of the kids carts, my son will only shop there”
Used to be same for mine, though he is now partial to the car seats on the carts at mariano’s (which is BTW saving me a *lot* of money over WH). My wife won’t let him in the cars attached in front of the carts at dominicks.
I’d say we spend $20 or so a week at the neighborhood stores (Big Apple or LP Market, occasionally Potash), and will probably up that if the new place at Webster/Lincoln ever opens. We used to occasionally hit the GC WF, but not since YWF opened (more space, a bit more selection, easier parking, and closer to home). We’re probably among the minority of fulltime WF shoppers: whereas we shop there because *it* is better (i.e., notwithstanding certain of WF’s food standard and enviro shortcomings, it generally provides the widest selection of organic/natural and/or vegetarian foods, along with a solid beer/wine selection, while operating as a relatively decent employer/corporate citizen), most who shop there regularly do so because *they* are better. Given how agitated I am by many people who live in LP and shop at WF, I’ve really doomed myself.
“Used to be same for mine, though he is now partial to the car seats on the carts at mariano’s (which is BTW saving me a *lot* of money over WH). My wife won’t let him in the cars attached in front of the carts at dominicks.”
do we lose street cred for talking about our Yuppie People Problems?
“do we lose street cred for talking about our Yuppie People Problems?”
Not sure groove, but it’s gotta be less of a hit than if we talked about how we shopped at WF because we, unlike everyone else, are truly discerning, and because “notwithstanding certain of WF’s food standard and enviro shortcomings, it generally provides the widest selection of organic/natural and/or vegetarian foods…, while operating as a relatively decent employer/corporate citizen”
“as a relatively decent employer/corporate citizen”
nope most psych doctor wont shop there because of the lack mental health benefits for employees
“We’re probably among the minority of fulltime WF shoppers: whereas we shop there because *it* is better”
arguable, but i agree with you there.
“it generally provides the widest selection of organic/natural and/or vegetarian foods”
true but they a a FOR PROFIT organization know that so jack up the prices on some staples and rape you on convince items.
shop soley at WF means you are either *heavy in disposable income, *Lazy like DZ, *time strapped, *or blind/brainwashed into thinking its the only game intown.
But seriously check out jewel thier organic apple are 1.79 per pound usually on sale for 1.49 compared to WF which is always 2.49.
for the kids organic apple juice at WF $4-6 depending on brand, at Jewel organic AJ on sale almost every week for 2for5 (2.50 each)
and if your going to buy junk food like chips why pay a premium for organic junk?
I am lucky i have a stay at home wife who can go to multiple stores to keep us eating “clean” at a good cheap price. If you argument is time, i will concede that its valid, but one should not give 80% grocery shopping to WF.
$300 barely gets you a loaf of bread and a gallon of milk at whole paycheck
how many offers and at what price do you guys think this will sell?
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/1828-N-Bissell-St-60614/home/13350134
“$300 barely gets you a loaf of bread and a gallon of milk at whole paycheck”
and thats just the regular bread and non organinc milk.
I just dont think WFs is that expensive. My Wife shops there every Monday, spending about 110/per trip. That supplies 4 dinners and all breakfast/lunches for the two of us during the week. We usually eat out on weekends. We do not buy any consumer staples(paper towels, toiletries, etc.) or processed food, so that could keep the cost down.
“We do not buy any consumer staples(paper towels, toiletries, etc.) or processed food,”
thats how we shop there, but get the organic stuff that is cheaper at jewel or TJ’s
i just dont get paying 3times for processed food or junk food at WF. and the bakery items dont do anything for me considering the price.