The Vintage East Lakeview 3/3 With All The Bells And Whistles: 521 W. Roscoe
This 3-bedroom at 521 W. Roscoe in East Lakeview recently came on the market.
At 3,000 square feet, it has the large rooms which are the tell-tale signs that it’s a vintage unit.
It appears to be the top floor unit.
Built in 1925, it has crown molding and some built-in bookcases as well as 2 wood burning fireplaces, including one in the master bedroom.
The kitchen has German-made custom green cabinets by SieMatic from the Mick de Giulio collection. (Finally- someone said “no” to cherry and/or white.)
There are no pictures of the bathrooms all of which are ensuite.
The unit has features you rarely find in vintage units this close to the lake including central air, washer/dryer in the unit and one parking space.
It came on the market just $39,000 above its 2001 purchase price.
Is this a deal for the square footage?
Meredith Meserow at Koenig & Strey Real Living has the listing. See the pictures here.
Unit #3: 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, 3000 square feet
- Sold in March 1988 for $287,500
- Sold in July 2001 for $640,000
- Currently listed for $679,000
- Assessments of $780 a month (includes heat)
- Taxes of $10451
- Central Air
- Washer/Dryer in the unit
- Parking space included
- Bedroom #1: 20×12
- Bedroom #2: 12×12
- Bedroom #3: 15×10
- Sunroom: 13×9
Man I LOVE that kitchen!
This place is frickin sweet, i’d be all over this (even with lack of elevator!)
nice looking place. Taxes are out of whack and almost 800 bucks for just heat is a bit high.
“Taxes are out of whack”
That’s what taxes would be last year with AV of ~67,000. So, basically right on the nose.
Seriously, why does everyone think that RE taxes in Chicago are lower than they are in reality? Does everyone here have a cousin who works for the Assessor?
Very nice.
Typical taxes in Chicago run about 1.5%. The taxes are about where they should be.
Taxes and fees look about right. Really nice.
Bummer that the deck is off the master, and that the three baths are all ensuite (that’s great, but there needs to be a powder room). Is it for sure on the top floor? And, if this unit has central air, why does the pic above show at least one window unit? (Maybe not all of the units have central? Or it’s inadaquate?)
I’ve got three properties in Lake View, all of which are significantly more expensive than this unit and I pay well under this in taxes than this unit.
No, I do not have an inside connection to the accessors office. But I am vigilant about appealing them at every opportunity.
“Seriously, why does everyone think that RE taxes in Chicago are lower than they are in reality? Does everyone here have a cousin who works for the Assessor?”
Everyone thinks their home is worth more than assessed?
Who, if interested in selling, would sell for ass value?
OK i think we’re going to put our place on the market (ELV, top floor 2/2+den, no a/c or parking but rent behind building, a block from the lake). We need an honest valuation… UGH! I don’t even want to know since we bought at the height of the bubble but we are serious about moving and need a realtor. I want a GOOD one. Suggestions please?
“Who, if interested in selling, would sell for ass value?”
These folks, if they’d listed last year. AV went down to 60,446; doubt they’d accept $604k.
“I’ve got three properties in Lake View, all of which are significantly more expensive than this unit and I pay well under this in taxes than this unit.”
The whole system is facacta. I have a beneficial circumstance, too, but that does not mean that *this* property is ‘overtaxed’, merely that it is easy to find properties that are ‘undertaxed’.
“that does not mean that *this* property is ‘overtaxed’, merely that it is easy to find properties that are ‘undertaxed’.”
There could clearly be a dynamic where there are a lot of underassd properties, which the owners have no incentive to appeal. If this is large enough, then not unfair to call taxes on a properly assd property too high, as they would be at highest end of the range (given that the overassd will certainly try at least on appeal), w a clear segment paying less.
“a dynamic where there are a lot of underassd properties”
Yep.
“not unfair to call taxes on a properly assd property too high”
But not much prospect of getting them lowered. This one, when it sells, wouldn’t even get a reduction using the TB method.
But, yeah, I messed up what I was thinking–this property is not ‘over-assessed’, but *is* ‘overtaxed’ if the cohort of ‘underassessed’ properties is large enough (it is–hell, Trudi owns 3 of ’em).
Wow, this place is gorgeous.
nice place but..
…for around $679 you can get this one with a better view and a with a bunch of money left over to update according to what you want.
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/3300-N-Lake-Shore-Dr-60657/unit-DR15A/home/13374827
….or this one with almost the same sqft and get a terrace not one but 2
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/3100-N-Sheridan-Rd-60657/unit-14D/home/13372735
Lovely kitchen, but seating just for one. Would that be the scullery maid? The dining room looks lonely with just two chairs at the table. Do the owners never have guests, or only eat in shifts?
As Bugs Bunny would say, “Drool, drool!” (It’s a compliment).
I love this sort of unit, and it’s a great location. The price, assessment and taxes seem logical to me. Also, I like the kitchen. Sometimes different is good, and I’m sick of all the cookie cutter kitchens out there. If I were moving back to the city, this is the type of unit I’d get (kind of reminds me of that nice one on Barry that we recently chatted about that sold around the same price level).
There are so many Oriental rugs in this place!
Groove, the one is 700 sqft smaller, with 300 bucks a month more in assessments
while
the other one is 500 sqft smaller with 1000 bucks a month more in assessments
not exactly comparible
” sonies (April 8, 2013, 3:26 pm)
Groove, the one is 700 sqft smaller, with 300 bucks a month more in assessments
while
the other one is 500 sqft smaller with 1000 bucks a month more in assessments
not exactly comparible”
yes finding an exact copy of a vintage condo and it being listed is an easy thing to do for folk how are not in the biz :)-
thats why there is a lower price for one the has a fricken view of the lake which factors in the higher ass fee and smaller sqft
and the one thats more expensive yes loses 500sqft but it has 2 FRICKEN TERRACES!!!!!
so sorry i cannot give an exact comparable
but lets see you give me 2 comps mr smarty arse pants
“yes finding an exact copy of a vintage condo and it being listed is an easy thing to do for folk how are not in the biz”
Doesn’t need to be exact, but a unit that is at least equal or better in all signfiicant respects would be good.
“thats why there is a lower price for one the has a fricken view of the lake which factors in the higher ass fee and smaller sqft”
If you’re using those as roughly comparable offsets, then you can’t mention the lake view as a plus factor for the comp (that you have chosen to put forward).
I’m a fan of 3300 LSD, by the way, but not of the A tier which is in the listing posted above. It mostly faces Aldine, not Lake Shore, and your views are for the most part directly at another high rise. One or two windows in the LR face the lake, but the units tend to be quite dark. Notice the listing doesn’t show any views. That’s for a good reason. I think the C and D units at 3300, which directly face the lake and also have unobstructed western views from some windows in the back, are the most desirable.
“Notice the listing doesn’t show any views. ”
are you looking at the pics on a first generation iphone/G1? 3 of the first five pictures show a view! and a lake view at that
No – I was looking on my desktop, not an iPhone. Let me try again.
That said, I guarantee if it’s an A unit it only has one or two windows facing the lake, and the other 8 or 10 stare right across the street into another building.
OK – I saw the views in the 3300 listing. Very nice, indeed. But if you check out photo 11, you’ll see what I mean about looking directly at another building from a lot of the rooms. The north view out of the kitchen is nice, by the way. I hadn’t thought about that.
Like I said, I love the condos at 3300 and, as Groove notes, it’s a worthy comparison to the property on Roscoe. A lovely vintage high rise. But another strike against 3300 that I remembered when I looked at the listing is the lack of parking. You can find parking to rent in other buildings nearby, but that’s definitely not the most desirable scenario. And what are your guests supposed to do?
This is a gorgeous unit, except for the kitchen, which is a little too taste-specific for many people. I’d want rid of it before I moved in. And why no pix of the baths?
The assessment is reasonable for 3,000 sq ft including heat, especially if the association maintains a healthy reserve. I have seen steeply higher assessments on much smaller units with less to show for it. The taxes seem a little out of line, but they’re nowhere near the worst I’ve seen in proportion to market value.
I wouldn’t think this gigantic, beautiful unit would sell too far below the ask, unless the top bidder really hates that kitchen.
@ TS, how about our own Gary?
This one is def one of my Cribchatter faves but that emerald green kitchen would be a dealbreaker for me. I wonder if this place will attract buyers who have enough cash or loan $$ to replace those green cabinets with a more normal color. Other than that, if I could I would. Gorgeous place.
Beautiful. And I actually love the kitchen.
However, plantation shutters make me shudder.
“But if you check out photo 11, you’ll see what I mean about looking directly at another building from a lot of the rooms.”
yes you stare accross a street from the rest of the windows i agree. but so does the Roscoe one, but the LSD one has a lake view and best of all unobstructed LAKE BREEZES!
“But another strike against 3300 that I remembered when I looked at the listing is the lack of parking.”
true but the 205k price diff plus the location and view difference takes into account the for the parking situation.
“And what are your guests supposed to do?”
and with guest when people come over its just more than one car so even with one parking spot and say the one guest parking spot thats open no mater where you live in this area its a issue for all places.
or just make new friends that live close or take cabs
Good answers, Groove!
True – the Roscoe one also looks at another building, but they’re both low rises. Having two high rises across from each other creates a walled-in feeling, certainly true in this case. Believe me, I know the block well.
But I’m nit-picking. You make some good points, including that some lake view is a lot better than none.
Vintage 1925. Steam/Hot Water Heat. No signs of Space Pac – how does this have central AC?
There are vents in the ceiling in some of the photos.
“Having two high rises across from each other creates a walled-in feeling”
i definitely can see that happening if on a lower floor. would have to be in the 15a unit to see if its the case there.
“including that some lake view is a lot better than none”
its really not the lake view it the lake breeze. had an family friend who lived on LSD and she never had AC a small unit in the bedroom but the air flow was wonderful even on the most humid of days. Ialso had an auntie in-law that lived at the apartments on elston and lawerence shaped like a triange and the unit had air flow rocking three sides where she didnt need ac either
“Believe me, I know the block well.”
then why the heck did you move to HP then?
“unobstructed LAKE BREEZES!”
which are horrible from basically October to June
“@ TS, how about our own Gary?
I thought of him, but don’t know much. I think I’ll look into him more. Why the thumbs down up there??
@TS: “Suggestions please?”This group is really really good. Used them ourselves: http://www.thedorgermccarthygroup.com/
Agree with mover. We worked with Dorger/McCarthy for a while when we first tried to find a place. Very professional, responsive, etc. We ended buying from another broker years later, without the assistance of a buyer’s broker, but I’ll consider calling D/M the next time we go to sell/buy.
Thanks for the reco annony and mover, just checked out their website and they actually are the listing agents for another unit in my building, small world. I’ll give them a call.
That kitchen… very specific. Honestly, if I were looking at this, I’d wish that they had chosen cherry or white! Egads.
Lots of space + close to the lake = $$$
Moved to NS for a number of reasons, but not because I didn’t like the North Side.
“Moved to NS for a number of reasons, but not because I didn’t like the North Side.”
wasnt saying you didnt like it, as from the vibe i get you miss it. so wondering why you didnt stay or have not gone back.
and what major reason would you move to HP unless your the mayor of HP.
Let’s just say I think HP is a very nice community and a lovely place to live, and I don’t have to defend my decision to you or anyone.
“Let’s just say I think HP is a very nice community and a lovely place to live, and I don’t have to defend my decision to you or anyone.”
Hold your horses there Mr. Sensitive. Just asking a question, not doing the accusatory cribchater question.
I agree HP is a very nice place and we have looked at 3 places in the past 4 months that were in HP. Two that need more fixing up than I want to do and one was right on the metra tracks on Burton ave.
So just asking a simple question no need to read any more into it than what was asked.
also, dont take this the wrong way too.
Do you have any input on burton street you know the up sides and down sides or any weird things that a non area native wouldnt know?
Groove – sorry to give such a venom-filled response yesterday. I just get sick of all the people on this site taking issue with my choice of where to live. I see so much city snobbery, and anti-North Shore snobbery, so it colors my reactions.
As for Burton Street, you can’t pick a better neighborhood for raising kids. The area is full of children, and, unlike the suburban stereotype, they’re all out playing in front of their houses in nice weather. On Halloween, the neighborhood turns into a three-hour open-air party, and people from nearby areas actually travel there to trick or treat because it’s so friendly an atmosphere. The three streets that are the heart of this are Burton, Pleasant and Broadview between Blackstone and Roger Williams.
Location can’t be beat, with Ravinia school, Metra, Ravinia Park, shopping, lake, restaurants all in walking distance (man, I sound like a realtor!). Ravinia is a great school. Most kids starting in 3rd grade or so walk back and forth on their own, so it’s a very old fashioned neighborhood in that sense. You see packs of kids coming and going every morning and afternoon, usually without parents.
I’d be wary of the east side of Burton because the homes are right on the Metra tracks and the trains start coming before 5 a.m. on weekdays and make a lot of noise. Perhaps one can get used to it, as some people have built nice homes over there recently. Of the three streets I mentioned, it’s my least favorite. A lot of crappy 50’s and 60’s homes, whereas the other streets have far more from between 1920 and 1950, when architecture was better.
Happy to serve as a consultant to you on any other HP location you’re scouting, and good luck with the search. I applaud you for looking in HP – the part you’re looking at is affordable, doesn’t have the North Shore snob mentality, and is a great walkable neighborhood.
Any sensitive things about the area? Not really. It can get kind of quiet and dull during the winter, when kids aren’t outside and the walk to Roger Williams seems too cold. And the trains coming and going may be hard to get used to. And if you’re a Republican, you may feel isolated. The neighborhood is overwhelmingly Democrat, but for the most part people don’t get in your face about their politics.
is hoagie hut still closed?
“sorry to give such a venom-filled response yesterday. I just get sick of all the people on this site taking issue with my choice of where to live. I see so much city snobbery, and anti-North Shore snobbery, so it colors my reactions.”
come on its the groove, even if it was the goal the intent would be in the teasing you sorts.
” it’s my least favorite. A lot of crappy 50?s and 60?s home……the part you’re looking at is affordable”
i tied those two together for you. yes one i looked at was right out of the 60’s and the kitchen was out of the 80’s, another was a ranch/bi-level that had the curb appeal of watching sonies lathered in cream-cheese picking out dirt from his toe nails with his ‘sharp’ tooth while sitting on the toilet after a night of dollar beer night w/ bob and taco burrito king.
“Location can’t be beat, with Ravinia school”
the elm school, middle school and price are the reasons its on our short list.
“And if you’re a Republican, you may feel isolated”
what about green party?
“doesn’t have the North Shore snob mentality, and is a great walkable neighborhood.”
the former is a factor i only see in the the W north shore burbs, glencoe seems cool though there are some folks…. the walkable part i dont care about but the walk to school thing is huge for my wife.
“you can’t pick a better neighborhood for raising kids”
it seems like thats why the pros steered us over to that section, i thought its was the price thing.
are there any other pockets we may be missing?
The Braeside area is also nice. It’s just south of Ravinia Park and east of Green Bay. On both sides of the tracks you may be able to find good pre-war homes on tree-lined streets for around $600K. Also has a great school in walking distance, but a little less family oriented and certainly more expensive.
Some people like the Sunset Park area west of downtown HP. It has some nice homes, though they tend to be on the smaller side (like Ravinia). Very friendly area and good for kids, but school isn’t walking distance. You are close to downtown HP, which is nice. Definitely some decent homes in the 400s and 500s around there.
I wouldn’t look anywhere west of 41. Most of that area has an extremely 50’s suburban vibe which I dislike. And obviously east Ravinia (east of tracks) is beautiful, but good homes start in the 700s and 800s and go up from there. It’s also a far less friendly area (neighbors don’t really know each other, I’m told by good sources).
Dan #deuce, thank you so much for the good inside info
i will be hitting you up more for HP questions as they arise.
btw even if i move a few blocks down from you, i will still make fun of you moving to the burbs and driving a prius.
I’m OK with you making fun of me, Groove. And I know you hate my Mustang too because it’s only a GT and has 400 HP when a true Mustang should be a Boss making 500 HP. 🙂
“And I know you hate my Mustang too because it’s only a GT and has 400 HP when a true Mustang should be a Boss making 500 HP”
even if you had the v6 model i wouldnt even make fun of that. the fact they can get 300hp out of a naturally aspirated 6cyl is amazing to me. and then do it where you can get 30mph hwy is a feat that should not be mocked.
remember my first car was a v8, barely got 8mpg and only had 180hp probably.
the prius is 10 year old tech and is nothing to admire, it should be ridiculed and the drivers who own them need to be laughed at.
as said if the prius makes on its word of the next gen getting 65mpg and a AWD version with 50mpg then i can admire it on a engineering standpoint.
Got to disagree about the Prius. First – it may be 10-year old tech, but I bought it 8 years ago, so it was new tech to me at the time. I bought it for $24,000 and the extra few thousand I paid to buy a hybrid has certainly been eclipsed now by the savings I’ve had in gasoline costs over the 73,000 miles I’ve driven it. I also like that I fill up half as often as a regular car, which means less of my money going to the oil companies, Saudis and Venezuelan dictators.
I’ll admit it’s a bit of a nerdy looking thing, and I’ve never fallen in love with it, but it’s roomy, comfortable, isn’t too slow and has been great for long family trips due to the hatchback. Even my 13-year old, who’s embarrassed to be seen in it, admitted it was a comfortable car for a long trip after we took a 500-mile weekend trip a few weeks ago.
your second gen prius is the better than the 2010-to now third new gen.
the new gen just sucks, To get higher mpg they need to lighten up the car so road noise is horrible and the materials are extra plasticy. also they went for a sportier suspension, For bejeebus WHY? was it to please the auto journalists? cuz i aint heard nobody complain about the ride that owned one.
so whereas you gen prius is a quiet smooth comfortable ride, which i do agree with, the new ones have a econo-car type of ride and feel. and if your okay with that why by the prius when the prius-c is the actual econo-box hybrid and is actually sporty’ish to drive.
and really if its just gas saving your looking for a golf 4dr turbo diesel matches if not betters your old prius mpg. has a way better build quality, is actually fun to drive. can pass or get a hole shot when at cruising speed, is almost as roomy and the seats are way more comfortable. did i say better actually world mpg than you 8 year old one. and the interior looks like its worth double than the prius.
all that said, if i had a teen driver, i would have a prius V, wife would have the prius C then the booger would get to borrow the keys for one either he would like
Priuses are fucking awful
I ‘rented’ one once from zipcar and i couldn’t fricking stand it I wanted to slam it into the nearest wall after driving that piece of crap for 5 minutes, the slow acceleration, awful sightlines, goofy controls… so much hate
Sorry life is too short to be driving something like that. I’d rather walk or take public transit than drive a piece of shit like that
Sonies- that’s why my other car is a Mustang GT. It’s great for weekends and sunny days. In snow, rain and trudging back and forth to work, my 8-year old Prius, with its scratches, dirty interior (abused its whole life by my two boys) and excellent mileage suits me fine.
I’m not as familiar with the new Prius, but appreciate your comments on it, Groove. I also agree about the VW TDI – it’s on my short list for when it comes time to replace the Prius.
“no a/c or parking but rent behind building, a block from the lake).”
You have no parking, and you’re east of broadway, near the lake? fugetaboutit… until some alderman does something about the parking scofflaws that invade this area, I don’t care if there is rental parking near or not, it’s a losing situation. If you drive down any of those blocks more than half the cars parked there don’t have a local registration, they’re often people who live west of broadway who can’t park where they live because it’s permitted. Areas east of b’way are not permitted so those cars will sit for a month. Why doesn’t the city do anything about this? They’re losing so much money it’s amazing.
BTW, the parking lots in this area are $25/night. It’s a losing situation daily or monthly.