Vintage Grandeur With a Lofted Library in East Lakeview: A 3-Bedroom at 3020 N. Sheridan
This top floor 3-bedroom at 3020 N. Sheridan Road in East Lakeview just came on the market.
Built in 1902, the building has 9-units and is just a block from the lake shore bike baths.
This unit has many of its original features, including crown molding and built-ins.
There is a unique two-story living room with a spiral staircase leading to a library with built-in bookcases.
The living room also has a wood-burning fireplace.
The dining room has original wood covered walls and a box beamed ceiling along with stained glass windows.
There is a “gourmet kitchen” with maple cabinets and black granite counter tops.
The unit has north, east and west exposures and a large west facing deck.
While there is central air and a washer/dryer in the unit, there’s no parking with this building. It’s available for rent in the neighborhood.
The listing says it is 2800 square feet.
Listed for $679,900, is this a deal for that square footage?
Phil Staffa at Genesis Residential has the listing. See the pictures here.
Unit #4N: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2800 square feet
- Sold in August 1992 for $205,000
- Sold in July 2008 for $590,000
- Currently listed for $679,900
- Assessments of $417 a month
- Taxes of $8267
- Central Air
- Washer/Dryer in the unit
- No parking- rental available nearby
- Wood burning fireplace
- Bedroom #1: 13×15
- Bedroom #2: 11×15
- Bedroom #3: 11×13
- Lofted library: 10×12
I believe there’s rental valet parking for $250 on Wellington and Sheridan.
Definitely kicks up the additional costs… Cool place, though. I would be concerned about my kids jumping up and down on the floor bugging the neighbors and we’d probably hear all the noise down below too.
This ain’t a place for kids
looks like it has gone contingent. needs some work, but beautiful place.
Is it a third floor walk up? Did that in my early 20’s would rather not do it again. But for the location and groovetastic character the place has I could do it.
Is parking really an issue when one decides/picks this area to live in? Just seems irresponsible to want to live around ghee and expect any parking.
This place is gorgeous! Why is it so cheap? The only thing I’d change would be the kitchen.
“Is parking really an issue when one decides/picks this area to live in? Just seems irresponsible to want to live around ghee and expect any parking.”
i live around here and parking is extremely difficult. when i bought in 2011, i passed on a few places i absolutely loved strictly bc they did not have parking. i can only speak for myself, but it was a huge deal for me.
Here’s the question, dig deep and truthfully type, when one chooses a to live in a hood that has everything in walking distance has multiple modes of public transportation in spitting distance and is highly population dense is there really a need for an everyday car?
I know why I need a car,i live on the nw side and do not work in the loop. But if I worked in the loop and lived at this place I would not have a car,i me it’s a wasted convenience expense.
What a beautiful place, in a totally ideal location. As Groove and others remarked, you really don’t need an “everyday” car around here… unless, of course, you commute out to Oak Brook or some place, and I totally understand why someone would prefer living in Lakeview to living in Oak Brook even if it means a hellish daily out-commute.
Strikes me as being a very good deal for the money, and it surely has a lot of great features. The dining room is exceptional, and I love the loft. The only things I’d want to alter are the kitchen, which would be much improved with another floor, or those tight, uncomfortable spiral staircases, which are slip-and-fall hazards.
“I totally understand why someone would prefer living in Lakeview to living in Oak Brook even if it means a hellish daily out-commute.”
As someone who did this commute for a year and a half, I can say I prevented an office shooting or road rage incident by getting a job in the city. Not. Worth. It. Never again!
This place is definitely a winner. Needs a few updates, but finding this kind of space is rare. The lack of parking would be a deal killer for me though unless the rental spot was literally next door to the unit.
“As someone who did this commute for a year and a half, I can say I prevented an office shooting or road rage incident by getting a job in the city. Not. Worth. It. Never again!”
It would never work, agreed. How long even from the Armitage ramp off the Kennedy would it be to this place? It would take an hour from Oak Brook just to reach the Armitage ramp alone.
“How long even from the Armitage ramp off the Kennedy would it be to this place?”
Wouldn’t one go 290–lower wacker–lsd?
Google sez 3 miles, 13 minutes right now, via Ashland-Wellington. That’s going to be close to 30 most days from 4 to ~6:30. And if there is any weather, forget it.
“How long even from the Armitage ramp off the Kennedy would it be to this place?”
From here you would take LSD/Lower Wacker. Extra shitey on Cubs game nights. I would work late those nights to try and hit LSD after the game started. I have never been so miserable in my entire life.
Thank you Fred
Suburbs = miserable
commuting is miserable
“Here’s the question, dig deep and truthfully type, when one chooses a to live in a hood that has everything in walking distance has multiple modes of public transportation in spitting distance and is highly population dense is there really a need for an everyday car?”
I imagine a certain type of person/family could get along relying on Zip Cars when needed.
I don’t think the suburbs are inherently miserable, but certainly commuting from the city to them is. Commuting in general is. I have lived near sonies and worked in the west loop/financial district/NW loop for more than 5 years now. 13 minutes from the time I put my coat on at home until I take it off at my office. I’m home before many people in my office are even able to board their train to the suburbs. I ABSOLUTELY DREAD the day I will eventually have to give that up. Even picking up a 15-20min bus ride, while certainly not a bad commute by any standards, will be life altering for the worse.
Well, now we know who the target market is for the Quince.
“Here’s the question, dig deep and truthfully type, when one chooses a to live in a hood that has everything in walking distance has multiple modes of public transportation in spitting distance and is highly population dense is there really a need for an everyday car?”
Do you have kids? How do you get the kids birthday cake home from the bakery for the party? How do you take the kids across the city for the other kids’ birthday parties on a Sunday afternoon? How do you take them out to the suburbs to see the grandparents? How do you get them to soccer practice that is 5 miles away at 7 am? How do you get them to freshman year of high school when the magnet school they get into is on the south side and you’re on the north and you don’t trust them to take the El there?
For me, living without at least one car is silly (and impractical.) And I live within several blocks of two grocery stores (which yes- sometimes I walk to- but not always.)
Have you ever bought groceries for a family? Do you take a cab there? I’ve used peapod occasionally and had some delivered but it’s just easier to drive there- you know?
Quit you complaining already Sabrina. Taking an Uber to all the events you mentioned is far cheaper than owner a car and paying for parking.
I took an Uber to O;hare last week and it was $22 from Lincoln Park. An average car costs:
Lease $400
Ins: 50
Gas: 50
Parking: $200 (you pay for it even if you own or rent it)
Total: $700 or $23 per day.
Let’s say you Uber 4 days a week to soccer, parties, and back. That’s about $60 per week or $260 per month. Uber will put a dent in car ownership over the next 10 years.
You hate paying for real estate but like paying for car expenses? I bet you don’t have a whole lot of net worth. LOL!
“Have you ever bought groceries for a family? Do you take a cab there? I’ve used peapod occasionally and had some delivered but it’s just easier to drive there- you know?”
And it is a lot easier to own a home than to rent and move every 2 years. Owning a car and owning a home are both luxury expenses. I guess in your mind i’m “stupid” for choosing the home over the car.
I’m going to go out on a limb tonight Sabrina and simply say that you are bitter bitter person who vents your lack of satisfaction in life through a real estate blog. You blast the thought of owning a home – one of the most comforting and permanent amenities in life, while trying to justify car ownership as a necessity that no person should be without. Have you ever tried moving from rental to rental with a couple of kids? I promise you it is a lot more difficult than trying to get by without a car.
Simple question for you Sabrina… would you rather spend $8,400 per year to own a car ($42,000 over 5 years), or live without a car, own a home, and potentially lose $40k, break even, or make $40k when you sell. Can’t wait for your answer.
I have been happily car-less for nearly 30 years, in fact moved to Chicago to be able to unload my 3500 lb. money-suck, and to enjoy the urban amenities and exceptional beauty of this city. I have a large grocery delivery once a month, with large, heavy items being brought to my door, and supplement by stopping off at one or another grocery store on my way home from work. I can state that getting rid of my car did more to improve the quality of my life than anything else I have done for myself, except the purchase of my condo.
But,then, I’m single and childless,so my life is very different, and much easier, than that of a parent juggling jobs and kids with their demands and needs. After watching exhausted young mothers tussle with babies and strollers and toddlers and packages on buses and trains, I wonder how anyone with young children can cope without a car at her disposal that she can access on the spur of the moment without making a reservation, and one she doesn’t have to worry about returning to the lot in pristine condition after 2 or 3 kids have done their work on it with ice cream cones, crayons, naked dolls, and the other stuff that comes with having young kids in the car. You also don’t want to have to reserve a car or pay $900 for an ambulance for those emergency midnight trips to the ER, or in response to a frantic call from the school- people who have kids must always be emergency readiness mode.
Agree with Heitman that owning a home is one of the best moves you can make financially, in that it is a hedge against inflation and is usually cheaper than renting as well as more stable, but ONLY if you do it correctly and buy a place you can honestly afford at a price reasonably related to salaries and rentals in the area. Chasing overpriced houses and stretching yourself financially just to “own” in a mania like that of the previous decade is not the ticket to financial stability and wealth accumulation.
I was car free for about 5 years, mainly because I lived in east lakeview and finding street parking there is a miserable experience. I have a car now in a heated garage and yes its a luxury but I know that and its one that I’m willing to splurge on for the conveinence factor alone. No lease, bought a used ride too so its really not that expensive and I plan to keep it until the wheels fall off. which might happen sooner than I want LOL (ze knows what I’m talkin about).
This is a pretty nice place for the money in a very good location. We would need one car for the reasons Sabrina listed, but I think the price, incl assessments/taxes reflect that. The rental parking, assuming it’s nearby, would work.
“I’m going to go out on a limb tonight Sabrina and simply say that you are bitter bitter person who vents your lack of satisfaction in life through a real estate blog. You blast the thought of owning a home – one of the most comforting and permanent amenities in life, while trying to justify car ownership as a necessity that no person should be without. Have you ever tried moving from rental to rental with a couple of kids? I promise you it is a lot more difficult than trying to get by without a car.”
Stop it Steve. Really. How old are you?
I’ve said many times that people SHOULD buy. Duh. But only if they’re going to stay a long, long time. Buying for the next 3 years just isn’t going to cut it.
I know you left this blog for 4 or 5 years when your beloved Lincoln Park saw price decreases and the market SUCKED there and you couldn’t hack being wrong- but you come back now and you really don’t know what you are talking about.
“And it is a lot easier to own a home than to rent and move every 2 years.”
Why would I have to move every two years? Hell- on this very blog I could do a post every single day for months with those trying to sell their condos after living there just 1 or 2 years.
I’ve lived in a rental for 6 years. I could probably stay another 6 years. Why would I have to move?
“Let’s say you Uber 4 days a week to soccer, parties, and back. That’s about $60 per week or $260 per month. Uber will put a dent in car ownership over the next 10 years.”
You clearly don’t have kids Steve.
“I’ve said many times that people SHOULD buy. Duh. But only if they’re going to stay a long, long time. Buying for the next 3 years just isn’t going to cut it.”
Holding for a long period does only two things:
1) Allows you to amort fixed/closing costs over more years.
2) Allows you to wait out a down market.
But holding for 10 years vs 3 years inherently does nothing for your potential gain/loss. There are people that bought in 2011 that could sell for large profits now, but people who bought in 2004 may still be under water.
Who knows that the market will be in 10 years? Prices could be way down.
The key is timing. Not amount of time.
“1) Allows you to amort fixed/closing costs over more years.”
That can be fairly significant.
“That can be fairly significant.”
It can also not be. Penfed offers a no closing cost 5/5 ARM for 2.75%. So, no/minimal fixed costs on the buy. As far as selling goes, the 6% COULD be offset by 2% annual price increase (ie, inflation) in theory. Of course, market could go down 25% too…
I bought in 2012 and sold in 2014 and made about 80%. The closing costs were minor in the scheme of things. If I held that place for another 8 years, maybe I would end up selling for a loss?
So, length of hold isn’t always that important.
It’s quite obvious that there are people that know what they are doing and others that have no idea what they are doing. If you are business savvy you should be able to make the “buy vs rent” decision pretty easily. As far as Sabrina renting long-term in the same place, I see no way to justify this financially. Anyone want to try?
“I’ve lived in a rental for 6 years. I could probably stay another 6 years. Why would I have to move?”
$2,000 per month x 72 months = $144,000
$2,500 per month x 72 months = $180,000
Are you SURE you were better off financially renting vs buying?
“I’ve lived in a rental for 6 years. I could probably stay another 6 years. Why would I have to move?”
I’m not paying $2000 a month chuk. We all don’t pay that. In fact, 99% of us don’t pay that. Why would we have to when rents are way less than that (and way less than actually buying the same property- even with the tax deduction.)
Yes- I am paying $500 to $600 less a month than it would pay to buy my place in the same neighborhood.
Why would I move?
And – by the way- 6 years of “owning” is the same as renting, you’re just doing it from the bank. And I don’t have to pay special assessments either!
“Are you SURE you were better off financially renting vs buying?z’
Oh- and by the way- owning v. renting comes down to SO much more than just financials. There’s the fact that if I hate my neighbors, I can just move. Or if I get a job in another city (which actually HAS happened), then I can just move.
Oh- wait- those walls of that condo really AREN’T sound proof? Then I can just move.
The neighborhood turns out to be creepy or there’s a gross guy who lives in the basement of the building next door who harasses me every day on my way to work? I can just move.
And- by the way- if you want to talk financially if I’m better off, you’d better include the $80,000 down payment I would have had to put in 6 years ago that instead is sitting in the stock market all that time (going down- and then going, up, up, up.)
But Steve didn’t ask about financials. He simply said that renters have to move every two years- which is laughable beyond belief.
But maybe I’ll just have the nice 20-something married couple, who have been renting next door to me for the last 4 years, chime in here as well.
Lol.
“Holding for a long period does only two things:”
Holding for a long period allows you to pay off some of the loan so if you go to sell in 10 years and the home has not appreciated (or the price has declined), you can still sell.
That’s why holding for long periods actually helps. You can then get out of the property and move on.