How Close to the El Could You Live? Part III: 3408 N. Bosworth in Southport is Back
This 3-bedroom brick single family home at 3408 N. Bosworth in Southport just came on the market.
But long time readers will recognize it because we’ve chattered about it 4 times since it first came on the market in 2010.
See the October 2010 chatter here where we had a spirited discussion about how close, and at what price, you could live near the El tracks.
See the March 2013 chatter here as it came back on the market.
See the May 2013 chatter here after the price was reduced.
We also chattered about it after it came on the market as a rental in June 2013. See that here.
The house also came back on the market in February 2016 and was withdrawn in August. I didn’t bother to crib about it last year.
But here it is again so how can I resist?
Built in 1877, it still has one stained glass window and a some original woodwork.
It’s on a standard 25×125 lot with a 2-car garage and has central air.
The new listing says it has a “completely remodeled pass through kitchen” with a Viking stove and Jenn-Air appliances with white cabinets.
There’s an unfinished basement which apparently has a “working toilet”.
The two bedrooms are on the second floor and there’s a third “bedroom” or, as the listing says, a den, on the main floor.
The listing notes that it’s near Southport shops, the new, huge Whole Foods on Ashland/Belmont and is a “7 minute walk from Wrigley Field.”
It has come back on the market at the lowest listing price of the last 7 years: at $475,000.
What’s the catch?
As we have chattered about before, the elevated Brown Line tracks run right next to the house.
The listing doesn’t try and hide it as it says: “Please note the proximity to the Brown Line eL.”
But every property sells eventually.
Is the price now low enough to make the El tracks less of an issue?
John Gault at @Properties has the listing. See the pictures here.
Or go to the open house this weekend and judge the El for yourself. It will be open on Saturday, January 7 from 12PM to 2PM and on Sunday, January 8 from 1PM to 3PM.
3408 N. Bosworth: 3 bedrooms, 1 bath, no square footage listed, 2 car garage
- Sold in February 1996 for $132,000
- Sold in February 1997 for $170,000
- Sold in June 2002 for $428,000
- Sold in July 2005 for $569,000
- Originally listed in April 2010 for $749,000
- Withdrawn
- Listed as a rental in June 2013
- Re-listed in February 2016 for $500,000
- Withdrawn in August 2016 still listed at $500,000
- Currently listed for $475,000
- Taxes are now $10,358 (they were $8523 in October 2010)
- Central Air
- Bedroom #1: 15×14 (second floor)
- Bedroom #2: 14×10 (second floor)
- Bedroom #3: 11×13 (old listing says it was 11×8) (main floor)
- Living room: 23×12
- Dining room: 12×12
- Kitchen: 16×9
- Mudroom: 9×6
- Unfinished basement with a toilet
I have not been in this house so I can’t tell you what it sounds like but I was once in a similarly situated house and you would have difficulty continuing a conversation when the el passed by. But at the right price….
One of my favorite movies of all time addresses this issue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMbJuZKQztI
I am endlessly intrigued by this house. I love the idea that there’s a SFH in Lakeview for under 500k, but I don’t see how living next to the El doesn’t become an issue.
Talk really loudly, you’ll get used to it. I did.
https://www.miracle-ear.com
“Unfinished basement with a toilet”
I’m surprised they didn’t try to say 1.1 bathrooms as the RE convention goes.
I think this is finally the right price for a starter home in Lakeview that abuts the El tracks so closely.
I almost feel bad for the 2005 buyer.
I grew up in a SFH adjacent to the elevated part of the blue line between Logan Square and California stops. The only negative I remember from the tracks was the rusty water drops after rainfall. The train was white noise for the most part, and would pass by slowly at night.
Might be too much of a compromise for most, but I can see this moving in the low-mid 4s.
Yeah not gonna do that ever again, sorry
Maybe house next door should buy as a tear down to get the side lot…
I once lived in an apartment on Janssen, next to the brown line. Cannot deny it sucked, although I would not admit it at the time. The screeching did me in!
Last year I recall they advertised the house next door as also for sale if anyone wanted to buy both. But the non-el-adjacent house sold and this didn’t. I also wonder if there’s a historical restriction that has kept a developer from buying and building a 3-flat condo/apartment building.
But for the right buyer, I bet they could low-ball in the low 4s to get this, build out the baseement/bathroom, all for under 475k.
“Maybe house next door should buy as a tear down to get the side lot…”
With the house next to the el gone the noise would get worse for the remaining house.
If I was hard of hearing, I would seriously consider buying this house.
Sound dampening insulation and new windows would cut down the noise quite a bit. Sound dampening windows are made with three panes of glass and two layers of gas.
Aside from the noise, I think the house might literally shake every time a train goes over. With the foundation of the house so close to the foundation of the track structure, there would be shock waves.
One of my favorite movies of all time addresses this issue:
Was totally expecting this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S65lJGs7YC8
That was my college apartment on the red/purple line where starting at 6 am on week days you’d often get four trains rolling by at once.
My wife and I live a block away and 18 stories above the brown line ( and not not on the side of the building that faces east towards the train – and literally ALL night and early morning all I hear is ‘ding/ding doors closing’. I’ve gotten used to it but it absolutely sucks. I can’t even imagine being this close. Couldn’t pay me to live here. At some point, it HAS to effect your quality of life.
“I can’t even imagine being this close. Couldn’t pay me to live here. At some point, it HAS to effect your quality of life.”
Go move to Barrington if you want peace and quiet. A cool mil buys nearly buys an estate out there, and it’s still Cook County to boot.
Highway noise, the ‘el’, street ‘performers’, panhandlers, murders, shootings, armed robberies, vagrants, and constant sirens are all city livin’! Love it or leave it baby!
There a some really great window soundproofing companies in Chicago just for this reason. However, outside noise will still be an issue.
I took the El for the first time in many years a few months ago. I could not believe the extremely loud announcements. People survived before those announcements. They are unnecessary an excessive. I can’t imagine taking the El everyday and listening to those damned announcements not stop.
I’m sure all the announcements has something to do with blind people, ADA law or something like that
They should make the announcements through bluetooth on a person’s phone and people could opt in to receive the notifications.
I used to live on Newport/Racine. You really do get used to it.
“That was my college apartment on the red/purple line where starting at 6 am on week days you’d often get four trains rolling by at once.”
so what came next, the studio in Uptown or the basement apt in Old Irving park?
Sounds like any worry of ever oversleeping and being late for work is fixed when you have the El for an alarm clock!
Under contract
Hi –
I appreciate the info here and the things to think about, but I have to tell you, I’m disappointed none of you mentioned the lakeview low line. Y’all missed that one.
Perhaps you should up your real estate commentary game.
Closed for $458,500
Back on the market, and so soon.