2-Bedroom Lincoln Park Coach House Listed $14,600 Under the 1997 Price: 1143 W. Armitage
Several of you have written me inquiring about this bank owned 2-bedroom vintage coach house at 1143 W. Armitage in Lincoln Park.
(This is a picture of the front part of the building. The coach house is in the back part of the lot.)
Up until recently, the listing didn’t have interior pictures but it does now so we can at least see that the kitchen looks to be intact.
It has white cabinets, a white refrigerator but stainless steel stove and what look like granite counter tops.
Built in 1891, the two-story coach house has a first floor living/dining/kitchen with the 2-bedrooms on the upper level.
There is central air, washer/dryer in the unit but no parking.
It also appears from the listing pictures that you would walk down the passageway alongside the building to possibly access your unit.
Originally listed in March 2011 for $274,975, or about $100,000 under the 2005 purchase price, it has been reduced $70,075.
The property is now listed $14,600 under the 1997 price.
Will this go as low as the 1996 price?
David Piche at Re/Max Signature has the listing. See the pictures here.
Coach house: 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, no square footage listed
- Sold in August 1987 for $130,000
- Sold in September 1996 for $183,500
- Sold in July 1997 for $219,500
- Sold in July 2000 for $267,000
- Sold in October 2005 for $375,000
- Lis pendens foreclosure filed in December 2009
- Bank owned in February 2011
- Originally listed in March 2011 for $274,975
- Reduced numerous times
- Currently listed for $204,900
- No assessments are listed but it IS part of a condo association
- Taxes of $2235
- Central Air
- Washer/Dryer in the unit
- No parking
- Bedroom #1: 12×15
- Bedroom #2: 10×12
creepy
Creepy, indeed. That pic of the “living” room showing the outdoor space is the stuff of nightmares.
Shitbox.
Why can’t realtors check the box that says “NO PARKING” – this is advertised (falsely) with “Parking Space(s)”.
shouldn’t this come with the house instead of an stand alone? It makes good nanny or guest quarters,
“shouldn’t this come with the house instead of an stand alone?”
The building in front appears to be condos (and there is an association), not a house.
OMG Realtors(tm) actually now have to provide _interior pics_ of the building? What kind of inhumane working conditions are Realtors(tm) operating in 2011 that should require this?!!
If this Realtor(tm) had the listing since it was first put on the MLS without interior pics he should be dismissed. But I guess that business practice would make too much sense for the bank to do.
Once again, the chatteratti are being overly negative – what is wrong with you people?!! There are MANY MANY people who would LOVE to live here:
– fugitives
– illegal aliens
-drug dealers
-sex offenders
In addition, there are MANY MANY uses for this place:
– sweatshop
-porn studio
-massage parlor
-drive-thru drug dealing (the window/door in the alley would be PERFECT)
Honestly, you guys have no imagination
I like how it’s below grade so its allowed to be extra exciting during this summer of torrential storms we’ve had.
I also like how the computer nook is right next to the window allowing peeping Toms to see what internet sites the new owner is surfing and also to suggest some of their own favorites.
“There are MANY MANY people who would LOVE to live here:”
Lets not forget…after this summer seeing as it’s below grade: Aquaman!
i count only two windows in the whole building and on below grade glass door?
I wonder what the original 1891 builder would have said if you told him one day this coach house will have crown molding, jacuzzi tub and stone counter tops in it.
“I wonder what the original 1891 builder would have said if you told him one day this coach house will have crown molding, jacuzzi tub and stone counter tops in it.”
Or if you told the blue collar owners of the frame shacks in North Center a few decades ago that their homes would sell for half a million.
Ug! Not what came to mind at all when I heard “coach house”. No wonder it’s only 200K for that location.
lol @ clio
Excellent stuff!
brutal
How did this ever sell for even $130K? (Oh right, location ….)
(Great work this morning, Clio.)
On top of everything thing else, the “needs work throughout” comment from the Redfin agent is not very reassuring. I’ll be extra bearish and say that, not only will this go for below the 1996 price, but it will sell for around $145k, so a lot closer to the 1987 price than the 1996 one.
I’m sure some will say it’s in the right school district so get it for the asking price and consider yourself lucky.
Best thing to do with this one is for the owners of the condo unit in front to convert the structure into a garage. Or tear it down and plant the site with some grass so they can have a back yard.
Every post-college 22 year old with a decent job in the loop would want to live here. Close enough to the L and all the newly minted post-college bars. Mcgees or Kincades anyone?
I would buy this at $150K. I’d pencil in $25K for renovations (I imagine new floors throughout, painting and patching, some aesthetic upgrades to the exterior), plus $10-15K for some unknowns. $185K all-in wouldnt be bad for a small stand-alone building in this location. Especially with $2500 in taxes.
Picky detail, but I think agents should close the toilet seats before taking pictures.
I bet you could get $1600/month in rent for the place. That might be close to cashflow postive your first month depending on the assesments which I can’t imagine being high unless there is a special since the redfin agent said ‘needs work’….
I am in the top decile of lazy but even I would have swept that sunken patio before I photographed it for the listing.
“$185K all-in wouldnt be bad for a small stand-alone building in this location. Especially with $2500 in taxes.”
It doesn’t look like you get the whole building. I bet there is another unit on top.
haha clio,
for the first time you made me laugh on here
kudos to the 2005 seller
But it’s in the RANCH Triangle!
When did the nameless whatever-it-was-called tavern next door turn into a PJ Clarke’s?
here is an article from 2009 about 1123-1141 W. Armitage: http://www.chicagorealestatedaily.com/article/20090218/CRED03/200033039/foreclosure-suit-hits-armitage-ave-shopping-center
“SOLD AS-IS, WHERE-IS. BUYER RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY VIOLATIONS”
What does it mean to be sold “where is”?
I agree with above post saying ‘turn it into a garage’.
as-is-where-is is just that, its a real estate term meaning
no conditions, the property is priced as it is, in the location where it is
usually REO’s use that term
Jenny,
Just be glad they flushed the toilet before taking the photo with it open!
“I’m sure some will say it’s in the right school district so get it for the asking price and consider yourself lucky.”
If anyone were stupid enough to say that, they’d get called out for this NOT being in the “right” school district. Kinda like assuming all the suburbs are the same.
where is means you cannot just purchase the structure for moving it without also taking possession of the property/PIN as part of the deal.
Anon,
Only point I was trying to make is that some on this site would advocate purchasing a hovel with no windows or plumbing for $500,000 if it happened to be in the Bell or Lincoln school districts. I don’t even know what district this one is in.
“some on this site would advocate purchasing a hovel with no windows or plumbing for $500,000 if it happened to be in the Bell or Lincoln school districts.”
As would others for an outhouse in Hinsdale Central or J.Sears.
I think you get the whole building. The “shared” balcony is shared between the 2 bedrooms on the second floor… at least that’s my assumption. I might actually go look at this POS and will report back.
Iv actually been inside here. It was across the street from another place I was looking at, so my realtor called and scheduled a checkout.
NEEDS ALOT OF WORK. And even then its just not a good property. Lots of water damage on the first floor, and what looks like an electrical fire (check out the outlet in picture #2.)
Floors also felt uneven throughout on the first floor, like a putting green. That tree in photo #10? Yeah, the roots are destroying the patio brickwork and they have set up some classy 2X4s to cover the roots.Tree is too close to the building, and it was one of those trees that smell really bad in the late spring.
It has a below grade patio/grillspace out front, but it was half filled with mud and just generally gross.
Second floor was fine, just needs a coat of paint.
This place was as much a horror show as you all imagined it was.
Anon –
I believe you’re right.
“I think you get the whole building. The “shared” balcony is shared between the 2 bedrooms on the second floor… at least that’s my assumption. I might actually go look at this POS and will report back.”
I think you are right. I took a second look at the photos and it looks like they used the garage and dug below and built up to build the structure.
The entrance to this unit is though a dismal gangway. Windows on first floor on alley would be unpleasant.
This should be converted back to a garage with tiny apts. above that is used by the condos. This may work as a bed and breakfast or renting two studio apts. Price should be low for this property.
“It also appears from the listing pictures that you would walk down the passageway alongside the building to possibly access your unit.”
The better prospect for access from Armitage might be what looks to be a gate on the west side of the adjacent building (1147). The space between 1143 and 1147 looks really really narrow.
“The entrance to this unit is though a dismal gangway. Windows on first floor on alley would be unpleasant.”
However, that’s not uncommon for the area. On Kenmore, Seminary and other streets in the area, people just enter through the alley. If your’e not used to this, it can be daunting, but if you are, it’s not a big deal.
‘gangway’ is unique term to Chicago [I think], from the gangland 1920’s.
If it gets cheap enough, it would be worth buying to rip everything out to the bricks and build one of those tiny Tokyo-style houses out of the shell, perhaps with a new third floor being a glass and steel cube as a contrast with the Chicago common brick.
Now that would be awesome.
tomm, I think gangway is an old term used for passageways and ships and probably doesn’t have much to do with Al Capone and associates.
I love coach houses and think that there have been some interesting ideas mentioned to improve the property, but the sunken first floor is a difficult design problem. Tipster is right that this is only a shell, but then this property would have to be purchased for very little to be able to spend a large amount on a gut job. And the end result would still be a tight house in a sub par location down a gangway or past the garbage cans.
THANK YOU JENNY for your remark about the raised seats in the bathrooms! My own “take” on this is that it’s a message about the family’s lifestyle. I rarely see this in the master bath which is usually the province of the “mistress” of the house. She keeps her makeup, potpourri jars and “feminine stuff” in there, while banishing hubby, his shaving supplies, and the kids to the hallway bath.
I went and saw this place. It is a nightmare: water damage throughout the first floor, sealing and tuck pointing needs to be done on the exterior around the windows and doors, and the interior (aside from the water damage) could use all new floors, light fixtures etc.
I would estimate that $40,000 is needed in order to bring this place up to a solid rental standard. If it can be had for $150K, then it would be worth it to an investor.
there is also a seperate entrance behind the property on Maud. Low taxes and assesments help the overall cashflow. As for the owners in front to build a garage, how much would that cost etc??? The location is great though. Close to the el, shops, resteraunts etc
Reduced today to $198,500. Why even bother reducing it just $6,400? It’s going to require a much more meaningful price cut to close it.
Nice location, but terrible below-grade living space.
this sold, not sure what price was though
“not sure what price was though”
RF sez $180k.