Crib Chatter

This 2-bedroom at 527 W. Surf in East Lakeview came on the market in August 2025.

Built in 1920, this building has 24 units, a laundry room, a bike room and private storage.

We last chattered about this unit during the hot pandemic market, in July 2022.

Back then, many of you thought it was nicely updated and that Surf was a great street.

See our 2022 chatter here.

If you recall, the unit has many of its original features including the hardwood floors, crown moldings throughout the living and dining rooms (unpainted), huge vintage windows and 10 foot ceilings.

The listing says it’s “vintage charm meets modern upgrades.”

It has a foyer and separate dining room which is now called a “sitting room” in the current floor plan and is being used as a living room.

The living room has north facing windows and a wood burning fireplace with wood mantle and built-in bookcases.

The kitchen was remodeled in 2021 and has gray and white cabinets with gold finishes, a white farmhouse sink, white subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and a 2-seats at a counter.

It leads to a private deck.

In 2022, The Cat complained about the bathroom vanity, but it appears that it has been replaced:

“No one seems to want to live here for more than five years however. That vanity in the bath has to be on it’s last legs….been there since at least 2011 based on pasty listing photos and if memory serves of when that particular vanity / sink combo popped up in a lot of condos, it is from Home Depot.”

While the building has a laundry room, this unit has washer/dryer in the unit.

There’s no central air but there are window units. It doesn’t have parking but there are public garages nearby.

It’s in a popular East Lakeview neighborhood with Trader Joe’s, Mariano’s, Landmark Cinema, Lincoln Park, shops, restaurants, and several bus lines nearby.

It went under contract in just 11 days in 2022 and sold $2,500 above the list price for $352,500. It has come back on the market at $400,000.

In this hot market, will it sell quickly again?

Ryan Rausch at HomeSmart Connect LLC has the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.

Unit #2: 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, 955 square feet (according to floor plan)

• Sold in April 1993 for $119,500
• Sold in September 1997 for $139,500
• Sold in July 2006 for $283,000
• Sold in June 2012 for $250,000
• Sold in July 2017 for $309,000
• Listed in July 2022 for $350,000
• Sold in August 2022 at $352,500
• Currently listed at $400,000
• Assessments are now $382 a month (they were $331 a month in July 2022) (includes heat, cable, exterior maintenance, scavenger, snow removal)
• Taxes are now $6123 (they were $6461 in July 2022)
• No central air but window units
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• No parking but available to rent in the neighborhood
• Basement storage: 8×10
• Wood burning fireplace
• Bedroom #1: 12×13
• Bedroom #2: 11×14
• Living room: 15×12
• Dining room/sitting room: 11×10
• Kitchen: 16×9
• Foyer: 10×7
• Deck: 5×16