A 3-Bedroom Single Family Home For Under $400K in Lincoln Square: 2255 W. Montrose
This 3-bedroom brick house at 2255 W. Montrose on the border of Lincoln Square and North Center recently came on the market listed for $399,900.
Located across from Welles Park, the listing says it was recently “remodeled” and has new appliances, floors, walls, ceilings, bathrooms and has not been occupied since completion of the remodel.
The kitchen has stainless steel appliances, white counters and white cabinets.
Built on a 24×125 lot, it appears to have at least a 1-car garage. But the house does not have central air.
Additionally, all 3 bedrooms, along with a family room, are located in the lower level.
The listing indicates this house is a good condo alternative.
Is it?
Valdir Barion at @Properties has the listing. See the pictures here.
2255 W. Montrose: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1350 square feet, 1 car garage
- Sold in September 2005 for $349,000
- Originally listed in February 2011 for $399,900
- Currently still listed for $399,900
- Taxes of $5006
- No central air (window units only)
- Bedroom #1: 9×12 (lower level)
- Bedroom #2: 10×9 (lower level)
- Bedroom #3: 10×9 (lower level)
- Family room: 11×15 (lower level)
- Laundry room: 6×12 (lower level)
Wow, is that ugly.
400k for this sad sad place is hilarious
Those kitchen cabinets remind me of my rental days, what are those from the 80’s?
tiny bedrooms, awful curb appeal, sandiwched next to a place that looks like a section 8 only apartment building
damn this place sucks
Has a 1 car garage or was a 1 car garage? That is a really odd looking structure. I know $399k is a good price for the neighborhood but I’d have a really hard time getting my head around paying that much for that property.
What’s the opposite of Real Estate Porn?
“What’s the opposite of Real Estate Porn?”
Not quite the same thing, but this place definitely has Curb Repel.
They should take the cupboard doors off, at least on the uppers.
out of all the lincoln square houses in my favorites list you choose this midget house to showcase!!! boo
Recently remodeled? And they kept those cabinets? Why was this not a tear down before the remodel?
I threw up a little when I saw the main picture of the property and tried to imagine living here. An architects dream it is not.
$300 PSF for this place? LOL
I may be alone here, but I actually like it (for $350k at least). As a condo replacement for a single person, this could definitely work. Yes, the kitchen needs to be redone, but the whole thing is almost ugly enough to be cute.
wait this is a duplex down in a 1 unit building?
Tear it down, just tear it down.
This place is small small small. Master bed is 12×9? Come on.
“the whole thing is almost ugly enough to be cute”
Trying to process this comment…I’ll just see what Groove has to say about it.
Yeah, probably not the brightest thing I’ve ever written…
But done in a mid-century style, you might (emphasis on “might”) be able to make something of it, and the location is amazing.
What a blight: not worth more than lot value. I feel sorry for the neighbors who have to look at this place daily.
Very tempting, but I think I’m going to pass.
I’m shocked that it isn’t described as “extrawide”–it’s almost lotline to lotline.
I’m sure that the wall b/t the living room and the foyer is holding up the roof, but htis could be a decent space if you opened it up.
$300k for the land, then $100 psf less reno costs for the space. So, maybe $275k.
“NOT A SHORT SALE or FORECLOSURE”
this is the funniest realtor(tm) statement ever made, when taken in context.
Awful outdide, however LOOK AT THE YARD you have with this tiny place! This lot would make a great back yard for the apartment building beside it.
snuff film = opposite of Real Estate Porn
Even without looking at house….not sure I would consider it. Welles Park is great but not on the Montroseside. Street is too busy for my liking. Especially with a stop light right there. Yes, I know, it is the city but there is a vast difference between a major road and a side road. As well as there is a difference between a major street near a stop light versus no stoplight.
I nominate this for the “ugliest house in Chicago” award. Really – not a bit of character anywhere. TEAR IT DOWN!!
That would not be considered a “home” in most other parts of the country!
I would worry that the cops would be knocking the door down thinking it’s a crack house!
This is the house that other houses beat up when they want to feel good about themselves
FAIL.
Is that three different styles of brick on the facade? The awning is also terrible, not to mention the lack of windows making this place feel like a dungeon inside. There’s no way this sells for even $300k. Ugly, ugly, ugly.
“The listing indicates this house is a good condo alternative.”
I’ll take Condo for $400, Alex!
Go around the corner and you could have this for less:
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/4309-N-Bell-Ave-60618/home/13389805
shit sandwich
This place is so ugly that it probably has a distinguished architect behind it.
“Go around the corner and you could have this for less:”
With 60% less land. And 100% of the ugly.
Could you build up a floor? Make it look like a real house?
“Could you build up a floor? Make it look like a real house?”
—a real ugly house.
“Could you build up a floor? Make it look like a real house?”
Zoning/building code wise? you might have an issue with setbacks.
structural feasibility wise? sure.
Cost wise? better off starting from scratch.
The building is really short, too, under 40′ deep.
There’s a couple of homes like these on Foster. I think one of them sold for under $300k during the bubble.
I could easily live here ironically, and ride a ten speed everywhere. the hard part is being able to pull off the skinny black jeans and a neck tattoo.
still nobody answered my question;
is this a duplex down in a 1 unit building?
also would it be to code to build a roof top deck?
the positive is that its a red light now not just a stop sign people would miss and slam on the breaks to try not get a ticket.
“is this a duplex down in a 1 unit building?”
Yes. Yes it is.
But the thing is that there’s no neighbor upstairs and that’s worth a significant premium, like a couple of hundred grand or so.
“#anon (tfo) on March 17th, 2011 at 12:22 pm
“is this a duplex down in a 1 unit building?”
Yes. Yes it is.”
“But the thing is that there’s no neighbor upstairs and that’s worth a significant premium, like a couple of hundred grand or so. ”
And, since a small, very basic, duplex down condo in this location *might* be worth $250, that’s how we come to the asking price.
No, I mean couple of hundred grand ABOVE the asking price. It is clearly discounted because of ‘down’ real estate market. If they would just hold out a little bit longer they would get a lot more money. I mean, it’s like these sellers are giving the unit away. They can’t just give it away you know.
“#anon (tfo) on March 17th, 2011 at 12:29 pm
“But the thing is that there’s no neighbor upstairs and that’s worth a significant premium, like a couple of hundred grand or so. ”
And, since a small, very basic, duplex down condo in this location *might* be worth $250, that’s how we come to the asking price.”
groove are you ironically riding a ten speed since most hipsters ironically ride one speed bikes?
“is this a duplex down in a 1 unit building?”
It’s actually a duplex up, they just put the front door on the 2nd floor.
“But the thing is that there’s no neighbor upstairs and that’s worth a significant premium, like a couple of hundred grand or so. ”
do Chinese spy satellites count as neighbors upstairs?
I cannot wait for a new post so I don’t have to look at this ugly thing when I pull up this website.
“It’s actually a duplex up, they just put the front door on the 2nd floor.”
That first floor is partly below grade.
“groove are you ironically riding a ten speed since most hipsters ironically ride one speed bikes?”
even if its fixed gear when i nailed that punk kid with my car me it looked like a ten speed to me when it was flying over my sun roof. I offered him two cases of PBR to not report the incident.
Bad idea to put any money in this…..they should have spent that money to tear it down and clear the lot. I bet it would sell for more as land. I’d like to live on a park.
“#anon (tfo) on March 17th, 2011 at 12:22 pm
“is this a duplex down in a 1 unit building?”
Yes. Yes it is.”
man it would suck to get hit with a special ass fee for some repair as i think you might be the only one paying into the reserves.
I guess I am alone here, but I actually looooove it! It completely fits my unicorn criteria were I to buy a SFH – not too large, vintage, brick, nice location close to the el, move-in condition.
Drawbacks for me are:
– Price is too high
– Bedrooms are in the basement. (I’d prefer a basement to just be a basement.)
Other than that, I am wondering what the safety factors would be in owning this house and using it just one weekend a month and then amybe 4 times a year for a week each time. (I live in New York full time, so this would be an in-town for me in Chicago.) I’m guessing I’d have to wire it to the hilt with a good security system and then hire a caretaker to check up on things and make sure the pipes don’t freeze and that the sidewalk is shoveled?
Following up on a house of similar style which Sabrina profiled a few months back, this Budlong Woods townhouse just sold for 150K:
http://cribchatter.com/?p=9328
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/5252-N-Rockwell-St-60625/home/13491383
Milkster,
Why don’t you just buy a condo – much more convenient and you don’t have to deal with things like roof leaks, robbery, snow removal, etc.
“It’s actually a duplex up, they just put the front door on the 2nd floor.”
“That first floor is partly below grade.”
I know… Internet sarcasm doesn’t always travel so well
“Why don’t you just buy a condo – … you don’t have to deal with things like … robbery ….”
Is there something magical about condos that prevent break-ins?
“Is there something magical about condos that prevent break-ins?”
Yes – doormen. Also, less entrypoints for burglars (of course I am talking about larger buildings).
Hi Clio –
Yes, you make good points. I’m only going to complicate my life having to deal with maintaining a house from NY. I’ve been trying to buy a condo, but it has been very hard to find one at a reasonable price with a competent, healthy HOA. I like the idea of being in total control of the finances with a house and I also like the land-value aspect.
I just killed a contract this week on a unit in Albany Park because after I read through the HOA minutes, I found they had no reserves – they were actually in the red because so many owners had defaulted and limited assessments were coming in, they had major repairs to do, the board had no idea how to do basic accounting, the board members were arguing so much they couldn’t agree on anything, they had retained an attorney for some legal problems, the owners were doing building maintenance but not doing a great job and they had had rat, roach and squirrel infestations.
I think this place is probably as close as you’ll ever get to a burglar-proof property. Who would ever break in here other than a serial killer looking to dump a body?
“Why don’t you just buy a condo – much more convenient and you don’t have to deal with things like roof leaks, robbery, snow removal, etc.”
Looks like the bottom half of an old 3 flat.
EJ, I agree… it looks like someone ran out of financing while building 4-story apartment deal and said “screw it, just throw a rubberized roof on the thing”.
Being in the red is a very common situation for condo associations these days, especially in less expensive buildings or bubble-era rehabs. Every building I look at has numerous foreclosures- people not paying any assessments whose loads fall on the paying owners.
I love apartment life, but single family houses are beginning to look good in this context. Just hate the lack of security in a SF house, though. I’d like to see developments of attractive, small (2 bed) SF houses built on mews, with pocket gardens, and a 12′ wall or wrought iron fence with a stout security gate around the whole complex.
Amazingly ugly-I don’t see anything worth saving, the remodel was a waste.
“a 12? wall or wrought iron fence with a stout security gate around the whole complex.”
Laura, I adore the way you express yourself. You strike me as a very sensible person. Your tone reminds me of one of my first teachers – Mrs. Armstrong in Ottawa, Ontario. A Canadian lady of Scottish descent.
She would say stuff like “these vegetarian mothers have no sense sending their kids to school with a bunch of rabbit food in their lunchboxes when what they really need is a good hunk of MEAT!”
I would be embarrassed to live next to this house. If I were the neighbor I would buy it just to knock it down so that it wouldn’t affect my house’s value.
This house will get knocked down and the lot will sell for $300K. It serves no use in its current state/condition.
it’s dark and depressing, as if both floors were in the basement.
Nice try, but they shouldn’t have bothered.
“I would be embarrassed to live next to this house. If I were the neighbor I would buy it just to knock it down so that it wouldn’t affect my house’s value.”
given this block as some *iffy homes and multi’s and is on a main street next to a stop light…
do you think this is worth the tear down and new build?
went by yesterday – besides the fugmo factor, the constant backed up traffic on Montrose really detracts from the park proximity. Compare this street to Sunnyside on the other side of the park, no contest.
I see houses in this style all over the Northwest Side. There MUST be an interesting history behind the architecture of these buildings! Were they built cheaply-and-quickly by fly-by-night developers eager to make a buck off the burgeoning immigrant populations of the last century?
This house makes me feel bad about life.
ChiTownGal – your assumption is likely right on target. Plus, this basic form was (typical Chicago two through six flat) was easily expandable, contractable. Basically, you have the single floor component (represented in this building) that could be easily stacked and/or laid side-by-side to get the SF residential scale, but greater density/economy of scale. Once the builders wanted to go greater than 6-8 units, they changed the form to the typical full or half 3+ story courtyards.
There are alot of houses like this in the center of Berywn. http://bwimages.s3.amazonaws.com/bw-photos/profile/06/07752006_1.jpg
“small (2 bed) SF houses built on mews,”
These are all over the greater river west area, as we’ve seen a few here (since “mews” basically means “alley”). Just need to buy a whole block of them and create your gated suburban community in the city.
This place is so ugly even Ug(homevestors) won’t buy it
What are the odds that all these properties under contract will even close? 50%? A close friend of mine had his closing delayed recently on a 3/2 because the appraisal came in lower and they told him he had to put in another $25,000 in cash to make up the difference, even though he already had a 20% down payment of around $100,000. Obviously market values are still skewed.
why not do it the chicago way and just “tip” your appraiser $500 bucks and call it a day
“This place is so ugly even Ug(homevestors) won’t buy it”
LOL
I don’t know, the lack of any architectural detailing speaks volumes, but on the other hand the building is made out of quality brick.
The real cheapie houses were wood, the “brick only” decree for in-the-city-limits that followed the Chicago Fire was what spurred a flood of wooden-home building in outlying townships like Jefferson Park, Lake View, etc.
“Were they built cheaply-and-quickly by fly-by-night developers eager to make a buck off the burgeoning immigrant populations of the last century?”
“I don’t know, the lack of any architectural detailing speaks volumes, but on the other hand the building is made out of quality brick. ”
The location + size + ugli-brick-ness makes me think it was a commercial building originally, but that’s a total guess.
Here’s the three on Foster Ave:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=2200+w+foster+ave+chicago&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=2200+W+Foster+Ave,+Chicago,+Cook,+Illinois+60625&ll=41.975923,-87.687292&spn=0.010704,0.026157&z=16&layer=c&cbll=41.975918,-87.68742&panoid=nXDg9DP7Rh5aXJNsACpMJg&cbp=12,223.54,,0,1.93
“…the appraisal came in lower and they told him he had to put in another $25,000 in cash to make up the difference, even though he already had a 20% down payment of around $100,000…”
Really seems to be in the seller’s best interest to just drop the price. Depending on the nature of the loan and the appraisal, won’t that appraisal likely be applicable for 6 months?
“Here’s the three on Foster Ave:”
Also, 4116 and 4139 Bell, which sold for $490 and $420 in the past year.
Excellent logic – and in fact there are very similar structures in the area between Hamlin Park and Belmont & Western that were “key factories” and the like, so I’ll buy that.
“The location + size + ugli-brick-ness makes me think it was a commercial building originally, but that’s a total guess.”
“…the appraisal came in lower and they told him he had to put in another $25,000 in cash to make up the difference, even though he already had a 20% down payment of around $100,000…”
The appraisal really protects the buyer from paying too much. If the seller doesn’t come down in price, time to walk away.
Sonie: “why not do it the chicago way and just “tip” your appraiser $500 bucks and call it a day”.
That’s the practice that got the housing market in the mess it’s in to this day (and the fall-out will continue for years). Had nothing to do with realtors. The appraisors are really dotting their i’s & crossing their t’s now, and if anything, are purposely underappraising just be keep their source of income rather than lose their licenses.
(Signed, Realtor)
“Just hit the number”, more biz coming your way (lenders).
Now at $339k.