Classic Vintage Chicago 2-Bedroom with a WBFP in East Lakeview: 525 W. Belmont
This 2-bedroom at 525 W. Belmont in East Lakeview came on the market in June 2023.
Built in 1904, 525 W. Belmont has 6 units and a shared courtyard. There is storage in the basement but no other amenities and no parking with the building.
This unit has a lot of its vintage features including hardwood floors throughout the entire unit, extensive crown molding in the living room, wood moldings throughout, stained glass windows in the dining room (original?), along with a built-in dining room buffet and wood wainscoting throughout the room, and a stained glass window in the primary bedroom (original?).
It also has a wood burning fireplace in the living room with a brick surround.
The listing says it was originally 3 bedrooms but two of the bedrooms were combined by a prior owner to make a large primary bedroom which has a professionally organized walk-in-closet.
There’s a bay window in the living room which leads to a den/reading nook with a wall of built-in bookcases.
The kitchen has wood cabinets and stainless steel appliances and it leads to a private balcony which overlooks the courtyard.
The listing says both bathrooms have recently been remodeled and that in-unit washer/dryer was added (is it in the half bath?).
There’s no central air but there are window units.
Also, there’s no parking but the listing says there is an option to transfer the owner’s private leased garage parking space.
This building is near the shops and restaurants of East Lakeview and Wrigley Field. Numerous buses lines are nearby as is access to the lakefront trail.
Listed at $399,900, will this sell quickly to a vintage lover?
Ryan Douglas Wells and Gabrielle Davis at KellerWilliams ONEChicago have the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.
Unit #2W: 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, 1527 square feet
- Sold in November 1994 for $157,000
- Sold in April 2004 for $330,000
- Sold in March 2007 for $338,000
- Sold in July 2010 for $275,000
- Currently listed at $399,900
- Assessments of $450 a month (includes heat, exterior maintenance, scavenger)
- Taxes of $8121
- No central air. There are window units
- In-unit washer/dryer
- No parking but option to transfer the owner’s leased private garage parking space
- Wood burning fireplace
- Stained glass windows
- Bedroom #1: 12×22
- Bedroom #2: 12×11
- Den: 10×10
- Living room: 12×19
- Dining room: 16×12
- Kitchen: 10×12
- Balcony
Nice DINK space, with separate WFH spaces. Don’t love being on Belmont, nor the sandwich unit, but price reflects that. New appliances are a plus, too.
I’d replace the front door lockset with the first week–the cheap brass is jarring.
Lovely unit. This will sell quickly. Tastefully decorated and nice vintage charm. Great starter unit.
Really nice place and the built-in is awesome. Could use some color. Agree with TFO – great for Dinks
Shouldnt the owners be touting this as a 3br? This is actually closer than some of the schlock that gets touted as an extra bedroom. Smart people have noted that you never take out a bedroom.
I cant tell if the window units have “Sophisticated Chips or LEDs”
How is this near Wrigley? Its a mile away (Too far for the median CC’er to walk) and Its gotta be a 45min bus ride
Is the second door in the kitchen for an egress stairwell? (Looks pretty narrow on the plan)
you know it’s a special unit when two realtors have the listing.
This would have been a 4 bedroom back in 1904.
Is the second door in the kitchen for an egress stairwell? (Looks pretty narrow on the plan)
One door is to the balcony, the other is presumable an exit.
“One door is to the balcony, the other is presumable an exit.”
Yup–you can see in balcony pic that it is not acccessed by stairs.
Rear stairs thru the other door, seemingly in a fully enclosed starwell.
If you had one kid and you really were intent on them attending Nettlehorst and wanted a cheap 2 BR in Lakeview, maybe this would work. Seems like there should be a bigger discount for being on Belmont and lack of central air.
45 minute bus ride to Wrigley? Huh? I used to live a block away. Wrigley is an easy 15-minute walk. No one living here would take the bus to Wrigley. While it wouldn’t take 45 minutes, it’s probably just as fast on foot.
“This would have been a 4 bedroom back in 1904.”
Nope. Not with that crown molding it wouldn’t have been. That “den” would have been a parlor of some kind. This building was built for the wealthier types.
“Shouldnt the owners be touting this as a 3br?”
Why would they? The “den” has no closet and no door so it doesn’t qualify. And it was reduced from 3 bedrooms to 2 bedrooms over 13 years ago.
Calling it a 3 bedroom would just upset a buyer who really does want an actual three bedroom. Surprises are bad news in real estate. Just be honest in the listing.
Bigger issue to me is the dated kitchen. Those kitchen cabinets are old now. Used in tons of condos from the housing boom years. Why not paint them and put on a new countertop and backsplash to give it a refresh?
But there is so little on the market right now, it probably won’t matter in the sale.
Anyone know where the washer/dryer is located?
I cant imagine living on this stretch of Belmont, or most stretches of Belmont for that matter. Hard pass
I’m with you, Duffer. Way too busy.
“Why would they? The “den” has no closet and no door so it doesn’t qualify. And it was reduced from 3 bedrooms to 2 bedrooms over 13 years ago.
Calling it a 3 bedroom would just upset a buyer who really does want an actual three bedroom. Surprises are bad news in real estate. Just be honest in the listing.”
Are you drunk?
You constantly make excuses for other properties that claim an extra bedroom, but in this case it’s a bridge too fat?
“You constantly make excuses for other properties that claim an extra bedroom, but in this case it’s a bridge too fat?”
I have never seen anyone try and claim a bedroom out of what is clearly a den with no door. Usually there are French doors on this type of space and maybe a closet is missing so they still claim it as a bedroom. That is NOT what this is.
Many of us have lived in Chicago vintage units with this very layout. With that wide open space, it really is just a den/office space. It’s fantastic, actually, as it usually has really good light with the tall ceilings. They should really be marketing it as an office, with those built-in bookcases, due to work-from-home.
“I have never seen anyone try and claim a bedroom out of what is clearly a den with no door. Usually there are French doors on this type of space and maybe a closet is missing so they still claim it as a bedroom. That is NOT what this is.”
You claimed an area without any freakin walls could be counted as a bedroom. And putting up a barn door would solve that problem in a 1/2 day.
“Many of us have lived in Chicago vintage units with this very layout. With that wide open space, it really is just a den/office space. It’s fantastic, actually, as it usually has really good light with the tall ceilings. They should really be marketing it as an office, with those built-in bookcases, due to work-from-home.”
Yeah, so what? This is a different argument and not germaine to the discussion
“I have never seen anyone try and claim a bedroom out of what is clearly a den with no door.”
This one had been listed as a 3 bedroom, when the one real bedroom was 30 feet long:
https://cribchatter.com/a-new-yorkers-dream-loft-in-the-river-north-gallery-district-215-w-illinois/
Now that they’ve divided that huge space into two rooms (one still w/o a door), it’s listed as 2 bedrooms, with a den (which used to be listed as a bedroom”.
It’a also still available, now at $835k.
Ah man, I miss the Is it a Bedroom, or isn’t it? debates on CC.
Next up, What is a Gourmet Kitchen and how does it compare to a Chief’s Kitchen
“It’a also still available, now at $835k.”
Maybe that’s why it hasn’t sold. You should never list a property as having a certain amount of bedrooms just because 30 years ago it once did. If it doesn’t have them now, then it doesn’t have them. Buyers get annoyed. Who wants to annoy the buyer? Also, you may lose some buyers who are looking for a 1-bedroom or only a 2-bedroom and don’t want the other bedrooms. They won’t even see it come up on their property search.
“You claimed an area without any freakin walls could be counted as a bedroom.”
Lofts often do not have walls. I have seen a 1500 1-bedroom loft that had no walls (did have a closet and windows, however) that was not listed as a studio and it was a legit 1-bedroom. It was also incredibly difficult to sell because it was missing the walls.
But loft buyers know that things are weird in the layouts which is why they want a loft.
No one buying this vintage unit would think this is a bedroom. However, the reading nook in the front of the unit on that 3-bedroom on Sedgwick we just chattered about has a legit door and closet.
https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/2034-N-Seminary-Ave-60614/unit-2/home/13351638
“reading nook in the front … has a legit door and closet.”
Door, yes, but where is the closet?
““I have never seen anyone try and claim a bedroom out of what is clearly a den with no door. Usually there are French doors on this type of space and maybe a closet is missing so they still claim it as a bedroom. That is NOT what this is.”
Literally posts a link that does exactly this
“No one buying this vintage unit would think this is a bedroom. However, the reading nook in the front of the unit on that 3-bedroom on Sedgwick we just chattered about has a legit door and closet.”
Have you been drinking again? there’s no closet
So a closet is no longer needed?
So like I posted, adding a barn door and viola – legit 3Br.
I’m legit embarrassed for you
“will this sell quickly”
Apparently extremely so–Closed last week at $426,250
“Apparently extremely so–Closed last week at $426,250”
Had to be a cash purchase to close that fast.
Also sold over the $399,000 list. Wow. I’ve seen them close $10k or $15k over list but $27,250 over? Multiple bids.