Do You Still Want the White Picket Fence? A 3-Bedroom SFH at 306 W. Concord in Old Town
This 3-bedroom vintage single family home at 306 W. Concord in Old Town came on the market in January 2021.
If it looks familiar, that’s because we chattered about it in June 2019.
You can see our chatter here.
It didn’t sell in 2019 and was withdrawn from the market.
Built in 1896 on a smaller than average 24×94 lot, it has a 2 car garage.
The listing again says the house was “totally renovated” in 2006/2007.
A great room and master suite were added on to the back of the house which expanded the square footage to 2500 square feet.
The kitchen has white cabinets, black counter tops, white subway tile, a farmhouse sink and luxury stainless steel appliances.
There’s a separate breakfast room and an office, with French doors, on the main level.
All three bedrooms are on the lower level including the master suite which has a spa bathroom.
You’ll recall, that there’s a deck on top of the 2-car garage but because of the addition, and the smaller lot, there’s no backyard.
The house has central air.
It also literally has a white picket fence on the front of the property.
Originally listed in September 2018 for $1.35 million, it de-listed in August 2019, but it has now come back on the market and been reduced to $1.195 million.
With the pandemic putting outdoor space at a premium, does a home on a smaller than standard Chicago lot have a disadvantage?
Or will ANY single family home do right now? (especially one with 2-car parking in Old Town)
Emily Sachs Wong at @Properties still has the listing. See the pictures here.
306 W. Concord: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2500 square feet
- Sold in July 1996 for $290,000
- Sold in December 2005 for $643,000
- Sold in April 2016 for $1.25 million
- Originally listed in September 2018 for $1.35 million
- Reduced
- Was listed in June 2019 at $1.295 million
- De-listed in August 2019
- Re-listed in January 2021 at $1.195 million
- Taxes are now $21,770 (they were $20,402 in 2019)
- Central Air
- 2-car garage
- Bedroom #1: 16×13 (lower level)
- Bedroom #2: 12×10 (lower level)
- Bedroom #3: 11×7 (lower level)
- Living room: 12×11 (main level)
- Dining room: 12×10 (main level)
- Office: 10×9 (main level)
- Kitchen: 12×9 (main level)
- Family room: 17×15 (main level)
SO MUCH of the price is just based on the Old Town location — it’ll be interesting how demand shakes out in the areas close to downtown in a post-COVID (remote work) world.
There are options that are so much more spacious and updated just a mile or two north.
I’d rather live in this one, which is also 10% cheaper: https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/1425-W-Lill-Ave-60614/home/13361209
I know there’s a lot of reasons some people want an SFH. I once did, too. Now that I’ve lived in one for more than 18 years, I want to be back in a condo. SFH is too much damn work and headache.
“I’d rather live in this one, which is also 10% cheaper:”
it’s 2+ miles away. you’re closer to Bucktown than OT with that house.
The ridiculous positioning of two lonely chairs in the fronch room really emphasis how that space is a glorified foyer.
““totally renovated” in 2006/2007” = ready for a total cosmetic update, in this PSF bracket. And a near-term replacement of HVAC/water heater/etc.
Decent place for a single parent with the lesser portion of shared custody. Kinda spending for that market.
I would think a condo in this price point would offer a better value overall.
Looks great for say a $500k house… but not what I think people who are going to drop $1.1+ million expect. Needs some significant cosmetic updates.
“$1.1M to sleep in the basement! After scrolling through the pictures, I felt like I strolled through Menards.”
“After scrolling through the pictures, I felt like I strolled through Menards.”
Oh, shit! You’re in for it now!!
One more thin I just noticed in Sabrina’s pic:
WTF is with the lattice on the porch being attached on the outside with no trim? Looks like CRAP! Do it right, or leave it uncovered.
I would definitely be leery of any home that the owner has been trying to sell for some time and is clearly going to lose money on. They are not doing repairs / maintenance as if they may occupy for the next 20 years and certainly not doing upgrades. Buyer beware.
The listing KK posted…yes you get “more” for your money but you are further from the lake (important to a transplant such as myself) and that home has zero charm – – – a much more functional floor plan sure, but zero charm. I find it ugly – – exterior needs a ton of work . . . or at least would for me to smile each day when I got home.
“I know there’s a lot of reasons some people want an SFH. I once did, too. Now that I’ve lived in one for more than 18 years, I want to be back in a condo. SFH is too much damn work and headache.”
Most people over-estimate their abilities and under-estimate the amount of work/upkeep a SFH entails.
If you aren’t handy you’re going to be paying a lot to maintain it, if you are handy you will be spending a lot of time maintaining it.
And there are a lot of people that think they are handy (enough) and aren’t.
“I know there’s a lot of reasons some people want an SFH. I once did, too. Now that I’ve lived in one for more than 18 years, I want to be back in a condo. SFH is too much damn work and headache.”
Agreed Dan #2.
Heck, there’s a storm that comes through and that big tree in the backyard comes down and suddenly you have to pay someone $2,000 to come cut it up and cart it away. Lol.
Roof. Windows. Fireplace cleaning. Driveway repairs. Painting. And on and on.
Some like doing it all. But for others, that $500 a month condo assessment doesn’t look so bad.
“SO MUCH of the price is just based on the Old Town location — it’ll be interesting how demand shakes out in the areas close to downtown in a post-COVID (remote work) world.”
Me too KK.
But people LOVE Old Town. Has nothing to do with the proximity to downtown, really. It’s quaint and cute. You are near the lake, Lincoln Park, the zoo and restaurants on Wells. You can walk to the Mag Mile if you want.
I doubt that the prices will be impacted much by work-from-home but we shall see.
Most of the price is due strictly to the location, but even with the charm of Old Town, I have a hard time understanding why anyone would pay so much money to live in a gussied-up but basically charmless old A-frame that was built for workers back in the day. Houses like this are everything I ever wanted to escape.
It is nicely appointed, though, which is the least you can expect for this price. I’ll take a vintage condo any day.
“Fireplace cleaning…. Painting. …
“Some like doing it all. But for others, that $500 a month condo assessment[.]”
Which association cleans your fireplace and paints (maybe you just meant exterior? buy a brick or hardie board house!) for you for $500/mo?
“Roof. Windows. … Driveway repairs. … And on and on.
“that $500 a month condo assessment”
What % of condo buildings that have ~$500 assessments for ‘average’ units (2/2 ish) have sufficient reserves to pay for roof and windows and on and on without a special?