Does Staging Matter? A 1-Bedroom Garden Unit at 3659 N. Damen in North Center
This 1-bedroom garden unit at 3659 N. Damen in North Center recently came on the market.
The listing says it is professionally staged and the furniture is included with the property.
The building was renovated into condos in 2006-2007.
The kitchen has cherry cabinets, stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops.
There is a washer/dryer in the unit but no central air (window units only.)
While the unit is a garden apartment, the listing says it has full-sized windows and is only 2 feet below grade.
Will the staging (and furniture) make this sale?
Edward Schwind at Century 21 S.G.R. has the listing. See the pictures here.
Unit #G: 1 bedroom, 1 bath, no square footage listed
- I couldn’t find a prior sales price- I don’t think it ever sold from the developer
- Currently listed for $99,000
- Assessments of $265 a month (includes heat)
- Taxes of $511
- No central air- window units only
- In-unit washer/dryer
- Furniture included
- Bedroom: 9×8
- Living room: 16×14
- Dining room: 10×10
- Kitchen: 10×8
I used to live down the block from this building. My building was torn down and now a three flat is in its place. I’m not surprised this building went condo conversion. The entire stretch of damen is all now condos and cinderblock.
Yikes, file under: “A time when people turned anything into something to sell.”
Here you go Groovy, we can argue whether this is a true garden apartment or if it’s just a first floor unit that has been relabeled.
I recognize the kitchen chairs: http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60059441
perhaps they should sell all the furniture for $100K and include the 1 bedroom condo for free?
Dan, I don’t know if that’s good or bad that you recognize Ikea chairs. I haven’t been in an Ikea in years and years.
What is that pipe running thru the LR? No excuses not to do your pull-ups.
I think the staging and throwing in the furniture can for sure help especially with some bachelors. I have had ex boyfriends who could not furnish a place if their life depended on it : )
HD, what is wrong with IKEA? It has nice enough designs for its price point. (I feel I might have nailed todays off topic discussion…yay!!!)
“Here you go Groovy, we can argue whether this is a true garden apartment or if it’s just a first floor unit that has been relabeled”
its a garden, no ifs ands or butts!
but the price reflects all the negatives but i still say rent a 1br.
A first floor unit at the same address is listed for $215 and a 2d(?) floor unit “next door” (3657) is listed for $229. The garden level must *really* suck.
Icarus: “we can argue whether this is a true garden apartment or if it’s just a first floor unit that has been relabeled.”
It’s *definitely* a garden unit, as that was most likely storage/laundry/utility space when it was built. Maybe it was converted to a rental unit before condo conversion, but I’m dubious.
Assessor’s market value is $32,750, so taxes will go up–a lot–if it sells remotely close to ask.
They prominently displayed those chairs right along the escalator. I thought they are cool because they are stackable, which would help with easy cleaning and decluttering. Ever see chairs hanging on a wall? Shakers used to do it, to keep a table uncluttered. It looks stupid but it’s a great idea. IKEA is cool for foodies, they have all kinds of cool kitchen gadgets, etc. Good laundry & closet gizmos too.
Looks like Bell school district….mabye I’ll buy it and stick a renter in there so I can use the address for my kid to go to Bell.
Also, around the corner, another unit in the assn is for sale for $199:
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/1953-W-Waveland-Ave-60613/unit-2/home/18928826
Now there is some creative thinking!
“Looks like Bell school district….mabye I’ll buy it and stick a renter in there so I can use the address for my kid to go to Bell.”
“Looks like Bell school district”
South side of Waveland, east of Leavitt, so no. It’s Audubon.
“HD, what is wrong with IKEA? It has nice enough designs for its price point.”
Completely agree. May well be buying *more* Ikea stuff in the near future.
“South side of Waveland, east of Leavitt, so no. It’s Audubon.”
The listing says Bell Elementary School. Maybe someone should e-mail the listing agent to let them know they’re wrong then.
“HD, what is wrong with IKEA? It has nice enough designs for its price point.”
You mean other than the quality is of dubious nature and the design is a poor substitution for modern design? Nothing besides that.
““HD, what is wrong with IKEA? It has nice enough designs for its price point.”
Completely agree. May well be buying *more* Ikea stuff in the near future.”
the trick is, as the wife tells me, is to match a 20 table from ikea to a fancy pants $$$$ chair, and nobody know the wiser.
i like ikea stuff (so does my wallet) its just a pain to trek to scumburg and then have to turn around and build it yourself.
Nobody with a child is going to buy a onebedroom dungeon apartment.
“Chris on March 4th, 2011 at 11:35 am
“South side of Waveland, east of Leavitt, so no. It’s Audubon.”
The listing says Bell Elementary School. Maybe someone should e-mail the listing agent to let them know they’re wrong then.”
Pro Tip of the day: Just reinforce your ikea construction with gorilla glue. It really helps a lot, but don’t get too carried away as it expands a lot!!
““HD, what is wrong with IKEA? It has nice enough designs for its price point.”
Not a fan myself, but the future Mrs Icarus likes it.
“The listing says Bell Elementary School. Maybe someone should e-mail the listing agent to let them know they’re wrong then.”
I just double-checked; it’s *definitely* in Audubon. North side of Waveland, east to Lincoln, is in Bell.
Cheapest in Bell condo is:
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/3839-N-Western-Ave-60618/unit-203/home/12727276
Cheapest in Bell house is 3619 Campbell, for $229,500, as a short sale.
“The garden level must *really* suck”
Definitely! All the negatives of a duplex down and no positives. Gardens are always way cheaper because most people, like me, won’t live strictly in a basement.
““South side of Waveland, east of Leavitt, so no. It’s Audubon.”
The listing says Bell Elementary School. Maybe someone should e-mail the listing agent to let them know they’re wrong then.””
You misspelled “that he’s a dishonest scumbag.” I think it’s fair to assume that any “wrong” listing of a property in Bell is intentional. I’ve put this guy on my personal blacklist.
“I think it’s fair to assume that any “wrong” listing of a property in Bell is intentional.”
Remember the (OT? GC?) property that listed the attendance area high school as “Northside College Prep”? Can’t find that one, but definitely remember it.
Also, as I suspect everyone missed it, 2216 W. Grace dropped its ask by $300k, so it’s now *totally* affordable.
I will add that having lived in a garden unit for over a year, it gets real old and depressing really fast
Gorilla Glue is great stuff.
I live in a 900 sq. ft. garden apartment (about two feet below grade, like this one); bright, sunny southern and eastern exposures, 9 1/2 foot ceilings. I’ve lived here for fourteen years. No, it’s not for everyone, and because of that, there’s a discount. I consider that an advantage, myself.
“I’ve put this guy on my personal blacklist.”
I have plenty of other agents you can add to that list. In particular, I can’t stand when listings west of Western have 2400 entered as the west coordinate, which is often a filter on requested searches. That’s the most common street coordinate intentionally entered incorrectly but it happens all the time. I’ve reported a few to the MLS but got tired of that because they don’t seem to do much about it.
Anon, holy McMansion!
“I have plenty of other agents you can add to that list. In particular, I can’t stand when listings west of Western have 2400 entered as the west coordinate”
Honest questions:
If it’s 2435, it should be entered as what, then? 2500? Or do all east of Western listings use their exact address for the coordinate?
Does the same problem pop up w/r/t other break lines like 1600N or 2800N or 4000N?
OMG. Depressing residence.
@formerroscoevillager – not really a mcmansion (that term usually reserved for crappy new construction), it’s a converted 6-flat. it was on here a month or two ago.
“If it’s 2435, it should be entered as what, then? 2500? Or do all east of Western listings use their exact address for the coordinate?”
If the adress was, say, 2435 W North Ave, I would list as West: 2435 and North: 1600. I’ve seen many other agents do the same in listings and I think it’s the appropriate to input the exact coordinates of a property so that you get the desired results when you query MLS data.
An example, I’ve seen listings with an address such as 1800 north block of Campbell listed as 2400 West when that street is clearly 2500 West on a map.
Nonya, I was using the general catch-all term for over-built archaetecturally meh and just too obscene for the immediate vicinity. Inside is rediculously nice and I would like but it still seems overbuilt.
But thanks jackwad…
“I’ve seen listings with an address such as 1800 north block of Campbell listed as 2400 West when that street is clearly 2500 West on a map.”
That’s totally fair. Thanks.
nothing says “welcome to my garden apartment, please steal all of my belongings” like a window AC unit right on Damen.
Oh, as to the question of “what are those pipes”, they look to be for the hot water heat. Black pipe painted to match the ceiling. More of tehsuk.
“nothing says “welcome to my garden apartment, please steal all of my belongings” like a window AC unit right on Damen.”
huge point Phil, but there is a way with some plywood and some goo anchors you can make the ac unit security safe.
but if your buying a 100k garden unit, saftey and security was never on your radar anyway
The unit is well furnished, Ikea style. I once lived in a garden unit. It had wonderful radiant heat in the floor and lots of big windows facing south and east and was on a very low traffic street, far from the street. It did not feel like a garden unit, so I think garden units should not be written off, especially for renting.
Hey guys – remember LaVerne and Shirley lived in a garden apt in Milwaukee for 5-6 years before moving to a courtyard building in EL Lay! Good way to save money, right?
Under contract – of course……. 21 days
Clio- why is it always “of course it’s under contract quickly” when some of the properties we chatter about have been on the market for years?
This one has not. That’s great for that seller. Maybe it’s the power of Crib Chatter that led to the quick sale? Who knows.
But there are several properties we first chattered about 3 years ago (or more) that are STILL on the market.
I feel if a property is priced well below what it last sold for (AND most other things in the neighborhood) then it will sell fairly quickly (within 4 to 6 months.)
groove.. Your wife gets my wifes double thumbs up. HD that’s exactly what IKEA is good for. I HATE the place but you can easily put a 60 dollar IKEA piece next to a very expensive couch and see how many people compliment you on it. I hate nothing more than buying furniture, there is absolutely nothing i have lost more money on in my life. Buying chairs the worst! Talk about reasons to stay in 1 place long term. No one acurately imagines the cost of furnishing a home.