Drama Price Reduction To $300K Gets A Contract For This Historic Rowhome: 3837 N. Alta Vista Terrace
We chattered about this 4-bedroom historic rowhouse at 3837 N. Alta Vista Terrace in Lakeview in December 2012 after it sat on the market for several months.
See our December chatter here.
Back then, the rowhouse had just been reduced $50,000 to $450,000 but most of you thought that was still to high given that the rowhouse needed work.
This rowhouse is on Alta Vista Terrace which is a landmarked block of 40 rowhomes that were built to look like London rowhouses.
Built in 1901, it is on a 25×50 lot.
The listing doesn’t mention parking. Some on this block have parking (or room for it) in the backyard- and some do not.
On this block, it can be hit or miss with some rowhouses completely renovated and others not at all.
The listing says this rowhouse has wood floors and extensive woodwork. That appears to be the original tile surround on the fireplace.
According to the listing, the white kitchen cabinets were installed in 2007.
It is “light & bright” “comfortable, secure & private” and a “great investment to call home.”
Recently, the rowhouse saw a drama price reduction of $150,000 to a new list price of $300,000.
It went under contract almost instantly.
Was this a deal?
And will it even be able to close at this low of a price?
Pete Rodgriguez at Coldwell Banker still has the listing. See the pictures here.
3837 N. Alta Vista: 4 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, no square footage listed
- Sold in March 2006 for $529,000
- Originally listed in May 2012 for $500,000
- Lis pendens foreclosure filed in November 2012
- Reduced
- Was listed in December 2012 as a “short sale” at $450,000
- Reduced in January 2013 to $300,000
- Under contract that day
- Taxes of $9658
- Central Air
- No parking listed
- Bedroom #1: 15×12 (second floor)
- Bedroom #2: 12×14 (second floor)
- Bedroom #3: 10×11 (second floor)
- Bedroom #4: 10×10 (second floor)
- Listing also mentions a 5th bedroom in the basement with finished bath
Incredibly stupid to drop by 33% instead of in steps. Sounds like this owner was listening to a realtard regarding pricing strategy and holding firm, then finally realized realtard didn’t know what they were talking about and capitulated and cut by 33%. Sadly for the owner they left a ton of money on the table with this one. The buyer got a steal.
“Sadly for the owner they left a ton of money on the table with this one. The buyer got a steal.”
You mean “sadly for us, as the guarantors of the lender”, right? And do you think the bank is going to accept the ‘steal’ price?
Maybe they were hoping to get a bidding war by dropping to that price, then again accepting a contract on the first day would suggest otherwise. And of course, just because the seller accepts that price doesn’t mean the bank will.
Agents often drop the listing price to match the price of the short sale offer. I assume they hope the banker reviewing the short sale won’t look at the price history, and rather just see that it was priced between $450 and $300 over ## days and finally got an offer. It all comes down to the BPO(s).
This ain’t drama it’s sensible pricing. Score one for mr. Market and take away a point for the real estate cartel.
Given the photo images, it looks like this rowhouse needs substantial renovation, and the property was finally priced to reflect this. There may have been structural problems, and/or full replacement of electrical and mechanical systems too, which aren’t shown in photos. Given time property was listed, likely a speculator-contractor or otherwise connected-friend of realtor finally made accepted offer with intent to renovate and flip. Yes, it’s unlikely that the intended purchaser doesn’t have a prior relationship with realtor.
Size of property limits its pricing potential after renovation, lack of parking is a fundamental flaw. I wouldn’t be surprised if this house requires another $150,000+ in renovations. A mere gut-renovation kitchen can easily cost more than $50,000 for a simple job.
“This ain’t drama it’s sensible pricing. Score one for mr. Market and take away a point for the real estate cartel.”
A “drama” price reduction is suddenly doing a HUGE reduction to get market interest. Suddenly reducing $150,000 in one fell swoop qualifies.
“A mere gut-renovation kitchen can easily cost more than $50,000 for a simple job.”
Is that with HD-apporved “good” stone counters, or using some cheap stuff?
I’m always surpirised by the range people have for reno costs (btw, I agree w/ Architect about $50k for a relatively simple, but totally new, and not ‘cheap’ kitchen reno) on here. For the folks who would say “no way, you should be able to get that done for $20k”, I ask: was it really a gut–was it new plumbing, electric, etc, with stuff relocated, and ‘custom’ cabinets, and HD-approved stone, and not scratch’n’dent appliances? And that was the actual total, not your mental rationalization calculated estimate? And, then, of course, if so, can I have your contractor’s name?
It’s got a contract, we have no idea if that will be accepted. Could be multiple offers, the realtor might have had some earlier interest, dropped the price dramatically and then called for best and final offers that day.
To be continued…
My kitchen gut reno costs were built into a larger project but it was more than 10$k for cabinets and that was cheap cabinets too (kids will ding up and destroy so we went less expensive) 6$k for appliances, 1000$+ for sink/faucet, a few thousand for new wood floors, plus demo costs, new plumbing and electric and lightng, 5$k for granite plus labor costs so I figure it was around 30$ or a little more for a 12×17 kitchen We removed 2 no load bearing walls to open up the kitchen to the living and dining room. Hood was 500$ I think. Pantry buildout was about a thousand for a basic custom closet professionally designed shelving system. Plus drywall, insulation, paint and I still have to install a small tv on the wall in the kitchen so add another 500$ or so.
It’s a nice lower middle to middle end kitchen. Nothing new fancy but definitely a step above the home despot basic kitchen. It’s a smaller house with a smaller kitchen so no sense in overdoing it for the area. Some of the higher end houses in my hood have really fancy kitchens but they’re generally larger with a lot of cabinets ( we have fewer cabinets but a pantry) and more counters space (which we countered with a larger island). We didn’t go wolf or subzero for appliances but we have a slide in range and a drawer microwave. For a smaller kitchen (that feels bigger bc of the open floor plan) it’s about as nice as we could so given the homes post renovation appraisal and resale value.
Most of the rehabbed flips in my area that sell in the 300$’s (1200 to 1700 sq feet plus finished basements) have home despot kitchens and Home Depot backsplashes and GE appliance packages and some cheapie kitchen flooring. And they’re usually not gutted or moved, just replacing existing things. And they sell fast as Long as there is Not some huge defect like the original 1950s basement or one car garage or bad location like train tracks or no neighborhood.
Oh we have a marble backsplash which is a nice touch too. That wasn’t cheap either. A grand or so for the tile plus labor.
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Park-Ridge/404-N-Dee-Rd-60068/home/21637568
High end kitchen
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Park-Ridge/720-N-Delphia-Ave-60068/home/13648723
Low end kitchen, looks like ikea cabinets. and the defect of no garage means it has trouble selling (despite the recent new listing)
“a nice lower middle to middle end kitchen. Nothing new fancy but definitely a step above the home despot basic kitchen. It’s a smaller house with a smaller kitchen so no sense in overdoing it for the area.”
If you had expected your house to appraise for ~$550-600k (as this likely would, if wholly reno’d), you’d have spent more on the kitchen, correct?
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Park-Ridge/717-Florence-Dr-60068/home/13648058
Under K quickly in the $300’s, 1,303 sq feet plus finished split level basement, this rehabber does the same kitchen in nearly every house in this area. Same backsplash, same cabinets, same package. They all sell pretty quickly. The contractor bought for $162,000 a few months ago and is probably making a decent buck at the end of teh day if this sells for $340k this is still $260 a sq foot which is defintely on the higher end of suburban pricing, although not quite 1st tier pricing like the north shore or some of teh nicer western and northern suburbs
http://www.redfin.com/cities/6/chicago?order_by=median_list_sqft&dir=desc
pricing per sq ft by various suburbs. Kenilworth is on the higher end at $469, so is winnetka at 421; and then glencoe is the only $300’s; then hinsdale, lake forest, wilmette, golf northfield, lakebluff, glenview river forst oak brook in the high to middle $200’s; and low 200’s is barrington hills, la grange, burr ridge, highland park, park ridge, riverside, elmhurst, northbrook. the high ones start with libertyville, barrington, clardendon hills, kildeer, inverness, lincolnshire, glen ellyn, etc.
of note highland park and park ridge at $225 per sq foot are the same, but the median home sale price is $520 in highland park vs $349 in park ridge, which reflects the larger homes on larger lots in the north shore, whereas park ridge is in many respects just an extension of the northwest side of the city, with smaller 50×125 lots and smaller 1200-1800 sq foot homes (plus finished basements). so park ridge is technically cheaper because the homes are smaller but it’s price per sq foot the same.
“If you had expected your house to appraise for ~$550-600k (as this likely would, if wholly reno’d), you’d have spent more on the kitchen, correct?”
Sure, but I do’nt live in a $550k-600k home although there are a few directly across the street and plenty more in the neighbors .25 miles away. Mine is in the $300’s which if I tried to buy in the GZ or in Old Irving would have been easily $500-$600 or way higher.
“My kitchen gut reno”
Sounds nice, hd.
THe increased cost from a kitchen in my house would primarily come from being a larger kitchen; i have only a 12×17 open floor plan kitchen, but a larger $500kk ormore home would have a 15×20 kitchen or something like that, which would require more cabinets, probably of better quality, more granite, more flooring, etc. so it would be more expensive. which is how a lot of the middle to higher end homes have $50-$100k kitchens or higher. My $30k or a little more kitchen is right about where I needed to be with looking nice but not home depot and still be nice enough for teh house/neighborhodd, withouth looking too ‘modern’ but still contemporary with clean lines and open floor plan so it would resell. The modern kitchens whcih i love do NOT fit into this suburb and people would be like WTF if i had to sell for wahtever reason. mine is contemporary looking for sure, with nice horizontal lines, appliances that fit into the cabintry, and open looking, like it was professional designed, and not just slappeed together by a contractor and called a new kitchen. Like i said, it’s about teh best i could do without overdoing it.
Fantastic deal! In December, I said I thought it was worth the $450,000 because it had good bones and seemed like it hadn’t been messed with too much. Now at $300,000, you can spend $150,000 on rehab and have it in great shape. Love the street. Haven’t seen a house on AVT go for this low in many years.
“High end kitchen [404 Dee]”
And they *still* didn’t get the electric box in the right spot. That would drive me ape at that price point.
“http://www.redfin.com/IL/Park-Ridge/717-Florence-Dr-60068/home/13648058
Under K quickly in the $300?s, 1,303 sq feet plus finished split level basement, this rehabber does the same kitchen in nearly every house in this area. Same backsplash, same cabinets, same package. They all sell pretty quickly. ”
How depressing. Why do we even live in Chicagoland?
Hd, I don’t trust that price per sq ft info from Redfin. Many houses don’t have sq. ftage listed and therefor can’t be included in thier calculations. Small sample size may skew the numbers.
Wow HD- that is one fucking ugly ass house… all that plus you get to hear the jets coming and going from O’Hare for a mere 350k? Doesn’t look like a deal to me, especailly with those taxes… eesh
Wow HD- that is one fucking ugly ass house… all that plus you get to hear the jets coming and going from O’Hare for a mere 350k? Doesn’t look like a deal to me, especailly with those taxes… eesh
A visit to Park Ridge should be mandatory for anyone wanting to document the effects of the real estate bubble. Nasty, overbuilt SFH’s, most with turrets reflecting the goomba heritage of the second and third generation, most of whom relocated from Elmwood Park, Niles and Harwood Heights when money was easy to get from Parkway Bank. Agreed. One fugly house on the runway pattern.
“Drama price reduction” or “dramatic price reduction”?
RE ” Haven’t seen a house on AVT go for this low in many years.”
3818 Alta Vista sold for $350,000 in June 2011.
Id’ be surprised if this unit sells for less than $350,000 (connected developer or not).
Adjectives are for chumps.
TB – I’d forgotten about 3818. That’s another that needed a lot of work, I recall.
“Nasty, overbuilt SFH’s, most with turrets reflecting the goomba heritage of the second and third generation, most of whom relocated from Elmwood Park, Niles and Harwood Heights when money was easy to get from Parkway Bank.”
Interesting. I thought it was mostly eastern european/Polish inspired stuff?
“Interesting. I thought it was mostly eastern european/Polish inspired stuff?”
thats lincolnwood
The new mcMansions in places like Lincolnwood and Park Ridge are generally nauseating. They’re built to take up as close to 100% of the lot as possible, they have idiotic exterior designs, and they loom insensitively large next to the 50s and 60s split levels along the same streets. Although the street-scape of Lincolnwood was never much to shout about, it’s worse than ever because of the mismatch of old and new architecture, both of which are styles I dislike intensely (split levels and mcMansions). Were the zoning boards in these towns asleep when these homes were approved? Let me guess, it has something to do with money talking.
“Hd, I don’t trust that price per sq ft info from Redfin. Many houses don’t have sq. ftage listed and therefor can’t be included in thier calculations. Small sample size may skew the numbers.”
Plus price per square foot decreases when your house is much larger then others in the hood. For example a 6,000sqft house will be cheaper per sqft and a similar house with the same finishes that’s 3500 in a high end burb.
here’s another bizarre J-palace located hilariously on “Bermuda Dunes” in sunny Northbrook, Illinois.
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Northbrook/830-Bermuda-Dunes-Pl-60062/home/13816067
you know what’s depressing? south elgin.
park ridge? mid centuries, Tudors Victorians and farm homes? wtf are you talking about?
Dan 2, not that I enjoy McMansions but In park ridge they have 10% set backs on either side, a minimum 30 foot back yard and 45% FAR ratios. So it’s not as bad as you make it out to be. The McMansions are usually only around 3000 sq ft tops for an average size lot. Park ridge is no utopia but there are far worse suburbs for McMansions. Some of the exurbs have 4000 sq foot palaces on former farmland with no trees. Vinyl siding, huge boxes and 400$ com Ed bills.
I actually like split levels as long as they have 3 and not 2 levels. It’s far Better than any mass housiing built 1980 or after but I admit the split levels where you walk in and there’s a staircase up and one down are awful. The tri levels with a main living floor, bedrooms up stairs and den downstairs are pretty well designed for modern living. And at least they have modern amenities like hvac and electric unlike a lot of old Tudors and Victorians that maybe well constructed but need tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars to bring them into the 21st century
Park ridge is no utopia but the trees re old, most homes are brick, it’s well situated near light rail and suburban amenities. God, I wish I lived there. Long grove is nice too, that’s where I live and it’s great, but its a little quiet.
hd, what’s your two-cents on this story:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/31/education/law-schools-applications-fall-as-costs-rise-and-jobs-are-cut.html
I’ve seen that story. And I’m happy. There are too many lawyers. I’ve been of the opinion that the profession has been changing and dramatically as a result of the economy and then sheer number of lawyers. It’s been driving down salaries for years and increasing competition to the benefit of consumer. I used to get slack around here (and still sometimes do!) for being a Chancery court lawyer (Whatever that means); but what people don’t recognize is that a lot of the big firm jobs are no longer there, and the work has traveled farther down the legal ladder. consumer bankruptcy court – once reserved for the regular general practice, or even lower tiered law school lawyer, is solidly middle tier law schools and there’s even a handful of ivy league grads (undergrad); ND law school grads are a dime a dozen these days too. I’m solidly middle to upper middle tier attorney adn I’m doing the sorts of stuff that lower tier lawyers did years ago – because the higher tiered lawyer jobs just aren’t there to support the number of higher tier grads – so the bottom feeder work has gone to better grads, and the high end work is moving down. SO you get these law schools T4 that can barely place students; and the you get the T1’s who have been in biglaw 10 years ago are now doing medical malpractice defense or some other mundane area of law. Even 10 years ago I clerked at a smaller firm that handled some pretty sophisticated work for major corporations and they were only charging mid-law rates. Patent law seems to be expanding, I know of quite a few patent law attorneys who are in high demand; but the biglaw probate, or general litigation, and even bankuprtyc lawyers are not doing so well. OVerall firm revenue is up and profits are up, but # of lawyers per firm are down, rates are down, and everyone is working more hours.
As crazy as it sounds, it’s difficult as a lawyer to find a job but it’s fairly easy as a competent lawyer to find work. I’m up to my eyeballs in work right now, moreso than I’ve ever been in my life and most of it is mine too, not firm work. Yet the new lawyers without experience are either just trying to get by, or not working in the field at all.
very interesting.
The point’s been made many times that years ago a bright young person without much idea of what to do with themself in the future could go to grad school (law school or b-school) and then get a good paying job. Now, after the bubble’s burst, grad school credentials just don’t command the kind of pay they used to. And grad schools themselves are perceived to be trading on the false optimism of young people.
btw: zerohedge also has an interesting post on this topic:
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-01-29/student-loan-update-situation-simply-unsustainable
Everything is encumbered. Maybe grad school students themselves will someday be securitized, structured into bonds, and then sold off to institutional investors around the world.
” Maybe grad school students themselves will someday be securitized, structured into bonds, and then sold off to institutional investors around the world.”
Nah, they’re all just going to default or be some sort of modern day indentured servant. Which is pretty much where the system is today anyway. It’ll be scandal that no one will do anything about and the problem of the indentured generations will quietly disappear as fewer and fewer students go to college in the future. Personally I’d rather be a debt slave to the state than to face conscription and fight f’in foreign war and ‘give my life for my country’. My law school education was expensive but I feel like I learned a lot.
College will eventually return to what it used to be – a place for either practical training, or a playground for the upper classes to socialize before entering the world to remain upper or upper-middle class. I once heard that a liberal arts degree today at a major college is akin to what an 18th century son of a minor duke or earl would study for an education. Whereas the landed duke didn’t have to work and earn a living, it was handed to him, the liberal arts degree grad has to actually find a job, and whereas in the past merely being upper class could find a job, today it’s not the case.
“I once heard that a liberal arts degree today at a major college is akin to what an 18th century son of a minor duke or earl would study for an education.”
yeah right. People were much more highly educated back then, and they knew how to read, compose and play music too. Our Founding Fathers were just farmers and look at their writings, above even today’s PhDs. A liberal arts grad today doesn’t even know the classics or the ancients, they read “Toni Morrison”.
” Our Founding Fathers were just farmers and look at their writings, ”
That’s a bit of an exaggeration, don’t you think?
It’s funny that these comments have evolved into a discussion about education underneath an article tagged “Drama Price Reduction”
“It’s funny that these comments have evolved into a discussion about education underneath an article tagged “Drama Price Reduction””
Sorry- this is an insider term my friends and I have used for over 10 years to describe a price reduction where they massively reduced it in one fell swoop. I guess it’s an “insider” thing. We’ve never used the word “dramatic” because they’re always going for the “drama” when they do it. So my friends and I have always called it a “drama” price reduction because they’re creating drama by doing it. They’re saying, “look at me!” and are usually getting pretty desperate to sell at that point.
“That’s a bit of an exaggeration, don’t you think?”
Thomas Jefferson wasn’t a farmer. He was a lawyer who grew some grapes on the side.
Then it has to be !!DRAMA!! PRICE REDUCTION!!11!
Jefferson was what you might call a “gentleman farmer.” He was very interested in farming (as he was in all subjects), but he never did any hard fieldwork. Any of that was done by his slaves while he was off in Paris buying paintings and other stuff he couldn’t really afford when he was supposed to be doing his job as a diplomat (he eventually went bankrupt and had to sell his slaves to pay his debts).
Homedelete – I agree on split levels – the bigger ones can be nice. My grandparents lived in a very upscale (for the 50’s) split in Lincolnwood, and I have very fond memories of that house. But for some reason, whenever I look at an entire street of split levels in a place like Glenview, it depresses me.
Also – I realize Park Ridge is a nice suburb, and the mcMansions there aren’t as in your face as the ones in Lincolnwood, probably because of the zoning rules you mention. I guess I shouldn’t have made a blanket statement.
As for kids today reading Toni Morrison in college, I’m sure that is the case, and I have no problem with it. I’ve never read her books, but she is a celebrated author and I’m sure she’s worth reading. There have been some excellent African American writers, and I remember reading Richard Wright’s “Native Son” when I was in college and getting an eye-opening look at what it’s like to be black in America. I don’t see how this could have been a bad experience for my developing mind.
I haven’t been in college in almost 20 years, but I do recall getting a lot of exposure to the classics, going back to ancient Greece, at my liberal arts college at the peak of the political correctness movement in the late 80’s, early 90’s, and those books were mandatory reads. No one could go through my school without exposure to Aristotle, Plato, Tolstoy, etc. But of all the authors I mentioned here, I enjoyed Richard Wright the most!
“I actually like split levels as long as they have 3 and not 2 levels.”
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Park-Ridge/1611-Habberton-Ave-60068/home/13658088?utm_campaign=listings_update&utm_medium=email&utm_source=myredfin
so depressing… it’s right about now (Feb) that many people wonder why we live here.
“As for kids today reading Toni Morrison in college, I’m sure that is the case, and I have no problem with it. I’ve never read her books, but she is a celebrated author and I’m sure she’s worth reading. There have been some excellent African American writers, and I remember reading Richard Wright’s “Native Son” when I was in college and getting an eye-opening look at what it’s like to be black in America. I don’t see how this could have been a bad experience for my developing mind.
I haven’t been in college in almost 20 years, but I do recall getting a lot of exposure to the classics, going back to ancient Greece, at my liberal arts college at the peak of the political correctness movement in the late 80?s, early 90?s, and those books were mandatory reads. No one could go through my school without exposure to Aristotle, Plato, Tolstoy, etc. But of all the authors I mentioned here, I enjoyed Richard Wright the most!”
I read “Black Boy” by Richard Wright in school, and I guess it’s deemed serious enough that it warrants a Cliff Notes. The only thing I remember from that book was when the boy was confronted somehow, and he was carrying two milk bottles home, and he smashed the two glass bottles together and created his own homemade (sharp) weapon. Some great education… peak of the politically correct era is now too. Would Toni Morisson be as famous if she was white? The smartest move that Hootie blowfish guy did is become a “country singer”, now everytime they need a country singer somewhere, he gets paid because they need a guy to be the diversity on stage and he’s the only one.
LOL helmet, so true about Hootie
Asking if Toni Morrison would be famous if she were white is insulting. What you’re really saying is that the only reason a black writer is celebrated is because of their skin color, and if it weren’t for political correctness a black writer wouldn’t be worthy of attention.
The real question is, if Helmet didn’t write such offensive, small-minded posts, would anyone pay him attention? We shouldn’t.
I said “as famous”. There would be no chance. You’re in denial. I have the opened, clear, awakened mind, your’s is the one that’s closed.
my favorite read in college was Camus. life changing, actually
I never read Camus. Where should I start?
I’m re-reading East of Eden – first time since high school. Just as good as it was then.
“How depressing. Why do we even live in Chicagoland?”
It’s people from here that couldn’t consider living anywhere else. Just had a friend move to Hawaii, another to OK. The one in OK is trying to recruit me to move down there & work with them. If it was a city I’d consider it as the industry/company is fantastic, but it’s in a tiny town. But the right opportunity comes up & I’m outta here. 300k gets you a mansion in red states. 300k a workers cottage here whose valuations are increasingly maintained via FHA 3.5% down loans.
The stranger.
“300k gets you a mansion in red states.”
Show me!
300k in Podunk, OK certainly gets you more than here, but it’s only a ‘mansion’ compared to the 50s era tract homes, manufactured homes and trailers. Or if the *only* thing that counts is getting over 5000 (or whatever) SF, and the 4 car attached garage counts.
I’ll start with some reverse cherry picking: typical $299k house in red ND: http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/828-17th-St-W_Dickinson_ND_58601_M89708-40525. Hardly a “mansion”.
Yeah, better in say, St George, UT, or Tulsa, or Jackson, MS, but still not going much under $85 psf for a newer, bigger house, and at that its all builder grade finishes.
Don’t be like a JZ, a complete and utter sucker and follower.
“It’s people from here that couldn’t consider living anywhere else.”
If I didn’t have serious roots here, not sure I’d want to be here. Chicago used to be a great city, once it was one of the world’s Top 10 cities. Also, a man’s man type of place, the City of Big Shoulders, etc. Today, it’s a shell of that, the current generations of Chicagoans are not capable of maintaining the city they were given, brought up in, the values, etc. I try my best, and look at the reaction. No more Big Shoulders, most of the GZ alderman are homosexuals. It’s an embarrassment.
“Chicago used to be a great city, once it was one of the world’s Top 10 cities.”
What I’m learning is that Chicagoland is a bit of a dysfunctional joke with an arrogant city that doesn’t want to work well with it’s surrounding suburbs and a similar amount of disdain from the suburbs toward the city. I’ve never lived in another metropolitan area with these aspects. Every other one the city tries to work with the suburbs to make it more livable/commutable and vice-versa. Not here.
Here it’s a bit of a fvck those commuters mentality–and I don’t even get the short straw having a reverse commute. And let’s be honest: public transit here in Chicago is a bit of a joke as well for anybody whose ever used it for any length of time who has used other options in their career as well (ie: not 22yr olds from some suburb who think taking the El is the coolest thing on earth).
I remember waiting downtown one Friday for a bus heading north, and it took 35mins and three buses came back to back. The first time I chalked it up to random odds, but when it happens consistently (and only, seemingly on Fridays) you realize you’re not exactly dealing with an honest and competent organization. Similarly with many bus routes only running one direction after a certain time even though the routes are listed as bi-directional.
Maybe one of the new Cubs players bought it because the Realtor told him about the “walkable to work” factor?
anon(tfo), I”m still slightly irritated at your at comment towards me the other day (defaults on mortgages made 2002-2010) so I’m going to call you out:
Your post to the house in ND is in the middle of the Bakken oil play, and it’s expensive as hell there right now because of all the oil money. SO that’s a BS post. Try posting in a suburb outside dallas or atlanta, or Raleigh NC
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/6539-Grassy-Knoll-Ln_Raleigh_NC_27616_M58528-70017?source=web
Now that’s more like it, look at that awesome backyard
BTW the backyard is not the pool, that’s the community pool, the backyard is big and has old big trees in at the back of the lot.
helmet, at my core i’m an existentialism taoist conservative who doesn’t subscribe to the socialist leanings of the philosophical left. Existentialist reach a fork on the road and they all go left, because they’re primarily french. However, being an american, and not a frog, I go to the right (God love the right anyway) and I arrive at my own existentialist destination. i have’nt the time to describe how the taoism fits into the mix though.
I could care less than camus was influence by judiam, albert einstein too was jewish and that doesn’t change the theory of general and special relativity.
“so I’m going to call you out:
Your post to the house in ND is in the middle of the Bakken oil play, and it’s expensive as hell there right now because of all the oil money. SO that’s a BS post. Try posting in a suburb outside dallas or atlanta, or Raleigh NC
http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/6539-Grassy-Knoll-Ln_Raleigh_NC_27616_M58528-70017?source=web”
Yeah, much nicer than what you can get in metro Chicago for $250, but:
1. In what way is that a “mansion”? Wtf dude? Find me a move-in ready, 5000+ sf house with finishes *at least* as nice as anything you used for under $300k, then we can talk about it.
2. Wtf did you think I meant by ‘reverse cherrypicking’ with the ND one? I called *myself* out on it. Seriously.
3. NC is purple.
“I’ve never lived in another metropolitan area with these aspects.”
Bob- you’ve never lived in NY. They hate the burbs. They charge a tax every time you come into the city. It’s awful.
I’ve lived in numerous metro areas. Chicago is pretty much the same as the others in terms of relationships with the burbs.
“Yeah, better in say, St George, UT, or Tulsa, or Jackson, MS, but still not going much under $85 psf for a newer, bigger house, and at that its all builder grade finishes.”
Tulsa is awesome- don’t rip on it. It has some amazing restaurants and good shopping (especially for a city of that size.) Sure- your money goes farther. There were so big mansion houses downtown near the Arkansas River. Of course they’re cheaper than Chicago but the salaries are lower so it’s all relative. Yes- your money goes farther.
There’s lots of oil money (still) in Tulsa so there are quite a few lovely older mansions.
Okay- I just looked at Tulsa. Wow. Not that much cheaper. If you go outside the city with new construction McMansions it’s still not too bad ($400k to $500k for 3500 square feet.)
But the downtown has older homes like this 6000 square foot tudor: http://www.trulia.com/property/3099358928-1554-S-Yorktown-Pl-Tulsa-OK-74104#photo-11
Not THAT cheap at $750k.
Here’s one near the nice shopping area. I wouldn’t call this “cheap” at $525,000. You’re a lawyer/doctor etc. in Tulsa is you’re living here.
http://www.trulia.com/property/3097853422-2647-E-25th-St-Tulsa-OK-74114#photo-11
“There’s lots of oil money (still) in Tulsa so there are quite a few lovely older mansions.”
There’s even oil money in smaller towns in OK and a six figure paycheck goes very far there. You can have a one earner family easily & live comfortably. It’s great for family life if one is settled down, terrible for single life if one isn’t from there.
“3. NC is purple.”
NC is not purple. NC is red except for Ugly Duke People (UDP), they’re pale & hideous, who come down for Duke, bring their F’d up ideology with them from the BosWash corridor, and never leave. It does affect the Raleigh-Durham area but that’s it.
Maybe the Chicago area should form a separate state from the rest of Illinois. Then Illinois, too, could be a red state.
“Bob- you’ve never lived in NY. They hate the burbs. They charge a tax every time you come into the city. It’s awful.”
huh? you mean a toll charge?
and fwiw some NYT article comparing costs
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/03/your-money/03compare.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0