“Featured in Countless Magazines”: A 1-Bedroom at 909 W. Wisconsin in Lincoln Park
This 1-bedroom at 909 W. Wisconsin in Lincoln Park is familiar to those of you who peruse such sites like Apartment Therapy (which is where I saw it).
But the listing also says it has been “featured in countless magazines” as it’s a “top Chicago designer’s own pied-a-terre.”
Now’s your chance to buy it (but, of course, the furniture won’t be there when you move in.)
It has a custom kitchen with dark cabinets, carerra marble counter tops and shelves and a Bertazzoni range.
There is a dining area in the turret.
It has central air, washer/dryer in the unit but there’s no parking.
The unit is listed $39,000 above the 2007 purchase price.
Will they get more than the previous sale because it’s been featured in magazines?
You can see the Apartment Therapy post from 2008 here (and it’s the same pictures being used in the listing.)
Emily Sachs Wong at Koenig & Strey Real Living has the listing. See the pictures here.
Unit #4R: 1 bedroom, 1 bath, no square footage listed (but the Apartment Therapy post says about 700 square feet)
- Sold in July 1991 for $113,000
- Sold in May 1993 for $112,000
- Sold in June 1999 for $146,000
- Sold in June 2007 for $240,000
- Currently listed for $279,000
- Assessments of $158 a month
- Taxes of $3253
- Central Air
- In-unit washer/dryer
- No parking
- Bedroom: 15×9
- Living room: 18×13
- Kitchen: 10×9
I like the unit. I don’t understand how someone could justify the price hike, but who knows. A lot of suckers out there.
Suckers or not, I think they’d have trouble getting financed for the full price minus 20% downpayment. This is a charming apartment, but it’s categorically not worth the 2007 price, let alone the new price. I say “categorically” because almost nothing low-to-middle bracket is worth what it sold for in 2007, even if it got a photo spread in a famous online magazine. The lender will not give a hoot about all that.
The lack of parking or in-unit washer/dryer will not help it. I wonder if there is space to store an apt-sized washer/dryer combo so it can be rolled up to the sink at need. If not, that is a big minus.By the way, is there a laundromat in the bldg. or does the resident have to haul laundry to some public laundromat blocks away?
It should sell under $200K, even in LP.
“Will they get more than the previous sale because it’s been featured in magazines?”
No. The starter-condo market (1BRs and 2/2s) has been decimated since June 2007. This is nicely done, amazing actually, but it doesn’t change the fact that this is a 4th-floor walk-up with no parking and no laundry.
Offer it furnished and I think it would sell above $240k. Seriously. How much stuff would you really be “out” in a 1BR? It’s designer-owned so the owner will have an easy time starting over in their new place. Starter-condo buyers don’t have nice stuff of their own – you’ll get a female jr. law associate or something to fall in love and buy it.
On the west end, with an uninterrupted view of the el, correct?
Very expensive 1BR.
Decor, to me, is Queen Mum meets Michaels Craft Store. Clearly, I would not hire this “top designer”.
Being a fourth-floor walk-up is the icing on the cake. That is the final deal-killer.
Imagine having to haul laundry down to the ground floor, then out to your car that is parked blocks away, or rolling it to a laundromat in a cart. It’s not clear whether or not there are facilities in the building, but I have a feeling not, because there is no basement. Hope there is room for a stackable or combo washer/dryer somewhere in there.
“Decor, to me, is Queen Mum meets Michaels Craft Store”
LOL….exactly
Can’t imagine this going for more than 200k and even then it’s going to be a tough appraisal.
No machine’s in the basement????
Looking at the AT article from 2008, she mentions kitchen as being horrible 80’s yet to be tackled-so clearly she has improved the apartment greatly. That kitchen is nicer than most condo kitchens. Price still seem high to me.
If the listing agent’s website lists only 2BDR competitors, that seems to be pretty damning evidence you’re getting jipped out of a bedroom (and, arguably, a bath too), for the $.
To me it’s just more evidence there is no “luxury 1 bedroom.”
I’m sure the “custom pedastal sink” makes up for it all, but, without a photo, sorry.
I’m no designer, but whats with the random mini-antlers in the living room?
Also, that blue butterfly floating frame is definitely a big box staple…
I would not call that turret a “dining area” either! You couldn’t fit a table in it if you tried, so you can sit four people VERY tightly with their food in thier lap.
I agree with those that dislike the decor. Mirrored backsplash? Ick!
“You couldn’t fit a table in [the turret] if you tried”
Interior radius of that banquette is over 20 boards (22 or 23, I think)–that’s at least a 42″ round table, and quite possibly a 60″ that would fit without overlapping the banquette. Easy peasy to fit a table in there. Maybe not terribly comfortable, but whatever.
And, even at that, calling it a “dining area” is puffery.
What does he/she call their design studio? How about Clutter and Flowers inc…. not my style.
As for a table in the turret Im sure that it is no problem however have you ever sat on a bench table for dinner. Good for a quick meal but not that comfortable for a long dinner party. Seems like the CCers agree that there is no way that they get 279K in this market.
Actually, this reminds me of some of the staged units in Legacy especially the use of yellow (gold) with silver. I wonder if the designers are the same.
“Queen Mum meets Michael’s Craft Store”… I love it. I didn’t want to say anything catty, but it’s true!
wow – can’t believe all the people hating on this. I saw this kitchen in House Beautiful last year. Super cool. Blows away all those lame granite countertops and maple cabinets out there…
Wow. Snarky group. Regardless, some facts on the home:
Since 2007 the following upgrades were done:
– new custom kitchen
– new custom bath
– new copper pipes (both in-unit and risers)
– custom built-in bookcases added in LR
– added in-unit washer and dryer
Home has been published in House Beautiful, CS Interiors, Tribune Maazine, etc.
Perhaps a fact-check should have been done before publishing.
And for the rude commenters. Get a life.
Sincerely,
– One of the Owners
“Perhaps a fact-check should have been done before publishing.”
Yeah- from the listing we could really tell that since 2007 new copper pipes were put in.
LOL!
By the way- about the in-unit washer/dryer- the original listing didn’t list a washer/dryer at all (as most people who looked at the listing here saw.) I did think it was strange that it wasn’t listed even in the building (in this day and age) but who knows in an old building in LP, right?
I see that it has since been corrected in the listing. Thank goodness the Crib Chatter readers all caught it. All those buyers wanting in-unit washer/dryer would never have seen the listing in their MLS search.
I have also corrected it in the post here on Crib Chatter. Yes- there IS an in-unit washer/dryer.
If I had a kept woman, I would buy her this place.
I commend the owners. It’s an interesting (and limited) space, and they’ve done an excellent job with it. And I like their taste, even if I don’t share it in every respect.
BTW, a quick look at the floor plan in the listing shows there’s a “W/D” just to the left when you walk in the BR. Due diligence before snark.
Across the alley from a CC classic: http://cribchatter.com/?p=13573
“Due diligence before snark.”
Hello! The listing was messed up. It was NOT originally listed with a washer/dryer in the listing. Don’t blame the messenger when it’s not originally in the listing.
Please stop pumping the listing now. We get it. There’s a washer/dryer in the unit. (yes- the post says so too.)
And, by the way, who has a “kept woman”? The year is 2012.
“And, by the way, who has a “kept woman”? The year is 2012.”
Well apparently people still do. Because the other day an older friend of mine was telling me how his coworker’s mistress called him after his friend passed away and explained that he told her he had a security deposit box for her to take care of her and that my friend had the key to it.
My friend was smart enough not to get involved and let the family know about this surprise call as either such a key never existed (99.9%) or my friend made out with the loot (.1%).
Then we laughed and another friend said something funny too crude to pass moderation here.
Did he call her “kept woman” Bob? It’s one thing to have a mistress. But who calls her “kept woman”? (unless you’re a LOT older.)
But maybe that’s just me. A generational thing.
I think the place is beautiful, cannot think of a better way to do up 700 sf.
“Multiple” maybe, but not “countless.” The issue here IMO is that the listing promotes the very taste specific decor (as evidenced by the comments on this thread, many may like it but it’s by no means everyone’s cup of tea), which doesn’t convey with the unit, instead of the actual unit itself. The potential buyer is left with a 1-1 with extremely taste specific floral wallpaper and window treatments that most people won’t want to keep & would be hard to work with for most people if keeping. Moreover, the property is not staged in a way that allows people to easily separate the decor from the features of the unit or imagine themselves living there. Kitchen is small and impractical with mirrored backsplash and exposed glass shelving taking up valuable real estate; just bc you live in LP/LV does not mean you never cook. Love vintage, but this space is hard, where do you put your coats, vacuum, etc? I guess the master closet. Not sure who the market is, I don’t think this is where most folks looking for a pied a terre will look, and 1-1s are simply hard these days. Sadly, new baths, kitchens, W/D, and built-ins are what it takes to sell at prices from many years ago; the places w/o those updates often simply don’t move. At the least, I would drastically simplify the accessories so potential buyers could more easily see themselves in the space. Or include most of the furniture/accessories and use that to draw in someone who absolutely loves it as is and will be enticed into buying bc of that. Right now, though, it’s the decor equivalent of having family photos and collections out on display. Also, I would be concerned about a smaller vintage building, esp one with small units like this one who may not be able to pay for specials and may be more buffeted by the current market. What are the reserves and what does the reserve study (hope there is one) look like?
This reminds me of the “Ralph Lauren inspired” decor unit on Schiller that is also very taste specific and isn’t selling, http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/50-W-Schiller-St-60610/unit-2H/home/21995644 There’s a unit on LaSalle nearby that is marketed as an artist’s atelier and is also really taste specific that’s also not moving IRRC. All three have antlers. Maybe that’s negative staging karma??? Good luck to these sellers. I personally think it’s a lovely unit, albeit one that will appeal only to a small sub-set of buyers.
“Home has been published in House Beautiful, CS Interiors, Tribune Maazine, etc.
Perhaps a fact-check should have been done before publishing.
And for the rude commenters. Get a life.
Sincerely,
– One of the Owners”
You seem like an over-sensitive douchebag, so I expect that we’ll enjoy watching your property languish and fail to sell.
“Since 2007 the following upgrades were done:
– new custom kitchen
– new custom bath
– new copper pipes (both in-unit and risers)
– custom built-in bookcases added in LR
– added in-unit washer and dryer”
Thanks for the information. How much would you say you put into the place?
* The kitchen is beautiful. Agree with helm that they’ve done about the best one could do with limited space.
* Agree with anon that calling the turret dining-area-worthy is puffery at best. Worse, it sets up many prospective buyers for a disappointment. Better to hype the turret for what it is: a beautiful sitting area off of/adjacent to the living room (that pic of the turret seating is nicer than almost any pic I’ve seen for a place in this price range). The person who buys this place isn’t having dinner parties there anyways, so who cares. (Bigger concern with respect to non-romantic guests is the fact that there’s no powder room.)
* Not to be snarky, but the decor does distract a bit for listing purposes. At first glance, I didn’t even notice the awesome built-ins in the living room, perhaps because of everything else going on. (Though I’m wondering if the t.v. slot in the built-ins ins’t too small. But perhaps the tube could just go on a wall.)
* Since this is a place for a single person, that helps with the no parking issue. But it will need to be a single person who doesn’t make semi-regular trips out to the burbs to see the folks, which I’d guess is a fair share of the would-be buyers of this place.
* All things considered, a closing price of $240k doesn’t seem unrealistic, give or take $10k.
“Thanks for the information. How much would you say you put into the place?”
listing says $70k in upgrades since ’07
This is under contract now- just like just about every other property out there. Sales price should be interesting.