Get a 3-Bedroom Southport Townhouse for Under $540,000: 3401 N. Janssen
This 3-bedroom townhouse at 3401 N. Janssen in Southport just came on the market.
Built in 1993, this townhouse complex has 15 units with a center courtyard, attached garages and rooftop decks.
This townhouse has 4 levels and the living room faces into the central courtyard.
The listing says the kitchen has been “updated” with white cabinets, a tile backsplash, and a center island. If you look at the pictures from the 2018 listing, the kitchen has wood cabinets and a wall on the island, that was removed to open the kitchen to the living/dining room.
One bedroom is on the main floor, along with a full bath and the one-car garage.
The other two bedrooms are on the third floor along with a bathroom.
The master bedroom has loft ceilings.
The fourth floor includes a den/office with skylights and the 15×10 rooftop deck that faces south.
This complex is just 2 blocks to the Southport El stop and all the shops and restaurants of Southport.
The listing says it’s in the Hamilton school district.
This townhouse has come on the market for $539,900, just 2 years after it last sold for $485,000.
Inventory of 3-bedroom townhouses is low in Southport.
Will it get the premium?
Dragana Rajic at Jameson Sotheby’s has the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.
Unit #B: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1700 square feet, townhouse
- Sold in October 2000 for $340,000
- Sold in December 2003 for $404,000
- Sold in October 2008 for $466,000
- Sold in September 2014 for $448,000
- Sold in July 2018 for $485,000
- Currently listed at $539,900
- Assessments of $170 a month (includes exterior maintenance, scavenger)
- Taxes of $8209
- Central Air
- Attached 1-car garage
- Bedroom #1: 14×13 (second floor)
- Bedroom #2: 15×11 (second floor)
- Bedroom #3: 14×9 (lower level)
- Living room: 17×11 (main floor)
- Dining room: 7×11 (main floor)
- Laundry room: 5×3 (main floor)
- Office: 11×11 (third floor)
- Deck: 15×10 (third floor)
They probably spent $100k on the deck
Being in Hamilton for young family is probably worth it. SFH over there are all well over $1million.
“SFH over there are all well over $1million.”
There’s a lot to dislike about this place:
https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/3345-N-Ravenswood-Ave-60657/home/13385771
But if I wanted to be in Hamilton a-a, and the only choice was between these two, I’d really try to make the house work. But like Sonies, I can’t stand HOA rules/limitations.
I thought this property might be under contract already from the weekend showings. We’ll see if it does go under later today or tomorrow.
There simply aren’t enough properties on the market for demand right now.
And there’s no way to get a house for this price in the neighborhood. It’s a three bedroom condo or a townhouse if you want to stay in the neighborhood and walk to Wrigley Field.
This would be a tough unit to have more than one young child in. You’d want the adult BR to be on the same floor as the child’s, so if you had more than one kid they’d have to share. I suppose if your kids were older one could take the basement bedroom. Otherwise that strikes me as relatively useless for being a BR if you’re a couple with young kids. It’s more of a den.
Basically, the feeling seems cramped from the photos. No room is very big, and the main floor is one room, pretty much. The roof deck looks cute and the location is very good. I’m just not sure who buys it.
“I’m just not sure who buys it.”
There are so many places around like this that seem (imo) to be best suited for either just a couple, or a shared custody parent (single or re-coupled). Or with a boomerang adult child–who you don’t want to stay too long.
Siblings can put up with sharing a bedroom for a weekend, and use the den as an office. Would be pretty nice in that sort of scenario.
Would be a lot nicer with a half bath either on the main floor or on the roof level–obviously would need to be a little bigger overall too, which would also be nicer.
Agreed that the 3rd bedroom is just an office/den. This is a good place for a divorced person w/ 1-2 offspring, that’s who I see as a potential buyer.
Lots of couples have no kids. Many only have one.
You have 5+ years before it really becomes an issue if you have two kids in the townhouse.
“You have 5+ years before it really becomes an issue if you have two kids in the townhouse.”
attendance area doesn’t matter much, then.
Directly on the brown line tracks, no master en suite and some really small rooms. OK for the money I guess, but definitely some compromises.
Great points, everyone. Definitely. I hadn’t thought of a divorced parent, and that makes sense. Also forgot about living somewhere smaller for a few years before having a second child. My memory must be failing me.
Agree a half bath on main floor makes a lot of sense. Can’t believe it wasn’t included considering construction date.
“Agree a half bath on main floor makes a lot of sense. Can’t believe it wasn’t included considering construction date.”
1993? What makes you think that in the early 90s they were adding half baths to the townhouse layouts?
They aren’t even doing it now! It’s pretty rare even in a million dollar townhouse to get that half bath on the main level. The layouts are tight. They just don’t put it in.
Even with 1 kid, having only 1 smallish bathroom upstairs would suck. That’s a small vanity for 1 person, let alone 3.
“1993? What makes you think that in the early 90s they were adding half baths to the townhouse layouts?
They aren’t even doing it now! It’s pretty rare even in a million dollar townhouse to get that half bath on the main level. The layouts are tight. They just don’t put it in.”
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Rubbish. At that price point a half bath/powder room on the first floor is standard and has been for the past 40 years
“At that price point a half bath/powder room on the first floor is standard and has been for the past 40 years”
The price point at construction (1993) was $174,500.
Which, plus CPI, is $311k now.
So, no, at the price point this was built at, the half bath has not been standard.
But I certainly would expect it at a 1993 era $300k TH, which is the deflated equivalent of the $540k ask.
Sabrina,
I value your expertise and you probably have a point about main floor baths in modern townhouses. However, I lived in a 1949 townhouse in Lakeview as a teen, and it had a main floor powder room/half bath right off the kitchen. So it wasn’t unheard of. It is true I saw many other townhomes from that era and later that didn’t have one, of course.
“Rubbish. At that price point a half bath/powder room on the first floor is standard and has been for the past 40 years”
Nope. You certainly haven’t been looking for townhouses in the city of Chicago the past 20 years. Even in the million dollar price point, there often aren’t half baths on the main floor. From top builders. Lol.
I don’t get it. But they haven’t always put it in.
And I’m not going to do like 10 crib posts showing you all the examples (although I could do that.)
This south loop townhouse complex was built in 1991.
No bathrooms on the main level (kitchen/living/dining level.)
https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/1208-S-Federal-St-60605/unit-C/home/14084171
This one doesn’t have the floor plan but based on the pictures and that it has 3 full baths, I don’t think there’s any bathroom on the main living/dining floor.
Built in 1987.
https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/1408-S-Federal-St-60605/home/14084936
Here’s a newer townhouse in Southport. Already under contract.
Has a full bath in the basement and the second full bath with the 2 bedrooms on the second floor. No half bath on the main floor.
https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/3543-N-Bosworth-Ave-60657/unit-A/home/13384074
Here’s another one. This time in the West Loop. $900,000. Built in 2004.
No half bath or any bath at all on the main floor (living/dining/kitchen).
https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/24-S-Aberdeen-St-60607/unit-8/home/12646001#marketing-remarks-scroll
They just can’t fit it in. I’ve seen million dollar townhouses without it more than with it. I had a friend who was buying a townhouse around the $1 million level and specifically wanted the half bath. It was shocking how many don’t have it.
on my 2015 new construction townhouse i had to pay like 12 grand extra or so to have them put a half bath on the first floor, even though the floorplans they were marketing with had the half baths included… shady AF if you ask me
And this will be my last example, as they are much more common than you would think.
Built in 2004. River North. $995,000. 3 full baths. No bath on the main living level.
https://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/1033-N-Kingsbury-St-60610/home/112919053#marketing-remarks-scroll
“on my 2015 new construction townhouse i had to pay like 12 grand extra or so to have them put a half bath on the first floor, even though the floorplans they were marketing with had the half baths included… shady AF if you ask me”
Wow! That’s crazy. It should just be included on ALL townhouses.
It’s worth putting it in though. Buyers really DO look for a half bath on the main level.
on my 2015 new construction townhouse i had to pay like 12 grand extra or so to have them put a half bath on the first floor, even though the floorplans they were marketing with had the half baths included… shady AF if you ask me
So, if you didn’t pay the $12K, what was the floorplan? Did it have an extra closet or pantry or something?
coat closet was a bit larger but basically went where the bathroom was
and I looked it up, they wanted $15k for it but I called them on their bait and switch bullshit and they “only” charged me $8750 for it
still worth it IMO, having to trek upstairs to take a leak is so annoying
I remember that entire new build buying process to be an incredibly painful experience, CMK realty and Heather Gustafson was as dishonest as they were stupid
This unit is under contract
“This unit is under contract”
Thanks for the update David.
The market is hot. Listings going under contract in days.
Sold for ask, 539,900