Get a 4-Bedroom Vintage Row House For $999,000 in Lincoln Park: 1241 W. Webster
This 4-bedroom vintage row house at 1241 W. Webster in Lincoln Park came on the market in April 2020.
It doesn’t list the date it was built but it’s one of two row houses with 1 shared wall. It has a covered parking space behind the home.
There is also a separate entrance for the ground floor which would allow you to convert it into a separate apartment for rental income.
While it is vintage on the outside, the inside has modern features including a modern staircase banister.
The kitchen has modern cabinets with a breakfast bar and stainless steel appliances.
Two of the 4 bedrooms are on the second level while the other two are in the lower level.
There’s also a den on the second floor.
There’s an exterior patio with greenery, including mature trees, under which is a covered parking space.
One of the few vintage features that remains are the 2 wood burning fireplaces, both with gas starters.
It has central air.
Originally listed in April 2020 at $1.1 million, it has been reduced to $999,000.
Is this a good townhouse alternative at this price?
Joseph Blum at @Properties has the listing. See the pictures here.
1241 W. Webster: 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, no square feet listed, row house
- Sold in May 1982 for $95,000 (per Redfin)
- Sold in September 2002 for $710,000
- Originally listed in April 2020 for $1.1 million
- Reduced
- Currently listed at $999,000
- Taxes of $17,327
- Central Air
- 1-car covered parking spot under the back deck
- 2 wood burning fireplaces
- Bedroom #1: 13×12 (second floor)
- Bedroom #2: 12×12 (second floor)
- Bedroom #3: 18×10 (lower level)
- Bedroom #4: 8×10 (lower level)
- Den: 9×8 (second floor)
- Living room: 31×15 (main floor)
- Family room: 12×9 (main floor)
- Kitchen: 12×14 (main floor)
- Deck: 20×15 (main floor)
“There is also a separate entrance for the ground floor which would allow you to convert it into a separate apartment for rental income.”
Which would require building out a kitchen in the basement, and probably adding a second HVAC system. And then would leave you with a 2+den/1.5 owner’s unit. Don’t think that’s a good value proposition.
Deck needs to be redone. Otherwise would be pretty ok, especially if you had a post-college rebound kid who could live mostly in the basement.
This is a 100+ year old home with all of the problems and maintenance that come with a home of that age, with none of the vintage charm.
I’m torn.
Great vintage look on the outside, nice block, great overall location. Plenty of space. Nice kitchen.
On the other hand, two bedrooms in the basement, horrible 1980s staircases, the lack of any vintage touches inside.
I can see why the price seems reasonable, considering all the negatives I mention. Maybe converting basement into an apartment makes sense, but then the home gets a bit small for a family. Would people without kids want to buy a place like this?
And would it be possible to redo the stairways so they don’t look like the ones in the Grant Park underground garage? I shudder to think at what might have been removed to put those atrocities in.
My guess is that this was rehabbed when it was already in rough shape, possibly even multiple units. It is pretty bland inside, although the stairs don’t bug me as much as other things.
Someone could carve out a nice quaint life living here. Nice location, good enough unit, cool exterior and block, join Lakeshore Fitness, do some volunteering at Little Sisters of the Poor.
Racine Ave and Trebes Park loaded with kids and Oz Park (league) ball games acts as a natural buffer to the first-generation ugly and obnoxious DePaul SJW students.
You’re close to Clybourn to get all errands run. But if you did have to use the Red Line, you have to walk thru SJW-ruined DePaul to get on a train.
PS If someone invested in high-end crown molding, you could transform the look of the interior.