Get A Vintage 3-Bedroom With Parking In Logan Square For Under $310K: 3634 W. Wrightwood
This top floor 3-bedroom at 3634 W. Wrightwood in Logan Square has been on the market since October 2012.
It is a 4-unit building that appears to have been converted into condos in 2003.
This unit has 3 exposures: North, South and East.
It has some of its vintage features still intact including the original built-in hutch in the dining room and the fireplace mantel.
It has 9 1/2 foot ceilings and hardwood floors throughout.
It has the other features that buyers look for including washer/dryer in the unit, central air and gated secured parking.
The unit has been reduced $10,900 since October and is now listed at $309,000.
With little else on the market in Logan Square, what’s keeping this on the market?
Chad Duda at Prudential Rubloff has the listing. See the pictures here.
Unit #3: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1500 square feet
- Sold in August 2003 for $254,000
- Originally listed in October 2012 for $319,900
- Reduced
- Currently listed at $309,000
- Assessment of $234 a month
- Taxes of $3840
- Central Air
- Washer/Dryer in the unit
- Gated parking included
- Bedroom #1: 11×14
- Bedroom #2: 11×10
- Bedroom #3: 11×9
- Dining room: 11×15
Little far west for that price, don’t cha think? If I were paying upwards of three hundred thousand in this area, I’d be shooting for a house with a yard.
Will banks finance this kind of unit if it doesn’t have many comps in the area?
I like the unit and the building, but agree it’s overpriced for the area. For this price, you can get a comparable in Buena Park or Lakeview, with better public safety and more convenience.
Is this even Logan Square?!?!?! I guess technically it is, but I’ve heard it gets bad west of Kimball. If I lived in Logan, I would want to be much closer to either the Logan or California Blue Line stop where most of the restaurants and shopping are.
I just called my wife after i saw this listing to tell her i love her.
because when this area is asking over 300k for an apartment i used to rent in the 90’s for $500 a month it means something in the world is wrong
“an apartment i used to rent in the 90?s for $500 a month ”
so we went to the same high school AND were neighbors in the 90s.
“because when this area is asking over 300k”
Hey if Chad Duda at Prudential Ripoff has the listing you know there’s something going for it.
“so we went to the same high school AND were neighbors in the 90s.”
are we neighbors now?
“are we neighbors now?”
Nope, unless you’re “obfusicating” about your proximity to the Brickyard.
Slightly O/T…For those Wicker Parkers, didn’t Violet Hour have a whale mural on their building just like that piece of art over the bed. Is whale art cool now?
“unless you’re “obfusicating” about your proximity to the Brickyard”
not saying that cant be true past our present.
i am just trying to rule out 2 other neighborhoods that you could be in. so now i have you between one or the other its just up to a drive in those areas to rule out the last one before i have a definite.
This type of building depresses me – apartments over a store front on a busy street. I always think of this type of this is the type of building where people live who can’t afford anything else. Often, I’m reminded of mis-aligned blinds, with box fans in the windows. I usually feel sorry for people who live in this type of building and also scared that one day I will lose my job and have to move into a low rent apartment.
Obviously, this is not the case with this unit, but it’s still a reminder of poverty for me and I wouldn’t want to live there.
“Hey if Chad Duda at Prudential Ripoff ….”
LOL, great realtor pic!!
Jenny, if this building were in a better area (say, 1200 W Wrightwood), there would be nothing depressing about it. The problem is the 3600 West part. That is depressing.
not far from aldi or 5below
not true TB. Jenny would still be depressed unless a family of turtles moved into the store front.
“This type of building depresses me – apartments over a store front on a busy street. I always think of this type of this is the type of building where people live who can’t afford anything else. Often, I’m reminded of mis-aligned blinds, with box fans in the windows. I usually feel sorry for people who live in this type of building and also scared that one day I will lose my job and have to move into a low rent apartment.”
Jenny, finally a comment I 100% agree with. It’s the dirty box fan in the window that always gets me.
Definitely overpriced. It feels narrow and I hate the tile kitchen counter. That being said, you are reasonable walking distance from some nice amenities in Logan Square. Lola’s, Longman and Eagle, Le Boulangerie, the rennovated Logan Theater. If you don’t get mugged on your way to and from there, that is.
I had a friend who lived on the 3700 w block of wrightwood and he constantly battled with the local morons tagging the side of his condo building
“This type of building depresses me – apartments over a store front on a busy street. I always think of this type of this is the type of building where people live who can’t afford anything else. Often, I’m reminded of mis-aligned blinds, with box fans in the windows.”
LOL…I feel that way too. However, in the year between selling my condo and buying a house, I rented an apartment above a storefront, quietest neighbors I ever had….and I made sure the bad blinds were always aligned. I wouldnt have a problem with buying a place above retail, the scary thing is, if a business closes does that make your property value go down (and assessments up) .?
” CH (March 26, 2013, 10:30 am)
not far from aldi or 5below”
there is an aldi on harlem and lawerence too and a 5below at the brickyard
“That being said, you are reasonable walking distance from some nice amenities in Logan Square. Lola’s, Longman and Eagle, Le Boulangerie, the rennovated Logan Theater.”
I’ve been disappointed in la boulangerie lately. They used to be *really* good when they first opened up and at the farmer’s market. Now just okay.
ooh, have you been to 5below? I’ve only looked in the window.
o.t. I took my daughter to buy some toys at dollar tree couple weekends ago. she had saved/earned 4 bucks and I said her money would go further there. mondays, at her way pricey downtown preschool, they ask each kid what they did that weekend and print out the answers as sort of a bulletin that gets sent home to the parents. It was funny to see her quote “I went to dollar tree and bought 4 toys!” and imagine what some of the other parents might think.
btw dont get masking tape at dollar tree. it sticks to the wall for 20min tops
“btw dont get masking tape at dollar tree. it sticks to the wall for 20min tops”
Sorry, should have warned you. We had that exact issue. Kinda amazing how bad it was.
In my opinion, this building is better looking than most of the new construction out there that have storefronts with condos above..
Totally agree, Bluestreak, but unless the building gets up and moves east of Kimball, they’re not getting this price for it.
“Sorry, should have warned you. We had that exact issue. Kinda amazing how bad it was.”
hahah..Amazing is the word! hung decorations up for spiderman themed birthday party and they were dropping like flies as my wife rushed around trying to keep them up. I could have said “sorry I should have warned you” to her bc I had learned to avoid that roll of tape shortly after purchasing it weeks earlier. But that would have just made it worse.
it’s hit or miss at DT. somebody should review all their products. every now and then I hit a home run like this little motorcycle that revved up attached to some black wheel looking thing. it flies across the floor and feels pretty solid. I would buy a dozen more and give them as gifts.. sadly haven’t seen them ever again on the shelves.
“ooh, have you been to 5below? I’ve only looked in the window.”
“btw dont get masking tape at dollar tree. it sticks to the wall for 20min tops”
to be all anonny, we dont shop at da tree anymore.
well we still do swing in and stock up on paper plates, art supplies for the kid, and generic holiday/birthday cards. its too hit and miss and sizes of stuff got smaller.
for a point it was the only place to get an original recipe of goo-goo clusters.
“I had learned to avoid that roll of tape shortly after purchasing it weeks earlier.”
You kept it around for entertainment purposes?
“Walking distance to Longman and Eagle”
LOL!! How likely is someone buying this place to walk dow to get this grub?
Pot au Feu of Beef Short Rib, Poached Filet, Seared Foie, Winter Root Vegetables, Horseradish-Marrow Whipped Potatoes, Double Consomme $29
Who eats at that place anyway? Tourists and business people who think they’re clever, but learned about it by reading airline magazines, probably.
“Pot au Feu of Beef Short Rib, Poached Filet, Seared Foie, Winter Root Vegetables, Horseradish-Marrow Whipped Potatoes, Double Consomme $29”
They also have a reasonably priced (and good) burger and wild boar sloppy joe, among other things.
“Who eats at that place anyway? Tourists and business people who think they’re clever, but learned about it by reading airline magazines, probably.”
Hipsters and those who don’t mind being in close proximity of hipsters. In other words, typical recent Logan Square transplants. They’re saving so much money biking around the city they can afford some good grub to go with their PBR.
wait a minute we have post about a vintage unit and in 30 some comments no one balked about the painted trim or builtins?
Look at this more closely, it’s a fine unit but the 2003 price was too much and they will be lucky to get somewhere around that price today.
“You kept it around for entertainment purposes?”
didnt want to admit defeat
yep its the CC motto!
“CH (March 26, 2013, 11:57 pm)
didnt want to admit defeat”
I’m currently in the market for a place in Logan Square and rejected this for the painted trim and hutch and that its on a busy street. Would also like some kind of yard. Its in great shape though.
Like most non-GZ neighborhoods, the sketchiness of this neighborhood, even west is very much over hyped by the suburban crib chatter crowd. Nice unit in one of the best neighborhoods in the city.
“Like most non-GZ neighborhoods, the sketchiness of this neighborhood, even west is very much over hyped by the suburban crib chatter crowd. Nice unit in one of the best neighborhoods in the city.”
ummm yeah ummmm, i do NOT think its over hyped at all.
believe what you want to but its still not a neighborhood i would chose to spend 300k for an apartment.
clearly you are a north shore cake eater
i actually find this unit rather charming. it is 4 blocks from the Logan Square monument and Billy Sunday and Lula and Longman. it’s very much Logan Square. i think the fact that no dogs are permitted in the building is hurting the sale prospects. 1500sft and parking. i’m sure the price is negotiable.
Investment is gonna keep coming into Logan for some time. Interesting things will happen soon enough in this 2-block strip west of Central Park. Could easily be a little retail gem in 10 years. The buildings are handsome. Wrightwood corridor is already more than decent well west of Kimball (but, of course, tolerances vary).
The Jay principle will work out nicely around here, is my guess.
“i think the fact that no dogs are permitted in the building is hurting the sale prospects”
you dont think its because its 300k for an APARTMENT, is hurting its sale prospects?
or the fact you can get a SFH with a yard for the price within a mile from here could be hurting its sale prospects?
or is it really the dog banning?
Screw that cake taste good anywhere you eat it.
” CH (March 27, 2013, 2:06 pm)
clearly you are a north shore cake eater”
‘The Jay principle will work out nicely around here, is my guess.’
Do I even have one? If I did it would be that denser and older neighborhoods with generally uninterrupted original quality housing stock (and at least decent public transportation), are better candidates for attracting ‘creative types’ willing to invest in *long term* gentrification, than not. It has retained its element of the all important human scale. Because of that, I think this area has a lot going for it, unlike say parts of the still waiting to gentrify south side – they certainly have more beautiful housing stock than here, but they’re piecemeal together (mostly thru demolition) and they lack density. Thumb me down all the way urban haters, but I’d buy here in a second.
Groove77 (March 27, 2013, 3:12 pm)
Screw that cake taste good anywhere you eat it.
urinals?
This stretch of Wrightwood is pretty nice. The gang activity is pretty localized and it’s not bad here, you have to get a good bit further South or West of here for it to be bad. Graffiti, sure, but it’s usually pretty manageable and they generally stop after you clean it a few times. Unit is quite nice and charming. I think that it will definitely sell above the 2003 price, maybe somewhere around $285k.
“urinals?”
if it hasnt touch it or anythign around it then yes still a good place to eat cake.
Yeah, does look similar. Maybe same artist?
Groove, you’ll appreciate this:
http://chicagoist.com/2012/06/11/watch_the_violet_hours_latest_artwo.php
marco (March 26, 2013, 10:02 am)
Slightly O/T…For those Wicker Parkers, didn’t Violet Hour have a whale mural on their building just like that piece of art over the bed. Is whale art cool now?
I used to think places like this were in for a huge valuation hit when the bubble popped. But just the other day I know somebody who qualified for a mortgage with 3% down. (Yes 3% not even 3.5% FHA–check out Fannie homepath, no PMI required either). You think anything was learned from this fiasco after the _government got involved_?
So long as someone with a credit score that hasn’t been wrecked within the past 5 years and 10k down can buy places like this (also downpayment can be gifted) we’ll continue to see insanity in the housing market. Where it manifests itself is anyone’s guess but it could be here.
Our government has taken the place of idiot investors for these risky home loans. People are free to buy, live it up for a few years, and walk away if needed if the market doesn’t correct/there is no equity. *Yawn*.
Either the government teet will have to be continued indefinitely, or there is a big valuation hit in areas with real estate valuations out of whack with incomes. Chicagoland while the worst in the midwest in that respect pales in comparison to to the coasts.
Hahah just wait til they take over healthcare sheeple.
nice find Roma!!!!!!!
“So long as someone with a credit score that hasn’t been wrecked within the past 5 years and 10k down can buy places like this (also downpayment can be gifted) we’ll continue to see insanity in the housing market. Where it manifests itself is anyone’s guess but it could be here.”
hey that’s my best chance for unloading my condo. 🙂
@ Groove . . .
*********
“i think the fact that no dogs are permitted in the building is hurting the sale prospects”
you dont think its because its 300k for an APARTMENT, is hurting its sale prospects?
or the fact you can get a SFH with a yard for the price within a mile from here could be hurting its sale prospects?
or is it really the dog banning?
*********
the tone of the message you sent, Groove, and the prevalence of this know-it-all argumentative voice is why i can’t even stand to read the comments on this blog anymore. did i say, “i think that the fact that no dogs are permitted in the building is hurting the sale prospects and i think this is the only factor affecting the sale prospects?”
no, in fact i did not.
i have two separate sets of clients who were interested in seeing this property EXCEPT the association has a strict no dogs policy. so, then they were no longer interested.
in this area, updated single family homes are going for upwards of 400k. a mile away is not logan square and people who want to be in logan square want to be in logan square. not a mile away from logan square.
“a mile away is not logan square and people who want to be in logan square want to be in logan square. not a mile away from logan square.”
I’m not an expert but except possibly west, I think 1 mile in any direction from this address is still Logan Square. Granted the closer you are to the actual square the better for transportation and amenities.
“the tone of the message you sent and the prevalence of this know-it-all argumentative ”
i think you reading the tone wrong. its more in a comical not questioning your words directly (sorry) as more in making fun or pointing out that an APARTMENT cost $300k over in this area.
I apologize that you felt its was directed towards you, the use of your comment was really a jumping point for me to point out the absurdity in pricing. its hard to relay intentions and tone on the internet, sorry.
“in this area, updated single family homes are going for upwards of 400k. a mile away is not logan square and people who want to be in logan square want to be in logan square. not a mile away from logan square”
considering your in the biz then you should know that logan square is a big boundary and pulaski is consider by some as its western boundary line.
this home right here is updated and in logan but its going for updwards of 199k;
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/3745-W-Dickens-Ave-60647/home/13420960
so they “people who want to be in logan” can buy a home updated for less than this apartment.
ps now the last part of my comments is where meant to be snarky and know-it-ally
“I think 1 mile in any direction from this address is still Logan Square.”
Let’s consider that (in the broader community area, sense):
N: Avondale starts at Diversey, so, NO.
E: California & “Wrightwood” (ie, Logan Blvd) is *definitely* Logan Square. YES.
W: 4400 W is west of the tracks, so Hermosa, and NO.
S: 1800 N is right on the boundary with Humboldt, but still, technically, Logan Square. YES & NO.
If referring to the narrower, and less well defined, neighborhood, only East keeps one in the hood, and it is readily disputable whether *this* place is actually in the hood.
“this 2-block strip west of Central Park. Could easily be a little retail gem in 10 years.”
Has anyone reviewed the sorry state of storefront retail along Milwaukee Ave. in Logan/Avondale?
How can this little strip become a gem before Milwaukee Ave. leases up? Retailers always prefer more car-counts and foot traffic and visibility, and Milwaukee Ave. offers more of both, yet there are bombed out vacancies everywhere between Armitage and Addison.
“this home right here is updated and in logan but its going for updwards of 199k”
Groove, that’s a little bit of turd picking, doncha think? Hamlin & Dickens ain’t Hamlin & Wrightwood.
Still, there’s cheap stuff to be picked up. I liked this, but some other sucker’s gonna have to plow their savings into fixing it:
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/3623-W-Altgeld-St-60647/home/13447870
“Our government has taken the place of idiot investors for these risky home loans.”
To forestall a crisis and deflationary crash, that would leave everyone incl. the plutocrats with lower-priced assets but fully-priced liabilities( i.e. debt), which would lead to bankruptcies…the Gvt. and Fed has decided to inflate asset prices by all means possible. If asset prices were allowed to correct, adjust downward to correct market levels, the assets would be priced below the debt outstanding and everyone in the country would be underwater, incl. companies and corporations, etc.
So, the Fed and Gvt. has attempted to prop up:
1) stock markets
2) the RE market
It’s done this by providing massive liquidity, with the hopes that if asset values can be maintained, or driven upwards in price, then the people will feel confident enough to increase “consumption” which is 70% of our economy. The only way to get the American economy going again, is to increase consumption, and higher asset prices are supposed to do this.
So, recently we’ve seen increased stock and RE prices, and there’s been some increased economic activity as a result. But the Gvt. and Fed still haven’t succeeded because the velocity of money is at 50 year lows, despite people’s balance sheets looking better than 3 years ago. So what do they do? They engineer fear of a banking crisis, potential “bail-in” models to address bank failures, and now everyone around the world is paranoid they’ll lost their deposits in banks. So now, everyone wants to do something with their cash instead….move it around, buy some hard assets, hold less cash in banks, etc. and VOILA! now we’re going to have increased velocity of money as a result, increased inflation and asset prices, better balance sheets (on paper) and people will feel they have higher net worths, and they might finally start spending (aka consuming) and that will get our economy going again….
nonchatterer: There are some big homes on Bernard Street which look like above-average width lots. What about those? That’s an interesting street.
“I liked this, but some other sucker’s gonna have to plow their savings into fixing it”
Cant fix the lack of parking.
Looks like the neighbors are nice enough to let their garbage bins sit in the alley.
What this place does have going for it is the Spaulding entrance/exit to the Logan Square stop. You will still walk a country mile and curse as you miss the periodic train so close you can smell it, but it does make this block feel pretty connected to Logan.
A buddy lived right here, it’s nice, but this seems like too much given you can go a few blocks north and get much better deals and essentially keep access to the Milwaukee strip/subway.
As for how far Logan Sq goes, a mile in every direction – um, no. Anon nailed it nicely, and I’ve never seen anyone suggesting LS stops east of Central Park, but I’ve seen plenty of people saying it stops at Pulaski. Hard IMO to really sell Belmont Gardens as being in Logan Square, but technically it does seem to go to the railroad tracks.
Funny blast from the bubble-laden past:
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2008-11-28/classified/chi-logan-square_chomes_1128nov28_1_logan-square-boulevard-bikes-historic-boulevards
“To forestall a crisis and deflationary crash, that would leave everyone incl. the plutocrats with lower-priced assets but fully-priced liabilities( i.e. debt), which would lead to bankruptcies…the Gvt. and Fed has decided to inflate asset prices by all means possible. If asset prices were allowed to correct, adjust downward to correct market levels, the assets would be priced below the debt outstanding and everyone in the country would be underwater, incl. companies and corporations, etc.
So, the Fed and Gvt. has attempted to prop up:
1) stock markets
2) the RE market
It’s done this by providing massive liquidity, with the hopes that if asset values can be maintained, or driven upwards in price, then the people will feel confident enough to increase “consumption” which is 70% of our economy. The only way to get the American economy going again, is to increase consumption, and higher asset prices are supposed to do this.
So, recently we’ve seen increased stock and RE prices, and there’s been some increased economic activity as a result. But the Gvt. and Fed still haven’t succeeded because the velocity of money is at 50 year lows, despite people’s balance sheets looking better than 3 years ago. So what do they do? They engineer fear of a banking crisis, potential “bail-in” models to address bank failures, and now everyone around the world is paranoid they’ll lost their deposits in banks. So now, everyone wants to do something with their cash instead….move it around, buy some hard assets, hold less cash in banks, etc. and VOILA! now we’re going to have increased velocity of money as a result, increased inflation and asset prices, better balance sheets (on paper) and people will feel they have higher net worths, and they might finally start spending (aka consuming) and that will get our economy going again….”
Sounds complicated…
“big homes on Bernard Street”
Yeah, it’s a nice street. Seems to be a discount b/c of the “west of Kimball” fear.
“Cant fix the lack of parking.”
Ya got me there. But, then, I perversely would rather park on the street in front of my house. I do that now even though I have a garage. On the trashcan thing, what is the rule about putting them in the alley? I once was interested in a bldg on an alley, but checking Google street view, it appeared that about a dozen bins were lined up against the building’s side wall. I suppose the landlord was simply being absent, but I wondered how hard it would be to reverse an ingrained practice.
Parking is pretty crummy around here.
And this stretch of Wrightwood was starting to explode with new construction when the bubble crashed, it’s pretty easy to imagine this area getting even more clusterfucked than it is currently. One major issue I would have with this location is traffic flow and highway access are pretty annoying.
“Cant fix the lack of parking.”
“What this place does have going for it is the Spaulding entrance/exit”
Exactly! You’re really no farther from the L living here than if you lived at Logan and California.
“, there’s cheap stuff to be picked up. I liked this, but some other sucker’s gonna have to plow their savings into fixing it: http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/3623-W-Altgeld-St-60647/home/13447870 ”
two observations from the streetview for this house
1) check out the house across the street from it with the glass wall
2) that looks an awful lot like Sonies Land Cruiser parked in front of it!
“1) check out the house across the street from it with the glass wall”
Every day, when walking out of your house, you’d be reminded what a stingy, tasteless motherfucker that builder was. Worse than the no parking, if you ask me.
“Every day, when walking out of your house, you’d be reminded what a stingy, tasteless motherfucker that builder was.”
Front of that place looks worse. Even ignoring the Potemkin-osity of the facade, from the side.
” and they might finally start spending (aka consuming) and that will get our economy going again….”
Except while 70% of the economy is consumption and the top-1% do account for an outsized portion of that (and top10% to a lesser degree), the bottom 90%’s economic situation has substantially weakened vs. recession’s past. And that’s a huge thorn in the Fed’s side.
The P&G’s of the world can’t sell overpriced soap and detergent to the households of America anymore. So where are your corporate profits going to come from? Gringo will say the big corps overseas markets but those are more high-volume low margin areas.
S&P at 1,400 & everything’s great the top 2-10% 401k crowd will cheer without having any idea that the equity run up is a result of a hedge against a currency that is being rapidly debased.
There is no exit strategy. Under the guise of lowering interest rates at best 80bps the Fed printed trillions and allowed our government to borrow trillions more at interest rates unsustainable in the private market. And there’s a big party now because we’re not Europe. Thats like saying you’re a champion because you could take home gold in a special olympics event.
But still the top-0.1% who pull the strings will be okay: they can jetset off to Swtizerland, err Leichenstein or Monaco. Ze ain’t there though he’ll be hangin’ at his favelas local net cafe.
“S&P at 1,400 & everything’s great the top 2-10% 401k crowd will cheer without having any idea that the equity run up is a result of a hedge against a currency that is being rapidly debased.”
Well, semantically more correct but Ze is starting to believe you are retarded.
“But still the top-0.1% who pull the strings will be okay: they can jetset off to Swtizerland, err Leichenstein or Monaco. Ze ain’t there though he’ll be hangin’ at his favelas local net cafe.”
Switzerland nice, but cold. Leichenstein (sp) Ze would never live there since they speak German (although Ze does like that the country has a Jewish last name) , Monaco – Ze admits is a pretty damn sweet place to hang out, and the thought did cross Ze’s mind, but with my background I can’t make myself disappear there and it is also a bit over the top if you spend too much time there. My lil favela called Ipanema is where Ze is staying for good… Ze very very very happy with that choice!!
As for .1%, don’t go there Bob. That’s beyond 3 std dev, and for you I am afraid thinking in that context might make your head explode like the guy in the movie Scanners…
skeptic:
W.T.F.?
http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20130329/avondale/olive-garden-coming-chicago-avondale-restaurant-be-first-city
Tho milkster will be happy.
“Groove, that’s a little bit of turd picking, doncha think?”
As i usually do, i pick and extreme to make a point.