Getting More Space for Your Money: 6441 N. Bell in West Rogers Park
This 2-bedroom condo at 6441 N. Bell in West Rogers Park is big on space and vintage features but small on price.
It has crown molding, a large formal dining room and french doors. But it also has an updated kitchen, in-unit washer/dryer and a parking space.
The unit is a rare 1920s-era condo that has outdoor space, with a 10×11 deck.
Jenifer McCartney at Rubloff has the listing. See more pictures and a virtual tour here.
See the property website here.
Unit #2N: 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, 1600 square feet, 1 car parking
- Sold in March 1989 for $32,500
- Sold in October 1991 for $53,000
- Sold in July 1993 for $64,500
- Sold in May 1997 for $85,000
- Sold in February 2000 for $143,000
- Originally listed in August 2008 for $229,900
- Reduced
- Currently listed at $218,900
- Assessments of $353 a month
- Taxes of $1257
- No central air- window units
- In-unit washer/dryer
- Listing says a second bathroom can be plumbed
Nice and cheep, but miles from easy transportation downtown.
You’re getting a lot of space for your money because this property is in Wisconsin…
What are you getting for your $353 in assessments? Does that include heat?
I like everything about this place except the lack of central A/C and the location. And the location is rather a deal killer.
RIght next to a golf course. Niiiice. although transit sux
“I like everything about this place except the lack of central A/C and the location.”
You probably wouldn’t like (some of) the neighbors either (I probably wouldn’t, either, so I’m not throwing stones).
I think it’s a nice home, but for me – the lack of AC and cabinet space in the kitchen is tough. The assessments seem a tad high, but I’m not familiar with that area – perhaps it’s the norm…?
Perhaps the assessments are for replacing shot out / bricked windows… that’s a bonus
Don’t worry about public transportation. The next buyer of this house will be driving his own cab. Has anyone else noticed how many taxis are residentially parked in this area?
I really like what they’ve done with the place. The kitchen actually has a little character.
‘Has anyone else noticed how many taxis are residentially parked in this area?’
I used to live, and still own and rent, a condo about 3.5 blocks from here. I never had any crime issues in 3 year of living there. I think that this area get looked down upon because of its diversity. And its true that the people in this area do not look like the people in LP/LV. Some of us actual think diversity is a nice thing.
Public trans does suck here. Devon is a parking lot nightmare so the bus is useless. The metra is close but you need to drive there and parking can be limited. Another option is to take the western bus or drive down to Lawrence and take the brown line into downtown. My neighbor would do that. The one nice thing is that you can take Peterson to get to LSD pretty quickly. Its also a quick drive to 90/94 (@Touhey) through Lincolnwood
The park nearby is Warren park. It is one of the largest and collest parks i’ve ever seen. Not only is there golf-yeah its a week par 3, but still- there is batting cages, an ice scatting/hockey rink, huge running path, tons of tennis courts, etc.
I see radiators so I’m assumning HOA includeds heat. And at 1600 sqft thats not a high assessment w/ heat. Lack of A/C is a killer plus those window units ruin the exterior of this beautiful brink building.
“ice scatting”
I sure hope not.
Woa Tom – I never said anything about diversity, race, etc. I mentioned taxi cabs …. and the plethora that exist in that neighborhood. No need to jump to conclusions. I actually really like the area. I go there to eat and especially grocery shop as the produce prices are fantastic.
The location is great if you like eating Indian food. Tons of great Indian and Pakistani restaurants around there, and especially as you walk west down Devon.
But for public transportation, yes. It’s awful here. At least the place comes with a parking spot. Although traffic on Devon is often nightmarish, so not much relief there.
ha – I was just thinking that I missed living in RP just because every time I took a taxi home, the cab driver would say “oh I live there too!”
As for the house, shoot, I think it’s super nice & definitely to my taste, although I’d need some cabinets in the kitchen. Seems like it’s priced right too – assuming that the assessments do include heat…
Thanks for the useful, accurate, info Tom.
Devon bus is about 8 minute ride to the Loyola Redline stop in the morning.
Devon traffic does suck in the afternoon and on weekends. Easy to get to Evanston, LSD downtown and 90/94. Many families in the area seem to have at least one person who works in a nearby suburb.
Warren park has tennis courts and an ice skating rink as well as a large golf course.
Sorry, but $218K is a 2005 price- peak price- for this place. it’s a nice place, but this is a deteriorating area. Am very familiar with this nabe as I made an offer on a 1-bed on the same block, very similar to this in appearance and features, in 2004 and was turned down…. now the 4-room 1-bed I made the offer on would be lucky to fetch $85K. I’m glad the owner turned down my much-higher offer now.
Given that there is a 2 bed 5 room on the market at the fabulous terra-cotta covered Casa Bonita on Ridge for $90K, which is more than 50% off the peak price of around $200K, then what is THIS place worth? I’ll see how quickly the much-better unit at Casa sells. It’s too close to Warren Park in an area with increasing gang and criminal activity, right off one very scruffy, unattractive section of Devon Ave. You have to take a bus to get over to the el.
I’m seeing much better deals than this in Edgewater, and in E. Rogers park east of Lakewood. There are five-room vintage 2 beds available now in Edgewater, close to the beach and to retail, in a area with much lower crime rates than W. Rogers Park/W. Ridge.
$140K max for this and I’m being generous. Check out the listing at the Casa Bonita, which has an indoor pool and is much more beautiful, in 60645 area code, if you think this is good deal. Prices are falling very fast in West Ridge/W. Rogers Park.
Please tell us more about these, we haven’t chatted about Edgewater lately.
“There are five-room vintage 2 beds available now in Edgewater, close to the beach and to retail, in a area with much lower crime rates than W. Rogers Park/W. Ridge.”
Laura – The assessments for casa bonita are much higher (450 for one bedrooms, for instance) and it has no parking. The buildings are not comparable. But casa bonita is gorgeous!
Definitely the buildings are not comparable. Casa is so much better a building with such superior amenities, and so unusual in its beauty, that this place looks mundane compared. This might be hyperbole, but I believe that place to be one of 10 most beautiful buildings in Chicago, even though it is not ‘upper bracket’ or in a prime neighborhood.
I’m very familiar with the maintenance at Casa, for all that densely decorative terra cotta has to be maintained on an ongoing basis and it is the major maint. cost in that building.
I will still say the place on Bell featured here is grossly overpriced. Not far away is 6321 N. Artesian, a few blocks west and just south of Devon. Beautiful vintage gut rehab, 5 rooms, 2 bedrooms, new everything, low main, for $60,000. 1100 sq ft. MLS ID #07255365. This is pretty much the same neighborhood, just a few blocks away. That’s right, SIXTY THOUSAND DOLLARS. Parking would be nice, but I don’t believe anybody would pay a $140K premium for a parking space in an otherwise ordinary 6 flat.
As I say, W Ridge/W Rogers Park has problems this formerly pristine area did not have 5 years ago. I can’t believe how prices have dropped. My boss was looking at a couple of gut-rehabbed units in a vintage on Hoyne, in the same area, for $40K each, cash only. That is below rent parity.
Here are some EDGEWATER 2 BED units well under $200K. Edgewater has improved greatly over the past 10 years and doesn’t even feel like the same nabe it did then.
First, the brand-new hirise at the corner of Broadway & Granville has numerous 2 bed 1 bath units priced from $159K to $225K. Brand new highrise with parking, nice safe neighborhood close to shopping. MLS 07295835/
Park Edgewater 6101 N. Sheridan, vintage high rise, beautiful. Newer bath with sep. shower and tub $159K. I have a long memory stream and can tell you this unit sold (in much worse condition) for about $60K in the mid-90s. That was about average for these big (1100 sq ft units) at that time.
6238 N. Broadway-pretty vintage, 4 room 2 bedroom, looks big. Over-store apt. Nice rehab. Nice neighborhood. mls 07127801.
Plus many 2-1s and 2-2s at 6166, 6301, 5801, and other mid-century mod high rises along Sheridan, all under $200K and mostly under $150K.
I’m eyeballing the one at 6101. Needs a new kitchen, though.
The place on Bell IS roomy, at 1800 sq ft. So, Ok, maybe $160K. But not $218K, never.
Apparently there are two different buildings with the address “6101 N. Sheridan”? There’s the vintage Park Edgewater referenced above by Laura, and there’s the much newer “East Point” towers:
http://www.movoto.com/il/6101-n-sheridan-rd-chicago/461_07290163.htm
There are indeed 2 buildings at 6101. Park Edgewater, which I believe started out as a resort hotel and went condo in 1969, is of course the original owner of the address. East Point went up in the late 60s and bought the right to use the address, under Daley the Elder’s regime. It should really have an address on Glenlake.
The units at East Point are large, go front to back, and have large balconies overlooking the lake. But this building would not be allowed to be built now. It’s almost right in the water. There is a concrete retaining wall at the end of the street keeping the lake out of it.
whoa. I dated a guy who lived in Casa Bonita, about a decade ago. Yes, a fantastically gorgeous building, and the pool was cool, but even back then the neighborhood across Ridge was kinda creepy. He had a parking spot out back, don’t know if those were rental or bought, but they were on Casa Bonita property. Always made me a little sad that such a great building had such cruddy buildings and people living to the east of it… When you went West of there it was better. No idea how it is now…