Is Uptown Now a Hot Neighborhood? A 4-Bedroom SFH at 651 W. Hutchinson in Buena Park
This 4-bedroom Prairie-style single family home at 651 W. Hutchinson in the Buena Park neighborhood of Uptown came on the market in February 2022.
Built in 1914, it’s on a larger than standard Chicago lot measuring 50×108 and has a 1.5 car attached garage (per the 2019 listing) and a gated backyard.
It is located on historic Hutchinson street.
If it looks familiar, that’s because we chattered about it in 2012, just at the bottom of the housing bust, when it was listed for $1.065 million, It wouldn’t finally sell until 2013 and it sold under a million at $905,000.
See our chatter here.
But a lot has happened over the last decade in Chicago, and the Chicago housing market.
According to a recent article by Crain’s, Uptown’s single family home market is red-hot as buyers have been priced out of Lincoln Park and Lakeview during the pandemic.
Already in 2022, 5 homes have sold in Uptown priced over $1 million.
From Dennis Rodkin at Crain’s:
Libert and other agents say that space, the hottest commodity in the pandemic era, is a primary reason for the big increase in house prices in Uptown. Also figuring in is relative affordability compared to other parts of the North Side, such as Lakeview.
Compass agent Jackie Pepoon said in a text message that her clients who looked for homes on the North Shore instead bought a $1.65 million house on Hutchinson Street, with five bedrooms and 6,000 square feet on about 1.7 city lots. It gave them “all the room of a suburban home, but with the easiness of being right in the city,” Pepoon said.
This house still has some of it’s vintage features but the listing also says that it has been “lovingly renovated” and is turn-key.
It has ornamental stained-glass windows, coffered ceilings, build in bookcases on the second floor landing and 3 fireplaces including a wood burning fireplace in the primary suite.
The listing says the kitchen was newly renovated in 2022 and has white cabinets, quartz counter tops, a breakfast bar on the island which appears to have gray cabinets, a wine fridge and high end stainless steel appliances.
Like most vintage homes, it has a separate dining room.
It has a mud room.
The primary suite is on the second floor along with two other bedrooms and a second bathroom. The primary has an en suite bath with a double vanity and marble countertops, and a walk-in-closet, which is rare for many vintage homes.
The third floor has a great room and an office.
The fourth bedroom is in the lower level along with a full bath, a dog shower, a 160 bottle wine cellar, a professional gym and a laundry room, although the listing also mentions a washer/dryer hidden on the second floor behind a secret door.
The listing says there’s a new deck and a “lushly” landscaped lot.
It also has smart home technology that controls the lights and security from your phone.
This house is near Lake Shore Drive, the peace garden, Montrose Harbor and the golf course along the lake, and is not far from the Red Line stop at Sheridan and express buses downtown.
Listed at $1.39 million, is Uptown a deal?
Barbara Laken at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices has the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.
651 W. Hutchinson: 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 5400 square feet, single family home
- Sold in August 1993 for $557,000
- Sold in April 2013 for $905,000
- Sold in April 2019 for $1.18 million
- Currently listed at $1.39 million
- Taxes are now $17,071 (they were $17,076 in 2012)
- Central Air
- 3 fireplaces including wood burning fireplace in the primary suite
- Attached garage (2019 listing says its 1.5 cars)
- Bedroom #1: 16×13 (second floor)
- Bedroom #2: 10×14 (second floor)
- Bedroom #3: 12×9 (second floor)
- Bedroom #4: 21×16 (lower level)
- Living room: 22×18 (main floor)
- Dining room: 14×16 (main floor)
- Kitchen: 18×16 (main floor)
- Family room: 12×42 (third floor)
- Office: 12×42 (third floor)
- Exercise room: 21×16 (lower level)
- Laundry room: 10×12 (basement
- Also w/d on the second floor
- Walk-in-closet: 7×16 (second floor)
- Deck
Nice house, extremely well laid out
The bare bulb in the MBR and stationary bike in a Br when you have a gym are odd
Would like to see the 2019 pics to understand the amount of work the current owner put in. Between sales costs and renovations, guessing they’re losing money
“Between sales costs and renovations, guessing they’re losing money”
This doesn’t tell you anything about the hottness of Uptown, by the way. They bought in 2019. It’s only been 3 years. There was a pandemic where everyone fled Chicago.
The fact that you are “guessing” they are losing money tells you how hot the neighborhood is.
Chicago has surged back. Many buyers are no longer looking in the suburbs. The panic is gone. Many wealthy buyers are priced out of Lakeview now. Average SFH now selling closer to $2 million instead of $1 million. This is good news for Uptown sellers. It’s been waiting 20 years for a “comeback.”
Could be their time is here. Move over Andersonville, Uptown is back.
The fact that you are “guessing” they are losing money tells you how hot the neighborhood is.
Lol, that’s a new one
Would like to see the 2019 pics to understand the amount of work the current owner put in. Between sales costs and renovations, guessing they’re losing money
2018/2019 listing describes it as “Magnificently restored/renovated”, so I’m guessing the current owners did minimal work.
^that’s right, Madeline… current owners basically just painted cabinets and replaced the granite/sinks in the kitchen…
The owners that bought in 2013 did a massive amount of renovation… adding casework, master bath reno, etc…
“2018/2019 listing describes it as “Magnificently restored/renovated”, so I’m guessing the current owners did minimal work.”
Current listing sez:
Amenities include a newly renovated kitchen w/ quartz countertops; breakfast bar, wine fridge and high-end appliances (2022)
new deck (2021)
new roof (2021)
Not seeing any signs of a basement kitchen & wine storage is down almost 50%
Shills are going to shill, hence my want to see pics
“August 1993 for $557,000”
+CPI that’s $1.08m
Even with a substantial reno, this is only getting about historical average appreciation.
“stationary bike in a Br”
Which pic???
“This doesn’t tell you anything about the hottness of Uptown, by the way. They bought in 2019. It’s only been 3 years. There was a pandemic where everyone fled Chicago.
The fact that you are “guessing” they are losing money tells you how hot the neighborhood is.”
So they bought when prices were depressed and are selling into a HAWT(tm) Market with a good chance that they’re losing money?
Is that what you’re trying to say?
““stationary bike in a Br”
Which pic???
My screw up – not in this property
I really like this place. If I had the money, this would be exactly the type of place I’d want to buy.
I love that it even has a dog washing station. I wonder how much it would cost to add something like that to a basement. I want one for my house.
only 17k a year in taxes (probably 20k+ after next assessment)
to send your kid to… Senn HS?
LOL
“to send your kid to… Senn HS?”
I would think that the vast majority of Buena Park and Sheridan Park CPS HS kids are in a SEHS *OR* Lake View or Amundsen.
Not everyone who buys houses in Chicago has high school aged children, but I get what you’re saying. A couple of my neighbors in Sheridan Park sent their kids to Von Steuben, an SEHS, to anon (tfo)’s point.
The best description of Uptown I’ve heard is, “Art Deco Insane Asylum”
Beautiful place. Easy access to the lakefront trail and LSD. Nice looking block. But, after whatever this seller has sunk into the place (and yes, I understand that just by guessing what those costs were, I would be demonstrating market sizzle), and the broker fee, are they just hoping to break even? Or are they trying to instigate a bidding war? Corporate relo?
For anyone who didn’t go read the prior convo, this gem:
“Sabrina on September 16th, 2012 at 10:22 pm
“does anyone who uses this blog actually want to talk about REAL ESTATE?”
It’s a sign of the times. Real estate is boring. Inventory is at multi-year lows. Not much unique or cool on the market. Yawn.”
So if they get their ask, after closing cost the net about 71,000 assuming they’ve paid zero in renovations so that comes out to about a 6% gain. Not bad but in any other major city in the country they would’ve made half a million.
“Not bad but in any other major city in the country they would’ve made half a million.”
Come on. I’m so tired of this.
In NYC?
In Boston?
In New Orleans?
Prices haven’t risen in those cities much either.
“It’s a sign of the times. Real estate is boring. Inventory is at multi-year lows. Not much unique or cool on the market. Yawn.”
Yep. The readers of this blog went away after the train crash was over. By 2012 it got real slow. Has stayed slow all the way through the recovery. No one wants to talk about a bull market, only bear markets. Only want to see the train crash.
Look at all the bears on here right now. Waiting, waiting, waiting. Going to be a long wait. Never comment on the hot monthly updates or the properties selling for new record highs.
But it’s pretty funny that I thought inventory was at multi-year lows in 2012. If that was multi-year lows in Chicago, what’s it like right now? Gulp.
“to send your kid to… Senn HS?”
Lots of home buyers in Uptown sonies. That’s the reality. It had a good year last year and it’s already started out hot this year.
Not everyone has kids, or kids are too young to worry about the high school.
“Even with a substantial reno, this is only getting about historical average appreciation.”
Correct. Hooray! Someone who gets it.
Why are you all trying to turn Chicago into something it’s not? It varies by neighborhood. If you bought in Wicker Park in 1990 you were rolling in the money and are rich. If you bought in the West Loop in 2000, same thing.
Surprisingly, Lincoln Park is one of the least appreciation neighborhoods since the housing bubble. Most wouldn’t think that.
Avondale has been hot. Bronzeville has had a good 5 to 10 years.
Who will be next? I’m betting on the South Shore. Woodlawn has already boomed or I’d guess them. South Shore has just beautiful architecture. Other areas not so great. Downtown still struggling but it’s recovering now. Still too many luxury condos but the new ones continue to sell. Crain’s just reported a $8.8 million sale in the St Regis on the 80th floor.
“Prices haven’t risen in those cities much either.”
I take it back. New Orleans has been hot in the popular neighborhoods. No inventory and too many buyers from work-from-home types escaping New York. I know they’re getting multiple offers outside of the French Quarter.
“Even with a substantial reno, this is only getting about historical average appreciation.”
Correct. Hooray! Someone who gets it.”
Thats not how you calculate return