Million Dollar New Construction Homes Going Under Contract: 2159 W. Berteau in North Center
Contrary to popular belief, the million dollar north side new construction home market is not completely dead.
This 5-bedroom new construction home at 2159 W. Berteau in North Center recently went under contract.
It has been on the market since April 2009 but was recently completed. I’ve been told it received multiple offers the week construction was completed.
The all brick and limestone house has a wine cellar and a built-in outdoor fireplace.
Timothy Sheahan at Conlon: A Real Estate Company has the listing. See more pictures here.
2159 W. Berteau: 5 bedrooms, 3 baths, 3 half baths, 4350 square feet, 2.5 car garage
- Prior house sold in June 1996 for $153,000
- Prior house sold in June 2004 for $342,500
- Originally listed in April 2009 for $1,349,900
- Currently listed for $1,349,900
- Under contract
- Taxes are “new”
Suckers. This is insane. There is even an entry hallway.
Suckers. This is insane. There isn’t even an entry hallway.
Haven’t been inside, but it’s looked nice going up. The “backyard oasis” is quite small. A fairly busy corner, considering the streets involved (Berteau and Leavitt).
Also, don’t like that there are only 3 BRs up.
mcmansion sells in north center, and cedric benson looks like a great running back. it’s like we turned the clock back a few years.
hd-
Can you give us a ball-park construction costs of this house and the cost of knowing down/clearing the old house. Just like to get an idea of the costs involved
I hope this involves fraud.
“Can you give us a ball-park construction costs of this house and the cost of knowing down/clearing the old house.”
They knocked down the old house in less than 2 days–the job was much easier b/c it’s on a corner. They probably spent some time with interior demo (ie removing salvage, etc) before that. I can’t imagine that construction cost was even $600k, but certainly over $400k.
demo of old house not so $$ – i’d say 15k including hauling.
construction of house is $175 psf, including hard and soft costs.
these are ball park, semi-educamakated guesstimates.
So i reckon they have about 1.1 million, before carrying costs and commissions.
i’m guessing this isn’t a big money maker for them -smart to price it to sell and be done with it.
Jealousy injures us with the dagger of self-doubt. ~Leslie Grimuttert
Congrats to the new owner!
For 1.35M they should have bought in Wellington Park.
“construction of house is $175 psf, including hard and soft costs.”
Ignore the carrying costs (but include professional fees and permits, etc)–do you *really* think they spent over $150/sf on this?
I’m with Jason – for this price point one should not have to step indirectly into the living room upon entering the front door.
You see that in $130,000 Hoffman Homes houses in Plainfield. I’m not going to pay over $1mil for the same cheap design.
And paulj – no jealously invovled. I wouldn’t want this house, therefore nothing to be jealous of.
anon,
this is your neck of the woods, so help me out if i am wrong.
this type of place (LP new construction type) seems really odd in its settings here. i thought berteau had apartment buildings (4 plus 1, brick and frame three flats,).
a nice house in such but from recollection doenst flow with the buildings around it.
Nice step in living room, I’m sure that’s pretty fun in the wintertime…
“brick and frame three flats,”
thinking about it i dont recall brick three flats over there. apartments and frame 2 flat SFH’s thats whats popping my mind for berteau.
i shall free some time later for google street view 🙂
” i thought berteau had apartment buildings (4 plus 1, brick and frame three flats,).”
Don’t think there’s a 4+1 anywhere nearby. Mostly two-flats (brick and frame) and frame cottages, along with lots of new houses more or less like this one. BUT, *directly* across the street, are a row of 3.5 story apartment buildings.
“for this price point one should not have to step indirectly into the living room upon entering the front door.”
If one didn’t, someone would be complaining about the 13′-wide living room. It’s all about dealing with the limitations of a 25′ lot.
anon,
somewhere on berteau i know there is 4 plus ones, maybe more towards kimbal ave i am thinking.
“along with lots of new houses more or less like this one”
havent been down this street in north center since 2005 i think, and i remember those cool cottages and flats were nice not uber-fixed up but well maintained i am surprised that they demo’d them to put up monstrosities without back yards?
“havent been down this street in north center since 2005 i think, and i remember those cool cottages and flats were nice not uber-fixed up but well maintained i am surprised that they demo’d them to put up monstrosities without back yards?”
I was talking about the blocks around here, generally, but looking at the birdseye, there are at least 4 new frame monstrosities on this block–next door and the 3 in a row toward Lincoln. But the blocks to the west are mostly N-S blocks, so there are few Berteau addresses thru here.
“somewhere on berteau i know there is 4 plus ones, maybe more towards kimbal ave i am thinking.”
I checked out Berteau from Clark to Elston and there aren’t any bonafide 4+1s. Several old 3 + garden brick apartment buildings but no 60s-era 4+1 frighteners.
i swear i have been to a party on berteau at a 4+1, maybe i am just confusing it with a garden apartment and yes i was probably high or drunk or busy chasing a skirt so memory is foggy, but i really think there is one or two on that street.
congrats to the new owner!
I would really like the new owners opinion on why they chose this place. what there thought process was and selling points they were looking for.
for 1mil price tag you can get you a lot now all over this fine city.
I don’t know about everyone else, but I just love the 10×20 concrete back yard! I guess with a mediocre (at best) school district, the buyer doesnt have kids anyway right? Or they can afford 30k for private schools?
“I hope this involves fraud.”
It likely doesn’t. Want to find fraud look at FHA loans, which are those mortgages under 410k in Chicago. FHA is the chink in the armor/weakest link these days.
“Or they can afford 30k for private schools?”
Exactamundo. There are people with money and its hard to see how a poseur could afford a 1.35MM place in 2009. Its not the bubble anymore and banks actually give a crap who they’re handing money to.
“I guess with a mediocre (at best) school district, the buyer doesnt have kids anyway right? Or they can afford 30k for private schools?”
Or their kid got into the Coonley magnet program (toughest admit in the city for this year).
Coonley can’t be properly judged by the current upper grades, nor will it be fair to judge it’s progress by the 3d graders over the next couple years compared to the last couple (as there’s huge change in the student population in the lower grades). Time will tell.
Obviously magnet schools / programs are excluded from my comment. Life would be great if anyone could get into the magnets. Unfortunately, some of our genes aren’t that good and if junior misses one day of school it all goes out the window anyway.
Do they have a Coonley bumper sticker for the gifted children?
“Do they have a Coonley bumper sticker for the gifted children?”
Haven’t seen one. Maybe that’s a marketing opportunity for you?
“Or their kid got into the Coonley magnet program (toughest admit in the city for this year).”
Probably not if its the toughest admit in the city, right?
“Life would be great if anyone could get into the magnets. Unfortunately, some of our genes aren’t that good”
JMM,
You are the first parent I’ve ever heard from that admits that maybe their child isn’t the next Einstein who will go on to JHU med school to find the cure for multiple sclerosis. Given you are grounded in reality I suspect you are a better parent than most.
Most parents are idiots. You, sir, are not among them.
“Exactamundo. There are people with money and its hard to see how a poseur could afford a 1.35MM place in 2009.”
There have always been quite a few of these folks it seems. There is huge demand between the ridiculous SF in ELP ($1.75M+) and 3br condos certain areas of the city. The 800 – 1.2 market is very much underserved in the “green zone”…
“Probably not if its the toughest admit in the city, right?”
30-some kids did. They actually exist, so it has to be someone, right?
If they’d just tattoo their faces, or make them put bumper stickers on their backpacks, it would be much easier to tell, right?
“You are the first parent I’ve ever heard from that admits that maybe their child isn’t the next Einstein who will go on to JHU med school to find the cure for multiple sclerosis.”
It’s not our fault that you only talk to parents who are evident morons, intent on proving that to anyone who might listen.
I went throught this home for the open house. There were at least 10 other people in the home at the same time as me. It seemed like a lot of serious lookers.
The front room does not have a foyer but there is a closet and there is a mud room at the back door. The garage and back patio are heated. When you come into your home from your garage you walk into the mud room where there is a large custom closet space as well as radiant floors. So in the winter time or when its raining you just use the back door instead of the front entrance. And since there is a 2 car garage you are likely to come in the back anyway.
Wellington Park and Lincoln Square is comparing apples to oranges.
Coonley is not strictly a magnet school.
Berteau is a one way street with speed bumps so its actually a pretty quiet street. The home is on the corner so its easy to get to with plenty of street parking.
There are mostly single family homes in the area as well as a lot of new construction.
The finishes in this home are unique and of very high quality. Its money well spent.
“It’s not our fault that you only talk to parents who are evident morons, intent on proving that to anyone who might listen.”
I will have to tell my ivy league undergrad (and grad) educated wife about that post, I am sure she will get a kick out of it. Unfortunately, I likely bring down the gene pool with the Northwestern background so it’s attendence area schools for our progeny.
That said, I would be willing to bet our toddler can bounce a ball in the 90th percentile or higher. Perhaps we have a shot after all.
“I will have to tell my ivy league undergrad (and grad) educated wife about that post, I am sure she will get a kick out of it. Unfortunately, I likely bring down the gene pool with the Northwestern background so it’s attendence area schools for our progeny. ”
Mine too, most likely, at least ’til HS. Unless there is a major (and really, unexpected) change in CPS, my kids won’t go to attendance area HS. But there are plenty (aka, about 10, right now, leaving 300 or so that aren’t) of attendance area elems that are good enough for anyone within 2-sigma, at least.
“I will have to tell my ivy league undergrad (and grad) educated wife about that post, I am sure she will get a kick out of it. Unfortunately, I likely bring down the gene pool with the Northwestern background so it’s attendence area schools for our progeny”
JMM,
really, come on really? so do clouds smell musty? i am only saying this cause you walk with your nose so high in the air.
Bob,
“You are the first parent I’ve ever heard from that admits that maybe their child isn’t the next Einstein”
so your saying little groove is not the next Einstein? my kid claps at a second grade level!
Actually just the opposite. I’d rather buy in a good attendence area school district because I dont expect my child to be a miracle worker at age 4. Given that, Coonley attendence aint that good for the common tot. And, I’m not vain enough to think my child would be especially smart just because of our supposed academic and professional resume. Matter of fact, I think its unhealthy to make kids test and the like that early in their lives. Sort of the academic equivalent of childhood actors. And we all know how they turn out.
gee anon @ 5:14AM (wtf?), make it less obvious that you’re the listing agent will ya?
“Given that, Coonley attendence aint that good for the common tot.”
Have you talked to parents of current 1,2,3 grade kids? We’re not at Coonley, but I don’t get the impression of generally unhappiness with the school in the younger classes even among those who could afford an alternative (individual families vary, of course, and no matter how good, some will choose the alternative–hence schools like North Shore Country Day in Winnetka).
Not that Coonley would be one’s first choice, but still.
Sonies-
I am the listing agent, not Anon. I do believe Anon was through the open house because he/she described it well. We did have three offers on the home in the same weekend. And, I was told I would get a fourth offer but they were too late. In all honesty, our pictures don’t do the home justice. The home shows far better in person.
The general consensus is that it’s mediocre from an attendance area perspective, which is what I referenced.
Who the hell sends their children to North Shore Country Day for grade school from North Center? Might as well send their kid to Mt. Carmel.
“Might as well send their kid to Mt. Carmel”
you only send your kid there unless he is an athlete
“Who the hell sends their children to North Shore Country Day for grade school from North Center?”
No one–you missed my point, which was that, even if the attendance area school is “great”, there will be people who opt for an alternative school for a wide variety of reasons.
“The general consensus is that it’s mediocre from an attendance area perspective”
Mediocre compared to … which schools? Lincoln/Bell/Blaine? Or CPS attendance area schools on the northside, in general? Because the impression of a “general consensus” is not what I get, but, hey, we clearly are talking to different people.
LOL @ anon 5:14am.
Hey anon if its money well spent go buy it.
Oh wait are sales volumes a little off these days, adversely affecting your remuneration?
Time to find a new job anon 5:14am, maybe dog grooming or bartending?
Bob, why do all realtards talk like idiots on the interwebs?
A sure sign that the listing agent is posting is that there is usually lots of spelling and grammatical errors. Not to mention overly exaggerant descriptive text. I don’t think it is necessary that realtors take a proof-reading class to obtain their Real Estate License. Perhaps they should add that to their rigorous 6 week curriculum!
Also RE cheerleaders like Dan out themselves as agents by referring to fictional neighborhoods such as “Wellington Park”. anon further proves his profession by also referring to “Wellington Park”.
“Wellington Park”
There is an actual development named Wellington Park, but it’s the white and red townhouse complex north of the Surf TH we discussed. So, it’s a little like calling everything within x blocks of Trump Tower “Trump Tower” because it’s nearby.
“Matter of fact, I think its unhealthy to make kids test and the like that early in their lives. Sort of the academic equivalent of childhood actors. And we all know how they turn out.”
I completely agree. I went to undergrad with a lot of failouts and I can attest that a lot came in on scholarships and did the whole honors/IB/4.0/athletics in HS thing.
Finally away from under their parents wing and with no supervision or pushing at all the transition was too much for them or they just decided to rebel. Its my belief that if you rob them of a normal childhood there’s a good chance they will have that childhood later in life.
“So, it’s a little like calling everything within x blocks of Trump Tower “Trump Tower” because it’s nearby.”
Are you trying to claim that Billy Goat Tavern is not Trump Tower?
Next thing you know you’re going to try to claim that Plaza 440 Residences at 440 N Wabash aren’t Trump Tower either and neither is the NBC building.
I’m confused as I thought Trump Tower referred to an amorphous boundary around Trump Tower and not the actual structure itself?
I believe Dan and anon 5:14am have similar confusion.
“Are you trying to claim that Billy Goat Tavern is not Trump Tower?”
Don’t the goat and Trump use the same barber?
“I completely agree. I went to undergrad with a lot of failouts and I can attest that a lot came in on scholarships and did the whole honors/IB/4.0/athletics in HS thing.
Finally away from under their parents wing and with no supervision or pushing at all the transition was too much for them or they just decided to rebel. Its my belief that if you rob them of a normal childhood there’s a good chance they will have that childhood later in life.”
Better to have your kid “rebelling” at Harvard than “well adjusted” at SIU.
“Better to have your kid “rebelling” at Harvard than “well adjusted” at SIU.”
And what, end up like the POTUS? come ‘on….
“Better to have your kid “rebelling” at Harvard than “well adjusted” at SIU.”
I feel really sorry for your kids, in that case. Because chances are they aren’t going to Harvard anyway and failing out of Harvard leaves you with less doors in life than graduating from SIU.
But as Journey says: “Don’t stop believin’!”
Bill Gates dropped out of Harvard.
Thread closed.
wow. I love how the chatter barely has to do with the house or the topic that they went under contract after recieveing 3 offers…
And it doesn’t seem like anyone who has been commenting has a child at Coonley… hmmm
I would love to hear from someone who has a child enrolled in the school instead of Harvard vs. SIU…
Corner of Leavitt and Berteau remains hawt!:
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/4158-N-Leavitt-St-60618/home/13390864
Coonley is hawt!
“Coonley is hawt!”
Always *seems* like the new construction is on the busier blocks of leavitt or w side of claremont, neither of which I even want to think about living on. Also, 2035 w hutchinson (featured here and sold at $660K) is back on at $1.3MM.
“Who the hell sends their children to North Shore Country Day for grade school from North Center?”
“No one[.]”
Ha. I know someone who does (well, strictly speaking they’re from lake view (or at least they were until they moved recently; I’m not sure to where–could be nortcenter) but same thing unless jmm was suggesting no one from nortcenter was nortshore country day material).
“2035 w hutchinson (featured here and sold at $660K) is back on at $1.3MM”
Wonder what they did about the “water leaking through the foundation”, as stated in RF agent notes.
“unless jmm was suggesting no one from nortcenter was nortshore country day material”
His point was nearly, but very very much not exactly, the reverse.