Crib Chatter

A few weeks ago a post about whether a 3 bedroom unit in The Sterling priced at $725,900 was a “deal” for 1900 square feet in River North sparked some discussion. It seemed cheap for the square footage and the location. But there are some other units in River North that put The Sterling three […]

Lots of listings right now have the proverbial: “Motivated Sellers” But recently I’ve been seeing more of: “Willing to Negotiate” Such is the case with this 2004 townhouse in Old Town.  This townouse is in the not-so-great part of Old Town (in the re-developed area near Division.)  Old Town has several personalities.  There is “real” Old […]

Sometimes you can see the reality of the current Chicago housing market just by pulling the listings of one building. Park Place at 600 N. Kingsbury was completed in 2002.  It wasn’t a “luxury” building but was your standard River North high rise with 42 inch kitchen cabinets and granite. Some of the sellers are struggling […]

  Every day I walk north down Michigan Avenue,  I am reminded that the Ritz-Carlton project at 664 N. Michigan is struggling. Over a year ago, they put a big sign up on the sign of the old Farwell Building that said 30% sold.  Then, they replaced that last summer with 40% sold. It’s been at […]

Fulton House at 345 N. Canal is one of those rare buildings that no one seems to know much about yet it has a prominent location right on the river next to River Bend. Built in 1903 as a cold storage warehouse,  it was converted into apartments in 1979-81.  It was converted into condominiums in the 1990s.  […]

Why buy a one bedroom in River North or Streeterville when you can buy a two bedroom for much less? For those looking to buy, it pays to look at the high rises that are slightly older.  Such is the case with Park Place at 600 N. Kingsbury on the edge of River North near […]

When you think of The Palmolive at 159 E. Walton in the Gold Coast, you think of exclusivity.  There is something neat about that building.  It is not flashy or “new” but has an understated elegance. The building sold pretty quickly in original sales but since then it has actually struggled- at least in some […]

With 550 St. Clair in Streeterville nearly completed, the developer is getting more aggressive in trying to sell the remaining units. There was a half page ad in the Sunday Chicago Tribune in the Perspectives Section (interesting that it was not in the real estate section) promoting: “Special Prices on Remaining Units.” The ad didn’t say […]

Recently, I highlighted a townhouse in the South Loop in what many consider to be the “new” Gold Coast. I thought I’d see what you can get for your money in the “old” Gold Coast on the North Side.  As it turns out, quite a bit. Sutton Place is an interesting townhouse gated community in […]

A 3 bedroom unit has just been reduced at 1111 S. Wabash in the South Loop.  Developed by the Gammonley Group in 2005, the 34 story building was one of the first new high rises to be built during the South Loop boom. Is this a steal?  It is the cheapest 3 bedroom for sale […]