Crib Chatter

  The foreclosure brigade continues.   Sometimes they provide deals, sometimes they do not. This week a 2 bedroom, 2 bath unit is going to auction at Tower II at Museum Park in the South Loop at 1335 S. Michigan. Unit #503: 2 bedroom, 2 bath, 1384 square feet, 2 parking spaces (unclear if they are […]

  Let’s say, for whatever reason, you’ve decided to sell your downtown Chicago condo right now.  The peak buying period has passed (which is March through August in Chicago).  To add insult to injury, the housing market is flat in the city and inventory is still very high. How do you sell it? You price […]

  There is  a lovely vintage building at 1255 N. State Parkway called The Churchill which is in a great location right in the middle of the Gold Coast. The units are large, have the crown moldings and some of them have interesting interior terraces,  not visible from the street. Prices in the building have […]

  Some buildings just don’t quite make it- even in a booming market.  420 W. Ontario is one of those. It was converted into lofts only about 4 years ago and is an authentic brick and timber building with only 28 units.  Those of you familiar with River North know it as the Reza’s building. The […]

  If you watch the real estate scene intently enough, every so often deals appear (especially in this housing market.) Such was the case on a recent 2 bedroom, 2 bath that came up for sale in the Millennium Centre at 33 W. Ontario. Unit #15H: 2 bedroom, 2 bath, 1289 square feet Sold in […]

The flippers are coming out of the woodwork at Helmut Jahn’s new high rise in Streeterville.  Just last week the first flips were listed.  Two more have appeared on Craigslist for higher floors, both by these by the same flipper/owner. Can the prices get any more outrageous? The flipper is asking $529,000 for a one bedroom on […]

Pearson on the Park was a conversion, begun last year,  from an older apartment building into condos at 222 E. Pearson near the Magnificent Mile. The location is excellent. Many of the units look out over the Museum of Contemporary Art and many have lake views across the park. Pearson is a quiet street which is […]

Closings have begun at The Columbian, 1160 s. Michigan, the building that anchors the end of the row of highrises flanking the west side of Grant Park at Michigan and Roosevelt Road. The building had a lower price point than some of the other new construction going up near Grant Park so the flippers are […]

  When a condo in a good location is on the market for over 500 days, you would think you would start looking at the price as the reason it’s not selling.  Or, to be blunt, it’s priced too high.  Still, sellers remain stubborn thinking this is 2005 instead of 2007. Take listing #106 in […]

  540 N. Lake Shore Drive is the only loft building that faces the lake in Streeterville, the Gold Coast or the South Loop (that is directly lake facing.) Built in 1912, it was originally the home of Borg-Warner Company.  In 1983, it was renovated into apartments and in 1992 became a condo conversion.  There is […]