Own a Piece of History: 3554 S. Union in Bridgeport
Bridgeport is the oldest neighborhood in Chicago. Unfortunately, not much of its historic past has been preserved.
But that’s not the case with this 1898 workman’s cottage at 3554 S. Union. Its brick exterior exhudes vintage but inside it has all the modern amenities.
It’s a single family home for a condo price.
Joe Kunkel at Baird and Warner has the listing. See more pictures here.
3554 S. Union: 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, 2 car garage, no square footage listed
- Sold in 1999 but I couldn’t find a sales price
- Originally listed in October 2008 for $359,000
- Reduced
- Currently listed for $329,000
- Taxes are $2395
- Central Air
- Bedroom #1: 15×10
- Bedroom #2: 11×10
Nice! But its below grade, and I don’t like that.
very nice
It’s the price of a condo b/c it’s the size of a condo. But at least it is your land.
Nice starter home. Great finishes. No opinion on the price.
The home is nice enough… It wasn’t below grade when it was built. The refridgerator door being hinged on the wrong side is annoying.
I would agree with anon when he said its priced like a condo bc its the size of a condo. I have shown tons of these houses in Bridgeport, and some of these are extremley small. The new condos that are priced the same are bigger and nicer. The layout on these houses are usually terrible (the 2bed ones that is). Upgrades? Those are most likely wood laminate floors. I would also be willing to bet dollars to doughnuts that 2nd bedroom is only 9×10 or 10×10. They are usually extremley small. There is also no basement. Its on a small lot 24×125, and you are right on top of both neighbors. The only positive is that you got a tiny yard (and I do mean small, pic makes it look big) Its a good location for Bridgeport. But seriously, for this price you are better getting one of the new development condos in the mid rises over there, or in a 3-4 flat.
totally off-topic but if you are listening to Blago’s farewell speech, this guy is out of his mind.
I couldnt find it on Streetview, but I really like the area.
Cute place, very appealing.
But note that this “workman’s cottage”, built for people of very modest means, is unaffordable to anyone with a median income. Using a lending standard of 10% down and no more than 3X your income for the mortgage, you need an income of $100K a year, which is NOT a “workman’s” income.
Given that some really beautiful condos in LAKEVIEW are coming down to really reasonable prices, this little cottage is grossly overpriced.
A 2 bed 1 bath 5 room at 3520 N Lake Shore for $329K, is one example. NO, you don’t get a yard, but you’re way above grade level facing the lake, in a place with great architecture and a prime location. I am seeing many two beds in Lakeview for less than $300K.
$250K would be about right for this place.
Well, this is good for my parents. They have a three bedroom 2.5 bath one block away, New COnstruction, 2 car garage. Really nice place, I think they would be happy to get $300K for it.
“$250K would be about right for this place.”
Because a workman’s income is $75k? If you’re arguing that workman’s cottage in 1890 = workman’s home in 2009, then you should be consistent–so this place should be, what? $100k? 10k down and “affordable” on $15/hour? Sound sbout right?
Oh, yeah, it’s not really a workman’s cottage. It’s been upgraded way beyond that. I’d much rather live here than a condo in lakeview (if kids/schools were no issue), even tho I have a strong northside preference.
Lauren, People who want to move to Bridgeport usually have no intentions of wanting to move to Lakeview. They are two drastically different neighborhoods.
$250K would be right because it would be just about rent-parity for something comparable. It would still be unaffordable for your $55K median Chicago income, but, yeah, it’s been upgraded. However, it is probably no better relative to the current era than it was relative to the era in which it was built, as it was built.
It amuses me that such an intrinsically ugly, pedestrian neighborhood as Bridgeport could rate even this much. The popularity and current “hipness” of neighborhoods like this has been a big surprise to me.
I’d take the Lakeview condo for $50K more, hands down.
Link to Baird & Warner doesn’t allow you to search for the property….
Also, Kunkel doesn’t show up as an agent at Baird & Warner.
Brdigeport is a very popualr neighborhood, not bc of its “hipness”. The values of housing over there has always been high until recently. (like most areas) Believe it or not I sold a lot over there for 268K last summer. The streets close to the stadium have always been extremley popular to city workers. And these people love the south side. They would never dare move up north. (I like north side better, just for record!) But most of the people that move here are cops and firemen. They all know eachother or through someone. It is a very tight nit community. If you could get this for 250K it would be a steal. There is always a very high demand for housing in Bridgeport. I also wouldnt say this neighborhood is “ugly”. It may be a different taste than what you like, but I have clients that swear by this neighborhood.
“I’d take the Lakeview condo for $50K more, hands down.”
Yeah, we know. I don’t like other people enough for communal living, even if it’s limited to structural maintenance.
The median Chicago income is not the median homebuyer–it’s the (approximate) minimum homebuyer. This is not an entry-level home based on what exists within the city limits–it might only be 30th percentile, but it’s still not what the bare minimum buyer should expect to afford. It’s quirky and too expensive for what and where it is, so there is a quite constrained pool of buyers–so it’s going to have a hard time selling near ask, unless the sellers get really lucky. All that, and I’d still rather have this than a condo for the same price unless the condo were much, much “better” (bigger, better located, etc.).
Yeah I’m waiting for the hipness of Bridgeport to wear off as well and it will. Right now some nice SFHs are for around 550k.
This cottage isn’t worth more than 250k currently and 170k in a few years. Sorry but 1 bath relegates it to a small market. And workmen don’t pay 330k to live in places like this.
I like the LV vs BP comparison as I live in LV currently and one day want to move down to BP as the SFH’s are more affordable there and its still close to downtown. Other than that the neighborhoods couldn’t be more different though.
No way Bridgeport should have anywhere near the premium LakeView has as not nearly as much as its not exactly pedestrian friendly. Yet some developers are trying to hawk 240k 1/1’s in Bridgeport. LMAO.
Also, Kunkel doesn’t show up as an agent at Baird & Warner.
Thats b/c he’s a “Certified Negotiation Consultant (CNC)”
Whatever that means…
Laura: So you’re saying 75K (based on the equation) is a reasonable “workman’s income” as opposed to 100K?
I’d put a premium on owning an actual house with a nice backyard and a garage for 2 cars than a glorified apt in Wrigleyville w/ no balcony or parking. I’m also betting that this S. Union place has W/D in unit and N.LSD does not.
I assume that most ppl buying in Bridgeport don’t care about Lakeview prices, just like most people looking in LV don’t care about Bridgeport prices.
A friend of mine is renting a 3bdrm/2ba townhouse on 27th st for $800/month. Anybody that buys this anywhere near ask is a maroon indeed.
I just found Kunkel via the “find an agent” section of B&W’s website.
This is a cool little house. I would much rather have my own house with a yard and a two car garage then some cookie cutter condo with window unit ac and no w/d in lincoln park.
It appears that a lot of you guys are appealing for this Lakeview. I posted on here but for some reason my other comments did not appear. I will repost this. People who move to Bridgeport would never ever move to Lakeview. They swear by this community. For the most part it isnt a “hipness” community like how wrigleyville started out. This is a very desirable area for city workers (mostly cops and firemen) who love to live on the south side of chicago, rather than all the way up in lakeview. I have clients that have grown up there or moved there becaue they love this community. 329K is not outrageous for this house. I said earlier that I sold a lot on Lowe last summer for 268K. People who grew up here will consistantly keep buying there. I have many developers that are always looking to buy up old houses there and put new ones there bc of how many people LOVE this area. It seems a lot of you guys only know about the north side neighborhoods. When you say that the ambiance of this neighborhood is going to wear off, you are dead wrong. New development is constantly moving into these area. They are also building up the neighborhoods social scene more. This is only going to add to the appeal of this neighborhood. This is one of the most appealing neighborhoods to city workers on the south side (rem. city workers MUST live in city) and will continue to be so. You guys have to realize, not everyone likes the north side. (for the record I do!) Some people hate its guts and everything that has to do with it.
As to the price of the house it is a little high for these times I agree. I have shown tons of houses here and the second bedroom is usually only 10×9 or 9×9 in these 2 bed houses. There is no basement, so it is just a one level, really small house. The yard is extremly small (24×125 lot, pics make it look bigger) And you are right on top of your neighbors. I would personally go for one of the new developments in the condos. However, this is on a very high desired street, so I wouldnt be surpirsed to see it sell.
What about two people making 50k each? That’s reasonable, and less than the now established in this thread ‘workman’s salary of 75k’.
and BOB, 27th street is a completely different neightborhood than 35th and Union. Once again, if you are not familiar with this neighborhood, you should not tell people that they are morons, when in fact you dont know what you are talking about. Comparing 27th street to 35th and union would be for you to compare a lakeview price located in wrigleyville compared to a ravenswood price. Please be more informed on your neighborhoods before you call people idiots.
*Comparing 27th street to 35th and union would be for you to compare a lakeview price located in wrigleyville compared to a ravenswood price.*
More like comparing a Lakeview Neighborhood to Humbolt Park. 27th Street is crapville.
The ‘worker’ who cannot afford Bridgeport lives in Canaryville. How much would this cost there?
Wow, this is a cute little cottage. Being new-ish to Chicago and having spent all my time in the past year on the North side, I don’t know anything about Bridgeport. Is it a good neighborhood? How would it compare to something like Roger’s Park?
$329k for a small two bedroom in Bridgeport is affordable for city workers? Wow, I knew that being a bureaucrat is the way of the future but $329k for a luxury shack among the working class seems a bit oppressive to me.
It’s the exact opposite.
“How would it compare to something like Roger’s Park?”
$75K for a workman’s salary? If this is in fact the salary of an AVERAGE city worker then that explains allot about the financial state of our city.
*Is it a good neighborhood? How would it compare to something like Roger’s Park?*
There is no comparison. Bridgeport is way nicer. (Except further from the Lake) However, it is just not my style. Very family oriented, nice and safe. Also, you pretty much must be a Sox fan!
“What about two people making 50k each?”
Wicker–I didn’t get my sarcastic post in before all the haterz started in. Many here think that the two $50k income couple is a myth, and that, for the select few who do exist, they would certainly want to live only in a home “nicer” than whatever is being discussed and that (certainly) one of the couple will want to stay home with the kids. Posting any stats will be hooted at and the rarity of such couples (based on personal experience) will be emphasized. Note that $50k is about average for a CPS teacher or a Streets & San worker and you’ll get a bunch of deflection. There’s no point arguing it, you’ll get shouted down.
Now, I don’t think that it should be the case that it takes $100k to but a small, quirky home in a nice but not-premium neighborhood. And I don’t think it’s necessarily a good idea. But that’s where the market is right now and there are plenty of people who *could* afford it. Whether that set overlaps with the set of people who would like to live in this house–we won’t know until it sells.
elock, Bridgeport is traditional neighborhood of the mayor and his cronies. If you’re into the old world old school Chicago thing then Bridgeport is the place to be. If you’re from somewhere else and moved to Chicago for a more modern and cosmopolitan lifestyle then Bridgeport is not for you. It’s been a while since I’ve been down there but from what I remember walking halsted street was like a time warp back to the 1980’s, mullets, Journey, hair bands, zubaz and all.
Yeah which is totally f’d up because a bank branch manager makes $33k, a teller makes $24k, a waiter at a top restaurant makes barely $50k, a chef at a catering company makes $45k, a life insurance underwriter makes $40k-$50k, a teacher in barrington gets $40k to start, a legal secretary gets $40k-$50, (more at the top firms), etc.
The difference is that the city job is unionized, so they get plenty of sick days and vacation, job security that is paralleled anywhere else in the work force, a pension so generous that it is bankrupting the city (and states) and a shorter work week then the rest.
Bureaucracy is the wave of the future for everyone. the government has been the largest employer for sometime and now it’s only getting bigger. The private sector is laying off and decreasing already low salaries while the government is expanding faster than jessica simpson’s waistline.
“Note that $50k is about average for a CPS teacher or a Streets & San worker and you’ll get a bunch of deflection. There’s no point arguing it, you’ll get shouted down.”
Bridgeport is an acquired taste, and yes, you probably need to have been born there to acquire that preference.
Regarding city workers, blue-collar union positions easily pay hourly rates that with overtime make this house and affordable purchase for even a single guy. Two incomes not needed. Key here is overtime pay to swing the pay into six figures.
Plus, Bridgeport has long been home to the petty Machine guy, with a “little thing on the side”, whether illegal or quasi-legal, to bring more income in. Bridgeport is truly a mindset. Yes, I spent time in Bridgeport myself.
Listen a lot of people that move here are not just teachers or what have you. Many union workers, plumbers, electrictions, etc move here. You would be surprised by how much money they make. Many of them make well over 100K. Cops and firemen have great pensions. You guys keep comparing these prices to other areas. What does 329K get you in lakeview? A 900sq/ft condo? You dont get a house with land. This is a very high appealing area for city workers and union workers, who once again I have to say it, HATE THE NORTHSIDE. (I have to hear about it all the time. *note* i love the north side) These “blue” collered workers make a lot of money in some ways. And this is to them, what a house in lincoln park is to north siders. (which go for what 1mill+) Its not a crooks paradise as someone else mentioned. Once again, please dont comment on a neighborhood when you know nothing at all about it. Comparing it to Rodgers Park? 27th St? Are you KIDDING ME? Listen, not all city workers are broke. And ALOT of union workers make more than others. Side jobs and overtime bring in a great amount of income to go along with there reg pay.
But the average Bridgeport guy won’t be attracted to these finishes. Go on the Baird Warner site, and look at the five other houses in this same price-point. Look at the furnishings in the pictures for the other houses, and reach your own conclusion regarding your potential neighbors. Bridgeport is a mixed-bag.
architect, I agree with you there on the price and features. There are know high end upgrades. Those are WL floors.
“But the average Bridgeport guy won’t be attracted to these finishes.”
And that’s why it isn’t selling at this price–it’s kitted out for Pilsen, but in BP. So your BP buyers don’t like the inside and the Pilsen buyers don’t like the location. Eventually, the ask will be low enough that one group or the other gets over what they don’t like and picks it up.
I wouldn’t say you need to be born here to want to move here, but close I suppose. I am attracted to BP due to the McMansions you can get that are significantly less than a similar on on the north side. I’m realistic enough to realize I’ll never be able to afford a 3,500sf house in any semi-decent neighborhood on the north side. But in ‘hoods like this & McKinley Park they can now be had for a little over half a mill and falling fast.
Also due to its different demographics BP is much safer than neighborhoods to the east and about as cloase as downtown.
why do bridgeporters hate the northside?
I met a TMA worker that makes $50k a year. You know who the TMA people are right? The idiots that stand by the train station and make sure that nobody crosses the street when its a DO NOT WALK sign flashing in their faces.
Unbelieveable!
No surprise we have the highest tax rates and have been voted the most intrusive city in the US. Here’s the article. Good read for all.
http://www.reason.com/news/show/127481.html
Sonies,
Good. The people that vote for the D machine fall broadly into one of two categories: those that are employed or benefit from the machine in one way or another, and those with no economic interest but vote along party lines or with their bleeding heart/social issues.
Cook county people deserved to be taxed out the wazzoo. They vote for their government and aren’t overly concerned about corruption or containing the size of it. A half century of one party’s rule and you should be happy the tax rates are that low, actually! I get smug satisfaction from watching the lemmings be held accountable for their idiot decisions at the polling booth.
The more oppressive and unwiedly we can make the city for the middle class tax base that doesn’t stand to benefit economically from the city government but instead votes along idealogies the better off we’ll be in the long run. If we want real reform its about sending the idealists the message that they aren’t welcome here (this is much easier to do once they start having kids, obviously).
Bob,
all you have to say over and over again is:
TODD STROGER
TODD STROGER
TODD STROGER
TODD STROGER
TODD STROGER
TODD STROGER
TODD STROGER
TODD STROGER
TODD STROGER
TODD STROGER
TODD STROGER
TODD STROGER
TODD STROGER
TODD STROGER
TODD STROGER
My favorite quote after he was nominated as given by a voter in a *woman on da street* interview for Fox 32 News: “He’s a young man with some good ideas. Let’s give him a chance.”
steele: “Comparing it to Rodgers Park? 27th St? Are you KIDDING ME?”
Well, nobody is comparing it to Rogers Park it would seem. I’ve only been here about 18 months, and as such, I’ve only gotten to explore a pretty small slice of Chicago. I’ve heard really horrible things about the South Side — high crime, not much in the way of fun stuff — and the reason I asked about how it stacks up to a place like Rogers Park is because that’s a pretty high-crime, low-income part of the North Side.
I imagine that I’m not the only person on this blog who doesn’t know much about Bridgeport. Thanks everybody who gave their input.
No HD,
I have to say if Toddler might be an ally to me if he can make life so unbearable to the middle class D party line voters (that would be you) who finally get fed up with city life and can’t stand it anymore. Happens to tons of young idealistic young D voting couples when the first little Jill or Johnny comes along. Then the wifey becomes a suburban Arlington Heights housemommy and bears little resemblance to the idiot liberal she was in her college and 20-something years. The husband in most cases just goes along with whatever she says because that is how he gets his reward/keeps the piece (pun intended).
But they key takeaway there is that the city lost two idiots in its resident population, so there IS a silver lining.
Keep voting along your ‘social issues’ or whatever other contrived criteria you can come up with. I will keep laughing at these people all the way to the day they fill up the U-Haul for the trek out to Schaumburg or Arlington Heights!
At least those personally benefitting from a larger city government (city employees) aren’t as contemptible in my view. Their behavior is completely economically rational. Unlike those with no skin in the game who vote D. LMAO.
Bob, I’ve only voted (D) once in my life, and that was AGAINST (R) George Ryan for Gov. I choose to leave the box blank when I had to choose between the carpetbagger Keyes and Obama.
“the trek out to Schaumburg or Arlington Heights”
Um, Bob, that’s still Cook County. They’re still subject to the Toddler. Maybe Buffalo Grove. More likely Elmhurst, or Lombard or Villa Park. Anyone who leaves the city b/c of Toddler and doesn’t manage to leave Cook County as well is just too stupid for words.
hd,
My apologies. My vitriol is not directed at anyone specifically on this blog. The level of intelligence of posters here is, IMO, far above that of the median crook county voter.
The real victims here are those who don’t support the ensconced cook county government and especially those who seemingly futilely vote against it every couple years.
Most who commnent on here, its my guess, will be intelligent enough to make enough to remain, even with all its negatives. I just get on a roll sometimes as it seems every year our government gets more oppressive and worse.
And Bob, I grew up in a NW suburb very close to Arl. Hts. It’s a great place to live and grow up. There’s nothing wrong with living out there; I’d much rather have Johnny attend a district 214 high school than send my kid to virtually any high school in the CPS or even a private school. And 214 is already paid for with my property taxes. And with the exception of the ‘gang’ school in 214 *you know which one I’m talking about* there’s not much riff raff or even poor people out there.
anon(tfo), buffalo grove south of lake-cook road is cook county and the high school is either BG or Wheeling; north of lake-cook is lake county and it’s strictly stevenson high school up there.
“buffalo grove south of lake-cook road is cook county ”
I thought about adding that, but didn’t. I assumed (incorrectly I guess) that the point was clear–if the Toddler bothers you enough to move, one had best be smart enough to move beyond the county lines.
Move too far west into DuPage and you’re in God’s Country.
It’s pretty difficult to make a comparison between Bridgeport and Rogers Park, for they are so very different.
Bridgeport is an ugly, but solid, area. It has no architectural beauty, interesting street life, or geographical features to recommend it, but it is low-crime and it is very appealing to city workers, yes.
Rogers Park is beautiful, by the lake, stuffed with mature trees and awash in great architecture. Rogers Park also has an elevated crime profile and a reputation for problems, thanks to the number of slumlords permitted to operate their properties as they please with impunity.
By and large, I prefer Rogers Park, as I live here, know the hood extremely well- like, where you can walk at night and where you can’t, the good streets and the bad streets. But I don’t have children, or I’d live elsewhere. If you have children, you will happily sacrifice vanity for safety and trustworthy neighbors.
But it’s not much easier to imagine a couple with kids fitting into this little house than it is a condominium. But that nice yard might be a good offset to the smallness of the house.
I still can’t see $329K for this place. If you want a really nice, child-friendly neighborhood, you can get something better in Galewood or Jefferson Park, which are really solid neighborhoods where house prices are starting to drop rapidly off their peaks.
This will not sell for 329k. They will be very lucky if they receive an offer > 265k.
story about
Bridgeport mentality
A cop buddy comes home to find his teenage son running out with the contents of the fridge. Pops: Where the hell are you going? kid:Johnny B is having a block party! Pops: Why didn’t I know about this? Kid: it’s only for neighborhood people Pops: what the hell are talking about ? I lived here for 30 years… KID: ya, but you weren’t BORN here 🙂
For the middle-class family, Cook County has a serious problem regarding tax burden. If you want the assurance of strong public school district, you need to move to a high tax-rate suburb and live in a relatively modest house among much wealthier families. And the tax burden for upper-middle-class families is even worse in the suburbs. North Shore suburban and Oak Park/River Forest homes are now taxed at $15,000 to $22,000++ for a conventional four-bedrm three bath house on a standard lot that was once home to a single-income professional wage household in the 1940s to 1980s; that’s like paying Catholic school tuition in lieu of Chicago’s dismal public school system(Ignatius is $12,500/year). Yes, I know there are good magnet schools in Chicago, but not one of our friends successfully placed their children without relying on heavy clout, and all ere unable to enroll them there. Even modest bugalows in these suburbs are taxed at $10,000+.
Moving to Bridgeport is a short-term solution for a yuppie couple, like this cottage’s owners, unless you’re “clouted up” and can get your future kids into magnet school, don’t and you don’t ever let your kids out of the backyard. Look at the crib in the cottage’s picture section, and you know why these seller’s are selling. I’v been there are done that “urban gentrification” thing; it becomes unsustainable once your child gets to preschool age.
Sorry for all typos. Too early.
I’ve posted on this before, but this isn’t necessarily true. When we moved out of the city, we chose to move to Naperville because we saw we could get more bang for the buck. Great schools, relatively low taxes. My kids attended Highlands Elem School, Kennedy Jr. High School and Naperville North. All are top rated schools where kids who are motivated have all the resources available for success. We live in a great subdivision, close to Metra and shopping, and paid $9,000 in property tax last year. Not trying to sell Naperville, if we didn’t have kids we wouldn’t be living in the suburbs, just pointing out that your information isn’t accurate.
Architect: “If you want the assurance of strong public school district, you need to move to a high tax-rate suburb and live in a relatively modest house among much wealthier families. And the tax burden for upper-middle-class families is even worse in the suburbs. North Shore suburban and Oak Park/River Forest homes are now taxed at $15,000 to $22,000++ for a conventional four-bedrm three bath house on a standard lot that was once home to a single-income professional wage household in the 1940s to 1980s”
Quite frankly, its irrelevant where kids go to school as long as they graduate from high school and do decently in SATS etc they have no problem getting into a decent college.
*why do bridgeporters hate the northside?*
Because we are Cubs fans!
BP is okay, but if I was going to live on the southside and have a family I would live in Beverly.
I don’t want my kids hanging around a bunch of loser dropouts in the city school and having him grow up all ‘urban’ after being in a CPS school. Sure I want my kid to score well on his tests but if every kid around him in the school is a loser then tey won’t be doing him any favors.
“Quite frankly, its irrelevant where kids go to school as long as they graduate from high school and do decently in SATS etc they
have no problem getting into a decent college.”
So why are you even in the city now?
Primarily b/c I don’t have any children. But since I may have children and I live near a magnet school, I hope that the little clout that I have is enough to get them into the magnet. But if it’s not then arlington heights here i come.
“nd on January 30th, 2009 at 10:48 am
So why are you even in the city now?”
Eff that. I moved to Chicagoland from another midwest city and really enjoy the urban environment and not having to drive. Instead of giving up and moving to some suburb around Chicagoland I would sooner just move back to my midwest city of origin and have the same suburban existence but with drastically lower property prices and RE taxes.
So for me its city or bust. And I’m not the only one who thinks this way–most of my friends who live in the city and aren’t from here think the same way.
I could care less if my kids grow up around some ‘losers’. I was one of those kids and have friends back in my hometown who even dropped out of HS. Sure they don’t make six figures these days but they’re still fun to hang around with and don’t hold my education or anything else against me. And whenever home theres always a big blunt to pass around and good times to be had. Ultimately friends influence shouldn’t be a determining factor for your kids as they grow older if they were raised right.
Thats one thing thats appealing about Bridgeport is that theres no pretension here. In fact its one of the least assuming areas every average joe could feel at home in. Its also a lot closer to downtown than Beverly.
Hey to each’s own you talk about returning to your original home, a mid-western city, i talk about returning to my original place, the nw suburbs. same difference. drive past Schurz or Clemete or Senn high school and tell me if you would send your kid there. I don’t know what high school is Bridgeport, is it Curie? Whatever it doesn’t matter you go to the burbs for the kids like everybody else. There’s a reason everyone moves out there. Driving sucks I agree but hey I don’t make the rules I just follow them. I don’t have much pretension but I don’t see anything wrong with the traditional suburban upbringing, to the extent that it still exists in the wealthier suburbs. If my kids got magnet or if I made enough to comfortably send them to a good private school I’d totally stay in the city but I have to be realistic about my place in life and my future.
“Quite frankly, its irrelevant where kids go to school as long as they graduate from high school and do decently in SATS etc they have no problem getting into a decent college.”
I have an education degree, and I completely disagree with that. Better schools have better resources, which means better teachers, which means more challenging classes, which means better test scores, more active parents, and more after-school activities. I went to a high-performing magnet school, where just over 98% of its graduates have gone on to college, and almost everybody got scholarships. If you want your kid to do well on their SATs, their chances of success are MUCH higher at a good school. The numbers back me up on that.
But I’m not moving out to the ‘burbs anytime soon. I’m just praying that my yet-to-be-born children are brilliant and can test into magnet schools. Otherwise we might be hitting up gramma for private school tuition. 🙂
This is WAY off topic but I thought the regulars on this site would find this amusing:
From the stimulus bill: (This is NOT a joke)
SEC. 1112. ADDITIONAL ASSURANCE OF APPROPRIATE USE
2 OF FUNDS.
3 None of the funds provided by this Act may be made
4 available to the State of Illinois, or any agency of the
5 State, unless (1) the use of such funds by the State is
6 approved in legislation enacted by the State after the date
7 of the enactment of this Act, or (2) Rod R. Blagojevich
8 no longer holds the office of Governor of the State of Illi9
nois. The preceding sentence shall not apply to any funds
10 provided directly to a unit of local government (1) by a
11 Federal department or agency, or (2) by an established
12 formula from the State.
13 SEC. 1113. PERSISTENT POVERTY COUNTIES.
Architect: “not one of our friends successfully placed their children without relying on heavy clout, and all ere unable to enroll them there”
Not even Lane? And how were they “unable” to enroll if they got in?
Juliana:
Architect was talking about Cook County ‘burbs. He’s right on what he said about best schools = high taxes; you’re right about Naper.
You’re right. Cook County’s budget is a bloated mess next to Dupage’s. Guess they’ll be getting in line for some of the bailout, er, stimulus funds.
anon (tfo): “Architect was talking about Cook County ‘burbs. He’s right on what he said about best schools = high taxes; you’re right about Naper.”
Re: magnet schools. They applied for kindergarden at magnet elementary school AND high-priced private school pre-school, not HS. Kids weren’t accepted, due to high enrollment demand and/or “already enrolled family” preference of school admissions. Seven families, all shut out, without clout for enrollment in either school type. They’re now paying high tuition for catholic schools or montessori schools, and still hoping to get into Peyton/Whitney/Northside Prep, but again without the clout.
I agree that Naperville schools are excellent, but Naperville is a long commute from downtown, particularly if your employment isn’t near the train station. My criteria was relatively short commute but good school district.
Hmmm. I wonder how many descendants of Supreme Court Justices who decided over Brown vs. Board have their kids enrolled in inner city public schools? For that matter I wonder how many DC politicians send their children to DC public schools? I wonder how many Kennedy kids attend public schools.
White people: having no loyalty to their ancestry or demographic and sticking it to lower class white people for decades.
Its tough for me to feel sympathy for upper middle class whites most affected by this crisis. First they went out and outsourced the blue collar jobs and thought they’d be safe because they were ‘different’ and a ‘college degree’. Ain’t reality a b$*$?
Re: magnet schools.
See, this is why I tell everyone who asks to buy within the attendance boundaries of a decent elem. school–there are several. Were they particular about which school (i.e., did they only select one or two, esp. if it were only Bell, which is overcrowded as is), or more open to several?
re: without the clout.
The one family I know who ‘worked the system’ to gain admission did so by having lunch with the principal a couple times. Nothing that can’t be done by (almost) anyone. No political connections at all.
“I wonder how many descendants of Supreme Court Justices who decided over Brown vs. Board have their kids enrolled in inner city public schools?”
Started drinking a little early this fine Friday, Bob?
Regarding the commute, a train from Wilmette takes as long to get to Union Station as a train from Naperville (33 minutes). The reason is that Naperville has express trains, Winnetka doesn’t. If you have to drive, of course, the commute is shorter from Winnetka. Some other Cook County suburbs, like Arlington Heights probably have a longer commute than from Naperville.
Architect: “agree that Naperville schools are excellent, but Naperville is a long commute from downtown, particularly if your employment isn’t near the train station. My criteria was relatively short commute but good school district.”
Juliana said: “I’ve posted on this before, but this isn’t necessarily true. When we moved out of the city, we chose to move to Naperville because we saw we could get more bang for the buck. Great schools, relatively low taxes. My kids attended Highlands Elem School, Kennedy Jr. High School and Naperville North. All are top rated schools where kids who are motivated have all the resources available for success. We live in a great subdivision, close to Metra and shopping, and paid $9,000 in property tax last year. Not trying to sell Naperville, if we didn’t have kids we wouldn’t be living in the suburbs, just pointing out that your information isn’t accurate.”
I’ve done this commute (to downtown) via the express train and it’s faster than living in Lincoln Square and taking the El to the Loop (by far.)
It’s all a matter of choice though. Many of the DuPage County school districts are excellent and the taxes are NOT that bad – as is stated here. If you don’t want to be as far out as Naperville, consider LaGrange (in DuPage County) or Downers Grove (both with nice downtowns that are walkable and have things to do.)
I’ve actually seen prices coming down much faster in the suburbs than in the city as well. Your money goes much farther in the suburbs (in terms of size etc.)
Driving from Arl Hts to downtown or the reverse commute during rush hour is time consuming; it’s about a solid hour each way. In friday afternoon traffic or snow or rain travel times can get brutal. However, if I wait until 11:00 a.m. or in the off-hours I can drive it, door to door from my home near Irving and Keeler, in about 25-30 minutes. I’ve made the commute many times. Add another 9-12 minutes each way with no traffic from downtown. Sometimes if traffic is congested on the highway but light on the side streets I take instead of I-90 b/c it is parallel and the drive is more serene. However it’s still a 45-60 minute drive. I know the commute from the arl hts rolling meadows mt prospect area pretty well.
However driving an hour doesn’t compare to my 35 minute door to door blue line ride downtown (as long as the wait on the platform isn’t too long).
They’re being aggressive with price cuts and the ask is now 299k.
Another price cut on 6/29, this is now listed at $270,000.
“Another price cut on 6/29, this is now listed at $270,000.”
$27k down and about $1750/month, gross, for PITI + PMI. And you get $8k of the dp back. I kinda feel bad for the sellers.
“I kinda feel bad for the sellers.”
I don’t. Is a small 2/1 for $1750 a month, lets not forget taxes, homeowners insurance and a capex reserve for maintenance.
I can’t feel bad for sellers who think their property is worth as much as others based on comps–it leads to behavior like this seller listing this initially at a laughable price of 360k because they were probably pricing on a PPSF basis to complete rehabs or luxury condos.
A workers cottage, these finishes, with everything going on in the stock market back last October..this is the typical head in the sand seller praying for a miracle. Unfortunately for them Moses got better things to do these days.
“Is a small 2/1 for $1750 a month, lets not forget taxes, homeowners insurance”
Um, PITI means Prinipal, Interet, Taxes and Insurance. They were rolled in. Capex is a fair point, but just something one deals with when one buys.
“I can’t feel bad for sellers ”
Dude, you’re a cold-hearted bastard. You don’t feel sorry for anyone, esp. not sellers, so that’s really just implied by “Bob on …”.
This is now fairly reasonable within the context of alternatives, given current available financing and incentives. The $360k initial ask was poor advice + bad timing + unreasonable expectation, sure.
They owned the place for a decade, they put a fair amount of work into it, they bough in a non-“prime” area and didn’t pay a premium–altho the record doesn’t reflect the amount of the deed, based on the initial mortgage they paid ~$120-135k for it, depending on whether they put 10 or 20% down. They did things “right” and they’re stuck now.
Thus, I kinda feel bad for them–not if they don’t make a net profit, but if/because they can’t sell this place now that it’s reasonably priced (and I agree, $360k was a wish rather than an ask).
What should a decent first offer be on this house? and why do you think it has been on the market so long? It’s a good location but just a bit small. and would the fha apply on this home?
This is now listed for $249,500. Taxes 50% higher at $3,296.