Crib Chatter

This 3-bedroom in a greystone at 506 W. Oakdale in East Lakeview came on the market in February 2020.

There’s no date on when it was built (1800s?) but one of the older listings says it’s a greystone (is it?).

It was converted into condos in 2003.

It has 4 units and there’s garage parking.

This unit is Unit #3, but it’s actually on the second floor. We chattered about it back in 2013 and it bothered some of you that it was NOT the top floor unit.

See our chatter here.

It has 10 foot ceilings, hardwood floors and crown molding.

There are 2 fireplaces including one in the living room and one in the master bedroom.

It has two outdoor spaces, a front balcony and it has the private deck above the garage.

The master suite has dual closets and a bathroom with a separate shower with body sprays.

There’s a hall bathroom for the guest bedrooms and a powder room.

The kitchen has white cabinets, black granite counter tops, a center island and breakfast bar along with Viking and Subzero appliances.

There’s also a family room just off the kitchen.

This unit has all the features buyers look for including central air, washer/dryer in the unit and one car garage parking.

Listed in February for $775,000, it was reduced to $749,900 in March and went under contract.

But it just fell out of contract and is available again.

In 2013, many of you thought this was a beautiful property which would sell immediately.

Will that happen again in 2020?

Ryan Gable at Starting Point Realty has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #3: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2000 square feet

• Sold in August 2004 for $671,000
• Sold in August 2006 for $726,000
• Sold in June 2013 for $660,000
• Sold in July 2016 for $705,000
• Originally listed in February 2020 for $775,000
• Reduced
• Under contract but fell out
• Re-listed for $749,900 (includes garage parking)
• Assessments of $361 a month (they were $238 a month in 2013)
• Taxes are $13,108 (they were $10,460 in 2013)
• Central Air
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• 2 fireplaces
• Bedroom #1: 25×10
• Bedroom #2: 10×12
• Bedroom #3: 10×10
• Living room: 11×19
• Dining room: 10×8
• Family room: 11×12
• Den: 10×8
• Deck: 19×13
• Balcony: 15×5

This 3-bedroom duplex penthouse at 1031 W. Bryn Mawr in Edgewater came on the market in May 2019.

Built in 1908, Manor House was designed by John Edmund Oldaker Pridmore in the Tudor Revival style.

According to Wikipedia, many people believe this was the former home of the British consul in Chicago, but the Edgewater Historical Society has never found proof of it. It’s just a rumor!

It does look a bit British though, doesn’t it?

It has 16 units.

We’ve chattered about this penthouse before with its unique 14-foot beamed vaulted ceiling in the living and dining room.

You can see our chatter on it from 2015 here.

According to the listing it has many new Marvin windows, a new furnace and air conditioning.

The kitchen has maple cabinets, granite counter tops and the listing says it has new stainless steel appliances.

It has renovated bathrooms.

The master bedroom has an en suite bathroom and is on a separate floor along with a second bedroom and the laundry room.

There’s no parking with the unit, but the listing says the owner has 2 rental garage spaces next door with a transferrable lease. The seller will also credit 1-year of parking for both spaces.

It has central air and new side-by-side laundry.

Originally listed in May 2019 for $419,900, it has been under contract twice but has fallen out. It’s back on the market at $399,900.

For buyers looking for something unique, is Manor House one of the favorite buildings?

Scott Curcio at Baird & Warner has the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.

Unit #3B: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, no square footage listed, duplex

• Sold in April 2000 for $291,000
• Sold in May 2003 for $350,000
• Sold in December 2004 for $422,500
• Bank owned in November 2009
• Sold from the bank in April 2012 for $172,500
• Originally listed in May 2019 for $419,900
• Has been under contract twice
• Re-listed in March 2020 for $399,900
• 2-car rental parking transferable from next door with credit for 1-year
• Assessments of $569 a month (includes exterior maintenance, lawn care, scavenger, snow removal)
• Taxes of $10,182
• Central Air
• Side-by-side washer/dryer in the unit
• Bedroom #1: 14×12 (main level)
• Bedroom #2: 17×17 (main level)
• Bedroom #3: 10×8 (second level)
• Living room: 28×21 (second level)
• Kitchen: 21×12 (second level)
• Office: 9×7 (second level)

This 4-bedroom single family home at 1445 W. Cullom in the Graceland West neighborhood of Lakeview came on the market in February 2020.

Built in 1901, it is on a wider than standard Chicago lot measuring 30×125.

It appears to have had an addition added to the back because there are 4 bedrooms on the second floor, including a master suite with an attached bathroom and walk-in-closet which wasn’t, obviously, a common feature in homes in 1901.

It still has what looks like some of the original woodwork on the main level and a wood burning fireplace with a gas starter.

The kitchen has white cabinets, what looks like granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances, along with an attached family room/eating area.

There’s also a recreation room in the lower level along with an office and the laundry room.

It has central air but there’s no garage.

The listing says that the “Seller is offering a $10,000 credit at closing towards a garage.”

Originally listed at $1,149,000, it has been reduced $74,000 to $1,075,000.

Currently, there’s a basketball court in the back yard, along with a back deck.

At this price point, will the seller just have to build the garage and then re-list in order to get a sale done?

Marlene Granacki at Re/Max 10 Lincoln Park has the listing. See the pictures here.

1445 W. Cullom: 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, no square footage listed

• Sold in June 1989 for $193,500
• Originally listed in February 2020 for $1,149,000
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $1,075,000
• Taxes of $21,197
• Central Air
• Wood burning fireplace
• No garage- but seller willing to credit $10,000 for one
• Bedroom #1: 21×15 (second floor)
• Bedroom #2: 12×12 (second floor)
• Bedroom #3: 12×12 (second floor)
• Bedroom #4: 10×9 (second floor)
• Living room: 17×12 (main floor)
• Dining room: 14×11 (main floor)
• Family room: 21×15 (main floor)
• Kitchen: 17×12 (main floor)
• Office: 14×9 (lower level)
• Library: 12×10 (main level)
• Recreation room: 18×16 (lower level)
• Walk-in-closet: 10×7 (second floor)

This 3-bedroom at 3855 N. Southport in the Southport neighborhood of Lakeview just came on the market.

Built in 2000, the building has 4 units and outdoor parking. It doesn’t appear to have an elevator.

This unit has a wall of west facing windows.

The listing says it has a remodeled kitchen with white cabinets, new quartz counter tops, a new island, lighting and a new backsplash.

Both bathrooms are upgraded and the master bathroom has a rain head shower and frame-less glass shower door.

There are custom closets.

It has a balcony off the master bedroom.

The unit has all the features that buyers look for including central air, washer/dryer in the unit and 2-car tandem outdoor parking.

It’s right in the heart of the Southport Corridor, near the Music Box theater, shops and restaurants, including the Dairy Queen.

It’s in the Blaine school district.

Listed at $499,900, is this a deal for a 3-bedroom in this neighborhood?

Beata Rogowski at Coldwell Banker has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #3: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, no square footage listed

• Sold in March 2000 for $340,500
• Sold in June 2004 for $398,000
• Sold in April 2008 for $412,500
• Sold in June 2016 for $425,000
• Sold in April 2017 for $481,500
• Currently listed at $499,900 (includes 2-car outdoor tandem parking)
• Assessments of $200 a month (includes scavenger, water)
• Taxes of $9430 (the listing from 2017 said the taxes were $7572)
• Central Air
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• Bedroom #1: 24×12
• Bedroom #2: 10×10
• Bedroom #3: 10×10
• Living room: 20×11
• Dining room: 10×9
• Kitchen: 11×10
• Laundry room: 8×8
• Balcony: 10×8

This 3-bedroom townhouse at 2610 N. Orchard in East Lincoln Park originally came on the market in August 2019.

Built in 1978, this complex has 6 fee simple townhouses (no assessments) and deeded parking.

The first floor has the living room, dining room and kitchen which also has exposed brick walls and a wood planked ceiling with beams.

There’s also a wood burning fireplace in the living room and oak hardwood floors.

The kitchen has what looks like are cherry cabinets, granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances, including a gas range and wine refrigerator. It also has a breakfast bar.

There are two bedrooms on the second floor.

The master suite is the entire third floor with a bathroom with dual vanity and a walk-in closet.

The listing describes the private yard as an “outdoor oasis” with a brick paver patio, shed and dog run enclosed in high brick walls.

The townhouse has central air and one deeded parking space (is it an outdoor space? It appears that it might be. There’s no picture in the listing.)

Originally listed in August 2019 for $694,000, it is still listed 8 months later at the same price of $694,000.

The listing says it’s in the Alcott school district and is close to shopping and restaurants of East Lincoln Park.

Why isn’t this selling in a market which has low inventory?

Joshua McLin at Orchard Investment Group has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #F: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, no square footage listed, townhouse

• Sold in July 1988 for $185,000
• Sold in May 1995 for $289,500
• Sold in August 2005 for $392,000
• Originally listed in August 2019 for $694,000
• Currently still listed at $694,000
• Fee simple (no assessments)
• Taxes of $9441
• Central Air
• Deeded parking included (outdoor?)
• Wood burning fireplace
• Bedroom #1: 17×16 (third floor)
• Bedroom #2: 12×11 (second floor)
• Bedroom #3: 12×10 (second floor)
• Living room: 16×11 (first floor)
• Dining room: 11×9 (first floor)
• Kitchen: 11×9 (first floor)
• Walk-in-closet: 9×5 (third floor)
• Terrace: 19×11

This 4-bedroom single family home at 6524 S. Champlain in Woodlawn just came on the market.

I was all ready to crib about it even without having a picture but it went under contract within a day of the listing.

Even with the coronavirus!

But I’m cribbed about it anyway as it’s an interesting look at what is going on in the Woodlawn neighborhood.

Built in 1968, it’s on a “standard Chicago lot” of 25 x 125 and has 2 parking spaces .

The listing says it has been “completely rehabbed.”

It has new doors, wainscoting, trim, furnace, air conditioning, windows, electric, and plumbing.

The exterior brick looks to have been painted white (the prior sales pictures are still on Redfin. They’re worth a look.)

The kitchen has new custom white cabinets with a stone counter top and backsplash along with stainless steel appliances.

It even has the super trendy black kitchen sink faucet and what looks like the gray stained floors.

The bathrooms also have on trend white finishes.

Three bedrooms are on the main floor with the fourth bedroom in the lower level, along with a bathroom and a family room with a fireplace.

The listing says its 3 brocks from the University of Chicago (? seems like about 6 blocks), the Cottage Grove CTA Green Line and the new Jewel.

It’s across the street from the Emmett Louis Till Math & Science Academy.

Bought in 2019 from the bank for $26,250, it was listed at $144,000 and is already under contract.

Is Woodlawn about to be the hottest neighborhood in the city?

Bernadeta Szczech at Re/Max 10 has the listing. See the pictures here.

6524 S. Champlain: 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1500 square feet

• Sold in April 1986 (no price listed)
• Bank owned in January 2019
• Sold in November 2019 for $26,250 (per Redfin)
• Currently listed “completely rehabbed” for $144,000
• Under contract within a day
• Central Air
• Fireplace
• Bedroom #1: 12×12
• Bedroom #2: 11×11
• Bedroom #3: 11×10
• Bedroom #4: 12×13 (lower level)
• Family room: 13×12 (lower level)
• Kitchen: 11×10 (main level)
• Living room: 12×14 (main level)
• Dining room: 10×12 (main level)

It’s time for an open thread on the impacts of the coronavirus on Chicago’s housing market.

Yes, obviously the health and safety impacts take priority. But there will be economic impacts as well.

With the stock market at record highs, unemployment at 50-year lows, and mortgage rates back to all-time lows, the Chicago spring housing market was expected to be hot.

Inventory also remained at a multi-year low, leading to multiple offers on many properties in February.

But at the end of the month, coronavirus fears started to hit the US stock market and now, Chicago is entering into a virtual lockdown, as schools along with restaurants and bars are ordered closed by the Governor.

Even as mortgage rates have plunged further, with most people told to socially distance themselves, and remain at home, what does this mean for Chicago’s housing market?

Would you list your property right now or are you now going to wait until April, or May, to list?

Will the housing market grind to a halt as the rest of the economy seems set to do?

If the stock market continues to slide, what impact will that have on the luxury housing market which has, historically, been tied to movements in the stock market?

Will all of this just be a couple of months of “pause” with demand still there, but just on the sidelines, until the virus passes?

This is unlike anything any of us has ever seen, in terms of the sudden shock to the economy.

Many of you were posting to this blog during the worst of the financial crisis.

What will happen to Chicago’s housing market this time around?

This 2-bedroom at 1016 W. Madison in the West Loop came on the market in February 2020.

Built in 1925, this 8 unit building has just 2 units per floor and garage parking.

If this building looks familiar, that’s because we chattered about it and this same unit, in 2016 when the market in the West Loop was super hot.

Many of you complained about the quality of the listing pictures the last time (this DOES matter).

You can see the 2016 chatter here.

It has 14-foot ceilings but is never called a loft even though there is exposed ductwork that is painted white.

It has a large 12×9 entry foyer, wainscoting and crown moldings.

The listing says there were new windows in 2015.

It has separate living and dining areas.

The kitchen has custom modern white, and red, cabinets and lighting, quartz counter tops, a double oven and stainless steel appliances.

The listing calls the baths “whimsical.”

Both bedrooms have windows.

There doesn’t appear to be outdoor space with this unit.

It has the features that buyers look for including central air, side-by-side washer/dryer in the unit and garage parking is included.

Originally listed in February 2020 at $710,000, it has been reduced $11,000 to $699,000.

This is just $4,000 over the 2016 sales price of $695,000.

Is the West Loop price appreciation mostly over?

Robin Phelps at @Properties has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #2S: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1850 square feet

• Sold in August 1998 for $270,000
• Sold in June 2014 for $560,000
• Sold in October 2016 for $695,000
• Originally listed in February 2020 for $710,000
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $699,000 (includes garage parking)
• Assessments are still $493 a month, the same as in 2016 (includes scavenger and snow removal)
• Taxes are now $12,993 (they were $7177 in 2016)
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Bedroom #1: 15×12
• Bedroom #2: 17×10
• Living room: 26×14
• Dining room: 17×12
• Kitchen: 13×10
• Laundry room: 6×7
• Foyer: 12×9

This 2-bedroom in the Mantonya Flats at 1325 N. Dearborn Parkway in the Gold Coast just came on the market.

Built in 1887, the Mantonya Flats were designed by Curd H. Gottig. There are 3 units and assigned tandem parking behind the building.

This building is iconic thanks to its distinctive arched keyhole style windows.

This is unit #2, which the listing says has “tree top” views.

It has the original stained glass windows and 10-foot high coffered ceilings in the living and dining rooms as well as mouldings.

The unit has inlaid floors in the living and dining rooms and carpet in the bedrooms.

There are large pocket doors and 2 wood burning fireplaces, one in the living room and one in the dining room.

The kitchen is a galley kitchen with cherry cabinets and granite counter tops. What are those appliances? Black or stainless? I can’t tell from the pictures.

There’s a small home office tucked in next to the living room and a set of stairs next to the galley kitchen (but where do those go? The parking and storage?)

It has 2-assigned tandem parking spaces behind the building and extra storage.

The listing says there’s new 2019 air conditioning.

The unit has in-unit washer/dryer.

The listing also says the building is non-smoking. This is the first small-sized building I’ve seen listed as non-smoking.

But pets are allowed.

Currently listed for $700,000, that’s just $13,000 more than the 2017 sales price of $687,000.

Is this unit a vintage lover’s dream?

Simona Garcia at @Properties has the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.

Unit #2: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1700 square feet

• Sold in March 2002 for $550,500
• Sold in November 2007 for $725,000
• Sold in June 2017 for $687,000
• Currently listed at $700,000 (includes 2-car tandem assigned parking)
• Assessments of $450 a month (includes parking, exterior maintenance, scavenger, water)
• Taxes of $13,239
• Central Air
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• 2 wood burning fireplaces
• Bedroom #1: 23×14
• Bedroom #2: 15×8
• Living room: 24×14
• Dining room: 19×14
• Office: 8×5
• Kitchen: 8×4
• Walk-in-closet: 14×8

This 6-bedroom new construction mansion at 1241 N. State Parkway in the Gold Coast came on the market in May 2018.

We last chattered about this house in 2018 when it first came on the market.

If you recall, it was built after an 1872 worker’s cottage was sold by a long-time owner and torn down.

The historic preservation committee refused to save it but it lives on in the Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock movie, “The Lake House.”

And, no, it’s NOT the Lake House but the characters do linger in front of the house in a scene specifically about architecture.

See our 2018 chatter, and a picture of the worker’s cottage, here.

But what’s done is done and the new house is now built.

It’s on a slightly narrower than normal, but deeper, Chicago lot measuring 22.5 x 150.

It has a French limestone façade and a 5-stop elevator.

There’s a garage with room for “up to” 4 cars with an “optional lift and breezeway attachment.”

The house has 2 rooftop terraces along with a backyard patio.

2 bedrooms,  including the master suite, are on the second floor, with 3 bedrooms on the third floor and one in the lower level.

The kitchen has white custom cabinets and luxury appliances.

There’s also a wine cellar.

Originally listed at $7.25 million in 2018, it has been reduced to $5.999 million.

Is this now priced to sell?

Timothy Salm at Jameson Sotheby’s still has the listing. See the pictures here.

1241 N. State Parkway: 6 bedrooms, 6 baths, 2 half baths, 7,430 square feet, garage

• There’s no original sales price. It was put into a Trust in 1994
• There was no mortgage on the property
• Worker’s cottage originally listed on June 2, 2016 for $1.495 million
• Sold on June 30, 2016 for $1.5 million
• Torn down
• Originally listed in May 2018 as a new construction home for $7.25 million
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $5.999 million
• Taxes are now $35,039
• Central Air
• 3 fireplaces
• Bedroom #1: 15×14 (second floor)
• Bedroom #2: 19×12 (second floor)
• Bedroom #3: 14×11 (third floor)
• Bedroom #4: 13×11 (third floor)
• Bedroom #5: 16×11 (third floor)
• Bedroom #6: 12×11 (lower level)
• Recreation room: 17×23 (lower level)
• Living room: 17×16 (main floor)
• Dining room: 14×16 (main floor)
• Kitchen: 17×16 (main floor)