Crib Chatter

This 3-bedroom Victorian rowhouse at 1730 N. Wells in Old Town just came on the market.

From what I can tell, it’s the first time it’s been on the market in 14 years.

Built in 1876, it has 2050 square feet on a 22×42 lot.

It has many of its original features including crown molding, wood trim, stained glass and built-ins.

It has a finished lower level family room.

The kitchen has wood cabinets and white appliances and counter tops.

2 of the three bedrooms are on the third floor with the third on the second level.

There’s no parking but the rowhouse does have central air.

Given how hot Old Town has been, will this sell quickly even though it doesn’t have parking?

Frederic Scovell at Coldwell Banker has the listing. See the pictures here.

1730 N. Wells: 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, 2050 square feet

• Sold in September 1994 for $335,000
• Sold in July 1999 for $512,000
• Currently listed at $849,000
• Taxes of $11,498
• Central Air
• No parking
• Bedroom #1: 14×12 (third floor)
• Bedroom #2: 11×11 (third floor)
• Bedroom #3: 11×11 (second floor)
• Family room: 16×19 (lower level)

Welcome back from the holiday break Crib Chatterers.

Last week 30-year mortgage rates rose to a national average of 4.46% from 3.93% the week before, the largest one week increase since 1987.

It pushed mortgage rates to their highest level in 2 years.

Rates may go even higher this week as, while you were all still enjoying your barbecues on Friday, July 5, the bond market sold off resulting in yet another day of spiking mortgage rates. 

Some in the mortgage industry were saying it was the worst day for mortgage rates in history. Perhaps our own resident mortgage rate expert, Russ, can chime in to tell us what he’s seeing on the ground.

Rates spiked as high as 4.875% on Friday with rates remaining as high as 4.75%.

Rates have been rising for the past 2 months.

So far, rising rates haven’t put a damper on the hot housing market but most of the May and June sales were conducted at lower rates that were locked in previously. Going forward, that is unlikely to be the case.

Will this mean a slowing housing market come August and September in Chicago?

Or will all cash sales be able to put a floor under the market?

We last chattered about this 3-bedroom duplex up at 39 E. Schiller in the Gold Coast in February 2013.

See our prior chatter here.

Back then, it was bank owned after being on the market before that as a short sale.

It also was a 2-bedroom with a family room and now it is simply a 3-bedroom. (Was it smart to make it a 3-bedroom?)

At 2800 square feet (it was 2400 square feet in the previous listing), some of you who saw it said it needed to be totally gutted and the chatter revolved around how much it would cost to fix it up and whether or not it could be flipped.

Some thought it would cost a couple of hundred thousand to fix up properly. Others thought $50,000 could do the trick. Helmethofer wondered if a renovator could add a lot of can lights to bring in extra light.

Listed by the bank at $399,000 it sold in March 2013 for $467,000.

It has come back on the market with a new kitchen, baths, and new can lights 3 months later for $1.1 million.

The kitchen now has dark cabinets and some stainless steel appliances. The listing calls it a “chef’s kitchen.”

It didn’t have a parking space before and it appears to still not have parking.

The unit does have central air and in-unit washer/dryer.

Will this get the premium?

Or are Chicago housing prices starting to bubble over in some neighborhoods?

Rick Levin at Rick Levin & Associates has the listing (also has an interest in the property). See the new pictures here.

You can see the “before” pictures here.

Unit #1W: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, now 2800 square feet, duplex up

• Sold in May 1999 for $510,000
• Sold in August 2002 for $662,500
• Sold in March 2005 for $710,000
• Originally listed in October 2009 for $680,000
• Lis pendens foreclosure filed in November 2009
• Reduced several times
• Was listed in April 2010 for $550,000
• Withdrawn
• Bank owned in December 2012
• Was listed in February 2013 at $399,900
• Sold in March 2013 for $467,000
• Currently listed for $1.1 million
• Assessments now $804 a month (they were $875 a month in April 2010) (includes cable and did include special assessment in 2010)
• Taxes still $4471 (they were $7196 in April 2010)
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• No parking
• Bedroom #1: 26×16 (second level)
• Bedroom #2: 20×14 (main level)
• Bedroom #3: 17×15 (main level)

This 3-bedroom vintage unit in 1320 N. State Parkway in the Gold Coast came on the market in March 2013.

Designed by Robert S. De Goyler in 1927, it has 40 units and a brick and limestone façade.

It is a co-op building with a doorman, bike storage, an exercise room and individual mail delivery to each apartment.

This unit has a barrel vaulted entry foyer.

There are 2 ensuite bedrooms and a maid’s room.

This unit is somewhat unusual in that it has a family room. I wondered how that was possible as the 1927 floor plan wouldn’t have included such a thing, but apparently it was the old dining room (after all- who needs that today?).

The kitchen has the original Republic steel cabinets and stainless steel appliances.

There are updated marble baths.

It has central air, washer/dryer in the unit and parking is available across the street.

The assessments are $1876 a month but that includes heat, cable, Internet, doorman, a resident engineer and a part-time on-site manager. Taxes are another $747 a month.

This unit is in the popular Ogden school district.

Is this a deal on a Gold Coast family home?

Jennifer Ames at Coldwell Banker has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #2B: 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, no square footage listed, co-op

• It’s a co-op so I couldn’t find the prior sales price
• Originally listed in March 2013 for $648,000
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $599,000
• Assessments of $1876 a month (includes heat, cable, Internet, doorman)
• Taxes of $747 a month
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• No parking- parking across the street
• Bedroom #1: 14×17
• Bedroom #2: 13×16
• Bedroom #3: 8×12
• Family room (formerly the dining room): 13×16

This 4-bedroom townhouse at 2757 N. Greenview in Lincoln Park came on the market last February.

It is actually on the edge of Lincoln Park and Lakeview (but since it’s on the south side of Diversey, it is technically Lincoln Park.)

Some of you may recognize it from your travels down Diversey as this townhouse is the one with the wall of bamboo that preserves privacy on the patio that faces the street.

For many people who get priced out of the single family home market in Lincoln Park, a townhouse becomes the back-up option.

Finding a 4-bedroom townhouse under $1 million, however, is not as easy as it seems.

This townhouse has the preferable layout most buyers look for with 3 bedrooms on the third floor and the fourth on the top floor.

There is a main level family room while the living/dining and kitchen are on the second level.

The kitchen has cherry cabinets, granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances.

It has skylights, 3 outdoor spaces and an attached 2-car garage.

There are just 12 units in the complex.

The listing says it’s in the Prescott school district.

It is listed $86,000 under the 2005 purchase price at just $699,000.

What’s keeping this from selling in a hot market?

Mario Greco at Prudential Rubloff has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #B: 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 2800 square feet, 2 car garage

• Sold in January 2000 for $515,000
• Sold in October 2005 for $785,000
• Originally listed in February 2013 (I couldn’t find a list price)
• Withdrawn in March
• Re-listed in April 2013 for $699,000
• Still listed for $699,000
• Assessments of $250 a month
• Taxes of $11,223
• Central Air
• Bedroom #1: 16×14 (third floor)
• Bedroom #2: 10×10 (third floor)
• Bedroom #3: 10×10 (third floor)
• Bedroom #4: 16×15 (fourth floor)
• Family room: 16×13 (main floor)

It’s time to go on vacation again!

I’m sure most of you will be enjoying some much needed time off this week as well.

I’ll be out of town on vacation all week so we’ll be on vacation schedule Monday through Wednesday. That means there will be just one post a day. (I know…it’s a drag.)

I’m taking a break on Fourth of July and on Friday, July 5th as well. There will be NO new posts on those days.

It’s still low inventory. I feel for those who are in the market to buy right now.

One administrative update: The new Crib Chatter site, with the forum page, is being worked on even as we speak. I’m excited about it and I know you long time Chatterers will LOVE it. It will be a big improvement over the current site.

There’s a lot to look forward to as we head into late summer and early fall.

As always, please be respectful of each other when commenting while I’m on vacation. I don’t want to have to leave the beach to intervene to break up a silly spat.

Happy Fourth of July and Happy Birthday America!

Sabrina

This 3-bedroom duplex down at 1051 W. Montana in Lincoln Park recently came on the market.

If the building looks familiar, that is because we chattered about the “sister” unit to this one across the hall at 1049 W. Montana in October 2011.

See our prior chatter here. You can see interior pictures of the unit here.

Back then, it had been on the market for 5 months and had reduced to $399,000.

It had central air, in-unit washer/dryer, and parking. 2 of the 3 bedrooms were in the lower level.

It finally sold in April 2012 for just $385,000.

Now we have the companion unit to test this much hotter market.

It has the same layout with 2 of the 3 bedrooms in the lower level.

The kitchen has white cabinets, granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances.

It has central air and washer/dryer in the unit but the listing doesn’t say anything about parking. The other unit that sold last year had a parking spot.

Originally listed for $425,000 in May, it has been reduced to $409,000.

That’s below both the 2008 and 2006 purchase price.

Will this unit ultimately sell for under what 1049 W. Montana #1 sold for last year?

Mary Ellen Shannon at Coldwell Banker has the unit. See the pictures here.

Unit #1: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, no square footage listed, duplex down

• Sold in September 1995 for $231,000
• Sold in March 2002 for $343,000
• Sold in August 2006 for $419,000
• Sold in April 2008 for $435,000
• Originally listed in May 2013 for $425,000
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $409,000
• Assessments of $270 a month
• Taxes of $6011
• Central Air
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• No parking
• Bedroom #1: 15×10 (lower level)
• Bedroom #2: 13×10 (lower level)
• Bedroom #3: 10×8 (main floor)

We last chattered about this 3-bedroom triplex loft in the Donohue at 711 S. Dearborn in Printers Row in April 2013.

See our April chatter here.

Back then, many of you liked it but that the high assessments were a burden.

Listed at $500,000, Groove was one of the few that took a guess at its future- saying that he thought it would sell in two months for over ask.

It just sold (so a little over 2 months) and yes, it sold for $25,000 over ask at $525,000.

If you recall, the building was built in 1883. It was the first building converted into residential lofts in Printers Row in the 1980s.

This particular unit was one of the more unique ones in the building.

The listing said it was 3 one-bedroom units stacked on top of each other and connected with an internal staircase.

The top floor of the triplex was the top floor of the building so even though it had timber ceilings, there was no one above you and only your unit below you on the other two floors.

It had exposed brick on each floor and arched windows on the top floor.

The loft actually faced east so it did NOT face Dearborn.

It also has some quirks like 2 kitchens.

The main kitchen had maple cabinets and black appliances while a smaller white kitchen is on the lowest level.

At 2450 square feet, there was a library on the second floor and a 8×8 laundry room.

The loft had central air.

There is no parking with this building but it’s available for purchase in the nearby high rise on Plymouth for $35,000.

It appeared to be on the market for the first time in 30 years.

Is anyone surprised it sold for over ask?

Margie Smigel at The Margie Smigel Group had the listing. You can still see the pictures here.

Unit #808: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2420 square feet

• Sold before 1985
• Was listed in April 2013 for $500,000
• Sold in June 2013 for $525,000
• Assessments of $1336 a month (includes heat and cable)
• Taxes of $7285
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Parking available for $35,000 extra nearby
• Bedroom #1: 16×16 (third floor)
• Bedroom #2: 14×15 (second floor)
• Bedroom #3: 14×15 (second floor)
• Living room: 15×30 (main floor???)
• Dining room: 14×16 (main floor???)
• Laundry room: 8×8 (second floor)
• Library: 15×15 (second floor)

This 1-bedroom loft at 2226 N. Racine in Lincoln Park recently came on the market.

We’ve chattered about this complex before but they were all larger units.

This loft has 14-foot ceilings and an open floor plan with the bedroom on a “second” floor/half floor without full walls.

It has exposed brick walls and timber ceilings and large industrial sized windows.

The kitchen has stainless steel appliances and butcher block counter tops.

The listing says the bathroom has been rehabbed.

It has central air, washer/dryer in the unit and parking is available for $30,000.

It is listed just $15,000 under the 2007 price at $320,000.

Will it be able to get it in this location?

Shaun Moskalik at Koenig & Strey Real Living has the listing. See the pictures here.

Or see it in person on Sunday, June 30 from 1- 3PM.

Unit #4: 1 bedroom, 1 bath, no square footage listed

• Sold in March 1993 for $166,500
• Sold in September 1997 for $197,500
• Sold in July 2004 for $315,000
• Sold in June 2007 for $335,000 (no parking included)
• Currently listed for $320,000 (parking is $30,000 extra)
• Assessments of $225 a month
• Taxes of $4776
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Bedroom: 14×10

Thanks goes out to the eagle eye of a dedicated Crib Chatter reader who recognized this contemporary 5-bedroom house at 2820 N. Paulina in Lakeview from our prior chatter of it in 2008 and 2009.

See our June 2008 chatter here.

It recently came back on the market and is now bank owned (with the bank having transferred the deed to a property management company.)

Built in 2007, on a smaller than standard 25×118 lot, it has apparently never been occupied.

Long term readers will remember it from its heated sidewalks, and built-in iPod docking stations (is this out of date already?) and 16 hidden cameras (!).

The new listing doesn’t mention the cameras, by the way. Maybe they have been removed.

The kitchen still has Wolf appliances but it appears that the cabinets have been replaced (you can see the previous listing pictures in the 2008 chatter.)

The bathrooms look the same, however.

2 of the 5 bedrooms are on the second floor with the third on the top floor. The other 2 bedrooms are in the basement.

The house is in the popular Burley School District.

Will it finally sell 6 years after it was built?

David Piche at Re/Max Signature has the listing. See the latest pictures here.

Or see it in person at the Open House on June 29 from 1PM-3PM.

2820 N. Paulina: 5 bedrooms, 5.5 baths, 4475 square feet, 2 car garage

• Built in 2007
• Was listed in June 2008 for $2.275 million
• Lis pendens foreclosure filed in December 2009
• Bank owned in December 2012
• Currently listed for $1.54 million
• Taxes of $26612
• Central Air
• Bedroom #1: 18×17 (second floor)
• Bedroom #2: 18×17 (second floor)
• Bedroom #3: 13×13 (basement)
• Bedroom #4: 18×14 (third floor)
• Bedroom #5: 12×14 (basement)