Crib Chatter

There hasn’t been any building “safe” from short sales or foreclosures during the last five years.

This 2-bedroom in Trump Tower at 401 N. Wabash in River North came on the market in September 2012.

It is a short sale listed about 25% under the 2008 purchase price.

At 1562 square feet, it has north and city views.

The kitchen has Miele, Wolf and Subzero appliances.

There are 2 vanities in the master bathroom.

It has central air and washer/dryer in the unit. Parking is rental in the building.

This is the cheapest 2/2.5 currently on the market in the building.

Is this unit a deal (if you can get the bank to agree on this price)?

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

Unit #29C: 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 1562 square feet

• Sold in August 2008 for $1.102 million
• Lis pendens foreclosure filed in August 2012
• Listed in September 2012 as a “short sale” for $825,000
• Currently still listed at $825,000
• Assessments of $754 a month (includes cable, doorman)
• Taxes are $10,990
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Parking is rental in the building
• Bedroom #1: 16×12
• Bedroom #2: 18×11

This top floor 2-bedroom vintage unit in the courtyard building at 511 W. Aldine in East Lakeview just came on the market.

If the building looks familiar, that’s because it is. We last chattered about a different 2-bedroom in the same building in April 2011.

That unit took 3 years to sell and ultimately became a bank owned unit.

See our final chatter with the unit’s price history here.

Originally listed for $410,000 including the parking, it finally sold for $255,000.

It was also a 2/2 with a dining room and the parking space was included.

It also had in-unit washer/dryer and an upgraded kitchen.

This latest unit has white cabinets, granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances in its kitchen.

It doesn’t have central air, but window units only.

It has a wood burning fireplace.

The listing says it is “designer owned and decorated” but as we know- the furniture isn’t going to be there when you move in.

The unit has come on the market priced at $389,000 or just $5,000 under the 2008 price.

Has the 2012 market changed enough that this seller will be able to get this price?

Shiela Dietz of @Properties has the listing. See the pictures here.

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

• Sold in March 1995 for $160,000
• Sold in June 1999 for $249,000
• Sold in January 2002 for $310,000
• Sold in August 2008 for $394,000
• Currently listed for $389,000 (parking space included)
• Assessments of $355 a month
• Taxes of $1568
• No central air- window units only
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Bedroom #1: 17×12
• Bedroom #2: 12×10
• Dining room: 12×12

This 2-bedroom at the high rise at 828 W. Grace in Lakeview has been on the market since September 2012.

Built in 2007, the building has 140 units and a parking garage.

This unit faces south with a 15×6 covered terrace that has city views, including Wrigley Field.

Various upgrade packages were available when these were originally sold. According to the Redfin agent’s notes, this unit has the basic finishes.

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

There are hardwood floors in the living room.

There’s central air and a side by side washer/dryer in the closet in the second bedroom.

Parking is now included.

Is this a deal for a 2/2 with views in this neighborhood?

Andrea Farley at Baird & Warner has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #802: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, no square footage listed

• Sold in June 2007 for $329,000 (parking included)
• Originally listed in September 2012 for $299,000
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $275,000 (parking included)
• Assessments of $372 a month (includes heat and doorman)
• Taxes of $4873
• Central Air
• Side by side washer/dryer in the unit
• Bedroom #1: 14×11
• Bedroom #2: 14×10

This 1-bedroom in the Grand Ohio at 211 E. Ohio in Streeterville has been on the market since September 2012 but it has also been on and off the market in the prior few years without a sale.

At 700 square feet, it has south facing windows and hardwood floors.

However, several features about this unit make it unique in the building and the neighborhood.

The units on this fifth floor facing south all have brick walled in private terraces. The one for this unit is 400 square feet. That’s enough space to have quite the dinner party.

The units on this floor are also the few in the building that actually have in-unit washer/dryer.

The kitchen has white cabinets and white appliances. Same with the bath- all white.

The bedroom currently has a Murphy Bed which means you can also use it as an office.

There is no central air- but there are wall units.

Parking is available for $30,000 extra in the building.

Would this unit make an ideal pied-a- terre?

Brigette Taylor at Baird & Warner has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #517: 1 bedroom, 1 bath, 700 square feet

• Sold in June 1999 for $152,000
• Sold in May 2001 for $245,000 (doesn’t look like it included any parking)
• Originally listed in September 2012 for $257,000 (parking $30k extra)
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $247,000 (parking $30k extra)
• Assessments of $455 a month (includes doorman, cable, pool, exercise rooms)
• Taxes of $2261
• No central air- wall units only
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Bedroom: 11×15
• Livingroom: 15×16
• Kitchen: 7×10

I know all of you Crib Chatterers are savvy real estate watchers who know where to go to get information in Cook County on properties in distress.

But even for the savvy, finding out information about a property usually means figuring out the PIN number and visiting various different websites until the full story of the property unfolds. There are usually several different steps needed to piece everything together.

But apparently Zillow is fixing all of that.

Two days ago, the real estate web site launched a new feature which will show properties that are in distress but have not yet come onto the market.

They are called “pre-market” foreclosures.

These could be properties that have a lis pendens filed against it or properties where the bank has actually already taken back the deed but has not re-listed it for sale.

From the Chicago Tribune:

Anyone who logs in with a free account will have access to the information, which will also include completed foreclosures that have not been listed for sale.

The homes listed in ‘pre-market’ inventory will be properties where a foreclosure has been filed against the borrower but the action is not resolved. Among the details available for each property will be the address, the date and amount of the original mortgage, the unpaid balance and the dollar amount past due. It also will show the party that initiated the foreclosure action, an estimate of what the foreclosure sales price might be, based on the sales prices of nearby foreclosures, and details of where it is in the process. If the home was previously listed on Zillow as a for-sale home, that picture will be used. Otherwise, there will be a satellite view of the neighborhood.

The borrower’s names will not be listed.

When the additional information was added to the site late Wednesday night, it included 11,000 pre-market single-family homes and condominiums just within the city of Chicago.

It’s one stop shopping for all the properties that are under distress.

Will you be signing onto Zillow just to use this service – at the least, to see how stable a neighborhood or building is where you might be buying? (not to mention looking for future foreclosures that may be coming on the market)

Or will it be an easy way to invade your neighbors privacy? (and don’t tell me you aren’t going to look up your own block to see what is going on there)

Zillow to show homes in foreclosure, before they are listed [Chicago Tribune, Mary Ellen Podmolik, Oct 25, 2012]

We last chattered about this 6-bedroom historic mansion at 817 W. Hutchinson in the Buena Park neighborhood of Uptown in October 2011.

See our prior chatter here.

The Claude Seymour House is one of the many historic mansions that line Hutchinson on this landmarked block.

The Elite Street column in the Chicago Tribune recently highlighted it:

The asking price for the 16-room Claude Seymour House in Buena Park has been reduced to $4.995 million from $5.195 million.

Designed by Prairie-style architect George Washington Maher and completed in 1913 for jewelry wholesaler Seymour, the more than 12,000-square-foot mansion has six bedrooms, four full baths, two half baths, leaded stained-glass windows, a grand mahogany staircase, three fireplaces, mahogany millwork throughout, an eat-in kitchen and a coach house atop a two-car garage.

The property has 136 feet of frontage and a wraparound yard.

The mansion easily is the highest-priced listing in its area, with the next-most-expensive listing in its ZIP code clocking in at just under $3 million.

The house is “loaded with original details,” said listing agent Jennifer Ames, of Coldwell Banker.

“The sellers made it work for family living without tampering with the original integrity of the home.”

The house is on 5 city lots measuring 136×140.

All 6 bedrooms are on the third level.

The kitchen has stainless steel appliances and what look like stone counter tops.

The house has not been reduced since we last chattered about it.

Is the reason the house hasn’t sold the price or the location?

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

817 W. Hutchinson: 6 bedrooms, 4 baths, 2 half baths, 12000 square feet, 2 car garage, studio

• Sold in November 1993 (no price listed)
• Originally listed in March 2011 for just 2 weeks at $5.195 million
• Re-listed in October 2011 for $4.995 million
• Currently still listed at $4.995 million
• Taxes are now $21,652 (they were $20,579 in October 2011)
• Central Air
• Bedroom #1: 19×19 (third floor)
• Bedroom #2: 16×14 (third floor)
• Bedroom #3: 17×12 (third floor)
• Bedroom #4: 14×11 (third floor)
• Bedroom #5: 10×15 (third floor)
• Bedroom #6: 12×20 (third floor)

This 4-bedroom Prairie style vintage home at 5039 W. Hutchinson in Olde Portage Park has been on the market since July 2012.

Built in 1910 on an oversized 35×125 lot, it even has a picket fence (sorry- not white though.)

The listing says it has a new kitchen with white cabinets, stainless steel Bosch appliances and a tin ceiling.

Some of the original built-ins remain, including the one in the dining room.

The second floor was rehabbed in 2006 and has a newer full bath with skylight, 2 bedrooms, an office and a playroom. The other two bedrooms are on the main level.

It appears there is an unfinished basement.

There’s no central air but there’s a 2 car garage.

Originally listed at $409,900, it has been reduced $50,000.

The house is now listed just $4900 above the 2003 sale price.

Is it now priced to sell?

Janet Robertson at Century 21 McMullen has the listing. See the pictures here.

5039 W. Hutchinson: 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2 car garage, 1900 square feet

• Sold in May 1999 for $176,000
• Sold in March 2003 for $355,000
• Sold in June 2008 for $410,000
• Originally listed in July 2012 for $409,900
• Reduced several times
• Currently listed at $359,900
• Taxes of $5299
• No central air- window units only
• Bedroom #1: 15×13 (second floor)
• Bedroom #2: 13×11 (second floor)
• Bedroom #3: 13×9 ( main level)
• Bedroom #4: 13×11 (main level)
• Office: 12×11 (second level)
• Unfinished basement

This 1-bedroom loft at 2332 S. Michigan in the Motor Row neighborhood of the far South Loop just came on the market.

It is bank owned.

This is a 22-unit building which was converted into upscale lofts in 2006/2007.

This unit has exposed brick and a beamed ceiling.

There is a marble bath with rain shower and body sprays.

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

It has central air, washer/dryer in the unit and heated indoor parking.

But it is also listed at $274,000.

Is that a realistic price for this neighborhood?

Coya Smith at Smith Partners & Associates has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #301: 1 bedroom, 1.5 baths, no square footage listed

• It sold in November 2007 but I couldn’t find a prior sales price (the mortgage was $313,300 however)
• Lis pendens foreclosure filed in May 2010
• Bank owned in June 2012
• Currently listed for $274,000 (parking included)
• Assessments of $195 a month
• Taxes of $303 (??? typo???)
• Eligible for Homepath and Homepath renovation financing at 3% down
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Bedroom: 11×15

This 5 bedroom French Provincial single family home at 1652 N. Bell in Bucktown has been on the market since March 2012.

It looks to be newer construction possibly circa 2006.

Built on an oversized 38.5×150 lot, the house has a 3-car garage and is located at the end of a no outlet street.

It has luxury finishes in the kitchen including Wolf and SubZero appliances.

There are stone baths.

The house has radiant heated floors and crown molding and wainstcotting.

The listing pictures also show a house with very little furniture and no window treatments or any other form of staging. The redfin agent, in his notes on the property, said it could benefit from some staging.

This house is listed for $395,000 more than the 2010 sale (which looked to be from the bank.)

Is staging even more important in million dollar properties?

Will this house get the premium to the 2010 price without it?

James Prendergast at Southbrand Investments has the listing. See the pictures here.

1652 N. Bell: 5 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, 6500 square feet, 3 car garage

• Sold in June 2006 for $730,000
• Lis pendens filed in April 2009
• Bank owned in May 2010
• Sold in December 2010 for $1.38 million
• Originally listed in March 2012 for $1.775 million
• Currently still listed at $1.775 million
• Taxes of $17,686
• Central Air
• Partial kitchen in the lower level
• Decks on roof and the garage
• Bedroom #1: 35×25 (second floor)
• Bedroom #2: 17×20 (second floor)
• Bedroom #3: 17×20 (second floor)
• Bedroom #4: 17×20 (lower level)
• Bedroom #5: 17×20 (lower level)

We’ve finally seen the interiors of the new luxury building at 2550 N. Lakeview in Lincoln Park.

Now it’s the Ritz’s turn.

Here are interior pictures of the luxury 1-bedroom unit in the new construction Ritz at 118 E. Erie in River North.

This unit is 1423 square feet and has 1.5 baths.

The kitchen in the pictures has modern white cabinets with stone counter tops and upgraded stainless steel appliances.

Parking is available for $100,000 extra.

Listed at $1,492,727, are you impressed by the finishes?

Jane Shawkey at Prudential Rubloff has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #25D: 1 bedroom, 1.5 baths, 1423 square feet

• New construction
• Currently listed for $1,492,727
• Assessments of $1209 a month (includes heat, ac, cable, doorman)
• Taxes are “new”
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Bedroom: 21×12