Crib Chatter

This top floor 2-bedroom at 3656 N. Bosworth in the Southport neighborhood of Lakeview recently came on the market.

It is a rare vintage unit which also has all the modern amenities of central air, washer/dryer in the unit and garage parking.

The unit has built-ins in the dining room and vintage trim.

The kitchen is described as a “chef’s kitchen” with stainless steel appliances, granite counter tops and dark cabinets.

There is no bathtub in this property. The bath has been renovated with only a stand-up shower.

It also has outdoor space, with a 22×10 back deck which is accessed from the kitchen (NOT the bedrooms.)

Will this sell fast?

Eileen Ellis at Koenig & Strey Real Living has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #3N: 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, no square footage listed

• Sold in May 1999 for $249,000
• Sold in August 2001 for $301,500
• Sold in November 2004 for $325,000
• Currently listed at $309,000 (garage parking included)
• Assessments of $200 a month
• Taxes of $1737
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Bedroom #1: 13×10
• Bedroom #2: 12×11
• Dining room: 15×11

We normally don’t chatter about the Case-Shiller updates in a regular post (just within the comments) but since Chicago topped the 20 city index in May, I thought I’d give the bears and the bulls the chance to debate their case.

Chicago home prices jumped 4.5% in May, the largest one month price increase since Case-Shiller started keeping records in 1987.

Still, year over year, home prices were down 3% in May.

They are also down about 36% since the peak in September 2006. Home prices currently stand at February 2001 levels.

“We thought we saw the bottom in 2009. We thought we saw the bottom in 2010. We thought we saw the bottom in 2011,” said Maureen Maitland, vice president at S&P Dow Jones Indices. “Yes, there’s no doubt these numbers were good. It’s all good news, but it is two months of data.”

According to the data, all segments of the Chicago market saw improvement, but the largest percentage gain was in homes that sold between $147,048 and $249,933. Those average home prices climbed 4.1%.

Was the glass half empty or half full with this report?

Case-Shiller has rebounded 3 other times since the housing bust began- only to see further declines.

Chicago makes biggest gain in key home price index [Chicago Tribune, Mary Ellen Podmolik, July 31, 2012]

This 3-bedroom single family home at 4133 N. Kilbourn in the Irving Park neighborhood recently came on the market.

Built in 1924 on a 25×126 lot, it has things buyers look for including central air and a 2-car garage.

It also has some unique features such as arched doorways on the main level.

The kitchen has white appliances and maple cabinets.

The house has a fully landscaped garden in the backyard with a brick patio.

Two of the three bedrooms are on the second level with the third and a family room in the basement.

This house is listed $66,000 under its 2003 purchase price at $299,000.

Is this a steal for a starter house in the neighborhood?

Michael Danek at Coldwell Banker has the listing. See the pictures here.

4133 N. Kilbourn: 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, 2 car garage, no square footage listed

• Sold in April 1996 for $143,000
• Sold in May 2003 for $365,000
• Currently listed at $299,000
• Taxes of $3912
• Central Air
• Bedroom #1: 12×12 (second floor)
• Bedroom #2: 12×12 (second floor)
• Bedroom #3: 11×9 (lower level)
• Family room: 20×8 (lower level)

It’s not just condo owners who are renting units while they wait out this market, developers are doing the same.

This top-floor 2-bedroom unit at 1169 W. Eddy in Lakeview has been on and off the market since 2007 but has never sold.

At one point, in 2011, it was rented for $2850 a month.

The building was built in 2007 and has 3 units.

The second floor 2-bedroom only recently sold for $385,000. (No- the Redfin data isn’t correct. There is one PIN number being used for all three units.)

It has oak stained hardwood floors. The kitchen has luxury appliances including SubZero and Wolf.

The baths are natural stone.

There is a private rooftop deck exclusive to the unit.

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

Back before the bust,in October 2007, the unit was listed at $609,000.

It recently came back on the market at $459,000.

Will this unit finally find a buyer in 2012?

Emily Connolley at Joyce & Kerrigan Real Estate has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #301: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, no square footage

• Still developer owned
• Originally listed in October 2007 for $609,000
• Reduced
• Withdrawn
• Rented in January 2011 for $2850 a month
• Re-listed for $459,000 (includes parking)
• Assessments of $150 a month
• Taxes are not listed
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Bedroom #1: 13×14
• Bedroom #2: 10×11

Everyone knows this building which sits at the corner of Lincoln Avenue and Wisconsin in Lincoln Park.

This 2-bedroom duplex at 1853 N. Lincoln has been on the market since March 2012.

It previously sold just two years earlier.

At 1100 square feet, it has its own private entrance and the listing says it feels like townhouse.

The kitchen has maple cabinets and a mixture of white and stainless steel appliances.

Both bedrooms are on the second level.

It has central air but doesn’t have in-unit laundry or parking.

The listing says it has an “amazing location.”

Is that even enough anymore to make a sale with buyers so price conscious?

Laura Langer at Chicago Apartments and Condo has the listing. (It’s agent owned.) See the pictures here.

Unit #1D: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1100 square feet

• Sold in September 1996 for $154,000
• Sold in March 1999 for $198,000
• Sold in April 2010 for $260,000
• Originally listed in March 2012 for $295,000
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $280,000
• Assessments of $254 a month
• Taxes of $4869
• Central Air
• No in-unit washer/dryer (coin laundry)
• No parking
• Bedroom #1: 18×12 (second floor)
• Bedroom #2: 14×8 (second floor)

This 3-bedroom in Millennium Centre at 33 W. Ontario in River North has been on the market since March 2012.

It is bank owned.

At 1880 square feet, it is a “true” three bedroom (and not simply a 2-bedroom with a “den” now called a bedroom.)

It has hardwood floors throughout.

From the listing pictures, the “upgraded kitchen” appears intact. It has cherry cabinets, granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances (is that a SubZero refrigerator???).

From the listing pictures, it appears that the bathrooms are intact as well.

The unit also sports the highly coveted side-by-side washer/dryer and deeded parking is included in the price.

The listing says it has south and east skyline views.

Since March, the unit has been reduced $33,777 to $644,523.

It is the cheapest 3-bedroom currently for sale in the building.

At $343 a square foot, is this a deal for the location (and with that parking space included)?

Donald Wagner at Casey & Wagner has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #44B: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 1880 square feet

• Sold in July 2004 for $793,000 (included the parking)
• Lis pendens foreclosure filed in October 2009
• Originally listed in March 2012 for $667,900
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $644,523 (includes 1 parking space)
• The listing says it is bank owned
• Assessments of $1146 a month (includes heat, gas, doorman, cable, pool)
• Taxes of $8925
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Bedroom #1: 15×12
• Bedroom #2: 17×13
• Bedroom #3: 12×11

This 3-bedroom penthouse at 200 W. Grand in River North has been on the market since May 2012.

It has been reduced 16% in that time. The recent listing says it has been “drastically reduced.”

It is now owned by a relocation company (we haven’t seen much of that in the past 5 years.)

It has 11 foot ceilings and 3 balconies.

The unit has north, east and west views.

There are cherry floors throughout and the kitchen has upgraded appliances like SubZero and Meile.

The original listing had pictures with furniture still in place.

You can see those pictures here.

But the current listing has different pictures and the unit is now empty.

Do listing pictures matter? Or is it all price?

And if they matter, would this penthouse sell quicker if it were staged and listed with new photos?

Pamela Sullivan at Coldwell Banker has the listing. See the current listing pictures here.

Unit #2602: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2200 square feet

• Sold in June 2007 for $1.265 million
• Originally listed in May 2012 for $1.035 million
• Reduced
• Now relo owned
• Currently listed at $875,000 (includes 2 parking spaces)
• Assessments of $1468 a month (includes doorman, cable)
• Taxes of $6992
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Bedroom #1: 19×12
• Bedroom #2: 13×13
• Bedroom #3: 12×8

Thanks to those who pointed out that this 5-bedroom tudor at 5919 N. Forest Glen in Sauganash had finally sold.

I had been tracking it for awhile but it was taking forever to close so it slipped from my “watch” list. (It took 7 months to finally close.)

We’ve chattered about this house several times over the last 2 years.

See our prior chatter in October 2011 here.

At that time, the house was priced at $545,000. Many of you thought a price around $500,000 would get it done and some of you said you would go look at it if it was priced that low.

In November 2011, it was lowered to $499,000 and then went under contract.

It finally closed at the end of June 2012 for just $425,000.

If you recall, it was built in 1930 on a 40×125 lot.

The house had many of its vintage features intact.

The living room had a hand hewed beamed cathedral ceiling with the original hand carved floor to ceiling wood fireplace mantle.

In the living room, there was also a unique 6 foot hand carved chandelier.

The kitchen had been updated with stainless steel appliances, what look to be stone counter tops and an eat-in breakfast nook as well as a kitchen island.

2 of the 5 bedrooms were on the second floor, 2 were on the main floor and one was in the basement along with the family room.

The house had central air and a 2-car garage.

Does this closing blow the comps out of the water for the other homes in the Sauganash neighborhood?

Or was this just the steal of the year?

Ron Meadows at Prudential Rubloff had the listing. You can still see interior pictures here.

5919 N. Forest Glen: 5 bedrooms, 3 baths, no square footage listed, 2 car garage

• Sold in October 1985
• Sold in May 2004 for $749,000
• Originally listed in April 2010 for $800,000
• Lis pendens foreclosure filed in November 2010
• Reduced several times
• Was listed in March 2011 for $725,000
• Reduced
• Was listed in July 2011 at $675,000
• Reduced
• Was listed in October 2011 at $545,000
• Reduced
• Was listed in November 2011 at $499,000
• Sold in June 2012 for $425,000
• Taxes of $7441
• Central Air
• Bedroom #1: 13×13 (second floor)
• Bedroom #2: 13×16 (second floor)
• Bedroom #3: 12×15 (main floor)
• Bedroom #4: 12×13 (main floor)
• Bedroom #5: 12×10 (basement)
• Family room: 23×17 (basement)

This 4-bedroom single family home at 1431 W. Oakdale in Lakeview has been on and off the market for 3 years.

Since June 2009, it has been reduced $274,000 to $925,000.

Built in 1999 on a 24.8×123.8 lot, the listing says it is in the Burley school district.

The listing also says it has a “chef’s kitchen” with maple cabinets and stainless steel appliances.

The master bedroom has a spa bath with a 7 head shower.

There is a second floor library and a lower level recreation room.

The house has 3 fireplaces and a garage roof deck.

Now priced about 11% under the 2002 purchase price, how low will this go?

Dennis Shaffer at Baird & Warner has the listing. See the pictures here.

1431 W. Oakdale: 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 2 car garage, no square footage listed

• Sold in November 2001 for $635,000
• Sold in September 2002 for $1.05 million
• Originally listed in June 2009 for $1.199 million
• Reduced several times
• Currently listed at $925,000
• Taxes of $16,379
• Central Air
• Bedroom #1: 18×15 (second floor)
• Bedroom #2: 10×12 (second floor)
• Bedroom #3: 16×12 (second floor)
• Bedroom #4: 16×14 (basement)
• Library: 14×8 (second floor)
• Recreation room: 18×13 (basement)

We’ve chattered about this 3-bedroom in the lowrise portion of the Benjamin Marshall building at 1550 N. State Parkway in the Gold Coast several times before.

See our January 2012 chatter here.

Back in January, after a short sale attempt which drove the listing price down to $625,000 didn’t work, the unit came back on the market with a $350,000 price increase to $975,000.

But that didn’t work either.

It was recently re-listed with a $125,000 reduction to $850,000.

If you recall, its address is 1550 N. State Parkway but it actually isn’t located in the high rise portion of the building, but in a two unit adjacent building with its own private courtyard facing State Parkway.

The 1800 square foot unit still has many of its vintage features including inlaid hardwood floors and crown and dentil molding.

It has a Christopher Peacock kitchen with granite counter tops and Subzero, Miele and Bosch appliances.

The baths are Waterworks.

It shares the courtyard with one other unit.

The building has a 24-hour doorman, a guest suite, and a wine cellar.

The unit has central air and in-unit washer/dryer but there is no attached parking. It is valet rental nearby.

This property has been on and off the market for nearly 3 years.

Will it finally find a buyer in 2012?

Or will it be 2013?

Julie Capps at Prudential Rubloff still has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #A3: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1800 square feet

• Sold in June 1997 for $335,000
• Sold in April 1999 for $442,000
• Sold in January 2004 for $865,000
• Sold in July 2006 for $950,000
• Originally listed in November 2009 for $1.135 million
• Reduced numerous times
• Was listed in May 2011 for $799,000
• Lis pendens filed in May 2011
• Reduced
• Was listed in August 2011 as a “short sale” for $675,000
• Reduced
• Was listed in November 2011 for $625,000
• Increased
• Was listed in January 2012 at $975,000
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $850,000
• Assessments of $1947 a month (includes heat, doorman, cable)
• Taxes of $13,484 (were $12200 in January 2012)
• Central Air
• In-unit washer/dryer
• No parking – rental nearby (even though the listing says 2 parking spots)
• Bedroom #1: 17×14
• Bedroom #2: 14×13
• Bedroom #3: 11×8