Crib Chatter

We last chattered about this 4-bedroom single family home at 1253 W. Wellington in Lakeview a year ago.

See our April 2011 chatter here.

Back then, many of you thought it was overpriced given its layout and lack of much of a backyard.

Since then, it has been reduced another $145,000 to just $850,000.

If you recall,  3 of the bedrooms are on the second floor with one in the lower level.

The master suite has a sun room and cathedral ceilings.

The house has 10 foot ceilings on the main floor.

The kitchen has stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops.

There is also a unique double sided fireplace in the kitchen and family room.

There is also a lower level recreation room.

Built on a 23×123 lot, the house has a small patio and a 2-car garage.

Given that this house is 4100 square feet, is this now a screaming deal for the square footage and location?

Joanne Nemerovski at Prudential Rubloff still has the listing. See more pictures here.

1253 W. Wellington: 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 4100 square feet, 2 car garage

• Sold in August 1989 for $395,000
• Originally listed in October 2009 for $1,249,900
• Reduced several times
• Was listed in April 2011 at $995,000
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $850,000
• Taxes now $19002 (were $18,040)
• Central Air
• Double sided fireplace
• Bedroom #1: 18×16 (second floor)
• Bedroom #2: 18×13 (second floor)
• Bedroom #3: 15×10 (second floor)
• Bedroom #4: 17×14 (lower level)
• Recreation Room: 25×18 (lower level)

The first of the four units in this new construction building at 3510 N. Southport in the Southport neighborhood of Lakeview just came on the market.

The listing says, “Finally brand new construction homes return to the Southport Corridor.”

It is the penthouse unit with a front balcony and a private roof top deck.

At 1800 square feet, it has 3 bedrooms and 2 baths.

The unit will have luxury finishes including Viking appliances. It will also have crown molding and wainscotting.

The units will be ready for delivery in July.

Are buyers really chomping at the bit for luxury new construction on this stretch of Southport?

Jeff Lowe at Prudential Rubloff has the listing. You can see some pics here (these aren’t of the actual unit since it’s still under construction- but appear to be the pictures from the units on Webster/Sheffield that we chattered about about a year or so ago.)

Penthouse: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1800 square feet, garage parking

• Currently listed for $675,000
• Assessments of $300 a month
• Taxes are “new”
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• July delivery
• Bedroom #1: 15×14
• Bedroom #2: 12×12
• Bedroom #3: 12×12

This 4-bedroom single family home at 4443 N. Mozart in Ravenswood Manor has been on the market for 11 months.

We last chattered about it in October 2011, when former Governor Blagojevich’s house came on the market just two blocks away. See our chatter here.

Some of you thought at $1.235 million that that was too pricey for this neighborhood.

Since then, it has been reduced another $40,000 to $1.195 million.

As you recall, the house was built in 1914.

It is on an extra wide 45×125 lot and has a rare side drive that leads to a 3-car garage.

It last sold in 2007 after having been in the same family for 42 years.

The original May listing said it was a “total renovation.”

The house now has a custom kitchen with Viking and Subzero appliances.

It also has a fully finished basement with an exercise room and one of the four bedrooms.

The other three bedrooms are on the second floor.

Blago’s house has since been pulled from the market so this house now has less competition.

What price will it take to get this sold?

Elizabeth Bleeker at Prudential Rubloff still has the listing. See the pictures here.

4443 N. Mozart: 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 3800 square feet, 3 car garage

• Sold in 1965
• Sold in November 2007 for $780,500
• Originally listed in May 2011 for $1.295 million
• Reduced
• Was listed in October 2011 for $1.235 million
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $1.195 million
• Taxes of $10,506
• Central Air
• 2 fireplaces
• Bedroom #1: 16×14 (second floor)
• Bedroom #2: 14×14 (second floor)
• Bedroom #3: 16×12 (second floor)
• Bedroom #4: 14×10 (lower level)
• Exercise room: 20×11 (lower level)

I didn’t even get a chance to go to Kenwood to get a picture of this 4-bedroom one story home at 4933 S. Ellis before it went under contract. (If I even could- as I don’t know how close this is to the President’s house.)

It went under contract in just 3 days.

Built in 1992, the listing says the one story house was “inspired by the style of C. F. A. Voysey.”

It has some unique features including the bedrooms divided into two separate wings with a semi-circular screened porch uniting the two areas.

It also has a heated greenhouse and is built on a massive 124.4×291 lot.

The house has central air and a one car garage.

The kitchen has white cabinets and white appliances.

Is Kenwood really this hot or was this just a unique property?

Miriam Zeltzerman at Urban Search has the listing. See the pictures here.

4933 S. Ellis: 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2944 square feet, 1 car garage

• Last sold in 1992 (no price provided)
• Originally listed in March 2012 for $1.195 million
• Under contract within 3 days
• Taxes of $9846
• Central Air
• Heated greenhouse
• Bedroom #1: 16×21
• Bedroom #2: 16×18
• Bedroom #3: 16×20
• Bedroom #4: 16×20

This 5-bedroom single family home at 6139 N. Northcott in Norwood Park (does this qualify as Old Norwood Park in this location?) has been on the market since February 2012.

Built in 1904, the house is on an oversized lot measuring 49×202.

There’s a chef’s kitchen with cherry cabinets, stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops.

The listing says there are baths on every level.

The house has a finished basement with a recreation room and a family room on the main level.

You also won’t have to worry about going up a lot of stairs to do the laundry as there are apparently two laundry rooms, one on the main level and a second on the third floor.

This house is just a few blocks from the Metra stop and is in the highly coveted Norwood Park Elementary school district.

Listed $101,000 under the 2006 price, is this priced to sell?

Lisa Sanders at Baird & Warner has the listing. See the pictures here.

6139 N. Northcott: 5 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, no square footage listed, 4 car parking

• Sold in March 1990 for $451,000
• Sold in January 2000 for $450,000
• Sold in February 2006 for $850,000 (per Redfin)
• Listed in February 2012 for $749,000
• Currently still listed for $749,000
• Taxes of $8977
• Central Air
• Bedroom #1: 20×11 (second level)
• Bedroom #2: 14×11 (second level)
• Bedroom #3: 16×14 (second level)
• Bedroom #4: 14×14 (third level)
• Bedroom #5: 13×10 (third level)
• Family room: 15×12 (main level)
• Recreation room: 22×22 (basement)

This 3-bedroom single family home at 1513 W. Montana in west Lincoln Park has been on and off the market nearly 5 years.

First listed in June 2007 for $949,000 it has been reduced to $699,000.

It has a contemporary interior with a vaulted ceiling and skylights.

The listing says there is a custom kitchen with granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances.

Built on a 25×125 lot, the house has a 2-car garage and a back deck.

There is no basement.

This house is located directly across the street from a bunch of new rowhouses that Belgravia is building called “Montana Row.”

Those will be 4 bedrooms, 4 baths, 2 half baths at 3200 square feet (also with a 2 car garage.)

Price points will be from $967,900 to $1.05 million.

Even though this house is smaller, at 2205 square feet, is it a deal compared to the new construction across the street?

Nicole Haley at Dream Town has the listing. See the pictures here.

1513 W. Montana: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2205 square feet, 2 car garage

• Sold in July 1996 for $349,000
• Sold in December 2002 for $655,000
• Originally listed in June 2007 for $949,000
• Reduced numerous times
• Currently listed at $699,000
• Central Air
• Bedroom #1: 19×12 (third floor)
• Bedroom #2: 10×12 (second floor)
• Bedroom #3: 12×9 (second floor)
• Loft: 12×9 (second floor)

We last chattered about this 4-bedroom Victorian at 1030 W. Roscoe in Lakeview over 2 years ago, in March 2010.

See our March 2010 chatter here.

At that time, the house was listed for $599,000 and we chattered about whether it was a deal.

Yes- that is the El directly behind the house.

In 2010, most of you thought that the El was a deal breaker.

It came back on the market to try again at the beginning of March 2011 at the price of $499,900 and has been reduced another $100 since then.

If you recall, it was built in 1884 on a 25×100 lot.

3 of the 4 bedrooms are on the second floor with the fourth bedroom on the main level.

The kitchen has maple cabinets and white appliances.

The basement is also finished.

The house has central air and a 2 car garage.

Is the market heating up enough to finally sell this house?

(We’ve seen other houses directly on the El line in, for instance, Lincoln Park, sell quickly.)

Ismael Perez at Exit Real Estate Partners now has the listing. See the pictures here (yes- some of them are very small. Sorry.)

1030 W. Roscoe: 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, no square footage listed, 2 car garage

• Sold in January 1997 for $175,000
• Sold in September 1997 for $245,000
• Listed in December 2008 for $699,000
• Reduced numerous times
• Was listed in July 2011 for $549,000
• Reduced
• Was listed on March 2, 2012 for $499,900
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $499,800
• Taxes of $9710
• Central Air
• Bedroom #1: 20×19 (second floor)
• Bedroom #2: 17×13 (second floor)
• Bedroom #3: 13×8 (second floor)
• Bedroom #4: 10×12 (main floor)

This 2-bedroom on the 48th floor in the Water Tower Residences at 180 E. Pearson in the Gold Coast recently came on the market.

It is bank owned.

Listed at $570,000, it is the cheapest unit on the market in the building.

The listing says it is in “original condition” (the building was built in 1975) and that the unit “needs updating.”

There are only a few pictures of the actual unit.

The listing also says it has north views of the shoreline.

Is a buyer getting a deal at this price, even if the entire unit needs to be renovated?

Jadranka Signoretto at Atlas Realty has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #4803: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, no square footage listed

• Last sold before 1987 (original buyer in 1975???)
• Lis pendens foreclosure filed in February 2011
• Bank owned in December 2011
• Currently listed at $570,000
• Assessments of $1480 a month (includes cable, doorman)
• Taxes of $12341
• Central Air
• Parking is rental in the building
• Bedroom #1: 17×13
• Bedroom #2: 12×13
• Living room: 15×15
• Dining room: 13×11
• Kitchen: 12×12

This 3-bedroom vintage rowhouse at 1840 W. Wabansia in Bucktown has been on the market since September 2011.

Built in 1893 on a smaller than standard 24×80 lot, it supposedly was a former 2-flat which was converted into a single family home.

There’s now a big master suite with bathroom and lots of closets on the third floor.

The other bedrooms are split- with one on the main level and one on the second floor.

The main living space still has some of its vintage features, such as millwork and moldings.

The kitchen is Scavolini.

Because of the small lot, there appears to be no backyard space but there is a rooftop deck along with a 2-car garage.

The rowhouse has been reduced $75,000 since September 2011.

With its prime location near the Damen street shops/restaurants of Bucktown, is this house now priced to sell?

Robert John Anderson at Baird & Warner has the listing. See the pictures here.

1840 W. Wabansia: 3 bedrooms, 4 baths, 2800 square feet, 2 car garage

• Last sold before 1988
• Originally listed in September 2011 for $825,000
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $750,000
• Taxes of $8410
• Central Air
• Bedroom #1: 19×12 (third floor)
• Bedroom #2: 14×12 (main level)
• Bedroom #3: 11×8 (second floor)
• Family room: 24×11 (main floor)

This 2-bedroom at 1250 S. Indiana in the South Loop recently came on the market priced at $228,000.

It is being sold “as is”.

The unit is also available under the “first look initiative until 4/12/2012.”

It is a southeast corner unit on the 10th floor with, the listing says, some lake views.

There are hardwood floors in the living/dining/kitchen area and carpet in the two bedrooms.

From the pictures, the kitchen appears to be intact with stainless steel appliances but no granite counter tops.

There is central air, a washer/dryer hook-up in the unit and there appears to be parking included (but that’s not 100% clear.)

Unit #1108 directly above it with a more upgraded kitchen is currently on the market for sale by owner at $350,000.

Unit #1308, which was a bank owned 2/1.5 bath unit (compared to this property with 2 full baths), sold in October 2011 for $208,000.

Is this a deal for someone looking for a basic South Loop in town to crash for the weekends?

Teresa Ryan at Ryan Hill Realty has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #1008: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, no square footage listed

• Sold in June 2008 for $294,500
• Lis pendens foreclosure filed in July 2010
• Currently listed “as is” for $228,000
• I can’t tell if parking is included or not- but it looks like it is
• Assessments of $508 a month (includes cable)
• Taxes of $3725
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer hook-up in the unit
• Bedroom #1: 13×10
• Bedroom #2: 10×12