Crib Chatter

This 2-bedroom at 1400 N. Lake Shore Drive in the Gold Coast has been on the market 14 months.

We’ve chattered about this building several times.

It was converted from apartments to condos in 2007 but it was already past the peak of the condo market.

You could buy a unit as-is or you could have gotten the upgrade package which included new baths and kitchen.

This unit is one of the larger units, with a separate dining room.

It has lake views.

The listing says the bathrooms are new and the kitchen has cherry cabinets, granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances.

There is no washer/dryer in the unit, no central air and no parking.

The unit is now listed about 38% off the 2007 purchase price at just $210,000.

Is this a deal?

Brent Rosenbower at Prudential Rubloff has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #11H: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, no square footage listed

• Sold in August 2007 for $344,000
• Originally listed in January 2010
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $210,000
• Assessments of $585 a month (includes doorman)
• Taxes of $3770
• No central air
• No washer/dryer in the unit
• No parking
• Bedroom #1: 12×17
• Bedroom #2: 10×13
• Kitchen: 7×7

We last chattered about this 2-bedroom townhouse at 2325 N. Wayne in Lincoln Park in April 2009 when it sold for $78,000 under the 2005 purchase price.

See our prior chatter here.

It is now listed for just $20,000 over the 2009 purchase price.

I was in this townhouse at an open house in 2009 when it was last on the market. It had older wallpaper and needed new paint.

From the listing, it appears that those cosmetic changes were made.

It also indicates there are new stainless steel appliances in the kitchen which has white cabinets and granite counter tops.

The two bedrooms are on the top floor and there is a first floor family room.

It has a 1-car attached garage and a second space on the parking pad. The townhouse community is gated.

What will this ultimately sell for just 3 years later?

Emily Smart Lemire at Coldwell Banker has the listing. See the pictures here.

2325 N. Wayne: 2 bedrooms, 3 baths, no square feet listed, 1 car garage plus parking pad

• Sold in August 2005 for $558,000
• Originally listed in October 2008 for $549,000
• Reduced
• Was listed in February 2009 for $499,000
• Sold in April 2009 for $480,000
• Currently listed for $500,000
• Assessments of $275 a month
• Taxes of $6579
• Central Air
• Bedroom #1: 13×15
• Bedroom #2: 14×11

This 2-bedroom brick ranch at 5646 N. Nottingham in Old Norwood Park recently came on the market.

It is just 1075 square feet but has a full basement.

Built in 1949 on a 50×100.5 lot, it has a side drive with a 1-car garage.

It looks to be an estate sale, as I couldn’t find any prior sales information.

It’s within walking distance of the blue line and is surrounded by more expensive homes.

Is this a deal for this neighborhood for those willing to put in some elbow grease?

Tina Marie Campbell at Baird & Warner has the listing. See the pictures here.

5646 N. Nottingham: 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, 1075 square feet, 1 car garage

• I couldn’t find any prior sales information
• Currently listed for $220,000
• Taxes of $860
• Central Air
• Bedroom #1: 12×10
• Bedroom #2: 11×10

We last chattered about this top floor 2 bedroom at 3705 N. Paulina in the Southport neighborhood of Lakeview in October 2011.

See our prior chatter here.

Many of you thought it was overpriced and would sell under $300,000 but some of you thought the neighborhood was great and that it would still sell for north of $300,000, especially since it had the parking space.

Since our last chatter, it has been reduced $15,000 to $334,500.

If you recall, the unit has a lot of the features that buyers look for including central air, in-unit washer/dryer and garage parking.

The unit also has a large east facing deck that overlooks the trees.

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

The listing also says its in the coveted Blaine school district.

Will this one finally find a buyer in this “hot” spring market at this new price point?

Mitch Gordon at Baird & Warner still has the listing. See more pictures here.

Unit #3: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1400 square feet

• Sold in April 2001 for $359,000
• Sold in September 2005 for $372,500
• Originally listed in September 2011 for $349,500
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $334,500
• Assessments of $192 a month
• Taxes of $5693
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Garage parking included
• Bedroom #1: 13×10
• Bedroom #2: 13×9

I’ve heard from many of you recently about multiple offers on properties all over the city, from condos in Bucktown to single family homes in Portage Park.

This 2-bedroom at 4627 N. Magnolia in Uptown came on the market on February 15, 2012.

Allegedly, there are multiple offers on it, although it hasn’t been marked as under contract yet on Redfin.

The unit has a ton of outdoor space, including both front and back decks totaling 350 square feet.

It has hardwood floors throughout the main living room and a family room off the kitchen.

The kitchen has maple cabinets, white counter tops and white appliances.

It also has the amenities buyers look for, including central air, washer/dryer in the unit and garage parking.

This unit is listed just $3,000 over the 2001 purchase price.

Is this such a deal that multiple buyers wanted to get in on it?

Or is it simply a sign of a change in the market?

Kim Hamburg at Coldwell Banker has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #1S: 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, 1400 square feet

• Sold in July 1992 for $109,000
• Sold in February 2001 for $226,000
• Originally listed on February 15, 2012 for $229,000
• Still listed at $229,000
• Under contract???
• Assessments of $200 a month
• Taxes of $2443
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Garage parking included
• Bedroom #1: 13×12
• Bedroom #2: 13×11

This 4-bedroom single family home at 3526 N. Marshfield in Lakeview just came on the market.

The listing describes it as a “historic prohibition era home once owned by a local celeb.”

(Bonus points for anyone who knows who that “local celeb” is. Hint: she sold the house in 1994 and you’ve seen her on tv.)

Built in 1889, it is on an irregular lot measuring 27.2×73.5x60x51.5 (I think???).

The listing says the house is being sold “as-is.”

All four bedrooms are on the second level and there is a family room in the basement.

The kitchen has dark cabinets and white appliances as well as a kitchen island.

The listing also says there are “ornately carved faces” on the exterior brick and “underground tunnels.” Alas, there are NO pictures of the tunnels in the listing (why not? The agent shouldn’t tease us like that.)

The house has central air and 1-car parking (I don’t know if it’s a parking spot or a garage or what).

And, in case you’re wondering, the house is well north of the Brown Line El so that is not a factor.

Compared to the townhouses and duplex downs in the neighborhood, is this a deal for a single family home?

David Bovyn at Kale Realty has the listing. See the pictures here.

3526 N. Marshfield: 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2500 square feet, 1 car parking

• Sold in July 1991 for $160,500
• Sold in February 1994 for $176,000
• Currently listed “as-is” for $550,000
• Taxes of $7958
• Central Air
• Bedroom #1: 20×12 (second floor)
• Bedroom #2: 15×13 (second floor)
• Bedroom #3: 16×12 (second floor)
• Bedroom #4: 9×12 (second floor)
• Family room: 30×17 (lower level)

We’ve chattered about this vintage 2-bedroom at 1024 W. Armitage in Lincoln Park several times over the past year.

The last time we chattered about it, in December 2011, it had been re-listed as a bank owned unit for not much more than the 1998 price at $389,000.

See our prior chatter here.

But it must have been a hot property at that price because the property closed for $52,000 over the original list price, or $441,000.

In our original chatter, anonny thought this would sell between $425k and $445k- and it turns out he was right on the money even with the bank originally listing it at $389k.

If you recall, the building was built in 1890.

The unit had 19 windows, including those in the turret.

The kitchen had white cabinets, black appliances and some kind of stone counters.

It had all the amenities that buyers look for including central air, washer/dryer in the unit and garage parking.

Did someone still get a deal, even with paying well over the list price?

Linda O’Donnell at Re/Max Signature had the listing.

You can see the original photos of the interior here. The bank actually painted the unit before re-listing it.

Unit #2: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, den, 1760 square feet

• Sold in June 1998 for $377,500
• Sold in November 1999 for $368,000
• Sold in April 2003 for $467,000
• Lis pendens filed in February 2009
• Originally listed in September 2010 for $599,000
• Reduced in March 2011 to $549,900
• Appears to be bank owned as of July 2011
• Was still listed in September 2011 at $549,900
• Withdrawn in late September
• Re-listed from the bank in December 2011 for $389,000 (included the parking)
• Sold in February 2012 for $441,000
• Assessments of $266 a month
• Taxes of $8481
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Bedroom #1: 13×14
• Bedroom #2: 15×13
• Office: 8×8

This 5-bedroom vintage unit at 2344 N. Lincoln Park West across the street from Lincoln Park recently came on the market.

Built in 1916, the listing describes it as a “Beaux Arts Beauty.”

It commands the entire floor of a 6-unit building with 4 exposures, including Lincoln Park and the lake front.

The building has an elevator and there is 2 car parking with the unit.

It has the features you would expect from construction in this era including crown molding and wainscotting.

The unit has a 35 foot foyer and a formal dining room.

It also has space pak cooling and a washer/dryer in the unit.

Is this a  good alternative for those who want the space, but not the hassle, of a single family home?

Karen Breen Elia at Re/Max has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #3: 5 bedrooms, 4 baths, 4250 square feet, 2 car parking

• I couldn’t find a prior sales price
• Currently listed for $2.8 million
• Assessments of $1890 a month (includes heat)
• Taxes of $17398
• Space pak cooling
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Bedroom #1: 19×14
• Bedroom #2: 13×13
• Bedroom #3: 14×11
• Bedroom #4: 16×13
• Bedroom #5: 11×10

This 5-bedroom modern construction single family home at 336 W. Wisconsin in Lincoln Park burst onto the market in June of 2011 to much publicity because part of the movie The Fugitive, with Harrison Ford, was filmed in it.

10 months later, it is still available and has been reduced $251,000 in that time.

Built in 1981 on a larger than average Chicago lot of 32×126, it has a lot of features you don’t normally find in single family homes including a sauna, an elevator and an indoor pool.

It also has a 3 car garage.

The kitchen has white cabinets and a stainless steel refrigerator.

There are 3 master suites.

Does being a movie location help, or hurt, to sell a property?

The other homes that were in movies that were recently on the market haven’t sold yet either. Those include the Home Alone house in Glencoe and the Ferris Bueller modern home in Highland Park.

Margaret Wilczek at Prudential Rubloff has the listing. See the pictures here.

336 W. Wisconsin: 5 bedrooms, 5 baths, 6129 square feet, 3 car garage

• Sold sometime before 1994 (?)
• Originally listed in June 2011 for $3.95 million
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $3.699 million
• Taxes of $48,845
• Central Air
• Sauna
• Elevator
• Indoor pool
• Bedroom #1: 15×19 (third floor)
• Bedroom #2: 12×22 (second floor)
• Bedroom #3: 13×16 (second floor)
• Bedroom #4: 13×14 (second floor)
• Bedroom #5: 14×18 (fourth floor)
• Family room: 17×20 (main floor)

This 4-bedroom single family home at 44 E. Elm in the Gold Coast came on the market in early February 2012 and was quickly reduced $300,000 to $4.2 million.

Originally built in 1881 on a 17×105 lot, the listing says it was “completely rebuilt” in 2010.

It now has a modern interior, including a massive skylight and heated walnut floors.

The listing says it has a “Florense kitchen” with Subzero, Wolf and Miele appliances.

There are 4 fireplaces and 2 laundry rooms.

The master suite is on the third floor with two bedrooms on the second and the fourth bedroom in the walk-out basement.

At 4500 square feet, it has a 2 car garage and central air.

Will this house command a price over $4 million on this street?

Jean Jernstedt at Koenig & Strey Real Living has the listing. See the pictures here.

44 E. Elm: 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 4500 square feet, 2 car garage

• Sold in November 1993 for $517,500
• Sold in June 1995 for $1.385 million
• Sold in June 2002 for $1.375 million
• Sold in August 2003 for $1.43 million
• Originally listed in early February 2012 for $4.5 million
• Reduced just days later
• Currently listed at $4.2 million
• Taxes of $29,084
• Central Air
• 4 fireplaces
• 2 laundry rooms
• Bedroom #1: 18×15 (third floor)
• Bedroom #2: 15×14 (second floor)
• Bedroom #3: 14×14 (second floor)
• Bedroom #4: 18×13 (walk-out basement)
• Family room: 15×18 (main level)