Crib Chatter

This 3-bedroom vintage rowhouse at 5252 N. Magnolia in the Lakewood Balmoral historic district in Andersonville came on the market in August 2011.

Built in 1898 on a 25×123 lot, the listing says it was “gutted” 5 years ago.

The rowhouse has cherry hardwood floors and custom cabinets in the living room.

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

All 3 bedrooms are on the second floor and there is a lower level family room.

The rowhouse has a flagstone patio and a 2-car garage.

It also has central air.

Is this priced to sell for the location?

Edward Hester at Dream Town has the listing. See the pictures here.

5252 N. Magnolia: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 3100 square feet, 2 car garage

• Per redfin it sold in January 1998 for$212,500
• Per refin it sold in October 2002 for $728,000
• Sold in August 2007 for $770,000
• Originally listed in August 2011 for $699,000
• Currently still listed at $699,000
• Taxes of $12,831
• Central Air
• Bedroom #1: 13×15 (second floor)
• Bedroom #2: 11×18 (second floor)
• Bedroom #3: 10×10 (second floor)
• Family room: 21×17 (lower level)

We last chattered about this 2-bedroom at 917 W. Belle Plaine in the Buena Park neighborhood of Uptown in March 2011.

See our March 2011 chatter here.

7 months later, the unit is still available and has been reduced $30,000.

It is now priced just $1,000 above the 2004 purchase price.

Back in March, many of you thought it wouldn’t get a premium to the 2004 price given that it only had 1 bath.

But some of you thought it would ultimately sell around $275,000.

If you recall, the listing says it was a total gut rehab.

While the building is a vintage building, very little of the vintage finishes remain.

The unit has a bay window in the living room.

The kitchen has granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances.

There is hardwood floors throughout and a bay window in the living room.

It has the modern amenities of central air, washer/dryer in the unit and deeded parking.

How important is it to list the property correctly out of the gate in this market?

Jennifer Lane at Keller Williams still has the listing. See the pictures here.

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

• Sold in July 2004 for $299,000
• Was listed in March 2011 for $330,000
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $300,000
• Assessments of $246 a month
• Taxes of $4618
• Central Air
• In-unit washer/dryer
• Parking included
• Bedroom #1: 15×11
• Bedroom #2: 15×11
• Bedroom #3: 14×8

This 2-bedroom duplex-up at 1020 W. Armitage in Lincoln Park just came on the market.

Both bedrooms are on the second floor.

The unit also has a small office and a private roof top deck on the third level.

It has in-unit washer/dryer, central air and a heated garage.

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

The unit is a short stroll to the Armitage El stop and is surrounded by shops and restaurants.

Is this a good townhouse alternative?

Jeff Lowe at Prudential Rubloff has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #3D: 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, duplex-up, no square footage listed, parking included

• The ccrd was down over the weekend but per redfin the last sale was December 1997 for $310,000
• Currently listed for $549,000
• Assessments of $369 a month
• Taxes of $8260
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Private roof deck
• Bedroom #1: 14×15 (second level)
• Bedroom #2: 11×15 (second level)
• Office: 11×5 (third level)

We last chattered about this 3-bedroom at 707 W. Junior Terrace in the Buena Park neighborhood of Uptown in July 2011.

See our prior chatter here.

The unit is a short sale and has been reduced $50,000 since July.

If you recall, the midrise building was built in 1927 and has 14 units.

Like many vintage buildings of this era, the unit has big room sizes and includes a full sized dining room and family room.

It has arched ceilings in the foyer, crown molding and a fireplace.

The kitchen has stainless steel appliances and stone counter tops.

There is space pac cooling and an in-unit washer dryer.

It looks like the parking is available for rent (not sure if this is just in the neighborhood or in the building.)

Back in July, most of you liked this property but thought it would sell for around $500,000 to $550,000 given that it was in Uptown and not in Lakeview.

Given that it’s now listed at $550,000, is it now priced to sell?

Greg Desmond at Prudential Rubloff still has the listing. See more pictures here.

Unit #5: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, no square footage listed (but somewhere around 3000 based on other units in the building)

• Sold in March 1996 for $168,000
• Sold in February 2000 for $308,000
• Sold in May 2004 for $665,000
• Sold in July 2006 for $690,000
• Originally listed in February 2009 for $839,000
• Withdrawn from the market in January 2010
• Was listed in July 2011 as a “short sale” at $600,000
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $550,000
• Assessments of $1183 a month(includes heat, gas)
• Taxes of $4512
• Space pac cooling
• In-unit washer/dryer
• Rental parking
• Bedroom #1: 17×12
• Bedroom #2: 16×11
• Bedroom #3: 11×8
• Family room: 19×15
• Living room: 19×15
• Dining room: 17×12
• Kitchen: 25×12

This 3-bedroom penthouse at 2124 W. Division in West Town has been on the market since August 2011.

In that time, it has been reduced $90,000.

It is bank owned and now listed at $259,900.

From the pictures, it appears that at least part of the kitchen is intact and there are some appliances (the picture only shows half the kitchen.)

There are cathedral ceilings and skylights.

2 of the three bedrooms are on the main floor with the third bedroom/family room on the upper level.

Unit #6 in the building, also a duplex up, is also on the market and it is being marketed as a 2-bedroom with an upper level family room.

The unit also has a roofdeck, central air, washer/dryer hook-up in the unit and 2-car tandem parking.

Is this a steal?

Jason Shapiro at Rising Realty has the listing. See the pictures here.

2124 W. Division: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, duplex-up, no square footage listed

• The ccrd site is down- but it looks like it may have sold in April 2002 for $328,000 (?)
• Bank owned
• Originally listed in August 2011 for $349,900
• Reduced several times
• Currently listed for $259,900
• Assessments of $175 a month
• Taxes of $10,894
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer hook-ups
• Fireplace
• Bedroom #1: 12×12 (main level)
• Bedroom #2: 11×10 (main level)
• Bedroom #3/Family room: 22×12 (second level)
• Den: 13×10 (main level)

We’ve been chattering about 3-bedroom Lincoln Park units a lot recently.

This 3-bedroom duplex down at 1049 W. Montana in Lincoln Park has been on the market since June 2011.

In that time, it has been reduced $40,000 to $399,000.

It has all the features buyers look for including central air, parking and in-unit washer/dryer (in this case a full sized stackable.)

2 of the 3 bedrooms are in the lower level.

It also has a separate dining room.

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

The listing says the master bath has been “redone” and has marble floors.

Is this a deal?

Millie Rosenbloom at Baird & Warner has the listing. See the pictures here.

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

• Sold in March 1996 for $236,500
• Sold in January 2007 for $445,000
• Originally listed in June 2011 for $439,000
• Reduced
• Currently listed for $399,000
• Assessments of $247 a month
• Taxes of $7220
• Central Air
• In-unit washer/dryer
• Parking included
• Bedroom #1: 15×11 (lower level)
• Bedroom #2: 11×10 (lower level)
• Bedroom #3: 11×8 (main level)

This 2 bedroom in the One Place Condos at 1 E. 8th in the South Loop has been listed since May 2011.

In that time it has been reduced $9,000.

This 91-unit building was new construction in 2007/2008.

This unit has a balcony that overlooks State Street.

While the unit is a 2/2, it is just 850 square feet.

The kitchen has the finishes you would expect from the era including cherry cabinets, granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances.

The unit also has central air and washer/dryer in the unit. There isn’t parking with this unit, but it appears to be available for $35,000 in the building.

The listing touts it as being close to all the colleges and law schools nearby.

It’s now priced $45,000 under the 2008 price.

Is this a deal for a student at one of the nearby schools (with help from the parents)?

Or is the era of buying condos for your kid while they’re in school now over?

Therese Waldron at Coldwell Banker has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unti #807: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 850 square feet

• Sold in October 2008 for $295,000
• Originally listed in May 2011 for $259,000
• Reduced
• Currently listed for $250,000
• Assessments of $361 a month (includes heat and cable)
• Taxes of $4623
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• No parking- but it appears to be available in the building for $35,000
• Bedroom #1: 12×10
• Bedroom #2: 12×10
• Living room: 15×13
• Kitchen: 9×7

I’m going on vacation next week so there will be more limited postings.

The September home sales report is also due out next week, on Oct 20, but I will still be providing an update on that info – even though G has so kindly already posted the September numbers in one of the threads.

Remember: try to play nice with each other when I am gone.

I hope I don’t have to leave the beach to address any “issues” as I have had to do in the past (you know what I’m talking about.)

I always think “there’s no way the discussion will develop into anything out of control on these properties” and then, lo and behold, something DOES develop.

In the meantime, keep sending me tips on properties.

I do check out every tip you send me. I can’t see what’s going on in every corner of the city at all times. I rely on all of you to be my eyes and ears.

Thanks!

See you in a week-

Sabrina

This 2-bedroom loft in the Union Square Lofts at 333 W. Hubbard in River North has been on the market since August 2011.

It is bank owned and has been reduced $9100 in that time.

It is in the concrete portion of the building, so it has concrete ceilings and some exposed brick along the wall of windows.

The loft appears to be south facing- as the balcony looks into the Merchandise Mart.

From the pictures, the kitchen and baths appear to be intact.

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

It appears from the pictures that only one of the bedrooms has windows.

The loft has all the features buyers look for including central air, washer/dryer in the unit and parking.

This unit is a Fannie Mae Homepath property.

The listing says: “Seller is offering for Owner Occupant purchaser(s) up to 3.5% of final sales price to be used as closing costs assistance, must close by Oct. 31, 2011 to be eligible”

How much has changed in the Chicago housing market in just the last few years?

In the 2007 listing for this loft it says:  “Little updating-instant equity!”

This is the cheapest 2/2 loft currently listed in the building.

It is now listed 38%, or $180,100, under the 2008 purchase price.

Is this a deal?

[You’ll notice that Fannie Mae has now owned it for a year.]

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

Unit #417: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, no square footage listed

• Sold in March 1998 for $148,000
• Sold in September 2001 for $375,000 (typo?- should it be $275,000?)
• Sold in February 2006 for $359,500 
• Sold in January 2008 for $475,000
• Lis pendens foreclosure filed in August 2009
• Bank owned in October 2010
• Originally listed in August 2011 for $304,000
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $294,900 (includes the parking)
• Assessments of $541 a month (includes a/c, gas, cable)
• Taxes of $3948
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Bedroom #1: 13×13
• Bedroom #2: 13×12

This 5-bedroom American 4-Square at 1530 W. Touhy in Rogers Park just came on the market.

It is bank owned.

Built in 1916 on an oversized 50×164 lot, 3 bedrooms are on the second floor and 2 are on the third.

It also has an unfinished basement and a 2 car garage.

Unfortunately, the listing doesn’t have any interior pictures. So we have no idea what the condition on the inside of the house is like except the listing says the house is “just waiting to be rehabbed.”

It also doesn’t appear to have central air.

The house last sold in 2005 for $525,000 and is now listed by Freddie Mac at $192,500.

Could this be a steal?

Sally Crachy at Applebrook Realty has the listing. See the picture of the house and the listing here.

1530 W. Touhy: 5 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 3425 square feet, 2 car garage

• Sold in June 1994 (no price listed)
• Sold in June 2005 for $525,000
• Lis pendens foreclosure filed in November 2009
• Bank owned in June 2011
• Currently listed for $192,500
• Sold “as is”
• Taxes of $8452
• No central air
• Bedroom #1: 15×21 (second floor)
• Bedroom #2: 12×15 (second floor)
• Bedroom #3: 12×15 (second floor)
• Bedroom #4: 12×12 (third floor)
• Bedroom #5: 11×13 (third floor)