Crib Chatter

This 3-bedroom Dutch Colonial single family home at 1721 W. 104th Place in Beverly came on the market in September.

It has retained much of its vintage charm.

At only 1500 square feet, two of its bedrooms are upstairs and the third on the main level.

It has central air.

Built in 1924, the house is on a double Chicago lot of 100×135 and has a two car garage.

104th Place is also known as Walter Burley Griffin Place and is a historic district.

It is home to the largest concentration of Prairie style homes in the city (7 of them designed by Walter Burley Griffin). The historic district runs from 1600 to 1800 west.

Is this house a nice condo alternative?

Carole Klein at City Point Realty has the listing. See more pictures here.

1721 W. 104th Place: 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, 1500 square feet, 2 car garage

• I couldn’t find a prior sales price
• Originally listed in September 2010 for $319,000
• Currently still listed for $319,000
• Taxes of $841
• Central Air
• Bedroom #1: 20×14 (second floor)
• Bedroom #2: 9×14 (second floor)
• Bedroom #3: 13×14 (main level)

The CEO for luxury homebuilder Toll Brothers, Douglas Yearley, gave an interview to Bloomberg yesterday discussing, what else, the state of the housing market.

As always, he is nothing if not optimistic.

“The recovery is here to stay,” Yearley, whose company is the largest U.S. luxury-home builder, said in an interview yesterday at Bloomberg’s headquarters office in New York. “I think 2011 will be an improving year, but I think 2012 will be a big year for us.”

The real estate industry, the trigger of the worst recession since the 1930s, is struggling to maintain a sustained recovery as foreclosures mount and the nation’s unemployment rate sticks close to 10 percent. The housing market will avoid a double-dip after reaching a bottom last year, Yearley, 50, said.

The company’s best markets aren’t really a surprise: New York, Washington DC and parts of North Carolina.

But the worst markets?

“Chicago to us is as bad as Las Vegas,” he said. “We sell more houses in Michigan than Illinois.”

Toll Brothers recently added 3,000 lots to its inventory, it’s biggest increase since 2005.

“We’re setting up for the next cycle,” Yearley said. “Housing brought this country down and we need housing to bring this country back.”

Toll Brothers CEO Sees Nascent Rebound in U.S. Home Sales as Worst Over [Bloomberg, John Gittelsohn and Monica Bertran, December 8, 2010]

This 3-bedroom duplex down at 3908 N. Wolcott in North Center just came on the market.

It had been a bank owned unit which was bought in October.

The bank owned listing said the property “needs work throughout” but according to the pictures, the kitchen looked intact with newer cabinets, granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances. There were no pictures of the bathrooms in the old listing.

The new listing says it’s a “great opportunity to acquire a newly renovated property @ a significant discount.”

2 of the 3 bedrooms are in the lower level along with a 15×14 family room.

There is a washer/dryer in the unit and central air but no deeded parking.

The kitchen has granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances. There are hardwood floors throughout the main level.

Is this really a great opportunity?

Elizabeth Lothamer at Jameson has the listing. (It is also agent owned). See the pictures here.

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

• Sold in November 2005 for $345,000
• Lis pendens foreclosure filed in January 2009
• Bank owned in April 2010
• Sold on October 22, 2010 for $147,000
• Originally listed in early December 2010 for $269,900
• Assessments of $250 a month
• Taxes of $4763
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• No Parking
• Bedroom #1: 13×12 (main floor)
• Bedroom #2: 12×10 (lower level)
• Bedroom #3: 10×8 (lower level)
• Family room: 15×14 (lower level)
• Den: 11×10 (main floor)

This 2-bedroom at 1719 N. North Park in Old Town has all the classic charm buyers look for in this neighborhood.

Located in a 1886 vintage walk-up, the unit has a large 18×8 New Orleans style porch off the back.

The listing says it has three exposures.

It also has a wood burning fireplace with a marble mantel.

The kitchen cabinets are white and there are white appliances. There are no granite counter tops.

The unit has modern amenities, such as central air and in-unit washer/dryer. But as is typical in Old Town, there is no deeded parking.

Phyllis Hall at Koenig & Strey has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #2: 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, 1200 square feet

• Sold in October 1992 for $185,500
• Sold in March 1995 for $168,000
• Sold in May 1997 for $202,500
• Sold in August 2002 for $336,000
• Originally listed in October 2010 for $389,000
• Currently still listed for $389,000
• Assessments of $381 a month (includes heat)
• Taxes of $3748
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• No parking
• Bedroom #1: 13×10
• Bedroom #2: 12×10

This 3-bedroom vintage high first floor unit at 616 W. Waveland in East Lakeview has been on the market since July 2010.

In that time, it has been reduced $89,000.

It is now listed at the 2005 purchase price. The listing says it is “priced below market”.

The building was constructed in 1935 and it has some of the features of the time period including a separate dining room, a sunroom, barrel ceilings and leaded glass.

The kitchen has 42 inch cabinets, stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops.

It has an in-unit washer/dryer but no central air (window units only.) There also is no parking but it is available to rent at The New York high rise, at 3660 N. Lake Shore Drive, which is across the street.

Is this a deal?

Scott Zelkin at @Properties has the listing. See the listing here.

Or you can see it in person at the Open House, Sunday Dec 12 from 12- 2:00 PM.

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

• Sold in March 1999 for $296,000
• Sold in September 2000 for $372,000
• Sold in December 2005 for $450,000
• Originally listed in July 2010 for $539,000
• Reduced several times
• Currently listed at $450,000
• Assessments of $450 a month (includes heat)
• Taxes of $6254
• No Central Air- only window units
• In-unit washer/dryer
• No parking
• Bedroom #1: 14×13
• Bedroom #2: 14×13
• Bedroom #3: 12×10
• Dining room: 21×13
• Sunroom: 12×12

We’ve been following the re-sale of this 2-bedroom authentic loft at 154 W. Hubbard, the loft building renovated by Studio Dwell in 2007, since November 2008 when it first came on the market.

It has been off and on the market in the more than 2-years since.

See our June 2010 chatter here.

In that time, it has been reduced $54,100.

The loft has exposed brick and timber ceilings.

It also has some more luxurious finishes including wide plank hardwood floors, and the kitchen has Italian cabinetry by Copat, granite counter tops and Jenn-Aire stainless steel appliances.

What will it take to finally sell this property?

Terri McAuley at Koenig & Strey Real Living now has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #404: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, no square footage listed

• Sold in October 2007 for $577,000
• Was listed in November 2008 for $599,000 (plus $35k for parking)
• Was listed in February 2009 for $599,000 (plus $35k for parking)
• Withdrawn
• Was listed in June 2010 for $589,000 (parking now $30k extra)
• Reduced in August 2010 to $549,900 (plus $30k for parking)
• Currently still listed at $549,900 (plus $30k for parking)
• Assessments of $219 a month
• Taxes are $8006
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Bedroom #1: 15×15
• Bedroom #2: 11×10
• Living room: 16×24
• Dining room: 10×9
• Kitchen: 13×9

You can buy (or rent) one of the most famous contemporary homes in Chicago at 1328 N. State Parkway in the Gold Coast.

Built in 1938, the house, known as the Florsheim Mansion, was designed by Andrew Rebori and then added onto by Bertrand Goldberg in the 1950s.

There are actually two separate townhouses with a courtyard and a large galley kitchen (designed by Goldberg) connecting the structures.

The listing says there are lake views from the living room and master bedroom.

It also has a 2-car garage on a 18.6×125 foot lot.

It has been listed since February 2010 and has been reduced $150,000 in that time.

Or, you can also now rent it for $8300 a month.

Watch an interesting video tour of the house with the owners describing its special features here.

Michael Rosenblum at Koenig & Strey has the listing. See the pictures here.

1328 N. State Parkway: 5 bedrooms, 5 baths, 4500 square feet, 2 car garage

• Sold in July 1998 for $517,500
• Sold in April 2006 for $2.23 million
• Originally listed in February 2010 for $2.5 million
• Reduced
• Currently listed for $2.35 million
• OR you can rent it for $8300 a month
• Taxes of $31,384
• Central Air
• Bedroom #1: 19×14 (third floor)
• Bedroom #2: 15×12 (third floor)
• Bedroom #3: 15×12 (third floor)
• Bedroom #4: 11×7 (main floor)
• Bedroom #5: 11×7 (main floor)

Everyone knows Lake Point Tower, the curved glass building at 505 N. Lake Shore Drive in Streeterville.

Built in 1968, the building towers over the waterfront with 720 units and views for miles up and down the coasts of Lake Michigan as well as the city skyline.

When built, it was among the first cities within a city with restaurants and stores on the first few levels as well a swimming pools and parks.

The building has been used in many movies, including most famously the Sandra Bullock film While You Were Sleeping (where her fantasy man, Peter Gallagher, lived in the building.)

Many famous people have also lived in the building, especially athletes, such as baseball player Sammy Sosa.

This 3-bedroom unit on the 68th floor has been on the market since May 2010.

It has views North, South, East and partially West from 36 windows along its curved walls.

The unit has a washer/dryer in the unit but there is no central air- only wall units. There is also leased parking, not deeded, in the building.

Does Lake Point Tower still hold its earlier prestige?

Jean Ward at Chicago Lakefront Properties has the listing. See the pictures here (but the link appears to be broken unless you are registered on one of the realtor sites- sorry!)

Unit #6804: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 3000 square feet

• Sold in December 1992 for $375,000
• Originally listed in May 2010 for $1.65 million
• Currently still listed for $1.65 million
• Assessments of $1824 a month (includes doorman and pool)
• Taxes of $15,371
• Leased Parking for $250 a month
• No central air- wall units
• In-unit washer/dryer
• Bedroom #1: 21×19
• Bedroom #2: 20×11
• Bedroom #3: 11×15

Since the link for that 3-bedroom isn’t working, you can also check out this 2300 square foot 2 bedroom on the 22nd floor. It also has the wall of windows.

Mia Wilkinson at Prudential Rubloff has this listing. See the pictures and virtual tour here.

Unit #2210: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2300 square feet

• Sold in May 1989 for $358,500
• Sold in January 1994 for $697,000
• Sold in September 1998 for $564,000
• Originally listed in July 2010 for $1.25 million
• Currently still listed for $1.25 million
• Assessments of $1,089 a month (includes cable, pool, doorman)
• Taxes of $6212
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Wall air conditioning
• Bedroom #1: 13×14
• Bedroom #2: 13×14

This 2-bedroom top floor condo at 536 N. Leavitt in the Smith Park neighborhood of West Town has some unique features.

It has its own private gallery staircase.

It also has skylights and roof rights along with exposed brick walls.

The unit has central air, in-unit washer/dryer and parking is included.

The listing also says it is at “pre-2002 pricing” as the unit is now listed $32,100 under the 2003 purchase price.

Is this a deal?

Deborah Hess at Conlon: The Real Estate Company has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #2: 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, 950 square feet

• Sold in October 2001 for $225,000
• Sold in April 2003 for $237,000
• Originally listed in Ocober 2010 for $214,900
• Reduced
• Currently listed for $204,900
• No assessment listed
• Taxes of $2650
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Parking included
• Bedroom #1: 13×10
• Bedroom #2: 10×8

This 3-bedroom top floor unit at 814 W. Roscoe in Lakeview is a rare creature as not only is it a vintage greystone unit but it also has the much coveted 3-bathrooms.

Converted into condos in 2006, the living/dining and kitchen area now sports an open layout with what the listing calls a “chef’s kitchen” with stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops.

It has 14 foot high ceilings and a fireplace.

The 3 bedrooms are also larger than what you might assume you’d find in a vintage unit.

The master bathroom is marble with a double vanity.

The property has the amenities buyers are looking for including central air, washer-dryer in the unit and 1-car parking.

The unit is listed just $1500 over the 2006 purchase price.

Brad Lippitz at Prudential Rubloff has the listing. See the pictures and a virtual tour here.

Unit #3W: 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, no square footage listed

• Sold in August 2006 for $587,500
• Originally listed in August 2010 for $589,000
• Currently still listed for $589,000
• Assessments of $251 a month
• Taxes of $8044
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Parking included
• Bedroom #1: 16×14
• Bedroom #2: 11×14
• Bedroom #3: 15×12