Crib Chatter

We chattered about this 2-flat at 2610 N. Mildred in Lincoln Park in early January 2010 just before the bank took possession.

See our prior chatter here.

It is still on the market and has since been reduced by $92,000.

It is now listed for $103,050 under the 2003 purchase price.

As you recall, each of the units are 2 bedrooms, 1 bath.

There are hardwood floors and eat in kitchens.

The listing still says the property is in “need of updating but has great potential.”

The house was built in 1878 and is on a smaller than standard Chicago lot of 33×75. There is no parking.

At what point is this a deal simply for the land?

Arthur Cirignani at Chicago Realty Partners still has the listing. See the pictures here.

2610 N. Mildred: 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2-flat

• Sold in October 2003 for $527,000
• Lis pendens filed in March 2009
• Was listed in January 2010 for $515,950
• Bank owned in January 2010
• Reduced
• Was listed in February 2010 for $439,950
• Reduced
• Currently listed for $423,950
• Taxes of $9544
• No central air
• No parking

This 2-bedroom rowhouse at 2343 W. Altgeld in Logan Square was built in 1911.

At 1500 square feet, it has 2-bedrooms on the second floor, an unfinished basement, a backyard and a 1.5 car private garage.

There are hardwood floors throughout.

The kitchen has white cabinets and appliances.

The rowhouse has the other bells and whistles buyers look for like central air. It also has a full bath with each bedroom on the second level.

Is this rowhouse a good condo alternative?

Sean Glascott at Koenig & Strey has the listing. See the pictures here.

2343 W. Altgeld: 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 1.5 car garage, 1500 square feet

• Sold in October 1988 for $56,000
• Sold in March 1990 for $230,000 (?)
• Bank owned in June 1995
• Sold in September 1995 for $81,000
• Sold in December 1995 for $95,000
• Sold in August 1999 for $172,000
• Sold in October 2003 for $305,000
• Originally listed in May 2009
• Currently listed at $299,000
• Taxes of $4500
• Central Air
• Unfinished basement
• Bedroom #1: 17×15
• Bedroom #2: 12×10

We have chattered about this 4-bedroom sprawling pre-war vintage condo at 411 W. Briar several times since last August.

See our November 2009 chatter and pictures here.

Since that time, it has been reduced by $145,000 and is now $145,000 under the 2006 purchase price.

It has more space than most single family homes at this price point, including a dining room and a sun room

The unit has central air and an in-unit washer/dryer. There is no deeded parking, however. It is available for lease in the neighborhood.

Will this property finally see a buyer at this price?

Claire Sylvestre at Prudential Rubloff still has the listing. See more pictures here.

Unit #3D: 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2600 square feet

• Sold in March 1995 for $267,500
• Sold in August 1997 for $265,000
• Sold in March 2006 for $535,000
• Was listed in August 2009 for $535,000
• Reduced
• Was listed in November 2009 for $494,900
• Reduced
• Currently listed for $390,000
• Assessments of $901 a month (includes heat, tv/cable, security system)
• Taxes of $5881
• Central Air
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• No parking (leased)
• Bedroom #1: 17×13
• Bedroom #2: 14×14
• Bedroom #3: 14×13
• Bedroom #4: 10×9

We last chattered about this 3-bedroom duplex condo at 1330 N. LaSalle in the Gold Coast in January 2010 after it had been on the market over 2 years and was listed as a “pre-foreclosure.”

See our January 2010 chatter here.

At that time it had been reduced by $110,099.

The bank finally took possession in March 2010 and immediately re-listed it for sale at a further reduced price.

The unit is now listed just $9,900 over the 2000 purchase price.

There are no interior pictures with the new listing, but we know from the January chatter that the kitchen had been renovated with maple cabinets and granite counter tops.

Since there are no current interior pictures, however, it’s unclear what remains inside the property.

There was also a walled-in patio off the living/dining rooms.

All three bedrooms are on the second level. It also has central air, an in-unit washer/dryer and a parking spot.

Is this a steal for this amount of space in this location?

Susanne Lenz-Cassare at Re/Max Regency now has the listing. See the listing here.

Unit #106: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 1 car garage, 1900 square feet

• Sold in February 1992 for $215,000
• Sold in July 1998 for $253,000
• Sold in May 2000 for $340,000
• Lis pendens in February 2009
• Originally listed in October 2007 for $489,999
• Reduced numerous times
• Was listed as a “pre-foreclosure” in January 2010 for $379,900
• Bank owned as of March 2010
• Currently listed for $349,900
• Assessment of $416 a month
• Taxes of $5759
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Bedroom #1: 16×14
• Bedroom #2: 17×11
• Bedroom #3: 15×10

It’s been over a year since we chattered about CMK’s South Loop modern high rise at 1720 S. Michigan.

When I first started this blog in 2007, it was among the first new construction buildings I covered and flippers were still in the game trying to flip their units which had just closed.

See the October 2007 chatter here.

This 1-bedroom unit on the 18th floor has been on the market for several weeks.  It is currently the cheapest 1-bedroom for sale in the building.

1720 S. Michigan is enormous, in terms of the number of units. It totals 498 units.

This 1-bedroom is one of the smaller 1-bedroom units.

But it still has hardwood floors, central air, an in-unit washer/dryer, and stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops in the kitchen.

The price also includes the parking.

It is currently listed for $78,000 under the 2007 purchase price.

Is this a deal?

Victoria Watzlawick at Exit Platinum Realty has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #1813: 1 bedroom, 1 bath

• Sold in October 2007 for $243,000 (included the parking)
• Currently listed for $165,000 (including the parking)
• Assessments of $300 a month (includes heat and air conditioning)
• Taxes of $2772
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Bedroom: 11×11
• Living room: 16×10
• Kitchen: 13×7

For many people, the location of this 2-bedroom english garden unit at 1969 N. Lincoln in East Lincoln Park is ideal.

It is close to Lincoln Park, the Zoo and the lake as well as the restaurants and shopping of Old Town and Armitage Street.

This 2-bedroom garden unit has similar bells and whistles of the above-ground units including hardwood floors, exposed brick, central air and an in-unit washer/dryer.

It also has a wood burning fireplace which is something you don’t see every day in a garden unit.

The listing says it has a remodeled bath. The kitchen has white cabinets and appliances.

Mark Goldberg at Prudential Rubloff has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #1: 2 bedrooms, 1 bath

• Sold in May 2006 for $272,000
• Originally listed in March 2010 for $299,000
• Reduced
• Currently listed for $275,000
• Assessments of $112 a month
• Taxes of $3071
• Central Air
• No parking
• In-unit washer/dryer
• Bedroom #1: 13×10
• Bedroom #2: 10×8
• Living room: 18×15
• Kitchen: 15×9

We last chattered about this 3-bedroom top floor duplex unit with a rooftop terrace at 1920 N. Seminary in Lincoln Park in October 2009.

See our prior chatter here.

We got into quite a discussion as to whether this building, the Seminary Flatirons Building, was actually listed on the national historic register as the October listing said it was (and there was a plaque on the building.)

In the current listing, there is no reference to the building being historic.

But it still has 12 foot ceilings and exposed brick.

The kitchen has white cabinets and white appliances.

All three bedrooms are on the second floor.

It also has central air, washer/dryer in the unit and garage parking is included. And, of course, the private rooftop terrace.

The listing price is the same as last October.

Ken Jungwirth at @Properties still has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #A: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1550 square feet

• Sold in March 1993 for $236,000
• Sold in February 2001 for $385,000
• Originally listed in August 2009 for $575,000 (parking included)
• Reduced twice
• Was listed in October 2009 for $539,000 (parking included)
• Withdrawn
• Re-listed and currently priced at $539,000 (parking included)
• Assessments of $312 a month
• Taxes of $6173
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Bedroom #1: 18×15
• Bedroom #2: 14×14
• Bedroom #3: 11×10

We keep chattering about this 5-bedroom distinctive single family home in Old Town at 1722 N. North Park.

How can you not notice it when you drive or walk down the street?

On the market for 10 months, it has now been reduced by $405,000.

If you’ll recall, the home has been completely renovated.

The old listing said it was an “eco-friendly” restoration but the new listing has removed those terms.

Lack of parking with the house has been the source of much chatter since this house first appeared on the market. The old listing was offering 2 years of prepaid parking. The new listing says 1 year.

See our December 2009 chatter here.

Karen Peterson at Coldwell Banker now has the listing. See the pictures here.

 1722 N. North Park: 5 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, plus family room, 4500 square feet

• Sold in July 2007 for $1.435 million (per the Tribune)
• Was listed in June 2009 for $2.3 million
• Reduced
• Was listed in September 2009 for $2 million
• Reduced
• Was listed in December 2009 for $1.985 million
• Reduced
• Currently listed for $1.895 million
• Taxes of $16,848
• No parking – but one year paid for by the seller
• Central Air

We’ve chattered about this pre-war building at 3300 N. Lake Shore Drive in Lakeview before.

This 3-bedroom unit just came on the market well below the same tier units currently on the market in the building.

It is bank owned.

There are no interior pictures so we don’t know the condition of the unit other than that the listing says it is in “need of significant renovation and is priced accordingly.”

It has the bones of a 1920 building with a separate dining room and the large room sizes.

However, there is no in-unit washer/dryer, no central air (only window units) and no parking. It is leased nearby.

Some configurations of this floorplan call this a 2-bedroom with den.

There are two other “C” units currently available where you can see what the interiors look like:

1. Unit #3C: on the market for 12 days and listed at $449,000. Brian Loomis at Coldwell Banker has the listing. See the interior pictures here.
2. Unit #5C: on the market for 376 days and listed at $459,000. Mike Liska at Prudential Rubloff has the listing. See the interior pictures here.

Is this a deal at this price for the space on Lake Shore Drive?

Matt Garrison at Coldwell Banker has the listing. See the listing here.

Unit #15C: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 1800 square feet

• Sold in July 1996 (I can’t find an original sales price)
• Lis pendens in August 2008
• Bank owned in March 2010
• Currently listed for $259,900
• Assessments of $950 a month (includes heat)
• Taxes of $6620
• No central air- window units
• No parking
• No in-unit washer/dryer

If you’re looking to buy right now, you might have seen quite a few bonuses being thrown your way to get under contract before the tax credit expires on April 30 (remember you must be under contract by the 30th but have until the end of June to actually close on the property.)

This 2-bedroom unit at 2970 N. Lake Shore Drive in Lakeview has one of those incentives.

The listing says the seller will pay $3,000 to the buyer towards closing costs if under contract by April 30.

The unit has hardwood floors as well as a dining room.

The kitchen has white appliances. There is no central air (wall units only) nor washer/dryer in the unit.

There appears to be assigned parking with the unit, however.

While the building is on the lake, the listing isn’t clear whether the unit has lake views. The listing says it has “awesome seasonal views of the park.”

What will happen to the entry-level market once the tax credit expires at the end of the month?

Mary Harrington at Coldwell Banker has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #6A: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, no square footage listed

• Sold in May 1992 for $109,000
• Sold in May 1997 for $127,000
• Originally listed in March 2009
• Currently listed for $269,800
• Assessments of $608 a month (includes heat, doorman, cable)
• Taxes of $2541
• No central air- there are wall units
• No in-unit washer/dryer
• Parking included
• Bedroom #1: 18×12
• Bedroom #2: 13×13
• Living room: 16×14
• Kitchen: 10×8
• Dining room: 16×10