Crib Chatter

We chattered about this 2-flat at 2552 W. Iowa in West Town in November 2009.

See our previous chatter and pictures here.

It recently closed.

The 2 units were each 2 bedrooms, 1 bath with a 2 car garage.

Laundry was available in the unfurnished basement.

Already, one of the units is available for rent on Craigslist for $1150 a month. See the listing and a link to the YouTube video here.

Gary Lucido at Lucid Realty had the listing.

2552 W. Iowa: 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2 car garage, 2-units

• Sold in September 1992 for $56,000
• Sold in February 1993 for $97,000
• Sold in February 2002 for $274,000
• Was listed in November 2009 for $349,850
• Sold in January 2010 for $332,500
• Taxes of $3002
• No central air
• Washer/Dryer in the basement
• Unit #1: Rented for $1100
• Unit #2: Owner occupied
• Electric: $900
• Insurance: $1800
• Water: $500

We last chattered about this 2-bedroom single family home at 1802 W. Diversey in Lakeview in September 2009.

See our prior chatter and pictures here.

It was withdrawn from the market but has returned and is now reduced another $14,000.

It is now priced $25,000 under the 2006 purchase price.

The house has 2 bedrooms and a loft and its own 1-car garage.

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

The listing says it’s in the Burley School District.

Leigh Marcus at Keller Williams Lincoln Park now has the listing. See the pictures here.

1802 W. Diversey Unit #I: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1400 square feet, garage

• Sold in September 1996 for $214,500
• Sold in January 2000 for $295,000
• Sold in August 2006 for $410,000
• Was listed in September 2009 for $399,000
• Reduced
• Currently listed for $385,000
• Assessments of $150 a month
• Taxes of $6262
• Central Air
• Bedroom #1: 15×12
• Bedroom #2: 11×11

We last chattered about this 2-flat at 1542 W. Byron in Lakeview in July 2008.

See our prior chatter here.

Back then, it was a lively discussion with some saying that this was priced reasonably and others arguing it didn’t cash flow.

It is 18 months later and the seller is trying again at the same price.

The two units consist of:

1. Unit #1: 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, rented for $1200 a month
2. Unit #2: 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, rented for $1195 a month

There is no parking. The listing says the building is “land locked.”

There is central air and laundry in the basement.

Greg Viti at Koenig & Strey has the listing. See the pictures here.

1524 W. Byron: 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, no parking

• Sold in 1995 for $209,000
• Was listed in July 2008 for $499,900
• Withdrawn
• Currently listed for $499,900
• Taxes of $9452
• Separate central air/heat
• No parking

We last chattered about this large 1-bedroom in 600 N. Lake Shore Drive in October 2009.

See our prior chatter and pictures here.

It is still available and has been reduced another $10,000.

600 N. Lake Shore Drive are two new construction towers right on Lake Shore Drive

If you look at this recent report on the Streeterville market in 2009 from Vikas Wadhwa at Streeterville Homes, you can see the number of sales in the building in 2009 was up 17.6% compared to 2008, a rarity in the Streeterville high rises.

http://www.streetervillehomes.com/market-report.html

This unit has hardwood floors throughout and 9’4” ceilings.

It also has custom window treatments.

Laura Anderson at Belgravia Realty Group still has the listing. See more pictures and a virtual tour here.

Unit #3003: 1 bedroom, 1.5 baths, 1037 square feet

• Sold in July 2008 for $517,000 (don’t know if this included the parking- I’m assuming it did)
• Originally listed in July 2009 for $480,000 (parking extra)
• Reduced
• Was listed in October 2009 for $475,000 (plus $55,000 for parking)
• Reduced
• Currently listed for $465,000 (plus $55,000 for parking)
• Assessments of $336 a month
• Taxes are “new”
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit

This bank owned 2-flat at 3011 W. Ainslie in Albany Park came on the market in early January and has already been reduced once.

The brick property was built in 1921 and consists of two units.

1. Unit #1: 2 bedrooms, 1 bath
2. Unit #2: 2 bedrooms, 1 bath

There is a 2-car garage and a finished basement.

There doesn’t appear to be any central air.

The 2-flat is just steps from Ronan Park and the Chicago River.

It is also listed $24,100 under the 1990 purchase price.

Is this a steal?

Egle Vasiliauskiene at Amber Realty has the listing. See some pictures, including the interiors, here.

3011 W. Ainslie: 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, 2 car garage

• Sold in January 1990 for $244,000
• Sold in August 1995 for $236,000
• Sold in February 2007 for $455,000
• Lis pendens filed in March 2008
• Bank owned in November 2008 (for those of you wondering where the “shadow inventory” is- notice that it took this bank owned unit 14 months to return to the market)
• Originally listed in early January 2010 for $241,900
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $219,900
• Taxes of $6509
• No central air

Many homebuyers priced out of the single family home market look to townhouses for more space and privacy.

This 2-bedroom townhouse at 1439 N. Cleveland in Old Town has its own private fourth floor deck and single car garage.

Originally built by Smithfield in 1997, the two bedrooms are on the third floor. There is also an office/den on the fourth floor – which leads out to the private deck that has a gas line (for the all-important barbecue.)

The kitchen has maple cabinets and granite counter tops but it has black appliances which were the “in” appliances in the era when the townhouse was built.

The townhouse has been reduced by about $10,000 since it was first listed in October 2009.

Is this an attractive condo-alternative?

Burt Fujishima at Coldwell Banker has the listing. See the pictures here.

You can also see it in person at the Open House, this Sunday, Jan 31, from 12:00 to 2:00.

Unit #B: 2 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, 1860 square feet, 1 car private garage

• Sold in November 1997 for $205,000
• Sold in April 2000 for $307,500
• Sold in September 2002 for $367,500
• Originally listed in October 2009 for $399,000
• Reduced
• Currently listed for $389,900
• Assessments of $91 a month
• Taxes of $5762
• Central Air
• Bedroom #1: 12×10
• Bedroom #2: 11×9
• Office: 8×7 (fourth floor)

Are you tired of seeing the same cherry kitchen cabinets, granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances in every single property?

This 3-bedroom townhouse at 5252 N. Rockwell in Budlong Woods could be for you.

The listing acknowledges it needs some updating.

It has three bedrooms on the second floor and a full, finished basement. The kitchen also has real wood cabinets (could these be the originals from 1953?)

Additionally, it appears to have a larger backyard than most city townhouses.

Yes, it needs some work (and you’ll have to look past the pink carpet.) But those are cosmetic changes.

Meg Kravitz at Koenig & Strey has the listing. See more pictures here.

5252 N. Rockwell: 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, no square footage listed, assigned parking

• Sold in August 1991 for $114,000
• Sold in October 1995 for $120,000
• Originally listed in May 2009 for $279,900
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $269,900
• Taxes of $2734
• No central air- window units
• Finished basement
• Bedroom #1: 12×11
• Bedroom #2: 10×10
• Bedroom #3: 12×11

This 3-bedroom duplex at 1330 N. LaSalle in the Gold Coast has been on the market since October 2007.

It has now been reduced by $110,099 and the listing says it is in pre-foreclosure.

The unit isn’t small at 1900 square feet. All three bedrooms are generously sized and on the second floor.

The kitchen has been renovated with maple cabinets and granite counter tops.

There is central air, washer/dryer in the unit and a garage parking space.

The pictures show a large first floor walled in private patio adjacent to the living/dining area.

The listing does indicate, however, that there is a special assessment.

Is this a deal at this price?

Donald Marcus at Century 21 MB Real Estate has the listing. See the pictures 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
• Currently listed as a “pre-foreclosure” for $379,900
• Assessment of $393 a month
• Taxes of $5791
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• Bedroom #1: 16×14
• Bedroom #2: 17×11
• Bedroom #3: 15×10

This 3-bedroom unit at 2710 N. Kedzie in Logan Square was part of the apartments to condo conversion frenzy in 2007.

It has hardwood floors throughout and crown molding.

The listing calls the kitchen a “chef’s kitchen” with cherry cabinets, granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances.

The unit was recently reduced and is now $105,000 lower than the original list price.

It is also $86,000 under the 2007 purchase price. A lis pendens foreclosure was filed in November 2009.

The unit has central air and in-unit washer/dryer. There is no deeded parking but rental is just $65 a month.

It is located a short stroll from the Logan Square blue line stop.

Is this a deal?

Samantha Porter at @Properties has the listing. See the pictures here.

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

• Sold in March 2007 for $300,000
• Originally listed in October 2009 for $319,000
• Reduced
• Lis pendens foreclosure filed in November 2009
• Currently listed for $214,000
• Assessments of $216 a month
• Taxes of $3944
• Central Air
• In-unit washer/dryer
• Rental parking available for $65 a month
• Bedroom #1: 12×11
• Bedroom #2: 13×13
• Bedroom #3: 11×10

We last chattered about this 1-bedroom loft at 540 N. Lake Shore Drive in Streeterville in September 2009.

See our prior chatter and pictures here.

Since September, the unit was removed from the market after it rented but it has since come back on the market after the rental fell through.

It has also been reduced by $20,000.

The loft has 12 foot ceilings and a huge open layout.

It also has the authentic brick and timber ceilings that loft lovers like.

There is no washer/dryer in the unit (but the building does allow it to be added.) There is also no deeded parking but rental is available in the building.

Ryan D’Aprile at D’Aprile Realty has the listing. See more pictures here.

Unit #607: 1 bedroom, 1 bath, 1128 square feet

• Sold in April 1994 for $175,500
• Sold in December 2000 for $265,000
• Sold in July 2006 for $288,000
• Was listed in September 2009 for $319,000
• Withdrawn
• Re-listed and reduced
• Currently listed for $299,000
• OR available to rent for $1550 a month
• Assessments of $604 a month (includes heat, air conditioning, cable, doorman)
• Taxes of $3859
• Parking is rental
• Central Air
• No in-unit washer/dryer