Crib Chatter

We’ve chattered about several rowhomes on Alta Vista, the historic street in Lakeview which was modeled after London neighborhoods, over the last two years including this 3-bedroom one at 3832 N. Alta Vista.

See our September 2009 chatter here.

It is still available and has been reduced by $101,000.

It is on the side of the street that does have the garages, so the rowhouse has a 1 car garage and a small brick paved backyard.

All 3 bedrooms are on the second floor, though the listing says the third bedroom has no closet (so it’s really a den) but it is being used as a bedroom currently.

There is a newer office in the lower level. The rowhouse also has central air.

The kitchen has oak cabinets and sports a mixture of white and black appliances.

At this price point, is the lack of an updated kitchen with stainless steel appliances a dealbreaker?

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

3832 N. Alta Vista Terrace: 3 bedrooms, 4 baths, 1 car garage, 2100 square feet

• Sold in June 1992 for $318,000
• Sold in January 1994 for $325,000
• Was listed in September 2009 for $800,000
• Reduced
• Currently listed for $699,000
• Taxes of $7597
• Central Air
• Bedroom #1: 11×10
• Bedroom #2: 12×9
• Bedroom #3: 10×8

Some buyers want the feeling of a single family home but don’t want the maintenance associated with it. For them, this 4-bedroom triplex unit at 1821 N. Larrabee in Lincoln Park might be the perfect alternative.

This is a new construction unit in a two-unit building.

It has all the bells and whistles of a luxury property including a wine cellar in the lower level.

Three out of the four bedrooms are located on the second level (along with two baths.) The fourth bedroom is in the lower level.

It also has two fireplaces and a 400 square foot deck on the garage.

First listed in May 2009, it has been reduced by $200,000.

Mario Greco at Prudential Rubloff has the listing. See more pictures and a virtual tour here.

Unit #1: 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, 4050 square feet, triplex

• New construction
• Originally listed in May 2009 for $1.399 million
• Reduced
• Currently listed for $1.199 million
• Assessments of $304 a month
• Taxes are “new”
• 2 fireplaces
• 3 outdoor spaces
• Lower level wine cellar
• Family room
• Bedroom #1: 16×13
• Bedroom #2: 19×12
• Bedroom #3: 13×10
• Bedroom #4: 19×14 (lower level)

This large bank owned 1-bedroom unit at 1439 W. Elmdale in Edgewater is in an older court yard building on a tree lined street.

It doesn’t have central air or parking (though the listing says it does have parking- if you know the building and the street- it’s clear it does not). The listing doesn’t say if it has a washer/dryer in the unit (but I know other units in the building do have it.)

The unit was originally listed in mid-December and has since been reduced by $5,000.

There are no interior pictures of the unit, so it’s unclear if the kitchen and bathroom are intact.

This is no small 1-bedroom unit. It appears to have a full-sized dining room and large kitchen.

Are we getting closer to cash flow positive investing in Edgewater?

Michael Olszewski at Area Wide Realty has the listing. See the exterior pictures here.

Unit #1S: 1 bedroom, 1 bath, dining room

• Sold in March 1995 for $60,000
• Sold in March 1999 for $14,626
• Lis pendens in November 2008
• Bank owned in June 2009
• Originally listed in December 2009 for $89,500
• Reduced
• Currently listed for $84,900
• Assessments of $220 a month (includes heat)
• Taxes of $2158
• No central air
• No washer/dryer in the unit
• Listing says there is a parking space- but the building doesn’t have parking
• Bedroom: 16×18
• Living room: 16×15
• Dining room: 14×15
• Kitchen: 12×12

Chatterers had much to say about this 3-bedroom 2-story home at 3442 N. Paulina in Lakeview when we last chattered about it in November 2009.

It had been on and off the market since May, after having gone into contract at least once.

Built in 1888, it had no parking, but it had new HVAC, plumbing, electric and bamboo floors.

Elizabeth Bleeker at Prudential Rubloff had the listing. (If you are registered with Redfin, you can see pictures by putting in the address.)

3442 N. Paulina: 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, no square footage listed (but in May 2009 it said 1600 square feet)

• Sold in September 1988 for $106,000
• Sold in June 1991 for $136,000
• Was listed in May 2009 for $399,500
• Under contract in 3 days
• Re-listed several times
• Reduced
• Was listed in November 2009 at $385,000
• Sold in December 2009 for $365,000
• Taxes of $5593
• Central Air
• No Parking
• Bedroom #1: 20×13 (second level)
• Bedrooms #2: 12×10 (second level)
• Bedroom #3: 10×10 (second level)
• Living room: 14×13
• Dining room: 13×11
• Kitchen: 10×14

We chattered about this cute starter 1-bedroom loft condo at 20 N. State in the Loop several times. 

See our October 2009 chatter and pictures here.

The loft had authentic brick features and concrete ceilings. There was a lofted bedroom which freed up space for a dining room underneath.

The buyer would also have a short commute to any loop job and wouldn’t have to worry about the CTA or Metra.

The loft had all the amenities buyers look for except parking.

Linda Hoffman at Prudential Rubloff had the listing.

Unit #1002: 1 bedroom, 1 bath, 716 square feet

• Sold in May 2003 for $123,000
• Was listed in June 2009 for $198,000
• Reduced
• Was listed in October 2009 for $189,900
• Sold in December 2009 for $176,500
• Assessments of $361 a month (includes heat, AC and the internet)
• Taxes of $1866
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in unit
• No parking
• Living room: 21×11
• Dining room: 10×9
• Kitchen: 11×6
• Bedroom: 11×9

We’ve chattered numerous times about The Vetro, at 611 S. Wells in the South Loop over the past 2 years.

We’ve covered everything from the first attempted flips to the auctions and now there is a short sale that recently came on the market.

This unit was purchased in 2007, well before the developer held the auction in March 2009 and prices were cut.

It’s a 2 bedroom, 2 bath with what looks to be the standard Vetro finishes. The listing says it’s the only 2/2 available for sale in the building.

Is this unit even much of a deal?

Unit #1206, two floors below, sold in November 2009 for $307,500.

Sara McMurray at Coldwell Banker has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #1406: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1343 square feet

• Sold in November 2007 for $488,500 (included parking)
• Currently listed as a “short sale” for $349,900 (includes the parking)
• Assessments of $430 a month
• Taxes of $4628

We’ve chattered about this 3-bedroom vintage unit at 2910 N. Pine Grove in East Lakeview several times since it was first listed 13 months ago.

See our April 2009 chatter and pictures here.

It has now been reduced by $69,000.

It has 2000 square feet which includes a den/sunroom that is prominently featured in the pictures.

The limestone fireplace has also been restored.

The kitchen has “newer” viking appliances with white cabinets and countertops.

While the unit has an in-unit washer/dryer, it does not have central air or deeded parking.

Pam Lynch at Jameson Real Estate still has the listing. See the listing and more pictures here.

Unit #2: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2000 square feet

• Sold in March 1995 for $210,000
• Sold in August 2003 for $376,000
• Was listed in December 2008 for $599,000
• Reduced
• Was listed in February 2009 for $574,900
• Reduced
• Was listed in April 2009 for $549,000
• Withdrawn from the market
• Re-listed in December 2009 for $530,000
• Currently listed at $530,000
• Assessments of $523 a month
• Taxes of $5,444
• No central air – window units
• Rental parking nearby

This 4-bedroom bank owned single family home recently came on the market at 4160 S. Lake Park in the Oakland Historic District on the South Side.

Built in 1890, the listing says it retains many of its vintage features.

Its four bedrooms are all located on the second floor. It also has a 2.5 car garage.

The listing states that the interior is “dated” and the house needs some repairs. It also does not have central air.

Within just two or three blocks of this home are single family homes currently on the market from $300,000 to $800,000.

Is this finally a deal for under $100,000?

Henry Jones at Jones Realty Company has the listing. See the listing and the pictures here.

4160 S. Lake Park: 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2060 square feet, 2.5 car garage

• I couldn’t find the last sales price- looks like it sold in 2002
• Bank owned as of January 2008
• Originally listed in October 2008
• Reduced numerous times
• Currently listed for $96,900
• Taxes of $2557
• No central air

This 5-bedroom property at 343 W. Menomonee in the middle of the Old Town Historic Triangle recently came on the market less than 3 years after its last purchase.

It has an upper floor 2 bedroom, 2 bath and family room owners duplex. The listing says the owners unit has a new “top of the line gourmet kitchen” with Viking stainless steel appliances and granite counter tops.

The first floor 2-bedroom rental apparently has monthly income of $2400.

Built in 1874, the property has central air but no deeded parking. Rental parking is available nearby.

Does this property make sense from an investment point of view? (It appears to be listed as a single family home and not a multi-unit property however.)

Phyllis Hall at Koenig & Strey has the listing. See the pictures and a virtual tour here.

343 W. Menomonee: 5 bedrooms, 5 baths, 3600 square feet

• Sold in January 1997 for $425,000
• Sold in July 2007 for $1,055,000
• Currently listed for $1,293,000
• Taxes of $13,758
• Central Air
• 2-bedroom rental unit income of $2400 a month
• No parking- rental nearby

We last chattered about this French-styled single family home at 1908 S. Louie Parkway in Chinatown in August 2009.

See our prior chatter here.

It is anything but cookie cutter. The listing calls it a “palace.” The 4-bedroom house boasts of:

• A white marble deck above a black marble pond
• Museum-like living room
• Garden dining room
• Arabian-style master bedroom
• French royal style home theater
• 6-star guest room
• Chinese tea room

It has also been reduced by $391,000 since August.

But as some of you pointed out in the prior thread, it has an interesting listing history. The price was lowered to $699,000 in October, but then was raised again 2 weeks later to it’s current listed price.

There still are no pictures of the kitchen or baths in the listing.

Robert Picciariello at Prello Realty Group continues to have the listing.

See the pictures here.

1908 S. Louie Parkway: 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 3500 square feet, 2 car garage

• Sold in December 2004 for $428,000
• Was listed in August 2009 for $1.19 million
• Reduced several times
• Currently listed for $799,000
• Taxes of $7747
• Central Air