Crib Chatter

This 2-bedroom vintage unit at 2303 W. Winona in Lincoln Square doesn’t try to be something it’s not.

It has nice vintage features, including a full-sized dining room, as well as modern updates like central air and an in-unit washer/dryer. It doesn’t have deeded parking, however.

It’s only a few blocks from the Lincoln Square action with its shops, restaurants and brown line El stop.

It was also recently listed under the 2005 purchase price, reflecting the realities of the current housing market.

Ellen Webber at @Properties has the listing. See more pictures here.

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

• Sold in April 2005 for $244,000
• Currently listed for $239,900
• Assessments of $247 a month
• Taxes of $3362
• Central Air
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• No parking
• Living room: 21×12
• Dining room: 12×12
• Kitchen: 10×8
• Bedroom #1: 10×14
• Bedroom #2: 12×10

We last chattered about this unfinished “townhouse in the sky” at 33 W. Ontario in River North in February.

See our prior chatter and pictures here.

It has since been reduced by $200,000.

But this week, you can participate in a sealed bid event.

The event is being held on June 4 from 4 pm to 8 pm (with wine and cheese served). However, the seller will be accepting bids anytime up to the close of the event.

Will this unusual marketing technique work to get buyers in the door?

Lindsey Delrahim at Jameson Real Estate still has the listing. See more pictures and a virtual tour here.

Unit #TH3: 4200 square feet, tri-level, unfinished space

• Sold in July 2007 for $1,050,000
• Was listed in February 2009 for $1,099,000 (2 parking spaces included)
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $899,900 (2 parking spaces included)
• Assessments of $1704 a month
• Taxes are “new”
• Private elevator to the townhouse

If you’ve felt like you’ve “missed out” on buying a bank-owned unit in The Sterling, at 345 N. LaSalle in River North, fear not.

Foreclosures are still trickling on the market in the building such as this 2-bedroom, 27th floor unit that was recently listed.

In the last year, some lower floor 2/2s sold for around $250,000 to $260,000. This unit is on a much higher floor so it will be interesting to see a closing price.

Ayoub Rabah at Great Street Properties has the listing. See the interior pictures here.

Unit #2701: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1160 square feet

• Sold in March 2003 for $507,500
• Lis Pendens in December 2007
• Bank owned in April 2009
• Currently listed for $259,900
• Assessments of $604 a month
• Taxes of $5543
• No parking – but rental available in the building
• W/D in the unit
• Central Air

This 6-bedroom new construction single family home at 1833 W. Melrose in Roscoe Village could be like every other upper bracket new construction home in the last several years except that there has been extra attention paid to the details in the house.

The listing states it has parjua hardwood, 2500 square feet of ipe wood decks, a lava stone bar, lannon stone, 5 temperature zones, a 109′ drop down screen and double 8 foot solid doors.

Is it possible for a new construction home to have good “bones”?

Cara Buffa at Prudential Preferred has the listing. See more pictures and a virtual tour here.

1833 W. Melrose: 6 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, 5500 square feet, 2 car garage

• Sold in May 2005 for $550,000 (prior home)
• Currently listed for $1.749 million
• Taxes of $5857
• 4 fireplaces
• Hot tub

We’ve chattered about new construction high-rise, RD 659, at 659 W. Randolph in the West Loop numerous times in the last year as it just started closings and some buyers had trouble obtaining financing.

Thanks to the tipsters who sent me information about the “bank liquidation pricing” that started on the remaining available units over the weekend.

According to someone who was in the sales center, it was a “madhouse.”

Are these reduced prices going to set the new floor for the west loop?

Here is a sample of some the reductions:

01 Tier: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1147 square feet, Northeast facing

• Old Price: $459,000-$492,000
• New Price: $341,000-$367,000
• Parking included
• Assessments of $430 a month

Tier 05: 1 bedroom plus den, 2 baths, 988 square feet, North facing

• Old Price: $409,000-$421,000
• New Price: $293,000-$301,000
• Parking included
• Assesments of $370 a month

Tier 18: 1 bedroom, 1 bath, 840 square feet, South facing

• Old Price: $342,000-$369,000
• New Price: $254,000-$260,000
• Parking Included
• Assessments of $317 a month

Tier 20: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1200 square feet, Southeast facing

• Old Price: $482,000-$500,000
• New Price: $357,000-$372,000
• Parking Included
• Assessments of $450 a month

Tier 11: 1 bedroom, 1 bath, 654 square feet, West facing

• Old Price: $273,000-$276,000
• New Price: $192,000-$194,000
• No Parking with these units- wait list for a spot
• Assessments of $244 a month

Chris McComas at @Properties is handling sales. According to his latest stats, 25 units have closed but the building is 51% sold.

You can see pictures of the model unit here.

You can see floorplans at the RD 659 website (where there’s no mention of the price cuts.)

We last chattered about this 3-bedroom brick and timber multi-level authentic loft in the Soda Pop Factory at 1001 W. Altgeld in March.

See our prior chatter and pictures here.

It has since been reduced $16,000.

Joseph Siciliano at @Properties still has the listing. See more pictures here.

Unit #1: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 1800 square feet, 1 car parking

• Sold in June 2005 for $500,000
• Sold in June 2006 for $535,000
• Was listed in March 2009 for $525,000 (parking included)
• Reduced
• Currently listed for $509,000 (parking included)
• Assessments of $359 a month
• Taxes of $6518
• Central Air
• Two decks
• Woodburning fireplace

We recently chattered about this cute vintage house with the retro kitchen at 3652 N. Hermitage in Lakeview.

See our prior chatter and pictures here.

It sold quickly at the newly reduced price.

Here’s it’s history again:

3652 N. Hermitage: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2 car garage, no square footage listed

• Sold in November 2002 for $386,500
• Originally listed in August 2008 for $599,900
• Withdrawn in November 2008 at $599,900
• Re-listed in April 2009 at $539,900
• Sold in May 2009 for $525,000
• Taxes of $5739
• Central air 
• Living room: 13×12
• Dining room: 10×10
• Kitchen: 14×12
• Bedroom #1: 14×12
• Bedroom #2: 18×12
• Bedroom #3: 9×9
• Partially finished basement
• Kristi Gunther at Re/Max Exclusive Properties had the listing.

This 4-bedroom brick tudor at 6902 N. Owen in Edison Park looks picture perfect in the pictures.

The listing says it has been totally renovated with “custom kitchen cabinets,  granite counters, GE Stainless appliances, and stone and slate baths.”

It has a fenced-in backyard with a 2-car garage.

The house has also been reduced by $80,000 since March.

Is this house with its big lot a good alternative to moving to the suburbs?

You can apparently walk to downtown Edison Park and Park Ridge from the house.

Richard McEwen at Rubloff has the listing. See the pictures here.

6902 N. Owen: 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, no square footage listed, 2 car garage

• Sold in July 1993 for $175,000
• Sold in June 2004 for $485,000
• Originally listed in March 2009 for $659,000
• Reduced several times
• Was listed in early May 2009 for $589,000
• Just reduced again
• Currently listed for $579,000
• Taxes of $6352
• Central Air
• Bedroom #1: 20×11
• Bedroom #2: 16×13
• Bedroom #3: 12×11
• Bedroom #4: 12×11

2663 N. Ashland is an 8-unit new construction building in Lincoln Park with higher-end finishes that came on the market in spring of 2008.

Public records show that 5 out of the 8 sold in 2008.

This 4-bedroom duplex unit sold last August and is now back on the market and the listing says it’s “barely lived in”.

The developer has also reduced the price on a 3-bedroom, 2 bath that is still on the market.

Unit #2N, from the developer, was originally listed at $585,000 in May 2008 and is now listed at $525,000– parking included. It’s 2125 square feet. Rachel Krueger at Coldwell Banker has that listing.

The re-sale unit, Unit #1S, has Bosch, Sub-Zero, and Wolf appliances and radiant heated floors.

Is this resale an example of the price declines that have occurred since just last summer in the Chicago housing market?  (And does this confirm G’s belief that today’s buyers are simply knifecatchers?)

Billie Diamond at @Properties has the listing on Unit #1S. See the pictures here.

Unit #1S: 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, 1 car parking, 4125 square feet, duplex down

• Sold in August 2008 for $857,000
• Was recently listed at $835,000
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $799,999 (parking included)
• OR you can rent it for $5200 a month
• Assessments are $150 a month
• Taxes are “new”

The developer of this 8-unit new construction building at 2936 N. Lincoln in Lakeview has sold 4 out of the 8 units in 3 years.

2 sold in 2007 and 2 sold in 2008. The last sale was in July 2008.

To move units, the developer recently cut prices by $50,000 on all remaining units calling it a developer’s close out and “blow-out” pricing.

Will these cuts work to finally move these units?

They are still priced above the conforming loan limit.

Sergio & Banks is handling the sales. See the listing and pictures here.

Unit #2N: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1700 square feet

• Originally listed in 2007 and 2008 at $494,222
• Reduced
• Currently listed for $449,900 (parking included)
• Assessments of $150 a month
• Taxes are “new”
• Bedroom #1: 15×14
• Bedroom #2: 12×10
• Living room: 28×18
• Kitchen: 14×8