Crib Chatter

This 1893 Victorian single family home at 3652 N. Hermitage in Lakeview doesn’t try and hide its vintage character.

The home proudly boasts of its “retro” kitchen with tin ceilings.

There is no square footage listed for the house but here are the room sizes:

• 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

The house has central air, 2 car parking and a large backyard.

Is this a good condo alternative?

Kristi Gunther at Re/Max Exclusive Properties has the listing. See more pictures here.

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• Withdrawn in November 2008 at $599,900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 and currently listed at $539,900
• Taxes of $5739
• Central air

We chattered about this 700 square foot 2-bedroom unit in the historic Gaslight Court at 1407.5 N. Wells in Old Town in February 2009.

See our prior chatter and pictures here.

Since then, the unit has been reduced by $6,100.

It is now under contract.

Ken Marier at Sudler Sotheby’s Realty has the listing. See more pictures and the listing here.

Unit #3E: 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, approximately 700 square feet

• Sold in January 2002 for $190,000
• Was listed in February 2009 for $256,000
• Reduced
• Currently listed for $249,900
• Under contract
• Assessments of $234 a month
• Taxes of $2616
• Central air/Spac Pac
• Washer/dryer
• No parking
• Balcony

We last chattered about this 3-bedroom 2007 vintage rehab at 646 W. Wellington in East Lakeview in February.

See our prior interesting chatter here (no pictures) about the future of the $500,000 condo in Lakeview.

It is still on the market and has now been reduced $24,100.

It’s also now listed for $5,100 under the 2007 purchase price.

Stuart Schwartz of @Properties has the listing. See the pictures and listing here.

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

• Sold in January 2007 for $580,000
• Originally listed in January 2008 for $599,000
• Reduced
• Was listed in February 2009 for $589,000
• Reduced
• Currently listed for $574,900
• Assessments are $160 a month
• Taxes are “new”
• Central Air
• W/D
• Parking spot

The University Village neighborhood has seen massive growth in the last 10 years. This 2005 mid-rise loft building at 833 W. 15th Place is one of the many new buildings that dot the area.

This 2-bedroom loft has 12 foot concrete ceilings and lovely views of the entire downtown skyline.

It’s also listed for around its 2005 purchase price and the listing says it’s “aggressively priced.”

Michelle Liffick at Dreamtown Realty has the listing. See more pictures here.

Unit #602: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1181 square feet

• Sold in February 2005 for $347,000 (included the parking)
• Currently listed for $325,000 (parking is $30,000 extra)
• Assessments of $408 a month
• Taxes of $4397
• Fireplace

Thanks to the tipster who sent me information regarding the current state of sales at The Vetro, the new modern high rise at 611 S. Wells in the South Loop.

Many of you have sent me e-mails inquiring as to how sales were progressing now that the developer lowered prices on ALL units to prices equivalent to the sales at the March 7 auction where 50 units were sold for well-below prior list prices.

See our prior chatter on the auction here.

85% of the units have now sold, including all of the studios, 1-bedrooms, 1 bedrooms with den and the smaller 2-bedroom units.

Some of the large 2-bedroom plus den units still remain as well as 4 penthouse units.

See pictures of the larger two bedroom units in our prior chatter here. 

03-tier: 2 bedrooms, plus den, 2.5 baths, 1667 square feet, Northwest and east exposures

• 6 units remain
• Priced from $400,000 for the 10th floor to $435,000 on the 20th floor (were listed in the low $500,000-range with parking extra in 2008)
• Parking is included
• Assessments run from $582 to $641 a month

07-tier: 2 bedrooms, den, 2.5 baths, 1525 square feet, Southeast and West exposure

• 6 units remain
• Priced from $371,000 on the 9th floor to $413,000 on the 27th floor (were listed in the mid-$400,000s with parking extra in 2008)
• Parking is included
• Assessments run from $454 to $513 a month

Penthouse units include:

02-tier: 2 bedrooms, den, 3 baths, 2067 square feet, Northeast and west exposure

• Unit #3102: $615,000 (parking included)- assessments of $858 a month
• Unit #3002: $605,000 (parking included)- assessments of $809 a month

04-tier: 3 bedrooms, den, 3 baths,  2003 square feet, Southeast and west exposure

• Unit #3104: $590,000 (parking included)- assessments of $746 a month
• Unit #3004: $580,000 (parking included)- assessments of $769 a month

According to the tipster, the sales agent in the model unit also said that even these current lower prices were “negotiable.”

Are The Vetro prices setting a new floor for new construction condo prices in the South  Loop?

Compared to nearly all other new construction buildings in the area, The Vetro offers a lot of square footage for your buck.

Baird and Warner is handling the sales. See pictures and one of the listings here.

Vetro Chicago [website]

When we last chattered about 842 W. Belle Plaine in February, the vintage conversion in the Buena Park neighborhood of Uptown (or is that technically Lakeview?) was selling fast.

The final unit just went under contract which means that its 11-units sold out in about 90 days.

In our prior chatter, everyone seemed to agree that realistic price points and nice finishes were behind the quick sales.

Apparently, at least half of the units have also actually closed on their contracts.

See our prior chatter here.

Mario Greco at Rubloff had the listings.

Everyone seemed to enjoy the YouTube video which highlighted this vintage Bucktown cottage at 2343 W. Moffat when we chattered about it in February 2009.

See our prior chatter, pictures and the video link here.

It closed in early April for $137,900 under the original list price.

Is the new price norm for a small Bucktown house now under $500,000?

Here’s its history again.

2343 W. Moffat: 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, 1504 square feet, 2 car garage

• Sold in August 1988 for $51,000
• Sold in September 1994 for $85,000
• Sold in April 2002 for $251,000
• Originally listed in January 2009 for $617,900
• Reduced
• Was listed in February 2009 for $579,900
• Closed in April 2009 for $480,000
• Taxes of $7069
• Central Air
• Heated floor in the master bath
• Skylights
• Bedroom #1: 14×11
• Bedroom #2: 15×11
• Bedroom #3: 11×7
• Evan Kane at Weichardt Endeavor Realty had the listing.

Large private terraces are big selling points for many condo units and this one attached to a top floor 2-bedroom unit at 936 W. Madison in the heart of the West Loop fits the bill.

There’s no one above you (so no cigarette butts or errant cheeseburgers raining down on your head) and it looks like it runs the length of the unit (the living room and at least one of the bedrooms.)

This building was built in 1998.

Ron Knoll at Saffron Realty has the listing. See more pictures here.

Unit #5F: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, no square footage listed

• Sold in October 1998 for $291,500
• Sold in April 2002 for $380,000 (parking included)
• Sold in April 2006 for $405,000 (parking included)
• Currently listed for $430,000 (parking included)
• Assessments of $380 a month
• Taxes of $5577
• W/D in the unit
• Central Air
• Bedroom 1: 15×13
• Bedroom 2: 14×11

This bank-owned 2-bedroom loft just came on the market at 900 N. Kingsbury in River North.

It is priced $115,100 under the 2003 purchase price.

It appears that parking is not included in the current price (but was included in the 2003 sale.)

It is the cheapest 2/2 in the building and is cheaper than several of the currently listed 1/1s.

Is this a steal?

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

Unit #822: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, no square footage listed

• Sold in October 2002 for $360,000
• Sold in December 2003 for $405,000 (appears to include parking)
• Bank owned in February 2009 (also appears to include the parking)
• Currently listed for $289,900 (no parking)
• Assessments of $582 a month
• Taxes of $4595
• Bedroom #1: 13×20
• Bedroom #2: 10×11

We chattered recently about a foreclosed rowhouse in West Garfield Park but foreclosures abound in both West and East Garfield Park.

This bank-owned 1893 vintage 4-flat at 3231 W. Fulton Blvd. in East Garfield Park has been on the market since November 2008 with several reductions.

$4741

It has recently gone under contract and is now listed for $335,000 less than the 2006 purchase price.

The listing says the building “needs work” (check out some of the pictures.)

But it appears to have good “bones.”

Are buyers getting some deals in this part of town?

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

3231 W. Fulton Blvd: 14 bedrooms, 7 baths, 4 unit building (units range from 4 bedroom/2 bath to 3 bedrooms/1 bath), 3 car parking

• Sold in September 1998 for $63,500
• Sold in February 2000 for $43,000
• Sold in September 2006 for $420,000
• Bank owned
• Originally listed in November 2008 for $114,900
• Reduced
• Currently listed for $84,900
• Under contract
• Taxes of $4741