Crib Chatter

This 3-bedroom in 6 N. Michigan across from Millennium Park in the Loop came on the market in July 2019.

6 N. Michigan was built in 1898 but wasn’t converted into condos until the housing bubble years in 2007-2008.

It is a full amenity building with a 24-hour doorman, an exercise room and sundeck. It also has heated garage parking.

This unit is a northeast facing corner unit with direct views of the Lake and the Park.

It has dark stained wood floors in the living/dining rooms, custom Holly Hunt wall coverings along with recessed lighting.

There’s also an electric fireplace in the living room along with built-ins.

The kitchen has white Scavolini cabinets with granite counter tops, Wolf, Subzero, Affinity and Bosch appliances along with a built-in wine cooler and a breakfast bar with sitting for four.

There’s a separate dining room and breakfast nook.

The primary bedroom has 12-foot ceilings, a walk-in-closet and en suite bathroom with dual vanity and shower with rainfall head.

It also has a balcony, which is rare for this historic building.

Of the other two bedrooms, one of them is en suite and one is on the northeast corner, with lake views.

This unit has the features buyers look for including central air, washer/dryer in the unit and there are 2 heated garage parking spaces available for $45,000 each.

Originally listed at $1.575 million, it has been reduced to $950,000.

It sold in 2011 for $1.17 million.

If you recall, 2011-2012 was the “bottom” of the housing bust.

Is this condo a steal at $950,000?

Leigh Marcus at @Properties has the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.

Unit #1601: 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, 2500 square feet

• Sold in December 2011 for $1.17 million
• Originally listed in July 2019 for $1.575 million
• Reduced numerous times
• Currently listed at $950,000 (plus $45,000 each for 2 deeded garage spaces)
• Assessments of $2562 a month (includes heat, a/c, gas, doorman, cable, exercise room, exterior maintenance, scavenger, snow removal, Internet)
• Taxes of $27,886
• Central Air
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• Electric fireplace
• Bedroom #1: 14×17
• Bedroom #2: 11×11
• Bedroom 33: 14×13
• Living room: 22×34
• Dining room: 20×13
• Kitchen: 11×15
• Laundry room: 6×6
• Foyer: 8×19
• WIC: 10×7
• Balcony: 7×11

This 2-bedroom in the Metropolitan Tower at 310 S. Michigan in the Loop came on the market in May 2020.

Built in 1924, according to Wikipedia, Metropolitan Tower was the first building over 30 stories in Chicago.

It was converted to 235 condos during the housing boom in 2007-2008.

It’s a full amenity building with a 24-hour doorman, a roof deck with grills and lake views, a fitness room and garage parking.

The listing says this unit has had an “exquisite renovation” costing over $140,000.

It has crown molding and wainscoting throughout.

The entry foyer and hallway is a black and white marble checkerboard floor from Paris Ceramics.

The kitchen has white Wood Mode cabinets with crystal knobs, Carrera marble counter tops and backsplash, Subzero and Wolf appliances and a kitchen island with seating.

There are Wenge hardwood floors.

The living room has a gas fireplace with a mantle.

The primary suite has custom closets and a marble primary bath with dual vanity and soaking tub/shower.

The second bedroom doesn’t appear to have a window.

There’s recessed lighting throughout.

It has all the features that buyers look for including central air, washer/dryer in the unit and 1 garage parking space for $35,000.

This unit originally sold in April 2008, the height of the housing boom, for $965,000.

It is listed at $575,000.

With the pandemic and the summer looting scaring off downtown buyers, is this a deal?

Nancy McAdam at Jameson Sotheby’s has the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #1401: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1270 square feet

• Sold in April 2008 for $965,000
• Listed in May 2020 for $575,000
• Currently listed for $575,000 (plus $35,000 for parking)
• Assessments of $1004 a month (includes heat, a/c, cable, Internet, exercise room, exterior maintenance, lawn care, scavenger, snow removal, roof deck, 24-hour doorman)
• Taxes of $11,947
• Central Air
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• Gas fireplace
• Bedroom #1: 12×14
• Bedroom #2: 10×10
• Living/dining room combo: 19×14
• Kitchen: 12×9
• Laundry room: 5×4

This 5-bedroom in 2450 N. Lakeview in Lincoln Park came on the market in January 2020 but has been on, and off, the market since 2014.

2450 N. Lakeview is a 13-story neoclassical co-op designed by Howard Van Doren Shaw. It was his final building and was constructed between 1922 and 1924.

It has a 24-hour doorman, private parking, a barbecue area and an outdoor basketball court.

The building contains just 12 units.

At the time, it was considered the most prestigious building in the city with full floor units of 8,000 square feet which also had a separate service wing.

The units were custom built to owner’s wishes and original buyers included two Art Institute presidents.

It has a 100-foot wall of windows that over look Lincoln Park and has Lake views.

Many of the original vintage features remain nearly a 100 years later.

It has a private elevator opening into a vestibule which leads to a massive 40×12 gallery.

The unit has the original moldings and trim.

It also has 5 wood burning fireplaces.

There is a French hand-polished mahogany library with one of the 5 wood burning fireplaces as well as mahogany doors.

The kitchen has white cabinets, stainless steel and custom white appliances, stone counter tops and a kitchen island.

There appears to be a butler’s pantry with more cabinets and prep area.

4 out of the 5 bedrooms are en suite.

In one of the pictures of the bathrooms (the primary bathroom?) there is a wood burning fireplace.

There’s a walk-in-closet.

It has a wine cellar and 2 wet bars.

The service quarter wing has been turned into an exercise room, an office and a full size laundry room.

According to Chicago Apartments, this was a rare building that was built on a big lot and that had extra landscaping which was later turned into stylish private garages. This unit has a private garage.

There are also 3 large storage rooms with windows totaling 636 square feet.

According to the listing, this is a rare co-op building where the property taxes are NOT included in the assessments. They are separate (listed below).

Listed at $5.8 million, does this building compete with the luxury buildings going up downtown or is it a different kind of buyer?

Millie Rosenbloom at Baird & Warner has the listing. See the pictures here (no floor plan, darn).

Unit #10: 5 bedrooms, 6 baths, no square footage listed (but other listings were 8,000 square feet)

• No prior sales price as it’s a co-op
• Has been on and off the market since 2014
• Listed in January 2020 for $5.8 million
• Still listed at $5.8 million
• Assessments of $5965 a month (includes heat, electric, gas, security, doorman, cable, exterior maintenance, lawn care, scavenger, snow removal)
• Taxes of $78,505 (not included in the assessment)
• Central Air
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• Private garage
• 5 wood burning fireplaces
• 3 large storage rooms with windows totaling 636 square feet
• Bedroom #1: 17×20
• Bedroom #2: 13×14
• Bedroom #3: 13×16
• Bedroom #4: 12×9
• Bedroom #5: 14×19
• Living room: 29×20
• Family room: 15×15
• Dining room: 16×27
• Kitchen: 16×18
• Library: 14×19
• Gallery: 40×12
• Exercise room: 10×10
• Laundry room: 12×7

This 3-bedroom in 1325 N. Astor in the Gold Coast originally came on the market in August 2019.

According to Chicago Apartments, 1325 N. Astor was built to be lavish.

Designed by Rebori, Dewey and Wentworth and built by Dahl-Stedman in 1928-29 it is only 14 stories with 12 units but has full-time doormen and a live-in engineer.

It also has some attached parking.

The lavishness extended to the size of the units.

The listing says its 4270 square feet. In the original floor plan, there were 2 servants bedrooms and a servants hall with its own elevator and staircase entrance, in each unit.

There’s also a vault listed on the original floor plan.

The living room is 30 feet long and has one of two wood burning fireplaces, with the other in the library.

The listing says there’s a “brand new kitchen by Neff” with stainless steel appliances.

The listing says there is “plenty of room for a breakfast table” as there is no seating at the kitchen island.

The primary suite has a “brand new” bath with a dual sink.

The apartment has the features buyers look for including central air, washer/dryer in the unit and it has 1 car parking included.

It also has a unique feature of a 200 square foot “bonus room” on the first floor of the building which the listing says has a new bath and wood floors. (the square footage is not listed in the square footage on the listing)

It faces Astor and has 2 windows.

The listing says it could be used for an exercise room or an office.

But there are no pictures of it in the listing. Why not?

It also has 2 large storage rooms.

This is an exclusive building where Nate Berkus lived when he was in Chicago.

We chattered about the sale of his unit here.

Originally listed at $2.2 million in August 2019, it has been reduced $301,000 to $1.899 million.

With so many new luxury buildings in other neighborhoods of the city, can the Gold Coast even compete anymore?

Janet Owen at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices has the listing. See the pictures here (no floor plan).

Unit #4: 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, 4270 square feet, condo

• Sold in November 1983 for $462,500 (per Redfin)
• Sold in December 2013 for $1.82 million
• Originally listed in August 2019 for $2.2 million
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $1.899 million
• Assessments of $3810 a month (includes heat, doorman, cable, lawn care, scavenger, snow removal and Internet)
• Taxes of $32,649
• Central Air
• Washer/dryer in the unit
• 1-car parking included
• 2 fireplaces
• Bedroom #1: 18×15
• Bedroom #2: 18×15
• Bedroom #3: 16×11
• Living room: 30×18
• Dining room: 22×16
• Family room: 22×14
• Kitchen: 23×15
• Gallery: 19×10
• Library: 19×17
• Laundry room: 8×6

This full floor 3-bedroom vintage unit at 707 W. Junior Terrace in Buena Park came on the market in July 2020.

707 W. Junior Terrace was built in 1927 and is on the National Historic Register. It only has 14 units.

There’s no parking.

The listing says this unit has been “rehabbed and reconfigured” by combining 2 units.

The elevator opens directly into the unit’s foyer.

It has tall ceilings, hardwood floors and a wood burning fireplace with a marble surround.

The kitchen is 25 feet with an 8 foot island that seats three.

It has green cabinets and granite counter tops.

There’s a custom butler’s pantry and a powder room nearby.

Two of the bedrooms have en suite bathrooms including the primary suite which also has a walk-in-closet.

There’s also an additional room which could be used as a family room.

The apartment has washer/dryer in the unit and there’s space pac cooling. Rental parking is nearby and the listing is offering 6 months free. It also says the parking is $100 a month.

This property is a rare mid-rise with multiple walls of windows.

Originally listed at $725,000, it has been reduced to $699,900.

It sold in 2006, at the height of the housing bubble, for $690,000.

Is this building finally back to peak pricing?

Maureen Murnane and India Tougne at @Properties have the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.

Unit #5: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2735 square feet

• Sold in March 1996 for $168,000
• Sold in February 2000 for $308,000
• Sold in May 2004 for $665,000
• Sold in July 2006 for $690,000
• Sold in September 2013 for $450,000
• Originally listed in July 2020 for $725,000
• Reduced
• Currently listed at $699,900
• Assessments of $1506 a month (includes heat, gas, cable, exterior maintenance, lawn care, scavenger, snow removal)
• Taxes of $9323
• Space pac cooling
• Washer/Dryer in the unit
• No parking- rental in the neighborhood
• Wood burning fireplace
• Bedroom #1: 17×12
• Bedroom #2: 16×11
• Bedroom #3: 11×8
• Living room: 19×15
• Family room: 19×15
• Dining room: 17×12
• Kitchen: 25×12
• Foyer: 10×8
• Gallery: 12×5

This 3-bedroom in The Renaissance at 5510 N. Sheridan in Edgewater just came on the market.

According to the Chicago Apartments, A Century of Lakefront Living (a MUST buy for a holiday gift) the Renaissance was designed by Quinn & Christiansen and built by H. Janisch in 1926-27.

At 17-stories, it was built with a gabled mansard roof in the French Renaissance style (hence, the name.)

There are 32 units and two automobile portals lead to a 3-story garage.

The listing says this unit was “completely renovated” in 2017. I recommend checking out the listing pictures from 2016 to see what was done.

It has hardwood floors throughout and recessed lights.

It still has vintage features including crown molding, arched doorways, a decorative fireplace in the living room and a formal gallery and entry foyer.

There’s no floor plan with the listing, but it appears they shrunk the dining room and stuck an office along the front of the unit.

The listing says there is a breakfast nook, but the kitchen doesn’t have one in the current pictures.

The kitchen has the features today’s buyers look for including white cabinets and black cabinets on the island, black (gray?) quartz counter tops, Subzero and Wolf appliances, a white subway tile backsplash and a wine refrigerator.

The primary suite has a walk-in-closet and a bathroom with a heated towel rack and floors along with a carrara marble shower with a bathtub.

The unit does not have central air or washer/dryer in the unit. The building has a laundry room.

The listing says there is unlimited homeowner parking and guest parking and also says the homeowner parking is $95 a month.

There’s a party room with a roof deck and storage.

Listed at $449,000 for 2400 square feet, does this unit check all the vintage lover’s boxes?

Timothy Sheahan and John Barr at Compass have the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #8B: 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, 2400 square feet

• Sold in May 1992 for $150,000
• Sold in October 2016 for $338,000
• Currently listed at $449,000
• Assessments of $1377 a month (includes heat, exterior maintenance, lawn care, scavenger and snow removal)
• Taxes of $7071
• No central air
• No in-unit washer/dryer
• Parking is available for $95 a month
• Decorative fireplace
• Bedroom #1: 16×12
• Bedroom #2: 16×12
• Bedroom #3: 10×9
• Gallery: 15×10
• Foyer: 8×5
• Breakfast room: 8×6 (?)- old floor plan?
• Living room: 26×16
• Dining room: 20×14- old floor plan?
• Kitchen: 16×14

This 3-bedroom on the 16th floor of 5000 S. Cornell in Kenwood came on the market in September 2020.

According to Chicago Apartments, a Century of Lakefront Living, 5000 S. Cornell was the last of the high rises completed in the Chicago Beach district, now called Indian Village, in 1930.

Conley and Carlson were the architects. It was built by William G. McNultry in 1929-30.

During the 1920s boom, many other high rises were apparently planned for the area that were then never built.

This building has 77 units and 4 apartments per floor. With two sets of elevator banks, it means just 2 units per elevator bank.

According to Chicago Apartments, it promised “luxurious living at modest cost.”

This unit has North, Northeast and East views including of the city skyline and the lake.

It has tall ceilings, a faux fireplace, crown moldings and hardwood floors throughout.

The kitchen is a galley kitchen with dark wood cabinets, granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances.

It has 3 full bathrooms with two of them en suite.

Like many vintage high rise units, it also has a separate dining room.

It doesn’t have central air or washer/dryer in the unit. Parking is available to rent across the street.

Listed in September 2020 for $244,900, it was under contract in October. It has come back on the market at $219,000.

For 1800 square feet, is this a deal?

Glen Tomlinson and Elaine Batson at McKey & Poague Management Group have the listing. See the pictures and floor plan here.

Unit #16B: 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, 1800 square feet

• Sold in June 1998 for $73,000
• Sold in October 2005 for $208,500
• Lis pendens foreclosure filed in January 2009
• Bank owned in September 2015
• Sold from the bank in May 2016 for $87,500
• Originally listed in September 2020 for $244,900
• Reduced
• Under contract in October 2020 at $225,000
• Re-listed in December 2020 at $219,000
• Assessments of $1268 a month (includes heat, gas, doorman, cable, exterior maintenance, lawn care, scavenger, snow removal)
• Taxes of $1156
• No central air
• No in-unit washer/dryer. There’s coin laundry in the building
• Parking is available to rent across the street
• Bedroom #1: 16×12
• Bedroom #2: 21×12
• Bedroom #3: 12×7
• Living room: 20×15
• Dining room: 19×15
• Kitchen: 14×8

This 4-bedroom vintage row house at 2017 N. Sedgwick in East Lincoln Park came on the market in October 2020.

Built in 1886, it’s on a 20×110 lot and has a 2-car garage.

If it looks familiar, that’s because we chattered about it the last time it was on the market in 2017.

You can see that chatter here.

If you recall, it has a lot of its vintage features including large crown molding, a ceiling medallion in the living room, and the original wood burning fireplace with a marble mantle in the living room.

The old listing says it has pocket doors but the new listing doesn’t mention them.

There are two bedrooms on the second floor including the primary suite which has an en suite bath and a private balcony.

Two other bedrooms are in the lower level, along with a den and the laundry, and the listing says there is a separate entrance which could make it easy to have an in-law unit.

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

There’s a brick paver patio with a wood burning fire place and a rooftop deck on top of the 2-car garage.

The row house has central air.

The listing says it’s in the Lincoln Elementary and Lincoln Park High School districts.

It’s also just steps from Lincoln Park, the Zoo and Old Town.

In 2017, the row house was originally listed at $1.595 million and sold in February 2018 for $1.215 million.

It’s come back on the market at $1.425 million.

Will it get the premium in this hot housing market?

Chloe Ifergan at Jameson Sotheby’s has the listing. See the pictures here.

2017 N. Sedgwick: 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 2500 square feet

• Sold in May 1990 for $350,000
• Sold in July 1994 for $457,500
• Sold in May 1997 for $620,000
• Sold in August 2003 for $875,000
• Sold in September 2013 for $1,342,500
• Originally listed in May 2017 for $1.595 million
• Sold in February 2018 for $1.215 million
• Originally listed in October 2020 for $1.425 million
• Currently still listed at $1.425 million
• Taxes are now $23,728 (they were $22,177 in June 2017)
• Central Air
• 2-car garage
• Original wood burning fireplace
• Bedroom #1: 16×11 (second floor)
• Bedroom #2: 17×10 (second floor)
• Bedroom #3: 13×8 (lower level)
• Bedroom #4: 10×9 (lower level)
• Laundry room: 8×5 (lower level)
• Family room: 15×15 (lower level)
• Den: 12×8 (lower level)
• Living room: 16×11 (main level)
• Dining room: 14×11 (main level)
• Kitchen: 10×7 (main level)
• Balcony: 12×3 (main level)
• Deck: 13×12 (second floor)

This 3-bedroom condo at 55 W. Erie in River North came on the market in September 2020.

Built in 1882, this building has 9 units with no parking.

It’s one of the rare vintage buildings that has survived in this neighborhood.

This is a first floor unit with some of its vintage features still intact.

It has high ceilings with beams in the living/dining room along with exposed brick walls and a stained glass window.

The unit has 2 wood burning fireplaces, one in the living room and one in the primary bedroom.

The listing says the property has an “updated kitchen” with dark wood cabinets, granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances.

It has central air but there’s no in-unit laundry. The listing says its available for “free” in the basement just below this unit.

There’s also no parking with the building but rental parking is available in the neighborhood.

This unit hasn’t been sold in nearly 15 years.

Is this a rare opportunity to get a vintage home in River North?

William Goldberg and Konrad Dabrowski at Fulton Grace Realty have the listing. See the pictures here.

Unit #1W: 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, 1700 square feet

• Sold in July 2006 for $375,000
• Originally listed in September 2020 (I can’t find a price)
• Currently listed at $435,000
• Assessments of $544 a month (includes exterior maintenance, lawn care, scavenger, snow removal)
• Taxes of $8622
• Central Air
• No washer/dryer in the unit but available for free in the basement
• No parking but available to rent in the neighborhood
• 2 wood burning fireplaces
• Bedroom #1: 14×14
• Bedroom #2: 14×10
• Bedroom #3: 14×10
• Living/dining room: 17×15
• Kitchen: 11×9

The Illinois Association of Realtors is finally out with the October home sales results after having some database and technology issues.

The market remained red-hot this fall.

The city of Chicago saw year-over-year home sales increase 21.9 percent with 2,541 sales in October, compared to 2,084 a year ago. The median price of a home in the city of Chicago in October was $315,000, up 14.5 percent from October 2019.

Out of the 2541 sales, single family home sales were up 20.1% to 1,122 while condos/townhouses were up 23.4% to 1419.

Thanks to G for all the data on October sales going back to 1997:

October Chicago sfh/condo/th sales and median

• 1997 1,731 $129,900
• 1998 1,855 $138,000
• 1999 1,978 $159,500
• 2000 2,106 $174,710
• 2001 2,177 $200,000
• 2002 2,503 $215,000
• 2003 2,996 $236,000
• 2004 2,651 $241,000
• 2005 2,846 $268,500
• 2006 2,630 $278,000
• 2007 2,007 $285,000
• 2008 1,564 $261,000
• 2009 2,068 $215,000
• 2010 1,225 $183,000
• 2011 1,324 $162,000 (44% short/REO sales)
• 2012 2,009 $175,000
• 2013: 2,231 $218,500
• 2014: 2,128 $236,000
• 2015: 2,173 $240,000
• 2016: 2,046 $260,100
• 2017: 2,109 $260,000
• 2018: 2,108 $271,500
• 2019: 2,084 $275,000
• 2020: 2,541 $315,000

“Demand remains strong, with continued year-over-year increases in closed sales and median sales prices, coupled with a large drop in the days on market. While every neighborhood is reacting differently to the pandemic, overall, single family homes continue to be popular with homebuyers and condos are also keeping pace,” said Nykea Pippion McGriff, president of the Chicago Association of REALTORS® and vice president of brokerage services of Coldwell Banker Realty. “For those looking to move or sell, these are all signs of a healthy market as we move into the winter months.”

In Illinois, sales were up 34.9% and in the Chicago Metro area, sales were up 39% year-over-year.

Statewide, the number of days on the market fell 17.3% to 43 days.

In Chicago, days on the market fell to 34 from 42.

Statewide, inventory plunged 34.4% year-over-year to 39,419 from 60,127 a year ago.

But in Chicago, inventory was actually up 4.3% year-over-year to 10,579 properties from 10,138 a year ago.

“The Illinois housing market continues to be resilient with a spike in October home sales and an uptick in home prices,” said Sue Miller, president of Illinois REALTORS® and designated managing broker of Coldwell Banker Real Estate Group in McHenry. “Buyer demand remains strong, but inventory is still an issue. This is a great time for homeowners who have been thinking of selling to put a for sale sign in the yard.”

The 30-year fixed mortgage rate averaged 2.83% in October, down from 2.89% in September and significantly lower than 3.69% in October of 2019.

When will this hot market end?

Will the COVID outbreaks put a damper on winter sales?

Illinois home sales jump 34.9 percent in October; inventory continues to decline [Illinois Association of Realtors, press release, December 1, 2020]