Trying To Sell The 3/3 Duplex Down 3 Years Later in Lakeview: 3709 N. Ashland
This 3-bedroom duplex down at 3709 N. Ashland in Lakeview came on the market in March 2012.
At 2800 square feet, it is larger than many townhouses in this price point in the neighborhood.
It has upgrades such as Brazilian cherry floors on the main level.
The kitchen is described as a “chef’s kitchen” with a Dacor oven/range and granite counter tops.
There is a lower level family room with 9 foot ceilings and 2 decks, including one over the garage.
Yes, it’s in the Blaine school district.
This unit last sold just 2 1/2 years ago.
It is listed $60,000 above the 2009 purchase price.
Will this seller be able to command a premium to the 2009 price?
Anne Rossley at Prudential Rubloff has the listing. See the pictures here.
Unit #1S: 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, 2800 square feet, duplex down, 1 car garage parking
- Sold in December 2009 for $480,000
- Originally listed in March 2012 for $540,000
- Currently still listed at $540,000
- Assessments of $244 a month
- Taxes of $9298
- Central Air
- Washer/Dryer in the unit
- Bedroom #1: 14×13 (main level)
- Bedroom #2: 15×11 (main level)
- Bedroom #3: 16×13 (lower level)
- Family room: 30×16 (lower level)
Like I said before, Ashland is a ghetto corridor.
There’s only going to be two posts today because I had a computer glitch last night and by the time I fixed it it was nearly midnight. I didn’t feel like staying up until the wee hours to get the third post on the site. Sleep is too important!
We’ll be back to our regular schedule tomorrow.
So many fails on so many levels. Wow. i don’t even know where to start. But I’ll try:
Ashland
duplex down
crib in the bedroom
$400k mortgage
small dining/living area on 1st floor
3rd bedroom is in basement (really just an office)
white granite looks to be in the “A” or “B” range, not the “C” or “D” aka cheap granite
7th room in the description is really the ‘terrace’ and not a real room
did i mention the wonderful external obsolescence of Ashland? I LOVE bass at 3:00 a.m.
OH and 100 feet from an auto shop – power drills from 8 am to 8 pm!
And, of course, being in Blaine (your child can be one of the few children without a *real* house)
can’t you just imagine one little toddler saying to another “my mommy says that your family is too poor to afford a real house and your daddy doesn’t make enough money” –
and the lack of a yard. I’m on a roll today, can’t you tell?
“Will this seller be able to command a premium to the 2009 price?”
NO….Furthermore, they’ll be lucky to get 450k for this.
There actually some decent places on Ashland nearby (this is not one of them) and the new Mangum development is across the street from this, which if their previous work is any indication will be nicely done.
Their baby also only needs to know its first initial — G. Isn’t that what gangsters call each other?
I guess these owners think they deserve $60k just for having lived here 2.5 years. Almost all other properties have dropped in value since then, but not this wonderful place directly on a busy street and with the bedrooms in a basement.
Its on ashland, thats all that needs to be said so lets move on
Here in Iowa we have refrigerators in our chef’s kitchens.
“jenny (May 17, 2012, 9:35 am)
Their baby also only needs to know its first initial — G. Isn’t that what gangsters call each other?”
Is Jenny real or another fake CC personality? Either way, I really enjoy her work.
I’ve always wondered about the basement bedrooms issue. In full disclosure, I have a basement bedroom in my duplex, but have the master on the 1st floor. When my wife and I were looking at homes, this was never something that crossed our mind as a deal breaker. If all the rooms were in the basement, I could certainly see an issue, but to have a guest room doesn’t seem like a big deal to me. I am curious as to the reason so many here seem to think this is a “fail” for a home.
I’m not sure that this one is quite as bad as it’s been made out to be, but trying to get than kind of appreciation seems stupid. It seems like it would be attractive around the previous purchase price.
Jenny rings true to me as a real person – a real, spoiled, never-had-to-work-for-anything, nothing is good enough for princess, complains about everything and does nothing, person.
“Is Jenny real or another fake CC personality? Either way, I really enjoy her work.”
As with most posters here, jenny is a fake CC personality. I agree though, that jenny’s work is fun at times.
“white granite looks to be in the “A” or “B” range, not the “C” or “D” aka cheap granite”
In addition to Mad Geography Skills you can tell granite grade from a photo?
Ignore the dissing of Ashland. The “g” word most certainly does not apply! It’s a “mixed use” street with commercial, business and residential buildings. In other words, “Urban.” And some of us folks like it that way!
Taxes = Hot Toilet
My wife thinks I’m turning into a closeted republican though. Might be the Ron Paul shirt.
I’m real and my posts are spectacular.
“can’t you just imagine one little toddler saying to another “my mommy says that your family is too poor to afford a real house and your daddy doesn’t make enough money””
No, I can’t imagine that, really. You actually know people that say shi… stuff like that? Were they in OIP, or are they in your new locale? If the former, I understand getting out; if the latter, I’m sorry.
“No, I can’t imagine that, really. You actually know people that say shi… stuff like that? Were they in OIP, or are they in your new locale? If the former, I understand getting out; if the latter, I’m sorry.”
anon, that’s suburban talk. Don’t be sorry, HD is fully accountable for his poor decisions.
“Is Jenny real or another fake CC personality? Either way, I really enjoy her work.”
I think Jenny is real and she plays up her character a bit.
@MiB, I think some people want the kid’s room on the same level. However, I agree with you that it doesn’t bother me that there is a guest bedroom on the lower level. I have some friends with a very nice duplex down and the 2nd and 3rd bedrooms are on the lower level. Their five year old seems to do just fine sleeping in a seperate bedroom on the lower level.
This seems like nice enough place, although being on Ashland is a fail imho. I just don’t get living on Ashland, Fullerton, Belmont, Irving Park, etc in a walk up. I can kind of understand it in some of the larger buildings, but definitely not a three or six flat. However, different strokes for different folks.
“to have a guest room doesn’t seem like a big deal to me. I am curious as to the reason so many here seem to think this is a “fail” for a home.”
Think it’s that a 2800 sf condo, in this sort of location, strikes most as a “family” home, and having only one kid-compliant bedroom is a fail.
Basement guest room is awesome, but want it to be the *4th* (or 5th) bedroom if it’s a longterm family home.
“Is Jenny real or another fake CC personality?”
1- Very different sense of humor than Ze, but Jenny is entertaining.
2- Excluding Clio. I thought everyone here was at least 83.4% real.
lol on the seinfeld ref. jenny
“2- Excluding Clio. I thought everyone here was at least 83.4% real.”
I thought we’d determined that that was the mean, not the lower limit.
nice one, Jenny hehe
On the listing – Looks like very nice finishes, obviously tons of space and I like the look of the building from the outside. But I wouldn’t spend $550k to live on Ashland, and definitely not for a dup down.
“Their baby also only needs to know its first initial — G. Isn’t that what gangsters call each other?”
I think our famous data provider lives here. It isn’t the baby’s initial, but simply a reminder of who daddy is!
This place isn’t so bad. It looks quite nice inside, actually. My issues are the open living/dining/kitchen which appears small, being on the first floor which is made FAR more worse by being on Ashland and the ridiculous price. Over a 1/2 million to live ON Ashland in a condo? Ugh!
“I thought we’d determined that that was the mean, not the lower limit.”
I think the mean is actually higher. Of course that would require merging all the Dans into 1 in order to not throw off the weightings.
“Jenny rings true to me as a real person – a real, spoiled, never-had-to-work-for-anything, nothing is good enough for princess, complains about everything and does nothing, person.”
She’s her mother’s daughter. There is a term and acronym for this, involving the three letters: P, J, A. …but it’s verboten on CC, so you’ll have to spend some time descrambling it.
” Excluding Clio. I thought everyone here was at least 83.4% real”
my ears were burning……and yes, I am 100% real. Now excuse me as I drive my lamborghini or bentley around to tour my many properties before seeing dozens of patients only to return to my gated estate in Oak Brook just in time to go party in my downtown in-town tonight!
I’m not dissing Ashland per se, but THIS:
“Over a 1/2 million to live ON Ashland in a condo? Ugh!”
= SPOT ON.
At this price point, I’d rather take a SFH elsewhere in the city/inner burbs, or suck it up for a smaller attached housing in a more desirable locale.
Oh, and the 60K markup is beyond laughable.
“I’m real and my posts are spectacular” Jenny, I loved the quote. That was one of my favorite episodes.
As for the listing however apparently Biff and Trixie have been out of the country on vacation for the last three years and did not hear about the housing news. Their agent Ann did little to catch them up and accepted a listing that will take substantial luck and a generous appraisal to make this into a closed transaction. I do like the area and would consider this stretch of Ashalnd if it were the right property. I actually lived around the corner from this condo for years and thought it was a great area to call home!
On the other hand I can see the appreciation. Trixie agonized over the exact shade of tan to paint the walls, put up those cute shelves, added a few wire closet organizers, and picked out all that fabric for the window dressings. That is worth at least 50K….right?
1N is also listed:
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/Undisclosed-address-60613/home/17178273
for $650k.
Biff? What, did Trixie divorce Chad?
i have no problem with duplex downs and this place looks nice. Ashland is a deal breaker though…..no way
Ashland (this stretch, it does change as you get north) as a residential street is what I would call an urban planning experiment – one done with zero foresight, outside of those median planters.
Things change, but I think there’s a good reason why Ashland in the first 100+ years of its existence wasn’t favored for housing. It’s busy, it’s loud, and more importantly, there is an abundance of housing in every direction – why purchase directly on Ashland when you have so many other options?
“Ignore the dissing of Ashland. The “g” word most certainly does not apply! It’s a “mixed use” street with commercial, business and residential buildings. In other words, “Urban.” And some of us folks like it that way!”
“Now excuse me as I drive my lamborghini or bentley around”
Exactly what I mean.. who, without diamond platinum grills on their teeth, would put a Bentley next to a Lambo???Would look rediculous!! Scuderia F430 makes sense, then you can even throw in a nice Duccati 998 to blend them in even better…
Where is Riz? You are off your game, Clio.
I miss Riz.
” the new Mangum development is across the street from this, which if their previous work is any indication will be nicely done.”
Pretty sure that will be rentals, at least initially.
Wow, and I thought this unit was overpriced. Obviously this building must just defy all real estate norms, laws and current trends!
With 1N listed so high, you better scoop up 1S now for $525k and then you can flip it in September for $700! We’re back to the bubble!!
“1N is also listed:
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/Undisclosed-address-60613/home/17178273
for $650k.”
More like Trashland! Amiright?! 😉
“With 1N listed so high, you better scoop up 1S now for $525k and then you can flip it in September for $700! We’re back to the bubble!!”
Maybe some of the extra potent stuff in a pipe that 1S is smoking is wafting up wind to the northern neighbors.
At least with 1S you do not have another building right up on you.
@Russ I completely agree, I’m surprised I got “thumbs down” for my post I was simply asking why people think a certain way. I certainly am not telling anyone they are wrong. That being said, aside from the opportunity to eat at the ART of Pizza with more regularity, I’m not sure living on Ashland has that much appeal.
Mike in Bucktown, there is a very unnatural hatred of a bedroom in a half basement here. You put the nanny or guests down there, it’s not a big deal.
“At least with 1S you do not have another building right up on you.”
… for now.
“Maybe some of the extra potent stuff in a pipe that 1S is smoking is wafting up wind to the northern neighbors.”
Just another ignorant and prejudiced comment portraying pot smokers in an unfair negative stereotype.
“Exactly what I mean.. who, without diamond platinum grills on their teeth, would put a Bentley next to a Lambo???Would look rediculous!!”
Number 1 – it is “rosso vik” not “red”
Number 2 – I don’t put my Bentley next to my lambo – the Craftsman lawn tractor is between them – DUH!!!!
Can we all agree that potterybarn decor needs to die?
“Just another ignorant and prejudiced comment portraying pot smokers in an unfair negative stereotype.”
Oh no, they are not smoking the soft stuff…..they’d be reasonable if they were. I am talking crack here.
MH—YES, YES AND YES……unfortunatley it seems to be what 90% of the people out there want.
Mike in Bucktown: I’ve always wondered about the basement bedrooms issue. … I am curious as to the reason so many here seem to think this is a “fail” for a home.
Flooding.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/23/science/earth/23adaptation.html?pagewanted=all
The city’s 13,000 concrete alleyways were originally built without drainage and are a nightmare every time it rains. Storm water pours off the hard surfaces and routinely floods basements and renders low-lying roads and underpasses unusable.
To make matters worse, many of the pipes that handle storm overflow also handle raw sewage. After a very heavy rain, if overflow pipes become congested, sewage backs up into basements or is released with the rainwater into the Chicago River — an emergency response that has attracted the scrutiny of the Environmental Protection Agency.
As the region warms, Chicago is expecting more frequent and extreme storms. In the last three years, the city has had two intense storms classified as 100-year events.
“Trixie agonized over the exact shade of tan to paint the walls, ” and “Anne Rossley at Prudential Rubloff has the listing.”
Prudential Ripoff must get a kickback from the Paint Industry for every client they convince to stage in Benjamin Moore Brown Stone
“Trixie agonized over the exact shade of tan to paint the walls, ” and “Anne Rossley at Prudential Rubloff has the listing.”
Prudential Ripoff must get a kickback from the Paint Industry for every client they convince to stage in Benjamin Moore Brown Stone
It’s like Camasotz in a Wrinkle in Time – my eye is starting to twitch just looking at those pictures.
“Can we all agree that potterybarn decor needs to die”
Even the PB itself has changed the look. Saw a catalog the other day and could tell that they had started to move away from that tired old look. It’s not great but they are at least trying to change the look!
@Madeline…..
I have a sump pump as well as a back up sump pump. If my basement didn’t flood with the past 2 “100 year events” why would I believe I’m likely to get flooded. Also, if true, wouldn’t this be an indctment on every home with a basement in Chicago (which is essentially all of them)? Maybe it’s not the inventory of foreclosures that should concern me but rather the weather.
Phil, I think home ownership tends to push many of us into a more “republican” stance. I’m always thinking of the old Ant and the Grasshopper fable nowadays, when I see those cute kids protesting about foreclosures and stuff…
Is this new construction? the building facade is actually pretty appropriate for Ashland ave. At least it’s not one of those plain prison-style facades.
“Phil, I think home ownership tends to push many of us into a more “republican” stance.”
Nah, that’s just you getting old. Start using your south facing windowsill to grow weed.
“when I see those cute kids protesting about foreclosures and stuff…”
..once again… need to think, clean up the blonde and take her out to dinner….
I’ll send you the Tony Robbins tapes and it will all make sense…
” If my basement didn’t flood with the past 2 “100 year events” why would I believe I’m likely to get flooded.”
The last 4 100-year events we got *one* flood. That one was 6″ of water. All it takes is one.
And, the issue Madeline was highlighting is largely overland flooding, rather than combined sewer backup, neither of which are actually addressed by a sump pump (or 4 sump pumps) in any case.
I have lived right on Ashland for 5 years in a 3 br 3 ba penthouse. The street may have its faults, but I have to laugh at all the negative comments that are posted on this site by those who have obviously never lived on it.
It is much less noisy than living on State Street in the Gold Coast ever was (fire/police/ambulance sirens every night all night- channeled up the walls of all the tall buildings as there is nowhere else to go with the sound.) There is tons of free parking on Ashland, which is often very handy for myself and guests I entertain. I have quick access to the highway when I drive to work. There is not an insane traffic jam on it all weekend in the summer (check out Fullerton or Diversey in LP on Sat. at noon…). In fact, I can get to most everywhere I want to go in town in 10-15 min because traffic moves on Ashland. It has enough people around, and is well lit enough at night, that the amount of crime on my block is non-existent.
I could go on, but I won’t. It is not a quiet side street, but then I would find that boring. I just wish people on here were not such snobs about addresses.