Ukranian Village Cottage Reduces $50K: 953 W. Leavitt
We last chattered about this 3-bedroom vintage cottage at 953 W. Leavitt in the Ukranian Village in August 2009.
See our prior chatter and pictures here.
Since then, it has been reduced by $50,000.
The house has an oak staircase as well as hardwood floors throughout the dining and living rooms.
It also has vintage features such as a built in bookcase and a wood burning fireplace.
A great room leads off of the newer kitchen with granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances.
Patrick Santry at Coldwell Banker still has the listing. See more pictures here.
953 N. Leavitt: 3 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, 2 car garage, no square footage listed
- Sold in October 2003 for $510,000
- Originally listed in July 2009 for $749,000
- Was still listed in August 2009 for $749,000
- Reduced
- Currently listed for $699,000
- Taxes of $5536
- Central Air
- Bedroom #1: 14×12 (second floor)
- Bedroom #2: 15×10 (second floor)
- Bedroom #3: 11×8 (second floor)
Nice but seems insanely overpriced to me for that part of town.
If you made 250k a year, would you live here? I sure as hell wouldn’t…
2003 price seems about right.
I can think of so many ways to spend $700k that doesn’t involve living in Uke Village.
It is a cute house, though.
“If you made 250k a year, would you live here? I sure as hell wouldn’t…”
If I made 250k a year after taxes I’d own a SFH, not a cottage.
I remember this one. nice place, nice wide lot. tough sale in todays market but walking distance to cheap drinks and pinball at the Rainbo
“walking distance to cheap drinks and pinball at the Rainbo”
Do people who drop 700k on a place care about this? I doubt it.
“N” Leavitt.
Just a FYI.. your headline reads “W” Leavitt, but Leavitt is a north/south street.
We live in Ukrainian Village, just a couple of blocks from this house, and we love the neighborhood. However, if I was going to spend that kind of money in this neighborhood, I’d buy a brick 2 or 3-flat. At that price it might need some work, but I think it would be a much better way to spend the money.
After spending $700k on a house like this they’re not going to have much money left over every month, so yes, cheap drinks and pinball will increase in importance!
“wtf on December 22nd, 2009 at 12:27 pm
“walking distance to cheap drinks and pinball at the Rainbo”
Do people who drop 700k on a place care about this? I doubt it.
“
Who needs $250k a year income when you’ve got a few mil in the bank like so many other internet millionaires who post here!
HD got my point.
Truthfully it kind of depends if you’re thrifty. C there are thrifty people who drop 700k on a house. I have some cheap Irish relatives who fall in this category. For them the Rainbo would be pricey.
HD, You really don’t believe there are literally thousands of couples in Chicagoland area there who can easily afford a 700k home and put 20% down and make monthly payments that don’t require more than 1/3rd of their monthly net income? They are just sitting on the sidelines. They are definitley there. If often seems that you have this notion that nobody has a high paying job and saves their money.
“They are just sitting on the sidelines.”
And why would that be? Could it be that they understand that the market is still overpriced?
The question isn’t whether or not HD realizes how many people have high incomes. The question is why anyone disagrees with HD over the fact that there are simply many more overpriced properties than potential buyers (who don’t already own) with the means to afford them?
Typically people with high paying jobs and large savings are not foolish with their money. I’m sure there are PLENTY of couples who can afford this place that currently want to upgrade but have decided to wait until the market stabalizes. The real question is how many idiots with the means to afford this are out there.
How many idiots want to pay 700k for a cottage in a soso neighborhood? I’d say close to zero
Oh, and I forgot to mention that there would be no need to walk to Rainbo for a drink since there is a bar right next door to this lovely cottage. You might have to speak a little Ukrainian or Polish to get a drink, but I’m sure they’d set you up once they realized you were a neighbor. And you’d get to make a lot of new friends with the smokers who hang out in front.
But all it takes is one…
“Sonies on December 22nd, 2009 at 1:36 pm
How many idiots want to pay 700k for a cottage in a soso neighborhood? I’d say close to zero
“
nice tip bettieshoe. never would have seen that place bc it lacks the proper signage.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2644/4187827718_d2984f29fa.jpg
Perhaps I’ll never understand the allure of the three-quarters-of-a-million bungalow/cottage, especially in the “meh” neighborhoods. Why not drop this kind of money on the higher end outlaying parts of the city, e.g. Sauganash/wildwood or Beverly?
Pub adjacent! Sweet! Mowimy Po Beer Me.
boy, you guys are harsh on the Uke! I lived over there for a couple of years and we really liked it – very pretty, plenty of good places to eat/shop/etc. Easy parking and a super quick (driving) commute to the loop.
JN –
“Why not drop this kind of money on the higher end outlaying parts of the city, e.g. Sauganash/wildwood or Beverly? ”
That’s a great question -the answer comes down to lifestyle choice. For me, while I would not put down this kind of $ for this particular cottage in Ukrainian Village, I would consider it for a different SFH or two or three-flat precisely because of it’s location. I like Sauganash, but it’s too far away from the heart of city. Anyone who like me, wants to stay close to the city, would be the likely purchaser. I like the fact that you can have a little bit of yard, nice vintage building, and can walk to the grocery story, polish deli, neighborhood bar, or even a hipster bar. Downtown is a short bus ride away and cabs are fairly plentiful.
Why move to Sauganash and put up with the city of Chicago BS when the suburbs are just five streets away?
Peg – avoiding Lincolnwood/Skokie/Park Ridge taxes, maybe?
Good answer, bettie. To each his/her own.
why would someone move to sauganash over lincolnwood/skokie? do you really have to ask that question? most all irish catholic city folk can answer that question without hesitation.
“JN on December 23rd, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Peg – avoiding Lincolnwood/Skokie/Park Ridge taxes, maybe?
Good answer, bettie. To each his/her own.
“
Everyone has a different ideal neighborhood. Not to shock and scare the regulars here on CC but Ukie Village is mine. Not to say that I would pay that much (I haven’t had time to really think about it) but in terms of neighborhood that would be a plus for me instead of a negative.
If you’ve never lived around walton here, in the real uke village, you’ve missed out on a really nice experience.
In addition to a very quiet, neighborly vibe (y’know in a stern e european way), you get occasional religious parades, an annual carnival, and the site of all the neighborhood folks carrying food down the street to their relatives. Although Sak’s is gone (RIP) you still get the local markets, etc.
One thing I learned was nobody worries about the neighborhood “backsliding” in UV. The owner of the place next door will just snatch it up… eef eet comes to zat (harrumph).