Update on What $700K Gets You in Logan Square: 2501 N. Fairfield
We last chattered about this 4-bedroom single family home at 2501 N. Fairfield in Logan Square in November 2009 and it caused quite a discussion on what Logan Square single family homes were “worth.”
See our prior chatter here.
Since then, the house has been reduced another $30,000.
It’s now been on the market nearly a year.
The home was built in 2001 and the kitchen has 42 inch maple cabinets, granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances.
3 of the 4 bedrooms are on the second level and the master bedroom has vaulted ceilings. The house also has a finished lower level and central air.
Mark Paonessa at @Properties still has the listing. See the pictures and a virtual tour here.
2501 N. Fairfield: 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 2 car garage, 3600 square feet
- Sold in May 2000 for $130,000
- Sold in January 2001 for $480,000
- Originally listed in April 2008
- Cancelled in July 2008
- Re-listed in April 2009 for $749,000
- Reduced
- Was listed in November 2009 for $729,000
- Reduced
- Currently listed for $699,000
- Taxes of $7247
- Central Air
- Bedroom #1: 17×12 (second level)
- Bedroom #2: 17×9 (second level)
- Bedroom #3: 17×9 (second level)
- Bedroom #4: 17×12 (lower level)
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DZ on March 24th, 2010 at 9:25 am
Sorry, went back and looked at comments just now. Figured someone would have commented on the mortgage. Thanks anon:
“He bought with a single $384k mortgage
Refi’d Apr-02 for $382k
Refi’d Oct-02 for $382k
Refi’d Oct-07 for $388k–Mortgage released Mar-09
Refi’d Apr-09 (dated Mar-09, to match the release), lender is an individual. The amount? $1,052,000. The owner does not appear to own any other proeprty in Cook County, but this could be a multi-parcel mortgage recorded in multiple counties.”
Last I heard, they bought a new house in Hinsdale. I still don’t get it. Story in the neighborhood is that they moved because their oldest (of like 3?) was near high-school age and “they couldn’t afford to send them all to private school”. But, they could afford to keep this place empty for almost a year now? And a new, more expensive place? (and the Porsche I would see in the garage, past the Rover thing in the driveway?)
I guess I don’t understand the priorities here.
Realtor friend in the neighborhood said their metric right now is that if a property is listed for a month and it doesn’t go under contract, it’s priced too high. Realtors are busy as can be, but all glad of that, given that the last 2 years have been dreadful for them.
It’s a nice enough house. I think the config of the 2 smaller bedrooms, split down the middle of the house, just really doesn’t work though. Better to have kept the full width of the house and figured a different way to put 3 BRs upstairs.
If it sells at this price before the fall, I’ll be really surprised.
So, about a year when we started looking, I was watching this place, and 6 other properties in the general area.
This was the “nicest” and most expensive of the places I looked at.
. . . And it is the only one of those 7 that did not sell in ’09.
I hate to say it, but I think it was “just price”.
But here were my positives:
*Size (though it ain’t 3600 sq ft)
*Finishes / condition– very clean, well maintained, well done
*Sweet basement– 45” long “family room” / man cave
And negatives:
*Price
*4th “bedroom” in basement
*strange narrow bedrooms and cramped floorplan upstairs
*Lot configuration. . . some people like corner lots and sidewalk cut driveways, I don’t
*No more shows at Fireside bowl
Who would throw down 700k to live in Logan Square? Schools aren’t that good, crime can be an issue, and it’s not all that short of a commute to the loop. Plus over 7k in taxes to live there. No thanks. This place is due for another healthy price cut.
If this were on Logan Blvd, and made of brick, $700k would work.
As I’ve noted more than a few times, this is the BEST part of Logan Square. The location, in terms of commute to the loop, actually couldn’t be better. You’re near both the expressway and the el is totally walkable. Safest beat in the 14th district as well. St. John Berchman is a good choice for the kids, if Brentano Math & Science Academy, or Goethe, don’t float yer boat. Are the taxes w/ or w/o the homeowner exemption?
I’ll agree that it’s totally a pricing problem. But how low would do the trick? $600? $550? what?
oh, and as a neighbor of Fireside Bowl, even though I am a fan of rock and roll, the fact that the Fireside has finally cleaned up it’s act and is NOT having shows is a *positive*, not a negative. Nothing worse than drunken hipsters leaving their beer bottles on the lawn and having loud drunken conversations in the street at 2AM. Glad that’s gone.
“Who would throw down 700k to live in Logan Square?”
Looks like in the past year, two people did so– 2048 N Humboldt and 2716 w logan.
Interestingly, if you go east of Western in 60647, about 20 people did so (and that’s just Western to Damen, North to Fullerton).
“I’ll agree that it’s totally a pricing problem. But how low would do the trick? $600? $550? what?”
Obviously, if they could get to a conforming loan situation for buyer (low/mid $500s) it would sell fast.
Despite my reservations with it, even close to 600 may well have gotten this place sold (to us).
Also Mike HG, the comment on the schools. . . while your general statement is accurate, this place is in Goethe. Not bad for elementary.
http://avondalelogansquarecrime.blogspot.com/
Granted the areas covered are a little west of Logan and a little south of Avondale, this makes for a mildly entertaining read.
Interesting on Goethe. Although we live right in the area, I’ve never looked up Goethe until now because I know many parents in the area and no one who can afford or figure out options in the system actually sends their kids there. The stats on meet or exceed are not bad. The stats on exceed are bad, at least in terms of whether I’d be close to willing to send my kid there. St Johns Berchmans is a viable option, but not really our thing.
Commute is really good if your office is close to the blue line or if you want to drive.
Crime really isn’t a problem in this particular area. Farther south and southwest becomes more of an issue. There are a lot of community minded active people in this area.
“If this were on Logan Blvd, and made of brick, $700k would work”
It would work at 1mil there too!
“if Brentano Math & Science Academy”
My dad went there back in the 50’s its an ok school now its seeing a uptick but not enough for it to be consideration.
“(and the Porsche I would see in the garage, past the Rover thing in the driveway?)”
I still rememeber seeing my first rover without huge rims in logan in 2002, was stunned and shocked i wonder if it was this guy?
Also as I’ve said before, it’s a really nice area around here. Nice families. New kiddie playground at Haas Park (bit chaotic in the middle of summer), they’re replacing the field house. The new field that the highly competent park district put in is, however, a swamp when it rains.
I think somewhere around $600K gets this sold. I do think school is an issue. Schools are kinda binary. It’s nice that Goethe is getting better in general (for the neighborhood etc), but if you don’t think it’s good enough for you, it’s not of much use. I don’t think people looking to spend $600K and certainly $700K would pick Goethe. But there are ways to work CPS and there’s catholic/private school.
agree with all of this – but on the schools, the fact is that being right off of the expressway opens options that neighborhoods like Lincoln Square will never have. ground-zero Logan Sq gets a little more fun every year, with the farmer’s market, the arts festival, etc – all we need is the Redmoon Theater’s halloween parade back, I miss that.
What does $700k get you in Logan Square? $700k gets you the hell out of Logan Square, that’s what.
On a side note, I finally got around to searching for a Firefox addon that would let me right click an address and do a Google Maps search.
In case anyone else might find it useful.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/13028
I’ve owned and lived in my house in Logan for 10 years. While the neighborhood is markedly different from when I moved in (much better), the price for this place is a bit of a stretch. I wish! That being said, Logan is incredibly convenient – the el, the expressway, etc. Logan has always been a community-minded place, as one poster stated already, and is even more so lately. And crime is not really an issue anymore. Logan is always mentioned in the local news, but almost always the “incidents” happen in Humboldt Park – more west and south than true Logan. It’s weird.
Oh trust me theres plenty of crime at Wrightwood & Kimball
Im not saying that Logan Square is a bad place to raise a family, as many have pointed out the positives of this section of logan square. But if you can afford a 700K house, I have to imagine that you would consider living in another area simply because you can get better schools and a safer area with better commute for 700K. I also second that 599K will sell this place.
“Interestingly, if you go east of Western in 60647, about 20 people did so (and that’s just Western to Damen, North to Fullerton).”
But that’s just it – the Latin Kings don’t go east of Western.
Hey, I live near here, too. But no way I’d pay 700k unless I was allowed to install a moat and a remote gun turret. Because 700k can get you into a lot better neighborhoods in an SFH.
“$599k will sell this place”
yoiks! There goes the kid’s college fund!
“But that’s just it – the Latin Kings don’t go east of Western.”
So the Kings and Groove share a hatred/fear of Bucktown? Interesting.
Kings? This area is the insane spanish cobras and I think they’re either people or folk.
600k buys a nice home in old irving with better schools, less crime, a bigger lot, a farmers market at independence market, highway access, and the train commute is only 3 stops farther than Logan. The downside is fewer hipsters and a distinct lack of the ultra-progressive politics present in the Logan area.
“The downside is fewer hipsters and a distinct lack of the ultra-progressive politics present in the Logan area.”
ahaha! Thanks for the laugh HD 🙂
“But if you can afford a 700K house, I have to imagine that you would consider living in another area simply because you can get better schools and a safer area with better commute for 700K.”
Where? What house? I agree this place is overpriced, but I would really like to see the place that has a good public elementary, good commute to loop, and at least as safe listing for $700K.
And again, the commute is great from here as long as you’re reasonably close to the blue line (and since they fixed the slow zones).
““But that’s just it – the Latin Kings don’t go east of Western.”
So the Kings and Groove share a hatred/fear of Bucktown? Interesting.”
I am a bit dated but thought that the latin kings stayed toward humbolt park, Logan had IG’s over by fullerton and Kimball and the Disciple’s were around Kimball and diversy?
“Kings? This area is the insane spanish cobras and I think they’re either people or folk.”
Kings=People Cobras=Folk
“Story in the neighborhood is that they moved because their oldest (of like 3?) was near high-school age and “they couldn’t afford to send them all to private school”.”
That reads like “couldn’t get into latin/parker”.
They apparently paid $1.05mm for their new house, and it does not have a mortgage properly recorded against it. So there’s something odd going on.
“600k buys a nice home in old irving with better schools, less crime, a bigger lot, a farmers market at independence market, highway access, and the train commute is only 3 stops farther than Logan. The downside is fewer hipsters and a distinct lack of the ultra-progressive politics present in the Logan area.”
Is the CPS elem actually good enough to go to? I’ve never spent time around there.
“Where? What house? I agree this place is overpriced, but I would really like to see the place that has a good public elementary, good commute to loop, and at least as safe listing for $700K. ”
——
600k buys a nice home in old irving with better schools, less crime, a bigger lot, a farmers market at independence market, highway access, and the train commute is only 3 stops farther than Logan. The downside is fewer hipsters and a distinct lack of the ultra-progressive politics present in the Logan area.
——
I’m going to use the quote of homedelete, who I consider to be one of the more knowledgeable cribbers. And yes, unless your an ultra left wing socialist fan, your probably not going to jive with your neighbors.
DZ: 60641 bounded by Milwaukee, Cicero, Montrose, Pulaski, to Addison. plenty of nice homes (although not new construction), older but updated homes. Its very nice without the left wing hipster progressive bent. Not ultra conservative like wheaton, but just a nice place to live. People hear pulaski and the get turned off but its really a nice hood with lots of million dollar homes. Ill be buying a smaller home in the area in probably 12 to 18 months depending on how quickly the double dip happens.
“I am a bit dated but thought that the latin kings stayed toward humbolt park, Logan had IG’s over by fullerton and Kimball and the Disciple’s were around Kimball and diversy?”
Well, my street cred is actually negative, so don’t listen to me. Just know the tags I’ve seen in my random Logan Square forays.
Either way, there is a distinct lack of tagging/shooting east of Western.
And apparently, whatever invisible fence/kryptonite that keeps them out somehow affects Groove as well.
“Oh trust me theres plenty of crime at Wrightwood & Kimball”
Wow your view from RN is better than I thought.
(I call B.S.)
“DZ: 60641 bounded by Milwaukee, Cicero, Montrose, Pulaski, to Addison. plenty of nice homes (although not new construction)”
Fair amount of new-ish construction, too, isn’t there?
The issue is the neighborhood Elem (not that isn’t in the bad half, just not in the best X%, right?), tho, isn’t it? Everyone banks on getting into Disney2, no?
“Where? What house? I agree this place is overpriced, but I would really like to see the place that has a good public elementary, good commute to loop, and at least as safe listing for $700K.”
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/3516-N-Hamilton-Ave-60618/home/13387206
Audobon count? Obviously not as short of a commute, but not bad at all, really.
Here’s another Audobon:
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/3505-N-Marshfield-Ave-60657/home/13386405
“60641 bounded by Milwaukee, Cicero, Montrose, Pulaski, to Addison. plenty of nice homes (although not new construction), older but updated homes. Its very nice without the left wing hipster progressive bent.”
Thanks, HD. School is Portage Park? Doesn’t look that good, not obviously superior to Goethe on scores along. Maybe it’s better on other dimensions for some but I’m not sure it’s viable.
I don’t really care for hipsters, but I do like some of the retail/restaurants they attract. There’s also just a lot of pretty regular families in Logan. Maybe they’re a little lefty but not in an obnoxious way (as long as they’re not setting my taxes). I don’t really talk politics with neighbors.
“Wow your view from RN is better than I thought.
(I call B.S.)”
How do you think Sonies affords the mortgage? That’s “his” corner.
Disney II if you can get in and supposedly Belding (north of Irving Park Rd.) is rapidly changing. St. Viators is down the block on Addison. The community organization has a primer once a year for all the various school options.
“supposedly Belding (north of Irving Park Rd.) is rapidly changing”
One of the most controversial things to say around here. Few buy into the “rapidly changing” mantra, including you, most of the time.
“Ill be buying a smaller home in the area in probably 12 to 18 months depending on how quickly the double dip happens.”
i am sure somebody will overpay for the places you like
but on a serious note, there will be a double dip if employment doesn’t get better.
Plenty of high priced inventory that just sits. Most properties in the 200s and 300s gets snapped up instantly. The move up market here is nearly dead. The luxury market is slo but moving. I’m counting a double dip to start affecting the move up pricing and knock a fair number of smallish homes into the 300s w/o having to place a bid w/in 24 hours of listing on the MLS. Eventually, patience my grasshopper.
“Wow your view from RN is better than I thought.
(I call B.S.)”
I have a friend who lives up there… his house gets tagged on a weekly basis, in the summer there’s gangbanger keggers going on on every block… really wouldn’t want my wife walking around there at night alone thats for sure
No really, word on the street is that a lot of parents round here are stuck and have accepted the fact that belding is the school. It supposedly had some of the best improvment in test scores in the CPS elemtary system. No I’m not vouching as to the veracity of this info and I can’t check it from my blackberry, but, the scuttlebutt is that oip parents are sending their kids there and it has gotten way better.
The days of overpaying on the NW side are nearly over. Overpaying is strictly for the green zone. The decent homes in oip in the 300’s and they’re nice homes too, they sell instantly. Its thr 500’s move up market that’s hurting. 3700 n keeler was listed for over a mil and it sold for 655, there’s a nice bungalow on tripp that was listed for a mil that sold for 700 iirc and there is a lot that is languishing.
“And apparently, whatever invisible fence/kryptonite that keeps them out somehow affects Groove as well.”
in fine print is a written contract on the back of chicago birth certificate about crossing western, its the polar opposite contract for suburbanites but its not on their Birth Certificate it used to be right below i am a donor on the Drivers License but i think a kane and will county law changed it to the Social security card kept the western boundry but included logan square as an exception.
“They apparently paid $1.05mm for their new house, and it does not have a mortgage properly recorded against it. So there’s something odd going on.”
You think somehow the mortgage must cover both places?
Other thing about 2501 is, with the probable exception of one house, it is the nicest house on the block. There are some fancier new construction houses on some of the other side streets around there. And there are Groove’s lottery places on the Logan. It is about the nicest place, although not by a gigantic margin.
Old real estate trueism: “never buy the nicest house on the block”.
CPS new-think: “Mayor Daley urged the Chicago Teachers Union on Monday to enter “the real world” of shared sacrifice to avert drastic budget cuts that, Schools CEO Ron Huberman has warned, may include raising class sizes to 37 students.” Don’t know any white-collar college-educated parents willing to sacrifice their off-spring to new realities of CPS education. I can fully understand a fast escape to Hinsdale (home of the highly educated-motivated-achieving/expectation teenagers of west suburbia).
This house reminds me of the new construction “Parade of Homes” in Kenwood one year, with a fussy electronic burglar alarm system with sensors everywhere and a vinyl-sided exterior with high “english basement family room” configuration. All it takes is a saws-all cut through the vinyl siding and board insulation and you’re inside the house without worrying about the alarm system. The house itself is worth $250,000 tops; how much is the Logan Square lot worth?
Finally, a corner lot in a city neighborhood is a headache-full. Not only do you have all that additional sidewalk shovelling and grass cutting to contend with, but you also have extra lack of privacy and security problems. Add spray paint tagging of your exposed exterior wall for neighborhoods like Logan Square.
Groove – That explains the dizzy spells and intense headaches I had when I drove to Oak Park via North Avenue.
“Groove – That explains the dizzy spells and intense headaches I had when I drove to Oak Park via North Avenue.”
That actually happens to everybody once you pass bucktown/wicker park. that is one depressing drive up north ave. i dont think i ever can not be bothered by a beggar or church group selling something when you get caught at that light on central.
” that is one depressing drive up north ave. i dont think i ever can not be bothered by a beggar or church group selling something when you get caught at that light on central.”
Hahahaha that is so true. I used to go from LV all the way out to Elmhurst via North Ave, sometimes I would take Grand. The light at Central was always an adventure. The most hilarious thing I remember seeing was two dudes bashing each other with pool cues in the middle of North Ave, just east of Central, getting egged on by people on either side of the street. Held up traffic for like 5 minutes before cops swooped in and carted them both away. Ahh, Austin.
I once took Chicago ave west to Oak Park and the cops pulled me over thinking I was trying to buy drugs. I said no officer, I just wanted to avoid 290 traffic. He said “just keep driving and don’t come back” or something to the effect like that.
Maybe the first year I was in Chicago and not understanding neighborhoods AT ALL, I was out somewhere like Arlington Heights for dinner and thought I would just meander back pleasantly on local roads to see the city. Ended up coming back mostly eastbound on North Ave. I am not as streetwise as the Groove, so it was not most comfortable drive.
Nice enough house, but I agree that the price seems way out of line. Especially given the house just down the street at 2639 Fairfield. http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/2639-N-Fairfield-Ave-60647/home/13450333
I looked at the house and liked what we saw. They did a thoughtful job renovating the space. It went under contract in less than one week, and I heard the contract was for $50K OVER asking price. Asking price was $499K.
Proves that there is a big shortage of moderatley priced SFH in neighborhoods with relatively easy access to downtown.
HD,
When i skip the 290 i venture madison ave its more fun than chicago ave 🙂 but i have found lake street to be the quickest even with the weird turn under the green line.
Barry,
nice pool hall brawl, i never seen a pool hall over there. makes the situation even funnier 🙂
DZ,
Next time on North ave once crossing california speed up until you see johnny’s beef (harlem ave), pull over and grab a beef you will be safe 🙂 actually bueona beef is the begining of the safe zone but johnnny’s is a half mile up and 10000000 times awesomer.
People love Johnny’s beef. That name comes up in random conversations at least twice a month from so many random sources.
If you guys want a real fun time, take Roosevelt on the far west side and make a left in one of the “crazy L” streets
make sure its a really really really hot day too so nobody is inside their un air conditioned place
“nice pool hall brawl, i never seen a pool hall over there. makes the situation even funnier”
That was the oddest part about it. I don’t know the neighorhood at all, but certainly don’t ever remember seeing a pool hall anywhere around. It was almost as if they decided “fight, tomorrow at 5:30, middle of North Ave, pool cues? Alright, meet you there”
There in general is a shortage of moderately priced homes within reasonable distance of downtown. Most of them were torn down over the last 10 years and replaced with ug 3-flats or larger condo buildings. The only places that relatively plentiful #’s of SFH still exist are in sort of outlying ‘hoods (Logan) and a handful in GZ ‘hoods where ‘everyone’ wants to live. During the bubble, buyers had to compete against developers for the remaining teardowns that were left and the bidding wars got to be expensive. You have to remember that the city of chicago green zone renaissance is a very relatively new phenomenon. My parents and grandparents left the city in the 50’s and 60’s for the ‘burbs just like most people’s; and most of those who stayed let their properties run into the ground for 40/50 years as property values fell. I’ve got pictures of my grandmother’s two flat in logan from 1964 and only in the last 10 years has anyone made any improvements to the properties in the ‘hood. So with that background, during the 2000’s, the developers swooped into places like bucktown, logan, wicker, west town, etc, and ‘snapped’ up these run down cottages and frame homes (And sometimes brick homes) and replaced them with 3 and 4 flat condos, or ‘luxury’ SFH’s. It ultimately decimated the number of available SFH’s and the price for tear downs became the minimum price in the entire neigbhorhood. In 2005 my landlord sold his frame former SFH converted to a three-flat for $550,000 as a tear down! It’s a 25×125 lot DIRECTLY ON DAMEN AVE! In its place is now a brick three flat which sold during the boom for 450, 550 and 650. which is just crazinesss that people would pay that much money to live in a glorified apartment in west lakeview.
with this background, prices will come down, but they’ll still be priced higher than most condos or townhomes, and you’re going to need to be in the top 15 or 20% of all household incomes for the area to afford the monthly payment if you have a 20% down payment. but the thing that sucks is that peope dont’ want to raise their children in brick three flats off the brown line for very long and it sort of sucks with teenagers. So they’re going to evnetually have to sell. The turn over on these units will always be high and prices are going to have to come down, signficantly. And they will, it just takes time. Years. If the devlopers had just rehabbed the existing units, there would be a great SFH stock that was actually useful for the families that want to live there, but instead we’re stuck with these really expensive apartment with relatively high turnover because families grow and don’t want to stay in them forever.
“Proves that there is a big shortage of moderatley priced SFH in neighborhoods with relatively easy access to downtown.”
Love Johnny’s. Johnny’s and Gene and Judes are the two main places stuck out in the middle of areas I never go that I wish were closer. If I go on local roads, I take a more northerly approach these days.
Yep, Lake street is definitely a quick east-west route. We live in Ukrainian Village and spend a lot of time running the stepson back and forth between our house and his mom’s house in Oak Park. Sometimes we do take Grand, Chicago, or North, depending on where we’re headed, but Lake is almost always a quick route. Taking the expressway back into the city and exiting on Western usually offers high entertainment value too.
““fight, tomorrow at 5:30, middle of North Ave, pool cues? Alright, meet you there””
good stuff LOL
“This area is the insane spanish cobras and I think they’re either people or folk”
All gangs in Chicago are either People or Folk, just to clarify for newcomers to the area.
Best $30 you will ever spend is on the Chicago Gang Book put out by the Chicago Crime Commission, it’s from 2006, but still is remarkably accurate- they have the entire City broken out police district by district showing known gang territories.
As always, the rule of thumb is that contested areas/areas on the edges are the worst – that’s where you see the drivebys.
DZ: THANK YOU for jogging my memory of Gene & Judes. I’m definitely going back this weekend.
Skeptic, that book is an interesting suggestion. . . I’ve been living in various “gang infested” areas for 15+ years and had never heard of it.
I find http://www.chicagogangs.org/ to be informative on the issue as well.
Having a little bit of knowledge on this type of thing is really helpful to living in Chicago, I think.
“DZ: THANK YOU for jogging my memory of Gene & Judes. I’m definitely going back this weekend.”
well if your over there dont forget about russells for ribs
I don’t understand how hipster liberals can pay 700K for a house and then live with gangs, graffiti and schools that suck without growing jaded and conservative.
Not quite Gene and Judes but this place is not bad and it’s close. Fresh cut fries.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/red-hot-ranch-chicago
“Not quite Gene and Judes but this place is not bad and it’s close. Fresh cut fries.”
are we on hot dogs now!!!! Jimmy’s hotdogs on grand and pulaski (bring your own ketchup) hands down the best ever!
“I don’t understand how hipster liberals can pay 700K for a house and then live with gangs, graffiti and schools that suck without growing jaded and conservative.”
Well the people that buy these places aren’t hipsters at all but they are definite yuppies with liberal leaning tendencies.
But today’s liberal leaning yuppies with a higher credit score than common sense buy today’s 700k properties to fix up for tomorrow’s 400k foreclosures after they realize they can’t hack it in the city with kids.
Incidentally, I became disgusted and sold my sweet place in Red Hook, Brooklyn back in 1998 not because of the intergenerational families of crack smokers who liked to hang on my steps – (from the 14 year old baby mamas to the 30 year old grandmothers). I sold it because of my liberal neighbors who were all like “let them sit there and smoke crack! it’s all they have.”
“are we on hot dogs now!!!! Jimmy’s hotdogs on grand and pulaski (bring your own ketchup) hands down the best ever!”
what kind of sick bastard puts ketchup on a hot dog?
“what kind of sick bastard puts ketchup on a hot dog?”
its for the fries, the refuse to sell or carry ketchup there. AWESOME.
Milkster,
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! sad but LOL
“what kind of sick bastard puts ketchup on a hot dog?”
Totally. Groove’s street cred just went to zero, as far as I’m concerned.
;-0
“its for the fries, the refuse to sell or carry ketchup there. AWESOME.”
Street cred fully restored. . . with a possible credit added for knowledge of the Armitage & Grand neighborhood.
One of my liberal neighbors was a woman who breast-fed her 4 year old in her garden right outside my window.
not only does jimmy’s hot dogs refuse to carry ketchup they used to ask you to leave if you asked for it more than once!
“for knowledge of the Armitage & Grand neighborhood.”
just down the way on grand is the cheapest car window place in the city! car window broke dont claim it on your insurance go there $75 for side windows $150 for front and $200 for back with defrost!
“$75 for side windows $150 for front and $200 for back with defrost!”
I’m fiercely loyal to Aaron Glass, but, always good to have another option (especially if I need to grab lunch while waiting).
(Insert joke about west siders’ wealth of experience in replacing auto glass here).
“One of my liberal neighbors was a woman who breast-fed her 4 year old in her garden right outside my window.”
You should’ve first threatened her that you were going to take pictures and put them on the internet. If she continues follow through with it. Seriously if she is exposing herself outside you’re well within your rights to photograph it, put it on Flickr, then put a flyer up on your property with the link. Chances are the threat alone would bring her into compliance.
Hi Bob –
LOLOLOLOL! Alas, that was back in 1998 before digital photography was prevalent and before Flickr existed.
When I bought there, I mistakenly assumed that my fellow co-op owners would be interested in keeping our block safe and clean and a pleasant place to live instead of having to run home and barricade yourself in your apartment.
you can find the Gang Book here (and only here, I believe):
https://www.chicagocrimecommission.org/ItemParent.aspx?id=14#item_85
sorry, meant to add that chicagogangs.org can be interesting, but take it with a grain of salt, as best I can tell they rely on gangbangers themselves for updates (not exactly a demographic obsessed with accuracy, and also one prone to hyping themselves).
You guys would be amazed at how much more the average chicago teen knows compared to the chicago police for basic gang stuff.
If you want to know what corner or area what gang is “reppin” ask a teen.
I been eating Chicago hot-dogs since Flukies was on 12th St and I like ketchup once in awhile. Anyone who doesn’t like it can kiss my fat Irish ass.
Johnny’s ain’t what it used to be, IMO Bouna’s is better. If you need “street cred” then go to the original on 12th St. in Berwyn.
abc123’s Fairfield listing is a nicer house, and since it’s under contract then it defines pricing for this house: $550,000 or less. Seller should reprice and sell, before mortgage availability for next purchaser evaporates with predicted jump in mortgage interest rates.
I drive North Ave west to Harlem too, and recommend Division or Augusta as alternates. Lights are somewhat synchronized, so you can maintain a 40 mph speed for long sections. Watch out for west-siders walking into streets without regard for vehicular traffic and not anywhere near pedestrian crossings; I think they’re “playing chicken” with the suburbanites.
“abc123’s Fairfield listing is a nicer house, and since it’s under contract then it defines pricing for this house: $550,000 or less. Seller should reprice and sell, before mortgage availability for next purchaser evaporates with predicted jump in mortgage interest rates.”
Can anyone who has seen both place offer an opinion? My guess is the 2501 house is significantly bigger, but I do like the styling of 2631 house.
Architect, I share your opinion on frame v. brick and otherwise, but I do not think anyone can state that abc123’s listing is objectively better than this house.
Square footage, number of beds/baths, outdoor space, curb appeal, and location all favor this listing over that cottage.
I’m not saying that means this place is necessarily worth more than $550. But I think most buyers would think it’s a nicer house than the other listing.
And, Sonies, I was just speaking to that exact Kimball/Wrightwood area. I happen to know the area very well, have spent much time there, and it’s been pretty much under control for 6 or 7 years now. That said, certainly does get rougher up by diversey and south of armitage. . . and I consider graffiti and keggers undangerous standard city fare, so, we have different standards.
DZ, didn’t see your post before mine– to be clear, I have not been inside abc123’s Faifield listing (just seen the outside and what’s here).
This type of anti-social behavior is responsible for a substantially large number of motor vehicle v. pedestrian auto accidents; many times the accidents are hit and runs; and quite often the driver doesn’t have insurance or a valid license. Police estimate (I’ve the quote somewhere) that in bad neighborhoods like Austin, Englewood, etc, up to 75% of all drivers on the road lack valid driver’s licenses or insurance.
If you ever have to go to the Concourse Level of the Daley Center (CL-XX) for a speeding or traffic ticket, I encourage each and every one of you to take a peek into the CL-97 and CL-95 courtrooms. They’re in the hallway on the way out past the cashier’s. Day in and day out, 250 days a year, both rooms are full of people with suspended license and no insurance, who got pulled over in a bad neighborhood for driving on our roads like complete F’in morons. (btw the fourth floor is the same way too). It will open your eyes. The streets are very dangerous places which is one of the reasons why I stick to public trans as much as I can in the city. I’m honestly not joking, I really believe it’s that bad. And especially at night – drunks, gangbangers, ruffians, and the dredge of society are on the roads.
“Watch out for west-siders walking into streets without regard for vehicular traffic and not anywhere near pedestrian crossings; I think they’re “playing chicken” with the suburbanites.”
wow, lotsa chatter here.
a few comments on all of it.
From what I understand, over here it’s Maniac Latin Disciples, trying to keep a foothold. One branch still calls itself “AW MLD” (Altgeld & Washtenaw),but I doubt there’s an actual D living anywhere within a mile of that intersection. And, we don’t ever see them as a presence of any kind, lurking or loitering.
there will be no graffiti or hacking through the vinyl siding of this house, because they have surrounded the perimeter w/ wrought iron.
2639 N. Fairfield is very close to Brentano, and across the street from a small 4 unit Section 8 building (scattered site) and the apartment building on the corner has resisted any efforts at upscaling it’s tenant base whatsoever. Frankly, I LOVE the interiors (from photos) of 2639, but that block is probably less desirable than the 2501 property by half.
I’ll have to look it up, but I get the impression that this area of Logan Square has a higher percent white-collar, college educated homeowners than Portage Park might. I’ve always seen Portage as very blue collar. And boring as hell as a place to live, with some streets all lined with the same brick workman’s bunagalow. Little boxes, on the hillside…
And, yes, these sellers did buy a million dollar home in Hinsdale a year ago. How they are carrying this house for a year vacant, plus their new huge place, I can’t imagine.
While browsing the MLS a few weeks ago I think I saw a house on Logan Blvd close for about $500,000. If a house can close on the Blvd for $500,000, then yes this is over priced.
homedelete – that drive is much better than it was 10/15 yrs ago. Funny though, a friend of mine used to drive from Wicker Park to Oak Park up North Avenue. Her cop friend, use beat inlcudes that area, told her to sit in 290 traffic instead.
“I once took Chicago ave west to Oak Park and the cops pulled me over thinking I was trying to buy drugs. I said no officer, I just wanted to avoid 290 traffic. He said “just keep driving and don’t come back” or something to the effect like that.”
I think $700K for a woodframed house is too much in any neighborhood. Logan Square, though, is under rated. Its one of the few places in the city that’s not a concrete jungle where people can still buy at a reasonable price and still have easy access to transportation.
More and more business owners are recognizing that too. Longman Eagle, which I believe recently replaced Windy City Cafe, on Kedzie has a two hour wait for dinner most nights.
“More and more business owners are recognizing that too. Longman Eagle, which I believe recently replaced Windy City Cafe, on Kedzie has a two hour wait for dinner most nights.”
There’s increasingly more restaurants and retail. Revolution Brewing is incredibly successful right now. Letizia’s is opening up on California and Altgeld, there’s that new pizza place off the circle. I never thought Provenance would survive but it seems to be doing well. There’s the food co-op, farmers’ market, etc. I really like the area. Commute for me is great, easy to get out to O’Hare as well. Wish schools were better.
If any Logan Square people are reading, what do you think of this specific location, 2610 N Sawyer. I’m not west of Kedzie very much, have the general impression it gets less desirable, but not sure about this location.
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/2610-N-Sawyer-Ave-60647/home/12554352
PS New pizza place on the circle is pretty good for only being in business a couple of weeks.
2610 Sawyer? I don’t think that particular stretch commands $750k.
Take a look just a few blocks to the west, how a similarly sized SFH fares. Granted it’s not a “greystone”, but note there’s a $300k difference
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/3442-W-Wrightwood-Ave-60647/home/13444944
I’d poke around CAPS and see what beat Sawyer is, and start there. Also, drive around that area at 10pm on a Saturday night.
2501 N Fairfield just relisted at the same $699K price. There’s 2718 N Fairfield and 2738 N Fairfield at $650K and $575K. Both those houses seem nicer than 2501, but location is worse.
Just saw that closing price for that 2639 n fairfield– $520k, not $550 as suggested. But, still a pretty high number.
In the meantime, I also noticed the place next door (2637) sold last summer for $142k. . . and the 2 flat across the street just sold for $250k.
Oh, and, just so we know what the nabe is really worth, a frame shell for a large 4/3 just sold for $205k at 2740 N, and there’s now a SF asking $650k at 2718. Crazy.
Oh, and, DZ & Logansquarean, re: that block of Sawyer: I looked at that 2610 last year and I completely agree it’s not worth 750k. . . but you do have to remember the double lot (I want to say it’s almost 200” deep). And a huge 5 unit graystone on quadruple lot (yes) just sold for $850k (2514 n Sawyer).
Neighborhood is mostly ok though– of course, closer to milwaukee, you do get some problems occasionally but I’ve been through frequently enough and feel comfortable.
And this weekend we went the pizza place, too, and have to agree it is pretty darn good!
2501 N Fairfield shows as under contract. Anyone heard any gossip about it? Last list is still $699K.
What’s the name of the “new pizza place off the circle”
I’m always down for pizza? Regular thin chicago? Fancy Coalfire like or spacca napoli like? Deep dishy?
TELL ME TELL ME TELL ME 🙂
Fancy woodfire. . . ciao napoli is the place.
I saw that re: 2501 Fairfield as well. . . one more wacky LS property on which to watch sale price– check out 2521 N rockwell and 2432 N bernard for a couple interesting LS sales too.
“What’s the name of the “new pizza place off the circle””
Ciao Napoli
2607 N Milwaukee Ave
773-278-7300
Closest to Spacca in style. Not as good as Spacca but pretty awesome for walking distance from us.
How’s parking there? I might “swing” IT SO NOT ON THE WAY
on by?
and what’s the evil how many quarters an hour zone is it there?
Off topic: did you know it is already approved to have meter increases for the next couple of years???
“2521 N rockwell”
Interesting. I don’t remember seeing the listing. Might have been the right house for REB.
2501 N Fairfield just sold for $635K.
“just sold for $635K”. . .
Huh. . . it was a nicely done place. . .
A “deal” compared to 2619 N Rockwell (comp for this, just sold at $640k)??
“A “deal” compared to 2619 N Rockwell (comp for this, just sold at $640k)??”
The Rockwell place is so different. Being so close to the highway is a complete deal breaker for me, so I don’t even know how to compare personally. The Fairfield house is on a very nice block. Arguably the Rockwell finishes are nicer but that’s on a really quick look w/o having been in either. The 2nd and 3rd bedrooms in the Fairfield house are very skinny, dividing the front of the house down the middle.
HAH! you guys beat me to this!
I saw the sign had come down from 2501, and poked around redfin…
Well, it took them 2 years to sell it. Can’t help but wonder what kind of carrying costs that comes to.
Hope they’re happy in their *cough* new Hinsdale home.