Vintage Lover’s Dream in Old Town: A 2/2 Duplex Down for $524,000 at 1832 N. Lincoln
This 2-bedroom duplex down at 1832 N. Lincoln in Old Town came on the market in June 2023.
While this listing doesn’t list a date for the building, other listings say it is 1904. There are 8 units in this association with some of the others appearing to be small 1-bedrooms and even studios.
There’s no parking or amenities with the building.
This listing says the unit is a “vintage’s lover dream” which has been “remodeled from top to bottom.”
Words don’t even begin to describe the vintage woodwork on the main floor of this unit which includes huge base and crown moldings, 14 foot ceilings, extensive moldings around the doors and windows (not painted), a massive, built-in mirror in the living room, a fireplace in the dining room with handcrafted trim (are those original tiles on the fireplace too?), arched doorways and what looks like the original detailed wood floors in the living and dining room.
The kitchen has dark wood cabinets, granite counter tops and stainless steel appliances.
The primary bedroom appears to be on the main level with the second bedroom in the lower level but there are no pictures of the staircase so I’m not sure how you get down to the lower level.
The 2 full bathrooms have walk-in-showers and all new fixtures.
The lower level has vinyl flooring and a stackable washer/dryer.
The listing says the unit has new HVAC, thermostat and updated plumbing.
It does not have parking but it appears to have a small back deck.
The listing says it’s a “turn key unit” which has “super low assessments.”
This building is near Lincoln Park and the Green City Market and all the shops and restaurants of Old Town.
Originally listed in June 2023 for $539,000, it has been reduced to $524,000.
The listing says this unit has been “rarely available.” It appears the last sale was 19 years ago in 2004.
Is this a dream unit for vintage lovers?
Anthony Gasso at Coldwell Banker has the listing. See the pictures here (sorry, no floor plan).
Unit #1F: 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1050 square feet, duplex down
- Sold in January 1988 for $19,000 (appears to have been bank owned)
- Sold in September 1997 for $175,000
- Sold in October 2004 for $395,000
- Originally listed in June 2023 for $539,000
- Reduced twice
- Currently listed at $524,000
- Assessments of $361 a month (includes exterior maintenance, lawn care, scavenger, snow removal)
- Taxes of $7508
- Central Air
- Washer/dryer in the unit
- No parking
- Fireplace
- Bedroom #1: 13×10 (main level)
- Bedroom #2: 11×10 (lower level)
- Dining room: 13×15 (main level)
- Living room: 21×14 (main level)
- Kitchen: 7×9 (main level)
- Office: 4×5 (main level- no picture of this)
- Laundry: 3×7 (lower level)
- Deck
Woodwork is fabulous, would look better if it wasnt chudded up by painting the trim
“Woodwork is fabulous, would look better if it wasnt chudded up by painting the trim”
What trim has been painted?
Ceiling crown molding is likely plaster. This unit is perfection for those who love unpainted vintage trim.
This house is a good example of what a wealthy mansion was designed to look like back in the day. The bigger the crown molding, and base moldings, the wealthier they were. Also, the floors give it away. Those are custom (gorgeous) and would only be put in a luxury home.
Looks like a lot of rooms and things were added to the original home when it was converted into apartments/condos.
Why are the curtains closed in the primary bedroom? And while that room looks like it was added on, I would still add crown molding to it to match the rest of the property.
Basement bedroom would make a good work out room.
“What trim has been painted?
Ceiling crown molding is likely plaster. This unit is perfection for those who love unpainted vintage trim.”
Crown molding looks like its made from fairly typical patterns
Insets are likely plaster
Living room is beautiful and very charming. It’s a bit of a contrast to the building across the street that it looks at.
Assessments are low, but there appears to be some deferred maintenance (on the exterior, in the hallway/stairwell, etc.), so hopefully there are healthy reserves.
Streetview shows a for rent sign hanging on the fence. HOA/condo rules should really prohibit for sale and for rent signs. Investors/landlords, I can maybe see wanting for rent signs, but not resident owners. And for sale signs benefit nobody but brokers. (My next door neighbor, who had been renting the house out for many years, listed it for sale a month ago when the tenants moved out. Broker announced an open house in the listing, but the morning of the open house, when his assistant showed up to install the sale sign/brochure dispenser in the yard, she told me they got it under contract the previous day. That didn’t stop them from showing it to a dozen or so prospective buyers at the open house, or from leaving the sign up for a month. Brokers get a commission for doing not so much, and then get the benefit of free advertising of their services in locations directly within their service area.)
Staging — particularly in a place owned for nearly 20 years — always makes me wonder about the owner’s pride of ownership and attention to maintenance (or lack thereof).
After 20 years, you’d think the owner would have had the opportunity to furnish this place nicely and hung artwork in all the right places.
The mismatched appliances (4 different sets) also gives me pause.
Either this was a rental for quite some time or the long-time owner truly doesn’t GAF about detail.
“Why are the curtains closed in the primary bedroom? And while that room looks like it was added on, I would still add crown molding to it to match the rest of the property.”
I don’t think those rooms were added on. This is a front facing unit with properties on both sides and unit 1R on the back. The bedrooms appear to both be in the basement. Agree that the contrast from the upstairs is kind of off putting.
“I don’t think those rooms were added on. This is a front facing unit with properties on both sides and unit 1R on the back. The bedrooms appear to both be in the basement. Agree that the contrast from the upstairs is kind of off putting.”
This is what I originally thought too KK. Would make sense that both bedrooms were in the lower level. But the listing says the primary bedroom is on the main level. It also has the vintage wood baseboard moldings and what looks like carpet. The lower level has the vinyl flooring and white baseboard moldings that are not vintage.
Neither room has crown molding, however.
Where does the door go that is seen in the dining room picture of the two windows that look out on the little deck area? Obviously that goes to the deck but must also go to the stairs to the lower level, the primary bedroom and bath, right? I wish they would have shown a picture of this area.
“Crown molding looks like its made from fairly typical patterns”
I don’t know this exact house, and neither do you JohnnyU. But I do know that rich people often used plaster in both walls and crown moldings in the 1880s to 1930s.
Either way, I don’t think anyone is bitching that they painted the crown molding which is usually white in most homes. Literally ALL the rest of the woodwork, including the baseboard moldings, are in the original wood. Amazing.
“ I don’t know this exact house, and neither do you JohnnyU. But I do know that rich people often used plaster in both walls and crown moldings in the 1880s to 1930s.”
LoL. Vs what for the walls and ceilings, drywall?
I explained why I think it’s wood and your best response is that it’s often what people did?
My home was built in the 20s, plaster walls and ceilings & wood crown
Take a deep breath before you hit the submit button
They did extensive plaster moldings in rich people’s homes in the 1880s-1930s. I have no idea if these are. And neither do you JohnnyU.
Otherwise, your comments complaining about them “painting” some of the moldings is just way off. Gotta say something is “wrong” with every single property even though THIS property has perhaps what is the best original vintage molding ever featured on Cribchatter in the last 15 years. And there have been a lot of vintage properties. Literally NONE of it is painted. Not even in the primary bedroom on those base moldings.
It is gorgeous. And given those facts, that nothing else has been painted over nearly 120 years, it just makes it even more likely that the ceiling moldings are plaster.
“They did extensive plaster moldings in rich people’s homes in the 1880s-1930s. I have no idea if these are. And neither do you JohnnyU.”
Where did I say they didnt?
You like making up arguments
Can you talk more about what they used for walls and ceilings in this time frame? I’m really interested in tapping you unique knowledge about wall and ceiling construction in the 1880 – 1930 timeframe for non-rich people.
“Otherwise, your comments complaining about them “painting” some of the moldings is just way off. Gotta say something is “wrong” with every single property even though THIS property has perhaps what is the best original vintage molding ever featured on Cribchatter in the last 15 years. And there have been a lot of vintage properties. Literally NONE of it is painted. Not even in the primary bedroom on those base moldings.”
So now you “know” the crown molding isnt painted?
Circular argument is circular.
“So now you “know” the crown molding isnt painted?”
Huh? If the crown molding was wood, it wouldn’t be white.
“Huh? If the crown molding was wood, it wouldn’t be white.”
So I take it you’ve never heard of this magical invention called “Paint”
The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round, round and round…
“Can you talk more about what they used for walls and ceilings in this time frame? I’m really interested in tapping you unique knowledge about wall and ceiling construction in the 1880 – 1930 timeframe for non-rich people.”
BTW, im sure you not responding to this was a mere oversight. Can you please educate me on the means and methods of interior wall construction durring this time period?
Or was this just another case of you uncontrollably lashing out and just making it up?
TIA
“So I take it you’ve never heard of this magical invention called “Paint””
As I’ve already said, NONE of the woodwork in this beautiful vintage home is painted. Absolutely none. Even the base moldings in the primary bedroom haven’t been painted over the course of 121 years.
It would seem unlikely that someone would bother to only paint the crown molding in this unit, but nothing else, over the course of that entire 121 years. Therefore, the crown molding is likely plaster and not wood.
No one who is sane would ever complain about the vintage trim and moldings being painted in THIS unit because it hasn’t been. Yet someone on this blog actually DID complain about what is likely plaster crown molding being painted.
Absurd and silly.
But certain people on this blog have to spend their days hating on something on every property. Hate, hate, hate, hate, hate.
How sad.
Reduced to $499,000.