What’s Selling Fast? This 4-Bedroom Bungalow in Ravenswood Gardens In Just a Week: 2680 W. Eastwood
I normally don’t like to chatter about properties that have already gone under contract, but in some cases, to get a gauge of the market, I’ll do so.
This 4-bedroom vintage bungalow at 2680 W. Eastwood in the Ravenswood Gardens neighborhood of Lincoln Square (near the Rockwell Crossing El stop) came on the market just a week ago and is already under contract.
It has many of its vintage features, including crown molding and stained glass windows.
The dining room also has a vintage hutch.
The house was built in 1924 on an irregular corner lot measuring 5203 square feet. The listing says it has 2 garages, with 4 car parking.
The house has an unfinished basement. The kitchen has wood cabinets and white appliances.
The listing says the house has been rewired.
The bedrooms are split, with 2 on the second floor and 2 on the main floor (the bathrooms are split between the floors as well.)
We recently chattered about a similar-era, but smaller, 1924 single family home in Beverly. It is listed at $295,000 and also has original woodwork and stained glass. See our chatter here.
Some of you mentioned you’d rather pay more and live in Ravenswood because it was near “more city amenities”.
Is this house, priced at $699,900, the price you pay for having more “city amenities”?
Deborah Hess at Conlon Real Estate has the listing. See more pictures here.
2680 W. Eastwood: 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, 3000 square feet, 2 garages
- Sold in November 1994 (I couldn’t find a price)
- Currently listed at $699,900
- Under contract within a week
- Taxes of $3073
- Central Air
- Bedroom #1: 16×14 (second floor)
- Bedroom #2: 14×10 (main floor)
- Bedroom #3: 15×15 (second floor)
- Bedroom #4: 10×10 (main floor)
Very nice place. This one sold real quick just down the street as well.
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/4534-N-Virginia-Ave-60625/home/13488944
Wow, these sold quickly too.
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/2611-W-Wilson-Ave-60625/home/13489665
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/2645-W-Wilson-Ave-60625/home/13488585
If I had the cash I’d definitely consider it – but there will be some serious sticker shock on the first adjusted/updated tax bill. The current taxes show why it’s smart to stay put instead of moving too often.
Wow! Can’t believe I missed this one coming on the market. This house is on my old daily walking route. Lovely quiet street, quick walk to Lincoln Square and all it has to offer, Waters school and community garden a few blocks away, a couple of blocks to the Rockwell stop (family-friendly pub, pizza place, nice coffee shop, yoga studio). Easy brown line ride to the Loop. The price is painfully steep (esp. since it could use some updating), but I do understand it. Love the exterior trim details, spacious interior, leaded glass windows, and built-in, and am amazed by the 4-car garage!
I’d prefer this one to 2164 Leland, which sold a couple of months ago for $695 (discussed on CC a couple of times).
Nice place, very spacious living areas and 2nd fl brs. Seems to have been priced right. But the split bedrooms, no real yard, and right-on-the-tracks location are big downers in my book
Seems like a complete rip off to me. They’ll feel the agonizing effects of their purchase when the new tax bill arrives, and, with a far lower value in the future. Look out below!
Java, it appears houses in this area have been selling rather quickly.
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/2611-W-Wilson-Ave-60625/home/13489665
I would definitely rather live here than in Beverly since this house is much closer to the downtown area.
Vlajos — I know! The really expensive ones in the Manor and R. Gardens are taking a while, but others have been going quickly. I’m surprised that this one has been on the market so long:
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/4537-N-Mozart-St-Chicago-IL-60625/3643009_zpid/
Then again, it’s FSBO, and for a long time the owner had pretty picky criteria on when he’d show the place. Also, I might prefer being just east of the Chicago River rather than just west. Albany Park dodginess bleeds over into the Manor, and crossing the river can be a psychological barrier for many…
That’s why I would never do FSBO.
“there will be some serious sticker shock on the first adjusted/updated tax bill”
Current taxes, w/ HO but w/o Senior, would be about $7500.
BUT–has HIEs, too, so need to expect an increase when they expire.
Doesn’t da mayer live in ravenswood? Probably purchased expecting some neigborhood improvement, not that its bad as is
Maybe, but Rahm’s over in Ravenswood proper (east, by the Montrose brown line stop), not Ravenswood Gardens. The Manor, however, is the home of the esteemed Blagojevich family. When Blago was governor, things got fixed in the Manor quite quickly and snow got plowed right away; nowadays, not so much…
Rahm doesn’t live in this area. He lives near Irving and Hermitage or something like that. Very different from Ravenswood Gardens/Manor. Blago lived here.
The state senate president Cullerton lives in the area too I believe.
“The state senate president Cullerton lives in the area too I believe.”
Well, then the buyers better watch out for his drunk-driving son drunk-driving a state-owned car.
Yes, Cullerton did a teardown in R. Manor (on Sunnyside) and put up what many consider an eyesore. I know that these old bungalows take a lot of TLC, but the neighbors were pretty upset, esp. since he initially had offered reassurances that he wouldn’t go that route.
The $700,000 bungalow! LOL. And, it’s west of Western. Genius.
Surely someone will attempt to ‘educate’ me on the merits of the area and solid value of this purchase. But, I’ve lived in this area, and I’ve owned a similar Chicago bungalow. It ain’t worth it.
If you dig bungalows, go to Portage Park or Jefferson Park, and save yourself a half million dollars.
Shame on me, I forgot to add that the Brown line runs thru the back yard. Yeah, I know, it’s better than the Red Line.
“If you dig bungalows, go to Portage Park or Jefferson Park, and save yourself a half million dollars.”
There are likely buyers who are also factoring in the savings of 9 years of Waters over, say, NPES, into this equation (not saying they’re right to do so…)
TB, not only do I like the bungalows in Portage Park (as well as the nearby Villa District), but the park itself is terrific, not to mention the old-school movie theater.
But do young-ish professional couples starting a family (who have a substantial budget) want to live in Portage Park or Jefferson Park? Would you find like-minded souls? Maybe, but from my (admittedly not that extensive) forays into P and J Park, I don’t think so. The Ravenswood Gardens neighborhood has an idyllic, low-key, friendly vibe, and you can easily stroll over to the Old Town School, Bloom, Fork, the Book Cellar, the rooftop at Gene’s, etc., or pop on the Brown line. Location, location, location… The 6 Corners area simply isn’t equivalent.
My husband and I spend so much time at work and commuting (in opposite directions, unfortunately) already; when we’re home, we like being very close to fun things to do and being able to just walk out the door. Honestly, if you’re a homebody or don’t mind traveling to do things or have a tight budget or just want a neat, vintage home, it probably seems insane to fork out the money to purchase a bungalow in this area. I think it’s a lifestyle/personal preference issue, rather than a “solid value” via crunching the numbers. How much do you value this type of lifestyle? If you don’t, it’s not for you…
I don’t even live in R. Gardens/Manor any more, but I would like to move back at some point.
Java’s right, if someone is looking in Ravenswood Gardens/Manor, they will not likely look in JP or PP. Sauganash and Edgebrook I could see though.
Bungalows (while cute) are small, vintage cookie-cutter homes. They were mass-produced in the early 20th century for working class people. If one is into woodwork, stained-glass, etc, then one can get those features most anywhere on the cheap (Jeff Park, etc).
To me, bungalows seem unworthy of jumbo mortgages and/or ¾ million $ price tags. They are small, and with limited functionality. Again, I’ve owned one. I don’t believe that a standard bungalow at 2700 W. (with the El behind it) is worth $700k.
Inventory sucks now, and finding attractive options is challenging. But as long as we’re looking at properties under contract, consider 1939 W Belle Plaine, listed at $545k ($154,000 less than this bungalow). It offers an additional bedroom and bathroom, very good schools, lots to do locally, a mile closer to the lake/beach/Loop, and it’s not 1/3 mile from Albany Park.
“a standard bungalow”
It’s not quite standard, as it has an extra 1/2 lot.
The Belle Plaine house is nice, but has a v. dated kitchen and *tiny* bedrooms.
Anon, there are standard and Jumbo bungalows. Lot size is not always the key. Research it.
“They were mass-produced in the early 20th century for working class people.”
Does that have relevance to 2012?
““They were mass-produced in the early 20th century for working class people.”
Does that have relevance to 2012?”
Sure it does: mass produced early 20th century housing is small, cramped, on a small lot, dense….other than the brick bungalows, a lot of it has been torn down i.e. lakeview, lincoln park, etc. a lot of the frame bungalows were torn down and replaced with 60’s ranches or splits.
Some of the custom housing of the early 20th century has survived (although the bubble took out a good chunk of it) because it has quality woodworking, larger lots, solid construction. So if something was shit in 1920, it’s probably shit today.
The subject appears to be a solid brick bungalo in a nice area. I don’t care why or who it was built for in 1920.
TB — that’s a cute Victorian in an attractive location, with a price tag that’s easier to swallow. I personally prefer brick to wood-frame construction (but that’s partly b/c of all the exterior painting and maintenance, though tuck-pointing isn’t exactly fun or cheap, either).
“The subject appears to be a solid brick bungalo in a nice area. I don’t care why or who it was built for in 1920.”
So what if you don’t care, you should care what year your home was built. And if you own a spec home built after 1999, you will definitely come to care….
Looks like a solidly built home. It’s brick and well maintained, from the photos anyway.
I don’t care that it was built for “working class” folks. I would take a brick bungalow over most things built in the 80s and 90s.
Working stiffs could have also bought/rented cheap lofts in Soho or Meat Packing district in NYC in the 70s. What does that have to do with the skyhigh cost of living in those areas now? Nothing. Neighborhoods change.
While these working class bungalows were just that a century ago, they are now great homes for the middle/upper middle class in high cost areas that have been gentrified due to their convenient locations. People like these homes because they have a lot of character and many folks don’t like the soulless architecture of McMansions even if they can get a larger house elsewhere for the money.
Or a 1950s ranch in des plaines…..
“So what if you don’t care, you should care what year your home was built. And if you own a spec home built after 1999, you will definitely come to care”
HD — Vlajos said he didn’t care WHY or WHO it was built for, he didn’t say the year was unimportant.
Hey my 1950s ranch in desplaines is awesome and stylin and ,y neighbors spend more time in their RV on cinderblocks than they spend in their home. I sometimes hang out with them and I’ve really come to enjoy the taste of Michelob beer. Id never go back to the city, well, maybe mt greenwood or something.
I’m having comprehension and apprehension issues this afternoon. Where’s Z when I need him?
“Would you find like-minded souls? Maybe, but from my (admittedly not that extensive) forays into P and J Park, I don’t think so.”
Java obviously is against the idea that our wonderful diversity is a strength.
“And if you own a spec home built after 1999, you will definitely come to care….”
HD – so in your opinion (which I appreciate), those searching for homes would be wise to *try* and find a home built prior to 1999 for superior construction quality and less potential problems with ownership down the line?
I don’t usually like bungalows either, but if the square footage is accurate (and doesn’t include the basement/closets/bathrooms), then this one seems quite roomy. $233 a square foot seems reasonable, considering the land and two garages.
Some of these criticisms are hilarious. . . it was built for the plebes! It’s west of western!
Yet for once no one mentions the L in the backyard.
Or, on the positive side, the awesome man cave potential, with the basement fireplace. . .
I say it was a good deal. I look all the time, and rarely find homes with 4BD’s upstairs, close to L and a decent school at this price.
“those searching for homes would be wise to *try* and find a home built prior to 1999 for superior construction quality and less potential problems with ownership down the line?”
“Custom” built post-99 would be fine in HD’s book, too. But those are fairly rare. And, even in the spec market, there are some builders who still produced a quality product, but you have to do your diligence.
helmethofer — I lived on the south side for a couple of years, embracing the “diversity is strength” philosophy. After having my car vandalized, two bikes stolen, and being incredibly cautious about safety (especially since so many friends and coworkers have been mugged, including at gunpoint and knife-point), my optimism has waned, sad to say.
Homes were built crappily before 1999, and I’d rather have a crappily built 2002 home than a crappily built 1902 home
Hey, I mentioned the L tracks!!
“4 BRs upstairs” just meaning above-grade? Cuz 2 of the bedrooms are on the main floor…
SquareD (July 27, 2012, 8:58 am)
Some of these criticisms are hilarious. . . it was built for the plebes! It’s west of western!
Yet for once no one mentions the L in the backyard.
Or, on the positive side, the awesome man cave potential, with the basement fireplace. . .
I say it was a good deal. I look all the time, and rarely find homes with 4BD’s upstairs, close to L and a decent school at this price.
“Homes were built crappily before 1999, and I’d rather have a crappily built 2002 home than a crappily built 1902 home”
Yes, plenty of crap was built before 1999. Standards started going to hell right after WWII; there was a severe shortage of housing and much post-war construction was slapdash.
Roma- Yup, you’ve got it covered better than I (as usual). . .
And my error re: 4 up. Which takes me from mild enthusiasm to a lack of interest. . . and if I stare at that tile in the kitchen much longer, lack of interest will probably turn to full-on scorn.
Sold for $700,500, that’s slightly over the list.
http://www.redfin.com/IL/Chicago/2680-W-Eastwood-Ave-60625/home/13488144