Where are the nice homes in Chicago? (Brighton, Magnolia: condo, townhome)

[stephei2000]

Originally Posted by ChiNaan

So you're upset that generic suburban-style mcmansion housing isn't available within the city limits of the third largest city in the U.S. for dirt cheap like it is in the burbs of smaller, less dense, sprawling southern cities. This is basic supply and demand.

Give the OP a break! I did not know Chicago had the working class look architecture. I thought Chicago northside would look more Southern style suburban or at least more single family homes like in the rest of Midwest cities.

Most people do not know that most of the Northside looks like cleaned up Queens. Well remember that thread about lack of media presence and shooting different areas of Chicago.

This is what happens when other parts of the city aren't shot.

Lastly, isn't Houston the 4th largest city in the U.S. Isn't that city supposedly another sprawling suburbia also. I do not think the city population would have nothing to do with this. Look at San Francisco it has much smaller population than Chicago, but extremely dense.

The OP figured if the 4th largest city would look like this why not the 3rd. The only city I thought had an urban look was New York and the rest the cities in the U.S had that more space feel with trees lawns and less working class looking architecture.

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by stephei2000

I thought Chicago northside would look more Southern style suburban

In what universe would that be possible? Even if half of a city built in the 19th century were to somehow be razed and rebuilt with 1990's/2000's disposable housing construction, what about basic population density? If you filled up the North Side of Chicago with mcmansions or ranch houses there would be room for about 30,000 people to live there instead of over 1 million.

I think it's pretty well known (even by people who haven't been to Chicago) that the housing style in older (pre-automobile), dense U.S. cities tends to be narrow and tall out of necessity. That walkability is part of what draws many of us to cities like this.

Originally Posted by stephei2000

The OP figured if the 4th largest city would look like this why not the 3rd. .

I knew that Houston and Chicago were nothing alike in terms of age or density from the time I first saw pictures of both in elementary school. This is not rocket science. That being said, not even downtown Houston has new construction suburban-style tract homes, at least from what I've seen.

Originally Posted by stephei2000

The only city I thought had an urban look was New York and the rest the cities in the U.S had that more space feel

Who could possibly think that if they grew up in the U.S.? Had you never seen a picture of the Chicago skyline? Of the freaking Sears Tower? What about all of the movies based in Chicago? I knew what Chicago looked like decades before I stepped foot in it, and not because I ever thought I'd live here. It's rather unavoidable in U.S. culture.

Your "working class architecture" comment further exposes your ignorance. Chicago is regarded as one of the best architectural cities in the U.S., and not just because of the skyscrapers in the Loop. If that's "working class" architecture, well, it appears to be more highly regarded than the cookie cutter petite bourgeoisie "architecture" of modern suburban America.

[jonnynonos]

I think the bottom line is that no developer in recent times has built McMansions in Chicago, and even if they did they would be far more than $200,000.

This is one of those rare instances where the answer seems to be as close to a hard no as you could get.

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by stephei2000

Give the OP a break! I did not know Chicago had the working class look architecture. I thought Chicago northside would look more Southern style suburban or at least more single family homes like in the rest of Midwest cities.

Most people do not know that most of the Northside looks like cleaned up Queens. Well remember that thread about lack of media presence and shooting different areas of Chicago.

This is what happens when other parts of the city aren't shot.

Lastly, isn't Houston the 4th largest city in the U.S. Isn't that city supposedly another sprawling suburbia also. I do not think the city population would have nothing to do with this. Look at San Francisco it has much smaller population than Chicago, but extremely dense.

The OP figured if the 4th largest city would look like this why not the 3rd. The only city I thought had an urban look was New York and the rest the cities in the U.S had that more space feel with trees lawns and less working class looking architecture.

Seriously?

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by oakparkdude

Seriously?

Ha. I should have gone with this response. It makes the same point as mine and would have taken way less time to type. Well-played, sir.

[Vlajos]

I'm not sure why anyone would think part of the City of Chicago would look like a southern suburb.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by Lookout Kid

$200k won't get you a home like that ANYWHERE in Chicagoland. Our housing costs are just a lot higher than where you are coming from.

For a newer townhome in the city, you'll need about a half million to get in to a second-tier neighborhood. There are many townhomes and houses like this out in the newer suburban areas, but once again the cost will be higher. I'll see if I can post some examples.

Actually I've looked at two townhomes in McKinley Park in the past month, both a little over $200k, but not hugely over. Both were new construction, both were mostly being looked at by Chinese buyers (I'm not Chinese).

ChicagoIllinois2424 BROSS AvenueJameson Sotheby's International Realty08472577

ChicagoIllinois2501 36th Street, Unit 2Jameson Sotheby's International Realty08454920

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by jonnynonos

I think the bottom line is that no developer in recent times has built McMansions in Chicago, and even if they did they would be far more than $200,000.

This is one of those rare instances where the answer seems to be as close to a hard no as you could get.

I think you can find homes like those posted by the OP in Oswego, Plainfield, Aurora, Yorkville etc. but certainly not Chicago.

[pinkpearls10]

Originally Posted by stephei2000

Give the OP a break! I did not know Chicago had the working class look architecture. I thought Chicago northside would look more Southern style suburban or at least more single family homes like in the rest of Midwest cities.

Most people do not know that most of the Northside looks like cleaned up Queens. Well remember that thread about lack of media presence and shooting different areas of Chicago.

This is what happens when other parts of the city aren't shot.

Lastly, isn't Houston the 4th largest city in the U.S. Isn't that city supposedly another sprawling suburbia also. I do not think the city population would have nothing to do with this. Look at San Francisco it has much smaller population than Chicago, but extremely dense.

The OP figured if the 4th largest city would look like this why not the 3rd. The only city I thought had an urban look was New York and the rest the cities in the U.S had that more space feel with trees lawns and less working class looking architecture.

Thanks for your response. I won't put in energy into responding to the other poster. I despise rude and negative people. That's not how I operate in real life and I won't do it online.

I have family in Houston - a very huge city - and it has the perfect mix of city/downtown plus suburbia homes.

However, this thread has definitely answered my questions about the kinds of homes I can find in the city That was the purpose for this thread (to find out if this architectural style existed within the city). I haven't been everywhere in the city (or outside of it) and I knew I could get the answers I needed here.

Thanks to everyone who left rational responses!

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by emathias

Actually I've looked at two townhomes in McKinley Park in the past month, both a little over $200k, but not hugely over. Both were new construction, both were mostly being looked at by Chinese buyers (I'm not Chinese).

ChicagoIllinois2424 BROSS AvenueJameson Sotheby's International Realty08472577

ChicagoIllinois2501 36th Street, Unit 2Jameson Sotheby's International Realty08454920

The second one might be of interest to the OP. I think the first one has already been ruled out.