Downtown Chicago - Should I buy or stay away from these downtown chicago condo-conversions? (Bath: renting, condos)

[nuianqueen926]

I am considering purchasing a unit in one of these buildings. Should I jump in or stay away from these buildings?
1. 1400 N. Lakeshore
2. Printers Square condos 640 -780 S. Federal
3. 33 W. Delaware (not a condo conversion)

[Lookout Kid]

Originally Posted by nuianqueen926

I am considering purchasing a unit in one of these buildings. Should I jump in or stay away from these buildings?
1. 1400 N. Lakeshore
2. Printers Square condos 640 -780 S. Federal
3. 33 W. Delaware (not a condo conversion)

That depends on what factors might make you stay away... What information are you looking for? If you're asking about the neighborhoods, all three are in pretty great areas (though Printer's Square is a bit more "up-and-coming" in terms of ammenities).

It may be difficult to find someone on this forum with familiarity of the construction of specific condo buildings in Chicago since there are thousands of them. The 1400 N. Lakeshore project does seem to be pretty well-constructed by today's standards, however. That would be my pick out of the three you have listed.

[doublenickels]

Got a vehicle? Need to park? Your guests need somewhere to park? All of them are "parking ticket city", with zero street parking.

Originally Posted by nuianqueen926

I am considering purchasing a unit in one of these buildings. Should I jump in or stay away from these buildings?
1. 1400 N. Lakeshore
2. Printers Square condos 640 -780 S. Federal
3. 33 W. Delaware (not a condo conversion)

[rkburk]

1400 N. Lake Shore has just been given historical status that allows owners to have enormous property tax benefits (no increases for 8+ years)......the roof top deck is amazing, on site grocery, work out room and salon.

[soulful]

I would feel pretty good about 1440 LSD and Delaware based on location. I don't see the Gold Coast taking a huge dive. However, I find the South Loop a scarier proposition because of the sheer number of new developments newly built/under construction which could indicate a neighborhood specific condo glut going forward. Of course, depends on how long you plan to stay.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by doublenickels

Got a vehicle? Need to park? Your guests need somewhere to park? All of them are "parking ticket city", with zero street parking.

Yeah, 'cause people move to downtown Chicago so they can drive around in their auto-mo-biles ...

[chet everett]

MY OH MY take a long as this TRAIN WRECK:
1440 N Lake Shore Dr Unit 30B, CHICAGO, IL 60610 | MLS# 07203981

Hmm what happens when you buy a freshly remodeled STUDIO in 2003 don't do a darned thing and then try to sell 6 years later in a down market? You use FOUR of your NINE photos to highlight COMMON AREAS of the building, make ONE of the hallway to the bath and hope for the best WHILE TAKING a BATH over over 50%!!!

OUCH!!!!

And who said Chicago highrises are immune from massive price declines.

[BRU67]

Originally Posted by chet everett

MY OH MY take a long as this TRAIN WRECK:
1440 N Lake Shore Dr Unit 30B, CHICAGO, IL 60610 | MLS# 07203981

Hmm what happens when you buy a freshly remodeled STUDIO in 2003 don't do a darned thing and then try to sell 6 years later in a down market? You use FOUR of your NINE photos to highlight COMMON AREAS of the building, make ONE of the hallway to the bath and hope for the best WHILE TAKING a BATH over over 50%!!!

OUCH!!!!

And who said Chicago highrises are immune from massive price declines.

The place is probably so small that those 5 photos show about all there is to see. At least everything's white though. That's good for resale I'm told.

[WhenCanILiveHere]

Originally Posted by nuianqueen926

I am considering purchasing a unit in one of these buildings. Should I jump in or stay away from these buildings?
1. 1400 N. Lakeshore
2. Printers Square condos 640 -780 S. Federal
3. 33 W. Delaware (not a condo conversion)

[SIZE=2]When I saw my current address in Printers Square, I felt I should share my experience with you, just in case if you are still looking. You are probably aware of the neighborhood, and I find it amazingly safe for downtown Chicago. There have been a lot of new businesses moving here that makes South Loop very accomodating. I also feel that I get a lot of space for the money in comparison to other buildings.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]I have lived at 780 SF over 6 months, so friends/family/associates sometimes ask me "how do you like it so far"? Hmmmmmmmm. Good question, because I haven't figured out how to like it yet, and it has been stressful so far. I was told that I got "a good deal" on price and that higher responsibilities are present with home ownership than with renting, but there are also some responsibilities that I believe go with the location, irregardless of whether you own or rent.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]Initially, I want to say that things run OK mechanically, and I don't know of any leaks, electrical problems or plumbing problems. Although I don't know many of my neighbors yet, I love them all, and feel that people are very upbeat and considerate here. I also like the employees of the management office, because I feel that they are working with the interests of the association in mind.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]From my experience of living on my own, it seems that almost every building that I have lived in always manages to inflict me with some problem that is unique from all others buildings I had been to prior, and Printers Square has already achieved that. :-P I have been here less than a year, but my unit has already been "bed bug positive" twice, which is very notable, especially considering that I have already had an extermination since moving here and that this problem is not one that I have experienced ever before in my life, even though I have lived in 8 different buildings during 26 years prior to living in Printers Square.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]Management here seems sort of knowledgable about bed bugs and may be doing everything to control this problem, but I wonder if my following their orders is helping, for various reasons. When I asked them "why is it my unit that has the bed bugs?" they suggests that I "bring them in", so I have been asking for clarification, since bed bugs were not present in my last building (nor any building that I ever lived in). They have informed me bed bugs can be picked up during traveling and stays at hotels, but I have not EVER left northern Illinois during my adulthood, and have not stayed at a hotel in over 30 years. They noticed my backpack and suggested that I avoid setting it on the floor, so I have avoided setting my back pack on the floor and I discarded my last back pack that I used to set on the floor bofore I began living here. (I am obsessive and germ-phobic anyway as many of my friends will testify, so I avoid setting anything on the floor.) When Printers Square's inspection declared the 2nd time that my unit was positive for bed bugs, they blamed a certain chair that I have, even though this was a new chair that I just purchased when I moved here. They suggested that I throw the chair out, even though it is the most comfortable piece of furnature that I ever had. Management then asked "was that chair made in another country?" With manufacturing 'dead' during the past 2 or so decades, isn't most furnature (and clothing and appliances, etc) made outside of the USA? [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]Your next question for me may be "have you been itching or felt any rash?" Honestly, the only skin discomfort that I have experience since moving here (that I did not experience prior) is some itching that is going on inside of management's heads. I have yet to feel or see a bedbug. I am pursuing a "bedbug response" because management has asked me to, and management is who claimed that my unit had bed bugs-not me. It is bad enough to tell me that I must respond to something that is not even my problem, but when their instructions don't even solve their problem, their conclusion is that I must have done something to "bring them in" even though the things that they claim I did are false accusations.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]I don't mind taking steps to get rid of bed bugs (assuming that I even have them) because of what creepy things I have heard about them, but I find it aimlessly condemning of management to claim that I am the only one with bed bugs when it is obvious that Printers Square has had a problem with bed bugs long before I moved here. Besides, I have a life to live and can not let my life revolve around a bed bug response. When are they going to allow me to live my life?[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]There are a couple of other little things that I could criticize, but I would hate to find out what other problems are to come. It seems that my neighbors speak well of Printers Square, so hopefully I am truely alone with the bed bugs and this will be the last of my problems here.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]I hope my review has helped you.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2][/SIZE]

[ChiNaan]

Originally Posted by chet everett

MY OH MY take a long as this TRAIN WRECK:

"Take a long as"?

Originally Posted by chet everett

1440 N Lake Shore Dr Unit 30B, CHICAGO, IL 60610 | MLS# 07203981

Hmm what happens when you buy a freshly remodeled STUDIO in 2003 don't do a darned thing and then try to sell 6 years later in a down market? You use FOUR of your NINE photos to highlight COMMON AREAS of the building

We can't see the photos without registering for the site, but it's fairly common for at least some photos of a condo listing to show common areas. There are only so many things to photograph inside a tiny studio.

Originally Posted by chet everett

And who said Chicago highrises are immune from massive price declines.

Uh, no one ever that I'm aware of. Certainly no one since 2008. Running out of things to invent out of thin air to hate about urban-dwellers yet, Chet?