Chicago Weekend Fun!

Vintage 1 Bedroom Condo for sale listing in Oak Park, IL : $138,000 at Oak Park Avenue and Washington Blvd.

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This large one bedroom vintage condo in Oak Park, IL has all the style you would expect from a vintage condominium in this Frank Lloyd Wright inspired area (crown moldings, hardwood floors, antique wall sconces) and all the updates in the new kitchen and bathroom for your convenience in your daily life.

The location of this Kinzer Court condominium is unique, it has a guaranteed 24 hour parking spot and it is within walking distance from the green line el train. You can commute to the loop downtown in Chicago for work within a 1/2 hour and drive out to the suburbs to visit family all from this location. This will always be a great sought after location to live in Chicago because of it’s central location in the metro area as well as it’s proximity to public transportation. Metra is also  close by.

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This condo is larger than most vintage 1 bedroom units in Oak Park, and it’s 800 square foot space feels open and fills with lots of natural light from the over-sized windows that overlook the courtyard of the building. Most 1 bedroom condos in Oak Park are between 500 and 600 square feet, so this Kinzer Court Condo has 200 extra square feet making it great for entertaining and enough space for 2 people to live efficiently. The vintage condo also is located on the top floor (3rd) and is an end unit so it is very quiet and like the penthouse suite of the building. There are only neighbors on 2 sides and no one walking above you so you can enjoy a quiet luxurious place to come home to after work.

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The rooms in this vintage condo are very large. The living room is 12 x 18 ft, the bedroom is 10 x 15 ft (large enough to fit a queen size bed and an office desk with full size furniture, the dining room is 11 x 12 (large enough for a full size dining room set, and the kitchen is 9 x 10 ft plus the pantry is 4 x 10 ft. The bathroom is also 6 x 10 ft. All in all, this is a low price at $185 per square foot. Compared to other conversions in the area at $260 per square foot with the exact same amenities and location, Kinzer Court is the best option available.

The condo has been recently updated and was freshly rehabbed and converted from an apartment in 2002 and had new windows installed in 2006 (see workers below). All the white appliances were new in 2002 and are energy star certified for low energy use. The full size dish washer, microwave, refrigerator, extra large stove/oven are all still in practically-new shape. The storage space in the kitchen is also ample with the tall neutral white cabinets and the large walk in pantry with shelving up to the ceiling. The white cabinets are far better than wood tones because they will always be light and bright and never go out of style, and other cabinet wood finish (maple, cherry, birch, pine) trends come and go quickly. This kitchen also has new under cabinet lighting to brighten your cooking workspace.

The hardwood oak floors were refinished in 2002 as part of the rehab process. The bathroom sink and shower tile are new and the tub was refinished with a new porcelain finish during the rehab also. The bathroom also features a new glass block window (with vent) in the shower to prevent mildew from forming and let in a lot of natural light. The all white bathroom is a neutral palette for you to bring in any color towels and rug decor to make it your own while still looking very light and bright.  

There is ample storage space in the condo with a large hall closet, walk in bedroom closet with built in closet organizers, a walk in (10 ft by 4 ft) pantry and a locked storage unit (5 ft x 6 ft) in the basement of the building (bike storage also). Currently there are 3 over-sized washers and 3 over-sized dryers to do laundry in the basement directly below the unit but there is the option to install a washer and dryer yourself in the unit if you want to. The condo association just approved this measure and if you want a washer and dryer in the unit it is possible here for far less than other conversions in the area that cost around 200K and far less than the condos in Lincoln Park or Lakeview (with the same commute time downtown).

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Living in a vintage condo unit in Oak Park is also very green. Because of the era that these buildings were built in, (and low energy use at that time) the energy use is minimal here and it makes your carbon footprint very small and keeps the cost of your energy bills low. With CFLs in all the lights the electricity bill for this unit is usually around $20 per month. With the 2 window air conditioners (included with the sale) running during the summer (June, July, August) the electric bill is usually $65. (and it is kept very cool) Heat and water utilities are included with the $200 building’s association payments per month so your utility costs are minimal and will never change dramatically from month to month.

The 4 radiators that are the heating system in the vintage condo are very cost and energy efficient and because of the steam heat system (that had all new boilers installed in 2001) the building uses far less energy to heat itself than central heat would. Plus all 4 radiators have covers on them to keep the heat more at floor level and there are 2 ceiling fans (bedroom, kitchen) to circulate the air in the summer and winter. The unit is on the 3rd floor also which means all the heat from the 2nd and 1st floors rises and warms this unit too. It is never cold or drafty during the winter.

On top of all this great space, updated amenities, guaranteed parking and prime location you get the flexibility of having low payments because of the low price of this unit, due to the market at this time. It is less money per month to own this condo than many others that have the same new ammenities because it was rehabbed a few years ago. The only monthly costs you have as an owner are your mortgage, the taxes, the association payment and your electric and phone bill. (the building does have cable access and allows Direct TV or other satellite dishes on the back of the building but it is not currently turned on in the unit now)

All the outside maintenance of the grounds and snow removal is covered by the association as well as the garbage pickup, the heat, water and sewer costs. Plus everything from the wiring in the walls to the plumbing and appliances were replaced in 2002, so nothing will break or require repair anytime soon. It is really a maintenance free lifestyle.

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The association also has a large cash reserve in case of anything happening to the building that needs repair and the owners won’t have any extra costs to cover it.  The association also just repainted the entryways in the building. This truly is an economical place to live with the style and amenities of a luxury condo for a lot less.

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If you are considering this property there is an extra incentive of 1 year of free parking that other condos do not have. Please contact us to schedule a showing so you can find your next great home.

If you would like to find out more information because you are interested in this property please call: 630-968-2600 or email us at sdaley@a-sold.com . I would be happy to answer any questions that you might have about the unit and happy to show it to you anytime.