Yesterday afternoon, I walked through a couple of open houses with one of my buyer clients. One in Sauganash and Edgebrook each. While I was waiting for my client to arrive for the tour at our first stop, I decided to visit an open house being conducted across the street from our target in Sauganash, by myself. Following is the synopsis of my Sunday afternoon open house tour.

6249 N. Keeler Ave – Sauganash Park

This property is a 2-bedroom, 2-bath brick ranch, situated on a 33′ x 124′ lot. It features a full-finished basement which can be accessed either from the kitchen or from the home’s side entrance. This was our second visit to this home. When I had initially taken my client through this house a couple of days ago, contractors were going in and out of the place, installing a brand-new carpet in the basement. And yesterday we were finally able to see it completely installed, all shiny and fluffy. The carpet is not the only thing that’s new and delicious in this house, but I’ll get to that in a minute.
As you walk through the main entrance, you’re greeted by a humble foyer that opens up to the living room. The flooring on the main level is all hardwood that was sanded and re-finished recently. All rooms have been tastefully re-painted within the past week or so, and there is that “new house paint” smell in the air. There is no formal dining room here, instead you have a living/dining room combo which works as well as can be expected on roughly 1,000 sqft. of main floor space. The two adjacent bedrooms face the backyard, and offer acceptable closet space each. There is also a main floor full bath vis-a-vis the kitchen entrance. The kitchen is the main attraction of this home, and the owners have in all likelihood wisely spent the bulk of their remodeling budget on this room: Maple cabinetry, granite countertops, stainless steel stove/oven, refrigerator and dishwasher. All tastefully complemented by a ceramic tile floor. And there is even some room for a breakfast table. The basement is divided between family room area and mechanical room/laundry area. The family room is completely paneled in knotty-pine with built-in shelves which may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s not a big deal to have that changed. There is a second good-sized full bathroom in the basement which looks somewhat dated but is apparently functional. The furnace in the mechanical room looks brand-new and is a Carrier model (two thumbs up). The water tank on the other hand looks quite old. One of the nice things here is that the owners have a second refrigerator and stove in the mechanical room which comes in handy for entertainment events. Another huge plus: The house has a flood-control system! There is a backyard with a 2-car garage which seems to be somewhat old (we weren’t able to look inside). But kudos to the sellers and their Realtor for their pricing of this home. It is listed at $349,900 which is extremely aggressive for a product of this kind and this location, in my professional opinion. Overall, a Sauganash Park gem for someone who is looking for a move-in condition starter home. The listing is marketed by Jill McKee from Coldwell Banker.

6310 W. Estes Ave – North Edgebrook

Our second stop brought us to this brick ranch in North Edgebrook. This house was just recently placed on the market for sale, and is an estate sale. Compared to the previous house in Sauganash, this house is larger in overall size, but has never been updated. It sits on a 42′ x 120′ lot and offers a side drive to a 2-car garage, as is the case with most homes in North Edgebrook. Currently, it is configured as a 2-bedroom/ 1-bath layout with a full, unfinished basement. The interior needs a complete rehab, which makes it a candidate for a professional remodeler, or someone who wouldn’t be afraid to do the work themselves. The other characteristic of this house is that it is land-locked in the rear (with a utility easement). Lots of potential here. 30 seconds drive time to Costco and Target in Niles. This house is currently listed at $365,000, and is marketed by Melba Seelhammer from Baird & Warner.

6206 N. Keeler Ave – Sauganash Park

This was the house that I toured by myself, while I was waiting for my client to arrive for the 6249 N Keeler tour. If you own a Cape Cod style home, and ever wondered how a gut-rehab would positively change your home, then you need to take a look at what the owners have done to this property. Typically, Cape Cod style houses don’t make a very efficient use of their floorplan, especially the larger ones with the staircase to the second floor running up in the middle of the house, separating the living and dining rooms.

But when you add on living space on the second floor, you need to have the staircase re-located anyway, in which case the floorplan of the entire main floor would be altered as well, as is the case with this house. Although 6206 N Keeler was originally one of the small Cape Cod varieties, you would have never guessed, because the house has been expanded, not only upwards, but backwards as well. Disadvantage: You’re cannibalizing some back yard space. Well worth it in this case though. This house has been converted into a 2,500 sqft. contemporary 4-bedroom/3.5-bathroom residence with a 2.5-car garage. From the cherry cabinetry, professional stainless steel appliances and granite countertops in the kitchen to the gleaming hardwood floors and tasteful choice of double vanities in the master bathroom, most of the finishes here are impressive. Speaking of master bathroom: The sellers opted for a shower stall instead of a bulky bathtub. Good choice, imo, because a second bathroom on the second floor offers a bathtub anyway. Closet and storage space galore. Only drawback that I saw: On the lower level which serves as the family room, the sellers chose to install a laminate wood floor instead of a sturdy berber carpet. Not a huge issue, and it certainly won’t take away anything from the overall positive appeal of this Sauganash Park home. It’s currently listed at $639,900 and is marketed by Myra Nimchaiyong from Century 21 S.G.R.

Please be sure to check out our weekly updated list of open house events in Edgebrook and Sauganash here.

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