Liz and Joey are both in medical sales. They met at work when Liz was Joey’s manager. Now they’re happily married with a six month old son, JJ, and they’re expecting another one. Joey and Liz also have two dogs. These House Hunters need a lot more space, but they just can’t agree where to find the extra room.
Joey and Liz currently live in a small two bedroom apartment in the River North area of downtown Chicago. Their high-rise is adjacent to their realtor and cousin, Paul.
Wish Lists
Liz and Joey have a budget of $800,000. They want to use it on a place with a big kitchen that includes an island. The couple also wants the place to have high ceilings, a dining space, and hardwood flooring.
His: Joey wants to find a single-family home in the suburbs. He would also like it to have a big backyard for the dogs. He prefers a modern style home with a large bathtub. Joey is 6’4 so he can’t fit into many standard tubs. He also wants a man cave.
Hers: Liz prefers the city life and wants a home there. She also wants a three bedroom condo near some parks for the dog. Liz wants the place to have a vintage look, a fireplace, a large master bedroom, and a walk-in closet.
House #1, $699,000
This home is a newly built condo near downtown. It’s positioned between Old Town and River North. The condo has a modern look with over 1900 sq ft. It has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and additional fees of a $308 HOA and an additional $25,000 per person parking space. The place has an open concept, a bright paint scheme, and plenty of windows for lighting.
This place has light colored hardwood flooring, no fire place, and no yard. It includes a balcony but no appealing view of the city. It has an updated modern kitchen, but with limited storage space. The home also has a vintage light fixture in the large bathroom with the large tub for Joey.
House #2, $799,000
This home is located in the Kenilworth suburban neighborhood. It has a colonial style and is currently being rehabbed. The hone also has 2202 sq ft, an open concept, three bedrooms, and two and a half bathrooms. The space includes Liz’s wish list items of a fireplace and dark hardwood flooring.
It comes with a sunroom, a back deck with limited yard space, and a formal dining space. This home loses major points with the small kitchen that has limited storage and counter space. It also has a small walk-in closet and a small bathtub. The home includes a basement but it’s unfinished. Joey sees this area as his potential man cave.
House #3, $695,000
This condo is in between Lincoln Park and Lakeview. It has three bedrooms and two bathrooms. This condo has 1700 sq ft, and it includes one parking spot included and an HOA of $337. This condo has an open concept and a big living room with a fireplace. It also has a gorgeous view of the Chicago skylines.
It has a big balcony and private rooftop. A modern kitchen and a huge walk-in closet (which Liz thinks is still too small) round out the other wish list items in this house.
Decision Time: The suburban home seemed the most appealing to us. It was a little high-priced but it felt more like an actual home. The first condo seemed standard but it has some of their very specific wish list items, like the large bathtub and large walk-in closet. It also had more of their wish list items than the other places. The final condo had some really appealing features like the private rooftop and gorgeous view of the skyline. This home seemed like the best fit for them. So did they pick it?
Liz and Joey picked…House #1.
They ended up paying $718,000 which included parking costs. So Paul negotiated a deal that saved them $31,000.
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