I've lately grown a soft spot for Elm Street.
The more time I've spent there, the more I've come to appreciate it. There are plenty of beautiful streets in the Gold Coast, but Elm has a feel that's hard to describe until you've walked it a few times. It's quieter. A little less polished. It feels like it's been there forever because, in many ways, it has.
One thing that didn't hit me right away was the south side of the street. Those homes were built before cars, so garages were never part of the original design. In today's market, that might sound like a compromise. I actually think it's one of the reasons the block has aged so well. There aren't garage doors breaking up the facades or driveways interrupting the rhythm of the street. Your attention stays where it should, on the homes themselves.
That was something I thought about quite a bit while representing 41 E Elm.
We brought the home to market at $2,499,000 and secured a buyer in 45 days. It ultimately closed for $2.4 million, setting a new benchmark for this style of home on Elm Street.
Every listing teaches you something. This one reminded me that buyers looking at homes like 41 E Elm aren't shopping the way most people shop for real estate. They aren't making a checklist of bedrooms, bathrooms and finishes. They're looking for something they know they won't be able to replace once it's gone. A Daniel Burnham home on Elm Street doesn't come around very often.
I'm incredibly grateful to my clients for trusting me with the sale. Representing a home like this was a privilege and I don't take that trust lightly.
Chicago has no shortage of beautiful homes. Very few streets have managed to hold onto their identity the way Elm has. The longer I spend there, the more I appreciate that.
