Buying a Chicago Greystone
They may be plentiful in the Chicago area, but Chicago Greystones are relatively unique. That’s thanks to their grey hue, which is one of the first things you’ll notice when you find one of these properties for sale in the Chicago area.
What is a Greystone?
A Chicago Greystone is somewhat similar to a typical brownstone, but it’s distinguished by the color of its exterior stone. Just as a brownstone is brown in color, a Greystone is appropriately grey on the outside. The distinct stone façade comes from quarries in nearby Indiana. A Greystone’s appearance often looks grand on the outside, which was what some of the original owners were going for. While Greystones sometimes housed the working class, they were also snapped up by wealthy buyers. These types of homes were easy to construct because they didn’t really change much from property to property, but they still looked impressive from the outside. Usually, they are either fully detached or semi-detached.
Some Greystones were originally designed as single-family homes, but others were designed all along as multi-family properties. Oftentimes, the multi-flat Greystones are harder to distinguish from the outside, as they look much the same on the exterior as the single-family homes. Typically, this means wide steps leading to a front porch and a bow of windows. In most cases, the sides of a Greystone are made of less expensive brick. Greystones in Chicago tend to come in two different styles. Some of the first ones were Romanesque in design while some of the later Greystones were built in a Neoclassical design.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Greystone
If you’re considering purchasing a Greystone in Chicago, you’ll want to keep a few things in mind. While you may find Greystones that have been nicely maintained over the years, this is typically an older property. This means you may need to take care of some necessary updates. An initiative in Chicago helps educate homebuyers about maintaining the unique qualities of these historic properties. This includes guidance in how to go about regular maintenance and repairs, as well as how to handle major issues that may come up with owning an authentic Chicago Greystone.
Where You’ll Find Greystones in Chicago
Typically constructed from around the late 1800s to the 1930s, there are still tens of thousands of Greystones standing in the Chicago area, many of which extend out a few miles from the Downtown Loop in what’s referred to as the “Greystone Belt”. Many of the very first Greystones in the city went up in the North Lawndale neighborhood. That’s where you’ll still find a number of Greystones standing today. Some streets just have a couple of them, but other streets are full of Greystones.
Today, you’ll still find some in Lakeview too, as well as some other neighborhoods on Chicago’s North Side. Sometimes you will find entire blocks of Greystones. Try extending your search to the Downtown area, Humboldt Park, or Lincoln Park. There are plenty of great options to consider if you’re willing to look through several different neighborhoods in the Chicago area.
Chicago Greystone Real Estate Agents
Buying or selling a greystone in Chicago, IL? Let our team of Chicago real estate agents help you through the purchase of your new greystone property or the sale of your current historic greystone. As local greystone real estate experts, we have insider knowledge of the market dynamics unique to the Chicago IL greystone market. Let us negotiate for you today!
Contact the Seventy7 Group at Fulton Grace at (312) 810-6693 to get more information about buyer or seller representation for your Chicago greystone. Planning to get involved in the Chicago real estate market? Review our CMA (comparative market analysis) form to quickly see your 15 Elizabeth free condo evaluation within minutes.
MLS #: 11796464
