5641 S Harper Ave.

At last! An E townhome is finally hitting the spring market in the heart of the University of Chicago campus nestled between 57th and 56th St. just a short block from the Metra station. The current owners are reluctantly leaving their home which they bought in 1970. It's been lovingly maintained and improved over the many years they have enjoyed living there. The great thing about these homes is that the main and upper levels were finished in oak flooring including the stairs going up and down to the lower level. The stairs have been continually carpeted as has one bedroom, so those floors should be in almost the same condition as when they were laid in 1960. The kitchen was renovated in 2007 with very contemporary wood cabinets, black granite countertops, patterned porcelain tiled backsplash and stainless steel appliances which includes a Thermador gas cooktop and a brand new KitchenAid convection/standard wall oven. A small flip-up table at the end of a counter is perfect for breakfast or snacks. Under cabinet lights add to the brilliance of the room as does the big sliding patio door leading out to the balcony overlooking the deep back yard (the lot is 128.3' on the north side and 132.2' on the south). Solar lights brighten it in the evenings. Behind the garden's far wall is an outdoor parking space and a storage shed. The new owner could legally construct a 1 car brick garage on the parking pad. The living room has another patio door leading to a small balcony overlooking the big oval fenced garden with mature trees that the entire block of townhomes shares and enjoys. The sellers would be happy to leave the upright piano in the living room to the new owners. Other furnishings might be negotiable as well. The separate dining room also is lit by the patio door that looks out to the back yard. Upstairs are 3 bedrooms and a full bath. The primary bedroom spans the entire width of the house and has a full wall of closets. The bathroom has colorful midcentury 1" floor tiles, the original tub and tile surround. The sink vanity and toilet have been replaced. All of the windows have been replaced in the home with easy to operate double pane windows. The lower level has a big family room with floor to ceiling windows looking out to the garden and a door with an additional storm/screen door for easy access to the back. The flooring is a wood-look laminate in the family room and hallway. The utility room has a full size washer and dryer, an updated boiler for the hot water baseboard heat, the 100 amp circuit breaker box, hot water heater and a laundry sink. Many owners of this model of house have swapped out the laundry sink for a shower stall to open into the powder room on the other side of the wall. In the front of the lower level is the 4th bedroom with a very new full length Anderson window. There is a deep walk-in storage space above the front entrance of the house which also houses the air handler for the Space Pac central A/C. This is the location everyone has been waiting for. It's an easy walk or roll to the buildings of the University of Chicago, both Lab Schools, and the 57th St. sandy beach on the lake. Take your bike to the lakefront path. It's a 19 minute commute on the Metra to the Loop and it is estimated to take 17 minutes to drive. There are commuter buses as well. The restaurants and bookstores of 57th St are right outside your door and the Trader Joes/Walgreens/Ace Hardware/Office Depot and restaurants and bakeries of the Hyde Park shopping center are less than 2 blocks to the north. A lovely home in a terrific location.