The title for this 1890s Victorian home at 5040 S Blackstone Ave in Kenwood bounced around a lot over the past decade. According to Blockshopper, it sold in December 2004 for $280,000; in October 2005, it sold again for $380,000. In September 2009, it went into foreclosure, and in November 2009 it sold for $258,000.
The latest owner has put lot of work into the place over the past 16 months, and is now hoping to turn a nice profit — yesterday, the home was listed for $1.28 million, a price that sounds about right for Kenwood. (In fact, it currently represents the median list price among all single-family homes in the neighborhood.)
According to the listing by Realtor Ron Ruby, the 4,372 square-foot, six-bedroom / 4.5-bath home features “new everything”: two modulating HVAC systems; hardwood floors; smart lighting; a cook’s kitchen with dual Sub-Zero refrigerators, dual Bosch dishwashers, a 48-inch Viking range, and a prep sink; a multi-zone speaker system; granite and marble baths with Toto and Grohe fixtures and a master Jacuzzi; two cedar decks; and a three-car garage.
The home is just around the corner from Kenwood Park, about 0.3 miles from the edge of Harold Washington Park and the Lakefront Trail, 0.4 miles from the 51st / 53rd Street (Hyde Park) Metra station, 0.8 miles to Lake Shore Drive (via 47th Street), and a mile from the northern edge of the University of Chicago campus. Additionally, the address gets a “very walkable” Walk Score of 89.