Last month, I wrote about lower-level condos for sale around the city and suburbs. Well, let’s go even lower with five duplex downs that are currently on the market. Those outside the Chicago area might not be familiar with this real estate term. A duplex down is a condo located on the ground level of a multi-unit structure with an attached lower level that includes either a bedroom (or two), a family room, or both. Depending on the building owner, these lower spaces are sometimes converted to garden apartments, allowing the owner to rent the space. Duplex downs can be highly desirable properties, especially because of the layout. Here are some duplex downs for sale in Lincoln Park, Hyde Park, and West Town.
2733 N Hampden Ct #1F, Chicago, $950,000
With a 179.4% increase in asking price since it last sold in 2014, this four-bedroom, two-bathroom condo with $261 monthly HOAs in Lincoln Park has a lot of character: a stone exterior, exposed brick walls, art glass windows, pocket doors, and built-ins. I couldn’t find much history on the building, but according to the Chicago Blue Books of 1909 and 1911, Felix Notz, President of the American Oven & Machine Company, once resided at this address. Just off the eat-in kitchen is a den that could easily be turned into a bedroom (the other three bedrooms are located on the lower level). The property is just a few minutes from the lakefront and Diversey Harbor.
514 N Armour St Unit 1F, Chicago, $550,000
This two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo with $264 monthly HOAs is located in an orange-rated building dating back to 1889, near Bickerdike Square Park in West Town. What stood out to me was its interior, featuring a fully renovated kitchen with a breakfast bar and an updated primary bath with a standing shower and an eye-catching glass door. Downstairs, there is a family room and a second bedroom that could be easily used as an office or guest room. It’s no wonder the property is contingent as of this writing, just a week after hitting the market.
5121 S Kimbark Ave APT 1E, Chicago, $575,000
In Hyde Park, we have a “newer” all-brick building (if newer can be defined as 20 years old) that fits in nicely with the historic character of its surrounding streetscape. Although the main level of the four-bedroom, three-bathroom duplex features an open-concept design, it still feels quite cozy from the pictures. The fireplace probably helps! Spanning 2,500 square feet, the condo has a split floor plan, with half of the bedrooms located on the main floor and the remainder, plus a family room, on the lower level. The property has $771 monthly HOAs and includes one parking space in an on-site garage.
1420 N Noble St APT 1N, Chicago, $579,000
If you don’t mind hearing the traffic noises from the Kennedy Expressway on your balcony, then I have the perfect property for you! This duplex down is configured as three bedrooms, with the lower-level fourth bedroom set up as a theater/media room. The front door opens directly into the open-concept main level, which features white kitchen cabinets, granite countertops, and a fireplace. There is clear separation between the living room/kitchen area and the bedrooms, with a staircase located off a long hallway. The $392 monthly HOA fees cover two exterior parking spots.
1413 N Bosworth Ave #1, Chicago, $675,000
Just a couple of minutes away on foot, on the other side of Pulaski Park from our last property, is this rather narrow brick building featuring a nearly 2,400-square-foot condo with three bedrooms, three full bathrooms, and a galley kitchen. Besides being an investment opportunity, as the property has tenants through August 2026, what stood out to me were the multiple outdoor spaces: a front patio off the lower-level family room and a rear deck off the primary bedroom. The property last sold almost 20 years ago for $395,000.