Sold Stuff

What's the matter with Lake Forest? Sellers are seemingly abandoning opulent estates at unheard-of prices. Prime example: a six-bedroom French-style chateau on four acres backed on to forest preserve. Built on land previously owned by the family of Edward H. Bennett, co-author of the 1909 Plan of Chicago, the 1997 mansion was listed in 2008 for $5.8M, and was just sold for $1.75M!! Plausible explanations are hard to come by, but listing agent Kelly McInerney suspects its remoteness played a role: "Some people didn’t want to be in such an isolated home," she said. Rodkin goes on to enumerate the North Shore bargains of the last several months. Pretty soon the average buyer will be adding the North Shore to their shopping list, right below Logan Square and Ravenswood. [Deal Estate]