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Here Now, the Low-Brow Bungalow at its Snazziest

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New York has the Brownstone, San Fran has the Victorian townhome, and Boston has the Colonial. It's high time we salute the brilliance of the Chicago Bungalow. Piecemeal treatment won't cut it— there are just too damn many! So we settled on this here round-up, which will recur once or twice a month. These are six of the baddest, sexiest bungalows on the market in and around Chicago. Any others we should know about? Send 'em to us via the tipline or drop a link in the comments.


? West Rogers Park has a healthy concentration of bungalows, and this is probably the finest of those on the market. At 2,800 square feet it's on the larger side, but the allure is in the execution of details from the elegant front porch to the living room with hardwoods, purple trim, and a grand fireplace. The finished attic and basement have bedrooms and baths, and a large deck joins the perennial garden at back. The kitchen has some catching up to do. Listed in May, the ask is thus far holding at $479K.


? When it's a souped-up bungalow you crave, call on Oak Park. They've a lot of 'em, mingled with Prairie homes and sometimes sporting Prairie details themselves. This 4/2 octagonal bungalow is simple but has brushes with eccentricity. Namely, the ornate tin ceiling that grabs you in the kitchen and the old school wood stove tucked around the bend. There's a clever built-in or two, a finished attic, a deck and a back yard. Listed in April, the asking price is $399K.


? This "award winning" Norwood Park bungalow was totally rehabbed in 2008. Clearly, the thrust was not to make a contempo mockery of the 1920s architecture and we're happy for that. Every spot in this 3,000-square-foot 3-bed is comfortable— a function of hardwood floors & trim and the new lighting regime. Sensibly, the set of bathrooms attracted the most lavish rehab. New to market, the initial price is $499K.


? Listed as a short sale, we have ourselves another West Rogers Park number. On the small side at 1,600 square feet, this classic 3/2 home has finely preserved interiors with a central fireplace, stained glass, hardwood floors throughout, vintage hanging lamps, a newer kitchen, and a finished basement. If that's not enough spectacle, the basement hides a cedar sauna. Love it when that happens! The ask? $399,900.


? Lastly, feast your eyes on a historic West Rogers Park bungalow— the list's largest at 3,600 square feet with five beds and three baths. Apart from some dorky track lighting, the interiors score big. A chef's kitchen boasts marble and granite, "custom" baths deliver mosaic surfaces and "body sprays" (are we really prepared to abandon the word shower?), and a finished basement has ample space for extra beds or raging parties. In six weeks on the market, the ask has dropped $40K to $449,999.
·2600 W Coyle Ave. [Keller Williams]
·1212 N Ridgeland Ave. [Weichert Realtors]
·6155 N Northcott Ave. [Northside Realty]
·6111 N Artesian Ave. [Baird & Warner]
·6200 N Maplewood Ave. [Castline Properties]