A guest post by Candace Altosino
I first met with John and Cody in September of 2020. Recently married, these two were ready and eager to make their first home purchase. We set our sights on Lakeview East and kicked off our search.
We were looking for a space that balanced functionality with character. With low inventory levels (thanks Covid!), it was a challenging market to navigate. After a month of touring potential homes, we found one that was worthy of making an offer on: a 2-bedroom condo in a vintage building on one of the most charming blocks in Lakeview complete with a brick fireplace, private outdoor space and parking. We quickly submitted our offer and the rest is history!
Over the past two years, John and Cody have transformed this space into their own and tackled a number of projects to make their home even more personalized. I envy their style and attention to detail!
A few quick questions for John & Cody:
How many homes did you look at before finding yours? We toured 5 or 6 units – and probably looked at too many to count online!
How did you know this was The One? It checked off the majority of our wishlist; natural light, high ceilings, vintage building, outdoor space, etc – but the location was what sealed the deal. A quiet tree-lined street right on the border of Lincoln Park and Lakeview, walkable to everything and just two blocks from the Brown Line!
What is the very best feature in your home? Whenever we host, we always get the most compliments on our floor-to-ceiling built-in shelves. It’s a focal point of the room, and we have fun collaborating on styling the shelves in a new way ever few months.
Which room do you spend the most time in? We love to entertain and host friends and family. Our living room is where we all gather – the original fireplace makes it a cozy spot in the winter, and in the summer we open the large windows and enjoy the lull of our neighborhood.
Go-to restaurant in your neighborhood? Tied House is a great spot for an elevated cocktail – especially on the patio in summer! It also makes for a great Schuba’s pre-show happy hour with friends.
Share your fave memory in your home! I think we would have to say the day we moved in! Once all the boxes were in – we grabbed burgers from DMK (also a great local spot!) and ate on a makeshift card table on our new patio. We were so excited to be in our new space, thankful for a home, a looking forward to the future.
