A true loft for Chicago (or "hard" loft) is: a conversion
of a vintage factory or warehouse, having a harder edge of either
concrete construction, or "mill" construction of exposed
brick and original wood posts, beams and floors. Ceilings should be
over ten feet high at least. This is increasingly very important for
loft purchasers, as developers are now building condos with slightly
higher ceilings than in the past. It is the height that helps give
a loft the feeling of air and space. Larger windows and open concept
layouts also help. Ceilings are unfinished and pipes and heating ducts
are exposed. Do not expect to find a 1,000 square foot loft divided
up into two bedrooms and a den. It will much more likely have a kitchen
and a bathroom with the rest of the space left as one large open room,
which you can work with and use according to your own functions and
needs. Some people think a loft means you have a second mezzanine
level overlooking the floor below, but this is simply one style of
loft. The other great thing about lofts is that most of them are zoned
live/work, which makes it easier to operate a business out of your
home. Check whether there are Illinois or federal tax advantages
or write-offs available. Another type of lofts in Chicago are newly
constructed lofts (or "soft lofts"), which are for the most
part "Condos With High Ceilings", and are examples of Chicago condo developers trying to cash in on the popularity of lofts.
Most Chicago lofts built from scratch have very little character,
and in most cases, the ceilings aren't even all that high. The quality
of construction is sometimes disappointing, and quite often the location
is really the only selling point, since vintage lofts are usually
a little off the beaten track, not in the best neighbourhoods of Chicago.
Chicago homes for sale
(introduction)
Chicago condos
Chicago cooperatives
Chicago resale homes
Chicago gated communities
Chicago townhouses
Building a house in Chicago
Chicago new homes
Chicago luxury homes
Chicago lofts
Chicago investment property
Illinois bungalows
Chicago duplexes
Chicago triplexes
Chicago residential real estate
(attached)
Chicago residential real estate
(detached)