A California-style bungalow on South Elmwood Avenue sold for $1.3 million on Monday, July 20, beating its asking price by $305,000. The sale at 639 S. Elmwood Ave. is the latest sign of intense demand for vintage homes in Oak Park's Gunderson Historic District.
Real estate agent Laura Maychruk, who listed the property at $995,000 and represented the seller, said the open house was "mobbed" and drew "an incredible bidding war." Maychruk, who has sold homes in Oak Park since 1993, said the $1.3 million price might be a record for a vintage home in South Oak Park, though no independent sales data was available to confirm that.
The five-bedroom, three-bathroom bungalow, known as the Owen H. Jones House, was designed by architect Roy Hotchkiss in 1920. It features a slate roof and first-floor bedrooms across about 2,200 square feet. Maychruk said buyers gravitated toward it because it had been updated in a historically accurate way, with sensitivity to the original design.
It wasn't the only Gunderson-area home to blow past its asking price. Three other sales tell the same story:
- 608 S. Elmwood Ave. — Listed at $679,000, closed in April for $760,000 ($81,000 over asking). The home still had its original dining room built-in, complete with keys.
- 704 S. Elmwood Ave. — Listed at $720,000 in March, sold May 15 for $810,000 ($90,000 over asking) after drawing multiple offers. The 1906 four-bedroom has pocket doors and stained-glass windows.
- 734 S. Gunderson Ave. — Listed at $799,000, sold June 30 for $876,000 ($77,000 over asking). The 1908 six-bedroom features the Gunderson brothers' signature front porch, oak woodwork, and stained-glass windows.
Maychruk said the sales reflect a shift in what buyers want. The trend used to favor open-concept renovations with painted-over trim. "Now, there's been a shift," she said. "Buyers want wood, vintage character and trim. People are really embracing the charm."
She said the south side of Oak Park and the Arts District are drawing buyers for their walkability to shops, restaurants, schools, and parks.
The Gunderson Historic Districts trace back to Norwegian immigrant Severt Gunderson, who founded S.T. Gunderson and Sons and, with his sons Seward and George, built subdivisions along Chicago's streetcar lines between 1889 and 1925. The first Oak Park subdivision was platted on Home and Wenonah in 1890, with construction beginning in 1905. Seward's own home at 701 S. Elmwood Ave. anchors the second district.
Oak Park village staff were studying the districts' impact on local development as of April, though results have not been released.
Residents who want to learn more about the neighborhood's history can join the Oak Park River Forest Historical Society's "Growing with the Gundersons" walking tour on Tuesday, August 11, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The 90-minute stroll starts at the Longfellow Park Pavilion, 610 S. Ridgeland Ave., and covers lesser-known stories including the house once named the Oak Park Academy of Fine Arts and why the neighborhood was once called "Fertile Acres." Tickets are $10, or $8 for Historical Society members, at oprfmuseum.org/store. Spots are limited.
