Posted on 04/07/2010 5:19:35 AM PDT by mlizzy
President Obama has new neighbors.
The first family's pals next door, Bill and Jacky Grimshaw, closed Wednesday on a $1.4 million deal for their 6,000-square-foot 1906 colonial mansion with an unfettered view of the Obama's Kenwood estate.
The new owners, who plan to spend an additional $1 million renovating the house, asked their real estate agent, Matt Garrison, not to reveal their identity.
"They want their privacy respected. They're not interested in notoriety. They're just a normal Chicago home buyer who happened to buy next to the president," Garrison said. "They'd probably prefer not being next to the president, but this was the best house available for them to renovate on a big lot."
The Grimshaws had attempted to cash in on the "Obama factor" by not listing an asking price when the house went on the market in September. They had hoped to starting a "nutty bidding war" for the mansion and coach house near 51st and Greenwood. But that plan didn't work. "But it was sold to an ordinary Chicago home buyer who was in our back yard the whole time . . . We're very happy with the price," Garrison said.
The Grimshaws bought the 17-room house in 1973 for $35,000.
Isn’t it public info when real estate changes hands?
Par for the course.
When you have a neighbor in any way interesting to the FBI or the Secret Service, your privacy is disrespected in ways you never imagined. Believe me. :(
From what I’ve seen/heard, very bad neighborhood.
Yes, but you'll have to look it up in the public records, after the deed is recorded. And they don't always record it in the owner's name.
Jon Bongiovi (Bon Jovi) owns a home in Monmouth County, NJ, for example, but a tax search by name won't reveal the location because a corporate name, trust name, etc. shows as the owner.
Jeeze. The “normal Chicago home buyer” can pony up $2.4 million for a house?
If they want their privacy respected; why buy a house next to Obama?
The Obama's haven't visited home since he's been prez (that I know of)....but maybe the house will be worth more if he can wait out the market.
Ain't no way he will move back to Chicago...He's such a jerk...and he can't pitch a baseball either.
Absolutely a public record.
Yes.
Yeah, they live next store to a muslim extremist that palls around with "some guy from the neighborhood," who tried to blow up the Pentagon.
I hope the new owners protect their investment and try to get a "no building bombs at your residence" clause added to the neighborhood HOA policy.
Bill Ayers? Just some guy in the neighborhood.
“Isn’t it public info when real estate changes hands?”
Yes, the county recorders office. You can’t hide it.
Any real estate broker worth a damn or an attorney can find the owner in one day.
I can find the owner of record in a couple of minutes. Sometimes the owner of record is a corporate name, a trust or investment group, etc. Good luck tracking the principal parties of one of them down in one day! A trust owned by a corporation owned by an investment group...
“A trust owned by a corporation owned by an investment group... toss in overseas, and I have a problem ;-)
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