Alley alert

[watcher]

From Craigslist
http://chicago.craigslist.org/wcl/zip/2066199307.html

I seem to remember people that were looking for original windows, storms etc.

This listing popped up on Craigslist. If anyone's still looking (or hoarding)
only 1 image, there's lots of stuff listed.

[rbain]

There's a dumpster full of windows on the 2300 block of Wesley, too.

[MRS. NORTHSIDER]

I'm always amazed at some of the things people just throw out.  We still have the original oak entry door with beveled glass window in our home.  A friend of mine who also had the original door to her Victorian that she sold over the summer replaced it with, yes, one of those white steel exterior doors with the "antique looking glass" in it.  Her real estate agent advised her to do so.  I was appalled but she did sell the home rather quickly - maybe she was right.  Also, I think she left the old door for the new owner.

On the flip side, we have a younger couple a few doors down who bought their home in the last few years.  It's a farmhouse with a crappy replacement front door and they purchased an older oak entry door to install from one of those old home salvage places.

[dualref]

 I hate realtors for this same reason.

Have block paneling? Paint it white or the house won't sell!
Have oak woodwork? Paint it white or the house won't sell!

Have Corian counter tops? Realtors say "Oh, how middle class, you must have Granite or the 
  house  won't sell".

Here is the best one I have heard. Potential buyers were looking at a house and they said that they would put in a brand new dishwasher. Real Estate agent told them that "If you never use it you can increase the price of the house by $5K simply because it hasn't been used in all those years."

[exPROPer]

Granite is great in the bathroom.  The kitchen?  Never!  Too many other good looking/affordable counter products out there.