Flats on Fulton offers smart quality condos at affordable prices

By Eva Hofmann 

The Flats on Fulton condo development is going up in the historic Garfield Park neighborhood in the area around 2900 west, with prices starting in the low $200,000s.

Atland Realty, 220 W. Huron St., represents the project. The privately owned, full service real estate brokerage specializes in new construction and development in the greater Chicago area. Atland agents work with buyers and sellers of all property types, from condominiums and single-family houses to multi-unit buildings and vacant land.

            Mike Hulett and Lisa Baehm co-founded Atland Realty in spring 2004 with the philosophy that real estate is a service-based industry. They focus primarily on boutique client service with a comprehensive approach to the markets they serve. As a result, more than 65% of the firm’s new business comes from referrals by previous clients.

Hulett attributes the company’s success to hard work, extraordinary service, and continuous agent education as well as taking the time to hire first-rate, conscientious agents. Another key, he said, is Atland’s commitment to partnering with quality builders such as GenOne Group, developers of the Flats on Fulton.

            “I have worked with a lot of builders,” said Hulett. “What attracted me to the Flats on Fulton is the quality of work at this price point, which ranges from $209,000 to $249,000.”

Condominiums in the project’s three-flat buildings have two bedrooms and two baths and feature nine-foot ceilings; oak flooring in the entry, living room, and kitchen; durable frise carpeting in the bedrooms; 42-inch cabinets with crown molding; granite countertops; stainless steel appliances; master suite with walk-in closet and private bath; laundry room with side-by-side washer-dryer hookup; central heat and air conditioning; high-speed cable; large private decks; and secured parking.

“These developers are using more traditional architecture to fit in with the historic brownstones and graystones in the area,” said Hulett.

GenOne Group specializes in emerging urban markets. The firm’s partners bring more than 40 years of combined experience in development, construction, and financing. Their goal is providing value to buyers through a combination of high-quality construction, superior appointments, and an affordable price. “Their commitment to East Garfield Park is substantial,” said Hulett.

Right around the corner from the Flats on Fulton, GenOne is developing a 62-unit loft conversion. “That’s a really interesting project because GenOne’s goal is to provide affordable housing, delivering one- and two-bedroom lofts starting around $169,000, plus or minus,” said Hulett. Loft sizes tentatively range from 800 to 1,200 square feet, and the developers have secured or bought multiple lots within a few blocks of the corner at Fulton St. and Sacramento Blvd. to allow for about 100 units.

“There’s so much going on in the area,” said Hulett. “This is the best part of the Garfield Park neighborhood. It’s a little quieter, and even Sacramento is not that busy. It’s just kind of a sleepy little area, yet it’s about a five-minute walk to the Green Line and just off of I-290.”

Last year, Business Week named Garfield Park one of America’s top ten up-and-coming neighborhoods. “If you look on a map, it’s easy to see why,” said Hulett. “You have the Blue Line, the Green Line, and buses on every major street. Then you have Garfield Park itself as well as the Garfield Park Conservatory, which is widely famous. And the prices are still very good. If you go east just six blocks on the other side of Western, up to Wicker Park and Bucktown, the prices jump. The gap will close and the prices will rise, but it’s a really good deal right now.”

Besides Flats on Fulton, Atland represents an array of projects from single-family houses in Bridgeport to commercial condominiums in Northbrook, where Atland also has an office at 600 N Waukegan Rd.

While the company focuses on new construction and development, it also stresses the need for balance. So some Atland agents exclusively represent buyers, while others specialize in resale listings. Also, unique to the industry, Atland’s development team specializes in securing feasible properties for developers and investors.

            “The main thing consumers need to know is that we customize a marketing plan for each property,” said Hulett. “We look at each project, and we look at the demographics of people buying in the neighborhood. We identify target markets, and then we decide how to approach those markets. It’s a multi-pronged approach.”

            In addition to print marketing in neighborhood publications such as the Gazette, Atland markets extensively on the Internet and is meticulous about entering information on the Multiple Listing Service. “We have a marketing person on staff who is a photographer, so we do all of our virtual tours in-house,” Hulett explained. “We consult with clients to tell them exactly what the property needs to look like. And we get better results.”

            Given its success so far, Atland plans to continue concentrating on new construction and development for years to come. For more information, call (312) 751-1293, email info@atlandrealty.com, or log on to www.atlandrealty.com.