Chicago Brownstones For Sale

Search historic brownstones in Chicago IL

Interested in brownstones for sale Chicago IL? Featured below are all active Chicago brownstones currently listed on the open market. If you would like more information on a certain property listing, just click the "Request More Information" button when viewing the details of a particular listing. We can provide you with disclosures, past sales history, dates and prices of similar homes recently sold nearby, and more.

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Buying a Chicago Brownstone

In a city like Chicago, a “brownstone” is often used to described a townhouse or row home, especially in neighborhoods like the Gold Coast, Old Town, and Lincoln Park. But unlike a modern townhouse, historic brownstones are constructed from a combination of brick and sandstone, which helps give these elegant residences unique coloring and incredible character. 

Like any property on the Chicago real estate market, brownstones have plenty of pros and cons. Home buyers who prefer a unique vintage charm typically love what Chicago brownstones have to offer, and in most cases, brownstones are also situated in historic, highly-desirable neighborhoods throughout the city. On the flip side, this, along with multiple levels of living space, usually means brownstones for sale in Chicago are quite pricey, even if you’re lucky enough to find a fixer-upper that you can customize and truly call your own. 

What Is The Difference Between Chicago Brownstones and Chicago Greystones?

You’ve likely heard the term brownstone before, but there’s another option out there called a greystone. While people sometimes use the terms simply to refer to townhomes or rowhomes, both distinctions are perhaps less about overall design and more about the materials used in the property’s construction.

Chicago Brownstone Characteristics

• Brownstone refers to a type of sandstone sometimes used for townhomes. The dark color comes from all the iron in the stone. 
• They first started popping up in the early 19^th century in New York City. Typically, they were city rowhouses built for the middle class. The stone was cheaper than limestone or marble.
• Many times, a brownstone featured Italianate detailing, but this was likely because of the time period in which the homes were built. Later on, some brownstones were constructed in other styles, especially on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. 
• While the term brownstone was later widely accepted to include most city rowhouses, a true brownstone is actually made of brownstone. It’s also likely adjoined to a neighboring building. Again, if it’s not made of brownstone, it’s most likely just a rowhouse.

Chicago Greystone Characteristics 

• Similar to the New York brownstone, the greystone began popping up in some Chicago neighborhoods in the late 1800s. Construction of them continued through the 1930s. 
• Today, there are thousands of them in Chicago. Much like it’s New York counterpart, it refers to a locally sourced stone that’s named for its color.
• At that time the first greystones were built, some in Chicago were looking for something new to set their homes apart. Greystone was used to construct homes for the wealthy and for the working class, with mostly Neoclassical or Romanesque features.
• While the brownstone was generally constructed as a single-family home, usually a greystone was built as a two-, three- or even four-family home. It was either fully detached or semi-detached.

Where to Search Chicago Brownstones For Sale

If you’re in the market for a new place to call home and already know a Chicago brownstone is the perfect fit for you needs, break down your options and start searching Chicago brownstones by neighborhood using our brownstone directory below….