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Ivy-Covered Homes Look Lush in Summer, But Upkeep Challenges Abound

By  Alisa Hauser Patty Wetli and Mina Bloom | September 8, 2016 1:41pm | Updated on September 8, 2016 3:13pm

 Photos of ivy-covered homes in Wicker Park.
Ivy Enhanced Homes in WIcker Park
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WICKER PARK — Homes enhanced by ivy are green and glorious during the summer, often commanding a double take or a head shake, depending on one's preferences.

But while ivy can be visually appealing, does it make a home more or less attractive to a buyer?

Real estate broker Jane Stahmer said that in her 14-year career she has never had a client who sought an ivy-covered house.

"Ivy is a factor that some people like, but when they have inspections, the inspectors are anti-ivy because it softens the mortar between the bricks," Stahmer said.

Some buyers will use ivy as a reason for initiating a next step in the inspection process and ask to see a recent tuckpointing report or request tuckpointing, which can get expensive, she said.

The type of plant creeping up a home's facade should matter to a smart buyer who knows the difference between the many kinds of ivy.

Buyers should ask what type of ivy the home is covered in — English ivy is notably invasive and difficult to manage; Boston ivy and Virginia creeper are preferable. Regardless, owners should be prepared for regular maintenance work, keeping vines trimmed away from windows, doors, drainpipes, gutters, shutters and rooflines.

According to home-improvement experts, ivy can damage nearly every building surface — from wood to stucco to siding — either by working its way into cracks and allowing moisture to penetrate or by ripping off paint or other materials when pulled away. Ivy is a particular concern for brick homes built before 1930, when softer lime-based mortar was more commonly used.

Stahmer said one of the most striking examples of "before" and "after" ivy is at the Oscar Mayer mansion, 1030 Forest Ave. in Evanston, listed for sale at $2.95 million. Just recently, the home's ivy was removed.

Below are just a few of the unique "ivy homes" or condos spotted in the Wicker Park, Bucktown and West Town areas this summer. If you have a favorite ivy-covered home in any Chicago neighborhood, share a photo link to it along with an address and we'll create a crowdsourced directory.

Here are our picks:

[1243 N. Wolcott Ave.]

 

A photo posted by alisa (@alyinwicker) on

[2048 W. Wabansia Ave.]

 

[1835 W. Wabansia Ave.]

{2225 W. Erie St.]

FROM LEFT: 819 N. Damen Ave. and a home on Crystal Street just west of Damen, shared by real estate agent Tom Tomek on Facebook this spring.

 

2122 West Le Moyne St.

 

A photo posted by alisa (@alyinwicker) on

[952 N. Noble St.]

1843 W. Evergreen St.


A stretch of homes off Wells Street in Old Town [Google Maps]


A home on Halsted Street in Lincoln Park [DNAinfo/Mina Bloom]

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