The house next to President Obama’s lovely Hyde Park Mansion is for sale. (In the photo, the house to the right is for sale. The house to the left is President Obama’s.)
The house, at 5040 South Greenwood Avenue (click to see photos of the interior and exterior), in Chicago’s prestigious Hyde Park (backyard of the University of Chicago), is a 17-room red brick, three story wonder, on a 12,000 square foot lot.
Talk about room with a view: You can look out the kitchen window onto the Obama’s back porch.
The sellers, Bill and Jacky Grimshaw, call it the most secure block in America. It’s closed to anyone who doesn’t live there or worship there (Temple KAM Isaiah Israel is across the street). If you want to visit, you’ll need to arrange clearance ahead of time - no drive-by showings for this property.
Professor Bill Grimshaw told the New York Times that he believes the Obama’s roof needs some work. For my money, that’s the ideal neighbor to have: A kind and generous family that loves kids, keeps their dogs properly fenced in, and watches out for possible roof leaks.
If you could construct the perfect neighbors, what qualities would they have? In addition to watching out for roof leaks and creaky tree branches, my ideal neighbors would offer some other fine qualities, including:
- Master BBQer. I’m pretty handy with a grill (and my husband Sam cooks a mean steak). But who wouldn’t want to live next door to Food Network star and master chef Bobby Flay, especially if he’s generous with grilling tips and tastes? Afterward, we could laugh over the latest edition of “Who Wants To Be The Next Food Network Star?”
- Wine aficionado. With all those great grilled flavors, you’ve got to have something to drink. I wouldn’t mind living next door to the Wall Street Journal’s married wine columnists Dorothy “Dottie” Gaiter and John Brecher. Not only would you get a crash course in Cabernets, but your Open The Bottle Nights will never be the same.
- Great gardener. Who better than the queen of home design Martha Stewart to fluff up the block with awe-inspiring seasonal floral displays, matching white picket fences and an legion of workers to repaint it weekly. Imagine, the neighborhood would always look picture-perfect, especially if she shared tulip bulbs and plant cuttings. And, just imagine the block parties - although you’d always have to dress up (and our block parties tend to be decidedly dress-down affairs).
- Handy with a hammer. Should something go wrong, it’s always helpful to have a tool-meister around the corner. My friend, AskTheBuilder.com entrepreneur Tim Carter, has an extremely impressive tool shed (and if you get a stain, he might lend you a cup of his magic Stain Solver).
- Good with kids. If you have small fry running around, it helps to have a neighbor who’s friendly, but child-savvy. Perhaps Jon and Kate Plus 8 (minus Jon) would make good neighbors, although living on-camera 24/7/365 might be a little much. What about the Nanny?
Nice neighbors are hard to come by, although I’m insanely lucky with the ones I already have on my block. Who would you most like to have as your next-door neighbors?
