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Chicago Timber Lofts For Sale or Rent

The Pros & Cons of Living in a Chicago Timber Loft

Residential lofts are among the most sought-after living spaces by urban home buyers and renters, and that’s especially the case in popular Chicago neighborhoods like River North and the West Loop. Like any housing type, lofts have a wide-range of styles and unique characteristics, including one of our favorite features: timber ceilings.

As you might expect, Chicago lofts with a timber ceiling tend to be open, spacious, and ultra-stylish, and many are housed inside the city’s oldest warehouses and industrial buildings. But along with a dramatic aesthetic, what else can you expect when living in a classic timber loft unit? We explore just a few of the pros and cons below…

Pros to Living in a Timber Loft

High Ceilings One of the things we like most about a typical loft condo or apartment are the ceiling heights. In Chicago, it’s pretty common to find a unit with ceilings that measure 10 feet or higher, and if it has multiple levels you could be looking at 20+ feet.

Open Layout / Flexible Living Spaces

Along with the high ceilings, floor plans are usually open and spacious, which is perfect for anyone who likes to get creative with the interior. In addition, the flexible living space is also suitable for anyone working in a creative field that works from home or needs plenty of room to operate.

The Location

Although you’ll find residential lofts all over Chicago, the highest concentration lies throughout the downtown area in highly desirable neighborhoods like River North, the South Loop, and the West Loop. So if living downtown is also high up your wish list, loft living is definitely something to consider.

Cons to Living in a Timber Loft

The Noise

If you talk to anyone who has lived in a timber loft before, chances are they’ll mention something about the sound transmission between units that can often occur. Newer loft conversions have taken measures to limit or reduce unit-to-unit noice but older buildings that transitioned over to residential use 20+ years ago can really present an issue. Unless of course you’re lucky enough to find a penthouse or top-floor unit on the market.

High HOA Dues/Utility Expenses

When looking at most lofts for sale in Chicago, chances are you’ll notice that every unit has relatively high HOA dues. In some cases that relates directly to utility costs given living spaces with high ceilings, oversized industrial windows, and exposed brick walls can get expensive to heat and cool. So regardless of whether you’re looking to rent or buy, keep this in mind when determining your budget.