Chicago Appraisers.Architect Harold Zook

[Deleted member 77547]

Has anyone ever done a Harold Zook house? I have one but at this point I'm not sure how much significance it has on its market value. He's seems to be a bit a local phenomenon and in some circles is well known but not as famous as say, Frank Lloyd Wright. There is a push to preserve his work and the one I have is on a preservation list. He has done a lot of work in Hinsdale and the western burbs and designed the Pickwick Theatre and Maine East High School in Park Ridge.

 

[Restrain]

You may have some appreciation...or not. I did one that had been built by a prominent local architect, that had been featured, etc, but it had so many functional and dated issues that it completely offset any "notoriety". Look at the house and how it works with the market. If the home went on the market, someone might, and I mean, might, pay a premium. However, generally they don't. Look at the problems they had with the Frank Lloyd Wright "Falling Waters" home. Sold for far less than they thought due to physical and functional problems.

 

[Otis Key]

Judy - I haven't done any of his but search on the AF "wind & cheese" and you should find some help - I did an appraisal on a rather well known local "wind & cheese" member that is an architect - found nothing to support a higher value - part of that was because he loves to go in and use an "in-fill" lot within a "tract development". Go figure that one.

 

[Renee Healion]

Judy - I haven't done any of his but search on the AF "wind & cheese" and you should find some help - I did an appraisal on a rather well known local "wind & cheese" member that is an architect - found nothing to support a higher value - part of that was because he loves to go in and use an "in-fill" lot within a "tract development". Go figure that one.

I admit I just had to search "wind and cheese" because it sounded funny. Alas, an Otis /architect thread was only found by changing the terms to "Wine and Cheese".

http://appraisersforum.com/urgent-help-needed/96249-why-me-idiot-architect.html

 

[Brad Ellis]

Judy,

I went to Mane East High School (along with a current Presidential candidate but she transferred to Maine South when it opened in our senior year 64-65 so you now know how old we are!).

To calculate the contributory value of the name and design you will have to use sales of other Zook homes by comparing their selling prices to non-Zook and non-historical homes that sold around the same time and offered similar age and utility.

It takes work. I've done it for FLW homes and Sullivan and Richardson homes, but unfortunately never Zook.

Good luck. I'd love to see your results.

Brad

 

[Brad Ellis]

Judy,

One other thing. Search the web and, if need be, call the local historical socities. I bet you will find an arch historian who got interested in him and they can usually lead you to the locations of other ones by him.

You can then check public records to see which ones have sold.

For the record, I have contacted many homewoners of historical properties and they are typically quite pround of their restoration projects and often will invite you over or in for a look. Be prepared to spend some time with them- tht stuff is their passion.

Brad

 

[Deleted member 77547]

Thanks Brad.

I did a quick search and found that most of his stuff is in Hinsdale (where he lived.) The one I have is not in Hinsdale but its Village does have a preservation committee who I called last week. They have a list of "historically significant" properties on their web site...unfortunately, none have sold in the past two years. I'll go back further in time today to see if there was a premium paid back then. The one I'm doing is quite dated (all original) and does have some functional issues. Like the other poster stated above, it looks like one is offsetting the other.

Thanks everyone! You were a great help!

Judy

 

[Deleted member 77547]

Judy,

I went to Mane East High School (along with a current Presidential candidate but she transferred to Maine South when it opened in our senior year 64-65 so you now know how old we are!).

To calculate the contributory value of the name and design you will have to use sales of other Zook homes by comparing their selling prices to non-Zook and non-historical homes that sold around the same time and offered similar age and utility.

It takes work. I've done it for FLW homes and Sullivan and Richardson homes, but unfortunately never Zook.

Good luck. I'd love to see your results.

Brad

I went to Maine East too, Brad! Graduated in the late 70's.

 

[Otis Key]

I admit I just had to search "wind and cheese" because it sounded funny. Alas, an Otis /architect thread was only found by changing the terms to "Wine and Cheese".

http://appraisersforum.com/urgent-help-needed/96249-why-me-idiot-architect.html

Which one is more appropriate? WIND or wine; oh, I forgot, maybe it should have also been considered as "whine" as well.

 

[Brian Weaver]

Zook's signature was the thatched, wrap-around roof. Make certain that if you find a house with this "signature"...it really was a Zook and not a knock-off roof applied later.