Sep 11, 2009 5:48 pm US/Central
Chicago House Next To Obama Home For Sale
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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5040 South Greenwood
Wayne Cable
Want to be President Obama's next door neighbor and maybe borrow a cup of sugar from the first lady?
Nobody can guarantee the sugar part, but the house next door to the first family's home in Chicago's Kenwood neighborhood is up for sale.
CBS2's Mike Parker's took a tour of the house Friday, but he's not necessarily ready to make an offer.
The home has 6,000 square feet, 17 rooms and eight bedrooms. But then anybody who buys it will probably have too many friends and relatives who want to stay next door to the first family. The bedrooms might fill up quickly.
You can't casually drive past the property at 5040 S. Greenwood. The police, the Secret Service and the barricades will put a stop to that plan quickly.
But you can make an appointment with the Coldwell Banker realtor to see the century-old brick giant that sits on the lot just north of the place Barack and Michelle Obama and the children call home.
"This is the living room. As you can see, all the original natural woodwork has been preserved beautifully," Realtor Matt Garrison said.
From the dining room, you can look out the window during breakfast and actually see one wall of the Obama house. How'd you like that with your morning coffee?
Current owners Bill and Jackie Grimshaw are empty nesters and looking to downsize. Jackie Grimshaw is a well-known political organizer. Bill Grimshaw is a former University of Chicago professor.
Bill Grimshaw says his famous neighbors are "terrific."
"They're really a down-to-earth family. The little kids are the sweetest kids you can imagine," he said.
In the interests of full disclosure, the kitchen needs work, and frankly, so do the bathrooms. And did we tell you about the view from the dining room window?
There is a 'For Sale' sign in front of the house now, although with all the security in the neighborhood, you wonder who's going to walk by and see it.
There is always security. Chicago Police and Secret Service vehicles make sure anybody who walks or drives down the street is known to them. Police barricades block traffic 24 hours a day. And when the first family is in the neighborhood, it gets really intense.
"When he's not in town, this is like Mayberry, it's really quiet and sleepy," Grimshaw said. "And when he hits town, man, the lights go on and the streets are filled."
There is no listed price on the house. The Realtor says they're simply looking for offers. But if you want it, know this: Other homes nearby are going for as much as $2 million each.
The Grimshaw family bought the huge old house in 1973 for $35,000.
Prospective buyers must undergo a background check by the Secret Service.
Click here for more information on this historic home.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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