For buyers — getting oriented

Downtown Chicago Winters by Unit Type: What to Ask About Heat, Windows, and Exposure

Condos in the same downtown Chicago high-rise can feel very different in January. How warm a unit stays, and what it costs to keep it that way, depends on how the building supplies heat, who pays for it, which way the windows face, what those windows are, and where the unit sits in the building — so the questions worth asking are about the unit, not just the address.

Winter Is a Unit-Level Question

When buyers ask me about winter in a downtown high-rise, they usually ask about the building. That's a reasonable start: the building determines the heating system and whether heat is part of the monthly assessment. But how comfortable your unit actually is in winter comes down to the unit itself.

A corner unit with glass on more than one side, a unit facing the lake, and an interior unit tucked between neighbors can share a building and have very different winters. That's why I treat winter as part of evaluating a specific unit, alongside the floor plan and the view.

None of this is a reason to rule a unit out. It's a reason to ask the right questions before you buy, rather than learning the answers during your own January in the unit.

How Heat Is Supplied and Who Pays

Start with how the building heats its units. Many downtown high-rises run a central system that circulates heated water to units through fan coils or radiators; others rely on electric heat or individual systems inside each unit. The system determines how much control you have over your own temperature and how the cost reaches you.

Then ask who pays. In some buildings, heat is included in the monthly assessment, so the cost is shared across owners and doesn't arrive as a separate bill. In others, each unit pays for its own heat, usually through its electric bill. Neither arrangement is better on its face, but they change how you compare monthly costs between buildings.

When you compare a building with heat included against one without, compare the full monthly picture. A higher assessment that covers heat can land closer to a lower assessment plus your own heating bill than it first appears.

Also ask about the seasonal changeover. In buildings where a central system switches between heating and cooling, the switch happens on the building's schedule, not yours, and a warm or cold stretch around the changeover can leave units uncomfortable until the building catches up.

Windows, Exposure, and Floor

Exposure shapes winter comfort. South- and west-facing units take in more direct winter sun, while north-facing units get little or none. A unit facing the lake can also take more wind than a unit facing inland.

Window type matters as well. Floor-to-ceiling glass gives you the view, but older or less efficient glass loses heat faster than an insulated wall. Ask how old the windows are, whether they've been replaced, and whether owners have reported drafts or condensation. If the association has window or facade work planned, find out how it will be paid for.

Position in the building plays a part too. A corner unit has more exterior wall and glass than an interior unit; a top-floor unit sits under the roof; a unit above an unheated space, such as a garage level or an open lobby, can run cooler at the floor. None of these is a dealbreaker, but each is worth knowing before you buy.

Questions to Bring to a Showing

These are the questions I'd put to the listing agent or management for any unit you're serious about:

• How is heat supplied to this unit, and what controls does the unit have?
• Is heat included in the monthly assessment, or does the unit pay for its own heat? If the unit pays, what have its winter utility bills run?
• When does the building switch from cooling to heating, and how is that date set?
• Which way do the main windows face, and what type of windows are they?
• Have the windows been replaced, and is any window or facade work planned?
• Have owners in this stack reported drafts, condensation or cold spots?
• Is there anything directly above or below the unit, such as a garage level, an amenity floor or the roof, that affects its temperature?

If you can, see the unit on a cold day, or ask whether the seller can share recent winter utility bills. Written answers are useful; standing in the unit next to the glass on a cold afternoon tells you more.

Roz Dupiton is a top real estate advisor and downtown Chicago condo specialist.