« Extreme Home Makeover at 53 Underhill A Chance for Cobble Hillers To Be In Pictures »

January 9, 2006

House of the Day: Price Drop in PLG

houseWe don't usually have the patience to sift through the morass of noise on Craigslist (plus, the site is blocked by the firewall at work), so we like it when readers draw stand-out listings to our attention. Such as this nugget in Prospect Lefferts Gardens. Judging from the pics, this house is pure gold. Out tipster has been watching this place sit on the market for the past three months at $789,000. It's now down to $750,000. The drawbacks include the need for a new roof and a fair bit of street noise, but for these details at this price, we think that's a trade we could live with. Opposing views?
Gorgeous PLG Brownstone [Craigslist] GMAP




Posted by Brownstoner at 11:38 AM | Comments (21)
Categories: Properties

Comments

Front yard/driveway looks big. Does that mean the rear yard is small? Otherwise, it does look very nice.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 9, 2006 11:50 AM

The address, at Rogers and Lenox, is probably ten blocks south of the desirable historic district, Lefferts Manor. The corner of Lenox and Rogers is a bit dicey, so the price, while attractive in the historic dist., may be a stretch waaaay out on the fringe.

Posted by: anon at January 9, 2006 12:08 PM

This is on Lenox, which isn't really in PLG (let alone the Manor, and seems way over priced. Better off with the tudor house on Chester Court which has been sitting on the market at $749,000 for eons and is undoubtedly highty negotiable. That house also has noise, drug, and crime issues, plus the problems of that sleazy stretch of Flatbush--but it is at least across the street from the Manor and closer to the park, etc. This one on Lenox should be about $650,000.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 9, 2006 12:26 PM

This place is awesome- you can park in your front yard!!!

Posted by: Preston at January 9, 2006 1:11 PM

Can anyone tell me what "style" this interior woodwork would be considered?

Posted by: Ignoramus at January 9, 2006 1:13 PM

Most residents of PLG tend to place the southern border of the nabe at Clarkson Avenue. Others, mainly realtors, move it further south to Linden Boulevard. This Lenox Road house is south of Clarkson and north of Linden. As such, it is given an accurately vague location of "in and around" Flatbush/Lefferts. IMO, the location of this house is "East Flatbush."

I'm not sure that I agree with the poster who says that the Chester Court house is a better buy just because it is closer to the Manor and to the park. The Chester Court house is relatively small in size, has no driveway and has numerous quality of life issues associated with its location. Meanwhile, the house on Lenox Road is situated on a strip that serves as the gateway to Kings County and Downstate Hospitals. Lenox Road, in its heyday used to be quite the boulevard for large and fancy apartment buildings that were heavily occupied by doctors and other personnel from the nearby hospitals. Although it's probably unlikely to happen in the near future, the avenue holds great potential for large-scale development of these grand apartment buildings (think of portions of Washington Avenue, e.g.) Meanwhile, most of the private homes on this section of Lenox Road are generally large and well-kept; many have driveways. But again, this house is nowhere near PLM and is arguably NOT in PLG. Therefore, pricewise, it might be overstated.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 9, 2006 1:46 PM

woodwork style? the filligree in the photo was common in "Victorian style" homes. Most of the woodwork mouldings were pine, some oak and other hardwood, often stained to mimic mahogony. The architecture styles for the time were, Neo-renaissance, Italianette, Romanesque, Queen Anne, Arts and Crafts, neo-Tudor and neo-Georgian. This house looks neo-Renaissance (similar to my 1905 brownstone). And yes Lenox Road is NOT the Manor. Many apartments and very busy street

Posted by: Anonymous at January 9, 2006 2:02 PM

The southern boundary of Prospect Lefferts Gardens is Clarkson Ave., one block north of Lenox Road, but I think most renovation has been further north in Lefferts Manor and the two streets north of the Manor (Sterling and Lefferts) that are also in the official City historic district. Parkside Ave., one block north of Clarkson, is an exception as is Ocean Ave., facing Prospect Park. FWIW there are some beautiful 4 story limestones on Clarkson, but we haven't had one on a PLG house tour for many years.

As to the style of woodwork, it appears to be similar to my Midwood Street house which (sometimes) is called "free classic" a mix of Georgian decorative elements and a relatively open floor plan--rooms being separated with columns and decorative screens rather than walls. The same style, with the woodwork originally painted white instead of being stained dark, was called colonial revival at the turn of the last century--late 19th--early 20th century interior styles were hardly "pure": but can be quite beautiful.

Posted by: Bob Marvin at January 9, 2006 2:05 PM

BTW the location is Flatbush, rather than East Flatbush, which starts on theeast side of NewYork Ave.

FWIW, all of Prospect Lefferts Gardens is in Flatbush (as are Prospect Park South, Ditmas Park, etc.).

Posted by: Bob Marvin at January 9, 2006 2:09 PM

Thanks, Bob,for clarifying all those boundaries! I'll move Lenox and Rogers back from East Flatbush to plain old Flatbush right away. :) BTW, when it comes to facts about PLG/PLM, I'd defer to your description of boundaries, neighborhood architecture and history anyday.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 9, 2006 2:35 PM

well, what if some of us like drugs? ask me, and PLG isn't drug-infested enough!

Posted by: anonymous at January 9, 2006 3:41 PM

You're welcome (to "anonymous" who posted @ 2:09). That's what living in a neighborhood for over 30 years will get you :-)

OTOH the humor of "Anonymous" who posted @ 2:35 escapes me. If it wasn't a lame attempt at humor, I'm sure there are places reasonably close to ANY Brooklyn brownstone neighborhood where you can indulge your tastes, so feel free to burn out whatever might be left of your brain if that's your desire.

Posted by: Bob Marvin at January 9, 2006 4:26 PM

That is a nice looking house, but 750k or even 650k, is too high, I say try 400's if you are lucky.
This nabe is not very safe, to say the least.
Try gates and bars on all your doors and windows for starters.

Posted by: El-04 at January 10, 2006 12:01 AM

The large front yard could accommodate a moat of some sort.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 10, 2006 12:23 AM

$400's?!? What planet are you from? Are you're out of your mind or simply looking for a hand out? The "Gentrification Discount" or "Brown Fire Sale"!!! Which one is it?

Posted by: Anonymous at January 10, 2006 3:14 AM

Wow! Just saw the listing. The house looks incredible. Not sure about the neighborhood but it looks like a good deal. A relative good value despite some of the community drawbacks. If Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Bed-Stuy and Stuy Heights can turn for the better, I'm confident that this neighborhood will simarily improve over time. In this frothy market, the great deals typically stand out in retrospect. This might be one of them.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 10, 2006 5:27 AM

not long ago, people said CH was unsafe...

Posted by: Anonymous at January 10, 2006 1:05 PM

I've seen this house and the surrounding area is not the greatest...lots of corner hanging out in the summer time..Why invest in a neighborhood where you can't be safe or comfortable.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 11, 2006 10:24 AM

Those who score the greatest gains in the gentrification game are those who have foresight, the stomach for risk and the patience to invest in a "neighborhood where you can't be safe or comfortable." Duh.

Posted by: Anonymous at January 11, 2006 11:05 AM

Listen anonymous DUH take your self righteouness and shove it I rather invest somewhere I can feel safe..This area is by no way ready for any gentrification...I've lived near here and gladly moved away...SHOVE IT

Posted by: Anonymous at January 12, 2006 10:03 AM

"Anonymous Duh" is 100% correct about how to play the game. Meanwhile, why doesn't "Anonymous Shove It" move to New Jersey?

Posted by: FV at February 2, 2006 3:13 PM

Post a comment

Please be patient while your comment is published. It may take a moment.

Latest Restaurant Additions