Open House Picks

11th st - been for sale for ages. Probably because the facade is so bland/ugly. It does have a driveway and garage though!

warren st - those muse houses are too cool and they were trying to get over a million for one with a decent but detached garden. They are still a niche product though. So very very tiny inside.

thin pickings lately - not open house picks, just the market in general.

hmm, 11th st looks much nicer inside.

I wonder if a bit of work could make the frontage look better.. a nice gate to the rear, for instance. Fixing up the facade.

It is a 25 foot lot after all..

or with 2000 more sq ft usable just knock the whole thing down and build a monster :)

yeah, 11th street is a good candidate for HGTV's Curb Appeal!

I am intrigued by the BR house. Price is very low. Something was on the market that was about the same size- a real train wreck- for lots more, just a block away...

BR price low? it is only 1800 sq ft! that is $500 per square foot!

Re BR- if the top floor is listed at 900 sq ft, it would mean that it is as large as the other floors ( PS says 30X30). I am doubtful, but optimistic. No parking is a minus, but lots of outdoor space and a huge FAR...I stand by my sight unseen estimation that this is a good deal. And don't forget that these houses usually have very workable if not finished basements with hefty sized ceiling heights- many of them are used as apartments. In BR, I find that you pay for "unique"... I may have to check it out in person...

Oh man, this is so sad. Brooklyn real estate feels so five-minutes-ago. It used to be so fresh and exciting, but now it is overexposed, overpriced and overblown. Brooklyn has had it's moment and now it is just a sad imitation of its former self. Time to cash-out and move, I'm afraid.

The bay ridge house has been on the market for months.. It is awful, small rooms, one bathroom, cluttered and the block is not pretty. I think way overpriced. It needs a lot o' work inside. Kitchen is 50's but not cool 50's.

Re: 'so-five-minutes-ago' . . . if you define life by the temperature of the housing market and the hype in the media, then perhaps you are right. But if you are looking for a great place to raise a family and just live your life, then its hard to find a better combination of location, appeal, and price, especially compared to the alternatives, such as Manhattan, New Jersey or, god forbid, Westchester. Sounds like you should move to the next hot locale and start your own blog.

1:59--What's with the anti-Westchester attitude? I've been looking there, since so many friends have moved there, and I'm really liking it. Up north there are great old houses, lots of open space, peace and quiet, beautiful parks and unspoiled land. Not to mention interesting people and lots of museums, galleries, and art centers. It isn't urban, but it isn't really suburban either. And it is far better than Jersey, that's for sure. Perhaps you're talking about southern Westchester, which I agree is gross and just as bad as Jersey.

How is westchester not suburban. Isn't it a suburb?

the problem isn't Westchester, it's just what suits you. Westchester is not urban. Period. I've been tempted by Nyack on occassion (we've got friends there and I grew up nearby), but after a few days... I want to be in walking distance of a subway. I wouldn't mind a place to getaway to on weekends, but as far as permanent residence - no thanks.

By "not suburban" I mean there are no sidewalks and it isn't house/driveway/house/driveway with little green lawns. That to me is the suburbs. But yes it is a suburb in that most people commute to the city to work, though many are artists and what-not and work from home. And it sure isn't urban. I have no problem with people not liking it---I was just questioning the "god forbid" comment. Personally the idea of a few acres of privacy and nature is incredibly appealing.

"which I agree is gross and just as bad as Jersey. "

i realize that this is a Brooklyn RE blog, but maybe you could be a bigger snob??

11:45--I probably could be a bigger snob if I really tried. What can I say, I'm from Brooklyn--I like city and I like country (even suburban country) but not typical burbs like Hastings, Bronxville, Montclaire, Maplewood, etc. Sorry if I offended.

Westchester ranges from pretty urban - such as downtown Yonkers, WhitePlains, etc to grassy treed suburban to fairly bucolic countryside (N.E. part of county). And so is northern NewJersey.

doesn't anybody want to talk about the houses they saw on Open Houses yesterday? this westchester blather is pointless.

Disappointed I couldn't see upper two floors of Cambridge Place bldg. Anybody know their condition? What's with the cinder block fence out front, the parlor accoustic ceiling walls and parlor back room office ceiling tiles? Wreaks of patchy maintenance over the years but has a load of potential. Forgot to ask broker if it would be delivered vacant.

To continue the Westchester Blather: It's true that the north east is the most bucolic, but it is also very blue blood and waspy. The north west part of the county is very pretty and bucolic and tends to be pretty groovy, liberal, and artsy. I know many ex-brooklynites who've settled there and are very happy.

Now back to Brooklyn Blather...