House of the Day: 202 Prospect Place

me likey

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 1:29 PM

What a lush garden, an oasis. Gorgeous parlor. I love the patterned tile backsplash in the kitchen. I'd wanted patterned/painted tile backsplash myself originally, then rejected it, now I want it again!

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 1:33 PM

Nice looking house. Kitchen and bathroom are blah, but could be improved a bit by replacing all the hideous gold hardware. You could probably get this price if the house were on the PS side of Flatbush but I'm not so sure about it here.

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 2:07 PM

If this is a middle class Brooklyn home, what would you consider an upper class Brooklyn home??

Just because you can't afford it, does not make it middle class.

While these may have once been middle class homes, Brownstones....both in Manhattan and in Brooklyn are most certainly considered for the upper class.

If you want a middle class home, there are many to be had. And yes, in Prospect Heights.

Your idea of entitlement it what's screwed up....not Brooklyn.

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 2:07 PM

i used to live a few doors down and this block is awesome. if i hadn't been living with a crazy landlord, i would've totally stayed. i remember the house next door being sold for $1.7m when i moved in (about two yrs ago). no idea what condition it was in or the exact comps, but crazy. looks gorgeous though.

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 2:18 PM

How do you possibly think that "21' four story, two family brick townhouse (owners' triplex ) on a 131' lot" equates to a "middle-class family home" ?

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 2:30 PM

Prospect between Carlton and Vanderbilt is the nicest block of PH, imho. Amazing street trees, contiguous architecture, block from the Q/B. I live one block east on Prospect. The 131 ft lots are far larger than anything in the slope, and this is also a south garden (and very nicely landscaped). You could maybe get 2200 for the garden apt (depending how much of the garden you were willing to share). The main drawback (besides public schools)is that this house is really shallow. I see about 35 feet deep on the floorplan, which would give total sf of 2880, and a ppsf of $865. That doesn't jive with the comps, which are about $675 psf. I'd say 2M max. Of course, a shallow house gives you more space for the koi pond and whatnot.

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 2:32 PM

"Now, about that asking price of $2,495,000. They're definitely not giving it away..."

LOL

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 2:33 PM

I don't think a buyer has to be super rich to buy a 2 million dollar brownstone. Ever hear of mortgages?

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 2:39 PM

If this house is well done (which it looks to be) I'd definitely sacrifice a little interior room for some great outdoor space like this. 2880 is still a nice amount of space and if there are up to 4 or 5 of you, really comfortable. Seems that people have gotten really wasteful these days...Most families I see out walking around have 1 or possibly 2 kids. Yet most people on this blog seem to say that 3000sf is small. It's really not. It's quite large. Especially for a city home. And especially for 4 people or so.

Maybe I'm just not seeing the larger familes around and they are who buy these things. Otherwise, we need to start thinking smaller.

Our bodies need to be smaller, we need to use less of water, oil, make less waste, etc. This world needs to get a little greener and starting the conversation by saying that 3000 square feet for most families in new york city is enough would be a good start.

It's the way of the future...we might as well start doing something now....

Great house, btw.

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 2:40 PM

LOL, 2:07 give me a break, please tell me where I can go to buy a middle class Brownstone in Brooklyn today! 2.5 million in Brooklyn!! this is purely for the rich, what "Blue Collar Workers" do you know can afford this?? I totally agree with 2:03, and where the hell have you been? everyone knows prices in BK are off the charts and interest rates are not low, you must be from out of town,

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 2:40 PM

2:40....Tell me which other world city you can go to a find what you seem to be looking for without a couple million dollars???

Tokyo? Nope.
London? Not a chance.
San Fransciso? Would be pretty hard
Zurich? Hells no.
Paris? Maybe, but it's Paris.
Moscow? Hell to the no.

You, my friend are the out of towner. I live and own in Park Slope and couldn't be happier about it. And I've never in my life made over 100K a year nor do I get handouts from my parents. I work hard, I saved money and I try to complain as little as possible about how the big bad world has done me wrong.

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 2:49 PM

I agree 2.49. These were not built as middle class blue collar homes. If you happened to buy when the neighborhood was down in the dumps, then you'd be one of the school teacher mansion owners that rejeuvenated the slope. Now that the neighborhood has improved, prices have increased. Way of the world. Still a heavy discount versus the same house in Brooklyn Heights or Manhattan. Go pioneer in a less desirable (at this point in time) neighborhood. These owners have lived through bad times in the past 20 years and now are going to reap the rewards of their committment of time, love and energy in restoring and maintaining this place. Kudos to them.

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 3:02 PM

And for the record, interest rates are still historically low.

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 3:04 PM

And prices hysterically high.

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 3:11 PM

Probably more hysterical for those of us selling to people from Manhattan buying our places for all cash, 3:11!!!

I laughed a lot. All the way to the bank.

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 3:15 PM

Guest 2:40 (I'm guessing Al Gore), no one was suggesting that 2880 sf is small. It's plenty big for a family, even with a triplex and rental. What I was saying was that for a house that size, the price is too big. PPSF is just a point of comparison for different-sized properties. If you think paying 2.5 million for a house is the way to save the world, buy it, start an organic fish farm in the pond and a wheat-grass patch on the back deck. Or you could be really efficient, buy a 500sf studio and donate the rest to Unicef.

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 3:21 PM

2:49 your thoughts are well taken but limited in scope - stay focused, it is a fact that most areas of Brooklyn today do not offer much to the middle class and if there are any living in these areas they have been there for decades or are paying high rents (living check to check, my point is that only the rich can really afford these prices and live comfortably without struggling, on a larger scale New York City as a whole will be divided by the Rich and Poor, say bye bye to the middle class,,,

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 3:31 PM

Will be worth zippo once Rat's Atlantic Yards are built.

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 3:47 PM

The middle class will live in different neighborhoods, as they always have, or will get rich with their now more valuable pieces of property. There is more to Brooklyn than the brownstone belt. People get to live where they can afford, unless you want to live in a socialist country.

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 3:47 PM

can we declare a moratorium on the word "drool-worthy"? It's getting all over my meticulously refinished wainscoting.

Also: "deets", "nabe" and "dripping with detail". These boards are starting to write like brokers.

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 4:05 PM

"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around [the banks] will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered. The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs."

Thomas Jefferson

Kool-Aid is being served in the back. Why not 3 mil? Everybody is asking sky high prices anyway!

The US Dollar is worth shit now, I think we need a good old fashion ass kicking to get things back to normal.

The America dream requires you to be asleep...........

Bought to you by The What

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 4:18 PM

Banks do not control the issue of currency. The TJ quote is from before the Fed Reserve was established. A dollar's a dollar where you earn it. I'm getting tired of the nonsensical posts from "The What".

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 4:30 PM

man, this site gets more classist and more pointless every fucking day.

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 4:59 PM

I absolutely love it! Its expensive but if I could afford it, I'd buy it in a heart beat.

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 5:09 PM

Wow--this gets off track really quickly! Can we bring up the location? Isn't it really busy that close to Flatbush? And of course you'll have to deal with at least a little bit of the construction congestion from AY. Seems a bit overpriced taking into account those two factors. Other than that, it is beautiful, although I personally prefer the brownstone facade to brick.

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 5:22 PM

As for the location and proximity to Flatbush, this block is not busy at all. It's very quiet. I don't think construction at AY will cause congestion. It is possible, however, that once the arena is build that people who drive in may try to park on the block and walk to the arena.

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 5:27 PM

I'm 5.27. If they did park on the block, it would be a significant walk. I personally tink the location is good.

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 5:29 PM

This house was on the Prospect Heights House Tour in 2004. It's very pretty -- though not cutting edge in terms of the style/quality of the renovation. The location is terrific: close to shops, subways, the park, only 15 minute walk to BAM, strong block assoc etc. I live on St Marks but this is a nicer block. With any luck, we'll have residents parking permits in place before the arena arrives.

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 6:03 PM

This site is friggin useless. All annoying brokers.

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 7:27 PM

I agree, all annoying brokers, high on crack.
pretending that these houses, where poor-ass families have lived for generations, are not for the mere middle class. No no, they are for the finest elements of society, the people whose refinement and taste lead them directly to the immaculate streets of fair Brooklyn. The Borough where corrruption is unknown and real estate has always been in the hands of gentlemen of good breeding who would not deign to recogniize the mere bourgeoisie, Non! This is Brooklyn, the Palm Beach of the north -sil vous plait.

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 9:47 PM

Places change.

Brooklyn has.

Until you realize that, you'll continue to be bitter.

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 10:03 PM

shove it up your ass, I'm not bitter. you're high.

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 10:08 PM

i am high, actually.

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 11:01 PM

Someday this war's gonna end. That'd be just fine with the boys on the boat. They weren't looking for anything more than a way home. Trouble is, I'd been back there, and I knew that it just didn't exist anymore.

Captain Benjamin L. Willard - Apocalypse Now

Banks do not control the issue of currency. The TJ quote is from before the Fed Reserve was established. A dollar's a dollar where you earn it. I'm getting tired of the nonsensical posts from "The What".

Blind Dumbass, learn who you masters are.

Posted by: guest at September 14, 2007 12:29 AM

"Banks do not control the issue of currency. The TJ quote is from before the Fed Reserve was established. A dollar's a dollar where you earn it. I'm getting tired of the nonsensical posts from "The What".

Posted by: guest at September 13, 2007 4:30 PM

You poor dumb fuck, The Fed is a private bank fool.
You Gurmerment pays interest on money loan to the by The Fed.
You income taxes pays for the interest also.
You are a debt slave, get used to it.
Now go back to watching CSI.
I'm not going anywhere fool............

The What

Posted by: guest at September 14, 2007 12:35 AM

How much do these brokers pay to advertise on the web anyway?

Posted by: guest at September 14, 2007 11:32 AM

Someone said:
"all annoying brokers, high on crack.
pretending that these houses, where poor-ass families have lived for generations"

Actually no, it's not been for generations. Middle class and wealthy people were in Brownstone Brooklyn through the 1950's. It was in the 60's and 70's that the old generation's heirs sold their family houses instead of living in them (or turned them into income producing apartment rentals) and Brooklyn neighborhoods became low-income. Doing the math, dude that's not even one generation.

Posted by: guest at September 14, 2007 12:45 PM

And your point is?

Posted by: guest at September 14, 2007 1:06 PM

Most of the middle class moved to NJ, upstate and Long Island shortly after the war. Only old, African Americans (mostly West Indians)and Latinos lived in these Brownstone Brooklyn areas during the 50,60,70 and early 80s. Ex-hippies moved in these homes during the 80s and early 90s and put what money they had into these areas... Now the hippies banker children are buying these homes today.

Posted by: guest at September 14, 2007 1:10 PM

Even when the brownstone neighborhoods were in steep decline after white flight hit the city it wasn't too easy to buy a brownstone. These neighborhoods were redlined. And that meant you had to get very creative or have a rich uncle or something in order to buy one of these homes with a lot of cash. And today the redlining must be the reason Fort Greene has a ton of mortgage brokerage offices but no actual banks to bank in other than the storefront thing at the Atlantic Center, whatever that is.

Posted by: guest at September 14, 2007 8:23 PM

The point is, 1:06 pm, that to say "generations" of poor have lived in these houses would mean a hundred years. Hardly. It's 20-30 years. One generation. These neighborhoods are not the rightful territory of one particular group, being invaded by people who don't belong here. That attitude is absurd, illogical, inaccurate and not the slightest bit helpful in addressing the need for low or middle income housing.

Ask a longtime working class homeowner who has lived in the house their entire lives, and who are counting on the revenues from the sale to fund their retirement (or fund their children's college education) if they'd be willing to cut their profits by 50% in order to sell to a lower income buyer. It's certainly an option, but they're not going to do it. Their choice. The only time you see that is when somebody sells a home for less than market value to a family member. Which is a nice thing when it happens, but not everybody has enough in savings to give up that profit they could so readily earn in selling the house for full market value.

Posted by: guest at September 15, 2007 2:37 PM

"Cutting edge" you morons support your own theories about how upsetting the housing market is!

Posted by: guest at September 17, 2007 7:51 AM