Condo of the Day: 401 Hicks Street

Reasonable is totally subjective. If someone pays it, I guess it was reasonable to the buyer.

While I have not been inside, it looks like a quality restoration/expansion from the outside. I would hesitate to ever buy anything that close to the BQE, however. Is this that much less expensive than comps away from the trench?

Posted by: guest at October 4, 2007 12:58 PM

looks really dark to me, otherwise nice

Posted by: guest at October 4, 2007 1:08 PM

Looks nice, but a bit short on windows for my taste.

Posted by: guest at October 4, 2007 1:08 PM

The lack of light adds to its soulessness--ironic, given that it's in a church. The "terrace" looks like a cattle pen.

Posted by: guest at October 4, 2007 1:17 PM

While you don't hear the BQE noise when the windows are shut, it is loud the second you open them, and walking there and back too. Very noisy corner. 1:17 is right with the soulessness remark--strangely bland inside.

Posted by: guest at October 4, 2007 1:22 PM

Damn Mr. Brownstoner, don't you think it's about time you banned The What?

Seriously, his cut and paste posts (that have NOTHING to do with the topic) are really annoying.

Posted by: guest at October 4, 2007 1:48 PM

True, once you're inside, there's no sense that you're in a church, which is a real shame. It is seriously seriously bland inside. White walls, straight lines, bland carpets, ecchh. A midwestern airport hotel is warmer. You feel like you're in an institution - a university or government office building.

The outdoor space is not inspiring.

Other than that, you're close to PS29, but it's a real schlep to the subway.

Posted by: guest at October 4, 2007 2:01 PM

seems a lot for a 2br condo, albeit a large one. The upside is the public school, PS 29, which seems to put a SERIOUS premium on cobble hill real estate.

I think you can get a bigger bang for the buck.

Posted by: guest at October 4, 2007 2:17 PM

Umm, why do you suspect that's reasonable? Unless you think it was a bargain in 2005, or there's been some kind of great renovation?

Guess what: prices haven't moved since 2005, which is when the last sale was for this place. The average sale price around Brooklyn may have gone up since then, but that reflects how many places have sold of the cheap variety vs. the expensive variety. It does not follow that the intrinsic ppsf of any particlar place has gone up. It's an illusion, and these flippers are trying to cash in on it. No way this goes for asking.

Posted by: guest at October 4, 2007 2:25 PM

i think that this is an OK price. people are being overly negative. cobble hill has so little inventory. Unless my math is off, that's only $783/sq ft for a family sized apartment with outdoor space in a neighborhood with a first rate public school. Think that if the market wasn't off that it could go higher.

I looked in that bldg last year and liked it, but they didn't have a big enough apt for our needs. the location is cool. you can hit up smith street and the new groovy restaurants over on union and columbia to the west.

i'd like to see a bigger bang for the buck, really 2:17pm. we ended up in Williamsburg because that's the only good neighborhood (we are in the prime part with everything, and it's safe), where we could get 2000 sq ft for $500/sq ft. now, it's plain hard to find a big place period in this price range (under $800/sq foot) in any of the established brooklyn hoods. look at the comps. also, looks like this place might have central heat and air? for me, that is a must have.

anyway, i want this place now. jealous.

Posted by: guest at October 4, 2007 2:34 PM

2:25pm
think you are mistaken. prices have risen since 2005. i bought last year and now have 2 different realtors interested in my place. one for $400K over what i paid and one for $500K over what I paid. decided not to flip, but was tempted. and, that's in this mkt, soo?? it depends I think.

Posted by: guest at October 4, 2007 3:00 PM

I would guess toning down the church aspect makes sense in order to appeal to non Christian buyers.

The kitchen is so open it's practically spread eagle. Have people no shame about their dirty dishes?

Posted by: guest at October 4, 2007 3:12 PM

What about real prices, 3:00? I mean after inflation. Dollar's in freefall.

Posted by: guest at October 4, 2007 3:32 PM

I'm not asking that it feel like a cathedral. Just that it not feel like the basement room that was fine when I had no money, not so fine at around $1.5 mil.

Next.

Posted by: guest at October 4, 2007 3:37 PM

well, whatever.. just saying that the asking price is going to over the asking in 2005. i bought last year. not sure what you mean by inflation.

anyway, just went and looked at comps. there is so little in cobble hill. this isn't too far off.

Posted by: guest at October 4, 2007 4:03 PM

401 Hicks is the old rectory building, but the church shown in the above photo is actually 101 Warren. The condos in the church have much more character, lots of intricate columns, tall arched ceilings and stained glass windows, very cool and unique.

Posted by: guest at October 4, 2007 4:38 PM

Usually annoyed by all the posters who say about everything, "worth $200,000 less" etc. But in this case, having looked at these apartments, I have to say that the BQE noise was prohibitively unpleasant. I'd be shocked if it went for this much, +35% in 2 years ofrising anxiety about market slowing.

Posted by: guest at October 5, 2007 7:58 AM

correct - this is not in the church.. it's in the rectory.
lack of windows? that is just like any brownstone. windows in the front/back.
bqe? you will barely notice when in the courtyard.. and zero inside. this unit is set off to the inside, not facing the bqe.
shlep to the subway - 10 min to boro hall, 5 min to bergen F.
i live in this building, and i am simply honestly reporting (in a much smaller/cheaper condo). price may be a bit much.. but i do think it'd be hard for you to find a better deal in this area. i mean, 12' wide 1000 sq' homes in warren place (right across the street) went for 1 mil. cmon.

Posted by: guest at October 5, 2007 12:02 PM

And what is the biggest surpise of all.......yes that's right it is another Scarano Architects PLLC job that has won numerous city, state and national awards for the adaptive reuse of the structure and working successfully with the Landmarks Preservation Commission and DOB on its creation.......amazing.

Posted by: guest at October 5, 2007 7:47 PM