House of the Day: 735 Decatur Street

agreed, pretty sweet. like the feel of it.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 1:28 PM

B. You've flipped your wig. The place looks like a dump.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 1:30 PM

In houses that are smaller it seems better to keep it a single-family home these days. People spending this kind of money want big space. The owners unit isn't very big and neither is the rental. I bet potential buyers are doing the math and finding the rental income for the apartment isn't worth it, to spend that much on the whole building. Also, being new construction this property is competing not with brownstones but with new modern condos, and again that's where the owner's unit being smaller, hurts these sellers.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 1:33 PM

Dumptastic!

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 1:38 PM

Damn you Brownstoner. I've been eyeing this pretty little house for weeks. I just need it to come down a little...

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 1:39 PM

LOVE IT! further evidence that this part of bed stuy/clinton hill is HOT, HOT, HOT. i agree with 11:22-good design makes all the difference. this makes me happy.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 1:39 PM

this is more like bushwick or even broadway junction than bed sty. either way, it looks like shit, except for those sinks. i agree w 1:30- i think mr b has lost it.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 1:40 PM

get rid of the siding and the faux stone base and WOW!

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 1:44 PM

Brooklyn Properties says ask is $699 K, no? If so, more like $100K less and this place starts to look reasonable.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 1:46 PM

First of all, the price is 699K. Second, it looks like crap. Third, it looks like crap

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

I'm st st st strangely drawn to this this ha house. If it quacks like a Bushwick....

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

Is this all some kinda sarcasm i'm not getting?
This type of house located in Sunset Park, WT, South Slope has in the past illicited all sorts comments along the lines of: 'disgusting dump'.

Why is it that everyone on Brownstoner believes ANYthing in Bed Stuy is better than any other hood?

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 1:52 PM

really does look like shit. for that area in this market, so see how long before price cuts start

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 1:53 PM

I can't explain why this house is interesting, but it is. What is it? Anybody?

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

as if the inherent charm weren't enough to sell this place, they have cryptic multiple asking prices too!
rule no. 1 of selling a house--figure out what the price is.
did i mention it looks like crap?

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 2:05 PM

2:01

I think I know the answer. Its the price.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 2:07 PM

It's ok, but no Shaker House!

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 2:07 PM

The pix on the Brooklyn Properties site are much nicer, and include shots of the bedrooms, bathrooms and garden, which are noticeably missing from the BHS site. They also seem more honest, as the photographer doesn't seem to have used a distorting wide-angle lens like the BHS photographer did. The lack of floorplans on both sites is just silly, though, and I agree with the earlier commenter about how this has to be marketed. For example, there is no mention of the cultural amenities in the neighborhood, the convenient transportation, etc. Do they want to sell this thing or not?

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 2:08 PM

2:01 PM - I can't speak for others, but I think it just looks so homey. The woodwork inside is lovely, but not overbearing. The house makes me think of Sunday dinners at Grandma's with her signature overly-sweet sweet tea and post-meal card games. There might be a dash of Radio Days in there also.

Having lived in tiny NYC apts for 15 years, I'm often overwhelmed when visiting brownstones and townhouses. Who wants to dust and vacuum all of that space? To misquote Quentin Crisp, what do you do with all of those other rooms when you aren't in them?

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 2:10 PM

I'm loving those farmhouse sinks.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 2:23 PM

lovely location next to the j train.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 2:28 PM

I have always liked the look of aluminum siding angled over a cornice and multi-colored Jesrsey-stoneface on the ground floor.
This is a slum house in a slum.
Thank you for sharing.

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

If you one can remove 100 years of paint, one can certainly remove some siding and brickface.

Some of y'all are like school on Sunday - no class.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 2:45 PM

This house is worth the money. Just try to live through a renovation and you will know that just buying in to a done house is worth the money if you can afford it. $2m would get you a gut reno on your hands 5 yrs ago in the W. Villlage. $1m would have gotten you the same in Ft. Greene. Most properties on the market throughout Brooklyn are tired at best. To find a done house is really rare. Somebody will understand this. p.s. I'm not the broker, but live in the area and love the house.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 2:46 PM

So easy to take off siding - I'm sure there is nice brick underneath. Putting in a lovely new kitchen can cost less than $5000, thanks to ikea. House really doesn't need a much work, but most of you posting here are, unfortunately for you, unable to see beyond superficial and easily remedied aesthetic issues.

On the other hand, location is location. I have never been to this are, but the border btw bushwick and bed stuy doesn't sound promising.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 2:48 PM

How is it that every house on that block has what appears to be identical aluminum siding? How much would cost to pay all your neighbors to rip that ugly stuff off?

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 3:01 PM

Mr B next time tell them the house is in South Slope and see what the comments are, or play guess where this house is and what would you pay for it. This house on Huntington would be 3x as much and it wouldn't be called a dump. Grabbing my raincoat... okay begin.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 3:15 PM

Brownstoner says "a block further and you'd be in Bushwick—but, whatever" and there you have the big divide. Clearly some people have that "whatever" attitude about location, but many (most?) do not. That "whatever" is a huge deal-breaker for me. Is it a good price for the house? I have no idea--I would never even consider living there so no price is a good price for that house.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 3:19 PM

The house is a shitcan in any neighborhood. The fact that it is in Bed-Stuy/Bushwick makes it that much more undesirable.

If it were in South Slope it would also be tagged as crap...and the ask would be $1.45 million.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 3:26 PM

Not so great...enough...very quotidian.
All that can be said for it is that it has benefitted from benign neglect and has apparently not had rain come in.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 3:29 PM

what about Free? Would you live there for free 3:19?

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

It looks like much South Slope. Price of course would be higher there, but it would still be ugly.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 3:38 PM

needs a couple of hundo more in work for sure. at that price, you can get yourself a brand new condo in a way better hood.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 3:55 PM

you could get a condo and not do work which would take a fair amount of time, plus you'll have to pay the mortgage and the rent on wherever you are renting.

really dislike the house, the hood, all of it.

may be someone's cuppa tho

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 3:56 PM

The neighborhood is Ocean Hill.

The rumbling of the J train all day and night would be enough to turn me off.

Taking the crap off the facade is easy and you would be surprised how many people on the block would follow suit. They are just waiting for someone else to take the lead and show them how nice things will look when it is done.

Updated kitchens and baths need to be done before you move in - hassle.

Those metal awnings are like turds in a bowl and need to be flushed away.

Will sell for $50 - 75K less than asking.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 4:15 PM

Mr B, thank you for exposing me to this listing. Im starting to feel that most of your readership are investors and they log on to try to discourage everyone on literally every listing you put up. I have quite a few friends who are renting and paying between 1300 to 1800 dollars for two bedroom apts in "borderline" neighborhoods. It seems to me that if their able to come up with the 10% down payment and have decent credit, it would be a wise choise to offer and hopefully get that house for 5-10% less than the asking price of 630k. And If an offer price of 570k is accepted, with 60k down,they would have a mortgage around 3500.00 dollars. When you take into acct a whole lot more living space, tax benefits,rental income, use of a backyard, sweat and long term equity acumulation, I think it would be downright silly not to look at this house or similar housing stock at this price point instead of renting. My humble opinion.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 4:23 PM

Brownstoner says "a block further and you'd be in Bushwick—but, whatever" and there you have the big divide. Clearly some people have that "whatever" attitude about location, but many (most?) do not. That "whatever" is a huge deal-breaker for me. Is it a good price for the house? I have no idea--I would never even consider living there so no price is a good price for that house.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 3:19 PM

I own several properties, I only live in one. Familiar with the term "I N V E S T M E N T"?

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 4:41 PM

4:23, it's not that easy to buy a home. your friends probably don't have 60K or good credit.
I love plenty of what brownstoner plugs, but this is a crappy house and it's in a crappy nabe.
Some parts of Bed Stuy are very nice -- this ain;t one of them.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 4:52 PM

As an agent for the last 12 years I recall the conversations of people in my car not wanting to go "north of Myrtle" in FG or "east of Hoyt" in Boerum Hill or "anywhere" in what is considered South Slope or "west of 5th ave" also PS. History has a way of repeating itself, and the three houses my ex-wife now has in NW Bed Stuy -that were acquired for 460k total - will make her and her new family happy for decades to come. By the way she lives in an apartment in Manhattan.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 4:52 PM

No matter what Montrose says, it's a dump. And I got a headache just reading the laundry list of renovations he ran off. I love the tone too: 'It's easy, all you need to do is 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.....22...'

Good luck to winner of this POS.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 5:41 PM

Yes, Mon Rose, Hon',
This place is going to cost money to update and it is not going for a low enough cost all things considered.

Sure it is an okay house but for the locations, the house should be much cheaper or much more exciting and done-up inside for that asking price.

FG/TheGrammarLady

PS If you looked in that area, where did you ended settling?

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 6:11 PM

You just haven’t been around Brownstoner long enough.“Montrose” is always good for a monotonous, perfunctory bit of sermonizing. It’s never very interesting, but it occasionally yields a laugh or two.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 6:19 PM

ITS NOT IN BED-STUY ITS BUSHWICK.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 6:22 PM

On an aside, Kathryn lilly was the owner of Tommy's Blue Corner during the hottest part of the r.e. market then sells it to Rice and goes to work for Douglas Eliman during the slump. Is she some kind of dope...maybe she was smoking her hemp granola from her restaurant days. She obviously has no timing accumen in business. Oh, I forgot, when she was the broker of record at realty on the greene she closed "during" the height of the market to open up Tommys Blue Corner. Again, a very, very intelligent human being here. :)

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 6:23 PM

I disagree with the haters.

I think this could be a good bet for someone in a certain situation -- say, someone who owns a small apartment that has appreciated over the past 3-5 years and is ready to transition into more space. So let's say you have 150,000 - 200,000 in equity to turn into a downpayment on this house, but you don't make a huge six-figure salary. You offer $599,000, put down about 200,000 (35%), and your mortgage is $2500 a month. Get a tenant in there for $1000 a month and your monthly carrying costs for a huge 2-story home + backyard is less than $2000. Sounds like a bargain for a young couple who want room to start a family.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 6:34 PM

What's the problem? Buy the house, contact a brickwork or masonry company, remove the ugly siding and faux stone. Replace with red brick or brownstone stucco. Problem solved for 10-20K. Jesus, there are whiners on this website.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 6:37 PM

Holy guacamole! What a craptacular bit of rubbish this house is. It's time for someone to take it out back and put a bullet through its upper story.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 7:40 PM

Man oh man...what a sh&thole. I pity the sucker who ends up with this dump.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 9:06 PM

ZAch: the L train is on Bushwick Avenue and Aberdeen, not far away.

Putnam: A house closer to Clinton Hill is going to go for several thousand more than this place. There are some places in/near the Stuy Heights historic district that are cheaper (approx $350K), but they are fire damaged and probably a gut reno. That said, they would be cheper to buy and fix than this place. It is currently overpriced for the location.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 10:21 PM

You know, I won't feel at all sorry for the person who ends up with this house.

I'll have nothing but contempt for him/her.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 11:05 PM

i think that even if you swing the cash to do the renovations above and take care of the problems that will certainly arise, you better get clever quick about what you'll do with your kids for friends and for school.

buy a condo in a better hood and just live your lives.

even if this does appreciate, which i actually think it will, you have to live in the mean time.

for the first time ever in NY, i found a great neighborhood and have made lots of friends has have my daughter. this is really really important and more important than suffering thru a marginal at best neighborhood.

Posted by: guest at December 4, 2007 11:51 PM

You're posting under a name my ass. I'd be willing to wager a good sum of money that your real name is not "Montrose Morris". And if you're just posting under some name that you selected at random....oh wow, how brave you are. Lol.

So, "Montrose", if you want me to have a name so bad, let's go with Robin Banks. Feel better now? Are you impressed by my "bravery" in posting under my "name" the way you do?

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 8:00 AM

"Granted, it's pretty far east—a block further and you'd be in Bushwick"

..and Bushwick is where the homeless people buy?

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 8:44 AM

Montrose W. Morris, the architect of the Renaissance, was active in Brooklyn's late 1800's real estate boom. When Morris opened his office in 1883, his advertising technique was to design and build his own residence in Brooklyn and open it to the public. One of the visitors was developer Louis F. Seitz who commissioned an apartment house on property Seitz owned on Nostrand Avenue. Known as the Alhambra, the new building so pleased Seitz that he commissioned Morris to design two additional apartment houses, the Renaissance and the Imperial. These three apartment buildings were among the most prestigious and impressive multiple-family residences in Brooklyn.
An architect, died April 14, 1916, at his home in the Borough of Brooklyn, New York, aged fifty-five. He was born at Hempstead, Long Island, New York. He designed the Brevoort Savings Bank in Brooklyn and many large apartment houses and residences in that borough.

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 11:27 AM

this house would not be anywhere near $899 in even the best part of bed/stuy... unless they didn't want to sell it.

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 12:37 PM

"Foreclosure epidemic or not, the days of the under $500K brownstones are over"

They're coming back. Just wait a year or two.

Posted by: guest at December 5, 2007 12:56 PM

My husband and I purchased a house like this about 2 years ago. We're more Ocean Hill/Bed-Stuy. Many of the details were stripped before we purchased our brick based/siding home, BUT we were able to get our 1st home for about $380K. It's about 2 blocks from the C at Fulton and Rockaway--yeah, no long hikes to the subway. Everyone can't have a brownstone. Oops did I say that on this site?! We've been renovating since day one...the layouts are just like brownstones...high ceilings, and fireplaces, and most of them have huge backyards. We turned our weed infested one into a beautiful garden where we've entertained family and friends. We learned that our place was built around 1900 long before cheap materials were used. It's not our dream home...but it is a start...By the way, it's possible for homeowners to add shutters and other details to the front of these brick based/siding homes.

Posted by: guest at December 14, 2007 4:13 PM