House of the Day: 118 Willow Street

I've heard of fibbing on the sf calcs but how do they expect to get away with claiming an extra floor?

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 1:51 PM

FYI, this house was first listed in March 2007 with Brown Harris Stevens for $7.5 million. Then the price was increased to $8 million in July 2007. Now it's listed with Elliman. Wonder why the big buyers aren't biting. It's been almost a year.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 1:52 PM

Isn't this the part of Brooklyn Heights that has subway rumble issues (i.e., Willowtown)?

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 1:52 PM

If it didn't sell for 7.5m in March 2007, how in hell is it going to sell in 2008 for 8m?

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 1:54 PM

this is willow STREET (not in willowtown)

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 1:55 PM

Did the broker maneuver this sly 8M concoction to work up a buyer's appetite? Just another case of a spiking expectations in real estate.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 2:00 PM

altho wasn't Brooklyn Heights up 19% last year?

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 2:06 PM

considering there is never a lack of high-end buyers in the Heights, you really have to think about why this house wasn't snatched up yet. The price obviously isn't going over well with buyers. Two brokers, over a year, prime Heights.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 2:24 PM

^^sorry, meant to say "almost a year".

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 2:25 PM

I really hate when people put in recessed lighting to augment the traditional fixtures/chandeliers. How about some traditional sconces on the walls instead?

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 2:26 PM

Just for kicks, I tried out the mortgage calculation on this place with 20% down--the monthly payment would be $40+K!

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 2:32 PM

The sofas looks so uncomfy.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 2:34 PM

I'd offer $8M, but the sofas don't look good. $7.5M tops.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 2:39 PM

Meh.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 3:11 PM

I think if Corcoran had it, they could get 12 mil for it. Oh wait! Its in Brooklyn Heights not Carroll Gardens, never mind.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 3:15 PM

lack of photos isn't really a problem for a serious buyer. They'll go see it anyway. But for us mortals, I'd at tleast like to see a floor plan.

8 mil does seem on the high end, but what do I know? If I had that kind of money, I'd quit my job and live off the interest in the Caribbean, or France, or Italy, etc...

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 3:33 PM

Oh, but where would you stay for the 2 weeks a year that you're in the states? You NEED a $8M townhouse to crash.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 3:44 PM

^ "meh" means boring, uninteresting, not worth commenting on, etc.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 4:23 PM

I think Meh means "Whatever" or "Boring".

It is commonly used on the simpsons when one of the characters expresses dis-interest in something.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 4:24 PM

Ah, fantasies of what to do with $8 million! I would happily keep our LM house we already own, and buy a big historic summer house on the Vineyard, in lieu of spending $8 million for this.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 4:30 PM

I'll have what they (the owners) are having...

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 5:55 PM

This is a very unusual Gothic-style brownstone. It is anything but common or "boring". Although I suppose Homer Simpson would think so.
I think the price is right.
It is an unusual work of art that is also a house. It can' be measured in "dollars per square feet" like any ordinary house somewhere else.
Even if the rest of the economy bombs, I would not be surprised if this sells at ask.
True, it takes time for these places to sell, i think because you need two or three interested buyers and there are not that many people who can afford this. Of course that adds to the cachet.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 7:47 PM

Thanks Broker at 7:47 - Your transparent post certainly adds to the "cachet" as well.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 8:04 PM

8:04,
You don't think that this is a very unusual Gothic style house? How many of these are there in the city? eight? nine? Not many.
It is also on a golden block. It is a trophy house. As such it is different than an ordinary house. I am not a broker, don't be ridiculous, but I do know about houses and NYC architecture. There are several books you could read at the library to bring yourself up to speed. "Bricks and Brownstones" is one, "Old Brooklyn Heights" is another, "A Guide to NYC Landmarks" is a third.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 8:23 PM

"You don't think that this is a very unusual Gothic style house"

I'm not 8:04. And this house is NOT Gothic. Are you serious???? Surely you must be teasing. It's an Italianate brownstone, and they're to be found all over Brooklyn

It's a beautiful house, to be sure, on a prime street in Brooklyn Heights, but it hasn't moved at this price in almost a year. Surely, those rich folks who have seen it, and can afford it, were not that impressed by the house at that price point. Otherwise, it would have moved already.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 8:33 PM

Once more with the Meh.

This price is so ludicrous it must exist only to elicit mockery and scorn.

There is NOTHING special about that house.

So, one final round of MEH!

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 9:03 PM

Only a fucktardian asshat would pay HALF of what these craptoed shitstain fuckbrain's are asking.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 9:07 PM

Is there an extension built onto this house? Propertyshark says the building is 25x50, so 5 floors would make it 6250 sf, not 7200.

PS, there is nothing Gothic about this house.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 9:24 PM

Ah well.... this is the blog where posters admit they have never heard of Che Guevara.
As I sign off, I would like you merry men and women to know that this is not an Italianate house, or even a Renaissance revival house, but rather a Gothic revival house, very rare, look at the Tudoresque "label" lintels.
Pearls before swine.
Hey, what's Britney Spears up to now?
Some ass on her, right?

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 9:25 PM

This is house is Federal. Like hundreds of houses in Brooklyn. Nice, but totally ubiquitous. Not special, not unique.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 9:26 PM

I don't know about 8 million dollars but that is a fantastic block. 1 and 1/2 blocks to the train and one block from the Promenade and it is a really pretty quiet block, not like Hicks one block over which is like a service road for the BQE.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 9:36 PM

Gothic? Excuse me? Who are you trying to fool?

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 9:55 PM

That block is as quiet as a helicopter launch pad. Whirring rotors day and night.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 9:58 PM

the lintels might be a nod to neo-gothic, but it is a rather ordinary looking house. and if the square footage is 6250, that brings the price up to 1300/sf. why not buy in greenwich village?

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 10:04 PM

Delusional pricing - and on an Elliman listing in Brooklyn - who would have thought it? They don't often see the high quality listings but they invariably start at least 20-25% too high in my experience. If you price $2.5M houses at $4M plus then it stands to reason you would price a $5M house at $8M. Watch them slash this one - better still watch the listing move back to a more reputable shop.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 10:27 PM

I love it when the brokers turn on each other, snarling like hyenas fighting over a gazelle carcass.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 10:44 PM

Hello 8:23. How can you say there are only 8 houses in NY like this one, the one next door is identical. You sound like the sellers on ebay who describe every jelly jar they sell as "extremely rare" You are obviously connected with the sale of this house. "golden block", "trophy house"?? This is Brooklyn Heights not the Ile de la Cite.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 10:49 PM

The house looks like a mix of Federal and Italianate. Don't see any Gothic influence at all--and anyone who can actually see those lintels knows the house up close, i.e., broker or seller.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 10:50 PM

To the competing (and so transparent) broker at 10:27--Brown Harris Stevens had this listing first and also priced it at $8 million, until their mandate expired and Elliman took it. So that's two moronic brokers, and one greedy seller.

As someone already suggested, maybe Corcoran can take it over, price it at $10 million, and move it over to 3rd Place. That will ensure a sale.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 10:54 PM

I don't think it's the broker writing about this house being "gothic". Otherwise, they would have made their silly case in the listing narrative. Must be the seller.

Anyway, 10:27 must be a Corcoran broker, since they're the only major firm who hasn't had a crack at this house yet.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 10:58 PM

$6.5 million TOPS.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 11:00 PM

^Sorry! I'm kinda drunk and meant to write $5.5 TOPS. Definitely $5.5 tops, if the inside is consistently nice throughout and not a wreck.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 11:03 PM

It IS Gothic - the drip-mold lintels alone give it away. (First Gothic revival, actually - probably constructed in the early to mid 1840s.) It is also part of a row of three identical rowhouses (so much for uniqueness...).

And its only 5 stories if you count the cellar - I'm almost positive there is not a rooftop addition here. There is a large rear extension.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 11:17 PM

Having Gothic elements does not make it Gothic.

The comps don't support this price. The average for 2007 comps in the IMMEDIATE area was $4.4 million. Includes 25' wide, 5-story (hidden story), 1-2 family homes. Check Streeteasy for these comps.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 11:32 PM

Meh, meh, meh.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 11:46 PM

This house looks like a mish-mash of styles, something which was common at the time. A little bit Federal, an Italianate touch, the Gothic lintels, etc. It's got them all.

But, this doesn't warrant an $8 million price tag. And apparently lots of people think the same way, as this house hasn't sold yet, and most likely won't sell at this price.

If the average in 2007 in this area was $4.5 (I took a look at those comps and they are very comparable) then even if you consider this house above average, it's still not double the average, come on.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 11:53 PM

Well obviously its not Gothic - its about 5 or 6 centuries too late for that.

But having Gothic elements does make it Gothic Revival, as I said at 11:17. Or do you think the Gothic elements make it Italianate? Federal? - a decade or two too late, even for NYC.

Posted by: guest at January 14, 2008 11:59 PM

The problem is that everyone thinks $8 million is the norm for Brooklyn Heights. It is not.

Posted by: guest at January 15, 2008 12:23 AM

How can you people even see the lintels in the photos?? I'm wearing what pretty much amounts to magnifying glasses on my eyes and I don't see anything. It looks like a regular ol' brownstone to me. Looks kind of federal even.

Posted by: guest at January 15, 2008 12:25 AM

I totally remember this listing from when BHS had it. It was only recently taken from them and given to Elliman--as in less than a few weeks ago. BHS had better pictures, at least.

Posted by: guest at January 15, 2008 1:19 AM

Maybe that guy who shat all over Merrill Lynch can buy it with his dirty loafers.

Posted by: guest at January 15, 2008 7:03 AM

Will she need to pay taxes on her commission?

Posted by: guest at January 15, 2008 7:59 AM

Those lintels are NOT gothic! Give it up. Lintels in general aren't even a defining characteristic of Gothic.

Posted by: guest at January 15, 2008 11:37 AM