Open House Picks

The Flatbush house looks like a nice starter home for an handy first time home buyer. Too bad the brokers didn't bother to post a single interior photo.

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 1:36 PM

Finally a house under 1 million. Where the heck is Avenue k?

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 1:53 PM

Somewhere you don't want to be, judging from the price.

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 1:56 PM

Duh -- its between Avenues J and L

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 1:58 PM

I love that the Clinton Hill realtor didn't even bother replacing the light bulbs in the pics.

What email from Pratt????

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 1:58 PM

Nah, it's fine over there. Safer than PLG or BS. It's not Marine Park, though, as Yahoo Maps might have you believe. It's sort of a no-man's land betrween Flatbush, Midwood, and Marine Park.

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 2:05 PM

20 Sterling is 2460 sq feet according to PS. So looks like the price per sq foot comes to $731 prior updates/renovation a bit hight for these days.

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 2:16 PM

Rapelye St Place is a mess inside. Absentee landlord for an eon. hasn't found a buyer for the last 5 months at 1.595, and now they are dropping the price. plus, good luck getting a commercial loan on a 4-fam in this market

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 2:19 PM

I've never understood these "appointment only" open houses. It simply puts up an additional barrier to any potential attendees. And many times those casual gawkers can become buyers, or tell a friend, who tells another friend. This house is in Clinton Hill--it's not a fancy high-end property in Brooklyn Heights. Ridiculous to have appointment only open houses in Clinton Hill. Oh, and the price is about 400K too high, too.

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 2:30 PM

I Love the Facade on the CG House . The inside needs a lot but thats what these houses are about. work.

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 2:31 PM

Nokilissa the calculations are based on 3 stories including garden level. The house is supposed to be 20X40 which brings 800 sq feet per floor

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 2:35 PM

"The inside needs a lot but thats what these houses are about. work."

Yeah, well, if it need that much work, it shouldn't be priced at $2 million in this location.

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 2:40 PM

2:31=Broker.

The fascade is very plain. And houses are indeed about work - but 1.450 is priced sop that you could live there and make renovations while you live. That house doesnt have a single kitchen or bathroom that doesnt need a gut. The walls crumble to the touch on some units, and the only period details are linoleum. Its not work - its a gut.

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 2:41 PM

Isn't the Avenue K house still in Midwood? Although the other side of Flatbush around there is Flatlands. Don't know exactly where the border is.

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 2:49 PM

RAR - re: the Bklyn house property that went fast on 10th Street. I beg to differ that Sterling is a better location. First, 10th St was zoned for a better school, and I would wager many of the potential buyers for these houses have kids and would like the option of a good public school (that's certainly true for us). Also, Sterling is further from park. And despite what people say about the F, it's a perfectly good train. To me, Sterling is certainly worth a look, but it's in "estate condition" so the price is by no means a bargain, esp in this market where even houses are getting price cuts left and right. I'm sure it needs a minimum of 200-300K of work, if not more...

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 2:51 PM

Sterling vs 10th street is not totally valuable. 10th is about the same size as sterling but has an extension. yes not a brownstone but a nice brick house on a great block closer to the park and a great school zone. PS282 is not PS107! So not sure Sterling is such a deal like RAR seems to say

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 3:03 PM

Warren Lewis listings always look like I'm on acid. CH and PS houses are decently priced. CG place could be Hannibal Lecter's house.

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 3:14 PM

An "appointment only" open house isn't an open house, its an oxymoron.

Its just the old-fashioned appointment way of seeing a house.

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 3:15 PM

I can't believe that someone didn't mention the floors in the Sterling Place house. Those definitely need to be re-finished. While its not a lot of money or a big job, it does cost and take time.

I have no further comments on the paint job.

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 3:28 PM

Ugh, yes, the floors on Sterling look terrible. Ca-ching, Ca-ching - everything adds up and this will in the end be a might expensive house if someone plays close to ask. I think they should have priced it closer to 10th St - 1.49, 1.5. You'd still be stuck with at least 1.8-1.9 at the end given all the work it needs. And 10th St, by the way, was 3 floors PLUS a very usable English basement whereas is this is only 2 upper floors and the garden level (which is basically a basement). Cellars in these homes are not very usable.

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 3:33 PM

The floors on the Sterling Place house look like subfloors to me.

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 3:44 PM

RAR - you seem very invested in defending Sterling Place - what gives? And FYI, I've now looked at 4 houses with very experienced architects and they've all told me that 200/psf is an extremely conversative estimate for renovation, and things like kitchens/baths can easily cost much more. And yes, this is with Ikea kitchens. (High end renovation can easily be double that cost - up to 500 psf). Believe me, I'm not someone to overly fancify stuff and despite what you may think, even people looking to buy houses can be very budget conscious. But alas, renovation has gotten increasingly expensive due to higher costs for insurance, materials, etc. Even if you try to do it modestly, it's simply very pricey these days. Hence, Sterling Place (at current price) will be very expensive when upgraded, which even the broker concedes is necessary. Hence, seems overpriced.

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 3:55 PM

Sublfoors can look nice because of the wide planks, but that soft wood wears badly. I have hardwood floor throughout most of my house and exosed subfloor in the dining room and one major hallway. Every few months, a small chink of the subfloor will detach.

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 4:14 PM

That East 30's house from a bygone era must need tons of work. Houses on those blocks just east of Nostrand are usually priced around $550k and up. That's a cheap as a house in a safe middle class area can be.

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 4:33 PM

Did anyone get in a bid on the prospect heights place listed for 1.4 mill? They wouldn't even take offers if you didn't have an architect see the place. Really not fair. Why can't I buy a house first and find people to renovate later?

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 4:55 PM

Carroll Gardens seems reasonable. 2 mill to live in the ghetto of Clinton Hill, no thanks

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 5:04 PM

The "6 months later" posts seem to have stopped. Too many unsold HOTDs methinks.

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 5:06 PM

The logic may have been that people who were serious and had an architect with them were assumed more likely to make a bid that would stick, that they would be able to make it all the way to closing without too many bumps in the road.

Anyone can make an offer. If they end up not getting the loan for whatever reason, the seller can suffer time-wise.

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 5:07 PM

I used to live right near the Rapeleye place, and it is right behind Representative Nydia Velazquez's home (probably purchased with our tax money, but that's another rant), so you know it's safe at least. The house next to it was also recently sold to a young couple as a 1 family, and I believe that house was sold by Nydia V.'s husband.

Across the street is a huge school, which is a mixed blessing, depending on how you look at it (the kids seem generally well-behaved - at least until a certain age). One problem with the school is that buses idle in front of the building all morning long, honking, and generating fumes, but they're gone in the summer at least. Also, the BQE is above-ground right there and loud, but you get used to it.

Rapeleye also is next to a decent playground. Unfortunately, during the day, the school takes it over, so parents can't really take their kids there. At night, the park is taken over by local guidos who drink, smoke, urinate and fornicate all over the playground equipment (cops seem to not care - they only drive away kids from the PJs who cross the nearby bridge), so even if I had kids, I wouldn't let them play there from what I've witnessed when I used to live there. There's also an awesome-looking baseball field on Rapeleye, but unless you're a guido, apparently, you can't use it (even though your tax dollars will fund its upkeep).

Another unfortunate thing about Rapeleye is that it just doesn't seem to have enough tress, but I think it has been in the works to plant more ever since the condo building on Rapeleye and Hicks opened.

The price seems reasonable for the fact that it's in C.G. (don't know about the condition, though). You'll also have awesome sunsets, and you know the neighborhood will always be nice - even if the economy tanks, the "locals
will never let the neighborhood become crime-ridden.

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 5:08 PM

"very bizarre 4:55. What was their logic behind that??"

They didn't even say anything about it at first, just showed the house once, it was packed, and then later said they had so many people interested, they were only taking offers from people who had a contractor or architect in to see it.

Seems rediculous and actually irresponsible/unethical. Shouldn't they have allowed a little more time and gotten their clients the most $ possible? The place is just a couple blocks from the Sterling house, just over the flatbush border. Should it go for so much less than this house when it has 4 floors instead of 3 and a lot of detail left?

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 5:34 PM

5:08 you don't say. I live on Woodhull st and the Park is locked at night. So you are a Liar or you have not live there in Years. As far as Guidos they have left the area in Droves, there a few left, but if all I have to worry about are a few Italian kids Pissing on Slides I will take it. If you want go move to another location and worry if you will get shot.

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 8:48 PM

4:55, I was going to put in a bid, but later decided against it. According to Nasty Neinast, best and finals were Tuesday? That place needed a LOT of dough to reno, and after all is said and done, you're probably looking at the most expensive house in Prospect Heights.

Posted by: guest at June 13, 2008 11:58 PM

On the Sterling house don't forget to add the cost of redoing the facade--- on the DOB website there are several open violations for spalling brownstone which is falling or in danger of falling--

Posted by: guest at June 14, 2008 12:15 AM

Calling a young man whose great grandparents may have emigrated from Italy a guido is like calling a young man whose great great great great ..grandparents were enslaved by Dutch/English immigrants a Ni**er. I guess we should build a big suburban like mall so that all the 15yr olds can hand out there. But wait, then you wouldn't like the look. I doubt they are fornicating - do you really believe that to be true? Probably drinking, rough housing and making out (sound familiar). If not, you probably had a really boring adolescence.

Posted by: guest at June 14, 2008 7:53 AM

My first apartment in Park Slope was on that block of Sterling place - (27 years ago! - how the years fly) - and I liked the block a lot then. It is a nice area of the Slope - some blocks around there have housing that is a bit older there than some other parts of the neighborhood.

I don't recall the 10th St. house, though 10th street is certainly charming as well. The houses there were built slightly later, and the blocks have a different style and feel.

I like the 2/3/Q access - always needed that, actually, in all my P.S. moves - to each their own. There is a different feel to this part of the neighborhood than 10th St. - people go with what their gut likes.

Posted by: guest at June 14, 2008 9:31 AM

Hey Brownstoner. Thanks for the recent homes priced for the middle class. I think its good for the site and quite useful for alot of us who come here for tips, ideas, and inspiration.

Posted by: guest at June 14, 2008 10:24 AM

7:53, I agree with you with one exception: A young man whose great grandparents emigrated from Italy would be the contemporary of an African American young man whose Great great grandparents were born as slaves. Really wasn't that long ago- Four or more greats not necessary. If you throw in the era of Jim Crow, it was only 40 years ago.

Posted by: guest at June 14, 2008 11:18 AM

"4:55, I was going to put in a bid, but later decided against it. According to Nasty Neinast, best and finals were Tuesday? That place needed a LOT of dough to reno, and after all is said and done, you're probably looking at the most expensive house in Prospect Heights."

11:58, It definitely needed work, new kitchen and baths and cosmetics, but I expect that's what I can afford. It seemed priced more reasonably than anything else I've been seeing. Houses in PH are going for over $2 mill when in move in condition. I can't imagine the place needed 600 thousand.

Does Neinast have a bad reputation in general? I was so surprised when they weren't taking offers because the girl said nothing at the open house.

Posted by: guest at June 14, 2008 11:48 AM

11:48-I agree that the house was priced low, but I think it needs more than 600K work. I brought my brother to see it (an engineer who also just finished renovating a townhouse) and he said he'd guess between 800K-1 million for a quality job, including all mechanicals and electric. Another party who was there for a second viewing said they suspected the mold was toxic mold, and I overheard a guy saying he estimated the reno at about $1 million minimum. Also, remember that just because they had many offers, doesn't mean they were at or over asking. Yes, Neinast Sr. has a reputation for being unpleasant and not-exactly-truthful.

Posted by: guest at June 14, 2008 12:23 PM

Re Clinton Hill house: "functional country style kitchen"? Sounds like code for "crappy kitchen that needs to be gut renovated." Also, it's a shame that all the woodwork is painted. And calling that block of St. James "a grand historic block" is a bit much. That might be true of Clinton or Washington Avenues, but not this one. Not the safest area, either (around the corner from that block of Clifton where someone on this site recently said there was a murder not long ao). Asking price seems delusional to me.

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

It seems like if the broker was dishonest, she'd just let more people make offers to create a bidding war instead of closing it down so fast. It doesn't make sense. It's seems more dishonest to her client than the buyers.

I also think everyone thinks all mold is "toxic" nowadays. Nobody ever heard of such a thing 10 years ago.

Still you are right in that it needed a lot of work. I wouldn't have thought 1 mill but maybe that's cause I don't have that much.

Posted by: guest at June 14, 2008 2:54 PM

I used to live around the corner from the Rapaleye house. The school is a major problem. There is a ton of noise, way to many cars and buses honking up a storm, and the occasional obnoxious kid throwing snowballs through windows. The street is very noisy because of the proxmity to a ramp that leads to the BQE. It is right off of the playground.

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

I have a friend who just moved into the new condo development on Rapeleye (kind of crappy if you ask me), and I guarantee you that playground is NOT locked on a regular basis. Maybe from time to time, but not every night. Of course, unless the kids are doing anything illegal, who really cares as long as they keep it down after midnight...

Posted by: guest at June 14, 2008 6:47 PM

My wife and I were very interested in 215 Prospect Place. But I also believe you need around 800K minimum to do a really thorough and good quality reno. Can't afford it. Dealt with that broker back when she had a house on 6th Ave for sale. She told everyone there was a bidding war situation, well, lo and behold, the house remained on the market for almost a whole year after that, and endured a few price cuts as well.

Posted by: guest at June 14, 2008 6:48 PM

3:33 - I agree about the noise and school. For anyone looking at this house, I would be suspicious concerning how it's going on sale right when the school year is ending. Plus, traffic tends to be slightly lighter on the BQE and the ramp as people go away.

Anyone thinking about bidding should be aware of the impending noise (and school bus traffic)come Fall.

Posted by: guest at June 14, 2008 6:53 PM

I am one of the 12 people that put in the offer on the house (no, I didnt get it and I went way over the asking price). The reasoning behind the contractor issue was that the owner didnt want people bidding crazy numbers, then having their contractors come in and tell them that it needed work that they coudnt afford then walking away. I thought it was kind of smart because it really weeded out the not-so-serious people. I also saw the house Sunday at the open house, brought my contractor in durning the week and put my final and best offer in a week and a half later...I was actually upset that the process took that long.
Oh well, anyone know of other fixer upers in the neighborhood?

Posted by: guest at June 14, 2008 6:58 PM

6:58, how high did you bid, if you don't mind me asking on an anonymous blog? I'm wondering if I can make the next one work or if I just can't afford the neighborhood at all.

Posted by: guest at June 14, 2008 8:53 PM

The house on Avenue K looks like it needs a ton of work. From the outside it looks like it needs just about everything.

Posted by: guest at June 14, 2008 9:48 PM

To 6:58
We also put in an offer on 215 Prospect and didn't get it. I was allowing 900k to renovate. Just curious what did your contractor price it at?

Posted by: guest at June 14, 2008 9:56 PM

New York has gone insane. If your contractor is telling you it'll take a million dollars or even 600k to rehab, they are lying. Why does it only cost a fraction of that amount to do the same thing to the equivalent building in Philadelphia, D.C, or other cities? I can accept that the cost of the homes is higher here than somewhere else, but not the cost of materials. That means the difference is labor. I bet it's all just lining your GC and architects pockets.

Posted by: guest at June 15, 2008 10:00 AM

Exactly, 10am. You'll spend 3 times more for a contractor here in NYC than L.A. too. The reason or excuse the contractors always give is "overhead" and I'm like huh? How? NYC contractors are even less likely to have an office outside their home than the contractors in these other cities. It's the OTHER cities contractors who actually pay more overhead. Contractors in other cities also provide trucks or vans to all the main guys on their teams. NYC contractors don't. So how is that paying more overhead, again?

It's not.

The NYC construction and building industry is very very very corrupt.

Posted by: guest at June 15, 2008 5:40 PM

I went to Sterling place today.

Who ever took the photos has some real talent.

The place is a dump!
Its dark, the floors are shot, the brownstone is falling off the front, it smells old.

1.8 doesn't get you much in the north slope anymore

Posted by: guest at June 15, 2008 6:37 PM

8:48 - Been living on Woodhull for 15 years, and that playground is rarely locked. Who really cares if kids are doing anything illegal, but I've found used condoms in the park at least twice in the morning, and beer cans and bottles more times than I can remember. You may not care about high schoolers urinating on slides, but when you have kids, you will.

Posted by: guest at June 15, 2008 8:01 PM

Re: Sterling - I agree with 6:37. I went to open house today and was very disappointed. The place is dumpy, and photos make it look much better. On top of the stink of the basement (even the broker admitted it smelled bad, very moldy), the upstairs bedrooms smell of old smoke (owner was a smoker) and there are tons of things that are falling apart - the stairs are slope-y and woodwork in bad condition, the floors a mess, the facade crappy, and it did feel weirdly dark. Also, the configuration wastes a lot of space. I've seen smaller houses that make much better use of the space. I wouldn't touch it for the asking price given all the work it needs. Needs a significant price chop...

Posted by: guest at June 15, 2008 11:10 PM

Did anyone get to the Clinton Hill yesterday? I'm guessing that making it an "appointment only" open house almost guaranteed that they saw few visitors. These owners don't seem to understand the concept of the open house.

Posted by: guest at June 16, 2008 11:00 AM

Maybe the CH folks are just testing the market. Though overpricing it and making it hard for people to drop in and see it seem like a strange way to generate any serious interest.

Posted by: guest at June 16, 2008 11:22 AM