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December 15, 2008

House of the Day: 419 Union Street

We're loving the vibe of this four-story house at 419 Union Street in Carroll Gardens. The combo of the old-school floorboards and tasteful modern kitchen put this one in our sweet spot. The two-family property sold for $1,577,800 back in 2005 and was featured as an Open House Pick last June when it was listed at $2,550,000. The asking price now? $2,300,000. We shall see.
419 Union Street [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark

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Not going to comment on price because I no longer have a working market barometer but regardless of price this is one of the nicer houses to be featured on this site in a long time. Love the floors, love the decor, love the yard. Nicely done.

Posted by: wasder at December 15, 2008 1:19 PM

Nice place but is cgardens a good enough nabe to support those prices. I would have problems paying that much for this home in Bheights. At 800 sq ft it seems expensive and I bet this place sells at 500sq ft..

Posted by: HOBOKENROCKS at December 15, 2008 1:25 PM

Haha - two doors down from Black Mountain Wine Bar and soon-to-be meth clinic/oyster bar!

Posted by: kelly at December 15, 2008 1:28 PM

Oh man do I love this house. Love that it's set-back from the street.

Posted by: TownhouseLady at December 15, 2008 1:28 PM

Nice house, still needs price chop. $500-550 psf seems about right.

Posted by: Miss Muffett at December 15, 2008 1:32 PM

HOBOKEN--I personally would rather live in this neighborhood than Brooklyn Heights. For all of its beauty and convenience to the city Brooklyn Heights is fairly woefully lacking in the kinds of things I value in a neighborhood, namely good restaurants, diverse street population, vibe etc (sorry Biff!).

Posted by: wasder at December 15, 2008 1:32 PM

This is a really nice renovation. Love the kitchen and master bath. I guess that Chinese bed stays???? It'll go very close to $2MM. Only drawback is having to take the F into Manhattan.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 15, 2008 1:36 PM

I guess I agree with the 500 per sqf assessment. That would make the price more like 1.5 instead right? Sounds more realistic.

Posted by: wasder at December 15, 2008 1:36 PM

I have a mad crush on this house...price, I have no idea, but it's beautiful inside and out.

Posted by: cobblehiller at December 15, 2008 1:40 PM

This really is a beautiful house. If it was professionally done, they really did a nice job. If it was the homeowners, they need to go into the business. Nice touches all around, from the paint colors - love the blue on the ceiling, to the finishings, furnishings and kitchen and bathrooms. The Chinese bed is gorgeous.

Don't know if they'll get the price, but everyone who leaves the open house will certainly have plenty to think about, and will leave with positive impressions.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at December 15, 2008 1:46 PM

Only one long block from smith st. $550 per sq. foot is only gonna happen if it is a fire sale. Dream on. This house is way better than that. GO LOOK at the house the bathrooms are awesome and it is in move in condition.

Posted by: billyboomer at December 15, 2008 1:46 PM

Gorgeous house, nice neighborhood ... I can't comment on what it "should" cost and it doesn't matter anyway because even a million is well out of my range, but if I had the cash this is the kind of thing I'd really be looking for. Not too huge, separate ground-floor suite for house guests, tasteful interiors, great garden. There's not much to complain about here.

Posted by: cwbuecheler at December 15, 2008 1:47 PM

wasder, while I personally prefer Brooklyn Heights to Carroll Gardens, at the same time, I consider myself objective about Brooklyn Heights and can take the criticism that it deserves. While the street population is probably more diverse than one would think, I completely concur on the lack of "vibe" (although, that's also what attracts many to the relatively quiet neighborhood) and woeful selection of shops and restaurants - although it's situated closely enough to Cobble Hill, DUMBO and Boerum Hill to give us at least some nearby options and variety. Having said that, I often do get neighborhood envy when I go to Park Slope.

Posted by: Biff Champion at December 15, 2008 1:47 PM

Beautiful house.

At $500 sq. ft. this house would sell for less than what it went for in 2005.

Posted by: bayridgegirl at December 15, 2008 1:47 PM

Agree that it's nice, but obviously, that's not enough to sell it, since it's been on the market for a long time and the news has gotten much worse since it first came on the market. I think the owners would be very lucky to break even.

Posted by: Miss Muffett at December 15, 2008 1:48 PM

I hear you Biff. Wouldn't want to bring on another bout of NDS (or whatever we were calling it). I lived in BH from 1994 to 1996 and enjoyed it, but I was always going elsewhere for my fun.

Posted by: wasder at December 15, 2008 1:49 PM

BRG--wouldn't surprise me to see this house (and many others) sell at 2005 prices in the near future.

Posted by: wasder at December 15, 2008 1:52 PM

wasder, it's NHS (Neighborhood Hypersensitivity Syndrome) and I'm pretty sure I don't have it. :-) Although we might be able to start a good ol' fashioned neighborhood border dispute, as I thought this location was technically Boerum Hill.

The home looks very nice. If I was interested, I wouldn't be afraid to throw out a lowball offer. I've seen a few listings from this particular Agent drop a few hundred thousand overnight.

Posted by: Biff Champion at December 15, 2008 1:55 PM

oh, this is my dream house... it is perfectly sized for a family of four with a home office (which we are and I wah, and need private office space).

if only i were not a1M+ short of the asking price!

Posted by: wishinone at December 15, 2008 1:56 PM

NHS! How could I have forgotten? Agreed that this seems more Boerum Hill than Carrol Gardens. For me the proximity to smith street (without actually living on Smith Street) is the best aspect of this location.

Posted by: wasder at December 15, 2008 1:58 PM

wish..according to some, this may get to your price point.

Posted by: bayridgegirl at December 15, 2008 2:09 PM

I agree with you 100% on the "proximity to Smith St" thing wasder. That's where I head from Bed Stuy for shopping & eating.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at December 15, 2008 2:11 PM

this home gives off such a positive vibe; i don't know why exactly. It looks like a happy family resides here.

Posted by: Fjorder at December 15, 2008 2:22 PM

It looks French to me. Like it.

Posted by: dittoburg at December 15, 2008 2:25 PM

i liked this house when it was first posted and i am still getting the same good vibe from it. i love cobble hill but it's way out of my price range. it's listed as a 2 family & i see 2 kitchens but i don't see a bath on the ground floor? are they using it as a one family with 2 kitchens?

Posted by: bkny at December 15, 2008 2:29 PM

We looked at this house and loved it... but were concerned about the wine bar two doors down... which seems to be expanding a rear patio serving area. If that is the case, the quality of life could be seriously degraded. Anybody know what's up?

Posted by: marlowe at December 15, 2008 3:18 PM

There is a bath on the ground floor. And they had a tenant for a while. I know the tenant that used to live there. and have been upstairs a few times, very nice house, good for a family.

Posted by: billyboomer at December 15, 2008 3:20 PM

marlowe, really? you think you life will be seriously degraded by living next to a WINE BAR!!!!???!! So funny I guess you will never move to Napa Valley, Geez too many WINERYS. My life would be degraded!!! THANKS For the good laugh, I needed that.

Posted by: billyboomer at December 15, 2008 3:23 PM

Noise, billyboomer, noise. I used to live near a wine bar and it was a bummer to hear that noise. I doubt people in Napa Valley are as squooshed together as we are here in Brooklyn.

Posted by: Miss Muffett at December 15, 2008 3:28 PM

gorgeous!!!!
i think they can get 2 mill for it truthfully.

Posted by: gemini10 at December 15, 2008 3:31 PM

Snap out of it billyboomer. I've got young kids. Bedtime means something. Quiet is important. Say something useful. Or try to. And give your exclamation-point key a break.

Posted by: marlowe at December 15, 2008 3:31 PM

Not to be snotty but I think those are Ikea cabs in the kitchen. At least it's not Kraftmaid...

Regardless, hard to believe this is an under 2 mil home but i think that's the new reality. If this goes for that price then a lot of people are going to have to recalibrate their real estate expectations for the next few years, myself included...ugh.

Posted by: Bolder at December 15, 2008 3:38 PM

Can we ban exclamation points?

Posted by: dittoburg at December 15, 2008 3:39 PM

I live at the intersection of two bus routes, next to a fire station, on one of the busiest avenues in Park Slope ... so uh, yeh, bring on the wine bar noise. It'd be quiet by comparison, and I don't have any kids to worry about. :)

Posted by: cwbuecheler at December 15, 2008 3:43 PM

"Can we ban exclamation points?"
ditto, I would love it if people would lessen their dependence on the exclamation point and consider using the interrobang, which is by far my favorite punctuation mark.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interrobang.

Staying on topic: anyone know if and when anything will replace the Wine Bar that was at 50 Henry Street?

Posted by: Biff Champion at December 15, 2008 3:53 PM

The location between Hoyt and Bond is not ideal.
I don't think anyone will pay over two million for that spot although the house is very nice.

Posted by: Inigo at December 15, 2008 4:07 PM

"The location between Hoyt and Bond is not ideal."

Inigo, what's wrong with the location?

Posted by: Biff Champion at December 15, 2008 4:09 PM

Everyone here is so sensitive,! have a sense of humor people.! Someone worried about noise from a wine bar when the house sits across from a school !and in front of a bus stop !is bordering on stupid. ! Even if you have kids. ! If that is your main concern then maybe you should live in the country! Is that useful enough for you Marlowe or should I just go back to using !

Posted by: billyboomer at December 15, 2008 4:18 PM

House looks sweet to me. Price for the area seems on point.

Posted by: sebb at December 15, 2008 4:30 PM

Here's a tip billyboomer: Having to inform "people" that you have a sense of humor is a sure indication that you lack one. I say again, snap out of it. Try to be useful. Play nice.

Posted by: marlowe at December 15, 2008 4:32 PM

This is in Carroll Gardens and not Boreum Hill since the border of Carroll Gardens and the neighborhoods to the north is generally considered Degraw.

Also, tend to agree with posts that between Bond and Hoyt is not ideal as the neighborhood is not as nice as you get closer to the canal.

Posted by: Redwes25 at December 15, 2008 4:34 PM

Union street bus hardly runs. And to some of us, school is much preferable than a bar (whether wine or whiskey). School is daytime. What is annoying and intrusive is (relative) quiet of night broken by shreeky giggles or bousterous yelling of people drinking outside or leaving a bar tanked.
I live close to corner off Smith - and although it is much quieter than couple years ago still get the obnoxious folks headed down the street to their cars especially on weekends.
Who think it is just fine to blabber at 2AM on cell phone like it was middle of day.

Posted by: Petebklyn at December 15, 2008 4:34 PM

Here's a tip Marlowe: Obviously you did not get my sense of humor because you do not know me, so having to inform you that I was half joking about your sensitivity to the wine bar seems only fair. Seeing that wine is basically used to promote the good life here in our great country, I did find it unusual that someone would complain about a wine bar being so close to their 2.5 million dollar house. Ironic, too. On Being useful on this here brownstoner- That is a joke,right? I could be really useful cause I know a lot about this house, but I find most of the chatter here completely useless that is why I visit.So in a way I continue that brownstoner tradition of completely useless small talk and half baked ideas and opinions. And here's a tip the next time your kids are restless give them a little bit of a nice pinot noir from Oregon, works for me and the misses.

Posted by: billyboomer at December 15, 2008 4:52 PM

Some people are looking for a quiet block so it is worth mentioning the wine bar. It has outdoor seating so I have always wondered if the noise is really bad, or if people were making a big deal out of nothing when it opened. It is likely that someone would post with that info on this site. And it is NOT insane to look for a quiet block in Brooklyn; there are plenty of them.

Posted by: Carol Gardens at December 15, 2008 5:35 PM

Lovely house, but that stretch of CG is a no-man's land, save for the wine bar. Someone will come back with a How can you say that! but between Hoyt and Bond is neither fish (CG) nor fowl (BH). This will sit and sit and sit.

Posted by: Whuh at December 15, 2008 5:56 PM

they will be lucky to get 900.000 in a year as the new depression begins

Posted by: eman1234 at December 15, 2008 9:03 PM

also the wine bar is the source of numerous complaints... jim mammary is a real lousy neighbor.. he is just anotther money grubbing asshat why do you think theowners want to move?

Posted by: eman1234 at December 15, 2008 9:07 PM

if jim mamary opens a restaurant or bar in your neighborhood , he will drive the price of your house down

Posted by: eman1234 at December 15, 2008 9:18 PM

jim mammary= neighborhood devaluation

Posted by: eman1234 at December 15, 2008 9:29 PM

Well folks we hate to spoil the party here but this place is NOT that impressive to us relative to other similarly priced homes in Brooklyn. For example we think the beautiful carpentry / woodwork has been obscured (@ least in the photos) by being painted. The painted facade and mediocre metal work is not desirable to us either:( LOL Having said that the floor plan and that deck are really cool for a 1 family and garden rental.
The price has been reduced by $250K which is quite significant but we still think there is a ton of reduction needed here in today's market....probably $1.8m max but we will see.

Posted by: pierre de taille at December 15, 2008 9:46 PM

methinks "eman1234" has an agenda, but what do i know? http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2008/12/no_oyster_bar_h.php#comments

Posted by: i disagree at December 15, 2008 10:13 PM

The house seems appealing, but location is not. In the recent housing bubble, all the old real estate adages seem to have been forgotten. This is the classic case of being by far the nicest house on the block. Perhaps if it was on Union a few blocks west it might fetch near $2 million (and that's assuming prices stay stable). But anyone who thinks the proximity to Smith Street adds some value here just doesn't know the neighborhood. The blocks beyond Hoyt may be 1 block closer to Smith St., but all of Carroll Gardens east of the BQE is within easy walking distance of Smith, so no one is going to pay a premium to be on a so-so block just because it's a bit closer. The other drawback to this house is that it is zoned for a poor elementary school. Buyers are paying a premium to live in the PS 58 school zone now, which covers a good portion of Carroll Gardens, but this house is not in it. And anyone who dismisses the importance of the school zone by saying "anyone who can afford this house can afford private school" just doesn't get it. Most buyers who want private school would far prefer to be closer to the private schools -- this part of Carroll Gardens is not very convenient to them. It only takes one buyer, but I doubt this house will get anywhere near $2 million and in this market, I wouldn't even pay the original 1.5 million for it.

Posted by: CGfan at December 16, 2008 9:53 AM

Well, I love dropping the post-mortem posts on these places while I do my tracking....for those looking, place sold for 1.8M, meaning from it's original listing of 2.55M, it took a nice 700K haircut. What appears to be a gorgeous House went for 625 bucks a square foot 2 months ago.

Posted by: MoneyForNothing at June 7, 2009 9:36 PM

« Condo of the Day: 403 Pacific Street Streetlevel: Café for Greenwood Heights/South Slope »

December 15, 2008

House of the Day: 419 Union Street

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