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January 15, 2009

House of the Day: 403 East 19th Street

This 5,000-square-foot house at 403 East 19th Street in Ditmas Park could use some sprucing up but it's got some wonderful bones to work with; located on a corner lot, it's also got plenty of yard space and a two-car garage to work with. Unless you like house guests, though, proceed with caution: The 1909 house has 13 bedrooms! The asking price is $1,295,000. What do you make of that?
403 East 19th Street [Century 21] GMAP P*Shark

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Boy, Century 21 sure did a great job helping the seller make the place look snappy.

Posted by: tinarina at January 15, 2009 1:19 PM

You're not kidding tinarina. Didn't even put the toilet seat down in one of the bathroom pics, let alone remove the towels from the railing and the thirty year old t.v. set from the hall way. This house scares me. Bones or not.

Posted by: Nokilissa at January 15, 2009 1:22 PM

That place would be sold already if they had cleanud up before taking the pics...close the toilet seat, take the dirty clothes off of the dresser, take the "dog covers" off of the sofas, trim the hedges.

The stained glass windows will sell the place.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at January 15, 2009 1:26 PM

...towels off the stair rail, remotes off the bed...

Posted by: tinarina at January 15, 2009 1:30 PM

i actually feel sad for this house. ok ok dirty towels, remote controls, and toilet seats....but 5000sf and 13 bedrooms? who wants that now!?

Posted by: bowl of dicks at January 15, 2009 1:34 PM

brothel opportunity!

13 bdrms...can you imagine the smell in that house on those humid summer days?

Posted by: goldie at January 15, 2009 1:36 PM

^^^^^ i meant the smell during its recent use. not if turned to a brothel. eh, too late, foot in mouth.

Posted by: goldie at January 15, 2009 1:37 PM

Hmm ... I don't know the status of the ditmas landmark district, but you could theoretically knock down some walls (to produce fewer but bigger bedrooms), divide the 5000sf into a two-family, and rent half the house for a fairly substantial sum.

Posted by: cwbuecheler at January 15, 2009 1:39 PM

I know this house. It's got great potential but needs a lot of work (eg you can see from above that the roof needs some serious attention).

I don't see it getting even close to ask given the environment we are in but it could be turned into a very special house.

Posted by: the chicken at January 15, 2009 1:40 PM

goldie...you mean "bodussy?"

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at January 15, 2009 1:41 PM

'brothel opportunity!'
DIBS and I are looking for a business opportunity. We were going to turn yesterday's Love Lane into one, but this is it!
That porch will be littered with women of ill repute waiting for callers.

In one picture toilet seat and lid are up. In another picture toilet seat is down and lid up! Did someone use the toilet in between photos?

Posted by: bayridgegirl at January 15, 2009 1:42 PM

sorry - when I said "see from above" I meant physically from a nearby building!

Posted by: the chicken at January 15, 2009 1:42 PM

OK, brothel opportunities aside ... this could make for a fabulous urban bed & breakfast. I know there are already a number of B&Bs in brownstone Brooklyn. Are they legal? Anyone know what kind of permits or C of O one would need to operate a legal B&B in New York?

Posted by: Park Sloper at January 15, 2009 1:45 PM

> "trim the hedges."

And about 300k off the asking price.

Posted by: SnarkSlope at January 15, 2009 1:51 PM

whats a bodussy? only know the song "do the watussy"

Posted by: goldie at January 15, 2009 1:54 PM

best that you google it goldie instead of me trying to explain it here. I believe it was first used by bernie mack but can't recall the name of the movie.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at January 15, 2009 2:02 PM

DIBS!!!!
1- you spelled the word wrong
2- It's Bernie Mac, no 'k'...he recently got in some trouble using it.

So, goldie, and others, only look it up if you're open minded.
DIBS is a very naughty boy.

I want this house!
2 jalopy garage, period details, a porch....oooh.
Drop the price, please.

Posted by: bayridgegirl at January 15, 2009 2:13 PM

OMG --

Roof in bad shape, gutters missing or falling off. Landscaping from a jungle movie (meaning that it is way overgrown). Windows need to be replaced. And all before you go inside.

Holes in the ceilings. Plastic covering the inside of windows. Bet that is the best looking bath in the whole place. No kitchen pics. My guess is all new mechanicals, new electrical, all kinds of water damage, new baths, new kithen(s).

Buy it and you can make this a showcase. It'll take 2 years of carrying costs and a ton of loot to pay for the renovations. It's just too much of a battle unless you really fall in love with the place. Frankly the outside just doesn't have enough charm to make me want to go to war to restore this place. That's assuming I have the spare change to park til it's ready to move in.

Posted by: Ozymandius at January 15, 2009 2:14 PM

BRG - It can't have been TOO recently ... he died in 2008.

Posted by: cwbuecheler at January 15, 2009 2:17 PM

BRG...its bodussy. i didn't spell it wrong. You of all people should probably know it!!!!

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at January 15, 2009 2:17 PM

This house could really be something nice... Not sure about the price.... It is very easy to have vision about this place.

Posted by: Amzi Hill at January 15, 2009 2:18 PM

Only way this is a good deal ....

Get it for free. Poke a few holes in the roof and have the place be condemned. Build a new house. (I know. Thems fighting words on this site but this place really really scares me. I bought a dump and eight years later, I'm still finding more things that have to be done. It really would have been less money and less heartache and a lot more comfort to have started from scratch)

Posted by: Ozymandius at January 15, 2009 2:20 PM

good grief DIBS. i googled it, and now will probably have the IT dept call HR who'll escort me out soon. creative combo of words there. there are days when Bo.Co.Ca. bars are like 'Bu.D.Ussy'

Posted by: goldie at January 15, 2009 2:20 PM

DIBS...of course I would know how to spell it!
You wouldn't!

Goldie spelled it right.

I believe Bernie Mac used it at a fundraiser for Obama. I could be wrong...so that's pretty recent for me.

Posted by: bayridgegirl at January 15, 2009 2:34 PM

goldie and I both spelled it the same way. you're beginning to sound as stupid as Gravis in the Rental market thread...and that's pretty stupid.

Yes, I did spell Mac wrong.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at January 15, 2009 2:54 PM

DIBS....YOU spelled it wrong!!!!

Goldie spelled it correctly in his 2:20pm post, minus the periods.

You're sounding as stupid as the Asshat who hasn't made an appearance on this site today and is always correcting me....and that's pretty stupid.

Posted by: bayridgegirl at January 15, 2009 3:04 PM

He's been lurking. He was in the Open Thread and asked who Chris is? I think he's nervous about the new intelligent sounding person from BH being here.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at January 15, 2009 3:14 PM

Who's been lurking?

Apologize for YOUR spelling error!!!

Sorry HOTD, you do deserve better posts than these.
I'd like to buy you and sweat fixing you up, than throw lavish parties and serve iced tea on the porch on a hot summer day, but you're way overpriced!

Posted by: bayridgegirl at January 15, 2009 3:21 PM

If you were willing to put the money into this house, and hold on for the long haul, such as in raising a family, this is a great house. It's got some wonderful features, especially that glorious porch. The rooms are spacious on the parlor floor, and you could always change around the bedrooms, knocking down walls, adding bathrooms, etc.

It would make a nice B&B. I know there are other B&B's in Ditmas Park, this would be great.

I agree on the lack of prep work and staging here. Trimming the trees and shrubs would make a huge difference in curb appeal, no matter what else was wrong. That takes no money, only a trimmer and time. This Century 21 broker had the opportunity, with nice big photos, to really feature this property. They certainly didn't do too well.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at January 15, 2009 3:21 PM

MGK has a new house that is similarly priced and looks like a far better deal... On the low side, for one of her listings.

Sign of the times. Century 21 is so out of it they appear to be raising their prices!

Posted by: Architerrorist at January 15, 2009 3:38 PM

http://www.marykayg.com/html/0541.html

Posted by: Architerrorist at January 15, 2009 3:41 PM

http://www.marykayg.com/html/0541.html

Actually, this house is on the corner of E.19th just across from the Flatbush Tompkins Church, and it is a particularly nice house. The exterior of this house is not the usual cookie cutter Victorian that you sometimes see in DP, and frequently in the surrounding neighborhoods. Beyone the shrubbery, the exterior still impresses, but this is a case where the interior makes one cry. You can tell from the stained glass that the interior decor was once a cut above.

The West Midwood House (MKG)listing is not such an architecturally interesting facade (although pretty), however the interior detail is to die for.

DP is a landmarked nabe; West Midwood is not. DP is convenient to Cortelyou and Newkirk. West Widwood is convenient to Avenue H and CIA.

I still think the West Midwood house is the better deal and the one I would make an offer on.

Posted by: Architerrorist at January 15, 2009 3:45 PM

http://www.marykayg.com/html/0541.html

The West Midwood House (MKG)listing is not such an architecturally interesting facade (although pretty), however the interior detail is to die for.

DP is a landmarked nabe; West Midwood is not. DP is convenient to Cortelyou and Newkirk. West Widwood is convenient to Avenue H and CIA.

I still think the West Midwood house is the better deal and the one I would make an offer on.

Posted by: Architerrorist at January 15, 2009 3:47 PM

Even if it's not an ideal house, I think it's hard to find something at ~$250/sq.f (or $200, if very lucky).

Posted by: Gravis at January 15, 2009 3:50 PM

I think you will find, Gravis, that prices in Flatbush have sunk a bit, as with everywhere else, making houses there an even better investment, if you feel secure that crime in surrounding less well-heeled neighborhoods will not increase as a result of the current economic crisis (I'm not saying it will, but it is something buyers are concerned about, from what I've been told...).

I love this neighborhood and used to own a home here myself. That said, it's hard to get a house that's got it all - great location, distinctive architectural design, free from exterior renovations such as porch enclosures and siding, as well as pristing interior detail. Almost always there is some trade off.

Considering both houses are in the same price range and have different strengths, I'm wondering what buyers will chose right now... The move-in in a marginal location with great interior detail and pretty, but not noteworthy exterior, or the fixer upper with terrific exterior architectural detail, some interior detail that needs work, and a lot of interior work, probably including systems?

Renovation is exhausting and expensive. I'm betting buyers in this market will opt for the West Midwood house in this market, if they opt for either one at all.

Posted by: Architerrorist at January 15, 2009 4:53 PM

not all negative. reminds me of the movie "the money pit". 800k tops.

Posted by: jingle mail at January 15, 2009 6:11 PM

Architerrorist - For what it's worth, the Glenwood Road house (West Midwood) is a lot closer to Newkirk Plaza and express subway service than the one on E 19th. And Glenwood has the planted medians, and it's a dead end block, so zero through traffic. It's a very nice location. But in this market, I'll be surprised if they get much over $1 million.

Posted by: Sparafucile at January 15, 2009 8:14 PM

« Co-ops of the Day: 135 Willow Street Triple-Shot Streetlevel: Natural Food Store Opening on 4th Avenue »

January 15, 2009

House of the Day: 403 East 19th Street

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