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January 28, 2009

House of the Day: 13 South Elliott Place

This one caught our eye a couple of weeks ago but it took some time to figure out the address. The four-story brownsone at 13 South Elliott Place in Fort Greene is an estate sale on the market for an astonishing $949,000. It clearly needs some work, and from what we gather from folks on the block, it has a strange history. But at that price, a lot can be forgiven. We hear that there's been interest already but don't know if it's in contract yet. Can anyone shed more light onto the situation? Update: We're hearing from the broker community that the house has an accepted offer but is not yet in contract.
13 South Elliott Place [Fillmore] GMAP P*Shark

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Comments

It's a judicially supervised estate sale. Location is solid, but the house is narrow--16' I think.

Posted by: slick at January 28, 2009 1:16 PM

Public records show a 2004 federal lien on this house in the amount of $776,796, put in place by the U.S. Department Of Justice-U.S. Attorney''s Office. What could this mean? It's not IRS-related, is it?

Posted by: bk14 at January 28, 2009 1:18 PM

I heard something about someone shooting someone there...not sure about the details.

Posted by: itsagas at January 28, 2009 1:37 PM

When you say estate sale does that mean the contents will be sold too?

Posted by: e10b at January 28, 2009 1:40 PM

I have been secretly watching this house...I was told by the broker last week that an offer had been accepted though.

Posted by: boofer at January 28, 2009 1:46 PM

I wanna know more about this strange history!

Posted by: boofer at January 28, 2009 1:49 PM

DOJ -- Confiscated in drug bust?

Posted by: BH76 at January 28, 2009 1:59 PM

Me too!

Posted by: Nokilissa at January 28, 2009 2:00 PM

God, please, let there be NO cookie murders associated with this house's strange history!

Posted by: bowl of dicks at January 28, 2009 2:00 PM

I can tell from peering in the windows that someone had been doing some renovations and there has been some very beautiful looking woodwork restoration and replacing done. The hinges on the doors were brand new so it seems like fairly recent work yet pshark does not show any recent change of hands...

Posted by: boofer at January 28, 2009 2:06 PM

Bowl of Dicks (God I love saying that), what in God's name is a Cookie murder?

Posted by: Nokilissa at January 28, 2009 2:09 PM

Nokilissa...it occurred in the white kitchen that was removed today. Apparently an Italian heiress, named Francesca, who has one husband and three children baked a cookie with racial overtones and murdered the What.

Lest the cops find out, she sent her brother Tony to the brownstoner offices to remove the post.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at January 28, 2009 2:12 PM

LOL!

Posted by: cmu at January 28, 2009 2:20 PM

DIBS, why not post your kitchen on here so we can make fun of you, your house, your spouse, and your kids. I mean, you think it's so hilarious and all

Posted by: Ringo at January 28, 2009 2:28 PM

I posted my garden a few months ago Ringo. I don't have a spouse or kids. You really need to keep up if you're going to be snarky with other posters. My kitchen's OK. My master bath is to die for.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at January 28, 2009 2:36 PM

I saw this about a month ago the first day they showed it. The house seems like a great deal and there was a lot of beautiful woodwork and renovations done at some point-- unfortunately, whomever decided to do the renovations didn't check the roof because there are massive holes in it-- and it looks like it rained in POURED in for more than a year After they did the interior work. This might have happened while it was in some foreclosure/DOJ limbo but There is mold EVERYWHERE and the floors and precious woodwork are completely ruined on the top two floors. Basically, 99% of the house will need to be ripped out because i doubt the foundation is still solid after such water damage and mold (if it even was in the first place). The broker is a real piece of work, too...

Posted by: Downing2fam at January 28, 2009 2:37 PM

I live on this block and this is what I know:

The house was owned and lived in for many years by a man who was a retired marshal. In early 2001 an electrical fire occurred in the house. I don't know the extent of the damage but the owner had to move out and subsequently a renovation was undertaken. However, at some point during the renovation there was a dispute with the contractor about payment and the contractor ceased work. The owner of 13 told me that his own lawyer had improperly released insurance monies to contractor without proper authorization and that the settlement was gone but I never learned the details. Although the elderly owner checked frequently on his property, he never moved back in. Unfortunately his health declined and he died last year. Some neighbors have said that he owed back taxes [IRS?] I can't speculate about his personal finances or whether that might account for such a sizeable lien, but he was a nice man who held out hope of one day returning to his home and for whatever reason or circumstances, was denied that wish. To my knowledge, nothing illegal or unsavory took place in that house while the gentleman occupied it. The recent history is actually more sad than strange.

It is a great block, the neighbors are wonderful. It would be nice to see some one put life back into the house. It will take a lot of work but it will be worth it when it's finished.

Posted by: Sartor Resartus at January 28, 2009 2:42 PM

How is it a great deal then, if it sounds like a teardown, Downing2fam?

Posted by: 11217 at January 28, 2009 2:42 PM

DIBS,
You're too much!

Posted by: sam at January 28, 2009 2:43 PM

"astonishing $949,000"

Astonishing narrowness commands only a "narrow" price.

***Bid half off peak comps***

Posted by: Brownstones Half Off at January 28, 2009 2:46 PM

"The broker is a real piece of work, too..."

Identity please. At least a description.

***Bid half off peak comps***

Posted by: Brownstones Half Off at January 28, 2009 2:58 PM

Oh, Ken @ Fillmore.

***Bid half off peak comps***

Posted by: Brownstones Half Off at January 28, 2009 3:01 PM

House down the block (only 2 feet wider and TEN feet shorter) sold for over 2.3m few months ago. Its a wonderful block and closer to the park.
That house was a steal. Broker didn't advertise well and must have wanted a fast sale. Also must be nearly impossible to get a loan on an uninhabitable house these days.
ps. Does the Porsche outside come with the deal??

Posted by: brooklynsfinest at January 28, 2009 3:05 PM

"Does the Porsche outside come with the deal??"

Yeah, but it's a non-turbo.

***Bid half off peak comps***

Posted by: Brownstones Half Off at January 28, 2009 3:22 PM

say it ain't so...

Posted by: boofer at January 28, 2009 3:23 PM

"ps. Does the Porsche outside come with the deal?? "

No, but the Sunbird with the broken hubcap does.

Posted by: denton at January 28, 2009 3:26 PM

A Porsche minvan??? Come on people. Set your sites higher.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at January 28, 2009 3:33 PM

Yea, the cachet of Porsche completey evaporated after they brought out an SUV.

Posted by: dittoburg at January 28, 2009 3:36 PM

Almost a million for a 16 footer that needed total rehab in fort green?! .......what are they smoking?

Posted by: troll at January 28, 2009 4:07 PM

brownstones half off - there you go! get it while its hot!

Posted by: troll at January 28, 2009 4:10 PM

I don't think I'm being snarky with you Dave. I think I'm just straight up calling you a jackass for talking trash about someone's life, about someone's kids. I think that's trashy. Full stop.

Posted by: Ringo at January 28, 2009 4:26 PM

thats a great price - its practically a shell and in need of major structural work but god bless the estate.

to the earlier comment - no shooting there just an old owner that recently died.

Posted by: dinobot at January 28, 2009 4:43 PM

I didn't say anything about the kids or her life really. I jusy commented that the line that she said she has "one husband and three children" sounded a bit odd, and icy.

Take a pill, Ringo. Full stop.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at January 28, 2009 4:50 PM

We were really excited about this when it first came on the market and went to the first showing. This is a great location but we were instantly disappointed at how narrow the place was. Initially the place seemed really cheap but the house needs everything. A total gut renovation in the true sense. As mentioned earlier the massive roof leak caused major damage to all the floors and walls of the top 3 floors. There are no kitchens, bathrooms or details and all the mechanicals need to be replaced entirely. The facade plaster work is crumbling off as well and one will need to obviously rewire from zero. One buyer brought in a contractor @ the open house who estimated the work to cost around $500K but we had already given up...too narrow.
BTW Ken Macbride seemed like a perfect gentleman to us as far as RE agents go.

Posted by: pierre de taille at January 28, 2009 4:54 PM

she was trying to be funny. I get it, and I get that you don't. Maybe you'd have to more familiar with her, her site, her work to get it. She's pretty well-known. Clearly you've never heard of her -- that much is clear.

Posted by: Ringo at January 28, 2009 4:57 PM

A million bucks for a shell? Man - that's awesome!! Better would be if it was a vacant lot!

Posted by: tybur6 at January 28, 2009 4:59 PM

So what, Ringo. I'm not a celebrity whore. I haven't heard of a lot of people. And a lot of "pretty well-known" people could be standing right next to me and I still wouldn't know, or care.

What you don't seem to understand is that people who parade themselves and their trappings on a website are open for whatever anyone would like to say about them. It's the internet and that's what it's all about.

Posted by: daveinbedstuy at January 28, 2009 5:11 PM

Hi All,
I said it "seemed" like it would be a great deal from the listing but once I saw the inside I knew -- I also had a contractor and know that it will definitely cost more than 500 k to make it nice-- more like 750k.

This block is super nice, and for a 20 foot wide house, with new mechanicals, and original details, etc. I understand that the market last summer warranted prices around 2.3 million. But its terrible time to buy a shell for this price-- no mortgages, etc. I'd rather buy a house that is done like the 2 family on washington for 1.4m (18 feet wide) instead of deal with renovations, contractors, carrying the house during the work period (1 year) etc.
As far as the broker goes, he listed it on NYTimes, then when my Agent called he said he wouldn't show it to her, because he wasn't co-brokering, then when she said she would send me alone he said he had 30 offers already but hadn\t shown it to anyone...
Yeah right.
I went to see it on the "first day" -- there were 3-4 people but please, I'm sick of brokers acting like it's 2006. I'm surprised it's under contract and I can't imagine it getting more than 600k.

Posted by: Downing2fam at January 28, 2009 5:14 PM

Wow. So I have to do with a gut reno (already in contract) and a hovel in Red Hook as my eye candy for the day. And I am in Texas. And there is an ice storm. Can it get any worse?
I'm still lurking, though.

Posted by: MrsCWB at January 28, 2009 5:31 PM

"I'm surprised it's under contract..."

Did I miss something?

***Bid half off peak comps***

Posted by: Brownstones Half Off at January 28, 2009 5:46 PM

Downinf2fam you may be right that place needs a ton of work and $500k may not be a realistic estimate. Also now that you mention it Ken was only happy to talk to me after I told him I wasn't a broker or even had one. Hhm will remember that next time.
PS: which house are you referring to on Washington?

Posted by: pierre de taille at January 28, 2009 5:50 PM

2 quick comments
this block is 10x better than washington ave if not 20x better but
500k for a good reno is way way way too low given the damage - even 750k is probably a push but then again all those contractors are probably starving for work so never say never...

the house could be 18 wide but since a gut is needed, 18 is a still enough to create better space than the typical brownstone layout and it is definitely enough for a 1 fam or even 1 + triplex layout.

anyhow - im really curious as to the byr cause it did sell pretty quickly

Posted by: dinobot at January 28, 2009 6:12 PM

Dinobot the house is only 16ft wide (18ft would have worked nicely) and we frankly felt as if we were having a CAT scan in that palor living room with an MRI for the master bedroom.

We agree S Elliot is by far a much better location than Washington Ave but except you we are going to sleep in FG park the claustrophobia here is hard to overcome for us.

Posted by: pierre de taille at January 28, 2009 6:22 PM

You know what? When it comes to houses, shorter is better. Much, much better. You get more light.

Posted by: mopar at January 28, 2009 6:27 PM

It sounds like a real project, though it is a great location. I wonder how much appetite is out there for big renovations. I bet that it would require pretty extensive work on each floor. Hmm.... I remember that. The rule of thumb is for 100,000 a floor for extensive renovations -- i.e. new floors, kitchen, bath, windows, etc. Would you pay 1.4 million plus a full time job (your second one if you are unfortunate enough to have to work to pay the mortgage) and there are your economics. Of course, you can do it cheaper than that but you better know what you are doing and the cheaper it is, the more involved you have to be. The location is great, close to all transportation, the best retail in Fort Greene, BAM etc etc. Could be a deal, if you don't mind the skinny house. It could be very nice.

Posted by: donatella at January 28, 2009 8:20 PM

Oh Donnatella, you're tempting me. I love a good challenge. I say I could do it with $200k. Now who is going to take me up on that? Cuz I have no $.

Posted by: rh at January 28, 2009 9:06 PM

mmmm
i know pshark says its 16.67 wide but it seems wider to me.
anyhow - i live in a 16.67 wide and its plenty space for me and my fam. 2 bedrooms+1bath/floor for 3rd/4th floors is fine.

ill check tomorrow the width - that is surprising me

Posted by: dinobot at January 28, 2009 10:15 PM

"im really curious as to the byr cause it did sell pretty quickly"

Again, did I miss something? I only read in the comments above that an offer was excepted but no contract.

***Bid half off peak comps***

Posted by: Brownstones Half Off at January 28, 2009 11:08 PM

An offer was accepted for $800K.

Posted by: MFB at January 29, 2009 11:51 AM

Such a shame this house fell into such disrepair and may need up to (or over, egads!) $750,000 in renovations. Such a waste. I guess a fire can really do that to a building. I found it interesting how some thought this price was a steal and some (one?) thought it very much too high.

Well, good news that after sitting for so long, this house will finally become a home again!!!

Posted by: BrooklynGreene at January 29, 2009 8:06 PM

« Foreclosure of the Week: 395 Van Brunt Street Streetlevel: Reginella Now Open on Atlantic »

January 28, 2009

House of the Day: 13 South Elliott Place

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