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May 18, 2009

House of the Day: 207 Fenimore Street

207-Fenimore-Street-0509.jpg
When 207 Fenimore Street in Lefferts Manor first hit the market in February (when it was an Open House Pick), the detached frame house was asking $850,000. Now the single-family pad is asking $799,000. The house as a whole has a nice historic vibe, though we're not loving some of the choices in the newly renovated kitchen. Can someone who lives nearby speak to how nice this block is? How low can this go?
207 Fenimore Street [Brown Harris Stevens] GMAP P*Shark





Posted by Brownstoner at 1:15 PM | Comments (36)
Categories: HOTD, Prospect Lefferts Gardens

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I have friends who live right around the corner from this house and its a great neighborhood. Very quiet, not a lot of happening nightlife/amenities but for a family nice and quiet and spacious. Seems pretty well priced too.

Posted by: wasder at May 18, 2009 1:21 PM

Why is it that every time I see a HOTD in the Lefferts area I fall in love, and yet I never add it to my list of neighborhoods to consider?

Is there a reasonably good grocery store nearby? A bodega within 3 blocks? a place to buy better-than-bodega coffee within 5 blocks? a yuppie-friendly restaurant or two within an easy walk?

Posted by: toadie at May 18, 2009 1:38 PM

toadie--Bob Marvin or others could answer you more specifically but I think the answer to all of those questions is yes. Its only a block and half off Flatbush which has some semblance of the things you mention.

Posted by: wasder at May 18, 2009 1:40 PM

toadie - Nostrand Ave also has a lot of the things you mention, too.

PLG's a gorgeous neighborhood, and is a good location for transportation, but some of its blocks still have so-so reputations.

Posted by: cwbuecheler at May 18, 2009 1:46 PM

If they took away the ruffles over the windows and that stove vent in front of the window, maybe the value would go up by $50,000 cut.

Posted by: mopar at May 18, 2009 1:54 PM

I live in LM, a few blocks north of this house. I would say yes to all of the above questions, except for the grocery store. The grocery stores in the area are still borderline - they're fine for staples, but lousy for produce and anything else. In the summer the GAP farmer's market compensates somewhat, but I still make the trek to Fairway every weekend. However, this house is just steps from the best meat patties in Brooklyn - Jamaican Pride.

Posted by: geekspice at May 18, 2009 1:55 PM

toadie, try McDonalds for the coffee - I kid you not. Its done very well in blind tastings and is invariably better than the local bodega coffee. If I'm stuck in a neighborhood where I can't find a bona fide coffee house, thats where I go.

Posted by: dittoburg at May 18, 2009 2:12 PM

I have to disagree. I really like the modern renovated kitchen. probably would have liked different countertops, but I guess I can see where you would prefer an old world country charm instead in a house like that.

Posted by: secondbecky at May 18, 2009 2:24 PM

ditto - interesting. micky dees is on a huge coffee push to win that crowd over as 1st choice.
the house is very cute. what's up with the local elementary schools? bob marvin? anyone?

Posted by: bkny at May 18, 2009 2:25 PM

I have friends in the area and they have a beautiful house but they are not very happy - mainly because of school issues. They find the local school abominable. I've not done the research - can anyone speak to this? They are also bummed out over lack of local business variety. They had hoped more new restaurants/retail would spring up but it's been very slow so they find they are in their car much more than they'd like. But I know others who are happy there. Different strokes I guess.

Posted by: Miss Muffett at May 18, 2009 2:34 PM

Miss Muffett's friends' experience is an example of why you should buy in a neighborhood because you like the way it is now, not because of what somebody tells you the neighborhood is going to be like in five years. But there are plenty of posters here who like Lefferts the way it is now.

Posted by: basementalist at May 18, 2009 2:43 PM

Many people own cars here but they hardly need to rely on them exclusively. It's merely one stop on the B/Q to get to Park Slope or 15 minutes to Union Square.

FYI, a local grocery in PLG, Papa and Sons is about to open a second location that will carry more organic foods and he's going to revamp the other location to resemble Union Market, he says. As for coffee, Kdog is a decent local coffee shop on Lincoln.

Posted by: traditionalmod at May 18, 2009 2:53 PM

"I have friends in the area and they have a beautiful house but they are not very happy - mainly because of school issues. They find the local school abominable. I've not done the research - can anyone speak to this?"

I was just looking at the place and thinking how nice it looked and how reasonably priced it seemed and I thought "wonder what the schools are like?"

It would be a shame if such a nice place to raise a family in is located in a place that isn't nice to raise a family in.

Posted by: northsloperenter at May 18, 2009 2:56 PM

The Associated super market is on Flatbush and Fenimore. It is as good if not better than the Key Food on Seventh Ave in Park Slope (we shopped both in the last couple of days) and the owner is very appreciative of customer feedback on missing items, etc. There is Kdog as well as a Duncan Donuts and another coffee shop within a couple of blocks. This isn't Park Slope, but it is friendly and convenient and many blocks are quite lovely. We like it and many friends who do as well.

Posted by: LM at May 18, 2009 2:58 PM

thanks for the information, everybody. Will probably spend some time wandering around out there this weekend...

Posted by: toadie at May 18, 2009 3:10 PM

There is a wonderful pre-school in the neigborhood. It's called the Maple Street School. I recently learned that some people involved with the Maple Street school are opening a new charter school in the neigborhood. It will be an elementary through middle school, if I heard correctly. This is huge for the neighborhood.

As far as coffee is concerned, try K-Dog. Everyone in the area goes there for coffee. It is also a community meeting place.

Posted by: dt at May 18, 2009 3:39 PM

Sorry, I really do know how to spell neighborhood. I just type too fast.

Posted by: dt at May 18, 2009 3:45 PM

If PLG had a good school district this house would SO not be priced under a million dollars. Nor would any of the amazing housing stock here. This is a very family-oriented neighborhood, with tons of kids. It's well organized with playgroups and new-moms groups. As for why we chose this neighborhood, we work from home and opted to buy a larger space for under a million and pay for a private K-5 (if we had to; many kids here do get into public schools elsewhere) rather than crunching ourselves into a smaller Park Slope condo priced under a million. I was actually open to considering that but the few options I saw in Park Slope for under a million didn't give us nearly enough space. If we'd bought one of those places it would not have been a long term home and that's what we were looking for.

Posted by: traditionalmod at May 18, 2009 4:04 PM

Ditmas has always been the most realistic comp for PLG - both have their strengths and weaknesses... I love PLG architecture, it's a gorgeous neighborhood... But we chose DP because of the schools and the amenities.

Posted by: Architerrorist at May 18, 2009 4:22 PM

Like Miss Muffet I have friends who live in Lefferts Manor, some of whom are happy and some of who are quite unhappy. The unhappy ones admit that they assumed that there would be far more significant changes to the area, especially the scene on Flatbush and the range of amenities. They drive to the slope every weekend, which they hate having to do. To their mind, nothing has improved in the 4 or so years they've lived there. (They always assumed private schools would be needed, so that is not a problem for them). The happy ones had no expectation of major changes, so they're not disappointed. As basementalist says, don't move anywhere assuming it will change.

Posted by: shillstoner at May 18, 2009 4:46 PM

nothing polarizes people like plg...definitely some value there relative to park slope, et al...but even better value to be had in bed stuy for the same amenities...

Posted by: 7182713 at May 18, 2009 4:53 PM

We looked at Ditmas too. Great place, but the few houses under a million were further from the subway (not walking distance) and needed a lot of work inside and out.

Posted by: traditionalmod at May 18, 2009 4:55 PM

To answer about the block, this is probably the best block along Fenimore Street. Very neighborhood active street, that won the Greenest Block contest in recent years. Very well kept, very friendly. There is also a speed bump on this block that slows cars down somewhat. It seems like a steal based on Price per sq. ft. Definately a value buy.

Posted by: tomgee at May 18, 2009 5:15 PM

Traditionalmod - Just curious - what do you consider to far to walk to the Subway? There are five Q stops in Victorian Flatbush... Can't imagine anyone would have to walk four - five blocks tops - to get to the subway in all of Victorian Flatbush. We had to walk nine blocks in the Slope! Unless of course you were looking in South Midwood, another subway story altogether, and where houses tend to be under the $1 million mark and not very convenient to the subway... Or course now there are more than a few houses in other nabes in that range... PLG stops are Parkside, and what else?

Posted by: Architerrorist at May 18, 2009 5:23 PM

check out www.hawthornestreet.com for neighborhood news - including news on plans for the charter school, restaurants, etc. also, google the neighborhood and you will come up with other blogs/sites that are still up but haven't been updated recently.

there's also decent coffee & pastries at the internet cafe on the south side of parkside ave across from the Q train stop. doesn't look appealing on the outside though and it's not inviting to sit down since most chairs are at computer stations.

two CSAs serve the neighborhood with produce from spring to fall - www.plgcsa.org and www.flatbushfarmshare.com

there is a PLG house tour on May 31, sunday. and a Maple Street stoop sale on the same day.

Posted by: winthropst at May 18, 2009 5:28 PM

the Q train stops at Prospect Park (Lincoln Road) and Parkside Ave.

Posted by: winthropst at May 18, 2009 5:30 PM

PLG subway stops are Prospect Park and Parkside on the Q/B - but most of LM is an even easier walk to the 2/5 on Nostrand, which is actually faster to Midtown.

Posted by: geekspice at May 18, 2009 5:33 PM

We also looked in other neighborhoods north and south of PLG. However, our friends in Lefferts Manor convinced us that it would be worth our investment so we ended up buying a very lovely home in the Manor. At the time when we were looking, we were less concerned about schools and amenities (or the strip along Flatbush Avenue). Nonetheless, we are now very excited to hear about the new Charter School opening next year. This is change. This is change within a few short months of living in a neighborhood where each day we are loving the vibe more and more.

Posted by: LuvingModern at May 18, 2009 5:46 PM

This is a perfectly fine block, but not anything like the nicest lefferts blocks nearby.
Also these frame houses don't seem to sell well, especially in this market when you could buy a primo limestone for about hte same price

Posted by: ontheparkway at May 18, 2009 5:55 PM

Do you guys think it's possible to find a two-family Victorian with original details on the 2/5 train for about $400,000 to $600,000? Or is it illegal to rent out an apartment in this area? Thank you so much.

Posted by: mopar at May 18, 2009 6:26 PM

Todie,

Sorry for not responding earlier, but all your questions seem to have been answered already. I'll just add that my wife and I were walking down this block of Fenimore yesterday evening and she remarked that it's her favorite block in Lefferts Manor because it seems so country-like. It's not mine, simply because I prefer all row houses over Fenimore II's mix of rowhouses and detached frame houses, but it IS a lovely block.

Posted by: Bob Marvin at May 18, 2009 7:19 PM

"is it illegal to rent out an apartment in this area?"
yes, on this side of Fenimore St., which is in Lefferts Manor and has R2 zoning--not so on the south side.

Posted by: Bob Marvin at May 18, 2009 8:00 PM

"Do you guys think it's possible to find a two-family Victorian with original details on the 2/5 train for about $400,000 to $600,000? Or is it illegal to rent out an apartment in this area? Thank you so much.

Posted by: mopar at May 18, 2009 6:26 PM"

Should be possible mopar - try this

http://tinyurl.com/pkzjmw

I didn't screen further for single or multi-homes but should be fairly apparant whether you can split it or not.

Posted by: the chicken at May 19, 2009 3:13 AM

You can get a woodframe in that price range down near Brooklyn College, in regular old Flatbush, not South Midwood. MKG has one that's in contract for around $495... needs work, though. This area used to be Vanderveer Park, which was vast and predated almost all other Victorian Flatbush developments (c.1890), including PPS. Houses only survive in small pockets, usually not whole blocks of them.

Posted by: Architerrorist at May 19, 2009 10:03 AM

Mopar,

Sorry--I misread your question about two family houses and thought it was about THIS house. Yes, it should be possible to find a house like you describe near the 2/3 trains on Nostrand Ave., either on Rogers--Nostrand or Nostrand--New York blocks.

Posted by: Bob Marvin at May 19, 2009 10:58 AM

Thanks, everyone!

Posted by: mopar at May 20, 2009 4:52 PM

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