Newsletter |
« Open House Picks: Six Months Later StreetLevel: Cortelyou Market, Wine Bar Coming Along »
50

Open House Picks

Categories: Open Houses

housePark Slope
449 Bergen Street
Douglas Elliman
Sunday 12-2
$1,595,000 was $1,899,000
GMAP P*Shark

houseBay Ridge
9471 Ridge Boulevard
Corcoran
Sunday 3-4:30
$949,000
GMAP P*Shark

housePark Slope
219 Prospect Avenue
Brooklyn Properties
Sunday 12-1:30
$949,000
GMAP P*Shark

houseCrown Heights
173 Crown Street
Brown Harris Stevens
Saturday 12:30-2
$789,000 was $749,000
GMAP P*Shark



By Brownstoner at November 13, 2009 1:08 PM | Comments (50)

50 Comments

By Miss Muffett on November 13, 2009 1:13 PM

Isn't the Prospect Avenue house right by the expressway? Wouldn't it be loud and polluted? I'm genuinely curious if this is the case (looks that way on map) - can anyone elucidate?

By CarrollGardened on November 13, 2009 1:17 PM

The Bergen Street house has potential. I'm guessing the location has a lot to do with the price cuts. And the smaller lot - the garden is very small and angled. I'm not sure why they chopped up the rooms so - was it necessary to carve a family room out of the living room, using those 3/4 height dividers?

By joeingowanus on November 13, 2009 1:18 PM

overlooking the expressway. yeay!

By CarrollGardened on November 13, 2009 1:22 PM

Muffett, to me, using Google Maps, it looks like that section of Prospect Avenue is about as close to the Expressway as you can get without actually being on it, in which case, $1 million, to live ON the Prospect Expressway, no thanks.

By tybur6 on November 13, 2009 1:24 PM

Ignoring the slightly odd layouts, the Prospect Avenue property *almost* looked like it was appropriately priced. It's pretty close I think. With 20% down on a sale price of around $900k -- you still need to cover at least $5,000 a month to break even. (Assuming your mortgage tax reduction thingy dingy is about the same as your utilities -- heat & hot water, common lights and cleaning)

This is a bit tight. We're talking about $1600 or $1700 per unit X 3 consistently. That strikes me as *maybe* possible... but probably not given the OK location (though noisy)

By tybur6 on November 13, 2009 1:25 PM

And I say $5000 in income specifically because this isn't a "beautiful house that you pay a premium for, which happens to have a rental unit to help out." This is an investment/business/commercial property.

By CarrollGardened on November 13, 2009 1:27 PM

"the Prospect Avenue property *almost* looked like it was appropriately priced"

But, tybur, you'll like die from inhaling exhaust fumes, if a car landing in your living room doesn't get you first.

By MoneyForNothing on November 13, 2009 1:27 PM

My wife and I were looking at the 449 Bergen listing last weekend. Love the interior.

However, on close inspection, Elliman did a SPECTACULAR job on the perspective distort on the building facade. Looks magnificent! I'd even say bright and cheery!

Now go to a street view in Goodle Maps and try and figure out which one it really is. Boooo...Hissss!!!!!

By antidope on November 13, 2009 1:29 PM

[inside 216 prospect]
can you speak up? i can't hear you?
did you say i made a good purchase?
[opens window]
[quickly slams window down]

By northridger on November 13, 2009 1:30 PM

The Bay Ridge house is surprisingly small for the neighborhood. And the square footage looks way off. I know prop shark as well as Corcoran are claiming 2,604 sq ft but it looks closer to 2,000 to me, and you only get there by including the basement.

Looks more like a $750K-$800K place to me.

By CarrollGardened on November 13, 2009 1:30 PM

MforN, is it not the one with that teeny tiny triangled wedge of a garden, that backs up to the building ON Flatbush?

By MoneyForNothing on November 13, 2009 1:36 PM

I only know from the front, never actually went to the property. We did a street view to check out the block...because it seemed like a decent deal for such a TALLLLL and nicely renovated house. So we were going to visit.

Which led me to question "which effin house on this block (we are not fans of Bergen on most sections) could possibly be that magestic, 3-story home with a lovely high stoop...

Answer is none. It's a squat looking thing w/ a dismal stoop and a garden windo basically at alley level.

You just have to see for yourself, and then try to hold back the general disdain for RE brokers you will feel upon conclusion.

By infinitejester on November 13, 2009 1:38 PM

The Bergen St. place was a house of the day recently, it got abused mercilessly.

I like it as I know the block (quite well), am not a large brood, and like low stoops. It's definitely a respectable house. No commenting on the price as that it totally above my head.

By bkny on November 13, 2009 1:39 PM

i like the house on Crown Street - very cute. don't know about that side of the hood but looks to be close to prospect park & the library, which is cool.

By CarrollGardened on November 13, 2009 1:39 PM

Which, MforN, no doubt explains the bargain asking price of $1.6 million

By CarrollGardened on November 13, 2009 1:41 PM

jester, it looks like it has potential inside, but at that price point, I want a full size garden. Don't remember it as HOTD.

By Expert Textpert on November 13, 2009 1:43 PM

"this beautiful 1920’s Tudor style home sits on one of Bay Ridge’s most sought after streets."

SHUT UP Cocoran! That is not one of Bay Ridge's most sought after streets!!!
It's a nice block, close to shore road, convenient to the train, there are several buildings on the block (one right across the street from this house) but there are much nicer streets in that nabe.

By ecoux on November 13, 2009 1:45 PM

I saw the Crown St house last week. Very pretty street. But crazy price. It was asking 649k at one time and there's a house across the street (#188) in similar shape asking 550k. Both houses are using the cellar in computing the square footage.

By BSD on November 13, 2009 1:45 PM

Miss Muffet, use the google streetview tool. Got real curious when i saw "Park Slope" and the price. This is not PS to me, and the streetview will make you realize the asking price is stooopid.

At least if it had a low sales price, you could pocket the difference for future lung cancer treatment.

By CarrollGardened on November 13, 2009 1:46 PM

Perhaps, ET, but at least this Tudor doesn't suffer from having a HE washer/dryer

By tybur6 on November 13, 2009 1:47 PM

BARGAIN PRICES! Come One, Come All! Now ONLY One Point Six Million Dollars! Don't wait or you'll miss out on this amazing opportunity!

By infinitejester on November 13, 2009 1:48 PM

http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2009/05/house_of_the_da_697.php

By CarrollGardened on November 13, 2009 1:48 PM

[Psst, tybur, I was joking about $1.6 being a bargain price]

By tybur6 on November 13, 2009 1:50 PM

{ Psst, CGar, I know. :-) }

By infinitejester on November 13, 2009 1:50 PM

MfN, I like you. Forgive me.

[Sic]

Let's all say this togethe:. The market is beyond inflated. This property listing is our jump the shark momrmt mu friends. A desperate grab for cash by A&H to cash in at the tail end of one spectacular bubble. Just pathetic. Pity the sellers, being sold a pile of dog crap by A&H. Of pity the poor fool so pays even close to asking and loses their shirt.


Posted by: MoneyForNothing at May 20, 2009 9:30 PM

By CarrollGardened on November 13, 2009 1:55 PM

The Bay Ridge house needs a 50% price cut. I just found out a nasty woman lives nearby.

By tybur6 on November 13, 2009 2:09 PM

Something made the Google Street View car start driving really fast in front of the Crown Heights house...

By MoneyForNothing on November 13, 2009 2:10 PM

Nice, I wrote that about this place last time?! No forgiveness needed IJ!!!

We're 200K below May 20 and I'll venture to say another 200K to go before it's taken seriously.

Perhaps I should have said poor "soul" instead of "fool"....I must have had an extra dose of bitter buyer's rage that day. So forgive me!!

I don't mind low stoops in the slightest, but you cannot trust Realtor photos. The street view of the bldg itself looks just dismal. Bergen is fine in certain spots, but noisy as all get out. The 2-way bus and truck traffic I believe would be substantial.

That just doesn't scream 1.6 million dollar home to me. Thumbs down.


By Expert Textpert on November 13, 2009 2:11 PM

ALL overpriced.

Bergen Street is the Size of a button.

Prospect Avenue is chopped up like nobodies business. And realtors, STOP labeling rooms without windows bedrooms.

Bay Ridge House is cute, but chop it by 10%. It does have a coveted garage which on this block is needed.

Crown Street only has a few pics but looks nice and overpriced the most.

By infinitejester on November 13, 2009 2:12 PM

I live on this block, so I'm totally biased anyway. Just ignore me:).

By Pigeon on November 13, 2009 2:12 PM

Miss Muffett,

A week or so ago, I looked up the Bergan Street house using google maps, as the house seems reasonably priced. My surprise that the realtor's photo of the exterior was misrepresentational was only moderate, as we all know that misrepresentation is a large part or what realtor's do.

As mentioned by BST, above, google maps is a great way to get a sketch of a property's exterior and a sketch of the block on which the property sits.

By Petebklyn on November 13, 2009 2:18 PM

of course Pigeon, google maps are not guaranteed recent photos. They don't update them just because a construction site is now complete or someone just replaced the windows.

By Brokedeveloper on November 13, 2009 2:26 PM

Wow, I used to live at 448 Bergen way back when. That block was much different in those days. It is a bit of a noisy and high traffic block (buses, horns), but it is damn convenient to transportation and O'Connors.

By tybur6 on November 13, 2009 2:37 PM

It is very convenient to O'Connors. That should be worth something... "No problem, Honey, I'll run out to the store and get more Pampers for our little bundle of love."

By Brownstones Half Off on November 13, 2009 2:39 PM

"Elliman did a SPECTACULAR job on the perspective distort on the building facade"

Yeah, brokers also do tricks like this to hide narrow facades (i.e. no exterior pic). They expect you to show up, slip on a banana peel and inadvertantly sign the sales contract. Ahh, the days of buying spec and no contingencies.

***Bid half off peak comps***

By Pigeon on November 13, 2009 2:39 PM

True, Petebklyn.

Google maps "street view" is not up-to-date, and thus can be somewhat misleading. But still it's a great quick way to get a general, usually fairly accurate, feel for things.

By infinitejester on November 13, 2009 2:40 PM

Oh, you cannot be serious! O'Connor's is the worst. Freddy's blows them out of the water.

Anyone who wants to hit up Freddy's Saturday night, email me at hi dot infinitejester at gmail. That's where I'll be.

By Brokedeveloper on November 13, 2009 2:43 PM

Funny, T6. I used to take my laundry down to the basement, grab 1 beer at O'Connors, then go back home and put it in the dryer, go back and have 2 beers at O'Connors, and then pick it up on the way home (if I didn't end up getting drunk at Freddy's afterwards).

By Brokedeveloper on November 13, 2009 2:48 PM

IJ, can't speak to O'Connors now, but it was an awesome place in the 90's. Though, before the smoking ban it was one big cloud of smoke.

By infinitejester on November 13, 2009 2:51 PM

I spoke at the open mic at Freddy's this week. Transformational moment in my life:).

By tybur6 on November 13, 2009 2:52 PM

Freddy's is awesome. Do they still have Diorama night?

By infinitejester on November 13, 2009 3:14 PM

Yes, they do. Comedy night is my fav. Also waiting until the crowds thin out after 12:30 at night so I can get a seat at the bar.

I NEVER close bars but when I do, I prefer this one.

They're scheduled to close if AY ever happens, so the PLUSAs must visit there one day soon. Hosted by infinitejester of course!

By DitmasSnark on November 13, 2009 3:14 PM

> Open mic

The two scariest words in the English language.

By infinitejester on November 13, 2009 3:18 PM

It's a long story, DS. Two PLUSAs know it already.

By IronBalls on November 13, 2009 3:30 PM


Keep waiting folks. Prices still have another 30% to fall by this time next year.

By HOBOKENROCKS on November 13, 2009 4:03 PM

Iron, I wouldn't be surprised if they fell but not another 30 percent by next fall.. More like another 30 percent in 2-3 years if jobs don't come back..

By Minard Lafever on November 13, 2009 4:53 PM

I agree that unless the employment situation improves house prices will tank especially in the newly gentrified areas. The truth is that Brooklyn real estate collapses if new investors don't keep buying old houses with new dollars. If the flow of new money dries up, we're back in the 1980's. It's all kind of like a Madoff scheme isn't it? It's a depressing scenario so I will think about somehing else. I know, Happy Hour Friday!!
Cheerio everyone!

By JoeBushwick on November 14, 2009 5:24 PM

I like the Crown St. house and especially like the garage in back but they have to be out of their minds if they think that raising the price $50K since it was listed in May is going to get it sold. Try dropping it $50K from the price in May an maybe the can get the deal done.

By bfarwell on November 15, 2009 8:03 AM

From BrownHarrisStevens-

"...in the very special neighborhood of Crown Heights..."

Is that like short-bus special?? No, your neighborhood isn't sucky, it's just... uh... 'special'.

(i actually like CH, but still. terrible phrasing.)

By traditionalmod on November 15, 2009 1:30 PM

To Minard, don't be depressed. Yet! It was and is more than a bubble or excess money or whatever that drove people especially families in Brooklyn into brownstones. It was a shift in lifestyle. It became all about staying in the city and trying to make an urban city a place for green stuff, yards and kids. Gardening has made a comeback big time, even in apartments, on roofs and backs of trucks. I don't see this lifestyle changing back and the population of NYC is still increasing, not decreasing unlike other cities in the country during this recession. Interest in houses remains the same; people just want to spend less that's all. I know at least 3 couples who want to buy a house in our neighborhood of PLG and they're actively looking here. Two of the houses that were for sale on our street in recent months did sell. People will more often live with imperfect houses and fix them more gradually. They won't always spring for $20,000 worth of kitchen appliances. But people are not losing interest in owning historic homes and they're not losing interest in finding a bargain in non-Park-Slope neighborhoods.

About the Bay Ridge house, it seems a nice house. That wouldn't be a street I name as one of the best there though. I used to live near this location. It's a wide street and busy and mixed with big coop buildings.

Post a comment

Please be patient while your comment is published. It may take a moment.

Related Posts with Thumbnails