Referral on replacing or repairing a shower stall

re: "he'd hoped by calling it that instead of a tax he could bypass the Council once again"

A tax depends on Albany’s (not the Council's) approval.

Why post a summary of an article if you don't get the information right?

Posted by: Bklnite at November 19, 2008 9:11 AM in response to $400 and Free Plastic Bags Coming Your Way?

btw, the first horror show is Midwood Street (PLG / Crown Heights?) not Midwood the neighborhood.

Posted by: Bklnite at November 14, 2008 11:44 AM in response to Horror Show Friday

I didn't notice the dive bar had been remade til I saw this post. Had lunch over the weekend. Food was good, but they could use some more customers. Give it a try.

Posted by: Bklnite at October 28, 2008 11:14 AM in response to Coney Island Ave Gets New Restaurant

I shouldn't have made the snarky 22nd century payoff remark -- you wouldn't save the the cost of the entire expensive roof any time soon but could on just the solar piece. I'm all for green roofs / green energy and I'd like to know what the cost of just the solar panels was (and also what could be done on a peaked roof in victorian flatbash).

Looking back at the old post, from Prospect Architecture "...
SOLAR POWER - The PV system is a 4800 watt (dc) Sunwize standard grid-tie system consisting of 24 Sanyo 200 watt high efficiency modules. The PV array will be split between the deck roof (9 modules), the bulkhead (5 modules) and an angled array at the front of the roof (8 modules). The efficiency of the technology does not lessen the benefit of solar power. The efficiency of a coal plant matters because its energy source is polluting the environment and destroying ecosystems; the efficiency of solar power relates only to the amount of solar radiation on a particular area that is absorbed by the panels. No harm or true loss occurs if 80% of the solar radiation hitting that panel is not converted to electricity. The government rebate programs for NY State pay just over 50% of the project costs for all systems up to 10KW, which calculated at current electrical prices pays for itself in 11-12 years. The actual payback will likely be closer to 7-8 years due to the continuing cost increases in electricity."

Posted by: Bklnite at October 16, 2008 1:32 PM in response to Exteriors: Green Roof in Bloom

THL -
The post from last year ...about the cost? A little over $200 a square foot. So if the roof is 750 sf (likley bigger guessing from pics) they spent over $150k... and they reduced about 1000 kwh comparing a month in 08 to 07, i'm figuring they saving $100 per month on con ed bills and will break even some time in the 22nd century.

OK, to be fair that cost was including demo, structural enhancement, new stairs and bulkhead ... a lot more than the solar panels cost. I'm all for green and it is fabulous, but safe to say not a break even any time soon.

Posted by: Bklnite at October 16, 2008 11:30 AM in response to Exteriors: Green Roof in Bloom

I know people w/ small kids on that block who are quite happy there. When they were considering it I said: the block may change but the PJs aren't going anywhere. Seems to have worked out OK for them.

Re: concrete backyard -- I'm sure you could get cheap illegal immigrant labor to haul out the jackhammered rubble and then turn it back in to a garden.

Posted by: Bklnite at October 15, 2008 6:01 PM in response to House of the Day: 18 St. Marks Place

DIBS -
Yes, a good McCain article.

http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/23316912/makebelieve_maverick

The silver lining of the current crisis is that it went from a close race a month ago to looking like Obama's to lose. Could be a landslide.

Posted by: Bklnite at October 8, 2008 3:12 PM in response to House of the Day: 632 Third Street

While making fun of Fillmore for advertising "pocket stained doors", why not pile on about their use of the letter "s":

"...located in the prime area of Clinton Hills"
"X-Street Green & Gate Aves"

+1 and -1, I guess it's a wash.

Posted by: Bklnite at October 6, 2008 4:22 PM in response to House of the Day: 423 Clinton Avenue

Transposing 2 digits for a 2% drop on Atlantic Ave isn't a serious reduction. Take 15% like the other 2 if you want to even approach bargain pricing. If I was a buyer, I'd hold on to cash and wait.

Hey DOW8000SP800,
Getting awfully close to your targets today.

Posted by: Bklnite at October 6, 2008 3:30 PM in response to Brooklyn Bargains? Condo Price Cuts

That listing is a house that was a foreclosure of the week a couple of months back.

http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2008/08/445_e_19th_stre.php

Posted by: Bklnite at October 2, 2008 11:35 AM in response to House of the Day: 352 Argyle Road

Is that next door to Top Café Tibet, at the former Cornerstone building?

http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2008/08/wednesday_food_89.php

Posted by: Bklnite at September 10, 2008 2:22 PM in response to Streetlevel: Cortelyou Gets a New Restaurant

"do I sell my fannie and freddie stock"

bayridgegirl,

If you can get a dollar a share, that's a buck more than nothing.

Posted by: Bklnite at September 8, 2008 12:25 PM in response to Government Rescues Fannie and Freddie

Nothing wrong with a 40 year mortgage. 30 years is just convention. You probably pay a slightly higher rate, and a little less principle in a slightly lower monthly payment. It's more conservative than an interest only loan. If lenders offer it and the numbers work then keep the option on the table.

Many years ago when I was self employed, I went with a no income check 7/1 ARM. Had a good experience then with Norman Calvo from universal mortgage.

Posted by: Bklnite at August 25, 2008 4:59 PM in response to Stated Income Mortgage

Chaka -
What bar? The Cornerstone closed ages ago. Are you talking about (bookstore, coffee bar, performance space, instant publishing center) Vox Pop, or some grim dive on CIA?

Posted by: Bklnite at August 15, 2008 1:45 PM in response to Streetlevel: A New Bar Coming to Cortelyou

GMAP link goes to a 10th Ave address in Queens.

Posted by: Bklnite at August 14, 2008 4:54 PM in response to Development Watch: Facade Phase at 620 10th Street

CobbleHilller -
The Park Slope place has a lot almost double the size and R6 zoning (and no Landmark) - that one is being marketed as a tear-down.

Posted by: Bklnite at August 14, 2008 4:22 PM in response to House of the Day: 132 Cambridge Place

Saw this link, re: Federal Pacific Electric Panels: Fires Waiting to Happen
http://www.inspect-ny.com/fpe/fpe.html
"Panel replacement ... typically $800 to $1200"

I had a panel in my house and a breaker would never trip on overload. A space heater burned out an outlet, and I was lucky we didn't have a fire. I think I paid about $800.

Posted by: Bklnite at August 6, 2008 4:16 PM in response to Federal Pacific

"considerations: Corner lot, garage, driveway"

Most houses in this neck of the woods have the garage & driveway. The corner lot to me is a negative - 175 feet of sidewalk frontage makes a lot of snow to shovel, leaves to sweep, on top of all the maintenance on any big old house like this.

A nice house, and landmark historic district probably keeps values/prices up.

Posted by: Bklnite at July 31, 2008 1:43 PM in response to House of the Day: 1721 Glenwood Road

Nothing says "I'm loaded!" like a CHANDELIER!
Ya GOTTA get a CHANDELIER!
Mike & Toni's Chandelier Galaxy!
835 Merrick Road in LynnBrook
We'll throw in a free set of handsome ben-wah balls wit' every purchase! If ya hafta ask, ya probably don't want 'em!
http://www.hulu.com/watch/10329/saturday-night-live-chandeliers

Posted by: Bklnite at July 30, 2008 12:39 PM in response to Dyker Heights 'Mansion': Yours for $2 Mil

Love that video.
"With mawble cawlums in your house, that place is gonna look like a MANSION!"
http://www.hulu.com/watch/2347/saturday-night-live-mikes-marbleopolis

Posted by: Bklnite at July 30, 2008 12:28 PM in response to Dyker Heights 'Mansion': Yours for $2 Mil

Would love to see a foreclosure of the week follow up. (Was there a last minute deal, or did it really go to auction & if so how much did it go for?)

I was curious about last week - 445 East 19th Street. The house had to be worth approximately double the lien, so wonder why the owners wouldn't make a deal.

Posted by: Bklnite at July 29, 2008 12:39 PM in response to Foreclosures of the Week: Townhouse Doubleshot

Short answer for amanda:
Don't take the deal with points. As you stated it, a lender offering 6.5% no points or 6.375 with 1 point. Rule of thumb from Kenneth "If you pay one point, you should be able to lower your interest rate by a minimum of .25%" and the lender is only lowering by .125%.

If 1 point lowered by .25%, you'd have a break even in year 6.
With 1 point lowering only by .125% your monthly payment only goes down 5 bucks and change (comparing the loan with points to the loan with no points where you put the $3k you save in points toward the down payment) and your break even, taking into account total payments made and remaining loan principle balance, doesn't happen until the 16th year. It's unlikely you know you won't move or want to refinance for 16 years.

Posted by: Bklnite at July 24, 2008 11:14 AM in response to Points (what am I missing)

Tax Class 1 includes One-, two-, and three-family homes, so no tax advantages associated with converting from three- to two- (you would change to tax class 2, and possibly pay more property tax by converting to four-family).

I have lived in 2 different houses with a C of O for 2 family that I used as a 1 family - no reason for it to be an issue. If you want to end up with a three family at some point, save yourself the trouble and expense and don't change anything.

Posted by: Bklnite at July 23, 2008 1:27 PM in response to Conversion

daveinbedstuy -

Maximum permissible increase in assesment is 8 percent a year or 30 percent in 5 years, right? If so it would take 40 years before the assessment could go up enough for the tax to be 68k.

Also, I believe DOF estimates market value for this tax class based on rental income, in which case it doesn't matter if it sold for $ 1.26 MM. Taxes would depend on the rental income and the cap rate by DOF.

Posted by: Bklnite at July 17, 2008 3:22 PM in response to House of the Day: 228 Washington Avenue

Banks are required to do some math for you and give you the APR -- which is the effective interest you're paying to finance a smaller amount of money after they take the points (and fees) off the top.

To take the WaMu CD calculations out of the picture, compare the 300k mortgage with 1 discount point to a 297k mortgage with no points. Figuring it this way, you're better off to avoid points if you can, because your monthly payment is barely lower with points, and your principle balance is higher with points through the majority of the loan term, so you only get a real advantage if you never move or refinance.

You can run numbers w/ online calculators:
http://www.dinkytown.net/java/MortgagePoints.html

Posted by: Bklnite at July 16, 2008 6:03 PM in response to Points (what am I missing)

Why would anyone want to pay $800 for a discontinued model used stove with no warranty, when you could get a brand new (replacement model) with a warranty for $1200?

Try 5 or 6 hundred bucks tops, and post it on craigslist.

Posted by: Bklnite at July 16, 2008 3:50 PM in response to GE 30 Gas Stove for Sale

When I sold in the south slope (years ago in the middle of the runup in prices), the broker took a 3% fee for an exclusive listing. It sold quickly after one open house and for well over ask with multiple bids. At the time I thought the asking price was high, so I think my bottom line did better using a realtor.

Market conditions are clearly different now, but if you do go w/ a broker the savings paying 3 or 4% vs. 5 or 6% are quite significant.

And aside from how good the bones of the house are, it's amazing how much of a difference a little staging can do - making the place de-cluttered and clean w/ a few small touches like flowers.

Posted by: Bklnite at July 16, 2008 3:12 PM in response to Should I User a Realtor to Sell my House