God, I hate mulberry trees. Ugly even before they drop that awful mess. Nuke 'em all, for my money.

But the advice from Ryan 5:12 is not so good: "If you want to kill it. Just bury the bottom 12 inches with dirt, and rocks, and it will sufficate and die. If you want a faster kill remove a 2 inch stip of bark around the cicumference of the trunk."

Um, first, on the idea that mounding dirt 12 inches around a tree will kill it (until after 63 years or so): No, it won't.

Second, in an urban area, where the children frolic just across the fence from your ugly-ass mulberry, killing a tree and waiting for it to fall wherever it chooses is not a good program.

Posted by: ryan at June 19, 2007 5:12 PM

Posted by: Bob999 at June 20, 2007 1:32 AM in response to Mulberry Hell!

I had some good service from Joe at PC Richards on Atlantic last week, but generally the experienced suuuuuuuuuucked, starting with the fact that you need GPS and a police escort to get a car into their parking lot and then back out onto 4th avenue. There is only one way in, and one way out, and it is a catastrophically stupid POS of urban non-planning. The prices are good, but it's all Service With a Grunt, if you're dealing with anybody below white-shirt-&-tie manager level. If the staff pays attention to you at all. It's a battle getting an air conditioner or a microwave around here, man. I'm going to take some of your suggestions here next time-- thanks, y'all.

Posted by: Bob999 at June 9, 2007 12:22 AM in response to Appliances

Whatever you do, ask your next brokerage whether they co-broke. If they don't--as is a problem with many rinky-dink Brooklyn agencies--you'll be eliminating any potential buyer who is working with a buyer broker. Why do that?

Posted by: Bob999 at June 3, 2007 4:09 PM in response to Not Happy with Broker

Personally I find Property Shark very promising--and very frustrating. Bad info, missing info, and very poor functionality. Seems every time I start looking at a property, after about three clicks the site stops functioning and sticks on one part of the report, refusing to let me go back to pages I had already viewed. I don't trust anything I find there; just a tool.

Posted by: Bob999 at June 3, 2007 4:07 PM in response to Help with Property Shark's comparables

So based on that link, BBQing in the front yard of a brownstone would only be illegal if the grill were closer than 10 feet to the house. Right?

Posted by: Bob999 at June 2, 2007 10:46 AM in response to is front-yard grilling/bbq OK?

Thanks for the affirmation, Anon June 1 (I knew you were going to catch me sooner or later... gotta stop drunk-posting!) Donatella, we saw no need to check Parks Dept. records, because the tree was only 35 years old or so, and we weren't looking for someone to tell us not to do what so clearly needed to be done. It was obvious to anyone that the tree was an eyesore that needed to go. The remaining prettier tree will be healthier for it.

Posted by: Bob999 at June 2, 2007 1:41 AM in response to Update: "NYC won't let me cut down my own damned tree?!"

Of course there are buyer brokers in New York. And here's a news flash to people who want to sell their house: DO NOT use a real-estate firm that refuses to co-broke! Why on earth would you do that? If you do, you will be eliminating ANY buyer that has opted for a buyer broker. Contrary to what some have posted here, they DO exist, and they can be very helpful--they know the market, they know the neighborhoods, they can serve as a good sounding board--and they deserve to be paid for their services. I'm with you, Anon 3:21: Crooklyn real-estate brokers need to wake up and do business the way every other market in the country does--that is, with the MLS, with buyer brokers, and with the willingness to co-broke. Buyers should not have to pay a fee to be represented. Everywhere else in the world, that representative splits the commish with the selling broker. And these days, they're more likely to be splitting 5% than 6.

Posted by: Bob999 at June 1, 2007 1:03 PM in response to Buyer's Brokers

Hey, Tag482, would you recommend your boiler service company? If so, please post name and number. (I'm in Clinton Hill.) I need the glass thingie replaced, too, and I also don't know exactly what (if anything) one is supposed to do with a boiler during the summer. Thanks!

Posted by: Bob999 at June 1, 2007 12:50 PM in response to shutting down the boiler for the summer

My back is killing me right now because of all the gorgeous bluestone I dug up today while trying to plant stuff. It sucks indeed to carry it... but I ain't complaining. The stuff is everywhere in the backyards of these old stones, apparently. It's worth its weight in gold--have you priced it? Get some help laying it out in a nice patio. That's our plan.

Posted by: Bob999 at May 30, 2007 1:32 AM in response to Treasure Found Under Concrete

Oh, for god's sake, don't Roundup it. Just pull it off the building, let it charmingly grow up the building again over the next 5 years, and pull it off again. It's easy.

Posted by: Bob999 at May 30, 2007 1:26 AM in response to Ivy Removal

I love wood frames, but there is no denying that you have to paint them every 5, 7, whatever years. A brick facade needs to be tuckpointed (about the same price as a modest paint job, or less) about every 50 years. Personally, I have a brownstone and I wish it were brick. But that would never stop me from buying one of those fab frames in the city--so rare. And that scarcity also has a big value. Listen to the force, Luke. Good luck.

Posted by: Bob999 at May 30, 2007 1:21 AM in response to Value of Wood Frame Vs Brick

Missed the PS tour, darnit, and Clinton Hill was disappointing--I agree. But you don't really think the same house would literally sell for twice as much in PS as in CH, do you? My house hunt does not bear that out. I'd say the slope runs maybe 30% higher, give or take.

Posted by: Bob999 at May 22, 2007 10:50 AM in response to Park Slope House Tour Recap

Every time somebody puts up a post like this it always strikes me: Isn't this an incredibly screwy way to look for an apartment, asking the apartment to come to you? In *this* town, of all places? Dude, you gotta burn some shoe leather if you ever hope to find someplace non-disgusting and in your range. Above poster is right: get to work on NYTimes.com, Craig's, etc.

Posted by: Bob999 at May 22, 2007 10:09 AM in response to The 718 is getting more 212

Not to be overly presumptuous, but if I may: One of the biggest aesthetic mistakes people make in renovating is to remove multipane windows and replace them with blank, unmullioned windows--it's like taking a statue and poking the eyes out. It also sounds dangerous to replace casement windows (the swing-out kind) with double-hung--isn't this going to screw up the look of your house? Now I don't even know if your house is old, so I don't want to talk out of school--but are you sure you want to do this? Especially with vinyl windows? Cause they're often reallllly ugly (albeit much more energy efficient). Is it not possible for you to at least get windows that are aluminum outside with wood on the inside so you can paint/stain them? Or to replace with another casement window? I'm just trying to be helpful--many a nice old building has been ruined this way. Cheers.

Posted by: Bob999 at April 1, 2007 9:54 PM in response to Anybody need old colonial style windows?

Chocolate-covered ants?

Posted by: Bob999 at April 1, 2007 9:47 PM in response to ant infestation

The language of the law specifies that the mansion tax applies to the PRICE of the house. The price of the house is $999-- period. I agree that you should get a lawyer, but I'm almost certain that even this crooked-ass state is not going to charge you a tax upon your taxes.

Posted by: Bob999 at April 1, 2007 9:46 PM in response to MANSION TAX CONFUSION

Chances are quite good that you're being scammed--the problem is, there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. I think every broker in the city does this (including the one who sold our house for us, without telling us)--it's a very effective and obviously unethical way to create a sense of urgency and to get buyers to stop dillydallying over price. However, if it's not too much higher than your offer, and if you truly love the place, you'd probably forget the pain pretty quickly, no? I think there should be a law that requires brokers to PROVE there is another firm offer by showing you a piece of signed paperwork from that alleged (usually phantom) buyer, but in Brooklyn, which still has kind of a wild west realty system, that's dreamin'. Good luck!

Posted by: Bob999 at April 1, 2007 3:51 PM in response to Last minute offer change

Just went to look up a photo of Brooklyn Law School building, and I can understand why a lot of people would like it alongside its 100-year-old neighboring buildings. It looks nicely built, and I don't dislike it. Still, IMO, from an architectural point of view, its mishmaswh of familiar styles (is it postmodern? Neo-classical?) contributes nothing new (as so few buildings do), and I think that's a shame. I would rather see a radical contemporary building there--like, say, the amazing Rem Koolhaas library in Seattle or Portland, forget which. (Not a Gehry, I hasten to add--that guy seems to have exactly one idea.) But that's just me. Cheers.

Posted by: Bob999 at March 21, 2007 1:11 PM in response to 525 Clinton Gets Its Glass On

We're all entitled to our opinions, and I love old buildings (and own/live in one) but for my money, I think it's silly and almost never successful to attempt to make new buildings look liike old ones--with construction/materials/labor costs, it's all but impossible to do it right. I don't care whether a building matches its neighbors. I care that a building is interesting, made of quality materials, and approriately and interestingly responds to its surroundings. Having not seen this one in person, I can't say whether it succeeds aesthetically, but it sure looks like somethign that would be an asset to this hood, no?

Posted by: Bob999 at March 21, 2007 12:55 PM in response to 525 Clinton Gets Its Glass On

Um, you'd be wanting a landscape architect, there, wouldn't ya?

Posted by: Bob999 at March 16, 2007 5:59 PM in response to need help for courtyard garden

One key reason that it's a good thing for a home to have had the same owner for a long time is that there haven't been a succession of newbies to splatter yet another coat of paint on the joint--especially on the woodwork. It's true that old-timers are less likely to have kept the place up-to-date, but personally, I prefer to be the person who makes those choices. (What if they had renovated my kitchen in 1985--yecch, mauve!) My place needs a lot of help on the electrical and a little on the plumbing, but at least most of the woodwork has its original, 130-year-old finish--just the way I want it to.

Posted by: Bob999 at March 15, 2007 5:09 PM in response to Houses of the Day: Head-to-Head on Clinton Street

Anybody know what the aforementioned zoning change in FG/CH is all about?

Posted by: Bob999 at March 14, 2007 7:06 PM in response to Wednesday Links

I like this building very, very much. People are always asking on this site about what kind of contemporary residential architecture DO folks like--well, here's a good example, for my money. Is it perfect? Of course not. But at least it's not yet another lame, Drivet-spattered, Fedderspalooza. How about some architects copying this idea for single-family homes here in CH?

Posted by: Bob999 at March 14, 2007 7:03 PM in response to Steuben Glass: Myrtle Gets Fancy

Well, this thread sure has degenerated into a complete Stupidpalooza. Jesus Christ. I hate to be uncivil, which is not normally my thing, here, but it is completely ridiculous to defend (let alone to be) a broker who can't even be bothered to place a listing in the NY Times in this market--which does not have a real Multiple Listing Service the way most cities do, and for which the Times is the closest facsimile--let alone to not have a useful web presence. Whether they're getting a 6% commish, or 1%, or whatever. There's a broker who won't be a broker for long. Brownstoner is completely correct. One poster here seems to actually be arguing that the best, or coolest, or realest (or something) way to find a house in Brooklyn is to walk the whole fricking borough looking at For Sale signs--I'm surprised a person like that is able to feed himself, let alone manage to buy property. If this seller had a cell left in his/her brain, he would just go For Sale By Owner and pay NO commish to anyone. Why pay commish if no service? Fer crying out loud.

Posted by: Bob999 at March 12, 2007 9:13 PM in response to House of the Day: 277 Prospect Place

I'm not afraid of Hasidim, although I wish they'd crack a fricking smile once in a while. I just hate the hideous, hulking buildings they build.

Posted by: Bob999 at March 9, 2007 12:55 PM in response to What Is Up With Schaefer Landing?

Friend of mine lives here. Stunning river/bridge views. But you can't characterize it as "uber-luxury." Dinky kitchens with GE Profile stainless, not Viking or Wolf, and the hardware is medium grade. Hollow doors. Bulky, obnoxious A/C units buldge into the rooms. Uninspired floorplans. Also, I don't see the attraction of Billyburg, personally, unless you're in it for the rock clubs and galleries.

Posted by: Bob999 at March 9, 2007 12:53 PM in response to What Is Up With Schaefer Landing?

Now THAT is a smart idea for growing Brownstoner--exclusive open houses. Maybe there a a few clever agents out there who could recognize the potential for partnering with the site on other properties--the idea being to encourage quality development. I wonder if you'll get any attendance? Would love to have a report after the fact.

Posted by: Bob999 at March 9, 2007 12:00 PM in response to The Cheapest Old House in Brooklyn?

If I lived here, I would tumble to my death from that elevated platform sans railing inside of a week. But it's purty.

Posted by: Bob999 at March 8, 2007 9:19 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 7th Avenue Cathedral Loft

Seems to me certain kinds of businesses (like piano teacher) are one thing, but anything resembling retail are verrry much another--both in terms of zoning laws and in terms of pissing off your neighbors with signs, parking problems, etc. And a bookstore, art gallery, boutique kind of thing clearly qualifies as the latter. You shouldn't do that.....

Posted by: Bob999 at February 24, 2007 5:38 PM in response to Business in Brownstone / Zoning redux

This is indeed a great question--maybe Brownstoner should regularly devote an area to people with interior design dillemas in brownstones. I have one suggestion--buy small furniture. Seriously. I mentioned this last week, here: most American furniture is reidiculously overscaled, overstuffed, and this makes matters worse in small awkward urban spaces. Among places that sell smaller-scaled stuff I really like: Room & Board in Soho (reasonable prices, great fabrics, cool contemporary and traditional pieces). Crate & Barrell isn't too bad. Bo Concepts, Room & Co., Design Within Reach. And, of course, if you're on a budget, Ikea--very urban oriented. My designer boyfriend suggests two chairs and a cocktail table arrayed before the fireplace, and a separate sofa/conversation area on either side, by the window or by the pocket doors. You might also use two little cubes (widely available) instead of any large cocktail table--this way you can walk between them.

Posted by: Bob999 at February 22, 2007 4:15 PM in response to Classic Brownstone Question

I'm not moving in unless it has a chic health club and an open bar--like the Oro.

Posted by: Bob999 at February 22, 2007 3:56 PM in response to Development Watch: 189 Schermerhorn Street

Huh?, there's nothing wrong with wanting to live in a high-end condo, including this one, and I didn't say there was. I was only talking about the ad, and the kind of people who could be swayed by it. And what I said was the only kind of person who could possibly be enticed by an ad like this is the aforementioned brand of loser. Did you watch the commercial? It's cheaply made, shows you nothing about any of the apartments' actual features--only the health club, pool, and a cheesy rendering of the apparant bar (there's a bar?)--with a voiceover who reads a script something like "Some people spend a lot of money on health clubs, movies, and going to bars. Suckers!" I understand the concept of selling a lifestyle, not just bricks and morter. Still: this ad agency ain't taking home any Clios any time soon, IMHO. By the way: Yeah, Jem, the ad implies that drinks at the Oro's bar will be FREE! See ya there!

Posted by: Bob999 at February 22, 2007 2:27 PM in response to You Too Can Get Laid At The Oro

Do you really succeed in selling condos with an ad that talks about nothing but the building's pool, gym, and bar--and does so with a smarmy, cheesy tone and bad voiceover? Also, where do you place a broadcast television ad to be effective in selling Brooklyn condos? New York 1, maybe? Seems estupido a la grande to me. Tell ya one thing: I sure wouldn't want to live in a building with people who WOULD respond to this kind of come-on. It's gonna be the same kind of losers you see waiting in line outside clubs in the meatpacking district.

Posted by: Bob999 at February 22, 2007 11:12 AM in response to You Too Can Get Laid At The Oro

Why would you ever need to decrease a C of O? Why bother?

Posted by: Bob999 at February 21, 2007 12:39 PM in response to DECREASING a C of O

Is there a house tour in Ditmas? Anybody know? Actually, does anybody keep a comprehensive list of house tours in Bklyn? I know Clinton Hill is May 7 or something. I'm not quite ready to move to Ditmas, but damn, are there some pretty houses there.

Posted by: Bob999 at February 21, 2007 12:36 PM in response to House of the Day: 1211 Ditmas Avenue

Speaking of the POS at 220 Greene, anybody know its status? Meaning has that very special buyer shown up to inflict this property upon himself?

Posted by: Bob999 at February 21, 2007 12:06 PM in response to Lot for Sale: Don't Mind the POS Next Door

Hey, Anon 7:46, people have been writing along this theme for a couple of days, so I'm going to respond: it really warms my heart to see somebody in this dumb-ass country noticing how important real journalism is. (As opposed to the Post, Fox News, etc., and as opposed to blogs.) This seems to be what you're saying when you remark, "Brownstoner needs to do actual research rather than just allow anonymous posts." Aside from the fact that Mr. B often does do excellent research, the thing is, Brownstoner IS a blog, albeit my favorite one. Blogs typically have one staffer, usually unpaid. And they let everybody speak (or rant). That's a blog. While Mr. B has journalistic background at a magazine, if memory serves, and has excellent taste in headlines and pix and mixing up stories, he has never held himself out to be publishing a newspaper-level enterprise. Which he couldn't possibly do without at least a few reporters, and preferably about 20, easy, given the vastness of this borough. Brooklyn, you'll recall, is something like the 5th largest city in the country. What, he's supposed to be the editor, the publisher, the reporter, the designer, the photographer--have you ever worked at a newspaper? It don't work like that. Brownstoner is, as they say, what it is. It relies upon the imput of its constituency. And it's a good thing.

Posted by: Bob999 at February 20, 2007 10:24 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: Turner Towers Two Bedroom

Sweet mother of god, it's true: Australia is banning incandescent light bulbs, and California is talking about it, too. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17233145 That is total horseshit. How about revising the 30-year-old emissions standards on cars, reducing coal burning, offering better tax credits for insulation, before you issue a blanket ban on the only type of lighting that actually looks good? Me and the interior decorators of the world are taking to the streets!

Posted by: Bob999 at February 20, 2007 4:58 PM in response to Domino's Top Picks for Green Housing Products

Does any of this paint actually work? On a semi-related note, check this out: I heard today that Australia has announced plans to BAN incandescent light bulbs in a year! The entire nation of Australia! Dunno if it's true, but YIKES! I'm all for green practices, but life with those fucking flourescent bulbs everywhere would be so depressing, I wouldn't care about the planet--or anything else. Aesthetics are important. Good design is impossible without good lighting. And good lighting with flourescent bulbs is next to impossible, with a few exceptions. Run screaming into the outback!

Posted by: Bob999 at February 20, 2007 4:53 PM in response to Domino's Top Picks for Green Housing Products

What's the deal with those two wedge-shaped forms poking out of the front, there? Decoration? I actually like the apperaance of some of these Scarano buildings (in pictures, I should hasten to add--haven't actually studied any in person) and this one looks kinda nice to me. Kinda.

Posted by: Bob999 at February 20, 2007 4:48 PM in response to Development Watch: 136 St. Marks Place

Anon 2:19, are you referring to Marty Markowitz as a big, beautiful, decaying structure? I think "beautiful" is a stretch. :)

Posted by: Bob999 at February 20, 2007 4:42 PM in response to New Development: The Oddly-Named Lefferts South

Could somebody tell me the terms of this "flip tax"? I've never heard of such a thing. Interesting. How much is the "tax," and how short a turnaround does it consider to be a "flip"? And would the board consider waiving this fee if the owner had to sell for non-speculative reasons, like a job transfer, divorce, death of spouse, catastrophic illness? Personally, I am not interested in investing my real-estate bucks in properties that place too many rules on what I can do. I don't even like condos, much less co-ops. Not to hate on this building or anything--the apartment looks nice and seems fairly priced. Cheers.

Posted by: Bob999 at February 20, 2007 4:34 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: Turner Towers Two Bedroom

In winter, your chickens (and llamas) get cold.

Posted by: Bob999 at February 20, 2007 9:02 AM in response to Keeping chickens in Clinton Hill

Considering the shite that I see at most people's open houses, IMHO condoms, whips, assless chaps or leather teddies are not even remotely offensive by comparison.

Posted by: Bob999 at February 20, 2007 2:12 AM in response to Condom Found During Open House of NEW development.

Anon 12:16, I agree with you that building authentic-looking old buildings like this is cool. And possible. But it's reallllly expensive.

Posted by: Bob999 at February 19, 2007 1:00 PM in response to House of the Day: 43 Love Lane

Wow--that is interesting. First let me say that, as much as I love our gorjus landmarked neighborhoods, I am the last person to argue that people should be attempting to replicate 150-year-old building styles today (I want some NEW architecture, dammit!). However, this building is seriously cool looking, and if anybody wants to build more like it Brooklyn, I say go for it. I agree with Mr. B that the cornice should be straight, but that's a fine point. Kudos to the designer and builder and whoever commissioned them. That said: Are you kidding me with the $3.5 million for 1300 sf? Gonna take a very particular buyer, this one.

Posted by: Bob999 at February 19, 2007 12:11 PM in response to House of the Day: 43 Love Lane

One cool thing you can do on propertyshark.com is remove properties from the comps result list if they seem like non market sales (between family members, etc). You can also now make notes right on the properties so if you go by a place and see the roof is missing, well then you can make a note on that and get it out of your list.

Posted by: J Bellw at June 7, 2007 10:31 AM in response to Help with Property Shark's comparables

EBA (as suggested by Bob Marvin, above) is good. If you are up to it, haggle a price from PC Richard and then go to EBA for a better price. If you don't hav a car they're a short walk from the last stop on the 2 train.

Posted by: at June 9, 2007 9:14 AM in response to Appliances

Bob, I agree with your colorful depiction of PC Richards parking lot.

Posted by: donatella at June 9, 2007 12:51 PM in response to Appliances

If you already know model numbers--
http://www.appliancesbuyphone.com/

Great prices, no sales tax (outside of NJ), free delivery.

I bought an AC from them, it was super easy

Posted by: Maria at June 11, 2007 10:46 AM in response to Appliances

It Happens to the best of us... sometimes the chemistry falls apart. It WAS there when you signed, but mysteriously disappears after you sign with them. If the agent acknowledges his/her shortcomings, they should RELEASE the listing to another agent in the office. BUT try to keep in mind that sometimes the SELLER creates the problem(s) also... look at the whole picture before blaming the agent simply b/c the property hasn't sold yet. The agency does NOT have to release the listing, and you should make at least ONE attempt to rectify the problems TOGETHER.

Also, it might be a benefit if the property was listed with an MLS broker... anyone can show the property with the right disclosures in place. Not all brokers are bad.

Posted by: Howard at June 29, 2007 1:56 PM in response to Not Happy with Broker

Sell it yourself. Take the price your broker was offering your home for, subtract his/her commission, write an ad for the NY Times advertising an open house, appointment only, no brokers (they'll show up anyway and try to steal your potential purchasers). You will probably get at least one offer by the end of the day. People LOVE dealing directly with each other and cutting out the broker. You know more about your home than the broker, anyway, and most sellers appreciate honest answers about pros and cons. Make sure that you already have an attorney you want to use, in case of multiple offers; it's nice to have back-up offers.

Posted by: anon at July 10, 2007 1:53 PM in response to Not Happy with Broker

Just made three appts. for estimates and NY Tree and Shrub just didn't show up. I called to see what happened and he offered no explanation and suggested that I call another company. Unbelievable!! A complete waste of time. I wouldn't bother calling.

Posted by: melocoton at September 25, 2008 5:12 PM in response to Update: "NYC won't let me cut down my own damned tree?!"

Condoms is made of person called Condom. He invented first, so his name is put of condom now. Before, condoms is free, but nowaday, they are sold every Parmacy. However, on the internet, condoms shop are opened. They're comfortable for us because they transport to U a way polite and U don't lose long time wait
http://shopthehetre.com/

Posted by: huongsac_h2h at November 24, 2008 3:35 AM in response to Condom Found During Open House of NEW development.

Condom is made of by a person named Condom. Before condoms are sold in Parmacy. Nowaday, many shops on the internet sell condoms. Only by the way transmits money in to their account. They service condoms to you the best quick and police.
Contact follow: http://shopthehetre.com/
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Posted by: huongsac_h2h at November 24, 2008 3:42 AM in response to Condom Found During Open House of NEW development.

"Regardless of the legality, it looks pretty trashy to do so..."

I can kind of see what you mean about this but maybe you are one of the fortunate few who have a backyard or own in the city.

Last summer I got very interested in grilling and started cooking food for my friends in front of my rented Astoria apartment on Wednesdays after work. What I was doing was perfectly legal but as soon as the landlord found out he forbade me to do so. I was quite upset about this and now bring my grilling supplies with me when I'm outside of the city and grill at parties and such.

I'm moving to Greenpoint next month and just checked if McCarren or McGorlick Park have designated grilling areas. Doesn't look like it. I have some friends that grill illegaly on rooftops. Sounds like a pretty bad idea. I think the city should provide more areas for this activity.

Posted by: KeithHopkin at May 17, 2009 1:18 PM in response to is front-yard grilling/bbq OK?