The houses along New York Avenue are so beautiful. I think this will bring more visibility to one of the most "undiscovered" neighborhoods in "brownstone Brooklyn."

Posted by: BrooklynBandana at November 1, 2009 2:09 PM in response to LPC Tees Up Phase 2 of Crown Heights Landmarking

11217, since you're/your/euro/you are being a stickler about language, when you refer to Obama's "eminent promised tax increases on high earners" is it possible you mean to write "IMminent promised tax increases?"

But surely you understand the difference (?)

Incidentally, while it's true Wall Street's panicked about a president elect who continually opposes the interests of Wall Street to Main Street in his rhetoric, in the long run the focus on the middle class is going to be better for us than his predecessor's callous disregard of anyone's interests but those of the very rich. The reason our economy and housing prices are out of whack is that wages and personal income have not kept pace with prices. we've been buying prices with real money + monopoly money (what the banks would lend us). Now that the monopoly money is going away we're left with what we've actually got. And it's not enough. The now notorious subprime ARMs were bought into on the idea/speculation/fantasy that a borrower's income would be higher in a few years, and if not, then his neighbors's or would be neighbors's, so that he could refi or sell at a profit. Furthermore, historically while stocks take a dive when a democrat is elected, if you compare the market under all Democrat presidents versus market under all GOP Presidents, it comes out ahead under the Dems. http://money.cnn.com/2008/11/04/markets/markets_newyork/?postversion=2008110416

Posted by: BrooklynBandana at November 16, 2008 12:14 AM in response to Open House Picks

Heather, forget cursing, consider suing. You know that in most cases it is illegal for landlord not to rent to you because of children, right? (And where was this apartment across the street from Be@Schermerhorn? Macy's?). What you describe is discrimination on the basis of famiial status and it's illegal and a hot potato - has gotten Brown Harris Stevens among others in trouble because they were aiding and abetting the kind of discrimination you seem to have encountered. If it's an owner occupied building with four units or fewer I think the discrimination is legal, for some reason, but for a standard non owner occupied building it's against the law. If your application is otherwise solid, they rent to you and do the abatement. That's the idea in theory. In practice landlords want to avoid the expense and liability. But to actually say "I'm not renting to you because you have kids.." Illegal, generally and STUPID. Surely he could have taken issue with something having to do with your credit report? Or another application just came in that was somehow stronger (eg no kids)? Or something?

As for Be@ I think it's a good deal, though I think they should have washer-dryers in the apartments. I suppose it's likely to go rental.

Posted by: BrooklynBandana at November 15, 2008 11:46 PM in response to Be@Schermerhorn

It's not true that houses have not been going into contract through major firms.

Posted by: BrooklynBandana at November 13, 2008 10:38 PM in response to Closing Bell: Rough Market Makes Strange Bedfellows

These units will stand out - we're not looking at another glass and steel tower in palookaville. I live nearby and have followed this development with interest. Large 2 and 3 bedroom apartments are tough to come by in family magnet Cobble Hill - you either have to buy a townhouse ($$$$) or find a duplex in a condofied townhouse (and like the renovation: black granite counters and cherry cabinets anyone? Or is it white Caesarstone and glossy white cabinetry this year?). The proximity to Smith Street Court Street and Atlantic Avenue is a plus - you're near all that but not in the actual thick of it. Plus PS 261 has earned a solid well deserved reputation and following. And you don't have to deal with all those stairs stairs stairs that come along with living in a crumbly old townhouse. I bet he scores a few families who decide they've had it with trying to get around to fixing up the townhouse, may well come out ahead with selling it, but want to stay in the hood.

Posted by: BrooklynBandana at November 12, 2008 11:42 PM in response to Development Watch: Bill Ross Does 47 Dean Street

Love it. And it is Obama's"fault" - he said in an interview that what he was looking forward to most when his campaign ended was having waffles with his family and hearing his daughters talk about what they were going to do that day. waffles. Yummy,

Posted by: BrooklynBandana at November 12, 2008 11:16 PM in response to Closing Bell: Hungry for Art at MetroTech

Nice back of the envelope analysis Polemecist but don't you think a hotel here could charge more than $200 a night? I'd guess guests would pay more than $200 a night to stay in a swank hotel (this was Brooklyn's "Waldorf Astoria" people) in Brooklyn Heights. also, I see commercial deals at 6% cap rate for buildings in crummier condition and not as nice a location. Why 7% cap rate? Final question is... could this actually be used as a hotel now? What would the Brooklyn Heights Association say? Where would cars park?

Posted by: BrooklynBandana at October 24, 2008 12:14 AM in response to Levine Walks, Bossert Back in Play

Forte: Great location right next to BAM, one block to park, two blocks to every subway, really truly in a neighborhood that seems to hate it. Oh well. The layouts are a bit unusual due to the triangular shape of building, but that's okay, and the exterior seems to be not weathering very well, but Clarett is a well regarded company. My guess is they would have sold more if they'd had more of a unit mix - its almost all two bedroom units. nice views from many.

Oro. Noman's land location so far but that could change. some of the livingrooms are squeezed though the big windows, sun, and views helps mitigate the squeeze. Great views - that much closer to manhattan than toren and forte - attractive finishes. Best amenities - squash court, basketball court, parking, and a swimming pool. 3 minutes to manhattan over the manhattan bridge, if that, come to think of it could be a pleasant walk too.

Toren. Probably the one I would buy in. i like the green features. nice layouts. good prices. the finishes are beautiful. Alas, no swimming pool (sigh) and a dopey common lending library (swap paperbacks you don't want anymore with your neighbors!! who came up with that as an amenity?).

Posted by: BrooklynBandana at October 23, 2008 11:30 PM in response to Price Cuts at the Oro

Yes to elevator. Plenty of strollers too. But given parking lot -- assuming you can get the space ---and Fairway nearby that's where I would do most of my shopping.

Posted by: BrooklynBandana at July 22, 2008 4:01 PM in response to Condo of the Day: 44 Cheever Place

Also, forgot to mention, the one bedroom I looked at on third floor faced BQE but was pretty quiet due to extra set of windows, but this one faces Cheever Place and someone opened the window upstairs to check the sound level and you couldn't hear BQE at all, it was very quiet. What I want to know is, can you build a mezzanine like this one in the smaller one bedroom and maximize the square footage and use? i mean, if they can make windowless home offices into children's bedrooms in Dumbo, can't they do that here with a mezzanine ? Does anyone out there have experience with this?

Posted by: BrooklynBandana at July 22, 2008 3:52 PM in response to Condo of the Day: 44 Cheever Place

I'm ready to go back to school with this one, or another one in my budget in the building. . I made it to open house although I was really there in building to see a smaller 1 BR. According to the listing sheet, this one is 1140 sf plus a 336 sf mezzanine, and I was told the building is selling other parking spaces for $60,000 (or you can rent for $300 a month). So the price is really more like $990K, (minus the parking spot at 60K) which comes to about $670 psf if you count the mezzanine, though I'm not sure how much you can count it since it's not fully navigable - 100%? 50%?

Posted by: BrooklynBandana at July 22, 2008 3:06 PM in response to Condo of the Day: 44 Cheever Place