after months of using a professional exterminator, someone I know finally used a product like Results and her bedbugs are finally gone. Results contains diatomaceous earth (silica dioxide) which is non-toxic. It does not poison the bedbugs. Instead, it causes their exoskeletons to break down (I think it takes about a week). Results also contains a poison which works much faster. If you are worried about children or pets, you might want to use straight diatomaceous earth. The only danger is if you breathe too much of it in -- it's a fine powder. You have to place it in all the cracks of your floorboards, baseboards, electrical outlets, etc. wherever the bedbugs might be hiding. You should place it around the bed posts, if that is how the bugs crawl into your bed. Once they come into contact with the powder, it will kill them.

Posted by: CHM at November 16, 2009 7:14 PM in response to Bed Bug Question

thank you. love the comments. . .

Posted by: CHM at November 13, 2009 2:51 PM in response to Funny Shaped Doorknob

bedbugs can remain dormant for up to 18 months. they hide in cracks and crevices in your flooring and walls. they hide in electrical outlets, etc. they will not be visible during the day. I would definitely get a dog for peace of mind.

Posted by: CHM at November 5, 2009 11:38 AM in response to Bed Bug Early Detection

If this is the house with white paint (over brownstone), it has been in danger of foreclosure for many, many years. About 12 years ago, we had an accepted offer through a real estate agent and waited a while for a signed contract -- which we never got. It was a very shady deal and I was tempted to report the real estate agent . . .

Posted by: CHM at June 15, 2009 10:37 AM in response to another first time buyer

Community Roots Charter School is excellent.

Posted by: CHM at June 8, 2009 12:54 PM in response to Schools in Clinton Hill

If you're willing to come and get, I have one that I've been trying to get rid of. Please post your e-mail and I'll give you directions to my house (in
Brooklyn).

Posted by: CHM at April 28, 2009 9:40 AM in response to Need cheap clawfoot tub

Have you tried the Magic Erase sponge? It works better than most cleaners . . .

Posted by: CHM at April 14, 2009 9:33 AM in response to renew bathroom floor tile?

The Old House Journal Compendium is great for restoration of NY brownstones. It's compiled by Clem Labine (sp?). You might be able to find a used copy on alibris.com or amazon.

Posted by: CHM at April 13, 2009 6:15 PM in response to Self-educating- where to begin?

When you get around to stripping the paint off your window casings, you should try the milk paint remover sold at www.realmilkpaint.com. I did not know about this product when I stripped the paint in a 2nd floor bedroom about 5 years ago. Despite the heat gun, repeated applications of chemical paint strippers and lots of sanding, I could never get rid of the white residue. A few months ago, when I finally got around to stripping our parlor floor window casings, I used the milk paint remover and it really works at getting everying off -- including that stubborn white residue. I had to use a few applications (because we had about 1.5 inches of paint), but the job was a lot easier than the 2nd floor. We have pine casings and shutters also.

Dip n Strip is great!!

Posted by: CHM at March 30, 2009 8:19 PM in response to SHUTTER TO THINK

For preschool-K, the Dillon Center is a longstanding institution in the neighborhood. My child had a great experience there. It's run by St. Joseph's College, and their early education students assist the teachers in the classroom.

Posted by: since 2000 at June 9, 2009 4:22 PM in response to Schools in Clinton Hill

Wow - I hope Bobjohn and Brickoven at least live in the neighborhood. Clinton Hill was not a bad neighborhood - it has been a solid working class and middle class neighborhood for quite a while. Schools such as PS 11 and PS 20, and the middle school on Adelphi have provided solid if traditional education to many. That said many of us who have moved in recently have been disappointed with the quality of leadership and the lack of creativity. For the past ten years the pendulum has swung back and forth between PS 11 and PS 20 in terms of it being the darling of the new set. A new principal at PS 11 has attracted some attention and interest, especially as there was a lot of conflict with the principal at PS 20 (who was recently arrested!). PS 20 was recently chosen to be the site for a borough wide G & T program, but what that will mean in the troubled times there is unclear. Many parents, myself included, have chosen to look elsewhere for public schools. There is a sizable contingent at PS 261, the Brooklyn New School, and Manhattan Schools such as NEST. It is not simple, but parents with gumption can make it work - either by cultivating a local school or by elbowing their way into more established schools. You might want to check out FGKids group on Yahoo for more info.

Posted by: Putnamdenizen at June 9, 2009 4:49 PM in response to Schools in Clinton Hill

I think all good NYC elementary schools have out of zone/district/etc. kids where the parents have lied about their home address. Every good parent should do everything they can to get their child into good school, so I don't blame folks for lying. Plus, it's hard to tell of DOE really cares about this issue especially after Edward F. Stancik, special commissioner of investigation for the New York City School District, died. Btw, was Ed a hermaphordite or a transsexual?

Posted by: Art Salt at June 10, 2009 10:32 AM in response to Schools in Clinton Hill

There must be maybe title issues, or tenant issues, or he wants some crazy amount of money, or something else going on there, because as I said, the house appears to have been for sale forever, yet it sits. That's not normal in the market of even the last year.

Posted by: dylanfan at June 15, 2009 10:46 AM in response to another first time buyer

Recently that other white painted house (288?) 2 doors away sold quickly and relatively inexpensive (~$365 / sq ft) so it's not helping the comp's. if banks look at that transaction as comp, they'll appraise this at no more than $700k (ie 365 x 1900 = 694k).

Posted by: more4less at June 15, 2009 10:59 AM in response to another first time buyer

Ok folks here are the details about this place:
The broker Anant Chetram is a subsidiary of Prudential who runs his own major agency out of Queens...very successful business (> 50 agents) so he hardly ever comes out to FG. Instead he lets one of his guys show the place and in this case the place is shown by his Asian buddy who leaves in the hood...still "in training" and clueless but nonetheless a nice guy :)
The house in question is a gut but was in far worse condition last year and the owners from Long Island were asking a delusional $1.2m before the market tanked. Now Anant has done some minor sprucing up and the ask has been reduced significantly with room to bargain. Last year we offered $900K pre-Lehman and was told to NO WAY JOSE :) We even had an estimate on redoing the facade like the house next door that belongs to the model....Wow how happy now that our offer wasn't considered. Someone else placed a down payment but reneged when the DOW nosedived... triste mais vrai.

Hey ran this can be a great single family or 2 family pad and @ $775K this would be an excellent deal in prime FG but meanwhile good ole PDT has moved on to other pastures:)

Posted by: pierre de taille at June 15, 2009 12:45 PM in response to another first time buyer

i've heard there is a full price offer and 2 at 800 so i may to be moving on to other pastures...

Posted by: ran at June 15, 2009 12:51 PM in response to another first time buyer

Banks will definitely see the recent sale at #288 (365/sq ft; making 284 around 700k) so eventual buyer stands good chance of being asked by the bank to put down a much bigger down payment in order to get a mortgage.

800k is good price relative to listings out there current. However given econ is still weak, similar or better deals will pop up more & more.

Posted by: more4less at June 15, 2009 1:05 PM in response to another first time buyer

REBNY is a trade assoc. most of the major firms: Corcoran, Prudential D Elliman, Halstead, and many other mid level and smaller companies belong to. In addition to the rules all licensed NYS brokers have to adhere to. Rebny has additional protocols regarding sharing exclusive listings, advertising, and open houses etc etc. It's supposed to make co-broking between member brokers more consistent, professional, and honest - in theory anyway.

Posted by: Crownlfc at June 16, 2009 1:06 AM in response to another first time buyer

I had the same situation and before this becomes a headache, nightmare, etc. take the necessary measures of ensuring that the apt has been thoroughly exterminated. Ask the LL for a receipt from the exterminator that it was exterminated. Obviously they have to pay someone to do it so they should have an invoice. make sure its detailed and get the number of the exterminator from the invoice and call them yourself to make sure they did your apt. When you move in, make sure you check thoroughly. At night take a flashlight and business card or credit card and scrape the floor boards to pull out any BB's that are hiding there. Alcohol can only kill BB's on the spot, its not a lasting solution. trust me when I tell u to confirm everything because BB's are a life altering situation. regular cleanings or even roach spray does not kill them. A professinal has special chemicals that kill.

Posted by: BrooklyNights at November 6, 2009 10:01 AM in response to Bed Bug Early Detection