thanks 6years but no kids --I am looking for something smaller close or in manhattan

jack--why are you keen to bring the jersey crowd to your nabe? anything to dump your overpriced inventory

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at August 5, 2009 11:13 PM in response to House of the Day: 439 East 19th Street

jack: a ghettobitch wannabe
most posters here are actually from one mold

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at August 5, 2009 11:03 PM in response to House of the Day: 439 East 19th Street

11217

that's exactly the problem the average home price is 10-12 times the median home. it should be 3-4 times otherwise people are house poor. as average price is for the newcomers--old residents have already established a lower entry point--brooklyn is unaffordable to newcomers

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at August 5, 2009 10:55 PM in response to House of the Day: 439 East 19th Street

11217 it wasn't as you describe 20 years or even 10 years ago. I prefer an affordable brooklyn or NYC if you like

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at August 5, 2009 10:33 PM in response to House of the Day: 439 East 19th Street

Brooklyn is great but I hate people herein advertising it as a great middle income (<300K) family town

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at August 5, 2009 10:29 PM in response to House of the Day: 439 East 19th Street

but i can't see why a middle class family would like to

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at August 5, 2009 10:21 PM in response to House of the Day: 439 East 19th Street

right tybur my bad 43min

11217: i explained in another thread--i am looking to move to brooklyn

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at August 5, 2009 10:20 PM in response to House of the Day: 439 East 19th Street

By the way do you know what means one hour trip in a subway car? You feel dizzy for hours afterwards

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at August 5, 2009 9:54 PM in response to House of the Day: 439 East 19th Street

1 hour 18 mins

to columbus circle according to google

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at August 5, 2009 9:48 PM in response to House of the Day: 439 East 19th Street

So if you go with the dt's greatschool ratings it would be unacceptable to send your kid to the area's public schools. So in addition to $1.2 million one needs to add private school tuition. this is ridiculous for a house one hour from midtown no less.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at August 5, 2009 9:40 PM in response to House of the Day: 439 East 19th Street

dt: you forgot to mention that according to greatschools.net, The other two maplewood elementary schools (jefferson, tuscan) are rated 7/10 and for comparison the park slope and the two ditmas elementary schools are rated 4/10.

So EVEN WITH YOUR RATINGS maplewood schools are twice as good from the park slope-ditmas ones hahahahaha

But even if maplewood does not meet your standards you can find many other affordable top schools districts outside Brooklyn. THAT'S THE POINT.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at August 5, 2009 9:36 PM in response to House of the Day: 439 East 19th Street

if you like a top high school you can move to nearby millburn: #1 high school but less diversity. Or to Pelham as the poster above suggested.

No need to pay millions for house and private tuition to get a decent education.

By the way the school not satisfying your standards is on the top high school newsweek list

http://www.newsweek.com/id/201160/?s=new+jersey&q=2009/rank/1

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at August 5, 2009 6:56 PM in response to House of the Day: 439 East 19th Street

dt: You don't know what you are talking about. Maplewood has #1 elementary schools, high school is top 25% but as the poster above mentioned the breadth of offerings is amazing (esp in arts and media). Best graduates end up in Ivy league.
The town spends for a student more than what a park sloper pays for private school. This is compare to NJ schools. There is no comparison to the NYC schools: less than $3k per student.

Do yourself a favor and if you have a kid forget prospect and the rest of the heights

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at August 5, 2009 6:43 PM in response to House of the Day: 439 East 19th Street

rob:
you owe it to your dog to move to Jerzy. No wait, he won't become cool, cultured, sophisticated

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at August 5, 2009 5:16 PM in response to House of the Day: 439 East 19th Street

fortunately the park slope upbringing made park sloper an open minded tolerant person. hahahaha

well a couple with one child and a median income cannot raise a kid in the city without serious compromises nowadays.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at August 5, 2009 4:50 PM in response to House of the Day: 439 East 19th Street

"it's really quite lovely ... a much more palatable choice than, say, Maplewood!"

can you say prejudice. unfortunately moving to PS means you have to deal with such people. another minus for brooklyn.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at August 5, 2009 4:42 PM in response to House of the Day: 439 East 19th Street

Actually the city cultural edge over any other place around here is minimal and overrated on this board.

There is no ART created here--just consuming. You can't have art in million dollar houses. As far as consuming, since much art is digital nowadays it can be consumed anywhere.

The only thing that remains is some coolness, hipster factor. A family would not care less for it.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at August 5, 2009 4:31 PM in response to House of the Day: 439 East 19th Street

Park Sloper: no one denies that it is possible to rip benefits from raising a child in the city.

WHAT WE ARGUE is that it is impossible to do without spending a million+. Families are priced out unless they sacrifice education, space, safety and/or commuting time.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at August 5, 2009 4:21 PM in response to House of the Day: 439 East 19th Street

It is actually BETTER to have a train schedule as one can time ones chores and what not. Obviously you never commuted by train.In addition, it is a much better space for doing work.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at August 5, 2009 4:15 PM in response to House of the Day: 439 East 19th Street

"I will admit it's easier for me to sit back and say these things without kids, but at the same time I do know that I could never and would never live outside a city center."

Yet you are advising families to invest top dollar in Brkln.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at August 5, 2009 4:10 PM in response to House of the Day: 439 East 19th Street

This is actually ridiculous

Here's a bigger house, equally charming, in an area closer to midtown than DP, better schools, safer, same taxes (if NYC taxes are added), same diversity FOR HALF PRICE!!!

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/South-Orange-Village_NJ_07079_1106650416

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA Brooklyn prices are going down down down

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at August 5, 2009 3:59 PM in response to House of the Day: 439 East 19th Street

pierre: congrats-hope you are happy there. I do believe that it will be possible to buy a 2br coop/condo in BH or environs for half a mil. If not there then somewhere else will do. But I refuse to be a landlord in BS or Astoria for $600K.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at July 22, 2009 7:17 PM in response to House of the Day: 176 Bainbridge Street

The people I know who grew up as teens in NYC they chose to bring up their teens in the suburbs.
I grew up in a suburb and liked it. As single I loved the city. As married with kids I loved the suburbs.

NY suburbs are hardly the suburbs you imagine. Some of them are commuting towns, with walkable center, lots of character and sense of community. Granted you cannot go to a play at a moment's notice but you can plan it over the weekend nor go round the corner for smokes. But these are rarely what family men do.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at July 22, 2009 7:12 PM in response to House of the Day: 176 Bainbridge Street

OK Hoboken or Jersey City is under consideration too. I am thinking Brooklyn Heights if prices go lower. I remain open minded.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at July 22, 2009 6:56 PM in response to House of the Day: 176 Bainbridge Street

Astoria is a depressing charmingless culturaless rental neighborhood.
Cold Spring is a historic river village with amazing hudson views.
The difference is so dramatic that I don't think the $300 monthly pass is a factor.

Pierre: I repeat I am interested in moving to a nyc smaller space. I cannot predict the future but city or no city prices are always determined by income. If you think Brooklynites will get richer (don't think so-why?) then buy.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at July 22, 2009 6:53 PM in response to House of the Day: 176 Bainbridge Street

I am interested in this blog because with no kids home there's no much point in keeping a 4br. I would like to move back to the city in the next five years not necessarily Brooklyn though.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at July 22, 2009 6:18 PM in response to House of the Day: 176 Bainbridge Street

I repeat: a family with $600K can find a bigger, equally charming house, with a bigger yard, in a progressive "cultured" neighborhood with better schools in all levels and safety records with an equally good commute to certain parts of the city.

Brooklyn has an urban edge and a richer cultural life. Having said that Brooklyn is losing it due to gentrification and the overall cultural demise of NY. NY suburb does not mean US suburb but rather a much older commuting town where the residents are ex NYers raising families.

Also, you might have a better commute to certain parts of the city but not always and the difference is not dramatic. Many trains are walkable and your teen can walk to school as well as take the train for a gig in the city.

If you are nj prejudiced just take a look at westchester, connecticut and long island.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at July 22, 2009 6:15 PM in response to House of the Day: 176 Bainbridge Street

I would never pay to live in inflated brownstones sold by "cultured" greedy white criminals who hope to make 200% profit from what they paid to the previous owners.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at July 22, 2009 5:43 PM in response to House of the Day: 176 Bainbridge Street

IronBalls:

don't you understand what's happening? Dr David Jekyll and Mr Ghetto Hyde construe criticism against Bedford Stuyvesant as criticism against race thereby rendering criticism against the neighborhood politically incorrect. This way prices remain inflated and avoid (he or his clients) foreclosure.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at July 22, 2009 5:37 PM in response to House of the Day: 176 Bainbridge Street

You think that by calling me racist you somehow convinced me and others for throwing away our savings.

Maplewood is one of the most diverse suburbs--far from lilywhite which shows your ignorance.

Safety has nothing to do with race it's a matter of numbers which you can easily check them at your local precinct.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at July 22, 2009 5:22 PM in response to House of the Day: 176 Bainbridge Street

And I am troll who masters ad hominem and believes that people's sole objective in life is to make enough money so to buy an inflated brownstone in one of the worst brooklyn neighborhoods.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at July 22, 2009 5:09 PM in response to House of the Day: 176 Bainbridge Street

shillstoner: prices in Maplewood as well as other NJ and NY suburbs have reached 2003 levels. Prices in several places is 50% off peak. In fact, this is what makes suburbs a much better value. Check out the blog njrereport.com that documents the above.

I am not arguing that it is better to live in Maplewood or any other NJ town than Brooklyn. I am just saying that right now for the same amount of money you will be able to buy a higher quality of life in a suburb than in brooklyn.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at July 22, 2009 5:05 PM in response to House of the Day: 176 Bainbridge Street

Obviously daveinbedstuy=ghettoazzpnkbtch

How come a "cultured" BS resident can't understand that not all NJ towns are the same just like in NY?

Why should we follow the obsolete views of a schizophrenic on brooklyn RE as well as his views on NJ (again obsolete).

This discussion is not about NJ. Little do I care whether you like NJ or not. I AM JUST SAYING THAT FAMILIES SHOULD LOOK ELSEWHERE FOR BETTER VALUE.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at July 22, 2009 4:56 PM in response to House of the Day: 176 Bainbridge Street

I don't know anything about NJ, esp Maplewood. That won't stop me from believing that the home of the real housewives of NY is better than those from NJ.

I am a racist and a snob who believes BS is more cultured than all of NJ including Maplewood, SO, and Montclair without realizing that brooklyn only reflects the cultural desert that NYC has become lately.

I also believe that there enough suckers who will hand me $600K to be landlords and residents of 2br in a neighborhood with subpar public schools and safety.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at July 22, 2009 4:50 PM in response to House of the Day: 176 Bainbridge Street

I am not talking up NJ but rather talking down prices in BS. There is something perverted in buying an ugly renovated small 2br with an 1br rental so that you can spend the rest of your income in private schools--which you will spend it if not at the elementary school surely for middle and high. Families with children--especially young ones-- should look elsewhere westchester, ct, li (if not nj) for better value.

As for re profits, I would forget about it. NY RE as it stands is dead for at least 10-20 years possibly longer as long as it relates to income. What happened the last 10 years was an exception.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at July 22, 2009 4:20 PM in response to House of the Day: 176 Bainbridge Street

more4less: I am not looking to make a profit in RE. I am just trying to get the best value for the money. At the moment there is no comparison. Families who look for a place in brooklyn should look elsewhere. They might be surprised of what they can get.
Brooklyn is fetishized. Artists and other "cultured" people have fled to cheaper areas. What remains are trustafarians, bankers/lawers who can afford it and some poor souls who think they can make huge profits in RE by buying in fringe areas.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at July 22, 2009 3:43 PM in response to House of the Day: 176 Bainbridge Street

BTW PS21 is not that fantastic: it gets 5 out of 10 in greatschools and 3 out of 5 in schooldigger a lackluster performance for 600K houses.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at July 22, 2009 3:32 PM in response to House of the Day: 176 Bainbridge Street

we are now free of children and look to move back to the city. As you correctly pointed out, I cannot afford BS although I earn multiples of median income there. When and if prices in Brooklyn compare favorably I might make a move. At the moment, suburbs win.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at July 22, 2009 3:26 PM in response to House of the Day: 176 Bainbridge Street

Commuting from maplewood to columbus circle is 1h door to door which is about the same from bs.

I am not sure why BS is more "cultured" than maplewood. Unless you mean lil kim, maplewood is full of artists and media people, art venues, and I bet higher educational level residents.

Architecture wise, maplewood is full of century old houses including victorians, arts&crafts, etc

Try to open your mind and get a perspective of what brooklyn offers compare to nearby areas. Otherwise you can't correctly price your property.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at July 22, 2009 3:22 PM in response to House of the Day: 176 Bainbridge Street

Suburbs: Maplewood, Montclair, South Orange, Summit, Tarrytown, Irvington, Dobbs Ferry, etc
RE Taxes: Could be $10K-$12K but no city income taxes

In order to afford the inflated badly renovated brownstone in the BS where you must be a landlord and live in the rest 2br one needs $200K income which translates to $8K city income tax. To that you need to add RE taxes...

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at July 22, 2009 2:57 PM in response to House of the Day: 176 Bainbridge Street

I am talking public school not playground. No comparison between Bed stuy and Maplewood if you happen to work on the west side.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at July 22, 2009 2:46 PM in response to House of the Day: 176 Bainbridge Street

a starter space for $600K in Bed Stuy? what are you smoking? Do you have any idea what you can buy in the suburbs for $600K? This is definitely not a neighborhood for kids.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at July 22, 2009 2:40 PM in response to House of the Day: 176 Bainbridge Street

Inflated prices over $2mil for "emotional reasons"? You gotta be kidding. There's nothing emotional over a property in a highly inflated area among people who sell/buy million dollar houses.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at July 22, 2009 2:37 PM in response to House of the Day: 455 Henry Street

Hahaha, people with $800K cash (plus debt) to throw on a brownstone. Sure there are but not many. In fact there are less now than say, 2000. Of course, the owners of this building look for such a sucker. Suckers are not enough to sustain inflated prices--you need credit bubbles for that.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at July 22, 2009 1:13 AM in response to House of the Day: 455 Henry Street

Brooklyn properties will have to go down to pre-2000 levels. Even if gentrification did occur in some areas, this is not relevant as prices are directly related to income, esp. in recession.

In fact, gentrification will have a depressing effect on prices as there are more properties available for higher income folks.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at July 17, 2009 6:50 PM in response to Open House Picks

You are delusional

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/02/nyregion/02real.html

People are laid off left and right and you are stuck to your mantra

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at July 2, 2009 10:19 AM in response to Housing Market - Where Are We?

The reason there are fewer comments is that sellers and agents in here are delusional. Why would a couple making 300K move to WT is beyond me. Such couples are becoming a rarity. NYers lost 50% of their income the last year alone.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at June 9, 2009 5:03 AM in response to House of the Day: 540 16th Street

more4less

good point

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at May 20, 2009 6:45 PM in response to House of the Day: 449 Bergen Street

more4less: mkt is not a microwave. 600k doesn't materialize in blink of eye - it requires patience waiting for it to drip drip....

exactly this market is chinese torture. whoever needs to buy now is screwed.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at May 20, 2009 6:29 PM in response to House of the Day: 449 Bergen Street

Who in right mind would give a million for this? This is compromised living. Assuming one can rent part of it, a middle class family might afford it. This means 400K (the house they afford) plus 200K (for the rental)=600K. The fair price based on median income (100K) is 600K.

-I want even consider the joke widget

-people call this market a buyer's market but this is not true as the gov/fed are pumping NY real estate with bailouts, tax cuts/credits etc. If it was a buyers market this would have been already 600K.

Posted by: MaplewoodGuy at May 20, 2009 4:33 PM in response to House of the Day: 449 Bergen Street