Rubber Matting to Cover Hatches

How can you tell a person not to put down 30-50% without knowing their income? Some folks are cash rich (relatively) and income poor. It may be unconventional to sink a lot of assets into one investment but an apartment is first and foremost a home and, to live in that home, you have to be able to pay the mortgage and maintenance each month. Sometimes a large downpayment is the only way to make the equation work. Tax deductions on mortgage interest can't compensate for lack of cash flow.

In terms of when to buy, the RE market takes time to catch up to the realities of the economy as a whole. It's largely because sellers don't want to be the first to blink and refuse to lower their prices until it's obvious that prices are indeed coming down. So start looking now but watch price trends like a hawk. You have to balance the lower price you're hoping for with rising interest rates. You may have to wait 6-12 months for things to settle out. After the 1987 stockmarket crash, RE prices held steady for almost 18 months before finally falling in 1989 and staying depressed until about 1996.

Posted by: NeoGrec at August 13, 2007 1:04 PM in response to Market Predictions

Many of the sad sacks complaining above would no doubt prefer to read the endlessly tedious threads about which way the RE market is going and how appropriately priced various properties are. How teeth-grittingly dull. I'd much rather get my jollies off looking at pretty pictures of brownstone kitchens and finding design inspiration!

Posted by: NeoGrec at August 14, 2007 11:27 AM in response to Parlor Floor Kitchen #9: White-and-Black in Bed Stuy

Small but well designed and -- so important, especially when space is limited -- well finished. This will sell easily and close to the ask because someone's gonna love it, not because the asking price necessarily makes perfect sense.

Posted by: NeoGrec at August 14, 2007 4:59 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 786 Washingon Avenue 1BR

Although they do not appear in the photo above, the newly installed exterior window "blinds" -- while certainly a daring move -- are, I fear, an aesthetic failure. They look too much like industrial vents and make the building resemble a slightly upmarket ConEd substation.

Posted by: NeoGrec at August 15, 2007 4:16 PM in response to Condo of the Day: Controversial 565 Dean Street

Ouch! Just looked at the listing on the A&H site. In addition to having your bedroom directly across the street from the future AY building site, half the square footage is an open basement space with windows in front only. So you'd be shelling out $1.4m for a one bed apt with a large office. How's that gonna fly?

Posted by: NeoGrec at August 15, 2007 4:40 PM in response to Condo of the Day: Controversial 565 Dean Street

We've used Irv Lepelstat (Union and 7th in PS) as our broker and every time we have to renew I ask him a million questions, think I have a handle on the situation, re-up with Brownstoner, then go off and fret that I've done the wrong thing (aka opted for the more affordable premium).

Here's my understanding: worse case scenario, the house burns to the ground. Solution? File a claim to the maximum insured value -- in our case, as it is for many brownstone-owning friends, that's less than either market value or replacement value -- and then use those proceeds to build a new townhouse. It would be without any of the old detail but offer the modern style and conveniences that attract certain buyers. This of course only works if the new house can be built within the budget of the claim -- say $900k.

I've also heard that the biggest battle in making a satisfactory claim after a major/total loss is around the role of the adjuster. Some people say you need to hire a public adjuster to work on YOUR behalf because the insurance co's adjuster will only look for ways to reduce your claim. Anyone have any wisdom on this to offer?

Posted by: NeoGrec at August 16, 2007 12:33 PM in response to Townhouse Insurance: Bending Over for the Soap

Make friends with some lesbians in the Slope who can introduce you to their single gay male pals. There are PLENTY of eligible guys in Brownstone Brooklyn!

Posted by: NeoGrec at August 16, 2007 5:30 PM in response to socializing

Meant to add, try Gingers (5th Ave at around 6th St) and Catty Shack (4th Ave at Carroll) -- both are mixed and very laid back.

Posted by: NeoGrec at August 16, 2007 5:33 PM in response to socializing

Are you sure it isn't all the rain kicking up weird smells? Whever there's a lot of dampness, smells have a tendency to emerge. Old house funk -- kinda like wet dog funk.

Posted by: NeoGrec at August 21, 2007 12:57 PM in response to What's that smell?

Thanks everyone.

Btw, PD, we do open the air vent on the hatches pretty frequently when the weather is fair. Agree that it's good to keep fresh air circulating down there!

Posted by: NeoGrec at August 21, 2007 6:08 PM in response to Rubber Matting to Cover Hatches

You're lucky Heights Historic is too busy. I wrote last year about my awful experience with them and, 9 months later, the job STILL isn't done and they don't return my phone calls.

Posted by: guest at August 31, 2007 3:20 PM in response to Feedback on Bay Ridge Windows & Doors

they are very professional

Posted by: guest at September 16, 2007 8:39 PM in response to Feedback on Bay Ridge Windows & Doors

Thank goodness I was worried you'd choke the smell of your own flatulence.

Posted by: guest at September 17, 2007 9:53 AM in response to Rubber Matting to Cover Hatches

I've heard concerns about wood pellets being toxic (maybe they're treated with something?), so that may be something to research.

Posted by: guest at April 17, 2008 2:46 PM in response to Heating with wood pellets

I had Bay Ridge Windows perform a repair to a damaged window (not damaged by Bay Ridge), I also needed a balance replaced, they sent someone out to look at it and he did not think the balance was the problem. His carpenters performed a horrible hack job on the repair, and didn't bring the balance. They don't return calls and have been very rude.

I was going to replace 6 more windows with them, but they won't work with me to remove the stops first, so the window area is like the originals, and insist the stops are integral to the frame, which is simply not true.

I am now looking for another installer.

Posted by: guest at April 23, 2008 8:58 AM in response to Feedback on Bay Ridge Windows & Doors

I had Bay Ridge Windows perform a repair to a damaged window (not damaged by Bay Ridge), I also needed a balance replaced, they sent someone out to look at it and he did not think the balance was the problem. His carpenters performed a horrible hack job on the repair, and didn't bring the balance. They don't return calls and have been very rude.

I was going to replace 6 more windows with them, but they won't work with me to remove the stops first, so the window area is like the originals, and insist the stops are integral to the frame, which is simply not true.

I am now looking for another installer.

Posted by: guest at April 23, 2008 9:01 AM in response to Feedback on Bay Ridge Windows & Doors

I posted earlier about Bay Ridge coming to repair a window, not damaged by them, and want to say that Bill has made good on the workmanship, and addressed all the other issues.

Posted by: guest at April 26, 2008 10:07 AM in response to Feedback on Bay Ridge Windows & Doors