courage!

Posted by: Ringo at November 6, 2009 11:30 AM in response to The Albemarle Renovation Blog Launches!

was she in the st ann's 3pm pick-up lane? I find that whole pierrepont/clinton corner nuts around that time. there is a safety guard but I find kids (and parents) just jaywalk around her. then there are the pick-up parents in cars who are double parked, etc. and the cabs rushing down clinton. the whole situation is not good. glad nobody was hurt.

Posted by: Ringo at November 5, 2009 5:33 PM in response to Mrs. B Side-Swiped In The Heights

In defense of this agent, I think the sellers are setting the price here. When I saw this apt before, it was FSBO and it was asking a LOT. It eventually went to a broker and took a long time to sell, but it sold for more than I expected. And now those buyers are probably trying to get their money out. I wish them luck, but I doubt it. I did like the apartment, but it is way way up. Can't see doing that with kids.

Posted by: Ringo at November 4, 2009 1:51 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 32 Willow Place, #9

BTW, I think this price is too high. But I think everyone is expecting a 10-15% discounted offer. So if you hoped to sell this at 625, I think you have to ask for 710. Hey, I don't know. I don't think it's a 625 apartment either, but I think this may be the strategy.

If this is the unit I saw last time it was for sale, they should have taken a picture of the views. Really great Manhattan and Harbor views

Posted by: Ringo at November 4, 2009 1:18 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 32 Willow Place, #9

We called it Willowtown back in the ancient times. Did you grow up here before or after the BQE went in? It's been called Willowtown post-BQE. Even by locals.

Posted by: Ringo at November 4, 2009 1:15 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 32 Willow Place, #9

Willowtown is a little neighborhood within Brooklyn Heights. It's not really different than Brooklyn Heights. You would still live in Brooklyn Heights if you live within Willowtown. Like you still live on planet Earth if you live in Brownstone Brooklyn. Presumably.

Posted by: Ringo at November 4, 2009 1:13 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 32 Willow Place, #9

It's been called Willowtown for... ever? At least 50 years. But it's one word.

Posted by: Ringo at November 4, 2009 1:01 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 32 Willow Place, #9

I love willowtown. I love this building. I love this apartment. I LOVE the parking.

BUT is the top floor of a 5th floor walk-up? The unit on the left half of the building. Bcs it looks really similar to the unit I saw a couple years ago. If so, too many stairs. Also the top floor (and more charming) unit of the right hand side went for in the 500s I think last year.

Posted by: Ringo at November 4, 2009 12:59 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 32 Willow Place, #9

I would have voted if the Dems would have offered an alternative that was appealing in any way. But since they didn't, and since I wasn't interested in voting for a 2rd term, I stayed home for the first time in a long time.

Posted by: Ringo at November 4, 2009 9:58 AM in response to Election 2009: No Big Surprises in Brooklyn

No problem gemini. I shouldn't have said nobody wanted to deal with it, because *i* wanted to deal with it, but my partner in crime did not. But oh, a garage!

Posted by: Ringo at November 3, 2009 1:28 PM in response to House of the Day: 28 Middagh Street

I doubt they put 3mm into it, but I can tell you it was a dump when they bought it. Uninhabitable. They worked on it for maybe a full year. Maybe longer. And the facade was so so so much worse.

It was on the house tour a couple of years back. Not my style and I think the price is high, but they previous sale price wasn't a steal. It had been for sale for a long time and nobody wanted to deal with it.

Posted by: Ringo at November 3, 2009 1:22 PM in response to House of the Day: 28 Middagh Street

In the olden days, most investors didn't expect their multi-family brownstones to be profitable upon closing. You figure the rentals would pay a substantial portion of your mortgage and you'd pay a chunk too. and then as the mortgage would get paid down, the rent get raised. 30 yrs down the road, you could retire on the income. It's a newfangled idea that renters pay the whole thing from the minute you close.

Posted by: Ringo at November 3, 2009 12:31 PM in response to Last Week's Biggest Sales

I've lived with parking permits in London and Boston, not too small cities. I love them.

I know they're proposed for Brooklyn Heights. Bring em on

Posted by: Ringo at November 2, 2009 5:26 PM in response to Closing Bell: Windshield Spam Backfires

I like painted woodwork.

Love this house. Would work great as a TIC with your best friend/brother/whatever. Two large family duplexes and an office to cover your bills. Need an elevator, but what's a 100k btw friends. Side windows make all the difference to me.

Posted by: Ringo at November 2, 2009 2:08 PM in response to House of the Day: 49 8th Avenue

I put in what I think it will sell for. I have a family so that apartment is worth nothing to me, I would pay zero dollars. But I'm not an idiot. I know it is worth something to someone else. Are people really putting in what THEY would pay for it? That makes no sense to me.

Then again, I am routinely one of the higher guesses.

Posted by: Ringo at November 2, 2009 11:34 AM in response to Widget Falls Way Short on South Oxford

why am I so dumb here? what service are the offering exactly?

Posted by: Ringo at October 30, 2009 3:09 PM in response to THE GROUTMAN

you'd think they'd include what kind of rent they get for that space

Posted by: Ringo at October 26, 2009 2:26 PM in response to House of the Day: 291 8th Street

I love the idea of living above a commercial space. But this place, at this price, is not tempting.

Posted by: Ringo at October 26, 2009 1:16 PM in response to House of the Day: 291 8th Street

I honestly think the BHA has a chance of getting something done here. It's gotten especially bad in the last year. Can't the news people get a "pool" chopper? And aren't we done with the helicopter tours?

Posted by: Ringo at October 26, 2009 12:13 PM in response to Copter Rage in Brooklyn Heights

I know a couple of families who make their teenage kids serve their hours. This is the only time this place makes sense to me...

Posted by: Ringo at October 26, 2009 11:45 AM in response to NYT: Food Co-op Exile's Story Demands 2,000 Words

It's a 3-family. Will be renovating into a 1 family but thinking I'd keep the plumbing and zoning intact in case someone wants to revert to apartment living. Clearly, we're just beginning and will be hiring an architect etc. Now I'm leaning that we shouldn make it legal. Ugh. Everything costs money.

Posted by: Ringo at October 25, 2009 7:41 PM in response to 3-Family to 1-Family?

the best buyer for this place is whomever owns the other half of this floor. work it out people

Posted by: Ringo at October 22, 2009 1:15 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 214 Carlton Avenue, #2

were the wood windows landmark approved? I need to get about 30 as well for our building

Posted by: Ringo at October 16, 2009 8:49 AM in response to Window We Are

I don't know why, but I get annoyed by the "possible floorplans" these realtors put up. I wouldn't mind it if they actually showed some inside knowledge -- like that there's a water line over here and you could easily move the kitchen like others have in the line, something like that -- but I only see the ones where they illustrate how you can take a study and change it into a nursery - a miracle!

Posted by: Ringo at October 15, 2009 1:10 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 310 Windsor Place, #26

sorry, Petebklyn. I misunderstood. Yeah, wish he'd come back. I'm thinking about trading up to a bigger place, it's a big jump in price -- need him to sign off.

Posted by: Ringo at October 15, 2009 11:03 AM in response to Elliman Q3 Report: Better Than Q2

DOW8000 or whatever his name was, was 100% correct.

Anyway, can someone tell me what quarter was the peak for brooklyn? wondering how off we are from peak.

Posted by: Ringo at October 15, 2009 10:07 AM in response to Elliman Q3 Report: Better Than Q2

buyer 1 offers 300k. you call buyer 2 (and 3 etc) that you have an offer of 300 and would they like to beat it. and on and on. you can say you'll only accept bids that are at least 5k up or whatever you like. I asked my attorney about this kind of thing so many times -- mostly because I was so used to brokers and their LACK of information -- but, as a seller, you can really do whatever you like as long as you don't discriminate. I felt the more transparent the system, the better.

Posted by: Ringo at October 13, 2009 3:30 PM in response to Multiple Bidders for FSBO

I've sold FSBO with bidding wars. You can do auction style where you go back and forth or you can do last and best. You can also sell "as is".

Either way, get a bid on an offering sheet. I sold a couple of times to people who were not the tip top price, but I knew they'd sail thru the board. You can find offer pages online.

Posted by: Ringo at October 13, 2009 11:53 AM in response to Multiple Bidders for FSBO

I have a car too, but even I've used All Car. There are a few locations, but there's one near us at the Marriott. I spent over a decade renting a car in Manhattan and I'd forgotten that you can just rent a car without lines or missed reservations or general crap. They're really nice people over there.

Posted by: Ringo at October 9, 2009 11:31 AM in response to One Brooklyn Bridge: On the Retail Hunt

I've sold FSBO very easily before -- in a very different market. I think it's easiest for everyone involved to go NO BROKERS. Brokers will tell you they have clients to come over at any time. They will raise price 3% and then throw it up on NYTimes.com. Try to up the commission. Sure, they may bring more traffic, but I think in this day and age that people do most of their own legwork.

Posted by: Ringo at October 9, 2009 11:01 AM in response to FSBO Ground Rules

Minard, you're a Brooklyn Heights guy. Surely you must know about All Car Rental. Cheapest deal in town. And nice people.

Posted by: Ringo at October 9, 2009 10:36 AM in response to One Brooklyn Bridge: On the Retail Hunt

They only say a couple of people have contacted them about the space. They may have gotten a call about rates and next thing you know, they're making it sound like the River Cafe II is going in

Posted by: Ringo at October 9, 2009 9:21 AM in response to One Brooklyn Bridge: On the Retail Hunt

how's this for jumping to conclusions -- I can tell from the owner's decor that they're young enough and on the ball enough to have gotten rid of the tenant if at all possible. Since they can't, I can't. I gotta assume that. So a 96 yr old italian grandmother I might be able to live with. But it's just as likely a 70 yr old and her 40 year old daughter and the daughter's daughter? Nope.

Posted by: Ringo at October 8, 2009 2:22 PM in response to House of the Day: 130 Summit Street

I agree that it's what the SHOULD cost, Minard, but another unit in the E lines was recently priced at 299. I think these auctions go under the radar a little, and I think you have to pay up in 30 days -- something not everyone can do.

Posted by: Ringo at October 7, 2009 11:19 AM in response to 280 Hicks, Many Others, Fail to Sell at Auction

Those studios are pretty small, but cheap too. Are they delivered vacant?

Posted by: Ringo at October 7, 2009 11:05 AM in response to 280 Hicks, Many Others, Fail to Sell at Auction

well, the reasons are outlined in the article. dumb. they haven't had a paying tenant for years now. what a financial drain.

and while the board does pay too, they are generally people who 1) bought a long time ago and have a low or no mortgage and 2) who aren't thinking about selling soon so dont seem to care that people in the building are forced to price their places so so low. I think people buy in this place thinking the finances will get under control at some point and then -- fast forward 5 years -- they discover it's even worse than when they bought it. I fee for them.

Posted by: Ringo at October 6, 2009 11:55 AM in response to Tea Lounge Closing and Unopening

if I was a shareholder in this building I would be FURIOUS. these poor (literally!) shareholders pay the highest fees around due to the board's dumb ass decisions. their maintenance fees are so high, it's hard to sell these units and it's always, "previous management" that has made mistakes. but, from afar, it looks like every board in this place makes insane mistakes. throw the bums out!

Posted by: Ringo at October 6, 2009 11:22 AM in response to Tea Lounge Closing and Unopening

I suspect they may be being smart. IBEC got the lot for a deal (so says State Street people) bcs they promised to build houses. If they flip the lot to the school, maybe the neighborhood can get a kickback -- finance improvements on their street. That would be fair and probably a deal for everyone.

Posted by: Ringo at October 6, 2009 9:25 AM in response to Brooklyn Friends Relocation Gains Support

Don't think they're looking to relocate. I think the upper school is staying put and they're looking to move the lower school elsewhere. Too crowded now.

Posted by: Ringo at October 6, 2009 9:13 AM in response to Brooklyn Friends Relocation Gains Support

not for nothing dibs, but that house has been fully discussed twice here before.

Posted by: Ringo at October 5, 2009 1:31 PM in response to House of the Day: 276 Berkeley Place

seems to me this place has been on and off the market for ever. wasn't it on the market around 2000-2001 and failed to sell? ditto 2003ish. and 2006. and now now?

Posted by: Ringo at October 5, 2009 1:27 PM in response to House of the Day: 276 Berkeley Place

say what you will about brooklyn heights, we've always had our share of the most colorful negligent property owners.

also, $2mm is too high for this place

Posted by: Ringo at October 5, 2009 11:49 AM in response to 280 Hicks Up For Auction

"according to Streeteasy"? really? isn't there better info out there?

Anyway, sounds right to me. I think the condo market is down way more than 20% and the choicer co-ops and THs in the choicer neighborhoods off somewhat less than that.

To answer antidope, if the condos market gets low enough, I wouldn't mind making the move myself. If it means cutting the price on a co-op, so be it. Wherefore art thou, Love Lane and Henry Street?

Posted by: Ringo at October 2, 2009 9:33 AM in response to TRD Takes Brooklyn's Pulse

you guys should incentivize people to make a rational guess: track guesses and point out who is the best at predicting. I routinely put a price in the widget for a bit higher than what I think it will go for only to counteract all the super low ballers.

Posted by: Ringo at October 1, 2009 11:32 AM in response to

One Pierrepont is a much more prestigious building than 145 Henry. What a nice trade that was if thats' what they were looking for.

Posted by: Ringo at September 30, 2009 2:17 PM in response to Last Week's Biggest Sales

Assuming Henry St is a mistake and it did get 4mm, it's a good example of why I'd make a lousy real estate agent. I'd never price things high enough!

Posted by: Ringo at September 30, 2009 11:15 AM in response to Last Week's Biggest Sales

also, there's no chance a 1000 sq ft apt on On PP went for 2mm+

Posted by: Ringo at September 30, 2009 10:44 AM in response to Last Week's Biggest Sales

people here (commenters) reported that 160 Henry sold for asking which I was shocked by. asking was SO high for this place. 2.2 sounds about right, altho I'm surprised they settled for something so much under their (insane) asking considering it wasn't on the market for very long. a case where a seller listened to their broker for once?

Posted by: Ringo at September 30, 2009 10:39 AM in response to Last Week's Biggest Sales

I live in a medium sized co-op with roughly 40 units. It's an old building with old radiators and it never heats consistently throughout the building. We'd like to get some kind of a professional review to give us a plan on how to heat our building as efficiently as possible given the givens. We'll probably have to replace the boiler. We'd like to take advantage of any rebates or incentives. Our managing agent isn't that great at keeping us up on all this.

Who would do a review like this? Would a plumber? How much would it cost?

Thanks!

Posted by: Ringo at September 30, 2009 10:19 AM in response to Time to Think About Your Boiler Again

Is this house still for sale? I remember when it was on the market -- I was very VERY tempted but, my god, it's a lot of work.

Posted by: Ringo at September 29, 2009 10:42 AM in response to Walkabout with Montrose: A Crown Heights Tale