I used Gotham for years and was happy with them. When I went to up my limits however, I did some comparison shopping and saved a lot by going to state farm. Saving $200/year on my co op insurance.

Posted by: Windsor Terror at November 17, 2009 7:57 PM in response to Gotham Brokerage

$1.50 now. Anyone can ride, just flag down.

Posted by: Windsor Terror at November 15, 2009 7:38 PM in response to Flatbush Ave Dollar Vans

I don't think Kensington would be as affected by PS. Sure, it went up with the upswing, but there is a largely stable population of inhabitants who have been here for a long time. Agreed with Kensingtonian, almost everything is rented, almost always by the same type of businesses, not servicing the gentrification crowd.

Posted by: Windsor Terror at November 12, 2009 3:47 PM in response to Kensington

My 1080 sq ft coop has a doorman and a maintenance of under $600. $1,000 seems way high

Posted by: Windsor Terror at November 12, 2009 1:13 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 40 Clarkson Avenue, #4F

It is exactly as traditional mod said. Nothing else to it. The bank that has the mortgage on the building looks at owner occupancy rates when it is time to refi

Posted by: Windsor Terror at October 19, 2009 10:12 AM in response to Co-Purchaser vs. Guarantor

How come the double parkers are the bicycle lanes problem? Try enforcing the traffic rules and there's plenty of car lanes.

Posted by: Windsor Terror at October 2, 2009 3:20 PM in response to Prospect Park West to Get Bike Lane

Run, don't walk away from 260 Ocean Parkway!
The financials are not good, the 3 brothers that make up the sponsors are in some kind of feud with each other, and are impossible to get information from. I was in contract for an apt. in this building, had the mortgage through Chase (which was the only one doing mortgages in this building) all against the advice from my lawyer. I was able to walk away on a slightly low appraisal and bought at 100 OP. Much better choice in the end.

Posted by: Windsor Terror at August 28, 2009 12:44 PM in response to Anyone info on 260 Ocean Pkwy?

You agreed to 3 days. It took 6. $300 for the extra 3 days seems reasonable. Or did it take 9 days in total?

Posted by: Windsor Terror at June 29, 2009 3:36 PM in response to Withholding Rent?

53'trailers are not permitted in Manhattan. Period. 45' and 40' are. Trucks will come over the GW and go to the BQE via the RFK bridge. I work for a van line and trust me, the driver will not know, but will call a local agent for directions. As long as the subway near your house is not elevated, you can get almost anywhere in Brooklyn.

Posted by: Windsor Terror at June 5, 2009 8:24 PM in response to moving permits?

Second here for DAS. Also, one of the nicer people you will meet

Posted by: Windsor Terror at May 10, 2009 5:45 AM in response to iso Upholsterer

Nice job Observer, since Ms. Seltzer actually lives in Windsor Terrace!

Posted by: Windsor Terror at September 17, 2008 10:50 AM in response to First Time Buyers Head Far Out in Brooklyn

Clearly Kensington's rental prices are partially determined by the prices along the F-train closer to Manhattan. However, each of the neighborhoods you are talking about are very large, making comparisons very difficult. I would define the area bordered by mcdonald ave, e. 4th, ave c and caton to be "prime" kensington due to its convenience to stores and train. This area is most dependent on Park Slope and WT (as well as Carroll Gardens and Gowanus). With the possible exception of parts of WT that are somewhat isolated between the cemetary and park, each of these neighborhoods offer better amenities and proximity to Manhattan. As a result, there will always be a price comparison.

Apartments on Ocean Pkwy. are more easily to compared to the apts further south on Ocean Pkwy.

The housing east of Ocean Parkway is less dependent on the F-train so it's less contingent on comparisons to Park Slope and prime WT. Instead, its competitors are isolated WT or other neighborhoods further into Brooklyn with limited train access.

PS If you are talking about retail, Church Ave is a stable retail corridor that appeals to a different market than prime Park Slope or PPW so the comparisons dont hold up very well. Church Ave has a lot of foot-traffic driven business that wouldnt necessarily succeed in more prime areas like PPW that have fewer pedestrians walking by.

PPS If you are looking at an interesting academic endeavor, I'd like to see something about the potential impact of the much-discussed F-express on Kensington. It's my hypothesis that speeding up the F-train would impact kensington more than any other neighborhood along the route.

Posted by: slick at November 12, 2009 6:31 PM in response to Kensington

point of view!

Posted by: mopar at November 12, 2009 6:31 PM in response to Kensington

I would question the definition of "prime" Kensington above. Many prefer to be east of Ocean Parkway to have access to both F and B/Q trains and the dining on Cortelyou in Ditmas Park. The entrance to the Fort Hamilton stop on the F is on east 5th street - if you are using that station, Ocean Parkway is nice. Additionally, Kensington is a melting pot, quite a few people couldn't care less about Park Slope and would rather be close to Midwood/Borough Park.

That said, the Church Ave. is lined up with places that (I hope) wouldn't be interested in moving to Park Slope. And the vacant ones seem to be rented out fast.

Posted by: kensingtonka at November 12, 2009 8:10 PM in response to Kensington

Thanks to those that responded. food for thought - especially the line on comparing the KENS submarket to areas farther south of the park.

Posted by: brmcnamara at November 12, 2009 11:02 PM in response to Kensington

There was a thread about the Flatbush Ave. dollar vans on Hawthorne Street last week:

http://www.hawthornestreet.com/2009/11/attack-of-the-illegal-dollar-vans.html

Posted by: Bob Marvin at November 16, 2009 8:40 AM in response to Flatbush Ave Dollar Vans

Besides all the safety concerns that illegal vans bring , another aspect of this is that of a lower paid labor force of unorganized van drivers competing with contractually regulated unionized bus drivers. This bit of chaos was leveled at the public during the "Law and Order Reign" of Rudolph I, in an attempt by republicans to generally undermine unions. It continues under Michael l. These republican mayors essentially give a low priority to regulating these vans. Sgueegee men, aggressive beggars and bike riding groups all have been becalmed by law changes or policing policy, but not so for unlicensed vans. The vans do fill some public transportation niches, howerver at what cost to the society in general?

Posted by: kidbklyn at November 16, 2009 2:24 PM in response to Flatbush Ave Dollar Vans

Kid, please put down the crack pipe and burn your Marxist books while you're at it.

"Dollar" Vans, most of which are now legal, provide a badly needed service to people living in Flatbush, Midwood, and Queens.

Your delusional thesis that working people should wait an extra 20 minutes in the cold for an overcrowded 41 bus for the sake of some abstract "proletarian" ideal of "protecting" unionized bus drivers is laughable. By that logic, should manhanttanites shun taking yellow cabs to save MTA jobs?

It doesn't matter to you that:

Bus ridership has actually outpaced available service. (something the MTA and King Bloomberg has done little to address in the outer boros)

That dollar Vans filled the little "niche" burden of two fare zones on working people before the existence of the Metro card.

That Merchants and (car centric) politicians recently protested the proposal of having a badly needed B41 rapid bus lane because it would "affect their parking."

The Vans exist because their is a need for them, making them illegal again would only drive the service underground, leading to more dangerous and less insured drivers.

Posted by: Crownlfc at November 16, 2009 6:16 PM in response to Flatbush Ave Dollar Vans

I love them. I had an agent from hell -- the Dennis Miller agency in Long Island, horrible, horrible, horrible--- that I got through my closing broker and I kept trying to transfer the broker of record for my insurance when I remembered Gotham from years ago when I had renters insurance from them. They handled the transfer quickly and professionally. Jeff has an encyclopedic knowledge of the various policies - I have him for my building's insurance. Anytime I have a question he is right there, takes the calls, and deals with matters right away. He is really great. Use them.

Posted by: donatella at November 18, 2009 1:18 AM in response to Gotham Brokerage

I haven't used them for years but always had a good experience for renter's insurance.

Posted by: tinarina at November 18, 2009 10:25 AM in response to Gotham Brokerage

I want to add my high praise for Jeff at Gotham. Whenever I call, he always knows all the details of my situation without me having to remind him about anything. He's totally on top of it. He also gives me sound market advice whenever I want to know what my options are.

I highly recommend him.

Posted by: HappyDaddy at November 18, 2009 2:05 PM in response to Gotham Brokerage