bknyer's Profile
Author's Posts
May 21, 2009
Roof Rights?
Hi,
I want to build an apartment/building on the roof of an existing building. I was wondering if anyone had any knowledge about whether this was possible? I think it would require buying roof rights plus a zoning/structural requirements aspect. But, I'm don't have experience with any of that.
Thanks in advance.
February 9, 2009
Cost to Build a New Brownstone
More of a theoretical question here... if you owned a lot in Brooklyn, how much do you think it would cost to build a brand new Brownstone with modern construction techniques and classic styling?
Author's Comments
bknyer wrote a review about Hibino on March 3, 2009 1:48 PM
Very good food and the only true Japanese place in the neighborhood. Prices and small portions are the only drawback (and also very Japanese).
bknyer wrote a review about The Chocolate Room on March 3, 2009 1:46 PM
Love this place. Great desserts and space.
bknyer wrote a review about Cafe Luluc on March 3, 2009 1:44 PM
Not as good as some of the other bistros nearby for food or ambiance.
bknyer wrote a review about Chance on March 3, 2009 1:43 PM
Ridiculous name and concept, but the food is decent. Best dim sum option in the area.
bknyer wrote a review about Bar Tabac on March 3, 2009 1:41 PM
A cornerstone of the neighborhood. The vibe and ambiance is the main asset, food can be quite good, but occasionally hit-or-miss.
bknyer wrote a review about Robin Des Bois on March 3, 2009 1:36 PM
Decent food and bistro vibe. Might be a bit to much of a grungy thrift-store look for some.
bknyer wrote a review about Lunetta on March 3, 2009 1:34 PM
Quite good food and decent ambiance. Being a bit overpriced and slightly self-important keeps it from becoming a regular.
bknyer wrote a review about Hanco's on March 3, 2009 1:27 PM
Great sandwiches and greats. Zero atmosphere. A must for take-out.
bknyer wrote a review about Provence en Boite on March 3, 2009 1:25 PM
Great breads and pastries. Food is good, nice space, prices a little high, but service not always the best.
bknyer wrote a review about The Soul Spot on March 3, 2009 1:22 PM
Very good food, but lacking any ambiance - really a take-out place.
bknyer wrote a review about Stir It Up on March 3, 2009 1:14 PM
Very good food, but lacking in ambiance and service. Wings and roti recommended.
Thanks for all of your comments. Your estimates came pretty close to this online estimator I tried:
http://www.building-cost.net/CornersType.asp
Labor: $518,447
Material: $716,573
Equipment: $20,034
TOTAL: $1,255,054 (not including land)
For classic styling, I was hoping for tin ceilings, nice doors and moldings, and the classic facade. When people get their building re-faced is any of that actually brownstone or just concrete painted brown? I've seen some bad work on the stoops and faces of buildings that have been redone.
Posted by: bknyer at February 10, 2009 11:54 AM in response to Cost to Build a New Brownstone
Responses to Author's Forum Comments
Mopar - sorry, you're just wrong. My thinking is not magical - with each passing day, with each new price cut, even in the prime areas, more evidence mounts. I don't quite get the bitterness I perceive in your posts, but I could not be more confident that my bets are good ones. And by the way, I don't need a fancy house, but yes, I am counting on further price cuts to come and that is why I have not bought yet.
Posted by: Miss Muffett at March 11, 2009 5:29 PM in response to To Buy or Not to Buy
I also could not agree more with lechacal, who clearly has made the same bets as I. Man, I really fell off the wagon today. Back to work - gotta make the donuts to buy my house when the price is right!
Posted by: Miss Muffett at March 11, 2009 5:31 PM in response to To Buy or Not to Buy
I just can't stand illogical thinking. Sorry, Miss Muffet. I hope you find a nice place.
Posted by: mopar at March 11, 2009 5:43 PM in response to To Buy or Not to Buy
To Buy or Not to Buy, or To Be or Not to Be:
That is the question.
Hamlet had this problem: He was both depressed and phlegmatic. Ill from depression, things didn’t seem to matter. Somewhat paralyzed by being phlegmatic (is that the laid-back trait?), it didn’t seem to matter. So why not do nothing after all of that agonizing?
Well, this is a little different scenario. I agree with “Landlord,” the very first poster. From what I hear our dollar is dropping with each breath we take. Money is being printed with no back-up at all. Landlord seems to think there is a time period of 6 months to wait.
There is much good thinking in these posts. It sounds like a balancing act and it is one.
Then there is the unknown factor that well, we do not know. So we scratch our heads and guess and try to do the very best we can.
Brownstoner poster, Jebby, wrote a couple of days ago that he just bought a house, thinking that his money was safer in property than it was in the bank. That is the wisdom I hear from people who are thinking this over. By the time we wait to buy, our money could be worth significantly less, yet we seem to want to wait a little longer. Jebby didn’t wait, he took action. That was his thinking.
Here is another financial web site: moneyandmarkets.com
There are newsletter archives.
Posted by: BklynSoFar at March 11, 2009 8:08 PM in response to To Buy or Not to Buy
I would see a doctor. Giving 3000 dollars a month to a landlord in rent is not a good thing. I would look for some place much cheaper. Thanks to people like you that overpay. People like me have to overpay for rents.
Posted by: hannible at March 11, 2009 8:17 PM in response to To Buy or Not to Buy
hannible,
I just spent the last 6 weeks or so looking for a nicely maintained, good sized (~1000sqft) 2br on a good block in PS (north of 10th st, east of 5th ave). We didn't see a single place under $2500 that came even close to being acceptable to us. 2,700 to 3,000+ was the price range where we saw places that appealed to us.
We ended up with a great place on a good block in carroll gardens for 2,700.
Posted by: jdoo at March 11, 2009 9:15 PM in response to To Buy or Not to Buy
and by the way, we plan on sitting tight until prices come down enough that it makes sense to buy.
Posted by: jdoo at March 11, 2009 9:24 PM in response to To Buy or Not to Buy
Miss Muffett: for a love of god, what possessed you to compare prices with 2000? Why not 2004 or 1985?
But even if you compare with 2000, you need to factor in 9 years of inflation (at 4%/year it will add up to 42% price increase). You also should consider the mortgage interest rates. Now they are much lower then in 2000. rates came down from 8.5% to 5.5%. It means, that you can get 31% bigger mortgage today they in 2000 with the same monthly payment.
So to compare prices you should at least add 86% to the prices in 2000.
Posted by: bobjohn at March 12, 2009 9:51 AM in response to To Buy or Not to Buy
I would buy if I had that kind of money. Perfect timing if you were thinking of investing in real property already.
Posted by: karo25 at March 12, 2009 10:04 AM in response to To Buy or Not to Buy
http://www.halstead.com/detail.aspx?id=1597314&ab=TAB
everything you're looking for
Posted by: PropJoe at March 12, 2009 10:05 AM in response to To Buy or Not to Buy
Four pieces of advice:
1. To recover from the boom, housing prices need to return to year 2000 prices (inflation adjusted). That means you should pay $550-800/sqft.
2. I would wait at least 6 months for things to clear up more. Economy is still in turmoil.
3. Don't buy anything that you won't live in for 5+ years.
4. Keep looking and if you do see your dream house just get it. Unless the price is still ridiculous or you won't live their for over 5 years.
Posted by: bknyer at March 11, 2009 1:37 PM in response to To Buy or Not to Buy