I have heard very good things about the Maple street school but it is a distance from Bay Ridge.... I don't have first had knowledge but it is where i plan to send my child (although we have a ways to go since he is just 4 weeks and they start at age two) but i have heard that they use the park alot to go out and have alot of different activities that are "play learning". Good luck

Posted by: katiem633 at November 15, 2007 3:12 PM in response to 3 Yr. Old in Brooklyn

OP here: To give you all a little more info, the house is a block from the Fort Hamilton F train and 2 blocks from the park (on the park side of the prospect expressway not the cemetery side).

Thanks for all the response!

Posted by: katiem633 at November 15, 2007 4:42 PM in response to Rental question

guest @ 6:50 - the rent is currently around 1600 but the apartment needs substantial work ( new kitchen and bath) which I would like to do before renting out. And as far as I know the rent has not been increased in over 4 years.

Posted by: katiem633 at January 16, 2008 7:43 PM in response to to buy or not?

Thanks for all the comments.... glad to hear most you of think that this type of apartment could be rented for that price, and for those of you that think you shouldn't buy w/o being able to pay all expenses ... i tend to agree but also know that you have to make the plunge into real estate some time.....hopefully we will make the right move - with my luck we will close and then the market will go down - but i think in the long run we will be ok.....oh boy looks like i'm still up in the air - thanks again for all the comments!

Posted by: katiem633 at January 17, 2008 7:17 PM in response to to buy or not?

Hi Juliette -

I would love to take a look and definitely take the newel post and perhaps the wainscoting. If you could email me with information that would be great. Are you charging for the items or just want them picked up? My email is katieapartments@yahoo.com Thank you

Posted by: katiem633 at January 24, 2008 9:57 AM in response to Salvage materials to give away

I'm so glad you posted about the backyard - I was really curious to see what you were doing back there - I'm also pretty jealous of your vigilant photo documentation - every project I have done or help on has regrettable not had a great photo diary like this. My folks have a place in Windsor Terrace, bought it about 30 years ago and it was so bad that we have more that one story about people falling through the floors. They have about 10 before pictures but I wish they had been as thorough as you have - good luck with the finishing touches!

Posted by: katiem633 at January 30, 2008 9:32 AM in response to On the flip side

Thanks for all the replies....the stove is in working order and I am just wondering more about the wincroft company. I cant seem to find much info about it. Wondering if it is worth anything to restore. thanks again for the info - i will look into the websites. i know my mom has a 1940's Chambers which is more classic and definitely prettier - and there is tons of info about them on the net.

Posted by: katiem633 at January 31, 2008 10:51 PM in response to Any one know anything about antique stoves?

That house on 19th street was for sale for at least 3 months and the original price was 899k..... Is it true when brokers lower the price they just ignore the amount of time the house was on the market with the original price???

Posted by: katiem633 at February 1, 2008 3:31 PM in response to Just Sold in Brooklyn

denton - I actually like the "garage" very much but might not describe it as a garage .... congrats i was watching that property for a while, nice buy.

Posted by: katiem633 at February 1, 2008 8:25 PM in response to Just Sold in Brooklyn

I wish the rain could cancel all my appointments! especially on a friday :)

Posted by: katiem633 at February 1, 2008 8:28 PM in response to Wishing Well

Speaking as a woodworker and someone who spent five years stripping (and in many cases replicating and replacing) the oak trim here that had been obscured by paint, yes, I personally think it's a crime to paint vintage woodwork.

Hit the old house forums and read the comments from people who are restoring their old homes and the epithets they reserve for the POs (Previous Owners, except sometimes they capitalize the 's') who originally painted their old-growth woodwork.

It's your house, of course. But particularly if your house is in a historic district you could take a shot in resale value from potential buyers looking for a vintage old home.

Posted by: Steve at July 18, 2008 10:33 AM in response to Painting the woodwork - is it a crime?

I think it's a crime and the punishment should be stripping an entire house full of woodwork. I agree with Steve. If you've ever spent time (lots of it) stripping and restoring this stuff, you would know why we say that. And I'm not a woodworker! Just someone who buys homes and furniture others have tampered with.

By the way, Brooklyny, I'm stripping the wainscoting in my living room today if you would like to come over and start your community service. I'll buy lunch.

Posted by: rh at July 18, 2008 10:49 AM in response to Painting the woodwork - is it a crime?

Not quite a crime IMO, but certainly an offense. It's your house, so you can do whatever you want to the interior, but consider that you might eventually be sorry you painted the woodwork and it's a major PITA and expense to strip it. You could lighten up the place w/o painting the woodwork with a careful choice of paint colors on the walls and ceilings.

Posted by: Bob Marvin at July 18, 2008 11:13 AM in response to Painting the woodwork - is it a crime?

Having helped my friend strip some of her other woodwork of paint I can say it is a fate that should be relegated to one of the circles of Hell. But Bob is right- the wall and ceiling colors will help mitigate the dark wood and the contrast could be very beautiful.

Posted by: bxgrl at July 18, 2008 11:21 AM in response to Painting the woodwork - is it a crime?

I have spent the last 6 months stripping a parlor full of hundred-year-old fretwork, fluted columns and mantels of a half dozen layers of paint. Turquoise! I hit a layer of turquoise! Between the toxic strippers and the lead paint, I have taken untold years off of my life. Countless times I have cursed previous owners under my breath while using a dental pick to get paint out of a beautifully hand-carved bit of detail. And I'm still only on the parlor!

For the love of god, do not paint the woodwork. Restore the wood, lighten it by all means, but don't paint it. It will hurt your resale and produce untold suffering for future owners.

Posted by: Frederick Law Homestead at July 18, 2008 11:42 AM in response to Painting the woodwork - is it a crime?

Hey sorry but I beg to differ: painting good woodwork is a CRIME to carpentry and good craftmanship:) My dad always had a mini MI when someone painted his woodwork because it really hides some of the skill that was put into the work.
Hey Ms Limestoner while I liked your renovation I have to disagree with your statement that woodwork was meant to be painted. Where did ya read that my dear limey?
Bob I am completely with you on this one. Tried stripping a bannister once and it was so tough we had to give up and add another layer of paint...Merde!

Posted by: pierre de taille at July 18, 2008 11:49 AM in response to Painting the woodwork - is it a crime?

I'm interested in restoring our original woodwork. It was actually one of the reasons we bought the house, figuring that all that dark paint could come off and be really beautiful.

I have a question though. Our tenants upstairs have drilled some crude shelves into the original (currently painted) molding of an unused doorway. Once I get them to remove this, how do we restore that molding? Will wood putty show badly on refinished woodwork?

Posted by: corolla at July 18, 2008 11:50 AM in response to Painting the woodwork - is it a crime?

Corolla, what I usually do is refinish the trim, with stain and finish. Before the last coat of sealer I add non-hardening wood putty. Sometimes you luck out and find an acceptably-concealing color. If not, pick up a small artists paint kit with some oil paint. Mix the color to match and dab it on. Then add a final coat of clear sealer.

If the damage is too great, I mill a replacement piece. I've got a pretty decent shop here so I tend to do more milling than I probably should.

Posted by: Steve at July 18, 2008 12:05 PM in response to Painting the woodwork - is it a crime?

As one who has stripped the wordwork in my house, I'd say painting it is a crime.

Posted by: MOSHE at July 18, 2008 12:49 PM in response to Painting the woodwork - is it a crime?

As one who has stripped the woodwork in my house, I'd say painting it is a crime.

Posted by: MOSHE at July 18, 2008 12:49 PM in response to Painting the woodwork - is it a crime?