Thank you all for your advice! I am definitely going to walk around and get a feel for the different blocks.

Posted by: seahag21 at December 9, 2007 6:43 PM in response to Which blocks in Bed Stuy are the nicest?

Thanks everyone. Unfortunately, there is no wood floor underneath the carpet, so new floors are necessary.

Posted by: seahag21 at March 23, 2008 9:49 AM in response to Laminate floors?

What projects are you referring to? I live on President between Hoyt & Bond, and I can't say enough wonderful things about it. You are nestled between Park Slope and Carroll Gardens, so you have tons of amenities around you. The projects are a few blocks down, and I almost never even know they are there, unless I specifically walk down Hoyt Street. Union Street may be a bit busier because it is a bus route and through street to the park, however.

Posted by: seahag21 at June 8, 2008 8:15 PM in response to union street btw hoyt and bond

Also, street parking is much easier in this area, and there is even a relatively inexpensive garage on Union & Bond. And everyone I've met in the area is very nice. There's a cool combination of newcomers and old-time Carroll Gardens residents. Good luck!

Posted by: seahag21 at June 8, 2008 8:20 PM in response to union street btw hoyt and bond

Thanks everyone. I'm guessing they simply run another line inside the wall for the condensation, which could also be run outside?

Posted by: seahag21 at June 8, 2008 10:09 PM in response to Ductless AC - Outside Wall?

shiny,
Although it really depends on the individual building, but many co-ops place strict rules around subletting, especially as you get into the nicer buildings in Park Slope. Some may require you to live in the building for several years before subletting, and some may not allow it at all. A condo is typically yours, and you may do with it as you wish, however they are more expensive for a comparable apartment, and the closing fees are much higher.
One thing to note is that the prices are not in line with rents in the areas that you mentioned. If you are really interested in subletting, I would expect to put down a fairly large down payment to keep your expenses lower or to take a loss when you rent it out. Good luck!

Posted by: seahag21 at June 9, 2008 7:05 AM in response to First Time Buyer - Condo or Co-op?

My advice would be to simply ask them about it, and remind them that they signed a lease stating "No Pets". You can let them know that the tenant below them has allergies, and if their allergies are triggered due to the cat (although this is very difficult to prove), you may have to ask them to remove the cat. I don't think there's any reason to become overly confrontational at this point, but you certainly have to let them know that you are not going to be walked all over. Good luck!

Posted by: seahag21 at June 13, 2008 9:06 AM in response to Tenants Have a Cat!!!

Hi OP, have you started checking out NYTimes & Craigslist, and going to Open Houses in your target areas? You should be able to find a decent 1BR on your budget.

I'm not convinced that a FSBO will necessarily be priced less than a broker listing. Some homeowners (wrongly) assume that their place is worth more than the neighbor's house for whatever reason. This is especially true in a softening market.

Posted by: seahag21 at June 17, 2008 8:50 PM in response to Professional couple wants to buy in Brooklyn

You would probably be happy anywhere within Brownstone Brooklyn. Cobble Hill/Carroll Gardens are fantastic neighborhoods with tons of amenities and are very close to Manhattan. Park Slope is a bit further out, but the North Slope has some amazingly beautiful architecture, and will probably remind you of the UWS, especially because Prospect Park is a decent substitute for Central Park. All the neighborhoods I mentioned (as well as others in the area) are safe, and have a strong sense of community (Park Slope probably more so). There are also tons of vegeterian options and organic markets (if you're into that) every 3 feet in Park Slope.

Having been born and raised in Brooklyn, I may have a slightly different definition of a safe neighborhood, but you should walk around and see what feels right.
Good luck!

Posted by: seahag21 at June 21, 2008 8:57 PM in response to Sense 'o the neighborhoods

Those apartments never sell for what a "regular" apartment with all bedrooms on a main floor would go for. I think that's just important to keep in mind for when you resell. Personally, I would be wary of an apartment that has too much of the square footage in the cellar level. I've seen a lot of those basement floors get flooded in these older buildings.

Posted by: seahag21 at June 21, 2008 9:56 PM in response to basement duplex code for bedrooms?

There's construction everywhere (see todays post about road repaving), so the construction issue is pretty much guaranteed to be a hassle no matter where you buy. The Armory is a much more interesting question. Historically it has been a trouble spot -- crack vials, homeless shanties, broken car windows, makeshift sidewalk bathroom. The renovation of the Armory to be used as a recreation center is definitely a move in a positive direction considering its past. And I don't think traffic associated with the building should be an issue, unless school busses idle on the block while picking up and discharging students. The bigger issue in my opinion is the reasonable expectation that large groups of teens will gather for events like track meets and basketball games, and it is unfortunately likely that there will be altercations, some of which will turn violent. It seems like the 14th Street side of the Armory has a good chance of hosting a slashing or stabbing. I would also think that as the economy turns down there might a be a rise in thefts and assaults. It's not a far stretch to imagine a teen being knocked off his bike and having it by stolen by three or four older boys. I can also imagine a few girls slashing another girl because of some perceived insult. Teens are stupid and dangerous. Look at a different block.

Posted by: lifeofreilly at July 24, 2008 9:15 PM in response to 14th Street Btw 7th/8th

Interesting post. I think I'm more scared of you than the teenagers you speak of. Your descriptions of future violence are too specific.

Posted by: icrwly at July 24, 2008 9:28 PM in response to 14th Street Btw 7th/8th

shitty, just like the rest of "South Slope"

Posted by: Xander Crews at July 24, 2008 10:02 PM in response to 14th Street Btw 7th/8th

Leela, another option would be taking out a HELOC (might be tough in this economy, but I don't know your situation) and using that money as your down payment. You could then pay back the HELOC when you close on your sale.

Posted by: seahag21 at July 29, 2008 10:40 PM in response to Sell to buy?

going fee for a r.e. attorney is anywhere from 1500-2500. i worked with a few, try to get someone who specializes in condos

Posted by: rover08 at July 29, 2008 11:40 PM in response to Attorney for condo sale - recommendations and cost?

going fee for a r.e. attorney is anywhere from 1500-2500. i worked with a few, try to get someone who specializes in condos

Posted by: rover08 at July 29, 2008 11:40 PM in response to Attorney for condo sale - recommendations and cost?

Hi steve--in this instance, you may be the one who is being unreasonable. Take a deep breath and consider: you're not living with the construction, but your neighbor is. There is noise, dust, possibly vermin stirred up from the walls and or ground, lots of strange guys milling around and an attendant loss of privacy. To top it all off, he is also living with your crap literally in his face day and night. He's your neighbor, he pays taxes same as you, and he expects a reasonable quality of life. It is unfair for you to act as though the mess of your construction isn't unpleasant.

Saying "that's life in the city" or "it's a public street" as some posters have is saying nothing. You have to respect people in order for a city to work. This isn't a theme park or a playpen. If you can afford to gut renovate your house you can afford to ameliorate the inconvenience for your neighbors. Go to him with a gift certificate for a local restaurant, a definite day on which the dumpster will be gone and an apology. That's life in the big city kids: respecting boundaries and not behaving as if other people should be honored to live amidst your debris.

I don't know why the dumpster bothers him, but it does, and it's probably that it seems insulting to him. I'm sure you didn't mean to insult him, but you have to accept that you have and move forward from there. As long as your dumpster is there, he can't park in front of his own house or even look out the door without being confronted with it. The idea of a public street isn't that you can do whatever you want without regard for others, it's that you all treat it wisely to increase the peace.

Posted by: irm at July 30, 2008 1:51 AM in response to complaining neighbor

My neighbors are very good. They are always helping me. But sometimes I very angry on my neighbors because they shouting very much.
___________________________
jeff
widecircles

Posted by: jeffhardy at July 30, 2008 5:40 AM in response to complaining neighbor

irm- OP made every effort to be considerate of his neighbor and to minimize the inconvenience. Construction is messy and dirty and affects your neighbors but what's the alternative? Never renovate your house or fix it? I'm speaking as one who has lived through it several times, and I do know what it's like. Construction is a necessity,a pain for everyone, dumpsters are ugly, get over it.

"I'm sure you didn't mean to insult him, but you have to accept that you have and move forward from there. As long as your dumpster is there, he can't park in front of his own house or even look out the door without being confronted with it."

What a totally ridiculous statement. Do you think renovators can throw debris out in little scented kitchen bags? Not repair their houses until the floors cave in so as not to "insult" the neighbor with their dumpster? How asinine.

And frankly, it is a public street.

Definitions from Merriam-Webster of "Public":
exposed to general view

of, relating to, or affecting all the people or the whole area of a nation or state

of or relating to business or community interests as opposed to private affairs

pertaining or devoted to the welfare or well-being of the community

Do you see anywhere "individuals are entitled to control the city street outside their door or window? Steve pays taxes too, you know. It's his street just as much as the control-freak neighbor's. Plain and simple.

If steve really believed his neighbors should be "honored" to live in his debris, he wouldn't have approached them in the first place, nor be as conscientious about checking on the contractor, nor have gotten all the proper permits. He did exactly what a good neighbor does. Other than that, it's on the bad neighbor's head.

Posted by: bxgrl at July 30, 2008 9:25 AM in response to complaining neighbor

Webster's doesn't support what you're saying--"affecting all people" includes the cranky neighbor. He is adversely affected. And the dumpster is not about the well-being of the community but the well-being of one person. It's shared space and it's piggy to hog it especially when it's not in front of your own house. The renovation is too much for steve to live with. I get that. But his neighbors are living with it and he should appreciate how inconvenient that is. Steve didn't so much do what a good neighbor does as what is required by law. If your neighbor left his filled garbage cans in front of your house for weeks on end and defended himself by saying he had a permit to do so, you would still be peeved. And understandably so. The message being sent--and I believe it's as unintentional as it is real--is that Steve's convenience is more important than his neighbor's comfort. The bottom line is that the situation is NOT working for steve's neighbor so he should move the dumpster to the other side. And, if the other neighbors object? Wel,, then maybe it isn't reasonable to ask your neighbors to greet your crap every morning for days on end.

Posted by: irm at July 30, 2008 9:59 AM in response to complaining neighbor