wasder's Profile
Author's Posts
October 20, 2009
Thoughts on Block Associations
I have been pondering starting a block association on my block and was hoping to hear from others about their experiences starting or participating in them. How does one go about starting one? What things are they helpful for? Do they deter crime at all? Are they good for block morale and neighborliness? Any thoughts very much appreciated.
October 10, 2009
Lawyer Rec for ECB Violation
As many of you know, I am enmeshed in a long standing tussle with DOB over an ECB violation. After 4 visits to the DOB court I am no farther along towards resolving my situation and have just been hit with another two citations for not resolving the first one. So basically, I give up trying to handle this myself and need a great attorney who can help me get this monkey off my back. Any recommendations greatly appreciated.
September 1, 2009
styroam moldings
My house has had many of its original moldings removed as the rooms have been remodeled and reconfigured. I would very much like to restore the crown moldings but don't think I have the money necessary to do it in plaster. Does anyone have any experience with the styrofoam moldings I have heard about? Are they more affordable than plaster (presumably)? And do they last for a decent amount of time? Any feedback appreciated.
June 29, 2009
Fujitsu ductless air conditoners
Anyone have experience with Fujitsu ductless air conditioning units? Just trying to figure out how to cool my office and considering this option. Any feedback much appreciated.
May 14, 2009
Mower suggestion
I have a grassy backyard with approximate dimensions of 40 x 20 or 800 square feet. Does anyone have a suggestion for a good, inexpensive mower for such a yard? Thanks!
February 24, 2009
Seed or sod that is the question
Hey all: I am about to enter my first spring in my new house and am hoping to hear some suggestions for how to get the best grass for the summer. My back yard is 20x60. It already has some patchy grass growing but I think I will have to till it all up and reseed. I am wondering whether anyone has any suggestions as to whether it is better both from a cost perspective and from a long term lawn perspective to try to seed it myself or to get sod put down. any feedback greatly appreciated. Thanks!
February 18, 2009
mouse extermination (follow up)
This is a follow up to my post the other day about mice in my Clinton Hill home...
Well I took several people's advice and bought a "Ratzapper", which was a highly satisfying use of 50 bucks. I killed three mice in the first two nights of use and haven't seen one since.
Now this isn't to say I am not going to do the long term solution thing and plug all the wholes with steel wool etc, but if eradicating mice is the game its hard to imagine a more efficiently death-dealing device. Highly recommended.
February 12, 2009
Exterminating Mice?
I posted this on the open thread and got lots of useful advice about cats that I am definitely taking into consideration. But I really want to do my due diligence and get some quotes from professional exterminators as well. Does anyone have recommendations to pass my way? I have two little kids so that has to be taken into consideration with the methods used. I may well get a cat anyway, but my wife is requesting that I give her options. Thanks in advance! wasder
November 19, 2008
Need Electrician recommendations
Hey Everybody--I am looking for a good, reasonably priced, licensed electrician to do some work in my new house. Does anybody have a good recommendation? Thanks in advance.
November 12, 2008
The Wasdies--best of my renovation
Since we are now finished with the work we are going to do with our house (for now at least) I thought I would recommend some of the folks that helped me immensely along the way. So here are the inaugural (and hopefully last ever) "Wasdies" awards.
1--contractor--F Alberth Chica was a godsend. I originally got his number from another recommendation here and I can't say enough about the care that he took throughout the project, the good ideas he had for utilizing space, and the generally awesome demeanor and attitude he brought to the job. A top notch contractor and all around great guy, you can call Alberth at 646-472-4842.
2--Pointing/exterior. P&D Contracting. They pointed the front and back of the house, repaired the roof, painted all the trim, fixed the front stairs etc. Babu is the guy to go to here and he can be reached at 917-743-0285. Reliable, friendly and fast!
Locksmith--Antonio Gomez, AG Locksmith. Antonio is a locksmith/security specialist and another very nice friendly reliable tradesperson. He also installed my new thermostat!
4--Real Estate Broker--Corcoran. My most controversial Wasdie. As much as everyone loves to hate on Corcoran I sold and purchased through them and have nothing but good things to say about the folks that helped me on both ends. They listened to me when I said I wanted to price my co-op reasonably to get a quick sale, their photographer made my place look like a dream house and their marketing reach ensured that there were several buyers waiting to offer. In the month of September 2008 they managed to sell my place in two weeks which was no mean feat. They also negotiated a lower price with the seller of my new place. All in all they represented me well and walked me through every step.
Hope these recommendations help the next person crazy enough to do what I did and buy in this insanity!
Author's Comments
Don't even know where to start with the hubris of that pricing history. when looked at in absolute terms in sold for 2.5 in 05 and 3.4 in 09 which seems still like a pretty solid rate of appreciation. but to price at 6 million! What a joke.
Posted by: wasder at November 6, 2009 11:55 AM in response to 85 State's Roller Coaster Ride
Awesome! Can't wait to read about your adventures. Good luck.
Posted by: wasder at November 6, 2009 11:02 AM in response to The Albemarle Renovation Blog Launches!
bklynplebe--I trick or treated in Clinton Hill with my kids and think you have a very sour attitude about the community aspects of Brooklyn. Compared to Manhattan most Brownstone Brooklyn neighborhoods are very attractive when you have kids and want to be able to do stuff outside.
Posted by: wasder at November 5, 2009 4:55 PM in response to House of the Day: 119 Fort Greene Place
Holy digital manipulation Batman!
Posted by: wasder at November 5, 2009 4:52 PM in response to Thursday Blogwrap
"Can I ask you guys how it works with garden access in this set-up? Does the owner share the garden with the tenant? And allow gardening, entertaining, etc by the tenant? Or does the owner give up access to the garden?"
Denton--at least for me the way I have worked it is sharing the garden with my tenants. I think it would be a case by case basis but I went into the process of finding a tenant with the concept that we would get along and share the gardening duties and socialize sometimes and that is the way its worked out. IF I didn't like my tenants so much I would probably keep it to "you guys have your private patio and we have the yard" or whatever but I would much rather have a good relationship and share everything.
Posted by: wasder at November 5, 2009 3:25 PM in response to House of the Day: 119 Fort Greene Place
Ratzapper!
Posted by: wasder at November 5, 2009 10:00 AM in response to Mouse Infestation - Help!
"People tend not to account for this risk."
You are correct. There are many contingencies that I don't have time to factor into my plans. There is an inherent set of risks in life. One's house depreciating in value is one of those risks. I personally am not going to spend too much time worrying about this because I have other things that I find more pressing. But I don't begrudge others the opportunity to make these sorts of calculations.
Posted by: wasder at November 4, 2009 3:10 PM in response to Rate It: 513 MacDonough Street Sells for $420,000
"300K resale price after four years"
Didn't I say "in the long haul"? For a buyer such as myself reselling in 4 years is not in the cards.
"Would you rent a duplex in this hood for $2,000 plus per month?"
If it is as friendly and attractive as several posters above make it sound then this is not an unheard of proposition.
Posted by: wasder at November 4, 2009 12:58 PM in response to Rate It: 513 MacDonough Street Sells for $420,000
criticism of religious organizations (or intimation thereof) is definitely a no go in our touchy society. I agree with the premise that an already existing church building (of which there are plenty in Clinton Hill) could be repurposed and be more attractive, but the "just what we need" eye rolling is the factor that arouses people. I am completely agnostic and find the puritanism of our American dialogue mystifying but it was easy to see how this thread would provoke people.
Posted by: wasder at November 4, 2009 12:39 PM in response to Church Reboot on Clinton Avenue
If I was buying this house at this price I would live in two floors and rent one. Don't know exactly what the mortgage payment would be but I would assume around 2G per month. I would then rent one floor for say 1100 per (or less if need be--its not that crucial--1000 would work fine) and have a house with a yard and two floors for approx 1G a month not including upkeep etc. Doesn't sound too bad to me. Also, given how low this number is vis a vis most other houses that are this close to the city, one has to believe in the long haul the property will appreciate at a rate that keeps up with inflation.
Posted by: wasder at November 4, 2009 12:37 PM in response to Rate It: 513 MacDonough Street Sells for $420,000
joining the chorus above, a true evaluation on this sale price is pretty impossible without interior condition taken into account. If its in reasonably move in condition this would seem to be a reasonable price.
Posted by: wasder at November 4, 2009 10:55 AM in response to Rate It: 513 MacDonough Street Sells for $420,000
Somehow I sense this will be a controversial thread here today.
Posted by: wasder at November 4, 2009 10:38 AM in response to Church Reboot on Clinton Avenue
Huh--rintintin--didn't notice that in the original posting. Don't know what Mr B is referencing there. Perhaps the corner location? Overall its hard to argue with it in terms of being close to transport and close to DeKalb strip for amenities. Maybe he doesn't like the fact that it is across from the Co-ops, or just doesn't like being on a reasonably busy intersection.
Mr B, care to weigh in on what you don't like about location?
Posted by: wasder at November 3, 2009 1:36 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 126 Greene Avenue, #2W
Price aside, I do like the renovation. one of the more successful that I have seen in terms of reconciling the historic with the modern.
Posted by: wasder at November 3, 2009 1:33 PM in response to House of the Day: 28 Middagh Street
Location is great RinTinTin. Nobody is saying otherwise.
Posted by: wasder at November 3, 2009 1:04 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 126 Greene Avenue, #2W
"That said, the 6th Ave listing seems considerably lower than 20% off peak comps ($2.5M, no?). What was ask? Gut reno?"
that is exactly what I am saying. regardless of what you think of the "fairness" of houses costing this much, this one is cheaper than most of the comparable properties out there.
Posted by: wasder at November 3, 2009 1:01 PM in response to Last Week's Biggest Sales
Great looking pad. I love the square layout that I would imagine makes the place feel larger than it actually is. a second bathroom would be nice but the renovations and details look really first rate. I love that part of the neighborhood too. I would think 575 would move this apt.
Posted by: wasder at November 3, 2009 12:53 PM in response to Co-op of the Day: 126 Greene Avenue, #2W
"Really doesn't sound like a good price. Sorry."
Tybur--I am sensitive to your general outlook and definitely can relate to the feeling that one will never make enough money to own a home in NYC. I lucked into one myself and don't let myself forget that. However, given all of the comps and other reality-based factors, this still qualifies as a good price (if not very good) in the North Slope for a reasonably in tact brownstone. I haven't seen many cheaper certainly.
Posted by: wasder at November 3, 2009 12:38 PM in response to Last Week's Biggest Sales
I'm glad the Yankees showed a little life in the 8th and 9th yesterday. would have been a lot more disappointing to come home after an ass whipping as opposed to a game that we won from the third inning on...
Interesting to see how Andy deals with short rest tomorrow. Yankees bats, with the exception of Cano and Teixera, seem to be awake now so lets hope they light up Pedro and bring it home tomorrow. Go Yanks!
Posted by: wasder at November 3, 2009 12:06 PM in response to Open Thread
"the same house in Westchester county"
Dude--I hear your logic but this statement a bit much. This is a one of a kind house.
Posted by: wasder at November 3, 2009 12:03 PM in response to The Gingerbread House Hits the Market
Wow--on the face of it somebody got a pretty good deal on 6th AVe. Wonder what condition that property was in?
Posted by: wasder at November 3, 2009 11:56 AM in response to Last Week's Biggest Sales
Wow---that is an incredible property all around. I love that Arts and Crafts vibe. As BHO said above, amazing its in Brooklyn. No way to comment on price with something like this.
Posted by: wasder at November 3, 2009 10:26 AM in response to The Gingerbread House Hits the Market
25 foot corner house on corner of named street and 8th ave in the slope is going to sell for a pretty penny no matter what photos they put up or don't.
Posted by: wasder at November 2, 2009 1:30 PM in response to House of the Day: 49 8th Avenue
"That's better Wasder. I was just checking. Don't be doubting your team!"
Damon's at bat in the 9th was a thing of beauty, and the presence of mind to run to the 3rd ridiculous. A-Rod had the game winning hit but that was all Damon.
Posted by: wasder at November 2, 2009 1:27 PM in response to Open Thread
"fraidy cat fans who are nervous in the service (and that also goes for Wasder and frsq and any other Yankee fans here)"
Hey now ENY---tis a bit harsh to call me out on my Yankee fandom which has been as strong as anyone's this year or this decade. I might have admitted to some butterflies going in (given the last few years not too hard to understand) but this team looks like a different bunch. Hard to imagine them blowing this lead. Go Yanks! #27 here we come!
Posted by: wasder at November 2, 2009 12:58 PM in response to Open Thread
I live in Clinton Hill but picked Bed Stuy as the neighb with greatest investment upside.
Posted by: wasder at October 29, 2009 6:12 PM in response to Brownstoner 2009 Survey Results
tybur--11217 is right that you are taking a hyperbolic look at this issue. Your basic premise is what I did to eventually end up in the house I am in. Now, of course this all went down during the most recent run up but I didn't see insane returns on the two previous places I had (a one bedroom to a two bedroom to the house) but enough to get the down payment together for the next place. In a crash this doesn't work and that is the risk in buying real estate. As easily as it worked for me it could have gone very wrong too. life is full of such choices and chances.
Posted by: wasder at October 29, 2009 6:07 PM in response to House of the Day: 902 Union Street
Looks like its right next to Bar Olivino. While I would be stoked to have a sports bar in the neighborhood, it would be a shame if it came at the expense of the B.O.
Posted by: wasder at October 29, 2009 2:31 PM in response to Streetlevel: Sports Bar for Fulton
Mopar:
846 respondents
Posted by: brownstoner at October 29, 2009 11:11 AM
Posted by: wasder at October 29, 2009 12:19 PM in response to Brownstoner 2009 Survey Results
"You guys get it together and shape the f**k up!"
You are totally right of course ENY. I just was just expressing my deepest fears amongst friends. But fair weather I am not and of course I remember losing the first two games in 96 at home. So yeah, F**K PEDRO! Go Yanks!
Posted by: wasder at October 29, 2009 12:06 PM in response to Open Thread
"So some may have bred long time ago and answered 0 or not."
This strikes me as a strange and unlikely response.
Posted by: wasder at October 29, 2009 11:43 AM in response to Brownstoner 2009 Survey Results
yeah, what happened to Phil Hughes? Guy was lights out all year and all of a sudden can't throw the ball over the plate.
Posted by: wasder at October 29, 2009 11:32 AM in response to Open Thread
CC was not the problem last night. 7 innings of two run ball should be good enough for the Yankees to win. Most nights anyway. Gotta hope AJ is not a head case tonight and that Pedro finds a way to lose to the Yankees just like he used to in his prime for the Red Sux.
Posted by: wasder at October 29, 2009 11:29 AM in response to Open Thread
God I f**ing hate Pedro!
Posted by: wasder at October 29, 2009 11:25 AM in response to Open Thread
Park Slope favorite investment area? Huh, doesn't seem like there is as much upside investment-wise in PS as say in Bed Stuy or Crown Heights.
Posted by: wasder at October 29, 2009 11:18 AM in response to Brownstoner 2009 Survey Results
ENY is right that the 27 Yanks couldn't have touched Lee last night. He was that good. while I am desperate to see Pedro destroyed tonight, I am also quite afraid of the concept of him resurrecting his early 2000's form for 7 innings and putting us in a 2 game whole.
Posted by: wasder at October 29, 2009 11:17 AM in response to Open Thread
"846 respondents"
Pretty impressive.
Posted by: wasder at October 29, 2009 11:12 AM in response to Brownstoner 2009 Survey Results
Surprised at the high number of childless folks.
Posted by: wasder at October 29, 2009 10:08 AM in response to Brownstoner 2009 Survey Results
Cliff Lee was definitely disrespectful on that catch. He pitched a hell of a game but I hope that bit of rub your nose-ism is remembered by the Yankees. Meanwhile is there a more hateful, hideous person in baseball than Pedro Martinez?
Stevie--I own a house and I would hardly qualify financially as the overlord type. Whereas there are several renters on this site with radically more money than me.
Posted by: wasder at October 29, 2009 10:02 AM in response to Open Thread
MM--no doubt about everything you said. Every person's experience and needs are different. I have an unusual amount of flexibility in my live/work situation which makes owning more affordable to me than to a lot of people. And as you know I completely respect your choices and your attitude about the whole thing. Your situation makes perfect sense to me. Anyway, cheers to everyone for an interesting discussion on a frequently heated topic!
Posted by: wasder at October 28, 2009 5:32 PM in response to NYT: Housing Not Out of the Woods Yet
mopar---of course there are many many renters with kids but my choice was between selling my coop apt on the birth of my second and buying a house or renting. That what was spurring my part of this debate, whether or not it would be better to buy into a declining market for the security and comfort of it or rent indefinitely as BHO was advising me to do last summer.
Posted by: wasder at October 28, 2009 4:41 PM in response to NYT: Housing Not Out of the Woods Yet
"Wasder - I'm genuinely curious - what are you planning to do about school? You have little ones, I know, but are they school age? We already have our oldest in public school so probably don't want to buy too far from where we're currently renting (younger one may not get a variance) but every so often I think about a more radical change i.e. your neck of the woods, but what is the school deal there?"
My oldest is a couple of years away from public schooling but once she is going to kindergarten we will try to get her into PS 11 which is a few blocks away and gets good ratings. Failing that, there is an elementary school in Boerum Hill that I know some people send their kids to over here. So, barring PS 11, it would be a situation of finding an out of neighborhood school for her. I am hopeful about 11 however.
Posted by: wasder at October 28, 2009 2:13 PM in response to NYT: Housing Not Out of the Woods Yet
I really like this house actually. Don't know enough about the nabe to speculate on pricepoint but there aren't too many single family houses this nicely renovated at this price that I have seen.
Posted by: wasder at October 28, 2009 1:58 PM in response to House of the Day: 136 Hawthorne Street
Meant of course to say above that all the folks I know with kids own...
Posted by: wasder at October 28, 2009 1:55 PM in response to NYT: Housing Not Out of the Woods Yet
MM--For whatever reason, the folks that I know with kids all rent. There may be some people that I know (I am sure this is likely) casually through my daughter's pre-school rent, but in terms of my close social circle with kids, they all own. And it is true neighborhood may have something to do with it as I only know one family with kids in the Slope (and they own a condo). Most of the others are in Clinton Hill, with a smattering of other neighborhoods in the mix (Windsor Terrace, Jackson Heights etc).
Posted by: wasder at October 28, 2009 1:46 PM in response to NYT: Housing Not Out of the Woods Yet
"Hey Wasder,
I don't know how small that number of people is. If half the people in this city are single, and therefore more flexible than those with kids, there are plenty of people able to wait."
Snark--you are likely right that the group of single or childless people should be fairly large. However, BHO was referencing family size apts and houses in the suburbs so I was responding to that. My situation did not allow for that kind of flexibility but I can't speak for anyone else.
Miss Muffett--I was careful to say that I don't know if this is the reason, just guessing. Also careful to say that I personally do not know any renters with kids. However, that doesn't mean they don't exist.
I do think that there must be something to the fact that smaller apts seem to be taking more of a whack than whole homes in Brooklyn but I don't pretend to have some overarching economic or social theory behind it. Just the anecdotal info that its tough to be a renter with kids.
Posted by: wasder at October 28, 2009 1:25 PM in response to NYT: Housing Not Out of the Woods Yet
I guess if a depression happens we will all be screwed and me only somewhat more severely than the average renter. I can only speak for my particular family and situation but the stability and security I get from knowing my home is my home and knowing that the payments I make on it will always be the same is worth the risk of losing a few hundred thousand dollars. I don't know any people with kids who are willing to live in year to year leases for any extended period of time. That is why that aspect of the rental market may be collapsing (I have been blissfully unaware of the rental market for some time now)---there may not be enough takers for those properties.
This is where your master plan has always fallen apart. The number of people with the flexibility and fortitude to stand like Don Quixote and tilt at the windmill of price collapse is very small.
Posted by: wasder at October 28, 2009 1:05 PM in response to NYT: Housing Not Out of the Woods Yet
"I'm on board with the bottom coming 5 yrs from now 25% below where we are now."
While this would be a long, slow, disconcerting decline, at the same time that would mean prices bottoming at 35% below the peak of the bubble, which is hardly a complete collapse.
Posted by: wasder at October 28, 2009 12:53 PM in response to NYT: Housing Not Out of the Woods Yet
"How'd you extrapolate a whole decade out of my outline? I said short term deflation"
A decade was a wild guess of course, but the point is we are already a year and a half into your master plan. Had I listened to you last summer when I was weighing whether to buy and you and I used to mix it up in less jovial ways than we do now, I would definitely still be waiting. And given short term deflation plus the fact that once the price declines do start back up (if they do) it will take a while to reach your desired levels of decline, it strikes me that the "patient buyer" will be waiting quite some time. I don't know too many people who can operate with that level of insecurity and instability for that long.
Posted by: wasder at October 28, 2009 12:35 PM in response to NYT: Housing Not Out of the Woods Yet
Two strong sales there.
Posted by: wasder at November 6, 2009 2:57 PM in response to Open House Picks: Six Months Later