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Rental of the Day: 1141 Park Place
This floor-through, two-bedroom apartment at 1141 Park Place does have some charms, although renovations make the unit feel a little underwhelming. It looks spacious enough, and the unit’s on the parlor floor, but we’ve still got to ask: Who’s paying $2,500 a month to live out by Albany Avenue?
1141 Park Place [Staying in NYC Inc.] GMAP P*Shark
05/16/2013 12:30 PM
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Rent Vs. Buy: In Brooklyn, Both Are Difficult
If you’ve got Brooklyn property to sell, fantastic. It’s a seller’s market. People are clamoring for Brooklyn property. Your listing may even ignite a bidding war. You will probably be sitting on a lot of cash after you sell. But then what do you do? Hopefully you’ve got plans to move to, say, Kansas, because buying another place or even finding a rental in Brooklyn is going to be very, very, very difficult, according to DNAinfo. ”Right now is a horrible time to be a buyer or a renter,” said Catherine Witherwax, director of sales for Stribling’s first Brooklyn office. ”There’s very little on the market. We’re seeing unprecedented interest in Brooklyn and people staying in Brooklyn. And we’re seeing a large international component. The borough’s popularity goes beyond New York City and the metropolitan area.” Buyers will need perfect credit and enough funds to win a bidding war with all cash. The story gives an overview of the market in four neighborhoods with tips and deets on prices in each: Crown Heights, Bushwick, Bed Stuy, Dumbo. Crown Heights, for example, “is really starting to boom” with prices for renovated homes in the $1.2 to $1.5 million range. Rents are 10 to 30 percent cheaper than in Manhattan, with studios going for $1,200 to $1,500. Depressed yet? The article has some advice: If you’re priced out, try Queens.
Rent vs. Buy: Navigating Brooklyn’s Tight Real Estate Market [DNAinfo]
05/16/2013 9:00 AM
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Rental of the Day: 524 Manhattan Avenue
This two-bedroom, two-bathroom at new building 524 Manhattan Avenue is asking $5,500 a month. Here’s what it comes with: 1,069 interior square feet, an outdoor patio, a loft space, direct elevator entry, and really big windows. Lots of perks, but do you think a unit at the north end of the park can command the asking rent?
524 Manhattan Avenue [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
05/15/2013 12:30 PM
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Rental of the Day: 49 Montgomery Place
Not much to complain about when it comes to this fully furnished townhouse rental at 49 Montgomery Place, in Park Slope. It’s a beautiful house a half block from the park. Along with many well-kept historic details, it also comes with a restored antique billiards table. The home is available this August and only available to rent for a year. The monthly cost is $13,500.
49 Montgomery Place [Brown Harris Stevens] GMAP P*Shark
05/14/2013 12:30 PM
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Rental of the Day: 398 Bond Street
Here’s a floor-through apartment at 398 Bond Street, the glassy Gowanus building that sold for $3 million back in 2011. The two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit is pretty big: 1,000 square feet with a 500-square-foot private deck. The finishes are new and the windows are from floor to ceiling. The rent is a hefty $5,000 a month. Think they’ll get it?
398 Bond Street [Warren Lewis] GMAP P*Shark
05/13/2013 12:30 PM
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Cobble Hill Rentals Debut
Aptsandlofts.com launched four two- and three-bedroom rental units at the shiny new building 11 Wyckoff Street in Cobble Hill. Each floor-through unit comes with private elevator access and a washer/dryer; some come with private balconies. The prices range from $5,900 a month for a two-bedroom to $7,400 per month for a three-bedroom. A sales rep tells us that one unit, the three-bedroom asking $7,400 a month, has already been spoken for. GMAP
05/13/2013 10:00 AM
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Renters Seek Space, Bargains Deeper in Brooklyn
The borders of “emerging” Brooklyn neighborhoods are moving further out as prices rise across the borough. DNAinfo profiles one couple who recently moved to the border of Crown Heights and Brownsville in search of more space and reasonable rents.
As pricey “Williamsburg” rents trickle deeper into Bushwick and the once affordable blocks ringing Crown Heights’ booming Franklin Avenue fill up with renters eager to shell out $1,500 and up for studios, people like the Davidsons are looking south to Prospect-Lefferts Gardens and east to the stretch of avenues between the Crown Heights’ Hasidic enclave and its border with Brownsville.
The drawbacks: No dry cleaner, no Seamless Web delivery, no Thai, and no sushi. But there is one restaurant that delivers and plenty of shopping on Utica Avenue.
Bigger Spaces, Smaller Rents Lure New Faces Eastward in Crown Heights [DNAinfo]
05/13/2013 9:30 AM
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Rental of the Day: 158 Hicks Street
This Brooklyn Heights studio at 158 Hicks Street may catch the eye of a renter who puts a premium on location rather than actual living space. The apartment is tiny, with a lofted bedroom and a kitchenette that can only fit a mini-fridge and hot plate. At least there are windows! It costs $1,125 a month with a 15 percent brokers fee.
158 Hicks Street [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
05/09/2013 12:30 PM
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New Rendering, Rentals for 204 Wythe Avenue
Things are getting serious at 204 Wythe, the former Western Carpet site now under-construction. The developers just released the above rendering with lots of juicy details of what’s to come for the large rental project. Here’s a snippet from the press release:
The development consists of 229 residential units and 7,500 sf of ground floor retail with dedicated parking spaces. The project is seven stories and totals 248,000 gross sf. The retail component features 275 feet of wrap-around glass frontage with 13 foot ceilings; reasonable divisions will be considered. Mack Real Estate Capital and Urban Development Partners are the Developers.
The plan, and the rendering, has changed quite a bit since 2011. Back then, plans called for 5 stories and 157 units. The developers also ditched the old brick design for something much sleeker, and more typical of new Williamsburg developments. AREA Property Partners is still associated with the development, although they’ve since teamed up with Urban Development Partners according to the press release. We don’t have a recent shot of the construction site but the word is that construction is moving along with the retail temporary certificate of occupancy expected this summer and one for the building expected in the third quarter of this year. Zelnik & Company is in charge of marketing the retail. Curbed noticed that construction started up late last summer, after the Western Carpet building was demolished in early 2012.
Demolition of Burg’s Western Carpet Warehouse Begins [Brownstoner]
Big New Development in the Works in Prime Williamsburg [Brownstoner]
Western Carpet Warehouse in W’burg Sells for $27.5 Mil [Brownstoner] GMAP
05/09/2013 11:30 AM
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Closing Bell: Do Not Rent This Room
Just in case you weren’t already discouraged by the state of the Brooklyn rental market, cue The Worst Room, a new Tumblr chronicling one New Yorker’s attempt to find an affordable apartment off Craigslist. So far, the best picks come from North Brooklyn and Park Slope. Above, a room for rent in Prospect Lefferts Gardens with a listing that reads “Looking for two roommates… Top bunk is $500 per month, bottom bunk is $600 per month.”
The Worst Room [Tumblr]
05/08/2013 4:00 PM
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Rental of the Day: 153 23rd Street
The listing describes this one-bedroom railroad apartment in Greenwood Heights as “shabby chic.” While there are a few charming details to be found, what stands out most is how narrow this unit is. And the bedroom’s stuck right between the kitchen and living room. Since it’s only 550 square feet, we’d be surprised to see this unit get its monthly rent of $1,900.
153 23rd Street [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
05/08/2013 12:30 PM
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Rental Listings Pop up for 50 North 1st Street
Six rental units just showed up on Streeteasy for the troubled Williamsburg development at 50 North 1st Street, under construction for at least five years. (In 2009, a partial building collapse at the construction site caused an evacuation at the building next door.) One- and two-bedroom units are priced at $3,175 to $4,325 a month. Amenities include a parking garage, fitness room, courtyard and roof deck. Units have plank flooring, floor-to-ceiling windows, a dishwasher, and a washer/dryer unit; some apartments also have private outdoor space. Check out floor plans at the building website. It looks like the first open house will be held this weekend. When we checked on this building last spring, after work had restarted, DOB plans called for 41 units. The listing does not specify if that’s the total number of rentals available.
50 North 1st Street Website [50 North 1st Street]
Progress Being Made at 50 North 1st Street [Brownstoner]
Stalled Burg Site Sells, Restart Coming? [Brownstoner]
Frozen at 50 North 1st Street [Brownstoner]
Partial Building Collapse, Evacuation at North 1st Street [Brownstoner] GMAP
05/08/2013 10:00 AM
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Group Alleges Broadway Triangle Buildings Favor Hasadim
Two as-yet-unbuilt private apartment buildings in the contentious Broadway Triangle area are illegally discriminating against blacks and Hispanics, according to a group called Broadway Triangle Community Coalition, The New York Daily News reported. Hispanics and African Americans who inquired about apartments at 70 Union Avenue and 246 Lynch Street were told there were no applications and turned away, said the group, which sent the applicants. The buildings have already been filled with Hasidim, they said. The buildings are slated to rise in now-empty, privately owned lots in a 31-acre area called Broadway Triangle on the border of Williamsburg, Bushwick and Bed Stuy. Previous plans to build public housing in the area were halted last year by a federal judge on the grounds that the plans “illegally favored Hasidim over blacks and Latinos.” The Broadway Triangle Community Coalition alleges a rezoning of the area in 2009 from industrial to residential use favored the Hasadim, according to the story. A City spokeswoman scoffed at that notion and said, “if private landlords are acting in a discriminatory manner, as is alleged, that is not to be tolerated, and concerned citizens should make a report to the authorities responsible for enforcing laws against discrimination.”
Critics: Two Apartment Buildings Unfairly Filled With Hasidic Families [NY Daily News]
Photo by Christopher Bride for PropertyShark
05/08/2013 9:30 AM
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Rental of the Day: 197 Clifton Place
Huge: that’s the word that comes to mind when looking at this two-bedroom at 197 Clifton Place in Bed Stuy. There’s plenty of room to stretch out in the kitchen and living room, and each bedroom comes with a walk-in closet. Those 15-foot ceilings don’t hurt, either. Overall it’s a great space but asking a lot considering the Bed Stuy location. How realistic do you think the monthly rent of $3,750 is?
197 Clifton Place [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
05/07/2013 12:30 PM
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Rental of the Day: 415 Leonard Street
Big windows, white walls, and a lofted bedroom: yup, it’s a Williamsburg condo unit up for rent! This three-bedroom, three-bathroom at 415 Leonard Street also boasts two terraces and a nice location right off the southeast edge of McCarren Park. It’s asking a cool $6,500 a month. For that many bathrooms, maybe they’ll get their price.
415 Leonard Street [Corcoran] GMAP P*Shark
05/06/2013 12:30 PM
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Windows, Teaser Site for ‘Burg Build
The walls are up and the windows are going in at the 50-unit rental at 456 Grand Street in Williamsburg, east of the BQE. So far, the building matches the rendering. A couple one-page teaser sites have gone up, which were spotted by BuzzBuzz Home. According to BuzzBuzz, the one- and two-bedroom apartments will rent for $2,000 to $6,000 a month. Designed by Koh Architecture, the building will also have a restaurant and stores. MNS will do the leasing. Click through to the jump to see the rendering. (more…)
05/06/2013 11:30 AM
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High-Priced Gowanus Rental Is 60 Percent Full
The new Gowanus rental building at 202 8th Street hit the market with some very bold prices in February: $8,500 a month for a three-bedroom, $3,475 for a studio, and $2,950 for a one-bedroom. Three months later, the 51-unit development is 60 percent leased. The latest unit pulled off the market was a one-bedroom that rented for $4,350. According to a rep for Aptsandlofts.com, which is leasing out the building, there’s been a strong turnout of interested renters, and some of the most expensive one-bedrooms were snapped up first. According to Streeteasy, that $8,500 three-bedroom is still up for grabs. The interiors appear to have some very high end finishes, including red lacquer Italian kitchen cabinets, marble countertops, and Liebherr and Bosch appliances. “The kitchens here bring nouveau bistro design to all your artisanal feasts,” reads the copy. The building also features a private landscaped courtyard, a furnished roof deck, a gym and part-time doorman. Who’s been inside and checked it out… is it worth the hype?
202 8th Street Rental Units Now Live [Brownstoner] GMAP
05/03/2013 11:30 AM
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Another New Townhouse Development Is in the Works
It seems brand new row houses in a traditional style are becoming a trend in brownstone Brooklyn! Pardon Me For Asking spotted the above rendering for four four-story townhouses on a former parking lot on Degraw Street, between Hoyt and Bond streets. The developers are H Holding Group. As PMFA notes, there’s no ETA for construction or word yet on whether they will be one-family homes or multi-unit condos. From the sound of the addresses, though, perhaps they are single family houses. Anybody got more intel on this one? Other recent townhouse developments nearby are Nine Townhouses on State Street and the Pacific Street townhouses.
Four New Townhouses in the Works for Degraw Street [PMFA] GMAP
05/03/2013 10:00 AM
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Rents Surge in Greenpoint
DNAinfo reported that Greenpoint has seen a 20 percent rent hike this year, according to a rental survey compiled by MNS. As DNAinfo said, “Average studios skyrocketed from $1,875 to $2,688, one-bedrooms from $2,411 to $2,685, and two-bedrooms from $2,722 to $3,036.” That’s an average of $457 higher than last spring. New development 60 Franklin Street and 305 McGuiness Boulevard were two big causes of the increase, and many more new buildings are planned for the neighborhood. (Mega development Greenpoint Landing should begin its land-use review process this summer.) MNS Chief Executive Officer Andrew Barrocas said to expect “continuous growth” in Greenpoint. Meanwhile in Bushwick and Williamsburg, prices on one- and two-bedrooms in Williamsburg have slightly decreased, but prices in Bushwick have risen across the board. A Bushwick studio asking $1,275 last year has now risen to $1,750 a month.
Greenpoint Joins Bushwick With 20 Percent Rent Leap [Brownstoner]
Photo by Bridge and Tunnel Club
05/03/2013 9:45 AM
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Rental of the Day: 446 Kent Avenue
This two-bed, two-bath condo unit for rent at Schaefer Landing is quite nice. It’s large, with exposures on the north, east, and west side. Overall the layout, with the open kitchen and small second bedroom, looks fairly typical for a Williamsburg condo unit. It’s renting at $3,750 a month, a price we bet they’ll get, considering the crazy demand in the neighborhood. It’s also for sale, asking $789,000.
446 Kent Avenue [Great Jones Realty] GMAP P*Shark
05/02/2013 12:30 PM
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brooklandings
May 16, 2013 | 09:04 AM