home search: realistic expectations?
Getting ready to start an out-of-state (mostly) search to find a new home in Brooklyn (my former home, so I’m very familiar with it). I’d love some advice about whether I have realistic expectations for what I’m looking for, lest I waste too much time holding out for that “just right” place that takes years…
Getting ready to start an out-of-state (mostly) search to find a new home in Brooklyn (my former home, so I’m very familiar with it). I’d love some advice about whether I have realistic expectations for what I’m looking for, lest I waste too much time holding out for that “just right” place that takes years to come along.
Budget: around a million (but thrilled to pay far less!), less if it needs work, more if there’s rental income. Prefer something renovated or new, but if all else is perfect, we would consider doing reno ourselves.
Nabes: Prospect Heights, Park Slope, Ft. Greene,m Clinton Hill, Boerum Hill, etc. Walking distance to “good stuff.” Would LOVE walking distance to Prospect Park and Grand Army Farmers Market. Not Lefferts Garden or Kensington (too far out, and not enough walkable stuff).
Size: 1500+ sq. ft. At least 1.5 bathrooms. Pref. 3 bedrooms (or two bedrooms plus office area), pref. formal dining room or ample dining space.
Must have: dedicated parking on-site or super nearby.
My (no doubt unrealistic) dream home: a townhouse with parking and a yard, sizable owner’s duplex, plus in-law unit or studio and a one bedroom rental. I see one like this listed in Lefferts Garden, a limestone beauty, listed for under a mil. But it’s too far! If it were this, I could probably swing $1.3 mil…
OR, a large condo for a lower price, with reasonable maintenance. Parking for sure. A patio or yard would be great. Actually, the Vermiel listings for the largest units seem perfect, except that they front 7th Ave and Sterling (with the windows RIGHT, right, right on the street) and the asking prices are high!
Am I crazy, or is this doable?
The other dream (im)possibility, a well-priced empty lot that meets the above requirements and is buildable… for a super-dope prefab…
Look in Carroll Gardens east/Gowanus area (btw hoyt/bond)- houses there are small – about 1800 sq ft and usually go on the market for about 1.3 – and can be bought for more like 1.15. You can rent out one floor, but that would make it a two bedroom. The houses usually need some work but not tons, and all the streets have tons of parking for the time being (that will change I’m sure when/if all the Gowanus development happens.) I live in the area and always can park right in front of my house.
Try the South Slope. You can get a decent frame house for that, sometimes with parking. Parking on the street is much better than the Slope anyway. Having a car is nice, don’t listen to the haters.
I won’t moralize and go so far as to tell you to leave your car on the left coast, but I do think you should be realistic – very few places, even new construction, are going to have dedicated parking, and those that do will sell for a significant premium. If you plan to keep the car, expect to park on the street or pay extra for a garage. Check out the walk to local garages when you’re looking, and ask if they have a waiting list.
10:17, I don’t think that’s necessarily true. Last summer I saw several places in Park Slope with a friend who was looking for just that–3 bedrooms, 1.5-2 bath for a million or less. They weren’t perfect; some were not recently renovated (although still in perfectly fine, livable condition), some bedrooms were smallish. But we still saw several–and I’m guessing prices now are softer than they were then.
How about this place? No dedicated parking but I live in the area and see open spots more often than one would expect.
http://www.corcoran.com/property/listing.aspx?Region=NYC&ListingID=1145351
Why do people suggest bay ridge when OP already said lefferts gardens is too far.
Bay ridge boosters need to realize that it’s not just that bay ridge is physically too far. It’s too far culturally and psychologically.
It’s not the car that’s the problem. Ignore the car and you still cannot get 3 br where you want for 1 mill.
Agree with several others that your parking requirement is probably the big dealbreaker in your requirements. Very few places around here–even (and maybe especially) townhouses–have dedicated parking, and if they do, that really ups the price.
I too would suggest you consider giving up your own car. (Why bring a piece of California car culture back to Brooklyn?! 😉 Look into Zipcar (zipcar.com). I’m a huge fan. They have tons of locations now (and add new ones quite frequently) and are very very convenient.
If you can give up on the parking space idea, you’ll have a much better chance of finding what you want in PS, more likely WT though. But you could definitely find the parking and the space for under your budget if you were willing to look as far as Bay Ridge – beautiful limestones, still walkable to tons of amenities and plenty of park space (Shore Road, Owls Head Park, etc.) If you look in the northern parts (60’s, 70’s) you’re just an extra 2 express stops on the N train from Park Slope and you’re there!