first time buyer needs your expert input! (crown heights, bed-stuy, bushwick, ridgewood)

Hi Brownstoners, I’m a first-time buyer, pre-approved for a mortgage and I’m looking for a 2-4 family building in Bed-Stuy, Crown Heights, and parts of Bushwick (mainly the Ridgewood adjacent L train neighborhoods of Bushwick).  I’ve been looking for about 3 months and it has certainly been a learning process. The fact that I’m a young single woman has probably contributed to how much crap I’ve had brokers try to pull on me, but even still it’s amazing. As I’m sure you all know, the market is glutted with “flippers” selling gutted renovations. I am absolutely not interested in dealing with Massada (let’s just say thank god I have a good lawyer re: those scammers), Extreme Homes etc. etc. which means Craigslist is pretty much useless. StreetEasy has seemed pretty useful, and I have been dealing with B.H. Tal realty, who are less “bottom-feedery” than most of the other brokers I’ve met. They have access to the long island MLS listings and aren’t only pushing investment-owned flips. I was wondering if anyone had any other brokers or local real estate offices they could recommend?  I would much rather purchase a “fixer-upper” (with no significant structural problems) than one of these fully renovated places. My limit is in the low 700s.  Sorry for the novel- I would appreciate any and all help. Thanks so much!

lorien

in Real Estate - Sales 12 years and 9 months ago

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scarter | 12 years and 9 months ago

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I completely agree with walking the neighborhoods.  I was just recently in your situation and just closed on a brownstone in bed stuy.  It’s a commitment… It took about 3 months of constant looking (and I mean constant)..I would drive the neighbs every saturday and sunday and look for activity and also write down any numbers for small realtors.  I would then put those numbers in my phone and would call those realtors weekly to see if they had anything.  Agents in those areas get ALOT of calls so it will take them a while to really take you seriously but if you call enough they will take notice.  I initially had a buyers agent but dropped them after realizing most sellers agents were not looking my way b/c they did not want to share the commission.  I pretty much went in on my own and was very consistent and persistent.  I wanted a fixer upper also and I was so frustrated b/c I was continuously being outbid by CASH buyers (one time I offered $20K over the cash offer and was willing to pay 30 days of the sellers holding costs to make up for the difference in time it would take me to close on the mortgage and was still given the boot-lol).  It was extremely frustrating but HANG IN THERE..these investors cannot win.  I stayed away from the we buy home folks or the tacky investor specials as I like to call them.  I ended up getting a house that was owned by an older, single woman and b/c I was flexible and would be patient with her and the time it took for her to move ..she chose my offer so you never know.  Good luck!

BobMarvin | 12 years and 9 months ago

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As long as you’re looking in Crown Heights, you might as well look south at PLG, across Empire Blvd. There should be two family fixer upers in your price range just outside of Lefferts Manor and the rest of the PLG Historic District, i.e. the Washington–Bedford block of Sterling Street. There few, if any, flippers here.

cate | 12 years and 9 months ago

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A lot of property in the areas you mention (where I live) are either flips or wrecks. It is discouraging. But places do come up. You just have to be patient. With your price range, you should be able to find something nice in Bed Stuy. Walk the blocks you are interested in, talk to neighbors, talk to Amzi on this board, visit the local realities such as Stuyvesant Heights, Flateau, even Corcoran and Fillmore (they have some really good agents who know the area). Did you see the listing at 534 Decatur St.? It already has several offers, so it’s probably too late for that one, but it looked like a rare gem with all the details and updated mechanicals.

catboot | 12 years and 9 months ago

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I agree, walking the neighborhood is absolutely key. We used Ari and Erin of House by We as our brokers and they helped immensely.  http://housebywe.com/pages/buy.php

lorien | 12 years and 9 months ago

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thanks so much- this is all very helpful. i know that anything can and does happen in the world of propery ownership, but something seems extra rotten in those cookie-cutter flipped-home interiors. I live in an apartment that was originally supposed to be sold as a condo (i do get some satisfaction that the owners of the place are stuck dealing with their own crappy handiwork) ; we’re the first tenants here and less than three years in the place is full of problems like the bathroom walls crumbling and rotting because nothing was sealed correctly- not to mention how many friends have bought condos that were built flimsily and on the cheap. i’d rather take my chances with something i’m not paying a premium to have look “modern” and “new” (oh la la a tile backsplash and a kitchen island!)

deano | 12 years and 9 months ago

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If youre wearing out your own shoeleather in your searches, then i would also assume that you (and your offers) are more attractive to selling agents if you come without a buying agent at your side…

bedstuytownhouse | 12 years and 9 months ago

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Agree with Deano on surprises in “sound” fixers. We bought a fixer and literally every single thing that could go wrong did. If your contractor tells you it will be 100k, it will easily be 150k because when you start the work, you’ll uncover problems that were not expected.

deano | 12 years and 9 months ago

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Seconded.  Patrol the sidewalks of blocks or ‘hoods you like and look out for the mom & pop realtor signs.  those agencies often avoid paying to list with NYTimes or the like.  It’s true that new paint in a cheap flip might be hiding a rats’ nest of issues, but remember that even the “sound” fixer-upper can spring wallet-busting surprises on you, no matter how extensive the pre-closing inspections.

bedstuytownhouse | 12 years and 9 months ago

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Go to every open house that can, even those over your budget…you’ll quickly learn to identify when things are priced appropriately and more importantly when they are not. If you want a fantastic buyer’s broker in Bed Stuy, call Ban Leow…he’s like the mayor of the neighborhood and he’ll completely protect you. I’ve found maybe two brokers in the neighborhood who are not complete scum…it’s like the wild west with the mom and pop agencies. More importantly, you need an excellent real estate attorney and one who ONLY does real estate. We lucked out and got the best guy imaginable through referral…Bill Bianco, Jr from Bianco & Bianco in Ridgewood…google for contacts. Ban…917.607.3838.

esther | 12 years and 9 months ago

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I think you should walk around the neighborhoods you would like to buy into and find the local realators office and work with them