Finding a Town House for Less Than $1 Million
Newsflash! What’s the secret to finding a brownstone for under a million bucks? Looking in “overlooked neighborhoods” and being willing to take on a big renovation. In addition to Mott Haven in the Bronx and Sunnyside in Queens, Bedford Stuyvesant and Crown Heights are cited as the ripest spots in Brooklyn. No argument here. You…
Newsflash! What’s the secret to finding a brownstone for under a million bucks? Looking in “overlooked neighborhoods” and being willing to take on a big renovation. In addition to Mott Haven in the Bronx and Sunnyside in Queens, Bedford Stuyvesant and Crown Heights are cited as the ripest spots in Brooklyn. No argument here. You can still get a lovely brownstone in Bedford-Stuyvesant for well under $1 million, said Halstead’s William Ross (himself a brownstone owner, albeit in ritzier Cobble Hill). The market begins around $650,000 to $700,000 for a real four-story brownstone. Comment: Plus at least another $200,000 in renovation costs.
Finding a Town House for Under a Million [NY Times]
Photo by Chad Wilcomb
Responding to an african american family being welcome in sunset park. I think any race would be welcome here. The neighborhood is currently predominently hispanic and asian with a large population of arabic and the longer time residents which include the irish and some italien. Overall I think it is very mixed, but like me you would be in the minority.
I don’t understand how folks get wrapped up in these arguements. I swear when Brownstoner posts a topic, it’s like a game of “telephone”. By the time you get to the end, it’s a completely different topic.
Being that this blog is directed to and read by predominantly Brownstone enthusiasts, it makes it fairly obvious the purpose of this post.
“I’d love to own a Brownstone…..But I don’t want to spend $1MM to get one….Where o where can I find one for less?”
Now if you find one for $800K and do a reno for $200k…. check my math, but I think that brings you to $1MM.
So that’s not the answer. That said, there are some places that you can find some brownstones for less that $750K. In bed-stuy, Corcoran has a 3 story on Putnam listed @ $735K. And doesn’t look to need $200 in renos. A 4 Story on Decatur listed @ $730.
So the moral of the story is, if a Brownstone is what you want, and you don’t mind a “fringe” neighborhood,(whatever that means), then you can get one!
All white people look the same to me.
WT is mostly irish, italian and hispanic with a few recent transplants from the midwest thrown in for good measure along with a minority of black, chinese and “other”. Its not really all that diverse but there arent any really diverse nabes in Bklyn. Every brooklyn neighborhood has some majority…so its just a matter of selecting the features of a community you prefer and living with whoever is there already.
You can’t buy a limestone or brownstone for under a $1M here…but you can buy a cute little brick or larger frame house for less than $1M – well less if you dont mind being on the edges. You get all the benefits of the Park and proximity to Manhattan without the insanity of Park Slope. So its a very good option for many people – Im certainly a big fan and find most people who live here love it.
The neighborhood is EXTREMELY small so to say you have to like walking is silly. The whole nabe is about 7 blocks wide and 4 avenues long. How much walking could you possibly do? Yes, you have to be able to walk a block or two. Those blocks tend to be tree lined and full of people who love their home and take care of them. Wow, what an inconvienance!
wt was definitely irish. very irish.
My grandfather, who lived in Windsor Terrace for 35 years, would have punched you right in the nose for calling him Anglo, Saxon, Anglo-Saxon, or any variant thereof. Like a lot of folks in Windsor Terrace at the time he was 100% Irish.
Windsor Terrace is a diverse neighborhood? They have both Anglos and Saxons?
I love walking, I think I’ll take a stroll through Windsor Terrace. It really sounds like an interesting area. How are the schools in the area?
small WT house boasts 1500+ sf, and at 699k is a better deal then a sub 1000sf 2br in the slope for a million. its all relative, but pound for pound, WT is a better value then your run of the mill condo special. If your drive around WT its looking alot more like SanFran these days, folks ripping off the siding and opting for colorful victorian and italianate clapboard. many homes are also being reno’d with an eye toward green techniques as well. i must admit, the air is much easier to breath in WT, especially given the zoning prevents development (far of 1.25).