Goal: A Family-Sized House for $600K or Under
This week’s “The Hunt” column in The Times is about a couple that was looking to buy a place because, with baby and law textbooks in tow, a $2,600-a-month, two-bedroom rental in Windsor Terrace was no longer big enough. After checking some website called Brownstoner.com daily, the determination was made that the pair’s max budget—in…
This week’s “The Hunt” column in The Times is about a couple that was looking to buy a place because, with baby and law textbooks in tow, a $2,600-a-month, two-bedroom rental in Windsor Terrace was no longer big enough. After checking some website called Brownstoner.com daily, the determination was made that the pair’s max budget—in the low $600,000s—meant Windsor Terrace was too pricey. What followed: A visit to a five-bedroom in Prospect-Lefferts Gardens that, at $849,000, was too expensive and also unsatisfactory because it didn’t have a bathtub; consideration of two Bed-Stuy houses that were nixed because one didn’t pass muster at inspection time and the other was a two-family; and looking at a bunch of condos that weren’t big enough. They finally found a 2,000-square-foot house in South Midwood with appealing period detail that they bought for $540,000 in December. And now? “It’s appalling,” says the couple’s fairer half. We moved from an apartment to a house, and we filled the house.”
A Move Dictated by Miscellany [NY Times]
Photo via Property Shark.
My commute to Bay Ridge is only 10/15 mins longer than it was when I lived in Park Slope (now about 45 mins to midtown area). If you live in the Slope near Union, etc., you still deal with the R, to Bay Ridge you just take the express N to 59th instead of Atlantic (2 more express stops) to catch the R local(no one usually takes the local the whole way!) If you take into account walkability to restaurants and stores, decent schools, parks, etc. I would take Bay Ridge over Midwood. For a slight increase in commute time, we now have 3x the space for about the same amount of $, outdoor space, great schools (some brand new), more restaurants and parks, and daycare is a LOT more affordable here as well.
“And living in Bay Ridge *with* a car is a challenge… so, you’d be looking for a Bay Ridge house with a curb cut (preferably a legal one). ”
Actually it wasn’t that bad. Back when I was living there this was when most other hoods still had alternate side parking four days a week. Bay Ridge still only had it two days a week, Monday’s and Tuesdays. You had all day Sunday to get your car on the right side of the street. It was only on Monday evenings that you had to worry about not finding a spot. Now finding a spot late at night during the winter on weekends, that would be tough sometimes. Summer was no problem.
Then…
“Their spacious ground-floor two-bedroom in Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn, for $2,600 a month, came with the use of the basement, and ‘we took up the entire basement,’ Mr. Alvarez said.”
Now…
“We moved from an apartment to a house, and we filled the house.”
They could have stuck it out for next round(s) of collapse. Throw shit away and organize. People have money to burn.
***Bid half off peak comps***
We live in Bay Ridge in a fantastc limestone on a lovely tree lined block. In regard to parking much depends on where you live in the ridge. If you need to park right near your home at all times then on certain blocks that can be a problem. We don’t mind walking and can always find a spot the next block down, if not on ours. It can be an issue when grocery shopping. Sometimes I double park, watch for brownies, and race the bags into the house. And then many times I do find a space. In crummy weather there is always Fresh Direct. Parking is worse in Park Slope. I would not own a car if I lived in the Slope (infact we know people who live there who don’t own cars).
My husband used to work midtown. He would change at DeKalb for the 6th Ave. line. His commute took about an hour.
Unless you are rich, there are always some concessions to make in city living.
http://www.boingboing.net/2011/02/16/detroit-will-pay-you.html
OK… so it’s not a general thing, but still…
tybur6, how much are they paying in detroit? you have a link with the details?
m4l — That’s why at a certain point you STOP looking at Brooklyn as a viable option and just let the whole city get taken over by the very rich and the very poor. And the folks in the middle move to Buffalo or Detroit to try the urban experiment all over again from scratch.
Do you know they’re *paying* you to buy a house in Detroit?
I half-ass looked at Jersey City, and the commute there is not that great.
There are only a small handful of PATH stations, and not all are in great residential neighborhoods.
Most commutes from Jersey City into Manhattan involve taking a bus or light rail to the PATH, and you still face a long walk unless you are going to the World Trade Center area or 6th avenue below 34th street.
folks, this thread was about cheaper housing in BK. so compared to the hoods you can buy a house for 600k or so, there is just way too many tradeoffs with those hoods than the longer commute with bay ridge. We aint talking about folks who can afford park slope, BK Heights, Cobble Hill,… Rather is bushwick, bed stuy, crown heights, etc a better tradeoff. again, not saying most should find bay ridge more appealing rather just that how few few folks even have it on the radar – especially folks with kids who keep voicing safety and schools