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.
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).
Presumably, if you live in Bay Ridge and work in midtown you’d transfer to the D at 36th st which is express. I know when I worked up near Rock Cntr and lived in Bay Ridge, the commute was a little over an hour usually but sometimes stretching to closer to an hour and a half.
But the fact that the R doesn’t run in Manhattan after 10 or 11 any day of the week makes it really hard to live out there without a car. Even going to Park Slope becomes a hassle if you’re trying to get home after 10.
“given all this, am still amazed why bay ridge getting so little love from buyers. if my work commute wasnt so damn long, would’ve bought a house in bay ridge already…”
M4L, think you answered your question yourself. I love Bay Ridge but the perception is that the commute from the end of the R train, which doesn’t exactly have the rep as the fastest subway line, to midtown takes like 90 mins. I love Bay Ridge and would love to move there, but the commute scares me off. By the way, how long is your commute? How long does it take to midtown on the R?
It sounds to me like they just collect way too much stuff. I get the baby clothes and toys, but I bet they have a lot of other crap they just probably never really use.
tybur6, considering some folks are worry about safety, schools, and retail density about some of these hoods they can afford, bay ridge covers all that for a few more stops on subway.
m4l — It’s because Bay Ridge is sooooooo far. I don’t know anyone that lives there, so I would have to go really far to visit anyone. I don’t go to Manhattan very often (don’t commute there), but I can imagine it’s painfully long. Might as well live in Bensonhurst or Rockaway.
given all this, am still amazed why bay ridge getting so little love from buyers. if my work commute wasnt so damn long, would’ve bought a house in bay ridge already vs. still saving up for down payment for the pricey hoods
I get that idea that with this family if they got rid of the textbooks, they would immediately find something else to fill up the space.
I have moved enough times to different sized places that I get attached to basically no specific items.
gemini – $600,000 is what you spend on a weekend house.