House of the Day: Clinton Hill Brick
Here’s a lovely 1870’s brick 2-family that Aguayo & Huebener currently has on the market for $1,060,000. We don’t recognize it off hand and, as is their habit, A&H do not give an address, so we can’t confirm whether this is Clinton Hill proper or “Clinton Hill East”. It also looks like this is really…
Here’s a lovely 1870’s brick 2-family that Aguayo & Huebener currently has on the market for $1,060,000. We don’t recognize it off hand and, as is their habit, A&H do not give an address, so we can’t confirm whether this is Clinton Hill proper or “Clinton Hill East”. It also looks like this is really a 3-story house (not 4 as advertised), as the basement apartment is about 75% below grade. Regardless, the place appears to have retained much of its original charm and this is certainly on the low end of the price spectrum for Clinton Hill these days. We don’t know the square footage, but in general houses in Clinton Hill are selling for between $300,000 and $350,000 per floor. By those metrics, this is right in line even as a 3-story house. We expect whether this is a good deal or not hinges on the exact location.
Enchanting Gem [Aguayo & Huebener]
Re “poaching” – what I meant was that AH doesn’t want to share the commission. We just sold recently in Manhattan and had the situation where buyers would come with a friend who was also a broker – we would end up paying 3% to their friend (costing the buyer nothing) and in return these buyers would list with their friend and get a break on that commission. I find this practice very widespread. A lot of new developments are being sold by brokers who are relatives of the developers and just happen (!) to work for Corcoran/Elliman. This way, even more of the $ stays in the family.
So this teeny tiny house is ok for over a million, but a gorgeous 5700 sq. ft. mansion on the Bed Stuy/Clinton Hill border for 1.5 is a stretch?
Every time I see one of these real estate blogs, and Brownstoner I think does a really nice job. Compared to other ones like that moronic Ltpuk-whatever. People are always bashing or criticizing agents and firms, instead of saying thing like that idiot who said “aren’t you ashamed” say something constructive. Its alot easier to throw stones at glass houses.
I used to know people who rented this house. It’s tiny! Very surprised to see it on the market over a mil. The location is only ok (on a commercial part of Waverly near the Associated supermarket, dwarfed by the Clinton Hill co-ops across the street). Has a nice yard, but no upgrades to speak of and did I mention it’s really small…
As for “poaching,” I doubt that it is an actual issue of true theft of sellers but rather trying to fend off attempts by other brokers to come in with potential buyers and co-broke. Corcoran posts a lot of info about its listings because its business model encourages co-broking, and tries to make up the difference in commissions through volume.
There was an article in the NYTimes about 6 months ago that mentioned this in part of a focus on the changing nature of the Brooklyn real estate broker industry.
I agree that Elizabeth’s posting was quite appropriate. However, callng this a four-story is misleading, period.
I sold a co-op with A&H and while they were very knowledgable, I found them surprisingly lacking in attentiveness — they seemed to treat the sale as a low priority. The first open house we held, they sent one agent, who refused to show our roof deck and brought her lunch, which she proceeded to sit at the kitchen table and eat as the first visitors made their way through the apartment. I could go on, but won’t.
On the other hand, we bought that co-op through Brooklyn Properties with Roslyn Huebener as the agent, back when she worked there. She provided great service, far more than I would have expected her to give to a couple who were spending a relative pittance and weren’t even paying her commission.
So, good experience, not-so-good experience. Anyway, my point was not to bash AH generally. I just think it’s not helpful to buyers or sellers to withhold any information like the location. It may helpful to AH, but as a seller (or buyer), I would not want their first consideration to be preserving their full commission. As for poaching, Corcoran gives out addresses and they don’t exactly seem to be going out of business.
Anyway, I give props to Elisabeth for posting regardless.
Please excuse the typos and grammatical errors in my last post, typing too fast…
I’ve used A&H on both sides of transactions in the past. Overall I thought they were ok. I agree that their website could use some work, and I don’t like the way they’re pictures are alway of the floor of rooms trying to emphasize the size of the space (oftent means that bedroom shots are of the bed alone…).
I believe I met Elizabeth, and if it is the same person I met, she was really great. Very up to date on everything, responsive and approachable, so I commend her for being on top of this blog. Like the other poster said, cut her some slack. She’s clearly on top of it which is more than can be said for most, and she’s out there working hard for this particular seller. Just doing her job.