House of the Day: Different in Ditmas
It’s not everyday that you see a house for under $500,000. Of course, it’s not everyday that non-freestanding Victorians in Ditmas Park show up on our radar screens either (we suspect the broker may be using the neighborhood definition a little liberally). As a result, we don’t have a whole hell of a lot to…
It’s not everyday that you see a house for under $500,000. Of course, it’s not everyday that non-freestanding Victorians in Ditmas Park show up on our radar screens either (we suspect the broker may be using the neighborhood definition a little liberally). As a result, we don’t have a whole hell of a lot to compare this to. It doesn’t look half bad though: Only two floors plus English basement, but there are definitely a lot of of serious period details. The listing mentions the fact that there is no C of O on the building which could make getting a mortgage a little dicey, so proceed with caution. If anyone knows this neck of the woods well, it would be useful to hear about safety, infrastructure, etc.
East 23rd Street House [Corcoran] GMAP
I saw that house on the tour (I think it was on Maple St) and I thought the whole house was wonderful (I loved the kitchen and the huge bedroom and bathroom on the second floor), and an ideal way to handle the lack of space, and it convinced me that those houses are perfect for a childless couple, but for a family — I agree, things would be pretty tight.
I agree — PLG is overpriced. This definitely looks a better deal — the transportation is the same, just a few more stops away (B and Q at Newkirk and Ocean Aves and 2 and 5 at Newkirk and Flatbush Aves.
I was thinking that the layout of this house was a lot like those on the PLG tour last year… Some of them were beauifully refurbished… but I kept thinking – these houses are tiny!!! It was hard to believe that they were built to accomodate turn of the century families who generally had a few children. You would absolutely have to convert the basement into a den, or even an extra bedroom, but it would be gloomy. The screening room was a smart way to handle the space. That said, this house in Ditmas Park goes for about a third less than what they would be asking over in PLG… Great for a couple or a very small family.
This looks very similar to houses in PLG — and some of them do have basement apartments. You wouldn’t want to live in one of them though — they’re dark and the garden is off the first level (what would be the parlor floor in most traditional townhouses), so these really are basements.
I know someone in PLG (their house was on the tour last spring) — they converted half the basement into a great screening room and half to a home spa — great! My landlord has converted his into two bedrooms – but to make a real apartment of it, necessitating kitchen, etc., would make things pretty small and gloomy!
Corcoran’s comment that the basement could be easily converted to a rental seems presumptuous. That actually looks like a cellar, and if it is there is no way to get a legal dwelling down there.
Miguel you are right – I purchased my two family home (which was always a two family home) with no C of O. I was told since it was built before 1935 (Im not too sure of this year) that I would not need one to close – and mine was an FHA backed mortgage.
FYI, no C-O is not necessarily a problem. If it is to be used as single family, then definately not a problem. If it is to be used as a multi-family, then they might be grand-fathered and would only need what I believe is called a “certificate of no objection” from the DOB.
Much would depend on how the house was configured prior to the first available DOB filings. An expeditor, such as Scott Schnall, can usually do the research and tell you pretty quickly what the C-O situation will involve.
In my case, I needed a new 2-fam C-O (where non existed) because the home had been used as a single-family since it was built. So, unfortunately, no grandfathering for me.
This house is officially in South Midwood – yes part of Victorian Flatbush.
The house appears to be at 419 E 23rd.