House of the Day: 18 Rutland Road

Wow, I have had just the opposite experience of the person who knew owners of that house. I found Rutland Road an oasis, with amazing neighbors. AMAZING. It’s quiet, even in the garden, now that the buildings are not wild like they were in the late 90s. Tons of cool new things moving into the neighborhood like good wine and coffee shops, nicer restaurants. Hate to say it, but gentrification is here, but without making the area homogeneous. I’ve loved visiting over the years and wish I could live in one of those gorgeous tudors.

Nice location but those 17 footers can feel claustrophobic after a few months living in them. Properties this size are tolerable with lots of windows with side views. With this property attached on both sides, it’s appeal will be to someone relocating out of a cramped Manhattan Coop and grateful to have more than 1 closet in the house.

@Park Sloper – maybe you should view the property and draw it’s floor plans.

My parents are so happy, I have my doctorate! Thanks, Pigeon. I do like these houses. Bob, you are right, they don’t feel narrow at all. I’ve only been in one, and it had a lot of people and stuff in it (PLG housetour) but it did feel very spacious. As a single person, I’d be happy as a clam in one by myself. I could easily fill every room with my books, piano, and all my other stuff.

I am just going to copy my comments from the Open House thread:

“I actually know the Rutland Road house well. I’m friends with the people who sold it years ago (and who did the renovation). Its a very sweet house, but some of the reasons my friends left must still be problems. The big problem is that it is right off of Flatbush. They heard a lot of traffic noise. You could also hear everything from the neighbors on either side–TV, talking, music. I was there a couple of times when we couldn’t talk because of the neighbor’s music.

My friends’ biggest problems may have been reduced since they left, which was people hanging out all night in front of the apartment building one house away, playing music, and having craps games. They said there was also constant music from the apartments–which they heard both from the front and from the rear. And there was music from parked cars in front of the apartment building. But that was a long time ago, so the building may have improved–it was mostly section 8 back then.”

Later, in response to posters who said there was no way you could hear traffic:
“Having spent lots of time in the Rutland house, I can assure you that you can definitely hear Flatbush quit loudly. I have also been in houses just as close to Flatbush on Midwood street, and you can’t hear the traffic at all. Not all streets are the same.

I asked my friends who still live in Lefferts Manor (quite happily) and they said that the apartment buildings at Rutland and Flatbush are still a serious noise issue. They said the buildings have certainly gotten better over the years, but there are still real problems with all-night hanging out and music. I suggest anyone considering this house visits on some warm, summer nights to check it out.”

PS: The renovation was in ’99; the kitchen is Ikea; the bathrooms are great. The previous owners sold in 2001.

And a comment by another poster, who went to the Open House:

By househunt on April 12, 2010 9:23 AM
…Only got to see the PLG Tudor. It’s cute but needs some work and I can attest that I most certainly heard Flatbush and the music of the neighbors…