Open House Picks
Clinton Hill 282 Dekalb Avenue Archive! Warren Lewis Sunday 12-4 $1,850,000 GMAP P*Shark Park Slope 407 8th Street Brown Harris Stevens Sunday 12-2 $1,425,000 GMAP P*Shark Bedford Stuyvesant 585 MacDonough Street Kirkland Homes Sunday 12-3 $750,000 GMAP P*Shark Bushwick 51 Linden Street Douglas Elliman Sunday 2-4 $675,000 GMAP P*Shark

Clinton Hill
282 Dekalb Avenue Archive!
Warren Lewis
Sunday 12-4
$1,850,000
GMAP P*Shark
Park Slope
407 8th Street
Brown Harris Stevens
Sunday 12-2
$1,425,000
GMAP P*Shark
Bedford Stuyvesant
585 MacDonough Street
Kirkland Homes
Sunday 12-3
$750,000
GMAP P*Shark
Bushwick
51 Linden Street
Douglas Elliman
Sunday 2-4
$675,000
GMAP P*Shark
Montrose, your comments are illuminating and wise. EVeryone here has a right to say what they want, but precisely because you write about your own neighborhood, you also have credibility. Most of these people are shoppers. They’re paranoid, as they should be. I was paranoid sitting down for the closing, as were you, i’m sure. It’s really not worth responding to their hysteria.
12:01, Thank You!
6:07 – no. I’ve lived in both Bed Stuy and Crown Heights for over 20 years, and owned for 6. I have never met anyone, whether they cared for my neighborhood or not, who thought I made a bad decision. If anyone is aware of all of the downsides of living here, it is me. I did it because the positives far outweigh any negatives. I also bought for the long haul. I have no doubt the house I leave to my family members will be worth much more than its selling price. It aready is fourfold.
“You know what gets tiresome? You. Would it be possible for you to not bring up crown heights in threads about other neighborhoods? – Bed Stuy and Crown Heights are next door to each other, and were considered the same neighborhood until recently. Same issues, same topic.
Would it be possible for you to just skip commenting on every post that may involve your neighborhood? – I believe I have as much right to do that as anyone from any other neighborhood. Don’t like it? Scroll past it.
Would it be possible for you to right a comment that wasn’t 5 paragraphs long?” 9:23 – Most are not, and if they are, see the scroll down part above. Oh, and I “write”, which is my “right”. Have a nice day.
All of Brooklyn changed dramatically over the last 18 years. Fringe neighborhoods too. All of Brooklyn will continue to change dramatically. Fringe neighborhoods too. The current economical situation sucks but I don’t believe for a moment it will set back a trend that’s nearly 20 years in the making in Brooklyn, in the most desireable city on the planet.
It’s about how much money you have right now to purchase real estate, and what your needs are regarding square footage that determines which neighborhood you land it. Some types feel the need to feel superior and flaunt their wealth and their ability to buy in blue chip neighborhoods, but in the end it’s a personal decision that’s only about YOUR needs and values. And economic smarts of course. I personally refuse to overpay for real estate and haven’t in either of the large cities I’ve lived in. In the 3 properties I’ve owned I’ve always been one of the first wave of new residents into an undervalued neighborhood. And it’s paid off huge for me.
6:02 REgarding your comment: “I’m seeing many people flee Bed Stuy now for smaller places in Park Slope and Ft. Greene because they were under the false impression that the area was safe.”
These fleeing crowds (on bikes? in school buses?) — why dont those people post here? Are they so ashamed of having made a wrong decision? Were they robbed of their computers in Bed Stuy?
Because so far (not that this site is an indicator of the mentality of ALL homebuyers, but its a slice) people here who’ve moved to bedstuy have saying only positive things. So either they’re in post traumatic shock syndrome and can’t actually face the reality of the HORROR they have to endure, or they’re pleasantly surprised by the fact that their loved ones are still alive that they’re practically euphoric. OR it just ain’t that fuckin bad as you’d like us to believe.
I suspect that those “fleeing crowds” you’re referring to are the people who see you coming with your corcoran agent. And they’re not fleeing to PArk Slope or Fort Greene. They’re fleeing to Brownsville or East New York, where they’re sure not to see you (at least for the next few years).
FYI, Fort Greene WAS bed stuy in terms of crime only 8 years ago. And is still home to one of the most notoriously crime-ridden, drug infested ghettos in New York. It’s just got more white people (like me) living there now. It looks safer.
12:01 pm — That post was incredible. It’s a keeper.
My favorite line:
“I suspect that many of the people on this site that see Bed Sty and other areas as so undesirable would still feel right at home in a white neighborhood with the same crime rate.”
Question: Do you think your community can potentially realize Montrose’s concept of a “better community”? He says: “People who have put down roots in our communities, whether 40 years ago or last year, want a slow, gradual easing into higher prices, accompanied by better everything, accompanied by a firm commitment to truly affordable housing. That is the only way to make a better community. ”
What do you think it will take, on your part? On others’? Perhaps this is the time, now, for people to make choices not only as individuals and families but as larger groups.
They are worth what people will pay for them. Could be more, could be less, but you can be sure that the person that buys will actually visit the house (likely several times) before s/he puts a value on it (the only value that counts).
Your atributing values over a forum without any first hand knowledge of what the actual house has to offer is sooooo irrelevant.
If it sells high you will say the person made a mistake…but you live in a market economy???
If it sells low you will say you were right but you were only as right as the person who bets heads on a coin flip and wins. It could have gone either way.
Look at the house. Comment on the house.
bushwick house is worth 500k
bed stuy 550k
park slope 1.2
clinton hill 1.5
We purchased a home in Bed Stuy last June and somewhat overpaid before the credit crunch hit. But, we enjoy living here. The house is incredible! The diverse population of hard working, warm and friendly neighbors and people generally can’t be beat either. There’s less pretention – just simple Brooklyn livin – like it’s supposed to be.
The lack of services, poverty, lack of education and drug users sometimes evidenced is sad and frankly annoying at times but not scary. We miss the park slope scene only mildly, but since we’re like 6 minutes away from the slope we still frequent the establishments. But frankly, I had more homeless folks bugging me in park slope than I do here – in fact, no homeless person has ever asked me for change in Bed Stuy…..I guess I look broke too!
The only thing we would do differently is renegotiate the sale price down a bit more, but this was the house meant for us – we’re home!