Open House Picks

Anon at 8:19. Thanks for clearning that up. Yes, I am talking about the exterior, which of course isn’t at all bad, but I just think the other cottage-style houses that sold on Albemarle are much more attractive. I did not know that the interiors were all different. I just assumed that the houses that looked alike had the same interiors. Interesting to know. I have never had the oppportunity to go inside on of those houses. I keep wishing one would pop up on the Flatbush House Tour. Do the houses on Albemarle have parking at all? Also, since the address is East 21st St for the house above, then it must be on the corner then, no? Otherwise the address would be Albemarle Terrace?

I live on Rugby and rarely use my car. Ditmas Park West is a great place to live. Our block is bustling with children playing. We actually do sit on our porches and talk with our neighbors, watch the fireflies in summer and leaves change in autumn. I am around the corner from shops and the subway. To me that is worth quite a lot.

I am the poster who has been in the Ditmas West house (slightly overpriced, but not too much – also it is a HUGE house, as huge as some along Albermarle Road).

I also know Albermarle/Kenmore Terrace very well. This house is attractive in the picture, but it is not one of the super cute landmarked homes that the two short blocks are knows for. It is either a corner house, or just oppostite the two super beautiful period blocks. The houses here have the benefit of a great view of the former Flatbush Dutch Reformed Church parsonage and cemetary, not far from the Q station, but really in a very busting part of Flatbush (although this stretch was once lined with some of the most gorgeous homes in all of Victorian Flatbush many moons ago, not to mention exclusive Melrose Park and Tennis Court). It therefore is a tiny oasis of tranquility in a busting area and not in one of the larger, tree lined tranquil streets in Vic Flatbush. It is also not close to the more upmarket amenities springing up on Courtelyou Road (note the new streetscape is starting construction in April – a big plus for the pnabe). Brown Harris Stevens had another house, an actual landmark house with integral garage (this was one of the big perks of this developement, modelled after English examples such as Hampstead Garden Suburb in London). It was in pristine condition (gorgeous beamed ceilings) and sold for aroun $750. It was a great house for the price and whoever bought it was lucky as they rarely come on the market. But these houses are not huge. They were constructed several decades later than Victorian Flatbush homes. This house currently on the market does not have the same sort of charm, is not nestled among the other landmark worthy homes, but is certainly larger. Those are the facts as I see them, for what they’re worth.

Ah, irrational exuberance, how sweet it is…for now. Personnally I’m condsidering following in many of friend’s footsteps and selling my place in the Slope (for more than 2M I hope) and buying something outsde of the city for about 1M. That way I’ll be able to enjoy a better quality of life than inner Bklyn affords, save all that money on private school, and when the boom busts I won’t have lost everything.

As for Ditmas, if you need a car to get places there is no point in suffering city life.