NEW YORK — We peruse hundreds of apartment listings each week and often come across ones that make us go “wow.” Sometimes it’s a negative reaction; other times positive. Here are three units with Sunday open houses that stood out — in a good way.
307 72nd St., Apt. 3C, Bay Ridge, Brooklyn
2 Bedrooms/1 Bath
Co-op
Approximately 800 square feet
$369,000
Maintenance: $767 per month
Open House: Sunday, March 16, 1 to 2 p.m., By Appointment Only
Lowdown: If you don’t mind the commute, this renovated two-bedroom apartment in Bay Ridge is an excellent deal. It has a new open kitchen, wood-burning fireplace, decent-sized bedrooms and nine sun-filled south-facing windows, according to Phyllis Stigliano of Aguayo & Huebener Realty.
The “meticulous” seller opened up the kitchen when she bought the unit about three years ago, and “there’s not one scratch” on the redone floors because visitors must remove their shoes, Stigliano said. “She’s not there very often and she doesn’t cook, so everything is like brand new.”
The building has very sound financials, she added.
“The board president works in finance, so it’s really intelligently run. They repointed a few years ago, put in a new washer and dryer two years ago, new bike racks and last year added a small outdoor space.”
The unit has been on the market for a while. Being on the third floor of a walk-up is a potential challenge, especially for buyers with young children who don't want to carry a stroller up two flights, Stigliano noted. The co-op also has a dog quota, which is currently filled.
Location: The apartment building, located just off Third Avenue, is around the corner from the relatively new farm-to-table restaurant Brooklyn Beet Company and the acclaimed Middle Eastern restaurant Tanoreen. Third Avenue has “all sorts of eateries, restaurants, laundromats, banks [and] supermarkets — it’s really ideal,” Stigliano said.
Owls Head Park, along the shore, is a little more than a half-mile walk. It’s three blocks to the R train at Bay Ridge Avenue, where you can also catch the X27 and X37 express buses to Manhattan.
Why put in on your open house calendar? “It’s very affordable for a two-bedroom at 800 square feet,” Stigliano said, adding, “It’s in move-in condition with a contemporary open layout, and [it’s] an easy area to live in because it has so many amenities.”
Note: Contact Stigliano at 516-359-3332 to make an appointment during the open house time.
118 Suffolk St., Apt. 3A, Lower East Side, Manhattan
1 Bedroom/1 Bath
Co-op
Approximately 650 square feet
$699,000
Maintenance: $1,126 per month
Open House: Sunday, March 16, 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
Lowdown: One-time model and Andy Warhol superstar Baby Jane Holzer — who also is a daughter and former wife of real estate investors — once owned the townhouse at 118 Suffolk St. on the Lower East Side. The owners have embraced the building’s heritage, said Jeff Brenner, of Sotheby’s International Realty: The exterior features a cement plaque stating “Baby Jane’s Townhouse,” and there’s a poster of Holzer in the entrance.
Holzer’s father bought the townhouse for her. It was converted to a co-op when she sold it, Brenner noted, adding that there are 11 units in the building, each one unique.
Though legally listed as a one-bedroom, the unit has a flexible floor plan, Brenner said. “This unit has four windows across, so the owners converted it into two side-by-side bedrooms,” he noted. They also opened up the kitchen and added new stainless steel appliances and marble countertops.
Location: You’re in the center of the Lower East Side and its bars, restaurants and boutiques. “There’s a mix of the old and new, and everything new coming in is very high end," Brenner said.
The neighborhood's Manny Cantor community center recently reopened after a two-year, $55 million gut renovation. The F, J, M and Z trains are one block away at Delancey Street.
Why put it on your open house calendar? Aside from the Warhol lore, “the great thing about the apartment is the flexibility of the floor plan and the neighborhood — it’s the perfect combination,” Brenner said. “Suffolk Street is extremely quiet, yet you’re one block away from all the dynamism of the Lower East Side, with amenities, shops and cafes all around the neighborhood.”
50 Park Terrace East, Apt. 7GH, Inwood, Manhattan
3 Bedrooms/2 Baths
Co-op
Approximately 1,550 square feet
$729,000
Maintenance: $1,554 per month
Open House: Sunday, March 16, noon to 1:30 p.m.
Lowdown: It is rare to find such a sizable apartment in Inwood, especially one with an eat-in kitchen and two full bathrooms. This home — composed of two combined apartments — is on a high floor of a building on a hill and gets “wonderful light all day,” said Rebecca Pelletier of New Heights Realty.
The sellers upgraded the kitchen and one of the baths, and redid the flooring and cabinets. They used the bedroom next to the living room as a large dining room and still had “more than enough room with the two big bedrooms in back,” she added. The unit has seven closets, including a walk-in in one of the bedrooms. The foyer across from the office space — which could also be used as a small fourth bedroom — is large enough to be a sitting area.
“It reminds me of an Upper West Side apartment, with the long hallways, lots of exposures, enormous rooms, built-in bookcases and pre-war details,” Pelletier said. “It really feels like a home and not an apartment. Everything is in beautiful shape and very elegant.”
The western windows overlook Park Terrace East, which is “very quiet and lined with trees.” To the east is Broadway with open views to the river. The sellers installed CitiQuiet windows, so noise shouldn’t be a problem, Pelletier said. The 1941 Art Deco building has a “gorgeous marble lobby,” storage and bike rooms, “terrific neighbors” and a “huge, beautiful, windowed laundry room.”
Location: It’s steps to Isham Park and three blocks to Inwood Hill Park. Several restaurants, super markets and the Saturday Farmer’s Market are a short walk away, along with new coffee shops, said Pelletier, who has lived across the street for the past 12 years. Neighborhood favorite Bread & Yoga reopened a few blocks away in November.
Public transit includes the 1 train two blocks away at 215th Street and express buses.
Why put it on your open house calendar? “You won’t see anything like this in a while,” Pelletier said. “It’s a home you could live in for rest of your life and be very comfortable.”
