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Open House Agenda: Three Apartments to See This Weekend

By Amy Zimmer | June 6, 2014 7:24am | Updated on June 7, 2014 11:20am
 If sunlight is a must-have, check out these three apartments.
Three Apartments to See This Weekend
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NEW YORK CITY — In a tight market, house hunters are often forced to make compromises, which is why brokers often advise their clients to pick one or two features they can't live without. For many, the No. 1 desire is natural sunlight, brokers said.

These three new-to-market apartments — in a large brick co-op, a former commercial space and a boutique condo — shout: Let there be light.

201 Clinton Ave., #8G, Clinton Hill, Brooklyn
1 Bedroom/1 Bath
Co-op
Approximately 800 square feet
$479,000
Maintenance: $883 per month
Open House: Sunday, June 8, 1 to 3 p.m.

Lowdown:  With its south and west exposures, light streams through the seven windows of this corner one-bedroom throughout the day. It's especially bright in the afternoon, offering "soothing" sunset views in the summer,  Jeff Massey of JDM Real Estate Consulting said.

"You feel at ease when you walk into the door after work and there's this very soothing, calm sunlight," Massey said.

The airy eighth-floor unit is perched above the treetops with views as far as downtown Manhattan.

"The views just take over your mind," said Massey, especially in the dining area, which many homeowners in the building have closed off to create a second bedroom.

The "spacious" kitchen was upgraded with a new glass backsplash and stainless steel GE appliances while the wood cabinets were refinished when the current owners moved in four years ago, Massey said.

The building is one of 12 brick towers in the Clinton Hill Co-ops, built in the 1940s to house Brooklyn Navy Yard workers. It recently got new high-speed elevators. There's a doorman at the complex's entrance gate, a common courtyard and an on-site laundry.

Location: The co-op, surrounded by historic townhouses on Clinton Avenue, is a short walk to Fort Greene Park and its greenmarket. The Brooklyn Flea is down the street and it's also close to the trendy restaurants on Dekalb Avenue and Myrtle Avenue.

The closest trains are the G at Clinton-Washington and C at Lafayette Avenue. The transit hub at Atlantic Avenue is a little less than a mile away.

Why put it on your open house calendar? "We priced it to sell," Massey said. "Just walking back-and-forth [on Clinton Avenue] and seeing those amazingly gorgeous townhouses, yet still having an affordable apartment you can own is not something every neighborhood has."
 

120 Greenwich St., #6F, Financial District, Manhattan
1 Bedroom/1 Bath
Condo
698 square feet
$775,000
Common Charges: $962 per month
Monthly Taxes: $658 per month
Open House: Saturday, June 7 and Sunday, June 8, noon to 2 p.m.

Lowdown: This loft-like corner unit is so bright that it has custom solar shades to allow for "fine tuning" the light when needed, owner Todd Loftus said.

"Light can be an issue in some Financial District apartments, but not here," he said. The living room has four large double-paned windows that face south and east, looking out over the landmark Curb Exchange Building.

The former commercial building, erected in 1908, was last used to house financial records. It became a rental in 1999 and was then overhauled as part of a condo conversion in 2006 with upgrades like central air and open kitchens with high-end finishes like Brazilian granite countertops and custom oak cabinets.

"It has been meticulously maintained and is move-in ready," said Loftus, who has lived in the space since it went condo.

The building has an attended lobby, health club and furnished roof deck.  

Location: The building sits near the World Trade Center site and is close to TriBeCa and Battery Park City. Parks abound, including Hudson River Park, Battery Park and the ferry to Governors Island.

Why put it on your open house calendar? As a corner unit with high ceilings and big windows, the home feels open and airy, Loftus said. "It offers the best of prewar, loft and new construction without the new construction price tag."
 

149 Skillman Ave., 4B, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
2 Bedrooms/2 Baths
Condo
Approximately 1,070 square feet
$1.195 million
Common Charges: $425 per month
Taxes: $76 per month (with abatement until 2024)
Open House: Sunday, June 8, 2:30 to 4 p.m.

Lowdown:  The apartment has multiple exposures, including 16-foot floor-to-ceiling south-facing windows in the living room where "you have a front-row seat to sunrises, sunsets and watching the seasons change," Jessica Peters, of Douglas Elliman, said.

The nine-unit condo, built in 2008, has a number of luxurious touches including high-end appliances. There's a keyed elevator that opens directly to the apartment, along with private storage and a private roof deck.

"[It] is perfect for gardening and entertaining with views of the city," Peters said of the outdoor space.

Location: The small "low-key" building is on a tree-lined residential street just two blocks from the Graham Avenue L train. 

It's close to a bevy of popular restaurants like Mesa Coyocan, Battery Harris and Il Passatore. It's also near the "old school" Italian shops like Lorimer Market, "which has incredible homemade meatballs," Peters said.

Why put it on your open house calendar? "It's a great location on a quiet street, two blocks from the train," Peters said, adding that it boasts luxury features with lower monthly costs compared to similar properties.