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Open House Agenda: 3 Apartments to See This Weekend

By Donna M. Airoldi | January 23, 2015 7:54am | Updated on January 23, 2015 5:32pm
 Real three-bedroom apartments in good condition for less than $1 million. They exist.
3-Bedroom Units for Less Than $1 Millions
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NEW YORK CITY — The average list price for a three-bedroom apartment in Manhattan for the week ending Jan. 14, 2015, was $5.4 million, according to Trulia’s market trends data. But you don’t have to pay so much in Manhattan and elsewhere in the boroughs. In fact, we found three real three-bedrooms in good condition with open houses this weekend — listed at less than $1 million.

3816 Waldo Ave., Apt. 3A, Riverdale
3 Bedrooms/2 Baths
Condo
Approximately 1,180 square feet
$590,000
Common Charges: $950 per month
Taxes:  $14.83 per month (abated until 2030)

Lowdown: The seller moved into this Waterford Condominium building shortly after it was completed about 10 years ago. Since everything was still fairly new and in good condition, the only updates were to paint and have the floors refinished before putting this three-bedroom on the market, said Joan Kuzniar of Robert E. Hill.

“The unit has high ceilings, crown moldings and is in a great location,” Kuzniar said, adding that the seller has vacated the space so it’s currently empty.

The master bedroom with two double closets and en suite bath is separate from the other bedrooms, which are on the opposite end of the apartment. The balcony, with access through French doors from the main bedroom and the living area, faces west, which makes this a “nice bright apartment.”

The seven-story, pet-friendly building has four apartments per floor. Amenities include a part-time doorman, fitness room, private storage and a heated, indoor parking space.

Location: Unlike many apartments in Riverdale, this one is an easy walk to the 1 train, less than one-third of a mile away at 238th Street. There’s also a shuttle on Riverdale Avenue at 236th to the Metro North train station; from there it’s 25 minutes to Grand Central Terminal.

Businesses line Riverdale and Johnson avenues, and the apartment is “close to Manhattan College and several of Riverdale’s private schools, so it’s a good location for a teacher who wants to be in the area,” Kuzniar said.

Why put it on your open house calendar? “It has an open floor plan, balcony, great location near schools, shops and restaurants, and the value,” Kuzniar said. “And the quality [of the space]. It looks great and is in move-in condition.”

419 Carlton Ave., Apt. A, Fort Greene
3 Bedrooms/1.5 Baths
Condo
Approximately 1,145 square feet
$899,000
Common Charges: $439 per month
Real Estate Taxes: $610 per month
Open House: Sunday, Jan. 25, 1-2:30 p.m.

Lowdown: This condo unit has been in the same family since the building opened in 1988. The most recent renovation was in January 2014, and included opening up the kitchen to the living and dining rooms to make it one big area, said Shannon MacPherson of Ideal Properties Group.

“It’s brand new, and no one has lived there since then, so everything is pristine,” MacPherson noted. The sellers also installed a washer and dryer in the master bedroom’s walk-in closet and renovated the full bathroom.

The dining area looks out onto a back yard space that is shared with the three other first-floor owners and which the building maintains. “It’s a seamless indoor/outdoor experience and the perfect layout for entertaining,” MacPherson said.

The half bath is within the master bedroom; the other two bedrooms are on opposite ends from each other with the full bath and “graceful entry” with a hall closet between them.

The building, with eight units, is part of a group in a 98-unit condo association. Common areas include a protected bike area in the courtyard and additional laundry in the building next door if you needed more than a single washer. “It doesn’t feel like a big building, though you have the support of the big building,” MacPherson said.

Location: The building is across the street from the “adorable” Cuyler Gore Park, which has a playground. Barclays Center and BAM are just a few blocks away, as are 11 subway lines and several well-regarded restaurants, bars and shops — including the Greene Grape “fancy food store” on Fulton Street.

Why put it on your open house calendar? “At the moment, it’s the only three-bedroom in Ft. Greene,” MacPherson said. “If you’ve been looking for that classic two-bedroom/two-bath but haven’t found it and could use an extra bed, this is the perfect opportunity at a great price.”

429 W. 24th St., Apt. 1B, Chelsea
3 Bedrooms/2 Baths
Co-op
Approximately 1,200 square feet
$949,000
Maintenance: $1,368 per month
Open House: Sunday, Jan. 25, 2-3:30 p.m.

Lowdown: There’s been a recent price cut for this duplex Chelsea apartment that has a separate entrance to the master bedroom on the lower level. The seller, who has lived there for about a decade, did not undertake any major renovations, although she painted and did some refurbishments, said Stephen Ruben of Corcoran Group.

“What sets this [unit] apart is its value, and there’s flexibility with the layout,” Ruben said. “The spiral staircase can be moved and replaced with a more conventional one, a wall in the kitchen can be moved to expand [the space], and you can add a washer and dryer downstairs,” although there’s also laundry in the building.

Ruben noted that the living/dining area is large enough to comfortably seat six to eight people, but “if there are just two of you, it still feels comfortable and homey.” The closet in the upper level bedroom is “quite large, really a double.” The upstairs bathroom has a tub; the downstairs has a shower. It’s the opposite in the online floor plan. 

Location: The building is in the heart of Chelsea between Ninth and 10th avenues in the center of a quiet tree-lined street, but is walking distance to the High Line, Chelsea Piers, art galleries, several restaurants and the Whole Foods on Seventh Avenue. A new Fika cafe is opening in February on Ninth and 21st.

The C and E trains are at Eighth Avenue and 23rd Street, along which there’s a crosstown bus.

Why put it on your open house calendar? “Space, location, value,” Ruben said. “When you look at the space in that location at that price, people say they have to see it, even if they have no interest in buying, because they can’t believe it’s under $1 million. They’ve said they want to see what’s wrong with it, and they’ve been pleasantly surprised. It’s a cool space.”