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Open House Agenda: 3 Condos Over 1,000 Square Feet and Under $1 Million

By Emily Nonko | August 7, 2015 7:39am | Updated on August 7, 2015 6:31pm
 Big space, reasonable price tag. Reasonable for New York City, that is.
Open House Agenda: 3 Condos Over 1,000 Square Feet and Under $1 Million
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NEW YORK CITY — Who says you always have to compromise on size while apartment shopping in New York? Here are three condos with more than 1,000 square feet priced below $1 million.

353 Jefferson Ave., #2, Bedford-Stuyvesant
Condo
Approximately 1,056 square feet
$899,000
Common charges: $187 a month
Real estate taxes: $26 a month
Open House: Sunday, August 9, 12-1:30 p.m.

Lowdown: This new Bed-Stuy development, which holds four units, just finished construction a few months ago. The building is unique, according to Corcoran broker Brooke Safford, in that it is new construction with a "contextual" brownstone façade.

“You get the best of both worlds — a new interior and high-end finishes with a brownstone feel,” she said.

The apartment, which occupies the entire second floor, has an open kitchen, living room and dining room. The space is distinguished by white-washed exposed brick, “which makes the room feel light and bright,” said Safford.

The kitchen accommodates a two-seat breakfast bar, and the open living and dining room is large enough to fit both a sofa and dining room table.

In the rear of the apartment are two bedrooms with sliding glass doors leading out to a Juliet balcony overlooking the rear yard.

“Both bedrooms get great light and air,” noted Safford.

The master bedroom has its own en-suite bathroom and a walk-in closet. Other new building perks include radiant floor heating in the bathroom and central air.

Residents of the building share a common roof deck, which Safford says has great views of the Manhattan skyline. There's also a video intercom and private storage in the basement.

Location: The development is located right off Tompkins Avenue, one of the main drags of Eastern Bed-Stuy. Two other main drags of the neighborhood, Nostrand and Bedford avenues, are about a 5-minute walk away. The development is located six blocks from the Kingston/Throop C subway line.

Why put it on your open house calendar? Safford listed the location as one of the big draws, considering its proximity to both the subway and popular bars and restaurants.

Plus with a 15-year tax abatement in place, "you're saving up to $300 on monthly taxes," she said.
 

640 West 237th St., #5A, Riverdale
Condo
Approximately 1,427 square feet
$945,000
Common charges: $1,072 a month
Real estate taxes: $13 a month
Open House: Sunday, August 9, 1-3 p.m.

Lowdown: If you're looking for high-end finishes that are comparable to a Manhattan condo, but don't want to pay more than $1 million, your best bet is Riverdale. This two-bedroom condo comes from the Solaria Riverdale, a 19-story development constructed in 2006.

The unit has plenty of room — in addition to the 1,427 square feet of living space, it includes a 60-foot balcony off the open living and dining room.

Floor-to-ceiling windows dominate two sides of the living room.

“The living room windows bring in great light,” said Douglas Elliman broker Fred Golden. The current owners installed remote controlled blinds to get quick coverage from the sun.

The open kitchen has cherry cabinets, granite countertops, a marble backsplash and a dishwasher.

Floor-to-ceiling windows also dominate the eastern-facing end of the master bedroom. Those windows come with blackout shades “in case you don't want to be woken up by the sun,” said Golden. The master bedroom comes with two closets, one of which is a walk in.

According to Golden, the second bedroom faces south and also gets plenty of light throughout the day.

Solaria Riverdale comes with perks that include a 24-hour concierge, fitness center, resident lounge, children's playroom and landscaped roof deck.

One of the most unique features of the building is a commuter shuttle that runs during rush hours approximately every 30 minutes. The shuttle makes stops at both Columbia University and 96th Street and Broadway, where residents typically hop on the subway.

If you'd rather invest in a car, this particular unit comes with one year of free parking.

Location: The Solaria Riverdale is located right off the Henry Hudson Parkway, which runs through the heart of the neighborhood.

“From the apartment, you don't really hear the Henry Hudson Parkway outside,” said Golden. There's plenty of shopping and restaurants just a 10-minute walk from the parkway on West 235th and 236th Streets, but residents will have to cross a pedestrian bridge to access it. To the west there's Seton Park, an impressive green space with athletic fields and courts, playgrounds and dog runs.

Subway access isn't easy from this area, hence the shuttle offered into Manhattan. The closest subway stop is about a 20-minute walk away, the 1 train at 238th Street and Broadway. The closest MetroNorth stop is Spuyten Duyvil, located at the southernmost point of the neighborhood.

Why put it on your open house calendar? “This is a Manhattan-type unit that doesn't have a Manhattan price,” said Golden. He estimated an apartment like this costs about one-third less that the price it would cost in the city.

319 Humboldt Street, 1A, Williamsburg
Condo
Approximately 1,090 square feet
$769,000
Common charges: $590 a month
Real estate taxes: $15 a month
Open House: Sunday, Aug. 9, 3-4:30 p.m.

Lowdown: With all the new developments hitting North Brooklyn, you'll pay a little less for buildings that opened more than five years ago (which is also true for rentals in the area). This four-story, eight-unit development at 319 Humboldt St. debuted in 2007.

“We're not hiding the fact that this is a ground-floor duplex,” said Aptsandlofts.com broker David Chi. “If you're willing to sacrifice the view, you'll get a lot of extra space for a good price.”

The duplex includes the first floor of the development as well as the basement. There is no backyard access.

An open living room, dining room, kitchen and bathroom occupies the upper floor. The kitchen is decorated with dark wood cabinets and black granite counters.

The seller, who is the original owner of the apartment, uses the lower level as a bedroom and sitting area. The basement also has a half bathroom, walk-in closet and washer/dryer setup.

Chi believes that the modern building amenities are a particular draw in an area of East Williamsburg that still has many older properties. “This unit has a modern feel, although it's surrounded by older single- and two-family homes,” he said.

Location: Although the building is located on a relatively quiet, tree-lined block, it's surrounded by the hustle and bustle of hip bars and restaurants. Two blocks away on Graham Avenue, you've got establishments like Action Burger and the cocktail bars Basik and Tuffet. Continue to walk a few blocks west, and you're in the heart of Williamsburg. Walk a few blocks east and you're in the heart of Bushwick.

As for subway access, you can choose between the Graham Avenue L stop about two and a half blocks away and the next stop at Grand Street, located one and a half blocks away.

Why put it on your open house calendar? “The location and size,” Chi said.