PARK SLOPE — Since great finds — whether the units are unique in some way, are a good deal, or just happen to match your desired criteria — aren’t around for long in this market, it helps to pounce right away. Here are four new-to-the-market properties, with their first open houses scheduled for Sunday.
381 Douglass St., Apt. 1C, Park Slope, Brooklyn
1 Bedroom/1 Bath
Condo
583 square feet
$495,000
Common Charges: $171/month
Real Estate Taxes: $76/month
Open House: Sunday, Oct. 6, 1-3 p.m.; Tuesday, Oct. 8, 5:30-7 p.m.
Lowdown: This renovated one-bedroom condo is above street level and faces the back of the building, overlooking a garden. The owner re-did the living and kitchen area three years ago, said Wendy Stephenson, of Brown Harris Stevens.
The common charges and taxes are low on this unit in the Park Slope Villas complex, situated in the northern end of the neighborhood, between Fourth and Fifth avenues. The building recently installed new energy-efficient windows, has free laundry in the basement, and storage lockers for $59 per month.
In addition to the common charges and taxes, there’s an assessment of $108 per month for the new windows that will last a few years, Stephenson said. “Also, the tax abatement ends in June 2015, but according to the NYC Department of Finance, the unabated taxes should be about $121.25 per month, so it’s not a huge increase.”
Location: Third and Fourth avenues are changing dramatically, Stephenson said, with new restaurants and shops. You’re also near the shops along Fifth Avenue, which is getting a new outpost of Grand Central’s Oyster Bar this fall at Carroll Street. Plus there’s the new Barclays Center a half mile away, next to the Atlantic Terminal, with nine subway lines, the Long Island Rail Road and several bus lines.
Why put it on your open house calendar? This is a good starter apartment in a desired neighborhood. “The space feels bigger than in the photos,” Stephenson said, “and it’s in move-in condition. Even with the added assessment, the monthly costs are very low.”
269 Clinton Ave., Apt. D2, Clinton Hill, Brooklyn
2 Bedrooms/1 Bath
Co-op
825 square feet
$675,000
Maintenance: $823/month
Open House: Sunday, Oct. 6, 1-3 p.m.; Monday, Oct. 7, 6-7 p.m.
Lowdown: This well-maintained two-bedroom apartment — in a 19th-century limestone row house in the Clinton Hill Historic District — has original moldings, two decorative marble fireplaces and two skylights, one in the bathroom and the other in the smaller of the two bedrooms, owner Kelly Lemerise said.
“When looking to buy, we wanted a lot of light, and the whole apartment fills up with natural light during the day,” said Lemerise, adding that she and her husband bought the apartment in 2009 after looking at a lot of “boring boxes,” then saw this one and “instantly fell in love.”
The building's hallways and stairs feature mahogany woodwork and decorative Minton tiles, which also can be found in Central Park’s Bethesda Terrace Arcade, the U.S. Capitol Building and other government buildings from the era. The walk-up was featured in September as Brownstoner’s Building of the Day.
The couple renovated their kitchen in 2011, adding subway tiles, a Bosch dishwasher and a five-burner stove.
Location: The neighborhood has a youthful vibe, with Pratt Institute and St. Joseph’s College down the street. Dekalb Avenue, with its diverse shops and restaurants, is on the corner. Fort Greene Park is five blocks west. It’s one block to the Clinton-Washington G-train station.
The area is also family-friendly with many nearby playgrounds, Lemerise said, adding, “There are several restaurants where we can bring our daughter."
Why put it on your open house calendar? Although the price per square foot is higher than average for the neighborhood, you get a piece of landmarked history in one of Brooklyn’s most beautiful areas. Views include lower Manhattan, the new World Trade Center tower and the historic mansions lining Clinton Avenue.
“We’re on the third floor, near the trees, so removed from it all,” Lemerise said. “It’s quiet, yet you can see everything. It’s like being up in a little castle-like setting.”
71 Nassau St., Apt. 10A, Financial District/South Street Seaport, Manhattan
2 Bedrooms/2 Baths
Condo
1,376 square feet
$1.45 million
Common Charges: $1,634/month
Real Estate Taxes: $613/month
Open House: Sunday, Oct. 6, 1-3 p.m.
Lowdown: This pet-friendly loft apartment at the corner of Nassau and John streets is in the Croft Building, a 1905 Beaux Arts office building that was converted to luxury condos in 2005, complete with top-line appliances and spa-like bathrooms.
The apartment is in mint condition and has been “freshly painted with modern and warm green, gray and lavender tones,” said Richard Rothbloom, of Brown Harris Stevens. “The owners also added mirrors on some of the doors, custom-designed closets — including a laundry closet with a stackable Miele washer and dryer and storage — and the orange in the foyer is a custom-designed Chilewich pad for the floor.” (Chilewich is a textile company featuring vinyl-woven designs.)
The apartment gets great light and there are city views from the south-facing rooms, but it also has a northern exposure, so there’s a nice cross ventilation in the apartment, Rothbloom added.
The building has a fitness center and rooftop deck and a rain shower, which comes in handy during the summer because it can get really hot up there, Rothbloom said.
Location: The new transit and retail hub Fulton Center, which is scheduled to be completed in June 2014, is steps away.
“The subway access is phenomenal, and there’s never a problem finding a taxi,” said Rothbloom, who lives across the street from the Croft and has been in the Financial District for 13 years. “This area has really taken off. The new 55 Fulton Market is amazing. Long Island Bagel Cafe makes their own bagels on the premises, and then there’s all the restaurants on Stone Street [about a 10-minute walk south of the apartment]."
Also, half a mile down John Street is the revamped Pier 15 and the East River Waterfront Esplanade, with observation decks for beautiful views over Brooklyn, seating, an enclosed bar in winter, and special events, such as movie nights and concerts.
“It’s a hidden jewel,” Rothbloom said. “It’s like our High Line in the Financial District.”
Why put it on your open house calendar? The previous owner’s custom detailing sets the apartment apart from others in the building, Rothbloom said. Plus, the neighborhood is only going to get more popular — and expensive.
1 Northside Piers, Apt. 24D, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
2 Bedrooms/2 Baths
Condo
1,132 square feet
$1.635 million
Common Charges: $1,017/month
Real Estate Taxes: $10/month; abated until 2035
Open House: Sunday, Oct. 6, 2-4 p.m.
Lowdown: This south- and west-facing corner condo on the Williamsburg waterfront off North Fifth Street has Manhattan views and a balcony off the kitchen.
“You stand there and go, ‘Wow,’” said Cory Kantin, of Corcoran Group. “I’ve had more expensive listings, but this is the most view-centric apartment I’ve had.”
Kantin, who lives in the building and has a second listing there, also new to the market, said the sights include the Williamsburg Bridge and downtown Manhattan. Then there’s Northside’s Tower 3, which is “quite skinny and maybe only 10 percent of the view, blocking Stuyvesant Town,” before you see the skyline again and the Empire State Building.
The building — one of the neighborhood’s first luxury towers — sold out after it opened in late 2007 and includes all the amenities and brand-name appliances one now expects in such developments.
Location: You’re in North Williamsburg, so many trendy boutiques, fitness studios, restaurants, bars and nightclubs are basically right outside your door, with even more high-end retailers opening soon, Kantin said, like Sandro.
The East River State Park, which hosts the Brooklyn Flea, Smorgasburg, and concerts and events, is two blocks north. For transit, the East River Ferry stops at the piers down the block, and the L train’s Bedford Avenue station is about five blocks away.
Why put it on your open house calendar? The stunning views and the layout are the big selling points, Kantin said, adding, “What sets 1 Northside apart is we were the first to come in, and we have a strong community,” Kantin said. “We have more of a down-to-earth vibe and community that started in 2007, when Williamsburg got hot.”
