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Open House Agenda: Three Apartments to See This Weekend

By Donna M. Airoldi | March 7, 2014 8:01am
 Open Houses for apartments new to the market this spring.
Apartments New to the Market for Spring
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NEW YORK — March ushers in one of the busiest real estate seasons. Sellers who waited out the winter are now listing their units as more potential buyers are hitting open houses.

These three apartments are new to the market this week.

218 E. 82nd St., Apt. 2RE, Yorkville, Manhattan
1 Bedroom/1 Bath
Co-op
Approximately 500 square feet
$375,000
Maintenance: $741 per month
Open House: Sunday, March 9, noon to 1:30 p.m.

Lowdown: This one-bedroom in the Yorkville section of the Upper East Side was completely renovated about 18 months ago and is ideal for first-time buyers or those looking for a pied-a-terre, said Therese Bateman, of Town Residential.

“The $741 maintenance is fantastic, it’s really very reasonable, and the apartment is only one flight up,” Bateman said.

The unit has a “contemporary chic” feel, with exposed brick, stainless steel appliances and painted white wood flooring. It also has a back-facing southern exposure, so it’s “quiet and gets good light,” she said.

Two buildings from the turn of the 20th century comprise the co-op, which has a “skilled super” and is “organized and well-run, which is why the maintenance is low,” Bateman added. A clock shop that used to be on Sutton Place is in one of the commercial spaces. The other is a laundry that not only “picks up and drops off for residents of the building, but also takes packages and holds keys for visitors.”

Location: When the Second Avenue subway opens in 2016, “it’s really going to bring up values in this neighborhood,” Bateman noted. For now, the nearest trains are the 4, 5 and 6 at Lexington Avenue and 86th Street.

Bateman once lived in the neighborhood and recommends the “divine” Two Little Red Hens for cupcakes, the German butchers at Schaller & Weber for “really good ham and meats of any kind” and the relatively new Fairway — all located on 86th Street. With Eli’s and Citarella and other neighborhood gems, it’s become a “food mecca,” Bateman said.

Why put it on your open house calendar? The price is reasonable, especially for first-time buyers looking to pull together a 20 percent down payment, Bateman said, adding, “it’s a magic mix of low maintenance, just one flight up and great location."

462 Warren St., Apt. 2, Boerum Hill, Brooklyn
2 Bedrooms/2 Baths
Condo
995 square feet
$899,000
Common Charges: $242 per month
Real Estate Taxes: $175 per month
Open House: Sunday, March 9, noon to 1 p.m.

Lowdown: The sellers of this two-bedroom, floor-through condo in Boerum Hill have happily lived here for years and are moving only because of a job relocation, said Rodolfo Lucchese, of The Corcoran Group.

The renovated unit is part of a row of townhouses built in 1989. It features a small balcony off the second bedroom, granite countertops, crown moldings, a washer and dryer, and a working marble fireplace — the mantle dates to about 100 years ago, Lucchese said. The bedroom has a southern exposure and gets “beautiful light all day,” he said.

“There is a lot of storage space,” Lucchese added. “The closet looks like a regular closet when you open the door, but if you look to the left you see a large walk-in space that turns and continues under the stairs. It’s a hidden gem.”

The bathrooms are “nicely done,” but have not been renovated.

Location: Though the building is not historic, its Boerum Hill block is lined with brownstones and historic federal brick buildings. Several subway lines and the Long Island Rail Road are nearby at the Barclays Center-Atlantic Terminal. Smith Street’s restaurant row and many shops and boutiques that have opened in the area in recent years are steps away, Lucchese added. There's also a proposed bike lane and new gluten-free creperie in the area.

Why put it on your open house calendar? ”It’s beautifully done and really nicely laid out,” Lucchese said. “Inventory is low, there’s not much to see. But I would put this at the top of my list if I were looking for a two-bedroom.”

515 Fifth Ave., Apt. 4A, Park Slope, Brooklyn
3 Bedrooms/2 Baths
Condo
1,138 square feet
$1.295 million
Common Charges: $524 per month
Real Estate Taxes: $236 per month
Open House: Sunday, March 9, 2:30 to 4 p.m

Lowdown: The sellers have not made any renovations since this corner unit was built in 2007, but they did add a custom kitchen island as well as landscaping and lighting to the private roof deck, said Jessica Buchman, of The Corcoran Group.

“It’s absolutely stunning,” she said of the outdoor space.

The home has high-end finishes, B&B Italia cabinets, Fisher & Paykel and Bosch appliances, and "beautiful Fireslate countertops," Buchman added.

Building amenities include a fitness room, community room with kitchen, a community garden with a grill, and “a lovely super who is also a handyman who helps with odds and ends," Buchman said. There's also caged storage in the basement that comes with the apartment.

Location: The building entrance is on 13th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues. There are buses along Fifth and Seventh avenues. The F, G and R trains are a few blocks away at Fourth Avenue and Ninth Street.

“On Fifth Avenue, south of Ninth Street, it has changed a lot,” said Buchman, who lives in the neighborhood. “Ten years ago, there were a lot of 99-cent stores, bodegas and cheap shoes stores. Now we have lots of independently owned restaurants and taverns [and] cute boutiques." New yoga studios, pediatricians and a Key Food are also steps away.

Why put it on your open house calendar? “What makes this special is that there are no three-bedrooms available, so with the luxurious finishes and private roof deck, great space and immaculate condition, there’s absolutely nothing [like it] on the market,” Buchman said.