Moving to the Neighborhood

banger

Hi guys... I'm looking at buying a place in the Slope!!! I'm pretty excited and i've learned a few things and was hoping some of you can provide me with ideas of what to look for. I asked a bunch of people so far and got some responses. I realize that a lot of buildings don't have elevators so that's a first thing (at least brownstones). I'd ideally like to live in an elevator building that has wash inside or nearby. Gyms are important and I have already heard some good and bad info on some local establishments. Since I'm coming from manhattan it's so confusing what is and what isn't the norm. Glad to be here and hope to be more active.

peanuts

If you want an elevator, you need to move to an apartment building - brownstones aren't going to have them....I believe most coops/condos either allow washers/dryers in your apartment - or have them in the basement - that's what my building has and we do have to pay to use them(the coop gets half the profits).
as far as gyms...there are quite a few and you have to find the one you like. I go to NYSC and like it there...some people don't. To each his/her own.
Have you walked around the neighborhood? Gone to a broker (you don't pay a fee when you're buying - the seller pays)? Looked in the NYT real estate section on Sunday?

j0518

Banger,

145 Park Place (between 6th and 7th....the converted Tabernacle) is a doorman building, and is less than half a block from both Crunch and the B/Q. I've never been in there, so I can't vouch for elevators, W/D, etc., but I assume they've got, at least, the former. I live on the block, and the doormen are very nice guys. I'd say that's a pretty good first place to look.

banger

Awesome guys... thanks so much. I started to do the walkaround but it's tough unless you get suggestions from the locals!!!!

j0518

anytime.

brooklynjack

If you are buying, start going to open houses. Also you can't just stick with one agent, many of the listings are exclusives, no MLS, so you gotta go to the agent that has the place you want, not all agents have access to all apts. for sale. Just look at the NY Times online and search for open houses.

peanuts

Agree with BrooklynJack...and I assume you've been pre-approved for a mortgage?

opossumqueen

The bigger, elevator type buildings that I can think of are:

along 4th Ave
Prospect Park West, mostly towards the GAP end
all around GAP (Grand Army Plaza)
8th Ave has some scattered around Lincoln

I'm sure there are plenty of others, but those are some relatively big building dense areas.

banger

What is your thought on Brownstones? Personally I'm not too fond of having to deal with the walk up any more and street level can drive you crazy. I did that once in Manhattan and never again... everyone can peer at you. Doing laundry is unbearable in those places too as you have to find a laundromat.

landlord

I would look into the condo's on 4th ave. Some of them are really nice.

opossumqueen

I've lived in the lower part of two brownstones. If your bedroom is on the front, it kinds of sucks imo, b/c I can't open the windows in there at night for the breeze b/c any noise will wake me. If it were just the LR on front, I probably wouldn't care.

Where we are now has laundry in the basement and you can't beat that. And if you're buying, you can do whatever you want, right? You could put in machines or there could be laundry somewhere in the building.

I agree with LL, check out some of the new stuff on 4th Ave.

brooklynjack

banger wrote: What is your thought on Brownstones?

For buying? I wouldn't Too small a building Too much trouble. some say they like small buildings but they can't afford to have things like taking the garbage out and snow removal done for them in many cases. If one owner defaults it can be a big problem and you can have an imbalance of voting shares and say in running the place. You get into a place with 3 apts, you on the top and the roof leaks they can say it's your problem. You get one owner that doesn't want to pull his or here weight, or becomes ill and can't, it's tuff. Then there is the issue of getting financing and banks don't like small buildings. My building has 83 apts and it is just fine. I think you need to have at least 30 apts to make hiring any kind of professional management anywhere near affordable. Still, like I say, some like the small buildings and have had good luck but that can change if 1/3 of the ownership changes

garfunky

banger wrote: What is your thought on Brownstones? Personally I'm not too fond of having to deal with the walk up any more and street level can drive you crazy. I did that once in Manhattan and never again... everyone can peer at you. Doing laundry is unbearable in those places too as you have to find a laundromat.

Obviously it what makes you happiest, but dont assume that a lack of laundry in brownstones. Many have laundry in the basement, and some have the stackable deal in a closet in each apt.
"Street level" here is not at all like living on ,say houston and ave A .
On the quieter side streets its far more suburban than "manhattan"

In addition to more modern "buildings" or converted single family brownstones.
there's also the converted mansions.
just as a reference eyeball the building on lincoln just below brooklyn conservatory, there also a gorgeous place on the NW corner of union and 8th, another on SE corner of pres 8th and on the NE corner carroll 8th.

best of luck

peanuts

You can't necessarily put a washer/dryer in your apartment in a coop - it still has to be within the rules. They allow it in my coop but I'd have to give up a closet and could only get the small stackable ones. But we have laundry in the basement - when I rented I used to take my laundry out to a laundromat and let them do it - it was worth the expense to me. I'd rather have machines in my apt, but it's fine having them in the basement.

I also live in a large building - 58 apartments with a management company and super - our super is great - keeps the building clean, takes out the garbage, and shovels the snow (he's always the first on our block to take care of the snow). And yes, we have an elevator.

When I was looking to buy, I had hoped to live in a brownstone, but now I see the advantages of a large building.

Let us know how your search is going

longtimesloper

banger wrote: What is your thought on Brownstones? Personally I'm not too fond of having to deal with the walk up any more and street level can drive you crazy. I did that once in Manhattan and never again... everyone can peer at you. Doing laundry is unbearable in those places too as you have to find a laundromat.

We are a small co-op building (4 story walk up limestone, 7 apartments) and we have washers and driers in the basement for the owners. So, you don't have to deal with a laundromat.

Also, everybody and their mother in this neighborhood delivers, you really don't have to worry about carrying anything up the stairs. You can have your groceries, laundry, dry cleaning, prescriptions, etc. all delivered to your door.

drunken revival

Also, everybody and their mother in this neighborhood delivers, you really don't have to worry about carrying anything up the stairs.

Actually, you could just move to any one of the plain states. So named on account of their geometric similarities to a plain. I'll be you couldn't find a walkup within 1000 miles of Boise.