New Member, hopeful transplant

mrbubs · February 2008

Hello y'all.

I'm a native Manhattanite thinking about relocating to Park Slope. My experience with it extends to having a work internship at Con Ed in High School, and having guitar lessons (Mr. Raheb, if anyone here recognizes the name), and having some friends who live there already. It's a splendid place, with lots of people, families, and small businesses. I'm aware that it's becoming increasingly valuable and popular to move, perhaps even being the next big place, but my girlfriend and I would love nothing better to find a nice space, and get comfortable. If we do move, it'd be for the long haul.

Having said that, I'm loving Harlem, but she, not so much. She's not a fan of old school jazz, the 30th precinct, or a particular barbershop we live near. We were considering Washington Heights, but I've argued that it's a bit too close to my folks, and that I'd rather be closer to my friends.

So, would anyone know where there'd be some affordable rental units, preferably owned by local landlords? We have a budget of $1500 for 2BR, but we'd like to preferably spend less. Anything lesser or equal to $1.6 per square foot would be awesome. After spending $100 per square foot in Hell's Kitchen, I'm trying to find space with affordability (stupid of me, I know). Musician friendly would kick much ass as well.

Thanks all! I'd look forward to drinking with some of you depending on how much you can stand my wily ways.

Paco

pureistheword · February 2008

not an expert on the current going rates (browse on craisgslist for an idea) but $1500 wont get you a 2BR in the slopes, may not even find a 1BR for that

abs276 · February 2008

you could probably find a place in crown heights in your price range, and still be near park slope, but it's definitely a different vibe...maybe gowanus?

rtraindweller · February 2008

yea unfortunately that's just not happenin in park slope heh. try goin a little further south to sunset park. lots of really nice buildings there, killer eats, the park and just a quick subway or bus ride to park slope.

mrbubs · February 2008

Thanks a lot for the responses so far, guys and/or women.

rtrainweller, I like the idea of checking out sunset park, but I think that it'd probably be a bit too south for my particular tastes. I ideally don't want to be more than 25 minutes removed from manhattan, and I have no idea what kind of vibe I'd get from sunset park.

abs, I'll definitely take your advice about Gowanus.

filmlover44 · February 2008

At your price range, you should probably look in the South Slope. You MIGHT be able to get a 2BR floor through for 1600 if you don't mind a 3 or 4 floor walk up.

FYI - When you speak to Real Estate Agents, they will try to sell you Greenwood Heights as South Slope. South Slope currently ends around Prospect Avenue though the artificial border is slowly moving over the highway (17th St). Greenwood Heights is very nice too though. I'm still agonizing over moving further uptown or to Crown Heights.

mrbubs · February 2008

filmlover44 wrote: At your price range, you should probably look in the South Slope. You MIGHT be able to get a 2BR floor through for 1600 if you don't mind a 3 or 4 floor walk up.

FYI - When you speak to Real Estate Agents, they will try to sell you Greenwood Heights as South Slope. South Slope currently ends around Prospect Avenue though the artificial border is slowly moving over the highway (17th St). Greenwood Heights is very nice too though. I'm still agonizing over moving further uptown or to Crown Heights.

You know, I'd love to move to Crown Heights, especially since its relatively close to the Slope, and it maintains some kind of distance to Manhattan that's tolerable. Unfortunately, since my girlfriend has been having horrible problems with some of the locals, particularly with racial slurs, I think she's be more amiable to a neighborhood that's multicultural and family oriented. But if Crown Heights is like that, then I'd totally be game.

Thanks for the note on the real estate agents.

snickers76 · February 2008

My husband and I are very lucky to have a 2 bedroom in the north slope for just under 1500. It is however, rent stabilized. Unless you can find an RS apt., I doubt you will get a 2 bedroom for 1500, even in the south slope. A one bedroom, maybe...

rtraindweller · February 2008

depending on where in Sunset there are some express trains which'll get ya to the city nice and quick. And also as filmlover said, Greenwood Heights is a great option. I used to live on 4th Ave at 21st St and had two R train stations equal distance from my front door (hense the name) and morning travel time to Union Square was no more than a half hour even when the trains got backed up. I loved the neighborhood and wish i still lived there, but good ol' Mr Landlord decided our rent was far too affordable and something needed to be done about that.

carmen · February 2008

And, just for the record, South Slope is a fine area- I find lots of PS "proper" people kind of crap on South Slope but I'm at 15thst and 7th ave and LOVE it- its quiet but still within a really easy walk to everything and we've got tons of dining/takeout options and stores, plus 9th st is only about a 6 minute walk and it really picks up after that. 5th ave is a little more "urban" down here, but I really like the 7th ave stretch.

mrbubs · February 2008

Carmen wrote: And, just for the record, South Slope is a fine area- I find lots of PS "proper" people kind of crap on South Slope but I'm at 15thst and 7th ave and LOVE it- its quiet but still within a really easy walk to everything and we've got tons of dining/takeout options and stores, plus 9th st is only about a 6 minute walk and it really picks up after that. 5th ave is a little more "urban" down here, but I really like the 7th ave stretch.

Oh dude, 15th and 7th would be awesome. If you could PM me some available places, that'd be kick-ass, and I'd pay you back in beer/food/metallin/guitarin lessons etc.

And everyone else, I'm noting everything. We went walking through Park Slope today, and she went all goo-goo eyes. We'll be combing the area.

filmlover44 · February 2008

mrbubs wrote: But if Crown Heights is like that, then I'd totally be game.

IMHO - Crown heights continues to be a really schizophrenic neighborhood, wavering between a wonderful, stunningly beautiful and multicultural friendly neighborhood to a confusing swirl of ethnic tension, crime and violence. It's much like South Slope/Greenwood Heights used to be when I moved here 22 years ago. i loved it then, moved away and back again.

I have trouble calling it "gentrification" because most of the new people who move to these neighborhoods can't afford "Park Slope Proper", "Brooklyn Heights" or some of the more truly "gentrified neighborhoods'. Most of us are "pre-gentrifiers", or, more accurately "people who rent".

This neighborhood is currently in that wonderful in between place where there is relatively low crime due to the increased police presence that the newcomers demand and yet the previous occupants, along with ethnic and economic diversity have not yet sold their buildings and many of the "old' renters have not yet been forced out of the neighborhood.

New Member, hopeful transplant

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