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Tap into Donald’s expertise as he attends open houses and gives his “2 Cents” about the Brooklyn Brownstone real estate market.
Please take a look at my comments in this New York Times article, “New Online Tool Helps Buyers Track Properties.” I discuss how the Buyfolio tracking tool has been a great help to me and my buyer clients in helping us communicate and keep organized about the properties we’re looking at.
If you’re interested in using this tool in your property search, email me or give me a call at 917-568-6525.
Donald Brennan, principal of Brennan Realty Services, received the Dodge YMCA’s “Volunteer of the Year” award in March 24. Brennan was honored for his efforts as Chair of the Dodge YMCA’s Strong Kids Campaign 2010, which helped to raise $150,000 for the program. The YMCA’s Strong Kids Campaign provides financial assistance to hundreds of local youths and families in need, providing them the opportunity to attend YMCA sports programs. Brennan, a Brooklyn Heights resident who helped create and implement a successful local fund raising campaign, “Send a Kid to Camp,” also serves as Chair of 2011’s Strong Kids Campaign, as well as the Dodge YMCA’s Vice Chairman of the Board.
Brennan commented, “A strong community is important for all us – young and old alike–and I am a big believer in giving back. Many of our younger residents are at risk, and the YMCA’s programs help to foster good citizenship in these youths—something that’s vital to our city and its future. I am pleased to support the YMCA as it cultivates community responsibility and growth.”
The Dodge YMCA, located on Atlantic Avenue in Boerum Hill, serves the Brooklyn communities of Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens, Red Hook, Gowanus, Boerum Hill, Downtown Brooklyn and Dumbo.
Click here and find out how you can support the YMCA’s Strong Kids Campaign!
In his new “My 2 Cents” column, Donald Brennan presents unbiased, hands-on evaluations of properties on the market that he’s visited and examined inside and out—and gives you his unique perspective as an architect, developer and appraiser.  Contact Donald for more details about this home or others in brownstone Brooklyn.
Double duplex with a vision for single family use.
I attended the open house for 369 Clinton Street soon after I had checked out the adjoining property, No. 371, which I wrote about last week. I’ll compare them in my next post—but here are my thoughts about this 4-story-plus-cellar brownstone. While I am not a huge fan of the double duplex configuration in narrow buildings this property can be easily converted to a single family.
Highlights: Impressive Chef’s kitchen and garden level living space.
Price: $2,800,000 ($848/sf)
Local Externalities—369 Clinton Street is located between DeGraw and Sackett streets in Carroll Gardens, just outside the Cobble Hill historic district and just a block from Court Street and its shops, restaurants and the Cobble Hill Cinemas. But you’ll have a six-block walk to the Carroll Street subway station, and encounter a good amount of traffic since Clinton is a through street for cars headed north to the Heights and the Bridge. However, the block is filled with lovely, historic 19th century brownstones and row houses, most of which have maintained their historic character. 369 Clinton Street and the surrounding homes are of similar size, style and vintage, and all appear to be well maintained.
Architecture/Appearance—369 Clinton Street’s construction is consistent with the Italianate style brownstone homes built in the 1840s – 1870s, with an arched doorways, double-leaf doors, and high stoops. (See the LPC’s row house guide for details.) The building’s exterior has a finish that’s a lighter shade of brown relative to its neighbors. Inside, it has a double duplex configuration—a layout I find to be a less efficient use of space in narrow buildings like this one (16.5’ wide x 50’ deep). The owner’s duplex—with two bedrooms and 1.5 baths–is on the garden and parlor floors. I found it odd that the parlor level had no bathroom—the ½ bath is in the cellar. This duplex does have some beautiful finishes and detail, however, and it’s nicely decorated. The garden level has an outstanding Chef’s kitchen and French doors that lead to the dining room and outdoor patio—perfect for entertaining. The rental duplex—with two bedrooms and two full baths–is on the upper floors, and is of rental quality but well maintained. Reportedly, the tenant is paying $3,500/month in rent, but $4,500 is closer to market.
Rehabilitation— The current configuration of this property doesn’t give the owner/occupant the feeling of townhouse living, and I believe it would be much better served as a single-family home. Such a conversion would involve removing the partition at the parlor level foyer and the second kitchen, which would allow the master bedroom to be moved to the second floor. These renovations would cost about $15,000 to $20,000–just for the minor reconfiguration work.
The takeaway: If you don’t mind the double duplex configuration, this home does provide significant rental income along with some interesting features. If your heart is set on the single-family conversion, you’ll need to factor in the additional cost and time to make it your own.
In the market? I’m happy to walk you through this home or others like it and tell you more. Please contact me to set up an appointment–no obligation:
Donald Brennan 917-568-6525Â dbrennan@brennanrealtyservices.com
Donald Brennan was elected to the Brooklyn Heights Association’s Board of Governors at the association’s annual meeting held February 28. Brennan, principal of Brennan Realty Services and MyHome, Brooklyn, is a 17-year resident of Brooklyn Heights.
“I’m a strong supporter of community preservation and am always impressed by the work of the BHA. I’m honored to be a part of this important organization and look forward to working diligently to support its mission,” commented Brennan. The BHA Board is made up of local residents with a record of strong commitment to the community. Brennan currently volunteers as Vice Chairman of the Board of the Dodge YMCA and Chairman of its Strong Kids Campaign.
The Brooklyn Heights Association celebrated its centennial in 2010, and was instrumental in the 1965 formation of Brooklyn Heights as New York City’s first historic district.
In his new “My 2 Cents” column, Donald Brennan presents unbiased, hands-on evaluations of properties on the market that he’s visited and examined inside and out—and gives you his unique perspective as an architect, developer and appraiser. (Note: Donald Brennan views these properties in representing buyer clients—he is not representing the seller on these listings.)
Rental quality, but chance to own a single-family row house.
291 Hoyt Street was recently featured in New York Magazine’s “What’s Gettable in Gowanus” listings that accompanied “The Superfund Discount,” a piece highlighting the “hot” Gowanus real estate market. I attended the open house with a buyer client, and as the magazine claimed, it was packed—as were other open houses in the area. This is a single-family home of rental quality, in need of improvement, and near the edge of a residential area. But while its price per square foot is high, its small size makes it relatively affordable at $1.5 million—so it could present an opportunity for buyers wishing to own their own row house.
Local Externalities—291 Hoyt Street is situated between Sackett and Union streets, less than two blocks from the Gowanus Canal, a block from Smith Street, and three blocks from the F train. Surrounding homes are of similar vintage and size, although many seem to be lacking in “pride of ownership” and haven’t been properly maintained. (The house pictured to the left, for example, has a deteriorating façade.)
Architecture/Appearance—While photos on the broker’s website give this 19th century brick row house a look of elegance, in reality that’s not the case. Like its neighbors, this home looks a bit run down, both its exterior and interior. The structure—two stories plus garden-level and cellar—is 16 2/3’ wide by 40’ deep, built on a lot of the same width and a depth of 66’. Approved for 2,200 square feet, the two-bedroom, two-bath home is now 2,077 square feet ($720/sf)—so the possibilities for expansion are limited. Like other nearby structures, the house has a high nine-step stoop and iron fence, gate and railings—although they’re not in great shape and the gate is mismatched. The yard is small and shabby, and the small “sun room” extension off the garden level doesn’t fit with the building architecture. Inside, the house could have used a bit more polish before being shown. (Better presentation, through cleaning and cosmetic touchups, would have gone a long way.) What I did like about this home was its abundant natural light—throughout the parlor and upper floors, since the buildings across Hoyt Street are only two stories tall. Ceiling heights were comfortable on the garden level and in the cellar, and the cellar looked functional and dry, although cluttered.
Rehabilitation—291 Hoyt Street could use cosmetic improvements throughout its interior and exterior, and its dated and simplistic kitchen needs to be replaced. Depending on your taste, that could cost $25,000 – $75,000. I also recommend taking advantage of the allowable expansion by adding an extension to the building. Only 123 additional square feet are allowed, so your expansion options are limited. However, I see two possibilities: The first, and most functional and interesting, would be to add a master bedroom suite with an outdoor terrace on the top of the building. Since the home is not in a landmarked district, additional roof space could be added, opening up the building to even more natural light and views, similar to other expansions in the area.  I would remove the garden level extension (approx 77 sq ft) in order to have more square footage to work with – 200 sq ft total.  Adding this roof top extension to the back portion of the floor plate would take advantage of the existing plumbing and waste lines. Base construction costs for such an extension would amount to about $225/square foot, or at least $45,000.
The second option would involve adding two extra stories above the existing sun room. However, the room is tiny—10’9” x 7’6”—so it would be difficult to create a space above it that’s functional.  This also assumes that the existing sun room structure would be sound enough to be built on, which is probably questionable. This option would be less economical—also running about $225/square-foot for base costs–and, truthfully, would not be money well spent.
Donald Brennan 917-568-6525Â dbrennan@brennanrealtyservices.com
If you’d like to learn more about my thoughts on this property and its pricing and value, or if you’re in the market to buy or sell in brownstone Brooklyn, please contact me.
For additional “My 2 Cents” columns, click here.
In his new “My 2 Cents” column, Donald Brennan presents unbiased, hands-on evaluations of properties on the market that he’s visited and examined inside and out—and gives you his unique perspective as an architect, developer and appraiser.
Best in show.
Mark my words: This property won’t be around for long. Great renovation, good configuration, lots of natural light from the south, and another 1,800 square feet of buildable space. This two-family brick townhouse is priced at $1,645,000 or $809/square foot. It’s been tastefully renovated and thoroughly modernized, and it’s in move-in condition. Compared to the last few properties I looked at in the Gowanus / Carroll Gardens neighborhoods, this property is priced at a discount to the “in need of a reno” properties it’s currently competing with – such as 476 Degraw, 452 Sackett, and 291 Hoyt.
So don’t delay seeing this one—I was at the open house on Superbowl Sunday and it drew quite a crowd.
Local Externalities—70 Second Street is situated between Hoyt and Bond streets—closer to Hoyt—in a neighborhood that’s experiencing generational change due to an influx of young couples and families. Even though it’s only two blocks from the Gowanus Canal, the street has a nice residential feel to it. It’s also only a block from Smith Street and two blocks from the Carroll Street subway station. Adjacent homes are of the same vintage and size, and they’ve maintained their historic look, even though they are not part of the landmark district and not bound by its development constraints.
Architecture/Appearance— Built in 1867, 70 Second Street is a Federal-style brick row house consisting of three stories, including the garden floor. Built on a lot of 19’ x 100’, the property is 19’ x 35’, and is currently configured as an owner’s duplex—with three bedrooms and 1 ½ baths; and a rental simplex—with one bedroom and one bath. Some of the exterior features of this home include a lovely front garden, high stoop, iron fence, transom window, and original mahogany entrance doors. The interior features are, truthfully, almost too many to mention. The highlights: Working wood-burning fireplaces with marble mantles, alarm system, central AC, top-of-the-line appliances, sound system, radiant heated floors, exposed brick walls, and skylights. The wood window and door moldings that aren’t original are attractive and consistent with the Federal style. This home offers a large and spacious deck right off the kitchen, making it convenient for barbequing and entertaining. The garden is huge and landscaped—with no surrounding tall buildings that might shadow the yard–and includes a sprinkler system. This home has been totally and beautifully renovated with high-end finishes.
Rehabilitation—No renovations are needed here—they’ve done it all for you! Unless, of course, you want more space. This deep lot is approved for 3,800 square feet of space—and the existing structure is only 2,033 square feet. That leaves a lot to work with—and you could either build back or build up. You could also convert it to a grand single-family home. Plus, without landmark restrictions, feel free to be original and creative in your addition!
Donald Brennan 917-568-6525 dbrennan@brennanrealtyservices.com
Please contact me if you’re in the market to buy and would like to learn about my buy-side services, or if you’re thinking of selling your home and would like to learn more about my sell-side services and to receive a complimentary comparable market analysis.
For additional “My 2 Cents” columns, click here.
In his new “My 2 Cents” column, Donald Brennan presents unbiased, hands-on evaluations of properties on the market that he’s visited and examined inside and out—and gives you his unique perspective as an architect, developer and appraiser.
For the adventurous, a chance to buy buildable space.
Less than two weeks ago I stopped by the open house for this single-family row house with one of my buyer clients. It’s listed for $1,295,000, or $761/square foot—pricing I find to be a bit aggressive. The property shows well—it’s in good shape, clean, well-decorated, and has extensive original detail. At closer look, it does have a few drawbacks, though, but it also presents a good add-on opportunity.  Â
Local Externalities—This three-story, 1,700 square-foot home is located in a transitional neighborhood–and it’s clearly in Gowanus, not Carroll Gardens or Cobble Hill, as claimed in some of the marketing materials. The home is situated between Hoyt and Bond streets—and that stretch of Bond is industrial—and less than two blocks from the Gowanus Canal Superfund site. (Parents with kids or expecting them, take note!) While the other homes on the block are of similar height, vintage and style, a few have been extended—in ways not always consistent with the surrounding architecture. Since the block is not in a landmarked area, almost anything goes regarding renovations and additions—meaning the look and character of the block could change at any time.
Architecture/Appearance— Reportedly built in the late 19th Century, 452 Sackett Street is a Federal-style brick row house, with some brownstone finishing at its base. It consists of three stories, including the garden floor, with a 16.7’ width and a 34’ depth, and sits on a deep 100’ lot. Some of the exterior features of this home include an attractive high stoop and a transom window that allows light into the narrow entry hall inside. Used now as a single-family home, it’s being marketed as “easily convertible” back to a two-family—although with only 1 ½ baths and one kitchen in the home now, the conversion would, in fact, be quite involved.
I’d consider the interior of the house to be rustic—since it hasn’t been updated. But it is rich in detail—with original wood doors, crown moldings and marble fireplace mantles; as well as high ceilings and exposed brick. All three fireplaces are not operational, however. And the wood plank floors have a deflection (mild sloping) across the width of the building— but this is not unusual in a building of this age. The layout of the home is a bit awkward, since the kitchen (in need of updating) and half-bath are on the garden floor, not the first/parlor floor. (The top floor contains the full bath and two bedrooms; with the third bedroom on the parlor floor.) At the open house, entrance to the cellar was not permitted, so I can’t speak to the shape of the mechanical systems and the storage space; and the yard was also snow covered so not revealing.
Rehabilitation—A major selling point of this house—not mentioned at all in the marketing materials—is the ability to almost double the size of the building. The allowable space on this lot is 3,334 square feet—and the structure there now is only 1,700 square feet. Other buildings on the block have expanded, with one property adding 1 ½ stories. And for the buyer, since this area is not landmarked, you’re not limited by landmark guidelines—so you can be creative as you’d like in your renovation!
So I see two options for renovating this home: Updating without reconfiguring, and the two-family conversion plus added space. Basic updates, in keeping with the current single-family layout, would include upgrading the kitchens and bathrooms, as well as relining the fireplaces to make them functional. This would run about $100,000 – $125,000. To convert this home to a two-family, the building would need to be extended out the back to make the garden floor a suitable rental unit and to improve the flow of space throughout the entire home. Such a project would add another $225 – $250/square foot to the price of the building, bringing the total all-in cost to about $1,000/square foot.
And that would make this property a multi-million-dollar home in a neighborhood that now does not warrant such a price. Might it be a good investment in the long run? Possibly. The area has improved over the years and let’s hopes it continues to do so. In a few years the nearby Atlantic Yards project will be complete, bring an infusion of new people and dollars. And with the Gowanus Canal cleanup expected to be finished by 2025, you’ll then be just a few steps away from the city’s newest waterway. It just might happen.
Donald Brennan   917-568-6525  dbrennan@brennanrealtyservices.com
Please contact me if you’re in the market to buy and would like to learn about my buy-side services, or if you’re thinking of selling your home and would like to learn more about my sell-side services and to receive a complimentary comparable market analysis.
For additional “My 2 Cents” columns, click here.
I spent some time on a beautiful Super Bowl Sunday afternoon looking at a few properties. All three open houses I visited yesterday were well attended. The listing broker at 291 Hoyt Street let me know that approximately 70 people/couples visited her open house. I toured the following properties:
291 Hoyt Street, Gowanus, 2,200 sq ft, 2-family used as a 1-family
Asking $1,500,000, or $681 per square foot
104 Lincoln Place, Park Slope, 3,250 sq ft, 2-family
Asking $2,395,000, or $736 per square foot
70 2nd Street, Carroll Gardens, 2,031 sq ft, 2-family
Asking $1,645,000, or $809 per square foot
This was my personal favorite of the three I looked at Sunday and one of the more impressive properties of this size that I have seen lately.
Check back here this week for more in-depth analysis of each of these properties.
For additional “My 2 Cents” columns, click here.
Donald Brennan 917-568-6525 dbrennan@brennanrealtyservices.com
Please contact me if you’re in the market to buy and would like to learn about my buy-side services, or if you’re thinking of selling your home and would like to learn more about my sell-side services and to receive a complimentary comparable market analysis.
In his new “My 2 Cents” column, Donald Brennan presents unbiased, hands-on evaluations of properties on the market that he’s visited and examined inside and out—and gives you his unique perspective as an architect, developer and appraiser.
I took a look at this single-family townhouse with one of my buyer clients in the fall. Great block in a great neighborhood. This four-story, 2,700 square-foot, estate-condition property was listed for $1.9 million, or $703/square foot. (Just a few days ago it went under contract, price unknown.) While the building is habitable “as is,” most buyers would want to rehabilitate it before moving in—since the scope of potential work could be significant, and occupancy during the renovation would be very unpleasant, if not impossible.
Local Externalities—The property is located in the landmarked portion of Cobble Hill, in an attractive residential area, near the corner of Degraw Street. Tompkins Place is a quiet, charming street—just one block long–located between Kane and Degraw streets, and between and parallel to Court and Clinton streets. All the neighboring lots are built on, share similar bulk, are of the same vintage, and appear to be occupied. Therefore, there is little if any risk of new adjacent construction that might negatively impact the value of this property. The immediately adjoining properties—57 and 61 Tompkins—have been attractively renovated and modernized into comfortable single-family homes.
Architecture/Appearance— 59 Tompkins Place is part of a group of five three-story townhouses (numbers 53 – 61) built in the early 1850s in the Anglo-Italianate style. Each house is characterized by a low three-step stoop and a narrow width of 15 feet—since at that time the demand in Cobble Hill was for small houses. The group remains intact today, but without the pediments referred to in the 1969 Landmarks Designation report.
In general, this townhouse—consisting of five bedrooms and three full bathrooms—has a dated and run-down appearance. The exterior of the building seems slightly out of place: Its lower level is painted with a brownstone finish (although the paint is peeling and the color seems a bit off), while the upper levels are finished in brick. Its windows have been reduced in height. And it’s the only one of the five townhouses without an ironwork fence—its fence having been replaced by a low concrete wall, which is currently in need of repair. The building has a garden-level floor, but no cellar. Some of the original details remain—such as decorative moldings and marble mantles—but they’re not in great shape. The floors, windows, kitchen and bathrooms are all in poor condition. Some fixtures are missing. With no cellar, storage area is limited—so the mechanical equipment is housed on the garden level, and other items are stored under the front garden. The back garden space is a bit awkward, with multi-level, hard-to-navigate space.
Rehabilitation—Nothing short of a gut rehab would bring this property up to the level of its neighbors. All mechanical systems would need to be replaced, as would the kitchen and bathrooms. New windows should be installed and cut to their original size, and floors refinished. While the original moldings are salvageable, they require repair. The lower façade should be redone with a true brownstone finish. And the garden area could use to be reorganized and leveled to make it more efficient and functional.
What would all these renovations cost? At least $300/square foot—bringing the total all-in cost of this building to $2.7 million, or $1,000/square foot. Despite the expense, though, I do think this would be a reasonable investment–considering the lack of supply of single-family townhouses in Cobble Hill as well as its strengthening real estate market.
Another factor to note: Permits for such a rehabilitation project would need approval not only from the Landmarks Preservation Commission, but also from Community Board 6 –after it considers the feedback from the very active and involved Cobble Hill Association. While this association doesn’t have an architectural review committee like other neighborhood associations, it’s made up of representatives from all of Cobble Hill’s block associations—meaning your neighbors on Tompkins Place will be able to directly weigh in on your rehab project!
Donald Brennan   917-568-6525  dbrennan@brennanrealtyservices.com
Please contact me if you’re in the market to buy and would like to learn about my buy-side services, or if you’re thinking of selling your home and would like to learn more about my sell-side services and to receive a complimentary comparable market analysis.
For additional “My 2 Cents” columns, click here.
New townhouses are rising in Cobble Hill with Manhattan pricing
Brownstone Brooklyn gets new batch of townhouses
Strong Place Parking Lot Will Become Rowhouses
Strong Place Townhouses Construction Blog: Intro
Hills & Gardens: Townhouse Plans Win Praise
New Development: Strong Place and Kane Street, Cobble Hill, Brooklyn
Three Custom Townhouses.
CG Patch: Public Spaces Add to Home Value
Read Donald Brennan’s latest “Local Voices” blog post on Carroll Gardens Patch--and find out about the importance of outdoor public spaces in your home search.
Full article here.
4 Strong Place
Single-Family Custom Townhome!
Cobble Hill, NEW CONSTRUCTION
4A Strong Place
Two-Family Custom Townhome!
Cobble Hill, NEW CONSTRUCTION
One Hanson Place, 17B:
Loft Style One Bedroom Plus Home Office
Fort Greene, IN CONTRACT
128 Willow Street, 4E:
Spacious & Bright 1-Bedroom Co-op
Brooklyn Heights, IN CONTRACT
36 Cambridge Place:
Historic 19th C, 2-Family
Clinton Hill, SOLD & CLOSED
For rent-- 439 and 441 Henry Street, Cobble Hill:
Large one bedrooms,
newly renovated!
220 East 73rd Street, Apt. 3F:
An Exquisite One-bedroom Co-op
SOLD and CLOSED
