FINDING HOME
Chasing Dogs, Kids, and Sunset Views

Margot & Gabriel often say that they’ve managed to “hack:” New York City. They own a massive beachside house in a little neighborhood in the Bronx, called City Island, and can drive into the city within 20 minutes. But as their twins grew, they knew they wanted to transition to living full-time in Manhattan or Brooklyn, and use that City Island house as a weekend abode.

With two big dogs and two five-year-olds running around, it was critical to have enough space to roam, and live close to a playground and dog run. And after owning several single-family homes, they dreamt of living in a full-service building where Gabriel wasn’t in charge of fixing leaks or watching out for packages.

Here were their priorities:

• 3-4 bedrooms in a full-service building

• Open to DUMBO, the Upper West Side, and Tribeca

• Walking distance to a playground & dog run

• In an area that feels private and quiet

• Sunset views

You’ll notice a lot of their options have similar interiors. The driving forces of their decision were a balance of neighborhood amenities, monthly building fees, and the unit’s layout.

Here were their options:

No. 1:
UWS Condo in the Sky

This 3 bed/3.5 bath condo sat on the 20th floor offers northern & western exposures, with the primary bedroom getting the dreamiest corner view. For those unfamiliar with 200 Amsterdam Avenue, it’s a boutique development in Lincoln Square filled to the brim with amenities, including a 75-ft heated saltwater pool and concierge services that rival top city hotels. Positioned only 10 minutes from the Riverside Park South dog run and playground, the location was quite convenient for them - but it also sat a fairly busy avenue. These clients valued privacy on their block, so the activity here gave them pause.

No. 2:
Washington on the Water

I have a few clients at 450 Washington in Tribeca, and this building checked a lot of boxes for Margot & Gabriel, so I had to bring them here. This part of Tribeca is pin-drop quiet, and often feels secluded from the rest of the city. This 3 bed / 3 bath unit offered direct views of the Hudson River from the living room, so they could enjoy wide views of the sunset while enjoying an evening meal. Crossing the west side highway brought them to some of the coolest playgrounds in the city on Pier 26, and dog runs were available along the park as well. They loved the location and finishes in the home, and couldn’t stop staring at the views. The <9-ft ceiling height wasn’t ideal, but the floor-to-ceiling windows and water views made the space feel open and airy.

No. 3:
Treehouse in Brooklyn Bridge Park

Quay Tower in Brooklyn Bridge Park feels fully secluded from the rest of Brooklyn Heights, as it’s sitting right on park property with jaw-dropping views of downtown Manhattan. This 4 bed / 3.5 bath had 11-ft ceilings - the highest in the building - and sat on the same floor as the kids’ playroom. The building is positioned right across from a dog park & a very cool playground called “Slide Mountain.” The only downside: this building was almost too secluded. To get to any shops or restaurants, they’d have to cross under a bridge to reach Brooklyn Heights proper.

*names have been changed

Which Home Do You Think They Chose?

MARGOT & GABRIEL HOME:
TREEHOUSE IN BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK
Quay Tower felt like another opportunity for Margot & Gabriel to “hack” New York City. Living right on the East River would allow them to dock their boat at the pier and drive it up to City Island on the weekends. The unit they landed in offered a private elevator entrance into a closed-off foyer, and a separate laundry room with a secondary entrance to the hallway - both of which are extremely useful with two big dogs and two five year olds running around! This home is on a lower floor, so they get to experience the joy of waking up to the sound of birds chirping and living among the trees, all while enjoying jaw dropping views of downtown Manhattan.

MARKET INDICATOR
Manhattan

Note that September and October 2024 contracts are higher than the same months in 2023. This followed our expectations, as we’ve seen mortgage rates slowly start to come down. That said, new listings are down from the same months last year - seeing the two data points begin to converge. As the two points converge, we may see the market shift into a seller’s market, with fewer options on the market and buyer demand growing. I don’t expect to see the results of the election have a meaningful and immediate impact on sales, but we had certainly felt the uncertainty in the air affect buyer willingness to make a move these past few weeks.

The figures have inverted! Prime Brooklyn is in a sellers' market, with contract signings outnumbering new listings this past October. I experienced this firsthand this past month, when a new listing in Clinton Hill had attracted an astounding 9 offers after the first open house. We expect the sellers’ market to remain strong over the coming year, especially as mortgage rates are forecasted to hit the low 5% range later in 2025.

FAVORITE LISTING
A Full Service Building on a Quiet Block?!

They said it couldn’t be done.
Most full service condo buildings in Brooklyn exist on busy avenues, on blocks that are zoned for high rises, with several hundred units to pay for a full staff and an abundance of amenities.

Cue 347 Henry: a 25-unit condo building in the heart of Cobble Hill with all the amenities you could hope for, and very little turnover. A parking garage, 24-hour doorman, a pool, and playroom — all in a boutique building.

There’s nothing else like this available in Cobble Hill, so you can imagine how excited I was to spot two new listings in the building:

Unit #12A
$4.695M

2129sf | 3 beds | 3.5 baths
This unit offers a private elevator entrance and two sizable balconies, with three exposures around the perimeter of the home.

Unit #7B
$2.499M

1289sf | 2 beds | 2 baths
The benefits of being in a small building are that most of the units have multiple exposures, including in this smaller unit that’s facing North, East, and South.