BrickUnderground

To be clear: For most of us, this townhouse at 237 West 12th Street is a pure fantasy play, what with the high-seven-figure asking price—$8.395 million, to be exact. 

For some New Yorkers, buying a property isn't the biggest real estate challenge they face—it's keeping what they've bought. Last week, WNYC's Brian Lehrer Show—a Brick favorite—aired a segment on deed theft, which unfortunately continue to be a problem in the five boroughs, particularly in gentrifying neighborhoods like Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights.

Yes, it's a kick to spot a person in a listing photo where they really don't belong. But, let's be real, they won't sell your apartment. These listings are particularly ridiculous, though; we don't think we'll ever stop laughing at the photo above.

The photo above isn't the only reason we're crushing on this co-op at 32 East 2nd Street asking $699,000, but it's certainly persuasive: the distinctive brick walls, the embossed ceiling, the ebony floors, the bank of windows. All combine to create a kind of quiet swagger. 

1. Bushwick vs. Washington Heights: Why this twentysomething would rather stay uptown

2. No porn allowed -- and 6 other weird things your landlord can demand

Bushwick took a bit of a hit from one of Brick's contributors this week, but it still gets plenty of love from many NYC property-hunters, especially those looking for a two-family for under $2 million that can help bring in some extra income from a rental. And this weekend, sellers there are hosting fair amount of open houses for interested buyers. Here, a selection: