Take It Or Leave It

Take It or Leave It: Could this $7,500/month Cobble Hill duplex make a Brooklynite out of you?

By Leah Hochbaum Rosner  | October 2, 2013 - 11:43AM
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In this edition of Take It or Leave It, our team of dyed-in-the-wool renters assesses the merits of a 2-bedroom/2-bathroom duplex in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn with high ceilings, a state-of-the-art kitchen and a working fireplace. Our panelists—who have a combined total of 43 years of renting between them—are RentHackr founder Zeb Dropkin, freelance writer Lambeth Hochwald, and BrickUnderground’s own senior editor, Lucy Cohen Blatter.

The Apartment:

Size: 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Location: 124 Kane St. in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn
Cost: $7,500/month
Flexible Layout: No
Subway: F, G at Bergen St.; R, 2, 3, 4, 5 at Borough Hall; A, C, F at Jay St.-Borough Hall; 2, 3 at Clark St.; A, C, G at Hoyt & Schermerhorn; R at Lawrence St.

Pros and Cons:

Zeb: “This place is like a high-end home from the suburbs dropped into Brooklyn. It’s a duplex with a patio, a fireplace and a sick kitchen! As for the negatives, it’s a 2-bedroom for $7,500!” 

Lambeth: “While the sunny farmhouse kitchen in this quaint Cobble Hill duplex is drool-worthy (who could say no to the wide plank floors, Viking Range and Sub Zero fridge?), I have to admit to being in a bit of sticker shock that this place that’s just steps from the BQE (and a very long hike to the subway) is $7,500 per month.”

Lucy: “Talk about Brooklyn brownstone charm. I want to move in tomorrow and have coffee in that garden every day. The kitchen and bathroom are also beautiful. Plus, a working fireplace! On the cons side, the price is really high for a 2-bedroom even in charming Cobble Hill. Also, the fact that we’re not seeing photos of the bedrooms is suspicious. Maybe they’re really dark since they’re on the garden level. Also, why aren’t we seeing a photo of the garden itself?” 

Who would this apartment be perfect for?

Zeb: “A well-off family or couple that can afford to rent this place. It looks like a wonderful place to escape the chaos of NYC and recharge.”

Lambeth: “Either a family eager to get their kids into the venerable PS 29, located just a block away, or a hipster couple looking for a spacious spot to call home after restaurant-hopping across the BQE on the Columbia Waterfront.”

Lucy: “A family with a big budget that’s all about Brooklyn charm and likes to cook/entertain.”

The Verdict(s):

TAKE IT “…and invite me to the housewarming.”—Zeb  

LEAVE IT “This place is high on charm, but you’d still be paying major bucks every month (not to mention the broker’s fee) to sleep in a bedroom with bars (however cute they are) on your windows.”—Lambeth

TAKE IT “…if you can afford it. And invite me over for coffee.”—Lucy

Ready to rent? Check out our How to Rent Guide...and if the apartment you like requires a guarantor that you don’t have, see if the landlord accepts Insurent, a guarantor solution from one of BrickUnderground’s sponsors.


Take It Or Leave It is a weekly column in which a panel of long-time renters weighs in on the pros and cons of an apartment that’s currently on the market.

Brick Underground articles occasionally include the expertise of, or information about, advertising partners when relevant to the story. We will never promote an advertiser's product without making the relationship clear to our readers.

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