Take It Or Leave It

This $3,625 Williamsburg one-bedroom is a lease takeover — which could be a pro or con

By Lucy Cohen Blatter  | April 29, 2015 - 2:59PM
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If you're dying to put your pre-war life behind you and try out a brand new building with lots of perks, this $3,625 one bedroom in Williamsburg might be a good (if pricey) option. 

The building, at 395 Leonard Street, is new Williamsburg all the way, with a media room, gym, pool table, air hockey table and a rooftop deck. 

While the listing says it's 1,500 square feet, we're guessing that includes the large outdoor space. It's that outdoor space that's also probably responsible for making the price $600 more than the neighborhood median.

Note, the apartment is a lease takeover, which means several things. First, your rent can (and likely will) be raised less than a year after you move in. This particular lease is over at the end of February 2016. The good news is that there's no broker fee (though it appears as though none of the apartments in the building have them anyway). Since the current tenant is trying to break their lease, they might be slightly flexible on the rent and give you a little discount to move quickly.

Is it worth  the splurge (and possible rent increase in less than a year)? I asked our experts (and veteran renters), RentHackr founder Zeb Dropkin and freelance writer Lambeth Hochwald, to weigh in with me on this week's Take It or Leave It.​

Size: One-bedroom, one-bath
Location:  395 Leonard Street (between Frost and Richardson)
Cost: $3,625
Flexible layout: No
Days on the market:  About two weeks
Subway: L to Graham; G, L to Lorimer

Pros and Cons:

"The apartment is almost brand new (the building was built in 2014), and it's got high-end features (that outdoor space is calling for a summer barbecue!). But it's also got that totally cookie-cutter new construction look. Plus, it's pricey." — Lucy

"Taking over a sublet gives you a test drive in this upscale building. Here you have a big, private patio in Williamsburg near McCarren Park. But this one-bedroom is priced very high." — Zeb

"Billyburg wannabes might just want to spring for the big bucks on this one-bedroom sublet-to-rent. Just think: You'll get to live at 395 Leonard Street AKA Leonard Pointe, a new seven-story rental building located right where vendors used to hawk jewelry and vintage pieces at the Meeker Flea Market." — Lambeth​

Who would this apartment be perfect for?

"A couple or single person (with a decent disposable income) that wants to try out Williamsburg, likes amenities, and appreciates the flexibility of being able to move out in less than a year." — Lucy

"A couple with pets that can afford a high-end place and will love Williamsburg will fit in well here." —Zeb

"A couple ready to jump into the neighborhood, cook in the fab kitchen (props for the tiled back splash, wine storage rack and lighting fixtures, though is it me or do they look just like upside down baby bottles?) and crave outdoor space, though, this one needs love or, at the very least, some greenery to warm it up." — Lambeth

The Verdict(s):

LEAVE IT "Unless you really, really want outdoor space, this looks relatively small and is still expensive. You're paying for some of the building's bells and whistles." — Lucy

TAKE IT "But only if you're in the market to spend on a chi-chi building, and ask some neighbors whether the amenities are as great as advertised." — Zeb

LEAVE IT "Find somewhere in the neighborhood that isn’t in such close proximity to the BQE." — Lambeth

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