Condo pick of the week

A three-bedroom duplex in Williamsburg with private parking, for $1,850,000

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By Emily Myers  |
May 6, 2019 - 9:00AM
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To good to be true? Those closed curtains might be a clue.

Douglas Elliman Real Estate

It is of course possible to find a three-bedroom condo under $2 million in New York City but rare to find one that's 2,215 square feet, has three and a half bathrooms, is a few subway stops from Midtown, has a deeded parking space and is still under the $2 million mark—which makes this condo, 120 North 7th St., #1E all the more interesting.

The unit is in Williamsburg, where the median sales price for a three bedroom is $2,395,000. This duplex apartment is well below that, at $1,850,000. 

One reason for the apparent discount: The lower level of the duplex is a basment. It's not clear how much of the lower floor is above street level. By definition, a basement will have 50 percent of its height above the curb. There's increased interest in basement apartments as a way of adding to the city's housing stock but one concern with this apartment are the two ground floor bedrooms. A legal bedroom needs to meet certain size requirements but also have two exits, usually a door, and a window. This unit has some attractive glass partitions on the lower level but they cleverly mask the fact that there are no windows.

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The kitchen is on the upper level and is fitted with dark Caeserstone countertops. Stainless steel Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances line one wall with a center island separating the kitchen prep area from the dining area. 

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The apartment is a corner unit and benefits from floor to ceiling windows on two sides of the kitchen/dining area. The curtains are no doubt drawn because the unit is on the ground floor and you'll likely keep them that way for privacy reasons.

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A fairly compact staircase leads to the lower floor and breaks up the dining area from the living area on the top floor. 

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The living room has additional oversized windows. There are two bathrooms on the upper level, one off the living room and another by the apartment entrance. There's also a walk-in closet off the living room, suggesting that area might have been converted from a bedroom. 

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The double vanity in the bathroom off the living room is another hint that it was previously an en suite to a master bedroom on the upper floor.

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The lower floor has an industrial style with tiled floors and the windowed interior. 

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The lower floor master has plenty of closet space, a fan for ventilation, bright recessed lighting, and access to an en suite bath. 

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Double vanities in the lower floor bath are separated by a glass shower stall. 

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The building is a two-minute walk from Bedford Avenue train station where you can catch the L train. The downside of being so close to the subway is that trains rumble below the building and could generate noise or vibrations, especially at rush hour.

Amenities include a bike room, gym, children's playroom, storage, a shared courtyard, garden, and a roof deck. There's also access to a small private roof deck. Monthly common charges are $1,722. Taxes are $148 with a 421-a abatement in place until 2024. 

 

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Emily Myers

Senior Writer/Podcast Producer

Emily Myers is a real estate writer and podcast host. As the former host of the Brick Underground podcast, she earned four silver awards from the National Association of Real Estate Editors. Emily studied journalism at the University of the Arts, London, earned an MA Honors degree in English Literature from the University of Edinburgh and lived for a decade in California.

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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