What you can get for $1 million in Clinton Hill, where grand mansions meet boutique developments
- Pratt Institute's sculpture garden, shopping, and proximity to the Navy Yard are big draws
- Two bedrooms can be had for $900,000; some three bedrooms are in the low $1 million range
- Asking prices are generally lower than in nearby nabes Fort Greene and Prospect Heights
A one bedroom with one bath in the brand-new Four Fifty Grand condo is on the market for $780,000.
Douglas Elliman Real Estate
Have you always wanted to live in Clinton Hill but assumed you were priced out? In this new series, Brick looks at listings in New York City’s most in-demand neighborhoods for under $1 million—roughly the median sales price for Manhattan co-ops and condos—as well as higher-priced options below $2.5 million.
If your goal is to live large, think small: Buying a studio or one bedroom is a way to net the nabe of your dreams. New to buying NYC real estate? Be sure to wrap your head around the difference between co-ops and condos. Co-ops are generally less expensive but also are older and have fewer bells and whistles than condos—plus more rules. With that in mind—happy hunting!
In this week’s Your Next Move, Colin Montgomery, a broker at Sotheby’s International Realty, and Deborah L. Rieders, a broker at The Corcoran Group, give us the inside story on Clinton Hill, an elegant neighborhood with wide, tree-lined streets and historic architecture.
What draws buyers to the neighborhood?
“Clinton Hill’s literally an in-between kind of neighborhood,” Montgomery says. “It’s bordered on the north by the Wallabout area, the Navy Yard, and far-south Williamsburg, bookended by the classic townhouse rows of Bedford-Stuyvesant and Fort Greene to the east and west, while to the south you get the dynamic Fulton Avenue and Atlantic avenues, the Barclays Center, and Prospect Heights.”
Its mix of “leafy streets and several high-rise co-ops create a great balance of value and curb appeal,” he says, adding that it’s on the G and C subway lines and close to major transit hubs in Downtown Brooklyn.
Rieders adds that its variety of features—the turn-of-the-century architecture, the sculpture garden at Pratt Institute, the retail stores, and the proximity to the Navy Yard—are the major reasons people choose to buy.
What are housing and pricing like?
Clinton Hill has a “wonderful stable of low- to mid-rise prewar Art Deco and simple International Style co-ops, particularly along Clinton Avenue,” Montgomery says, that “provide it with a relatively affordable and stable housing stock."
Some of the industrial buildings have been converted to residential lofts.
Prices vary widely, reflecting the assortment of choices ranging from co-ops and condos that generally are $1.2 million to $1.5 million, to brownstones and major mansions priced at $3.5 million to $6 million, Rieders says.
What type of property can I get for under or around $1 million?
The choices in this price range are one-bedroom co-ops, which top out at around $700,000, and two bedrooms, which go up to $900,000, Montgomery says, adding that sometimes even three bedrooms in the low $1-million range are available.
Small to medium one-bedroom condo conversions are another option, he says. “The smaller units can get up to and past $1 million. Most two bedrooms are below $1.5 million.”
According to StreetEasy, there are 23 properties on the market for $1 million or less.
I can stretch my budget. What can I get for $2.5 million?
“If you have a relative in construction or are both very handy and infinitely patient, then you could consider a small fixer-upper townhouse,” Montgomery says.
“But if you like your kitchen and baths in perfect working order at closing, there are usually great three-bedroom layouts with light and space in both ground-up and converted condo developments,” he adds.
Are there any newer condo developments I should check out?
Newer condos typically offer the most luxurious amenities and finishes, features that attract many buyers.
The seven-story Four Fifty Grand, which opened in 2023, has 39 units. Amenities include a fitness center, roof deck, lounge, playroom, and pet spa. The least costly unit, a one bedroom with one bath, is 592 square feet and listed for $740,000.
Completed in 2023, 501 Myrtle Ave. is a six-story, 10-unit boutique condo development a block from the BQE. The building has a virtual doorman system, recreation room/lounge, and bicycle storage. Asking $577,000, a 478-square-foot one-bedroom, one-bath unit is the least expensive on the market.
The Salvation Lofts at 10 Quincy St. is in a four-story 1930s building offering 46 units, a fitness center, courtyard, and lounge. The only available unit is a 1,209-square-foot two-bedroom, two-bath unit that's listed for $1.75 million.
Which attractions do you show buyers who have never been to the area?
Rieders likes to show off Mansion Row, the grand estates on Clinton and Washington avenues that served as the summer homes of the upper classes of the 19th century. “I usually take people to a cute café, go to the sculpture garden at Pratt Institute, and walk over to Fort Greene Park, which is close by.”
To experience the charm of Clinton Hill, Montgomery takes prospective purchasers on a walking tour of the blocks around the property under consideration. “Clinton Avenue reminds me of those grand-mansion boulevards I’ve seen in southern cities or college towns,” he says. “Today, the free-standing structures have mostly become boutique co-ops or the odd admin buildings for St. Joseph’s University. Wallabout has some fun and funky townhouse blocks with a few mid-priced condos sprouting up.”
What are the nearby neighborhoods, and are they less expensive?
“Fort Greene is sort of like Clinton Hill’s richer sibling—it’s another smallish in-between neighborhood but with better trains and the Brooklyn Academy of Music,” Montgomery says.
“Prospect Heights is another generally pricier neighborhood," he continues. "The northern section of Bedford-Stuyvesant east of Clinton Hill is generally where you can find some more affordable prices stretching all the way to where Broadway draws the border for Bushwick.”
Check out these listings that are around $1 million in Clinton Hill.
501 Myrtle Ave., #3A
This 441-square-foot condo, listed for $610,000, has one bedroom, one bath, oak hardwood floors, floor-to-ceiling windows, two-zone heating and cooling, and a chef's kitchen with quart countertops and stainless steel appliances. It's in a 2023 building with six stories, 10 units, a remote security system, and laundry room.
111 Steuben St., #3F
Listed for $795,000, this one-bedroom, one-bath condo is 806 square feet. It has central air, hardwood floors, a deeded parking space, and an in-unit washer/dryer. The six-story, 35-unit elevator building, which opened in 2008, has a gym, media room, and laundry room.
109 Waverly Ave., #3A
This duplex condo, in a four-story, 16-unit building that dates to 2013, is on the market for $949,000. The unit has oak hardwood floors, floor-to-ceiling windows, a soaking tub, rain shower, and stainless steel appliances in the kitchen. The building has a rooftop deck, bike storage, and private storage.
450 Grand Ave., #5B
Located in Four Fifty Grand, this brand-new 648-square-foot condo has 10-foot ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, oak hardwood floors, and central air. It is asking $780,000. Besides the amenities listed above, the building has a garden, lounge, rooftop deck, package room, and virtual doorman.
888 Fulton St., #1A
This 940-square-foot triplex loft-style studio is listed for $889,000. It features two full and one half baths, an open chef's kitchen and dining area with 16-foot ceilings, central AC, a stacked washer/dryer, and private backyard. The four-story boutique condo building, which dates to 2008, has a video intercom and key-code entry system.
Nancy A. Ruhling is a freelance writer based in New York City.
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