In brownstone Brooklyn, house tour season usually coincides with the spring buying season or Mother’s Day. Bed-Stuy, however, marches to the beat of its own drum and hosts its annual house tour in October. This year it’s scheduled for the weekend of Oct. 15 and will showcase some of the neighborhood’s finest examples of historic brownstone architecture as well as many examples of renovated, open floor plan townhouses.
If you are in the market for a Brooklyn brownstone house, this is a great chance to learn about a neighborhood replete with brownstones. Even if you’re not in the market to buy, it’s a great showcase of a historic Brooklyn neighborhood and its classic architecture.
Whether you’re a potential brownstone buyer or just a curious onlooker, here we present a roundup of the best Bed-Stuy brownstones on the market right now. Get inspired, get excited and be sure to get out there and check out the neighborhood and its housing stock on Oct. 15!
36 Claver Place
Price: $3,350,000
This six-bedroom brownstone just hit the market and is hosting plenty of open houses this week and next. Listed for over $3.3M, it’s definitely one of Bed-Stuy’s more expensive brownstones, but it leaves little room wanting more… of anything. It’s got four floors, six bedrooms and four and a half baths – you could house a whole football squad here. Or at least your kid’s AYSO team.
Nearly everything about this house is on a grand scale. The house is extra wide, even by Brooklyn brownstone standards. The living room, or the “great room” as the listing description defines it, features a huge chandelier and a marble mantle original to its 19th century design. The brownstone has been carefully preserved and maintained and many of its original details remain. The detailing and finishes are done in marble (think marble soaking tubs, marble tiles); the appliances are new and stainless steel; the kitchen is generously sized, with a big island countertop and an even bigger refrigerator. Every bedroom is big enough for a queen-size bed – in case your kids outgrow their bunk beds. The location is pretty spot on, too – smack dab in the heart of Bed-Stuy on a single block-long street just off Fulton.
708 Jefferson Avenue
Price: $1,295,000
Located in Stuyvesant Heights Historic District, this Bed-Stuy brownstone is set up as a two-family home. Priced under $1.5M, the property is a smart pick for buyers in the market for a strategic investment, as it offers the option to rent out one of the units. The brownstone is currently laid out as two separate duplex units, with the ground floor designed as the rental unit, and both have access to the garden. The property has just undergone a complete renovation, but many of the brownstone’s original details remain, including thee decorative mantel pieces.
236 Monroe Street
Price: $1,949,000
Here’s another two-family Bed-Stuy brownstone. This one offers a three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom duplex for the owners to occupy along with a garden-floor apartment that can be rented out for additional income. The brownstone has been recently updated with an eat-in kitchen featuring all new finishes and appliances, including a Wolf stove. Upstairs there are three bedrooms, efficiently laid out. The best part? You get double outdoor space. There’s a private finished roof deck for the owners as well as a garden in the back that can be shared with the downstairs tenants.
217 Putnam Avenue
Price: $1,250,000
This single-family three-story brownstone was just listed and has already proved quite popular among potential buyers. In its first three days on the market, the listing has been saved by over 50 people. And it’s no wonder why; the price is reasonable, the location — on Putnam, just off of Bedford — is very central, and the place is 100 percent turn-key. From the bones to the dressing, all of it is newly installed. That includes new electrical work, new windows, new plumbing and appliances. The renovation created a modern, open floor plan design perfect for families who want the brownstone lifestyle, but don’t want to deal with their own renovation or fragile historic details.
412 Decatur Street
Price: $1,475,000
Here’s another new-to-market Bed-Stuy brownstone that’s also proven popular among our users. Just three stories, the home offers a smaller, simpler townhouse feel. After a brand-new renovation, many of the brownstone’s original details have been updated and streamlined. You won’t find any dark woodwork or ornate moldings here. Instead, it offers an open floor plan layout with a large living/dining area that flows seamlessly into the kitchen, and off of the kitchen, a finished patio. There are three bedrooms tucked upstairs, all with skylights and plenty of closet space. This house has been converted into a two-family home with a duplex on the top and a garden apartment on the bottom floor that can be rented out for additional income.
314 Clifton Place
Price: $2,995,000
If you like the richly ornate facades of traditional Brooklyn brownstones, but favor modern interiors, this newly renovated four-story behemoth is for you – if you also happen to have $3M. The price tag is owed in large part to the brownstone’s impressive size – nearly 3,600-square feet – and meticulous renovation.
With the exception of the exterior, most of this two-family townhome’s historic details have been updated. Instead of stained glass, mahogany banisters and mother-of-pearl inlay, you’ll find floor-to-ceiling windows, newly-installed marble countertops, walk-in showers and soaking tubs. In back, there is a finished patio and landscaped garden that you can share with your downstairs tenants. According to the listing description, the estimated rental income comes in at around $3,000/month, which would be a nice portion of your monthly mortgage payment. Maybe that $3M price tag doesn’t sound so bad after all… Well, maybe.
Related:
