best three apartments in UES, UWS, Village for about $2 million

I like your question, but it's difficult to answer. So many different neighborhoods to choose from within the UES, UWS and the Village. I like your price point as well because it's high, but not so high that it's only limited to the ultra-affluent. So many different types of buildings as well with prewar, postwar and new construction. It'll be fun searching through the SE listings to see what's available.

Any apartment that you saw that you liked for this price point and neighborhoods.

I like http://streeteasy.com/nyc/sale/469869-coop-45-east-9th-street-greenwich-village-new-york

Beautiful floorplan and great location. My only concern would be the maintenance which seems high. NWT, you've abandoned your dream of a studio apartment already. LOL!

I wasn't thinking that this is a $2M home so maybe the maintenance isn't high. I'm used to looking at less expensive places.

It's interesting that everyone always focuses on the Village when they think of beautiful apartments.

That'd be my first choice. If I'd actually bought there then W 70s would be.

This $2M search is disappointing. The two-bedrooms are all pretty boring, and the spectacular one-bedrooms I'd assumed were out there for $2M, aren't. You'd think for that much you'd get a park or river view, or be on a great Village street, *and* not have some major flaw.

So it's back to 45 E. 9th, and that has lots of imperfections to offset that great LR ceiling.

Regarding the 9th St Coop, there are several major issues:

1. It sounds from the ad that it needs to be renovated (right "bones" and a family that had lived in it for the past 50 years). Go figure that there are no pics of the kitchen, bathrooms (oh, the lovely sole bathroom pics brokers love to use when they are renovated and new!). How much is a new kitchen and bathroom going to run? 50K ? 100K? What else needs to be brought up to speed in this $2M fixer-upper? (And what exactly is the Coop going to "let" you do?)

2. This is not a 1.5 bath apartment... that is a toliet seat in the kitchen. WTF!?!? Where is this apartment again? Krakow during WWII? I am sorry, but that is just downright wrong for a "$2 million" apartment. (The fact that people seem to accept that there is a toliet seat in their $2M apartment's kitchen goes to show that the NYC market has a LONG way to go before "correcting" or appropriately adjusting to rental cash flow valuations...)

3. This place is TINY! Maybe my math is wrong, but looking at the layout is a little over 1200 sqare feet. But I guess it is in the village, unrenovated with a toilet seat in the kitchen... so sure, it is worth nearly $1700/sq ft!!!

Given its condition and size, this MAYBE a $1M apartment - that is due to its location (which is completely overrated, unless one happens to be an NYU brat). Of course if you buy this place you're going to have to be ready to pour in at least another $100K to renovate it... and all of this while, you're paying over 3 grand in maint/CC???? Huh?

Sorry, but IMO there are SO many "better" $2M apartments in this city... heck, there are better $1M apartments in this city...

This apartment and its pricing is a perfect example what is wrong with the NYC real estate market... total crap going for unbelievable prices.

Yeah, it's fairly shocking. From what I've seen, for $2 million, you can get decent space, an actual family-sized apartment, but you can't seem to get it with anything else -- great light, a real view, outdoor space. Or you can get 1400-1500 square feet with one of those amenities. I was hoping somebody would prove me wrong...

2m is a weird price point on the UWS. You'd be overpaying for a C6 in today's market with a 2-handle unless you're talking a view apt on RSD/CPW in which case you're looking at more than 2. S. of 86, you are not going to get many C7s right at 2 unless you're talking major wreck, no light, etc.

On the other hand, at 2m, there seem to be a few nice apts downtown. In particular, I'm thinking of the C6 at 51 Fifth that closed at 1.8mish not long ago.

Lest you accuse me of ignoring shiny new condos, the flagship Lincoln Center condos - you still don't get very much for 2m (a spacious 2br with large LR/DR).

Oh, the pot isn't *in* the kitchen. It's in a little closet, so the maid doesn't have to use yours. Lots of prewars without maid's room have/had them.

Overall, it's the kind of building where you either get it or you don't. If you do, lack of a tarted-up kitchen and bath don't matter. This one's mantel does need replacing, though.

Anyway, it'll be interesting to see what it goes for.

This isn't a log cabin... it is a 2bdrm apartment in the Village listed at $2 million.

The toilet IS in the kitchen. And exactly WHERE are people going to wash their staphylococcus covered hands? Oh, in the kitchen sink... Don't you see that you'd hope that $2 million should buy you more than what would be considered a blantant health violation in NYC restaurants.

I am sorry but rationalize all you wish regarding the value of this "either you get it or you don't" apartment, I clearly "don't get it".

I'm with NWT with respect to this apartment. It has a very nice layout with the bedrooms on the upper level and the rest on the lower level. It looks like a very comfortably arranged space. The toilet near the kitchen isn't ideal, but understandable in the context of this type of apartment. I'm sure that the kitchen, etc. needs updating, but many people change the kitchen, bathrooms, etc. in the apartment they buy just because they don't want to live in a place designed by the previous owner. I really like the neighborhood as well and the next time that I'm in this area, I'll take a look at the outside of this building. I have no idea of whether this apartment is fairly priced, but as a space, it's very lovely. Good choice NWT. Now I'll look at 51 Fifth, Apartment C6.s

Since you all are much more experienced and knowledgeable about evaluating apartments than I am, I wonder if you can comment on a prewar condo suggested for me to view by OnTheMove in the discussion about prewar condos a few days ago. The address is 220 West 93rd Street, PHB and it's listed at a little under $2M. Please be brutally honest- I really want your true opinion as to the flaws in the floorplan that you notice.

Lobster, darling, KEEP MOVING. It would seem like there was a lot to like, a pre-war re-do of a penthouse BUT a number of things jumped out at me even before I looked at the floor plan. WHAT is that faux brick/stone on the wall in the sitting room? Look at that T I N Y sink in the kitchen & see how close that stove is to it? That's a hazard. I don't even want to know what's on the walls of that one bedroom but I don't like it. See how tiny that sink is in the bathroom? It would be woefully inadequate for me. Ditto that origami sink in the other bathroom - RIDICULOUS! Then look at the floorplan & note that your second bathroom is way the hell over & through the kitchen. At half the price, maybe, but for my money, I'm still lookin'!

Thanks drdrd for your helpful comments and happy holidays to you and yours.

The second bathroom near the kitchen was a concern of mine, but the elevator and the wrap around terrace are appealing.

try this...consider how much you would pay for the apartment without the terrace and then add back what the terrace is worth to you and see what you come up with. small two bedroom (maybe 900- 1,000 sq ft) on 93rd and b'way which is not beyond a prime location; questionable renovation. nice views. $800 K, maybe? then, the terrace is $400K--total $1.2 million.

columbiacounty, I know that the apartment is overpriced (vastly). Just wondering everyone's thoughts on the layout, location, building, etc, if the apartment was more fairly priced. happy holidays!

220W93: Terrible layout, small, you're paying 2m for the privilege of owning a condo. Someone on this forum (I won't out) recently bought a larger PH spread with terrace for half the price, same location, much better building. Co-op, though. You seem very focused on having a condo, but at half the price, I'd go for a solid co-op with good financials. That's a million dollars extra for the ability to rent out the unit (which you would be renting out at a loss anyway).

Wait is this Village apartment the only one that people came up with? The sad part and what will be interesting to see if its sustainable is that $2mm is still not a good family apartment price point.

You can get a spacious 3br on the UWS for less than 2m. But you won't get great views on top of that or outdoor space. People love to hate combos, but forget the reason they became popular. There are a few buildings on the UWS where you can add 2 large 1brs w/ windowed kitchens and get a large 3br with office for much less than 2m w/o incurring huge combined mtce. I'm keeping an eye out for these as options for friends who are looking for 3+br.

Several nice family combos at 20 e. 9th sold recently for just under 2m. Went quickly, too.

I think the enclosed loo in the kitchen can be adjusted by adding a sink (or maybe a combo sink/toilet ---- yes, they do exist and Roger Federer is knowledgeable about that type of thing) ------
It's a design puzzle but it's workable.
Loos in the kitchen are disgusting but also kind of convenient ---

Its going to be interesting to see how long it can last that $2mm apartments represent such compromises. Maybe it can last forever, who knows.

Let's just track this apartment and see what happens ------------

Thanks to everyone. I don't want to take over this thread with my question about the West 93rd Street apartment so I'll just listen from now on to your responses about other desirable $2M apartments. Poorishlady, I liked your comment about the movie and Chinese food since I'm Jewish. And yes, my husband and I are going to see the new Sherlock Holmes movie this afternoon and then out for a meal, but definitely not Chinese food.

poorishlady - I think this could be the poster child for HGTV's role in the RE collapse . A flipper's worse nightmare: to be the last one standing when the music stops. Might not be a flipper but it sure smells like one.

lobster - what's your email address?

Hi spinnaker, it's streeteasy.michelle@gmail.com. Happy holidays and best wishes for the new year to you and your family.

Rhino, did you ever see 8W at 40E83? Listed at 1.8, closed 1.6? Classic 6.

Sorry, listed at 1.995.

could be interesting but it clearly needs a lot of work based upon the write up and lack of pics.
would be a fun open house to visit- could be a cool retro apt!! but the price is a bit nuts.
the kitchen has to be redone so i would kill the toilet, for me it reminds me of a grandmothers apt (who knows why) and ssssoooooo gross to have a toilet in the kitchen!!!!!! eeeeeeeewwwwwwww

Nope never saw 8W at 40 e 83. I just looked it up here. No pics. $3200 maintenance. Its hard for me to conceptualize the value of that apartment. Its tough because there are not a lot of six room rentals in PS 6. $40k/yr in maintenance is such a big liability. Even if thats an $8k rental, and even if the right cap rate is 4%, that only gets me to $1.44mm.... and neither of those numbers is right.

8K rental? Wow! I know of a 2800 sq ft 12 floor apt in Tribeca that probably could be had for that - and it has 30+ windows.

I know Rhino was just floating out an estimated number, but this apartment's only hope is so uber rich NYU kid with parents that are looking to have their kid "rough it" in NYC. (which means they won't renovate until their kid graduates in 6 years...)

It was a guess. And technically TriBeCa comps
are not the question. That said what can I get for 5k in that good ps
district down there?

Rhino,

The funny thing is that you probably aren't too far off of what some ask for such spaces in NYU land.

True the Tribeca comp was a bad one, but it was the one that came to mind.

As for what you can get in TriBeCa for 5K, I think you'd be surprised. I have been renting what would be considered a 2000 sq ft (according to the landlord), but really about 1700+ usable sq ft walk up open loft since 2006 (the peak of the RE mkt). There are some decent elevator 2 bedrooms for just a little more - though the online inventory seems limited.

I haven't looked too hard (using a broker), but I would assume prices have softened a bit. The 2800 sq ft place was asking over 12k and now is in the mid 8's. And that is in a building with asks and sales in the $3m + range.

Unfortunately, IMO, it is far cheaper to rent than buy in Tribeca.

Our 1200sqft at 86 and mad is 5k. 2 bed 2 bath. I am thinkng outloud. Can I get much more space in the independence school district?

Lobster ---- how was Sherlock Holmes?

That's a nice location and probably a nice building... Given that, I am not certain you can get a lot more space with the same "posh" style, but 1200+ sq ft 2 bedroom spaces exist for that price range. But part of the "cost" will be giving up the Park - though the Westside park can be nice during warmer weather.

The big problem just seems to be limited online inventory - though I suspect that some landlords might be sitting on a small number of apts. Who really knows... My present apartment was never listed - though it went quickly back in 06.

I like double height ceilings and windows. This duplex at 1 W67th went for 1.7M.

http://streeteasy.com/nyc/sale/375639-coop-1-west-67th-street-lincoln-square-new-york

And down only $250K from the previous sale in 2006. The accompanying little bedroom for an extra $200K down from $218K in 2006.