the hunt for a 2 bed apt continues

@ph41 - I was teasing you. I know that for each one of us who only wants to live in that enclave, there are many more who view the location as a negative, but there are enough of us to keep prices for a 2/2 above what they are in Murray Hill.

Well, check out the recent sales at Southgate - 2BR/2Bth at $1.25 (yes I know that that building does not meet your charm standards). The stiff requirements for buyers in many of the East 50's buildings including all all the basically standard post and pre-war buildings0 are influenced by their proximity to the grand dames, such as River House. you know, prestige by association - LOL. I also think, though I am not going to spend time proving it, that that has the effect of dampening prices for the "regular, not exceptional" apartments, not raising them.

And what about the 2BR/2Bth at 14 Sutton Place South for $1,250,000. Yes just a little more out of the way, not much, but prewar.

Sutton Place is a completely different neighborhood, as is anything on 52nd . We know a couple who just moved from the 51st street Southgate to the 52nd St Southgate (needed a bigger apartment with second child and that is what was available in the neighborhood on their schedule with everything in play); they still use the 51st street entrance. I honestly don't think the people that I know who live in Beekman Place enclave were looking for prestige; those we know are a diverse group of professionals who were looking for the unique combination of factors that the neighborhood has to offer, much in the same way anyone is drawn to any neighborhood in particular. And no argument regarding the stiff financial requirements dampening the prices; I have made that point elsewhere on here. I am not in command of the statistics or the perceptions of others, but I am fairly certain the neighborhood is not among the most expensive or prestigious in the city by a long shot, but it is also not the least expensive. The fact remains that you can generally get more square feet in Murray Hill for your money than you can in Beekman, and more power to you if you actually want to live there. My friends in Tribeca envy the fact that I really like living in Midtown East; they also find it very hard to believe. To each his own.

What about renting. 300 east 57th street has a 2 bed 2 bath on the market for $5100 a month. Probably one of the cities best run, nicest rental buildings from what I've read.

Uwsboy, you like the Ues?

The Rudins built it and still own it, 67 years later. No debt, so a real cash cow.

Oh my goodness, all those poor people in River House who have to live on 52nd Street!! The agony of it.

@ph41 - I know, right?
@taxibutton - Apologies for hijacking your thread with a side debate about various neighborhoods within midtown east! If 4D appeals to you at all and you find it overpriced, it never hurts to throw in a lowball offer. I suspect you will find it too small and/or too far from the train, but 2 bed/2 bath with even a sliver view of the river for under a million is rare in Beekman neighborhood, with a roofdeck to boot. Impossible to miss the fact that the baths are not pictured; maybe the are Turkish toilets. Either way, I hope we haven't scared you away, though nobody would blame you for not wanting to engage further.

At http://streeteasy.com/building/455-east-51-street-new_york/4d the two baths were originally one normal-sized bath and a little hallway between the two bedrooms. Probably hard to photograph.

It comes across as a clever renovation, but when you're in it maybe you realize how the effect of space is due to the mirrored walls. They do emphasize the river view to the south.

When we bought 24 years ago I'd thought about that area, because it's pretty, there're lots of the fireplace-y style of apartments I like, and we could get two bedrooms for the price of one at http://streeteasy.com/building/40_50-east-10-street-new_york, but we needed to be on the 1/2/3 line and near music venues.

i'm not interested in combining two apartments. Also not interested in being that far east, my husband cares a lot about subway proximity. So 455 e 51 is out. I thought I had made that clear earlier but I guess not.

interested in these right now:

http://streeteasy.com/building/325-east-57-street-new_york/2b?featured=1

http://streeteasy.com/building/120-east-36-street-new_york/6ab

I walk the neighborhood around 325 E57th a lot, and what strikes me as not quite right about the SE info on 325 E57th is the 0.2 miles from the train part. FWIW, I just did a "Google Maps" walking directions, and it says that it is 0.4 miles from both 59th and 53rd street stations. Maybe you have personally done the walk and have a real feel for it and are okay with it, or maybe someone who already lives in the neighborhood and does the walk will weigh in. Either way, the one thing that scares me for you about your search is that you are looking in such different neighborhoods; are you really sure you want to commit to any neighborhood without renting there first? We have some friends who bought a great apartment on W57th in their early 30's; three years later they moved to UWS and cursed themselves for having purchased before they had a real feel for the W57th street neighborhood where they initially purchased. It was a beautiful apartment; they just ended up not loving the neighborhood that at first glance met all their perceived needs. Okay, I will stop acting like a parent and projecting concerns on you because I know you know what you are doing, and I continue to wish you good fortune in the hunt.

Looks like the 36th street apartment needs a lot of work to make it function well. The room next to the kitchen could be a good dining room/family room, but the access to east then would be the bedrooms would involve walking through one to get to the other. Also very heavy tunnel traffic on that street.

The 57th street apartment looks almost move in, and with a nice layout. 57th street on the east side of 1st avenue actually has a nice look, even though it is a slightly busy street. You need to check the level of street noise in that apartment, as well as being aware that pedestrians can see into 2nd floor apartments.

No closet in the master bedroom on East 57th Street????

There are two closets on the original floorplan, but they were cannibalized to put in that second bath.

cannibalization should be illegal in NYC.

Wouldn't be difficult to build closets in that bedroom

You might want to keep an eye on 320 East 57th across the street- seem to be 2br/2bth in that price range.

Look at 105 e 38th st 5C. It needs some work but granted it has enough space for you from what I have read and the maintenance is pretty low at 1500 for what the size of the apt is. Also close to trains at grand central. May be worth a look.
http://streeteasy.com/building/105-east-38-street-manhattan/5c

This may even work for you as well. 2 bed 2 bath. Architecturally beautiful (Art Deco details) close to subways too.
http://streeteasy.com/building/woodstock-tower/2112

The E. 57th St. apt sits directly on the mid block entrance to the 59th St. bridge. Low floor and tons of traffic.

odd -- looks like my response never posted. I am no longer interested in the 57th and 36th after having seen them. i have another 5 i'm intrigued by and curious about your thoughts.

http://streeteasy.com/building/belmont-79/11c

http://streeteasy.com/building/221-east-76-street-new_york/5ab

http://streeteasy.com/building/201-east-66-street-new_york/4b

http://streeteasy.com/building/233-east-70-street-new_york/10p

http://streeteasy.com/building/300-east-74-street-new_york/24c

Are you paying 3% to the Streeteasy Talk section? No opinions yourself ... just a list and everyone here is your free entertainment monkey?
Anyone who responds further to taxibutton is an idiot.

300 e 74th looks like it has good light and good bones but it may have the same issue you faced with the apt you put the offer on, with creating a bedroom -- all the natural light will go away. Also with kids if applicable may not be the best with a terrace.

not really sure why you're so bitter, Fieldschester. It's not like SE is such an explosive hotbed of conversation and I'm taking up valuable bandwidth. I think shopping along with someone is one of the most interesting / fun things about SE and several people have added great insight to my search. Yes we have a broker who we like but I've enjoyed using SE to track our process. & in many ways folks who have lived in these neighborhoods and who have no vested interest have brought tremendous insight that no broker could.

This looks pretty. http://streeteasy.com/building/105-east-38-street-manhattan/5c

Asking price seems somewhat high for this building based on past sales, but that might mean there's room for some serious negotiation.

It is a nice apartment, but too bad that they reconfigured it into a one bedroom, or actually a two bedroom where you have to go through one bedroom to get to the other. It wouldn't be hard to switch, but people seem to be terrified of the possibility coop boards will reject floor plan alterations.

Taxibutton, using a real estate board to discuss real estate, shame on you!

Actually, if you you look at the original floor plan there
S a small hallway between the bedrooms. It really wouldn't be difficult to replace that wall and the

Sorry, there Was a small hallway in original language, so just replace that wall with the door to the bedroom and the wall with the closets. That is all that the owner removed , not difficult to configure back to original plan.

I don't disagree. But many posters have advised the OP that you can't rely on any board to approve any changes at all.

@ph41 You're correct that the comp prices are much lower. However, I suspect that the apartment is fairly priced for the current market. I don't know the Murray Hill neighborhood, but on the UWS I know that this kind of 2 bed 1 bath apartment is listing for more than this particular listing, and selling for quite a bit more than that.

Boards can act capriciously , but it is difficult to see how they could deny an application to take it back to its original configuration , exactly as exists currently in the other apartments in that line. And some purchasers might choose to leave it as-is until the baby comes along !

@facing - the UWS at this point is beyond rational , so properties in other parts of Manhattan, even those very well located, often look reasonable in comparison.

@ph41 -- what makes you say the UWS market is "beyond rational"? There's very low inventory, apts are getting multiple bids so buyers will pay beyond even what sellers are asking.

105 east 38th ... 1 tiny bathroom? I have more than that in my mother's basement.

Bhurg, how was your August vacation? What do you have planned for September?

how about this? http://streeteasy.com/building/marais-coop/16b

@gothamsboro The bathroom is actually completely standard for a 1920s apartment. It's only "tiny" if our perspective is a modern, post-ADA requirements bathroom. If taxibutton wants to live in a pre-war building, that's the kind of bathroom they're going to find exists, so expecting something else is looking for the impossible.

Actually, the OP prefers post-war, with central a/c and larger bedrooms. The apt on 38th falls outside those parameters, as well as outside desired location , but within # of bedrooms , price, and maintenance.

And you really think that "paying beyond even what sellers are asking" is rational?

@ph41 Poin taken re post-war -- I wasn't following the start of this conversation as closely as I might. But re paying over an asking price -- sometimes asking prices are set precisely to initiate a bidding war. I'm not saying it's what people want to do or always should be doing (YMMV depending on location, your own experience as a buyer and your own needs/desires/flexibility) but I suspect that in some cases it's advisable and even necessary.

Imagine driving a 1920s car, living the lifespan of a person in the 1920s, wearing the clothing of the 1920s, smoking 1920s cigarettes, speaking like a person in the 1920s, women get back in the kitchen (until we need you for the next war), no built in AC in the summer, President Coolidge, listening to radio, telegraph, Prohibition, outrage over the change of the name from Denali to McKinley...

This apt may be Far East but it has everything space wise, building amenities. Also you get private entrance with building amenities. With some work done it could be a killer space
http://streeteasy.com/building/2-tudor-city-place-new_york/1bs

I'm not sure if it is politically correct to say "Far East".

The 2 Tudor City listing is intriguing. Sold in 11/2014, then relisted at the end of 2/2015. In and out of contract once since then with a price drop. One poster pointed OP towards Tudor City at the beginning of her search. That area, about which I know nothing, does seem to have the most inventory fitting OP's criteria, proximity to the train excepted.

I just saw this listing and I think this would be a good apt for you. Has the space and it's in a beautiful building on cpw, the eldorado. It is 50% down but you originally said that you were ok with that. You also said that you didn't necessarily want to live on an ave like park, 5th, cpw. I do think cpw is definitely different, also the proximity to the park with this apt and subways is great. B/C At 86th which has an entrance on 88th 1/2/3 at 96th. Also big bedroom for you instead of a tiny one and the "maids room" is not a bad size either.. I think this apt is a rare and great opportunity.
http://streeteasy.com/building/the-eldorado/14e2

That'd be a better buy for the owner of 14E1. She could combine with hers and restore the original E-line layout, and get a huge premium for the trouble. The share count for 14E1 and 14E2 together is the same as what 14E would've been if it'd never been cut up, so no maintenance penalty.

I love that outdoor space!
http://streeteasy.com/building/330-east-70-street-new_york/1kl?featured=1

Good find. WD, two bathrooms, garden space (large and safe for little ones) and a flexible floor plan for a growing family. Kitchen is small for my tastes, and the renovations look like they are on the cheaper side, but it looks move in ready, or close enough, and the building is in an unexciting but hugely convenient location, not far from the subway.

I want that apartment in the El Dorado, but 330 East 70th looks more in line with what taxibutton is looking for. I hope she comes back and gives us some reports on these.

I agree. The El Dorado building wise kills 330 e 70 but the apt there is suited better for taxibutton. Taxibutton what are your thoughts?

What are your thoughts regarding Harlem 2 BR's ?

Not interested in Harlem. It’s so inconvenient for us (we both work in the financial district).

We saw the 2 Tudor City space; I'm freaked out by having a private entrance -- it's actually a doctor's office. I laughed at the brokerspeak "VIVA LA MAISONETTE"....not for us, though there is absolutely potential for that space.

We really didnt like 330 e 70th and actually got locked in their building's "garden" --a depressing 10 ft behind the building area w/ an umbrella and some plants. Doorman gave us the key and didnt mention that the door locked when closed, so we were stuck out there, which was both funny and a bit troubling at the same time. (we ended up walking out the back garbage entrance and then back around to give him the key back. Apt 1KL looks very nice, but is not as nice as 5J we were there to see -- I was very interested but my husband hated how slow the 1 elevator was and I didnt like it so much I disagreed. It's a strange smaller building and I think the services are pretty minimal. http://streeteasy.com/building/330-east-70-street-new_york/5j was the 5J apt. I thought it was solid. Looks like it's sold.

Based on your posts, I saw the El Dorado apt this wk and it's got lots of good qualities. Shiny retro dining room wallpaper included! I just really don't like the location (which is it's main asset) – I know this makes me odd, but I've said before and continue to share that I prefer to be closer to commercial stuff and don't like avenues like Riverside / West End / CPW / Fifth / Park for that reason. Also, on a more practical level, the baby/maid's room is really tiny, and so I think it's not worth the 1.3 M for us -- it's not a true 2 br. I know it's a building where Alec Baldwin & Moby & Marilyn Monroe have all lived, but I just dont personally 'get' it.

http://streeteasy.com/building/139-east-33-street-new_york/12de this combination really interested me but seeing it, it's not right for us. Location is hard and it needs a lot of construction to get it right. Someone will add a lot of value there I think, if they can make it into a 2 bed with a separate dining room and nice flow.

We're getting ready to list our 1 bedroom apt for sale, thinking if we don't find a place to buy first, we may as well sell and move into a rental. Looking at rentals, I think this place would be solid-- it may not be the most charming neighborhood, but it's super convenient, nicely renovated and a sizeable apt in a full service building; maybe we should be looking at condos... http://streeteasy.com/building/the-vanderbilt-235-east-40-street-new_york/14a. wonder what that would cost.

9A and 12A both sold recently for more than $1.5m. High monthlies. The estimated monthly total cost is over $9000. Quite a high premium to pay for the right to paint your walls eggplant.

Also you should know that a 37 story building will be built across the street.

> the right to paint your walls eggplant.

Back to this nonsense, Bhurg? Will you ever grow up?

It is nice when you can do an apples to apples comparison on the rent vs buy with precise data points like the requested rent for 14a compared to recent sales prices of 9A and 12A and not even I, who am obsessed with my wall colors, would pay that much of a premium to paint them. If you are good living in Murray Hill/Turtle Bay between 2nd and Lex there should be an abundance of great condos to rent for significantly less than it would cost to own them.

I'm all about the apples to apples. Fc, I don't think I'm the one needing maturity here.

Apples, eggplants. Most people know what $9,000 is without putting it in context of produce.

It was hardly a radical statement. But insult away.

It was nonsense, not radical.

eggplant ... very funny

According to wiki eggplant was added to the crayola box in 1998, and was first used as a color name in English in 1905. Not nonsensical at all. Maybe your mother only bought you dollar store crayons, or didn't let you have the big box.

At least it's representational, I could have used something like sea foam.

Eggplant is also Benjamin Moore paint color 1379.

Now you've gone from nonsense to outright batty.

Excellent retort, nonsensical without any factual basis. Your specialty.

No factual basis for you being batty? It's all right here in black and white!
Bats are blind ... coincidence?

Keep your day job, and your Bloomberg terminal. Your wit is sorely lacking, often not apparent.

You may want to see this apt taxi button, 600 wea 4b. Perfect size for you and it's on I think one of the two floors where you have doors in the living room leading into the Juliette balcony. Basically just large Windows's. The prewar details are nice and it's a great building. Solid price too.
http://streeteasy.com/building/600-west-end-avenue-new_york/4b

Taxibutton has made it clear that she is bemused why we don't recall her various criteria after a couple hundred posts, but I think that is out of her location preference range.

BBurg, I am not kidding, please start a blog and I will be an avid reader. That post made me laugh out loud.
Taxibutton - I cannot speak for everyone, but I do love you, in large part because you are a Manhattan-raised version of myself in my late 20's. (Endless stories of how my Manhattan friends comfused the rest of us "X, you are from Colorado? You MUST know Y from Michigan!" "Oh, no Q-from-Queens, I am from the CITY.")

And that is why I am most curious to see where you (TB) settle. New York is to me the best competition field; I cannot imagine what it would be like to be a child of privilege here.

>That post made me laugh out loud.

Nobody around to see this I assume (and hope).

>Keep your day job, and your Bloomberg terminal. Your wit is sorely lacking, often not apparent.

Do you speak like this? "[y]our wit is sorely lacking, often not apparent."
Seriously, is that how your mind constructs sentences?

>Endless stories of how my Manhattan friends comfused the rest of us "X, you are from Colorado? You MUST know Y from Michigan!" "Oh, no Q-from-Queens, I am from the CITY."

You have really bright friends.

You are around, and you are my friend. Come on, step it up or lighten up, and give TB some advice. You know you have thoughts and opinions on NY real estate; this is the place to share those thoughts and opinions. Do you want to be helpful or hurtful? Use your words.

Nah, I'm with Bhurg on this one - I find taxibutton annoying and entitled.

I'm not perplexed by the behavior on this thread by bright ppl who choose to sling charged opinions for fun, I get it; it's the stardust that makes Gawker & Curbed comments so funny, fine. But we're on a real estate website, I'm a buyer (and a seller actually) and I don't see what makes me seem entitled or annoying here. I've shared some criteria. We've been open and even updated you as the criteria has evolved. My own lucky-but-not-very-unusual UES upbringing aside, we're looking to spend our own hard-earned money here just like anyone else, so looking carefully into massive real estate decisions seems pretty normal. We have lots of friends / coworkers / family for whom apt hunting is a many-month and even multi-year affair. These aren't quick casual decisions. The process has been so overwhelming that we've considered leaving the city fairly seriously, realizing it's super competitive to find what we'd want at the price we want it. I'm not sure what I can do to show such lofty and entrenched trolls the right level of honor and deference here so that they stop ping ponging paint colors and punchy venom around, and maybe use their expertise in a more constructive way, but that's fine.

In other words, I'm ignoring you and I don't really care what you think; I suppose it would be more gratifying if everyone took your pithy advice and INSTANTLY acted upon it-- running off to finance huge purchases and report back breathlessly! Sorry, no. I'll keep using this thread as it suits me. I'm bummed the good advice has been buried beneath the flotsam of glorified trolls, but it's fine. Heading out to a number of open houses today (rentals & purchases) and will report back on any learnings.

Being annoying is just something some people have and some don't. You can't control for it.
Now, being entitled, well, you just did it again.

yawn fieldchester. i ignored your posts & am very uninterested in your judgy drivel. ignore this thread if it's so annoying!

Are you or are you not ignoring me?

re: "we've considered leaving the city fairly seriously" ...
DING DING DING DING DING DING DING ... we have a winner!!!!!!!!

You'd get a hell of a lot more, with good schools, in Pelham. Forest Hills and Jackson Heights offer much less expensive options with access to subway lines serving midtown. The problem I have is you don't really seem to have defined what you NEED. We know what you want, although that does also seem to change. I like these types of threads, but if you really want help you might fully list what your current parameters are (want and need) once in awhile.

The eggplant/pistachio/aubergine wall colors, and the ability to use them when reaching the exalted position of homeowner vs. renter, has been a very specific theme on SE for years. Some things aren't just about you, taxibutton, but I was only trying to make gentle fun of you for being so dismissive of some posters' misguided attempts to help. You are the supplicant here.

Agree with Bhurg again. If you want her help like the SE posters before you, you'll need to revise your search as well as your approach to this thread in order to satisfy her first.

>taxibutton - have you seen this one? Nice size and decent maintenance, even for a combination unit.
http://streeteasy.com/building/the-gaylord/5jk

5jk looks great; imagine it will be snapped up in fairly short order, but hopefully not before TB gets in to see it.

Needs some heavy renovation / updating except the kitchen (although the floor ...). Too bad MCR you can't let the new buyer know where to get some Carrera (aka Carrara) marble slabs.

Whether it needs renovation depends on what buyer is looking for; young professionals paying on their own dime might be a bit more accommodating of dated finishes than a grown man with an outgrown sense of entitlement as reflected in his uninterrupted occupation of his mother's basement. At first glance (meaning no due diligence performed) 5jk looks like it is priced appropriately for what it is, but the market will let us know soon enough.

I don't think there's that much that needs to be done. In the bathrooms swapping out the vanities/light fixtures and probably mirrors would be a huge improvement. The wall of low built-ins in the second bedroom would need to be removed to accommodate a child. The mirrors in the dining area would get to me. But the total cost for those changes would be minimal. Not a terribly family-oriented neighborhood (although there are a few kid standouts nearby, including Turtle Bay Music School), but it can't be beat for convenience/subway location.

Actually, depending on how those built ins are configured, they might be able to be used as drawers and toy storage

taxibutton is clearly not interested, she's ignoring the rest of you too, including Bhurg who apparently doesn't know that you can't call a neighborhood family oriented or not

It's hard to tell, but I doest seem as though there is enough wall space in that room, and there is an abundance of storage. I'm not selling real estate, I can call a neighborhood anything I want. I will mention, though, that the schools on the east side gramercy through at least high 50s have improved mightily in the last few years, with a few new ones.

taxibutton is no dummy; she is reading and filtering, and she could not be in better hands than those of bburg and ph41.

I saw 5JK and it looks pretty much perfect to me. Unfortunately they have 3 offers (not sure how real or what phases they are) already so we need to move quickly. I need to get my husband in to see it soon. And if he likes it as much as I do perhaps we have a winner. Thanks MCR & ph41 for your continued feedback.

>taxibutton is no dummy; she is reading and filtering, and she could not be in better hands than those of bburg and ph41.

>Thanks MCR & ph41 for your continued feedback.