Brooklyn new construction quality

I wouldn't buy from a developer without a track record going back to at least pre-2007.

What would you think of the Oosten.. which is one of Xinyuan first US projects, though they have a 20 year history in China, and have been NYSE listed for about a decade?

It was raised to me by someone in the industry that they'd be concerned about their use of cheap non-union construction labor, and the oddly slow pace for such a low rise building. I also noticed about 10-15% of the units are already listed as rental before all the units have sold.

Schaefer Landing doesn't seem to get much press good or bad, and went up pre-crash..

As a separate concern, I suppose both will be impacted by the giant complex going up next door from ODA/Spitzer.. plus the Domino work a bit further down.

I looked at a building a while back in Brooklyn that was an absolute mess due to the shoddy work of the developer. So many things went wrong in that building - roof, heating systems, etc. that the building had to jack up the maintenance like nothing else. Then the lawsuits started, at which point most banks stopped doing deals in the building.

What a mess!

Any chance that was the Edge or Northside Piers?

Austin Nichols (184 Kent) got plenty of bad press recently as well I noticed. Thought the pricing was off anyway, so wasn't interested.

I wouldn't be too concerned with The Oosten's slow pace (personally more concerned about the location - not a fan). I purchased at 80 Metropolitan. The developers Steiner started construction right when the market crashed in late 2008. Despite the downturn, the building went up over a year and half - slowly but surely. This was a departure from the trend by other buildings in the area that were erected in what seemed to be only 3 months during the boom before 2008. It is of course one of the few all brick new constructions in the area (not like the steel and glass all over the neighborhood). We're very lucky that there have not been any quality construction issues in our building. This was Steiner's first residential property and it appears they wanted to get it right without cutting corners. One of the Steiners lives in the penthouse at 58 Metropolitan next door. I haven't been on the Streeteasy forums in a long time. But they served as a great source of information regarding quality and issues a few years back. You can find a building and check out their discussions to see if any alarming comes up. I have more confidence in developers with deeper pockets (like the Steiners) or national builders like Toll Brothers (I think they are responsible with the developments along the water). I don't recall hearing much about the construction at Northside Piers or The Edge. I would be weary of some of the smaller developers looking to make a quick profit and more likely to cut corners. It's hard to judge. I recommend visiting as many buildings and showroom if they have one to get a sense and build a baseline of what feels right. As for the Austin Nichols, it has gotten bad press but it appears to have great bones. Can't beat the location on the water. Good luck.

I saw a place in 80 Metropolitan this weekend as a unit has become available. We did like the building.

Any comments on 338 Berry? (the formerly inanely named "Williamsberry")

Pricing seems a bit aspirational as there are multiple Q4 closings @ 10-15% below last ask.
The monthlies seemed high (50% higher than comps, but tiny gym, no pool, only part-time doorman).

Some of the units had a nice view over the bridge with good soundproofing.
Some units overlook a neighboring parking lot.. which raises the concern it can get built up and block a lot of light?

This is not the time to buy in Brooklyn.

I wouldn't rule out Brooklyn. The market is softer and I'm seeing more inventory. So you could potentially get a "deal" or something for less than asking. As for 338 Berry, I don't know much about the development other than it looks well done and of quality. The location will appeal to people who don't mind the proximity to a major bridge and car views. I'm partial to properties north of Grand due to the convenience and amenities in the area. If you go south of Grand and don't mind being away from major transportation, west of Berry and east of Kent could get exciting in the next 5 years due to the Domino Sugar factory developments. There seem to be quite a few places east of Driggs that could be good. And maybe you should consider developments like 50 Greenpoint further north.

Thanks. Will check out 50 Greenpoint.
We like the further North areas bordering Greenpoint & the South Williamsburg area better than "core" Williamsburg currently.

My thoughts on South Williamsburg were around:
+ being near M
+ a bit quieter
+ better Storm Zone than North Williamsburg
+ great existing food/retail scene
+ near Schaffer Landing Ferry
+ seems to have growth opportunity given development / expansion of East River park lands

Were hoping to be opportunistic in that we have no hard dates we need to move by.
We rent currently and lease is up in 1 year. We would prefer to move before it is up, but could renew if we had to.

For our price range ~$1.5M, Brooklyn seems like the only reasonable choice (which I will note is sort of insane).

"This is not the time to buy in Brooklyn"

While I don't know if I would rule out all of Brooklyn, certainly any place which has seen large increases in the past decade or so along the L line could be severely impacted when the line goes down for the Canarsie Tunnel repair (which is a very large percentage of the new construction in that borough).

I know we've gotten off topic on construction quality but I've been keeping an eye on 500 Metropolitan Avenue (not sure if this is the actual address). It's one stop past Bedford Avenue and also next to the G line. That area, just east of the BQE, is fairly busy with people, shops, and restaurants. I think it will get even better. Being only the second stop in Brooklyn on the L is a good thing. If you can handle 15 months without the L, it could be an excellent development.