Pricing?

The deal is Crown Heights. Who were they kidding?

tandare, forget Crown Heights! The best place for a cheap 2 BR close to Manhattan would be in Sunnyside and Woodside. If you want to go cheaper, a 2 BR in Rego Park can be had for $279k. It's a very safe area, 30 mins to Midtown, with lots and lots of shopping :) But seriously, who wants to live in Rego Park? It's cheap, though.

Jackson Heights is cheap and close. Established, much better than LIC.

I'm not crazy about Jackson Heights because of the elevated train tracks. It's also more crowded with fewer houses and more apts, bad for parking.

@newaccount -- we live in Sunnyside, not finding what we want in our range yet. We're looking in Sunnyside, Woodside, Jackson Heights, Wash. Hts, Inwood, and general areas near Prospect Park (Crown Heights, Prospect Lefferts). Been looking in our neighborhood and not seeing a lot on NYtimes, local brokers et cetera. I think there is still too much "ambitious" pricing going on b/c of proximity to LIC.

Aside from those Qns neighborhoods we really want to be near a park, then we need a big 2br.

Also we don't have a car, and have no plans to get one.

And pet friendly! I just can't buy an apt and not have a pet.

We've seen a few apts in the Crown Hts area (within 5 blocks of the park) and have liked them. Trying to figure out how much we like the neighborhood. Does anyone have anything from personal experience to say about the neighborhood?

Try Celtic Park. They are dog friendly and may cost under $300k for a 2 BR. Most coops will not allow dogs. You are asking a lot!

Jamaica is the hidden jewel in Queens. It is accessible by car, bus, LIRR, subway and jumbo jets.

Yes we're asking a lot! But as the adage goes, never hurts to ask... At any rate we have looked at several good possibilities and not one of them has been a 'no pets' building. I think prices are still going to slide down a bit, so I'm fairly confident we'll get at least most of our needs met.

I don't get the layout. What is between the two bathrooms? This is a lousy layout. Skinny nearly unworkable and cramped living area. How much better as a one bedroom with second one combined into living area. But then what to do with the extra bath in the strange place? Pricing hx? Example of having no idea what it is worth. My belief: put unit on market and test waters at "ambitious" pricing for 3-4 weeks only. Hold 3 open houses and listen to attendees' comments. Then do one very realistic adjustment to point where offers are certain and get it sold. A PR person once said to me he advised clients that when you have to eat sh-t, don't nibble at it forever--take one big bite and get it done with. Otherwise, you lose credibility, do nothing to enhance credibility and just create a poor negotiating environment. This sales strategy has caused the unit to age on the market, buyers are now hard to attract, seller/agent look lost... No one is well-served here.

I can't understand why they bother having 2 bathrooms with a washer/dryer room between them... just get rid of one, make the second a closet, put the washer/dryer in the first bathroom in a closet and I agree, make that 2nd bedroom part of the living area.

and you're right, they look like they have no clue.