"Uncool" PLG in the Sunday Times

The schmancy "On the Market" feature in this weekend's New York Times "Real Estate" section features a home on our very own Hawthorne (between Bedford and Rogers). The place looks beautiful, though, at $1 million and with only 2,300 sf, it's overpriced. A house on our block (Flatbush and Bedford), sold about 18 months ago for a million, but that had over 3,000 sf, was a two-family, had a third exposure and the credit markets had yet to completely implode. (On the other hand, it wasn't as nicely renovated as this listing and one floor needed a complete overhaul, as it hadn't been lived in for decades and showed it).

Also in the real estate section, "the Hunt" column — which chronicles New Yorkers' search for a home — features a couple who ultimately chooses a place in PLG. The headline: "Going With Uncool." Huh? While I'll be the first to acknowledge that we're not exactly the epicenter of hip, this couple moved here from Bay Ridge!

UPDATE: According to resident real estate agent Barbara Rogers (see comments), the apartment featured in "the Hunt" is on Linden, between Nostrand and New York—in other words, well outside the PLG border. So instead of telling their friends that they live in a neighborhood that is "part of Flatbush," they should simply say that they live "in Flatbush." If people are concerned about cool, that's probably a cooler answer anyway.

Comments

[babs]

Once again, the NYT has got it TOTALLY wrong (as I suspected on reading the article, but I've since verified it on ACRIS). This is that condo conversion on Linden Blvd. between Nostrand and NY Aves. being marketed by Prudential Douglas Elliman. This is SO not PLG and it is just sad that these people were lied to by those unscrupulous agents, who call it PLG in their ad.

However, it certainly is a tribute to PLG's true coolness that other nabes are now being called PLG.

Regardless, I hope they enjoy their new home, but there's not much chance of finding any moules frites down there for the moment.

[Pete]

I consider anyone who moves into a so-called uncool neighborhood to be cool.

I consider anyone who moves into a so-called cool neighborhood to be an ass.

[babs]

And I agree -- I often tell people I live in Flatbush, just because it's easier to say than "Prospect Lefferts Gardens," and once you tell them that, they always want to know where it is. If you say "Flatbush," people mostly just say, "Oh," and go on to something else.

[Ellen]

while beautifully renovated, the hawthorne house featured in NYT is way way overpriced. if they get anything above $850 they the buyers aren't familiar with the area's prices.

[holmsted]

agreed with ellen. not in the historic district, next to a massive apartment building, and certainly not the nicest block in the neighborhood. they should get somewhere around 800K for this one. PLG is nice, but it ain't that nice.

[Bono]

Flatbush or PLG - whatever it is, it may be "uncool" according to the new york times, but somebody seems to think that you can get over 850K for a small house on a mediocre block. i guess i'll be priced out soon enough. PLG will never be like park slope or any of those other hoods with lots of commercial cutesy stuff, but i guess the prices could become park slope prices in a decade.