Making the Jump in 2008

[octothorpe]

As hinted in Thor's post (too lazy to link), I'm looking for condos. So far, Brooklyn seems to be "it", over Manhattan proper, simply because I don't feel the need to spend over $1.2M to get a shoebox. I'll do the boroughs, but no NJ. Must be subway accessible.

I'm looking at a few places, but there is so much I *don't* know, I thought I'd enlist the help of the LJverse.

The Oro http://www.orocondos.com/
The Argyle http://www.ArgyleParkSlope.com/

I'm looking at Modern Contemporary places.

Needs
* over 500sqft.
* At least 1 real bedroom. (No lofts)
* A full bath that can actually fit a normal human.
* "real" appliances (not the micro versions usually found in NYC flats).

Wants
* W/D In-unit
* Dishwasher
* big windows
* little to no noise heard from outdoors (no single-glazed Murray Hill condos, please ;-) )

Don't Cares
* "gyms"/pools
* Doorman


Does anyone know any coolie MoCo condos going from 500-750k?
Anyone know any coolie MoCo condo NYC/Boroughs blogs?

Pointers, advice, tips, hints, et al very welcome.

Thanks!

Comments

[danbearnyc.livejournal.com]

There's a whole new series of new condo/coop construction happening in Long Island City, and while some of the real estate is on the water and is fabulous, it's worth avoiding any of the properties too close to the Queensboro Plaza subway stop. In addition to the quick commute, the neighborhood features a surplus of "gentlemen's clubs," a view of the relatively high crime Queensbridge Houses projects, or the one fortunate building whose front door is the bus stop where they discharge the Riker's Island prison bus every morning at 430. Oh, and fabulous views from each apartment of the shuttered parking garage immediately across the street.

[theoctothorpe.livejournal.com]

Good to know!

I've heard about the pseudo-buzz of the LIC stuff, but again, as I don't know the area at all, I didn't know the down-sides. Looks like it's not to interesting. (I'd rather not have to fight drunken frat boys and cons in order to get into my house.)

[danbearnyc.livejournal.com]

Not drunken frat boys - no these are expense account commuters who take a little detour north from the Queens-Midtown tunnel into booty land. There used to be a more thriving street hooker business, but that's been mostly cleared up and replaced by the clubs.

[theoctothorpe.livejournal.com]

Oh, even better. Annoying horny drunk salarymen.

Fantastic!

[danbearnyc.livejournal.com]

A recent episode of Law and Order: Special Victims Unit actually filmed on the street. The cops were meeting the Riker's bus and there was a shootout. Eventually one of the crooks made it to the roof of the parking garage and fell off the one side into a garbage truck below, also fully visible from the building. Amusingly, the truck driver had set the compacter function of the truck and couldn't hear the screams because he was out in the street grooving to the sounds from his iPod.

If for no other reason you want to be in this building so you can do a cameo for the next tv shootout.