Hi there HIB fans. Did ya’ miss me?
It’s been a while since I’ve posted about real estate. Things have been busy, between the baby and work and trying to get caught up on my freelance jobs I haven’t had much time to think about house buying. Besides, with the economy in the crapper I expect that soon they’ll soon be paying people to take the houses off their hands. That’s when I’ll make my move.
My Realtor, Tom McGiveron, has been getting a little impatient with me. Tom’s a good guy and super smart real estate dude, but I warned him up front that I’d be a pain in the ass as a client. He’s got nobody to blame but himself.
So what happened in December besides Christmas? Eight homes sold in Babylon Village, including two condos in the Village Commons. That’s actually a pretty good number, all things considered. I expect that there was some end of the year rushing around involved.
84 S Carll Ave
- MLS# 2100197 – Zillow Page
- Sold: $530,000 – 12/8/2008
- Prior Sales: none
- 4 bedrooms – 1.5 bath – Victorian
- Taxes: $8,675 – Village Taxes: $678
This is a big old Babylon Village victorian, circa 1890. The pictures show a spacious house, with nine rooms, and a good-sized 50×200 lot. There’s probably some work to be done to get this place up to snuff, but it’s well worth iy. I love these historic homes that date from when Babylon was still a popular sea-side resort.
A price of $530K (off a final list of $589K)makes this a very agressive comp for a lot of lesser homes that are listing at or around a half million dollars
95 Little East Neck Rd
- MLS# 1884193 – Zillow Page
- Sold: $249,000 – Sold Date: 12/8/2008
- Prior Sales: none
- 3 bedrooms – 2 bath – Colonial
- Taxes: $6,914 – Village Taxes: $449
This house has been on and off the market for years, quite literally years. This house was on MLS two plus years ago when I was just starting to think about houses in Babylon Village. The house went on and off MLS time and again and even had a sold sign and a zoning variance announcement up for a while, but I guess that all fell through.
This house is right on 109, making it a somewhat less than desirable piece of real estate. Still, $249,000 is a pretty big bargain
2 Christopher Ct
- MLS# 2101366 – Zillow Page
- Sold: $999,999 – 12/10/2008
- Prior Sales: 7/24/2001 – $550,000
- 4 bedrooms – 2 bath – Colonial
- Taxes: $20,269 – Village Taxes: $1,633
A million even. Seems like there were a lot of high value homes sold this month.
40 Ewell St
- MLS# 2065358 – Zillow Page
- Sold: $349,000 – 12/11/2008
- Prior Sales: none
- 5 bedrooms – 2 bath – High Ranch
- Taxes: $12,267 – Village Taxes: $5?
The house is north of the village proper, but still in the Babylon school district.
This is your typical hi-ranch. I’m not sure why the price was so low on this one. The inside pictures show that it needs some updating, but it looks quite livable as is. Either way, it makes a good comp.
28 Waters Edge Ct
- MLS# 2042052 – Zillow Page
- Sold: $752,500 – 12/16/2008
- Prior Sales: none
- 4 bedrooms – 2.5 bath – Colonial
- Taxes: $13,743 – Village Taxes: $1,992
A big waterfront home with W. Babylon schools.
16 Lee Ave
- MLS# 2025193 – Zillow Page
- Sold: $400,000 – 12/19/2008
- Prior Sales: none
- 3 bedrooms – 2 bath – Split
- Taxes: $7,513 – Village Taxes: $656
This house is down by the water, but not water front in the W. Babylon school district.
It’s a small house on a very small lot. Amusingly enough, the Zestimate on this place is 1.3 million. That’s a pretty serious glitch in Zillow’s algorithm.
31 Greenmeadow Dr
- MLS# 2133538 – Zillow Page
- Sold: $325,000 – 12/22/2008
- Prior Sales: none
- 2 bedrooms – 2 bath – Condo (lower unit)
- Taxes: $4,145 – Village Taxes: $690
8 Greenmeadow Dr
- MLS# 2133538 – Zillow Page
- Sold: $357,500 – 12/31/2008
- Prior Sales: none
- 2 bedrooms – 2 bath – Condo (lower unit)
- Taxes: $4,145 – Village Taxes: $690
13 Comments
Litchfield and Pine Street…FSBO small white cape….talking house…could be a deal.
Blog, you’re like my own, personal Deep Throat.
Hey..I believe in this Village…just helping keep you here. I have a home here, but would trade up if the right location location location came along. And..I SCOUR the listings. FYI..that big house on Smith came back on the market, deal fell though..buyer forfeited a nice deposit. FYI,I am not in the business either. 40 George St is relisted at a lower price, odd location but a great looking house.
I appreciate all your comments, Blog. I really do.
I believe in the Village too. We’ve started to look a bit in W. Islip, just to keep our options open. There are some better deals, not to mention many more houses, east of 231, so we may end up buying there if nothing comes up for us in the Village.
West Islip is nice, but I’ll be kind of disappointed if we don’t get a place in the Village. Plus I’ll have to change the name of the blog.
Don’t sell yourself short on those BV homes w/ WB Schools. Cmon..there is ZERO downtown in West Islip…it is complete bedroom community. That’s why they eat and shop here. Stay with Babylon. You won’t regret it.
Gary,
In the very near future, a home on The Crescent will be coming to the market in what appears (from your prior comments) to be in your price range. It was appraised within the past month by a very reputable, long time appraiser located here in the Village. It is a 3 bedroom, two bath, brick, split level dwelling with a one car garage, set on a nice size lot, and obviously located on a very desirable street. If you feel you may have an interest in the home, please feel free to contact me.
And I thoroughly enjoy your blog, by the way.
Don Candelora
Don,
I’m glad you like the blog. I feel a little guilty that I don’t update more often.
I’d certainly be interested in seeing the house on The Crescent. Please let me know when it hits the market.
Gary;
I had a much longer and well-thought out version (maybe screed) that sadly evaporated into the intertubes yesterday.
It lead to the conclusion that there is a bit of cognative dissonance between denouncing the irrational belief in ever-rising housing prices because “this place is DIFFERENT(TM)” and your affirmation of “I believe in the Village”. It sounds too much like a Realtwhores who cheer-led and facilitated our current path to depression while thickly lining their pockets every step of the way. Please tell me you haven’t drank Ojevich’s and Candelora’s Kool-aid.
If you ‘believe in the Village’, you’re willing to pay more for that belief than someone like myself, who will move from this nondescript suburb (or stay if conditions warrant) at the first viable opportunity and never give either decision a second thought. How much more? Your call.
BTW, tell Tom he picked the wrong career if he doesn’t like servicing clients. People who don’t want to work for a living can always pan-handle. Maybe he can go beg with the rest of the bums I pass on the city streets every day.
Maybe he can pick up a buyer who needs a 3% down (seller-assisted, of course) FHA mortgage or a Negative-Amortizing teaser rate Option ARM, with a sub-600 FICO, to qualify. There are plenty of those around. He might find it challenging to close those deals (and get paid) however.
OR just get his MLS password – that’s the only thing of value I’ve ever seen some NAR hack bring to the table.
Led. Or leads.
Moose, please dial it back a bit.
This isn’t the Housing Bubble Blog. We don’t call people “Realtwhores” here or insult their choice of profession. There are plenty of fine Realtors out there just trying to make a living.
Gary,
Your blog, I’ll abide. Though I hope you’ll forgive me If I refer to Don as Timmy(http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=grammar%20Timmy).
I didn’t have to drink the Kool Aid…it’s a great place to live. Also re-read my comments about WB Schools being up there, and the fact that I’m not in the business..