New York Daily News

Brooklyn blast-off for realty

- BYPHYLLIS FURMAN

BROOKLYN’S TOTALLY out of your league now.

The hot borough continued to show signs of strength at the end of 2013 in both the sales and rental markets, according to multiple reports released on Wednesday.

The median price of a Brooklyn home reached $570,110 in the fourth quarter, up 11.2% and marking an 11-year high, according to Douglas Elliman. Sales surged 21.2% to 1,752.

At the same time, the median rent in north and northwest Brooklyn rose about 1% in December to $2,660, and rents in certain must-have Brooklyn neighborho­ods soared to new heights.

Bushwick led the way, with the average rent in the neighborho­od jumping 8.2% in December to $2,005, according to a report from residentia­l real estate firm MNS.

“If you have to pick the strongest housing market in New York City, rental or sales, Brooklyn seems to have both,” Jonathan Miller, CEO of appraisal firm Miller Samuel, which compiles the Douglas Elliman reports, told the Daily News.

Supply in Brooklyn is scarce, creating frustratio­n for buyers and renters, brokers said. Sales inventory dropped nearly 28% in the fourth quarter.

“We have people anxious to buy in Brooklyn, but they haven’t found something that matches their criteria,” said Michael Guerra, managing director of Douglas Elliman’s Brooklyn division.

Demand is strong across the board. “Sunset Park, Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, you name it,” Guerra said. “Bedford-Stuyvesant is unbelievab­ly hot now.”

“Brooklyn has emerged as one of the best rental markets in the country,” added MNS CEO Andrew Barrocas.

Meanwhile, rents in Manhattan continued to fall in December. The median rent fell 1.6% to $3,100, according to Douglas Elliman.

The gap between Manhattan and Brooklyn is now just $440. Back in 2008, the gap was only about $1,100.

“Now’s a great time to be in the market for a new apartment,” in Manhattan, said Citi Habitats president Gary Malin.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States