Real Estate
A townhouse on W. 136th St. needs some work but has beautiful original elements.
Become a landlord (in a small way)
BY MARTHA WILKIE
In Brownstone Brooklyn, it’s common for row house
owners to have income-producing rental units.
Resident Laura Hansen needed a renter to pay the
mortgage, but ended up with much more.
“Our fi rst tenant was an acquaintance who became a
good friend, despite the fact that she introduced me to
her friends as Mrs. Roper,” said Hansen. (No one under
age 50 will get this “Three’s Company” reference.) “We
hosted parties together and spent hours stoop-sitting
with our dogs and kids. She wasn’t handy and called us
often about landlord stuff, but the relationship enriched
our lives and made our little commune work.”
In Manhattan? Agent Hanina Levin with Wohlfarth
& Associates works with buyers seeking this setup.
“My townhouse buyers are looking mainly in Harlem,”
she said.
Being a landlord is complex and you must do your
homework.
“I had a deal fall apart,” Levin said, “because the
seller had done major renovations and could not provide
documentation from the Department of Buildings
— and refused to get it retroactively.”
She has more horror stories, including one in which
a family bought a house with a garden-level apartment,
intending to rent it, but found that it apparently wasn’t
up to code.
This Harlem Victorian townhouse is spacious
with great restored historic details.
Designer Christoph Haerter of H2 Architects has
added rental units.
“Each project poses its own set of demands and
unique challenges,” he said. “However, they all share
the quest for the right solution within a tight regulatory
framework (always) and budgetary constraints (almost
always): a space that serves people well and provides
comfort and retreat.”
A stunning Victorian townhouse in Harlem has a
garden and four units. Located in the Mt. Morris Park
Historic District, it’s huge (fi ve stories, 21-feet wide)
with beautifully restored original detail and chic touches
like pressed-tin wainscoting. $4.35 million.
(Brownstoner.com/listing/CORCORAN-5647046
/21-w-121st-st-harlem-ny-10027)
A four-story brownstone in Hamilton Heights has
three units (and two tenants in place). The owner’s
duplex has a private entrance, garden, pretty bay windows,
and a yoga studio. $2.75 million.
(Brownstoner.com/listing/CORCORAN-5761787
/530-w-148th-st-hamilton-heights-ny-10031/)
A 1900 townhouse in Harlem was just renovated and
features an owner’s triplex, with a drop-dead gorgeous
kitchen and a one-bedroom garden-level rental. $3.195
million.
(Brownstoner.com/listing/CORCORAN-5690755
/322-w-140th-st-harlem-ny-10030/)
And if you’re up for the challenge, a three-story,
11-unit row house in Harlem has a charming facade.
Needs full renovation, but original details like stainedglass
windows, fi replaces and an ornately carved staircase
remain. $1.8 million.
(Brownstoner.com/listing/BKMLS-2689333/239-
w-136th-st-harlem-ny-10030)
26 June 6, 2019 TVG Schneps Media
/CORCORAN-5690755
/CORCORAN-5761787
/CORCORAN-5647046
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