NY Houses 4 Sale

Whitestone, 11357

Forgotten NY has taken a leisure stroll around Whitestone NY.  Check it out.

Linnaeus Park in Bayside NY, the next Field of Dreams?

I have lived in Queens for the last 18 years and I just found a park that I never knew existed. 

This afternoon my youngest son played baseball at a little field called Linnaeus Park, it is located at 230th Street and 57th Road. 

I have been in this area a ton of times, I have sold a few houses and rented a couple apartments, how did I ever miss this park? 

Its a well kept secret. 

So kept, that the park is in desperate need of fixing up.  This park was "a bedraggled lot, choked with weeds and crabgrass that only rarely encountered a lawn mower. No one around it even knew it had a name".  Then one day in 1992 a construction crew came to do an extreme makeover and the residents were not happy.    Odd, but true.   They felt that this new beautiful park would harbor late night parties, out of control kids and an attraction for outsiders. 

That was then, but this is now. 

Now that is field has been in active use for sometime now, wouldn't it be nice to make this the Queens Field of Dreams?  It really could be beautiful. 

I love Queens, I love Bayside and Whitestone.  I have traveled to many ball fields since my oldest started playing ball 8 years ago and one thing that Queens NY lacks is nice ball field.  The means are there, we already have the outlets, why can't Queens have the nice manicured fields that Long Island has? 

You can see the condition of the field in this photo, yes.. that is my little pudge catching - ok, check out his stance - he looks good doesn't he?  Anyhow - notice that there is no batters box?  A ton of crab grass?  See that there is no drawn base lines?  Yep, this is Queens Ball Fields and they are all like this.  How sad! 

So Mr. Avella and Mr. Padavan and Mrs. Carrozza - What can we do about these sad looking fields?

Thirty years ago...

I can almost remember it like it was yesterday.  Back in 1977 on this day (8/10/1977) my parents finished loading our rental moving truck and we had just said our good-byes to most of our family and friends.  I remember getting into the truck angry and thinking to myself "When I get older, I am moving back here".  I was 6.

We were moving to Arvada Colorado from Bayside New York and I was leaving "my life" behind and I was damn mad  -   I made sure that my parents would know this.   

They did not care - as we were pulling away from our old house David Berkowitz, the Son of Sam was just caught and arrested! 

Do you remember that day? 

Summer of 'Son of Sam' a world away -- Newsday.com

David Berkowitz - The Son of Sam Killer David Berkowitz

Top 25 Crimes of the Century - The Son of Sam - TIME

Flushing North - Down Zoned.

It's about time.  Tony Avella is now pushing to rezone the Flushing North area. 

In the RealDeal this morning there was an article that talks about  a three family home in Flushing North on 172 and 27th ave., I find this kind of funny that Avella notices this home and not the monster "temple' thing on Bayside Ave.  I talked about this huge structure last week, I am still perplexed about how the zoning got changed from a residential zone to a CHURCH zone. 

"I think that it is very important that the areas that have not been rezoned as yet be rezoned as soon as possible, so that everything is zoned properly - the way it should be, the way the houses are at present," said Henry Euler, a member of the executive board of the Auburndale Improvement Association.

Oh, Ya think?

Oh sure, that will look GREAT there!

The other day I was coming back from an attorney's office and while I was driving, I almost crashed my car into the car in front of me because this huge giaNORmous temple thing almost jumped out into the street and swallowed up my car. 

This temple threw me for a loop.  The structure is located at 145-20 Bayside Ave.  You know what, just drive down Bayside Ave towards College Point Blvd and I will guarantee that YOU will NOT miss this! 

QueensCrap will love this.  This morning I went past the structure again just to snap some shots and to pull up some information about it.  I know that there has been about 14 complaints and 3 violations to date.  But what has me totally baffled is that somewhere down the line - I don't know when the zoning got changed from an R2 (Single family) to a M1, Church zone.   

What is even more crazy is that the neighbor across the street just paid 1.8 million for his home (huge lot, so he is probably knocking down too).  But this temple is right out in front of his house, tantalizing isn't it? 

Community Reading!

• Locals cry foul to college plans - NY Daily News
• Queens prices down in 2nd quarter -  The Real Deal
• Baysiders Continue Pursuing Landmarking -  Queens Chronicle
• Tax Breaks Sought Amid Boom -  The New York Sun
• HARSH REALTY IN QUEENS - New York Post News
• Yard Sale Decorating - Budget Decorator Ideas

Whitestone Ny - Its the best place to live!

AM New York had a great write up about Whitestone NY, 11357 this morning.  The article highlights some great resturants, bars and shopping areas and commenters have even added their input to some of their favorite hot spots as well as some must see pictures.

George Isaakidis, the owner of Harpell Chemist asnwers:

What do you like best about Whitestone?

What would you change if you could?

What are some pros about living in Whitestone?

What's one neighborhood gem?

Hurry - go read the article!

Wanna be on TV?

 

The TLC network is now casting for homeowners who are moving to the Long Island/Queens area.  They are looking for homebuyers who have outgoing personalities and a unique taste in design. 

This show follows new homeowners as they are about to move into each others homes.  The new homeowners critique the old style and redo what they want to have redone - all the while the previous homeowners are watching and are sometimes insulted with the changes that were completed. 

So here is the thing - you have to be new homeowners who have not moved in yet to the new abode and have all parties agree to the filming.   

This is a great opportunity for the right family!

If you are interested or you know someone that you think would be great for the show please contact the below email address today.

nford@bbcnyproduction.com

House Lottery.

Southeast Queens residents, are you looking for a home? 

The NYC department of housing has taken a number of homes, refurbished them and have set up a lottery for citizens to enter. 

Eligibility

The homes will be sold to applicants who meet the programs’ eligibility requirements, which include:

§         Applicant’s (and co-applicant’s) ability to meet certain financial requirements, including sufficient

  combined income to qualify for mortgage financing, sufficient funds to cover down payment and

  closing costs, good credit history and other qualifying criteria. 

§         The original name(s) on the application cannot be substituted with other name(s); the application     must remain in the original form submitted.

§         The applicant (and co-applicant) must occupy the home as their primary place of residence for at least six (6) years after the purchase.

§         There may be an asset cap.

§         Household size may be considered when matching a buyer with a home.

Ineligibility

§         Applicants who currently own, or have in the last five (5) years owned, a residence developed under

      a Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) program or project are ineligible.

Income Limits*

§         To qualify for the 22 listed homes, applicants cannot have an annual income greater than $92,170*

§         Income limits may not apply to military personnel and municipal employee preference categories.

*Prices and income limits are subject to change.

Lottery Process

Applicants for these homes will be randomly selected through a lottery process supervised by HPD. If your application is selected we will notify you in writing and schedule an interview. Please be prepared to document your income and the other information you provided on your application. A list of required documentation will be sent to you when an interview is scheduled.

Some of the homes that have been foreclosed/refurbished and available via lottery are:

• 132-03 135th Ave.,
• 114-40 158th St.,
• 108-05 160th St.,
• 111-19 168th St.,
• 105-27 171st Pl.,
• 144-44, 177th St.,
• 132-03 178th St.
• 122-38 Springfield Blvd.

Recent sales worth noting!

This colonial home which is located in Malba, NY is one of the most recent sales for the Malba 11357 area.  The original asking price on this home was $1.500,000 and was on the market for less than ten days.  The actual sales price was $1.400,000.

The home sits on an oversized lot - 75x115 and I can predict that the this home will be knocked down and rebuilt.  What do you think?

Picture Courtesy of CarolloRealEstate