Why is an 11-Bedroom Beachfront Mansion in Brooklyn So Cheap?
On the Western tip of Coney Island is a gated community called Sea Gate, where private security turns away unauthorized vehicles and pedestrians; a fence even just out a ways into the ocean, making it quite difficult to swim in. More than 800 residencies pay to maintain a private police force, lifeguards, street cleaning, and more. There’s a lighthouse there, and also an 11-bedroom, 11+-bathroom beachfront mansion that went on the market last week for $2.9 million, Curbed reports.
According to the Brown Harris Stevens listing:
Three levels of living with separate wings provide privacy and comfort with 2′ thick fire walls between the sections. There are several private entrances. Three wood burning fireplaces, 3-4 master suites, and a Library/Music Room with Philippines Mahogany wood paneling.
A reference to the desirability of the north-facing front porch “in case sea views become tiresome” has been deleted.
$2.9 million sounds, to us, inexpensive for such an enormous property—it’ll cost another $50,000 to buy a townhouse in Brooklyn Heights with fewer than half the bedrooms—though certainly the relative seclusion of the property would be undesirable for many wealthy, Manhattan-centric city residents. Then of course there’s the area’s vulnerability to bad weather; the neighborhood was particularly hard hit during Sandy, as its northern, western and southern borders are all sea. Still: beachfront mansion!!
Follow Henry Stewart on Twitter @henrycstewart