Many individuals dream of owning a brownstone home in the City of Brooklyn. If you are reading this, it is quite likely that you are in the process of making that dream a reality.
While purchasing this type of specially-designed home certainly is a both a privilege and an honor, it is also a hefty expense. Why?
Because nine times out of ten, you will have to engage in some type of renovation of the structure. In this brief guide, we will outline a few considerations that you should make prior to initiating the renovation process.
Long-Term Financing
As you search the market for the brownstone of your dreams, you will quickly discover that these structures are quite expensive.
On average, you are looking at about 2 million or more. That is just for the building, itself. In order to renovate the structure, you will need additional funding.
In most instances, you will need to finance to make the purchase. If at all possible, it is best to find a lender that will finance both the purchase of the building and the renovations that you will need to make.
Otherwise, you may find it difficult to obtain the funding necessary for the endeavor. The good news is, while the purchase and renovation will likely be expensive, you will find that the property taxes are low.
Disclosures
Before making a purchase on a brownstone and engaging in the renovation process, it is imperative that you obtain disclosures from the current owner on the repairs that need to be done, any issues that are present with the building, and other problems. This will help you know where you stand, in terms of renovations.
Additionally, it is important to have a home inspection performed prior to making a commitment. This, too, will help you know what will need to be renovated and what will not need to be renovated.
Brownstone
The next consideration that will need to be made if you are considering purchasing and renovating a brownstone building is the fact that brownstone is a type of building material that is highly likely to suffer from decay and erosion.
As a result, you will likely need a façade renovation in order to ensure that the building is structurally sound and it maintains a high level of integrity. In general, this could cost upwards of $100,000 or more. You must be prepared for this investment.
Insurance
If you are going to purchase and renovate a brownstone, it is imperative that you obtain insurance designed – specifically – for these types of structures. These not only take into consideration the age of the structures, but the manner in which the brownstone is constructed.
This type of insurance will help protect your investment, which – undoubtedly – will be a very large one. If you are interested in brownstone programs, we can help you. We have all of the information that you will need in order to get started. Just give us a call today at: 718-855-1836