1) Out of the kindness of his heart (and maybe a desire for a fun resumé builder), Brown Harris Stevens broker John Burger has offered to handle the sale of Bernie Madoff's penthouse on a pro-bono basis. But the grinches at the Justice Department won't let him! He could still donate his commission to the Madoff victims, if he's chosen. Federal marshal are still considering proposals from brokers, and the place is expected to list for around $7 million. [Big Deal/'The Madoff Listing']
2) The folks behind the dumpster swimming pools in Gowanus are struggling with the burden of trying to keep their little secret a secret (even if the secret is out). Everybody wants in, and one lady even compares it to Soho House! Guys, you know what keeps people away from your little private urban country club? Not giving the New York Times interviews about it. ['Forget the Trash Bag, Bring a Towel']
3) Sellers are having trouble selling, yatta yatta yatta. Honestly, this whole story takes a backseat to the one bold idea presented in it by a UN employee explaining why he moved from Hell's Kitchen to Clinton Hill: "I used what I called the Starbucks index. There were no Starbucks around in Hell's Kitchen when I bought there, and when I sold there were four. There were no Starbucks here either when I bought." Can we get a non-mermaid nabes roll call? ['Gotta Move, Gotta Sell']
4) Bidding war! It happened, kinda, when a mystery buyer paid $4.225 million for the broken-up townhouse at 130 West 70th Street. Mystery buyer then wanted to combine it with another subdivided house next door, but a group of French investors had gone into contract at 132 West 70th Street for $3.5 million. So mystery buyer swooped in and snatched it up for $4.3 million, above the asking price! Who are you, crazy rich person? [Big Deal/'A Jostling Match']
5) Lured by tales of negotiable rents, a Carroll Gardens couple looks to relocate to the Upper West Side with a tiny budget. Occasionally offering 10% to 20% below the asking rent, they keep losing out, but eventually snag a one-bedroom in an elevator building for $2,100 a month?more than they wanted to pay but less than the $2,550 it was going for. [The Hunt/'No Longer Out of Reach']
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