Part III of the “Avoiding Major Pitfalls at the Closing Table” series covers townhouse sales.  This type of property is a beast of its own nature.  Unlike condominiums and cooperatives, you are your own management company and superintendent.  This means you have to make sure all City, DoB and utility-related items are in place in order to have a successful closing. These tips will help you prepare:

PART III: Townhouses

• Judgments Against Seller: Check for any judgments against the seller.  They must be resolved to receive a clear title.
• Survey/Encroachment: It is best to conduct a survey prior to closing so you can determine if there are any encroachments on the property or any adjacent properties. The title company will need to have documentation at closing to record any agreed upon survey changes with adjacent properties.
• Environmental Control Board Violation: Sellers should make sure there are no fines against the property no matter how small.  It will be found on the title continuation and must be paid to receive a clear title.
• Sidewalk Violation: This is a major issue in townhouse closings. If the City has filed a violation prior to contract signing it is the responsibility of the seller to remedy it. If it is not remedied, some lenders will not allow the closing to take place until it is fixed.
• Mechanic’s Lien: The title search will pull up any liens and the seller should be aware prior to closing so they can resolve each lien.  This is needed to receive a clear title.
• Open Building Permit: As a seller, make sure you have sign offs from the building department to show that all your work permits are closed.  Sometimes title reports will have conflicting information.
• Water Bill: The seller should attain the last water bill from the City and make sure it is paid to date.
• Covenants and Restrictions: This may reflect that there are set back lines and restrictions as to what the property can be used as.  What may happen is that the title company may need to provide affirmative insurance in the lender’s title policy for these recorded documents. As a buyer, you should check to see if you will need this insurance ahead of time.

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Where: 114 West 13th Street
Size: 4 bedrooms, 4 full bathrooms (and 2 powder rooms)
Asking: $11,995,000
Listed by: Vickey Barron

After undergoing a complete renovation, this Greenwich Village townhouse — built in 1848 — has become one of the best single-family homes in all of downtown. Understated and elegant are words to describe this home, but it has also been refreshed for a modern lifestyle. In keeping with what luxury buyers are after these days, the house — comprised of four stories and a finished basement — includes 4 spacious bedroom suites, 3 with fireplaces. The building has undergone structural, mechanical and technological upgrades, and even the beautiful backyard has been redone. The interiors are truly stunning, and we recommend browsing the full photo gallery on Vickey Barron’s listing. Below, a peek at the new kitchen, looking out into the private garden.

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Where: 170 Washington Park, Brooklyn
Size: 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
Asking: $2,495,000
Listed by: Doug Bowen and Vickey Barron

“Many buyers re-entering the real estate market after years on the sidelines are discovering what they’re after in brownstone Brooklyn,” the New York Times wrote this month. “In neighborhoods including Fort Greene, Park Slope, Boerum Hill and Red Hook, brokers are besieged by buyers.” Into this highly competitive market comes 170 Washington Park in Fort Greene, which boasts a huge advantage: It’s right on a park. An amazing park, at that. Fort Greene Park, a 30-acre site with roots that go back to the Revolutionary War (it was originally called Washington Park), was the work of Central Park designers Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, and was Brooklyn’s first designated park. Its playgrounds, tennis courts, tree-lined paths and open lawns are the heart of this historic neighborhood.

Currently a four-family house, 170 Washington Park will be delivered vacant, allowing for a new owner to consider many different single-family or multi-family uses. The house, on a 100-foot lot, is 22 feet wide and 45 feet deep, creating generous layouts. And don’t forget: Fort Greene Park is the front yard. With a small-town vibe that people fall for as soon as they visit, Fort Greene also happens to be extremely convenient for commuting to Manhattan. Given what we’re hearing about the Brooklyn brownstone gold rush, we suspect someone will have a claim on this beauty in no time. Here’s a peek inside:

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We don’t normally equate low-rise townhouses with great views, but the sights from this new 4-bedroom townhouse at 257 Berry Street in Brooklyn include a panoramic vista from the Williamsburg Bridge all the way to Midtown, a breathtaking glimpse of life on both sides of the East River. Sunsets from this terrace are stunning, too, as the Empire State Building lights up in the distance.

You wouldn’t know it from this week’s weather, but the unofficial start of summer is just hours away. We’re on an outdoor spaces kick because of that, and there’s really no need to stop now! Memorial Day is the kickoff to all things summery, meaning warm weather and outdoor entertaining. And if grilling is a part of that for you, then the West Village townhouse at 38 Bethune Street is definitely a dream house. At $14,950,000, this spectacular 5-bedroom house has a lot more to offer than just this lovely deck, but for now, let’s simply enjoy the view, and we’ll see you after the long weekend.

Where: 532 8th Street, Brooklyn
Size: 6 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
Asking: $2,095,000
Listed by: Doug Bowen and Vickey Barron

Brooklyn’s Brownstone Belt is anchored by Park Slope, the charming, family-friendly neighborhood that runs along the northwest side of Prospect Park. And while brownstone homes are indeed what most people think of when they daydream about having their own house in Park Slope, that doesn’t mean the neighborhood doesn’t rock out in other ways. This Neoclassical home is part of a consecutive row of 12 limestone townhouses, making for one of the most beautiful stretches of real estate in all of Brooklyn. Located a half block from Prospect Park, on a street that received Brooklyn’s Greenest Block Award, the 2-family home is currently configured as a 5-bedroom, 2-bathroom owner’s duplex with a deck and garden access, plus an income producing garden rental apartment. The stoop is stunning, the location is impeccable, and the layout is ideal. For anyone smitten with the charms of Brownstone Brooklyn (or Limestone Brooklyn), here’s what you’ve been waiting for. See below for a few inside peeks.

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Can there ever be such a thing as “too much house?” Not in the Big Apple, where a home with history on a nice block is New Yorkers’ #1 wish, just ahead of a Knicks NBA championship and a prime time table at Eleven Madison Park. And 233 West 20th Street delivers, with six floors and 7,000 square feet of meticulously renovated and modern interior space, all in a historic shell built in 1824. CORE Managing Director Tom Postilio has the $10,950,000 listing, and he guided viewers through the incredible six-bedroom home on last weekend’s “Open House New York.” See his walk-through in the video above.

With all the gray skies and bitter winds, we’ve been on a bit of an escapist’s kick lately. And looking ahead to spring, the daydreams of grilling and outdoor picnics with close friends are ramping up. The above photo isn’t helping our workplace productivity, but we had to share it. It comes from one of our favorite townhouses, 38 Bethune Street, in the heart of the West Village. There are two outdoor spaces measuring 1,600 square feet in total, and the house isn’t strictly limited to being a warm-weather fantasy. The $14.95 million townhouse has a wood-burning fireplace out back that can keep everyone toasty, even in February.

Whether on the Upper East Side, in the West Village, or across the river in Brooklyn’s brownstone belt, the private house — an enduring symbol of city life — can win over even the most dedicated skyscraper fans when it comes to luxury living. Here are three favorite townhouse currently on the market. For interior photos, check out each listing.

Where: 161 State Street
Size: 5 bedrooms/3 bathrooms
Asking: $3,300,000
Listed by: Reyn Rossington and Doug Bowen

Brooklyn Heights might have the highest concentration of immaculate townhouses in New York City, and it isn’t even in Manhattan. The homes are beautiful and well-preserved, with price tags to match. One recently sold for a record-setting $11 million. This pre-Civil War house on State Street is on the market for the first time in over 50 years, and it’s move-in ready, with 3,400 square feet of space, amazing period millwork and great outdoor space. It’s currently configured as an owner’s triplex and garden rental apartment.

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