Writing New York

The housing market in the country is still reeling from the subprime loan fiasco. NYC, though, is a real estate world all its own. There is construction for luxury apartments,coops and condos sprouting from the concrete like bamboo. If there is space someone will build certain that someone will cough up the dough to live there.Space is just as precious here. Construction of what workers say will be condominiums is currently taking place in what appears to be an undesirable location. Located on a corner lot, these homes will hear the thundering of the elevated F train, steps away from the Neptune Avenue stop. There is a unhindered view of the Belt Parkway on the horizon of the second story window. Gravesend bay, accross the street, is currently being dredged and clean, men and machinery buzzing about.”It’s noisy, but it will be really nice,” said a worker on the building. He hit nail on the parquay floor. Gravesend homes sell for nearly twice the price of homes in nearby Coney Island. And according to Trulia, sales in Gravesend have far outpaced those in the four surrounding neighborhood from Nov. ‘07 - Jan. ‘08.Gravesend, Brooklyn, a largely residential community, many homes are also recieving face lifts. And much like homes built in the 1970’s have a noticible style, Gravesend is seeing a trend in home design. The drab brick is transforming into a more modern look, reminicent of large suburban homes, with smooth outer walls, lighter and softer colors, and embellishments of columns and window dressing. There are even homes built on several lots, mansion-like in appearance.It remains to be seen if sales in Gravesend will slump, but for now look for construction workers, masons and smiling real estate agents.