This Chelsea Studio Is Listed for Under $500K—But There’s a Reason
Today in ridiculous real estate, let’s take a trip to New York. While few things about the city’s property market surprise me anymore (ahem—crawl space guy), I have to say I am actually amazed that one can buy a studio in Chelsea for under $500,000. Of course (you knew it was coming), there’s a catch.
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This studio at 325 West 21st Street is small, sure—small enough that the listing doesn’t note the actual square footage anywhere—but hey, that’s what you get when you’re searching for Manhattan real estate without a million dollar budget, and New Yorkers are up for the challenge when it comes to tiny spaces. Located “three easy flights” up in a building that dates back to 1899, it’s been renovated, which is nice, and there’s even quite a bit of built-in storage and a Murphy bed. The kitchen actually looks functional despite its tiny footprint, in case you’re a person that uses your oven for more than storage.
What’s by the front door, you may be thinking. Perhaps a little area to place your keys? Nope. Instead, there’s a glass-walled closet and oh look, there’s the toilet next to that, with a half wall separating the commode from the kitchen and living space. But no opaque walls on the “hall” side.
Nothing says “don’t come to my place” like a bathroom without walls. In fact, I think “have actual walls” should be, like, the top entry in how to not embarrass people who your bathroom.
This, as the place was recently renovated, was a design choice. A choice someone actually made when they also decided this studio had room to put in a sunken tub, but not bathroom walls. And then proceed to try and get someone to buy it for 469,000 real American dollars.
Of course, this is not the first time we’ve seen a similar situation, albeit in rental properties (first in San Francisco and then in Tokyo). I know the market is tough, and that even parking spaces in Brooklyn cost $300K these days, but I hope people have enough sense to not spend actual money on what essentially is a spacious bathroom with a bed.
h/t Curbed