What I Love About Living in a Brooklyn Brownstone

What are the benefits of living in a Brooklyn brownstone? Learn from brownstone owner and real estate agent Christine Toes Muldoon.

New York is home to some of the finest real estate the world has to offer. While some may prefer modern lofts and high-rise flats, there’s something distinctive about living in a New York brownstone.

As a brownstone owner herself, Christine brings immediate experience and firsthand expertise to the market while providing an insider take on what it’s like to live in a Brooklyn brownstone. Below is a compilation of some of her favorite aspects about living in a Brooklyn brownstone.

Nod to history

Old homes bring a special sense of character. Details often make the residence, and pre-war buildings come with their own ambiance. Something as simple as a fireplace comes to life when adorned with hand-carved wooden or marble mantels. Customized crown molding paired with original hardwood floors can be expected, too. Sometimes brownstone buildings will also house stained glass windows and ceiling medallions.

Labor of love

Maintaining your brownstone is hard work — plenty of upkeep is needed to preserve the structure. As a brownstone owner, you are responsible for maintaining the interior and exterior of the building. But the work invested into improving a brownstone is enjoyed daily, which is why it's a labor of love.

Vertical living

Unlike in an apartment where space is laid out horizontally on one level, brownstone owners can partake in the luxuries of vertical living, with rooms spread out on top of one another. Some perceive their spaces as larger since not everything is crammed onto one floor. High ceilings are another perk that brownstones afford.

Paying the bills

With the hefty supply of rooms that a brownstone offers, the opportunity to rent out a room or floor becomes a feasible source of supplementary income. Renting out another unit within the brownstone can help defray the costs of the initial purchase, as New York brownstones are high cost investments.

A sense of community

Brownstone neighbors interact with each other frequently as they tend to their gardens, shovel snow, and take their trash and recycling to the curb. Block beautification efforts are often community driven, with brownstone neighbors convening to plant tree beds and decorate their neighborhoods. Each year, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden hosts the Greenest Block in Brooklyn, a contest aimed at bringing communities together to make Brooklyn cleaner and greener. Many brownstone owners also flock to the structures because of the front stoops that allow extra outdoor space.