Which would you prefer? For about 650K, I can get either a nice 1400 sq ft condo on the 2nd floor of a walkup it is the entire floor with parking. lots of light, it is a 2 bedroom plus a den it has a great layout and wood burning fireplace, bedrooms in back, living room in front, humungous kitchen. But, for the same money i can get a unit in a high rise- zephr or fields landing monroe for about the same money. but the problem is that it is cookie cutter- walk in and see the living room, kitchen is a part of it, and 2 big bedrooms on either side. Yes, it is the same sq footage, but in some useless places, like an abnormally large hotel style bathroom.

I guess I am asking from a resale perspective ultimately. aren't i just going to compete with units in all other high rises if i choose the high rise unit. the walkup felt more private, like a home, i don't have to see 100 people when i leave my apartment. and, it feels like a sprawling place, larger than 1400 sq ft.

which would you choose? for living, i like the walkup, for resale i don't know??? i have to look at this as an investment since i will only be there for 4-5 yrs.

what are the locations?

how high is the floor of the walk up?

Your first issue is considering your home as an investment. Why would you buy a place for so much money at an uncertain time in the market if you only plan to stay for 4 years and need to sell when you leave (unless you can rent it out for positive cashflow and don't need to sell when you go). Your "home" should be something you like and that's completely a matter of personal taste.

If you're convinced you need to buy something and you want to look at it as an investment, you have to consider more than just the charm (or lack thereof) of the place. Location is your first issue. That's the only longstanding real estate mantra there is (besides buy low and sell high, which seems to have flown out the window in recent years). I can't imagine that if I were looking that I would prefer to live on Jackson St. versus, say, Bloomfield, although the light rail doesn't seem so bad (Fields is right near it, correct?). Uptown/downtown can also matter, but doesn't seem as important as there is transport at both ends. Also, if they are 2 bedrooms, your demographic will most likely be young couples considering kids - walkups with strollers? Not so fun. Parking is also the biggest issue in Hoboken. Many people won't even consider apartments without parking.

Overall, if you insist on buying, I would not buy in those brand new buildings, but look for something in a better location that is 2-5 years old. You may have to fix some things up in a few years, but so what? By that time, the "new" fixtures at Fields Landing and Zephyr will be old, right?

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Two others that I keep in mind:

Timing, timing, timing - This the closest thing to a buyers' market in years, making it a great time to negotiate the purchase of a home

Never use your own money - The comptroller's "recommedations" which are really requirements will be implemented by lenders very soon, but right now absurd levels of financing are still available

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Not quite.

All the open house signs and rising inventory are evidence of an imbalance - namely price vs reality. Sellers are stubbornly refusing to budge. And if they do it's by laughably small amounts.

Buyer's markets have come and gone and will come again one day. Perhaps soon. But right now it's neither's market.

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huh??? You are saying Zephyr Lofts is cookie cutter??? What are you talking about - these are probably the most unique units in the whole Hoboken area. The 650k 2bd's you are referencing in Zephyr are duplexes with 18' ceilings - hardly cookie cutter.
Based on this ridiculous claim you have made I will ignore the rest of your comments as you probably are equally clueless on them..

In the future, be careful about what you say - you will lose all credibility.

"You are saying Zephyr Lofts is cookie cutter??? What are you talking about - these are probably the most unique units in the whole Hoboken area. The 650k 2bd's you are referencing in Zephyr are duplexes with 18' ceilings - hardly cookie cutter."

I'm not the original poster but I have to agree with him - 18 foot ceilings, while nice, aren't all that exciting. Duplexes are nice and all but they're not that unique in Hoboken. And everything else (applicances, etc.) about Zephyr you can find in other buildings. I don't find them any different than all of the other new buildings.

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Say what you what about whether you like Zephyr, but the one thing they are NOT is cookie cutter layouts.
Secondly, duplexes are somewhat around in Hoboken - but the ones like in Zephyr are certainly not. 18' double-height ceiling in the great room - good luck finding that anywhere else in Hoboken save one or two other buildings. Clearly you must be the same poster - bc no one else who has seen those unit would make such a foolish claim.

Like I said, that person's/your comment shows his lack of market knowledge. I was rolling on the floor to hear someone using Zephyr of all places to argue that they are cookie cutter. You seriously chose the one wrong building.

http://www.corcoran.com/property/nd/zephyr_photos.htm

here are some pictures. Good luck trying to argue these are "cookie cutter." Maybe you don't like them, fine, but again definitely unique.