The House with a Thorn in its Side: Price Slashed Again at 70 Willow Street

By on September 26, 2011 10:43 pm in Real Estate

The Greek Revival home at 70 Willow Street where Truman Capote once lived has had its price slashed by nearly a million bucks according to Curbed. Earlier this year the rumor was the the home had been sold but guess that didn’t happen, eh?

We chalk it up to the fact that a photo of a young and jumping Capote graced the cover of the original release of “The Boy with a Thorn in his Side” by the Smiths. Well at least it gives us an excuse to embed the video of that song (after the jump).

Curbed: The rumor this past spring was that 70 Willow Street, the Brooklyn Heights beauty once occupied by Truman Capote, had two offers. But nothing’s real until the deal closes, and at the Capote house, it hasn’t. In fact, the price just got chopped again, by nearly $1 million. The new ask: $14.995 million. A far cry from the cold-blooded $18 million the home originally hoped to fetch. Maybe Capote’s house and another writerly abode we know should compare notes.

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  • lori

    What happened with the Mailer apartment on Columbia Heights that was being offered a while ago at a high price? Anybody know?

  • http://www.brennanrealtyservices.com Donald Brennan

    Mailer apt sold.

  • Gerry

    One of the most magnificent homes in Brooklyn Heights an unusually wide Brownstone in good condition on Montague Terrace sold for 9 million during the boom this house is over priced.

  • harveys mom

    that was oliver smith’s, the set designers house. its a beautiful house with a wonderful backyard, at least it was 15 years ago.

  • EHinBH

    This is absurd. The place should sell for about 10. Max.

  • Pierrepont Joan

    The Oliver Smith house is a majestic home with spa, gym, pool with beautiful landscaped gardens with hundred year old trees.
    Unfortunately, the most recent owner never really lived there, but divided it up into a few units. Whomever buys it would have to restore it back. This is a single family dwelling and should remain so.
    If a large single family brownstone on Remsen Street sells for 4-5 million, this house, should probably bring $12-14 million. Who would spend $14M for a house in Brooklyn?

  • Willow St. Neighbor

    A house is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.
    At least that was what real estate brokers told me when I was selling my house.
    As for paying that kind of money to live in Brooklyn, why not?

  • Pierrepont Joan

    @Willow St neighbor
    Of course, you’re right about the value if a property.
    As to why pay 14M to live in Brooklyn Heights: it doesn’t make sense to me. It’s true, Brooklyn Heights still has many “old money” people who live in Brooklyn Heights, but most people don’t see, and don’t have entrée to, that world of private clubs, philanthropy,
    No one with any common sense about investment and asset management would pay $14M in an area where the highest prices houses and Coops have sold for less than half that.

  • Willow St. Neighbor

    Pierrepont Joan,
    Didn’t 140 Columbia Heights sell for above 10 million? I think at one point it was on sale for 20 million.
    70 Willow is a very unique house. It will be interesting to see what it will actually sell for.
    I know that I did not want to overpay for my little one bedroom apartment but 70 Willow is in a class by itself. It’s like buying a piece of history. Not sure how one can put a price on that.

  • Eddyenergizer

    Back in 08 I was working for a construction firm that did a $10+M renovation on a Remsen St property, that’s not including the purchase price… So people are spending the big bucks around here.