A $3 Home in Italy?? 🇮🇹

July 3, 2024

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What Up Family?

Welcome to The Edit with Aaron Seawood, a lifestyle letter serving a weekly dose of real estate, culture, and wisdom—all in three minutes or less. Let’s dive in. 

 

Real Estate Remix 

Two of the last fully intact blocks in Bed-Stuy were recently landmarked. These blocks are lined with beautiful, late 19th-century brownstones (nearly 50) lining Willoughby Avenue and Hart Street between Nostrand and Marcy Avenues. This designation does more than preserve the structures; it preserves Black history in a neighborhood where the number of Black residents has been declining as a result of gentrification and predatory developers. Landmark status means these homes are officially recognized as worthy of preservation and require approval for future renovations. It’s beyond disappointing that it was a contentious vote, and thankfully, the integrity of these beautiful homes will now be preserved (particularly because greed has already compromised other blocks in the neighborhood). 

 

NYC Insider: What’s Happening This Week 

Happy July 4th weekend, fam! I hope you’re doing what you need to over these next few days to recharge your soul—whether that means hanging with family or friends, relaxing, traveling, or simply enjoying the city now that it’s a *little* less busy. I’m not going to lie; these past few weeks have me feeling stretched thin, and I can’t wait to chill out this weekend. That means I’ll bring a book (I’m currently rereading Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins) to my favorite coffee shop (shout out L’Appartement 4F), take Knox on long walks, and watch Ryder play baseball. When you live in NYC, it’s so easy to go-go-go, and it’s equally important to remember when you need to sit back and veg out. Whatever you’re doing, I hope you nourish your spirit; I’ll be back next week with my usual dope event recs. 

 

Weekly Gem 💎

Hit Reset—It’s Time for a Fresh Look  

My son’s jersey number used to be #14, but when he left his old baseball team a few years ago and joined a new one, he chose #21 for a fresh start. It was a hard thing for him to switch teams. He anxiously awaited the period in between, not knowing what his new teammates would be like and whether he’d play with his friends. And yet, he made the best of it, rocking a new number with fresh confidence and making good of an unknown situation. I learned a lot from my son during this time. It made me realize we need to be able to do the same: recognize moments in our life when we need a reset and don a new number and jersey. 

 

A Private Park in the Sky

Listed by my Compass colleague and friend, Nick Gavin

Damn, this home is fly. Penthouse 7 at 40 Mercer offers unrivaled indoor/outdoor living in one of my favorite Manhattan neighborhoods, SoHo. The 4-bed, 3.5-bath, 3,006-SF unit boasts 11” ceilings and close to 1,600 SF of beautifully landscaped outdoor space that wraps around the home. Listed for $15.75M, here’s what else I love: 

• Floor-to-ceiling windows and terrace access from every room! 
• A dramatic 53.5’ great room that transforms into an indoor and outdoor oasis through a one-of-a-kind sliding wall of windows to the wrap-around terrace. 
• A landscaped garden lined with mature Birch, Maple, and Royal Purple Smoke trees and a custom Endless Pool. 
• Privacy plantings and a secure elevator managed by the concierge create a discreet oasis in the heart of SoHo.
• Who wants a tour?

 

Before you go…

🌊: NYC’s largest swimming pool is now officially open! 

🇮🇹: Say what?! You can buy a home for $3 in this charming Italian town. At least, that’s what the headlines read, but there’s always a twist…

🍸: Tips from the experts on how to be a stellar guest and gracious host. I’m bookmarking this for all my get-togethers! 

🎵: The incomparable Marsha Ambrosius of Floetry fame has released her long-awaited fourth album, CASABLANCO, produced by Dr. Dre. Wow…just wow. It’s a sonic masterclass and my early vote for album of the year. To go from a 1930s jazz club to 1992 NY subways, this is a musical time travel. Press play and listen straight through. 😮‍💨

🥟 : This iconic East Village pierogi spot just opened in Williamsburg. 

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Looking to Buy, Sell, or Rent? Let’s talk.

Like I ask GOD every day, who can we help next?