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Couple Gets $150,000 For Not Buying Small Apartment
By
Garth Johnston
Published Apr 6, 2011
Modified Apr 6, 2011
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By
Garth Johnston
Published Apr 6, 2011
Modified Apr 6, 2011
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How much is 109-square-feet worth in Downtown Brooklyn? Back in 2007 Rishi and Heather Bhandari were about to close on a two-bedroom condo at the former Board of Ed headquarters at 110 Livingston Street when they noticed something odd. The living space (bedrooms, kitchen, living room) in the $795,000 apartment felt a bit smaller than the 743 square feet that had been advertised, and a tape measure confirmed it had only 634 square feet. Now, four years later, the Times reports the couple has settled with the building's owner, Two Trees, for $150,000.
It is worth noting that eventually the two parties were able to agree that the total square footage of the apartment was in fact 1,137 square feet. The problem was how much of that space was livable. And that was about all the two sides could agree on—the settlement only came about on the day that jury selection was to begin. When the Bhandaris tried to get a discount at their closing they were told their only option was to get their deposit back. Now they're getting their deposit back, plus interest, along with the $150k. They just had to agree not to live in a Two Trees building for the next four years.
And the Bhandaris did leave some money on the table. Two Trees wanted to pay them $20,000 to keep quiet about the settlement but the couple declined. “I just don’t think that’s right,” Rishi Bhandari, a lawyer, told the Gray Lady.
Tagged
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livable space
real estate
Rishi Bhandari
square feet
square footage
two trees
Garth Johnston
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